EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
So those are the factors that have to be taken into consideration over the next few months as we try to formalize a plan.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Oral question Mr. McLean.
Mr. McLean: Thank you Mr. Speaker. The Minister answered my question and he seems to be looking at this issue.
My other comment is that currently I am beginning to hear that if this isn't done soon, bootlegging could begin to become a real issue and concern in Nunavut, so I wish the Minister would fast track this.
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am fully aware of the issue of bootlegging in our communities and quite frankly one of the issues as a government that we are going to have to tackle when we do a review of our legislation in respect to liquor is some of the provisions on how to curtail that particular activity particularly in respect to enforcement and punitive measures that may be in any legislative changes, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Oral questions Mr. McLean.
I was pleased to hear the Minister say that about the bootlegging and the lack of enforcement that we currently have in bootlegging have in certain communities.
So the Minister is committed to cracking down on the bootleggers in Nunavut.
Minister responsible for the Liquor Licensing Board, Mr. Ng.
Mr. Speaker, yes, it is an issue that the Cabinet is aware of and we are going to try and do whatever we can legislatively to make it more difficult for bootleggers to operate within Nunavut.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Oral questions, Mr. Alakannuark.
Question 147 - 1 (2):Causes of Illness
I am directing this question to the Minister of Health and Social Services.
The government does research in the communities to find out what kinds of illnesses they have.
My question is what is the major cause of illness in the communities.
What is the frequency of doing examinations of these people?
Minister responsible for Health, Mr. Ng.
I am not Mr. Ng, but I would be pleased to…
Speaker: Mr. Picco, sorry…
Hon. Ed Picco: …answer the members' question.
Hon. Ed Picco: Mr. Speaker, there are many different causes for different diseases in our communities.
When this question came up I believe it was last week, I tried to explain that last week one of the changes that we are seeing in many cases includes such things as increased rates, for example, of diabetes which we haven’t seen in the past in Nunavut. We now see an increase and indeed I believe there was 15 or 16 new cases last year found.
At the community level what we're trying to do is look at the prevention of diseases and look at the holistic approach to dealing with incidents of different diseases that are coming forward.
But specifically on what diseases are more troubling and what diseases are coming forward, I believe it would be safe to say that we're seeing increases of cancers, we're seeing increases, for example, new diseases like diabetes and some incidences we're seeing an increase now of tuberculosis, indeed TB, was almost eradicated.
It’s actually coming back and it seems that one of the health indicators that we're getting is with the overcrowding in housing in our communities is causing an increase of TB. I hope that it helps the Member with his question.
Oral questions Mr. Alakannuark
The reason why I had asked this question is because in Gjoa Haven there was an old DEW line site and it was used in the past and there is old material left over there and old trucks have been sunk into the ocean.
The old drums are leaking to our water stream but the reason why I ask which illnesses is more prevalent in the communities.
There has been research done for many years and the researcher’s keep on saying that the results are good and they say it’s safe, it’s not contaminated so therefore many people have been thinking that they are getting more illnesses from what they eat.
Minister responsible for Health Mr. Picco.
Mr. Speaker yes this has been an ongoing concern of many people in Nunavut and indeed myself having lived close to DEW line site for many years.
What the scientists have done through the Department of Environment is to study the impacts of PCB’s , as an example from these DEW line sites and indeed in animals themselves, we’ve notice the fallout in the industrial areas of the United States and in Canada and those types of toxins have been prevalent now in the animals and in the environment here in Nunavut.
Testing has been carried out, specifically by the Department of Health have been in conjunction with the department of Renewable Resources or RWED, Sustainable Development and I cannot really comment further on what type of diseases is more prevalent than that causes but we do know that there are some concerns.
If the community that the Members talking about has a concern from the actual site or the problem with the leakage of substances into the ground that’s something that we can bring forward and we can look at it.
Oral question Mr. Alakannuark
I will ask a question in regards to the water because we're concerned about the quality of our drinking water .Can you make a comment on that.
Mr. Speaker if there was a specific concern with the drinking water in the community, than indeed as a department we’d like to look into it.
So I appreciate the Member bringing this issue forward and maybe later today I'll have an opportunity to speak with the Member any specific concern with the water.
In general Mr. Speaker the water and so on would be under the Department of Sustainable Development and environment and I would work co-operatively conjunction with my colleague Mr. Kilabuk and look at the concern that member bringing it forward.
Oral questions Mr. Iqaqrialu
Question 148 - 1 (2): Liquor Concerns
Mr. Iqaqrialu: (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Speaker. I’m directing this question to the Minister responsible for liquor licensing boards.
In regards to your earlier comment about liquor licensing, I want to pose another question in regards to issuing licenses.
I know that the Act is going to have to be different in Nunavut.
One thing that I’m concerned about that liquor has been the major cause of death in the North, especially hypothermia and from accidents.
When will you will be looking at the Act, I would like to know when you will be reviewing the Act.
Minister responsible for Liquor Licensing Board Mr. Ng
Mr. Speaker right now we're just trying to figure out whether or not to develop a legislative proposal, so we could have some prior discussions across Nunavut on possible changes or whether or not to go forward with some proposed legislation and take that out as a consultation.
So those are the some of factors that are consideration right now Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: Qujannamiik Mr. Ng. Oral question Mr. Puqiqnak
Question 149 - 1 (2) : Credit Unions
The first question I have is in regards to having financial institutions in the smaller communities.
How can we get the financial institution closer to the smaller communities.
I appreciate the Minister of Finance for telling me that he’ll look into it.
Mr. Speaker my question is this is not the first time we have asked this question with the previous government when our finance Minister was with the previous government.
I’m sure he has heard about it and when I was the Mayor of my community and when the Minister of finance was a member of the legislative assembly.
We had requested to get a financial institution such as a bank closer to the community or in a smaller community, the Arctic co-operative had proposed to get a credit union in the North.
I want this to be looked into.
Mr. Speaker if there was a specific proposal that the Co-operatives wanted to bring back for the possible establishment of Credit Unions that is certainly something that the government seriously consider.
At this stage I don’t know if there is a concrete proposal.
I know that in the past the government of Northwest Territories had made a financial commitment as a contribution towards this goal.
To my understanding there hadn’t been any follow up from the perspective of the Co-operatives in the credit unions because they had been speaking to the credit unions in the southern parts of Canada, but I don’t believe any further development had taken place after those discussions Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Oral questions Mr. Puqiqnak
I sure hope with the Nunavut Government we can initiate this because it has not gone any further, so I would like to see it go ahead and I would like to raise this issue again sometime in the future.
Mr. Speaker I would like to ask another question.
If you would like to ask another question I will let you ask another question after the other Member have asked.
Oral questions Mr. Akesuk
Question 150 - 1 (2): Paving Airstrips
Mr. Akesuk: (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker I’m directing this question to the Department of Transportation in regards to the communities that have airstrips large enough for jets, I was wondering if you will be paving the airstrips on the communities that receives jets.
Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Anawak
Yes, Mr. Speaker I have not looked into this issue, but there’s more than one community requesting to have their airstrips extended.
We have communities that want have their airstrip extended and others that want to pave their airstrip.
We have not looked into this because the Federal Government is always changing their acts, but in Nunavut, there are 2 communities that we have to deal with, Pangnirtung and Kimmirut as a priority and the terminal in Iqaluit will have to be fixed and that we're going to have to use quite a bit of capital for Iqaluit terminal but we will look in to the legislation and acts.
Oral questions Mr. Puqiqnak
Question 151 - 1 (2): Liquor Warehouse
Mr. Puqiqnak: (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Speaker. this is a question to Minister responsible for the liquor licensing board, he was talking about a warehouse in Gjoa Haven.
I don’t think there’s going to be a liquor outlet in Gjoa Haven, but I was just talking about liquor licensing board.
I was just talking about Nunavut Liquor Licensing Board.
If the Minister didn’t quite understand my question, I’m just trying to elaborate my question.
At this time I will ask for a recess until 1:30.
Sorry we have checked if our catering is here yet, but we will continue until the catering comes in.
Okay will have a 10 minute break
Speaker: Back to Orders of the Day, we’ve 2 minutes left.
Oral questions, Mr. Akesuk
Question 152 - 1 (2): Airstrip Paving
I’m directing this question to Minister of Transportation, it's the supplementary to the previous question I had asked earlier.
According to federal government legislation the airports had to be paved for the communities that have jet services.
I was wondering if you could look into this further.
Minister of transportation Mr. Anawak.
In regards to the regulations it’s going to become a bit harder for the northern communities and we're going to see if we can make any progress in regards to the Members question.
We hope to see larger aircraft going into the communities of Nunavut.
I will look into it and update you on what’s happening.
Oral questions Mr. Akesuk.
If there’s going to be a review done, my question is are you going to be consulting the regular Members’.
As I told the Member from Arviat, I said that I would consult the regular members when we look into this issue.
Question period is over.
Item 7 written questions,
Item 8 returns to written questions, Item 9 replies to opening address, Item 10 petitions, Item 11 reports of standing and special committees, Item 12 reports of committee on reading of bills, Item 13 tabling of documents, Item 14 notices of motion, Item 15 notices of motion of first reading of bills, Item 16 motions, Item 17 first reading of bills, Item 18 second reading of bills,
Item 19 consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters, Bill 1 appropriation act, Bill 2 Boards of Management Dissolution act, Bill 3 Divisional Education Council Dissolution act, committee reports 1-1 (2), 2-1 (2), 3-1 (2), 4-1 (2) with Mr. Puqiqnak as the Chairperson.
Sergeant of Arms
Chairperson (Mr. Puqiqnak) (interpretation): Thank you.
At this time as the Chairperson of the committee of the whole we will break for lunch and return at 1:30.
Also we will deal with the Department of Culture Language Education and Youth today and we hope to complete that department.
I’m sure you are all hungry, let’s break for lunch.
>>Committee Recessed at 12.31 and resumed at 1.31 pm.
Chairperson (interpretation): Okay, we’ll start our meeting again.
We are now with the Department of Culture, Elders, Language & Youth Department.
Hon. James Arvaluk (interpretation): We can’t hear the other channel.
A Member: That’s one channel that doesn’t work.
Chairperson: Can you get channel 6 now?
A Member: Six?
A Member: Channel six?
Chairperson: Can you get channel six?
A Member: Did you program channel six?
Chairperson (interpretation): As the speaker said today, he would like to thank every one for being able to meet on Saturday.
Since today is Saturday, we would also like to thank the Department of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth for being here.
Donald Havioyak’s department can go up to the witness table with Mr. Havioyak and his officials.
Chairperson (interpretation): You look very nice today with your traditional clothes on.
Right now, we are in the directorate, we’re on page 8-4 in the Culture, Language, Elders & Youth Department Directorate.
Operations and maintenance – total operations and maintenance $1,280,000 dollars Capital – total capital 0 balance; total expenditures $1,280,000.
And the next page 8-5, Language & Communications Bureau - operations and maintenance - total operations and maintenance, $2,089,000.
Mr. Chairman, under this area here, there is, under the grant and contribution, $788,000. I ‘d like to know, Mr. Chairman, if the Minister could provide us with the detail of what the $788,000 will be used for.
Mr. Minister Havioyak?
Hon. Donald Havioyak (interpretation): That section there, so $788,000 dollars, I’m not quite sure where it’s going to be spent so I think one of my officials can clarify that for us.
Where the section is allotted for.
He can explain a little bit further.
Mr. Bain?
Thank you, Itsivautaq.
Mr. Bain: Those two numbers are made of $702,000 in grants and contributions under the language branch, and $86,000 in grants and contributions that are under the regional operations within the budget.
Our grants and contributions policy as it matures will break down those two numbers as we come to the Cabinet with the grants and contributions policy.
Nakumik.
Mr. Chairman, from what I heard, then $702,000  for additional language promotion and protection, that there is not a plan in place on how to spend that, I just wondering how they came up with the amount even though they didn’t know…the department wasn’t sure how they’re going to…where they’re going to allocate those dollars.
Hon. Donald Havioyak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Once we have policies in place, we define this…where this section will go.
We’re going to be using it for traditional use of languages and that's how we’re going to spend it, we will be using for the communities, maybe the hamlets will use it, maybe the schools, educational colleges are going to use it to enhance our languages in the schools and that, but, no, we’re just working on the final stages how we’re going to spend this at this time and Peter will add further details for you.
Mr. Minister, Mr. Deputy Minister, Peter Irniq.
Mr. Irniq (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
To make a supplementary comment to the Minister’s statement, we would like to work together with the community organizations when it comes to traditional languages.
When we talk about traditional languages, it’s Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun languages that are used in the communities and it’s for the preservation and enhancement of the traditional languages.
We would also hope to work with all the organizations in the Nunavut area in regards to the use of traditional languages Thank you.
Quyannamiik.
Mr. Chairman, maybe a better way to put this is… is this number of $702,000, is that in line with the number that would have been allocated by the department, the former GNWT, I’m just wondering where that number came from.
Chairperson (interpretation): Mr. Minister, please recognize the Chairperson, Mr. Havioyak?
Hon. Donald Havioyak (interpretation): We inherited that from the GNWT and we are making plans on how to spend it or give it to some organizations.
That’s the one we inherited from the GNWT.
And also, we’ll be using this in our communities, how we’re going to spend it, maybe some organizations will make some of this to enhance our Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun languages.
That’s going to be used for some organizations as well.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Minister.
Mr. Chairman, I’m not trying to take away from the importance of trying to preserve the language, you know, I myself know how, having lost my language and how important it is to try and retain it, and how much of a struggle it is to try and learn it later in life.
I guess, what I’m getting at is there’s an awful lot of money allocated for that and in some other areas, and there’s other areas through which the department has some jurisdiction over, like the area that I brought up yesterday was for youth.
I’d like to urge the Minister to take a look at how those dollars are allocated within his department and maybe shuffle some of those numbers around..
I guess there are some concrete plans on how to expend those dollars, maybe there’s other areas that traditionally may not have been addressed by the GNWT.
Would the Minister say this is being basically transferred over from the GNWT?
If he can take a look at reallocation based on Nunavut needs and things that people in Nunavut feel are important?
Chairperson (interpretation): Yes.
Your comments are very appreciated and that’s what we want to use it on because we inherited it from the GNWT.
If we don’t spend it all, we could spread it out to other areas that will require some money.
But like we said, we’re a brand new government and we need to find out where we going to spend it, maybe some areas that need more money.
Hopefully, I answered your question.
Language & Communications Bureau.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Puqiqnak.
Regarding the $702,000 that Mr. Tootoo mentioned, under Language & Communications Bureau, do the communities have to make a request to get some money through the grants and contributions?
For example, if Pond Inlet wanted a hundred thousand dollars, do they have to make a request for this money?
Or is it going to be based on per capita basis?
Hon. Donald Havioyak (interpretation): Yes. If the communities want to access some funding, they can ask our department, like for instance, for enhancing languages in the schools, if your community had wanted that.
The communities will have to request for funding if they want to use it for language programs for their community.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Havioyak.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Thank you. I was concerned because we’re going to try promote the Inuktitut language Nunavut wide, for example, if I was from Sanikiluaq, if I didn’t make a request for it , then the money would just stay in the pot, so that’s how I understand it, right?
If there’s no applications from the communities, the money just stays in the pot.
Chairperson (interpretation): I believe that question was understandable.
Would you like to make supplementary comments, Mr. Havioyak?
Hon. Donald Havioyak (interpretation): Yes, the money that is here for the communities who request for funding to use for language programs and it can be used by or for younger students .
They can use it for enhancing our language, our Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun languages, and the youth can use this money as well for elders and youth programs as well
Chairperson (interpretation): Mr. Minister?
Nutarak.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): My question was if the communities wanted to make requests from this $702,000, the communities could make a request.
This money is not given to the communities on a per capita basis, you have to make a request in order to access these funds.
Is not possible to allocate these dollars on a per capita basis per community?
Is not possible to do that?
Because I’m sure that some of the communities will not request for these dollars.
The reason that I want it allocated on a per capita basis is because I don’t want to leave any of the communities out.
If they don’t make a request, they’re not going to be using that money.
If you got the question, Mr. Nutarak is trying to say, for example, Gjoa Haven or Pond Inlet, all the Nunavut communities should have access to these dollars and allocate the dollars on a per capita basis so that every community will have access to these funds.
I believe that’s Mr. Nutarak’s question if you got it through, Mr. Minister?
Hon. Donald Havioyak (interpretation): Yes, I think I got your question now.
The communities can request this funding if they wish and this can be distributed to the communities who request it, but we’re going to be using this in Nunavut wide, so it can be…it’s got to be spent to all that communities .
If the communities want to use it for enhancement of their language, they can then teach the young kids land based.
And also, Peter has further details for you as well how we’re going to spend this and distribute this money.
Chairperson (interpretation): So is there going to be forms that we have to use or application forms we have to use in order to access these funds?
Hon. Donald Havioyak (interpretation): Yes.
Our department will be working on how we’re going to distribute this money to the communities.
Chairperson (interpretation): Deputy Minister would like to make a comment.
Mr. Irniq?
To make a supplementary comment to the Minister’s, there’s a lot of things that we can do under the Language & Communications Bureau through working together with the communities, we can work on their promotion and preservation of the traditional languages.
We’ll be doing that through close working together with the communities.
We have Atima Hadlari who will be working with the various communities in the Nunavut area.
What we’re doing at this time is teaching the Inuktitut and the Inuinnaqtun language to Nunavut employees through the Human Resources Department, and we are also looking at the Inuit who have lost their own language.
That’s going to be taken as part of the consideration when we’re talking about languages in communities and working with the communities.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you. Nutarak?
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
If I was going to be applying for some of this money, is there a ceiling to the amount of dollars that I can access through these applications?
Chairperson (interpretation): Quyannamiik. Thank you.
We are just working how you will be applying or what the feeling would be, we are just writing up the policies right now.
We are working on our policies right now, but we will let all the communities know what our decisions are on that issue.
Chairperson (interpretation): Mr. Iqaqrialu?
In regards to the grants and contributions .Some communities make requests, but then their applications are turned down because there’s so many rules and regulations that you have to follow.
Sometimes it’s quite hard to access these funds when you have to go through the application process because of all the bureaucratic steps that we have through; I’m sure it’s going to be the same thing even when we became a Nunavut government, even though it’s not the GNWT anymore.  I’m sure that we’re going to have to redo it to conform it to the Nunavut system when you’re a regular Inuk, there’s a lot of bureaucratic things that you have to do.
It’s not the decision makers that set up these barriers, it's the employees of the departments that make it hard to access these dollars and I’m sure that’s going to be the same case, so we have to fix it.
That’s just a comment, thank you , Mr. Chairman.
That is correct, but we will make sure that it wouldn’t be too difficult for everybody across Nunavut.
I have no more people on my list.