EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
In my opinion, these could be factors in suicides as well. When people are abusing substances, they tend to become despondent and depressed.
Inuit call this ‘living in despair.’
But our elders cannot discern that these young people are abusing substances since they do not have any experience with them and that when they start living in despair, then they stop caring about their daily lives.
Due to this reason, I believe that this has to be dealt with since we already face many challenges in Nunavut and by combating this, we can ensure some of our youth lead productive lives.
My second reason is that these drugs are already in our schools. These substances are being abused even by very young people who have not even gone to junior high school.
I believe that we have to step up our efforts and plans to combat this in our schools.
If we are to lower our crime statistics in Nunavut, we have to start trying to cut off the drug trade in our territory. As an example, how do they arrive into our communities? We know that during the winter, the only way in is through the airlines.
Secondly, when I was visiting Churchill to visit hospital patients, I informed people that if anyone attempted to send packages through them to outright refuse. Many people look for mules, especially patients who are going home and some prey upon elders to get them to bring up packages.
I informed the elders not to agree to bring any packages that someone asked them to carry, especially if they did not see the contents as there could be drugs in these packages.
Due to this reason, I believe that we have to have a public education blitz so that people can learn to recognize suspicious packages.
Lastly, in respect to this last statement, I will be asking questions about the minister’s approach to this issue so that we can understand the priorities, especially since it impacts all of the people in Nunavut.
We will now proceed with the page-by-page review of the departmental estimates starting with page E-4.
Firstly, I would like to ask the minister a question on the entire contents of the page E-4 since most of the activities are dependent on these estimates. If we do not approve the main estimates, none of the following activities would be approved.
However, since our prior review of the main estimates last fiscal year, which were approved by the members and based on these figures, it seems that your department has added 22.5 new PYs compared to last year. That’s a fairly large increase in positions in just one fiscal year.
What are the underlying reasons for this large increase?
Mr. Weber (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) In the fiscal year 2007-08, we added a total of 19.5 PYs and this year in 2008-09, we’re asking for an additional three PYs.
What’s involved is this fiscal year, there was one senior public trustee officer for the Public Trustee Office, there was one lawyer for legislative drafting, there were 3.5 positions for the court - a sheriff, a registrar, a Justice of the Peace administrator, and a liquor board administrator position, half a position for that.
For Legal Registries, there was one lands officer in the Legal Registries Office for the registration of land titles primarily.
In the Community Justice Branch, there were six positions and most of those are related to the Family Abuse Intervention Act. There was a manager for the Family Abuse Intervention Program, one victims’ assistance coordinator, one psychologist and three family mediators.
Lastly, this fiscal year, there were eight positions for Corrections - seven correctional officers for the women’s corrections and one capital and special projects officer to coordinate the construction of a new women’s facility this coming year and the construction of the Kivalliq Healing Facility to be open in 2011.
In this budget, we’re asking for a further increase of three positions. Two of those are court clerks and one is for a coordinator for the family mediation program. (interpretation) Thank you.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Weber.
I thank the minister. (interpretation) Again, looking at the number of PYs, I’m sure that you have a good reason for increasing the numbers.
There’s an increase of $9,427,000 in the overall budget for your department. That’s quite a large chunk.
I’m sure that it’s going to be used for the facilities that you are planning to build and also for the programs that have been made available and will be made available this coming year.
Why is there such a significant overall increase?
What do you plan to accomplish with these new resources? It seems like a huge increase all of a sudden. What do you plan to accomplish with these new resources in the Department of Justice?
As I stated earlier, there’s a $9,427,000 increase.
I do know that’s a large sum, but there’s the $2.8 million for the new Act because we want to make sure that it’s fully implemented and we want to have the human resources there to administer it.
We have also directed the RCMP to recruit more Inuit. This will also improve the justice system.
We’re looking at ways on how we can increase that. That would be $1.8 million under the justice system. The federal government has implemented a more stringent Act and there will be an increase of $2.1 million in total.
Yes, I do know that there’s a large increase, but we do not control all of them, particularly the biggest items.
With the increase, we will want to implement the legislation we have passed and to increase the number of Inuit working as RCMPs.
I would like to thank you, Paul.
That helps to clarify that issue. I would like to ask another question in regard to the people who are sentenced to do community service after they have been returned to their community.
I’m sure that there are community outreach workers in most of the communities.
I hear that the individuals appreciate having those justice outreach workers because it takes that responsibility out of the RCMP’s hands and into the community justice outreach workers. Do all communities now have more community justice outreach workers?
How well is this program working?
We provide the funding for the community justice outreach workers and we currently have 18. Our goal is to have 25.
Mr. Alagalak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Premier.
Having community outreach workers makes a great improvement into the communities because they keep the individuals stay at home and they have the services. We are seeing more Community Justice Committees in the larger communities and we’re starting to see more in the smaller communities.
We also have the Justices of the Peace who are providing the services and we’re starting to see more of those committees.
In the majority of Nunavut communities, they deal with counselling as long as it has nothing to do with alcohol and drug related cases.
There are wellness programs in our communities and there’s money available at the community level, but I don’t think that we’re promoting it enough and we are not providing enough training on this issue.
We don’t know how it affects the communities.
Has your department considered making sure that those wellness programs are made available to the public?
We’re trying to do all of that.
We are currently focusing on the Act but it doesn’t stop us from looking at others.
We will be implementing three things to provide Inuit with training or workshops in relation to alcohol and drug abuse as they cause stress to families.
We are focusing more on healing and counselling, not only for that but to provide other types of service we usually turn to when we need help.
I believe the hamlets are given a little bit of money to deal with addictions and prevention.
I have another question to the Premier but I don’t want to mention it because it might be a little hard.
We hear about Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit being incorporated into the government departments. Your department used to have an elder advisor on Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and you had a very good elder advisor whom you recently lost.
Are there plans to continue to have an elder advisor within your department?
We go through difficulties at times. We really appreciated the elder advisor whom we had. We now have Pauloosie Kilabuk as our Elder Advisor who is currently working for our department and we’re doing all we can to make sure that he gets all the support we can provide.
I’m very pleased to hear that we have an elder advisor. I think that you should make an announcement in regard to your elder advisor and how he is doing.
That’s more of a comment than a question. I’m not an elder yet.
That was just a comment but if you wanted to respond, Mr. Premier.
We’re on (interpretation ends) Directorate.
Page E-4.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $9,639,000. (interpretation) Do you agree?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Page E-5.
I would like to ask the Premier about the support we get from the federal government and the funding we received for policing and law enforcement.
We hear that the federal government approved the RCMP to go in pairs when they’re on call. Has the funding increased with the Territorial-Federal Policing Agreement, or are we providing the extra funds from our government or will the federal government contribute, too?
The funding that’s in front of us doesn’t deal with that.
We will be talking with the RCMP. We have told them that we want to see more community constables because they can better represent the police. The RCMP has stated that once the funding is approved, they will continue to implement what they’re supposed to do within the year, but we will need to discuss this further.
I just want to ask another question on the same topic again. It was reported that the federal government had already agreed on the need to have two RCMP constables. Has this been implemented?
Yes, it’s being implemented in Nunavut now. However, as I stated earlier, we still have to discuss how we can improve that approach in the future with the RCMP.
The minister stated that they’re trying to come up with an agreement, so when does he think that this will be completed and once it’s completed, can he table it in the House?
I can’t tell you exactly when, but once the funding is approved, this will help us a lot because it states how we can include more Inuit officers and community constables. We are discussing that and it’s not completed yet.
Hopefully within this year, if I can table one, then I will be able to.
E-5.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $22,823,000. (interpretation) Do you agree?
Chairman: Page E-6.
I would like to ask a very short question.
People who seek civil court remedies have no resources for support, especially if they don’t have any money to hire a lawyer and they usually can’t get help from Maliganik Tukisiniarvik.
I wonder where there can be more options where, after talking to a lawyer, it’s determined that maybe they can win their case.
I’ll use Pond Inlet as an example. There was no warning sign that there’s a cliff ahead. There was a father and son travelling on an ATV at a fairly high speed over ground with a lot of gravel.
You can only find out when you hit them when you’re on gravel and rocks. They had an accident and a person died. Their parents tried to get something done but they didn’t know how to go about retaining a lawyer and retainer fees.
I wonder how this is dealt with.
In some cases, it’s good that we have a Poverty Law Office and they can help anybody who doesn’t have a lawyer.
If you were down south, they don’t have such a thing, so we have more advantage up here because we have an office.
I can’t tell you exactly how far they can help you because there certainly are some limitations, but if you have to go to court, two years is usually the statute of limitation.
I can’t give you a definite answer one way or another, but lawyers can be available for people who need their assistance.
We know too well that there’s a statute of limitation.
Even though it’s like that, since I have been there, we have tried to work on it but there’s a limitation.
For example, when people commit a crime, they go to court, and then they have no problem getting a lawyer, whereas those people who have not committed any crime have a hard time getting a lawyer.
That doesn’t seem right.
I want you to start thinking about how those people who are mistreated or not treated equally should be given the same chance.
Even if they can be provided with funds to initiate legal action, hire a lawyer, and pay it back later. This is something many people often ask about.
As I stated earlier, the Poverty Law Office is where people who can’t afford lawyers can get help and we also have legislation in which whoever can’t afford a lawyer can go through the contingency and talk to the lawyer. If they do win a case, then they would be able to pay them.
This has always been the case but I guess not too many people know about it.
We’re on (interpretation ends) page E-6. Branch Summary.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $2,475,000. (interpretation) Do you agree?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Page E-7.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $8,596,000.
In the 2008-09 main estimates, Court Services has increased by $1,074,000. What is that increase for?
We are requesting $582,000 for this year.
This is in accordance with the new Act passed by the federal government that is more stringent on family violence in which offenders will be more aggressively pursued. The enactment of this Act is where most of the increase is and it will be in the neighbourhood of around $300,000.
We go through hardships a lot of times but we always try to look for funding and how we can expedite court services in the north.
On the same page, your department’s business plan states that “Consultations on the Maintenance Orders Enforcement Act are complete.”
This Act was last amended in 2002.
What changes are being proposed and when do you anticipate introducing a bill to amend the Maintenance Orders Enforcement Act?
We all know this has to be reviewed again and we want to hear more from the public.
We might not be able to complete those amendments in the life of this Assembly but we will try to get as much of the groundwork on this Act done as possible before the next election.
It is an important piece of legislation as it provides for remedies for families with children, some who go through difficulties.
Will you provide the standing committee with a copy of your department’s report on the Maintenance Orders Enforcement Act once it’s completed?
Thank you, Mr. Mapsalak. (interpretation ends) Page E-7.
I just have a question in the business plan under Court Services on E-21 in our version.
There’s a decrease of almost $50,000 in the Labour Standards Board/Labour Services Administration. So I’m just wondering if I can get an explanation as to why it’s dropped from $203,000 to $159,000.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) That was a good question; it stumped us for a little bit.
That PY has been moved to cover both the Liquor Board and the Labour Standards Board. We’re combining the functions of one and taking advantage of the resources that we do have, so that’s why there is a decrease of those salary dollars.
We have combined the two to one full-time position under Liquor Services. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
A couple of other things I notice here under rental, it’s probably for the rental officer, and the coroner’s office.
They’re probably, I would say, two very busy positions. Is this showing the amounts as just staying the same?
I’m just wondering when the last time any increases in levels of funding were given in those two areas.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) I believe the coroner’s last increase was in 2005 and the dollars have been constant. Some of these are contract services. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
What about the rental officer?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) There has been no change in the dollars for the rental officer. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I’m pretty sure that that person’s pretty busy, so I’m just wondering why there has been no increase in that area.
Hon. Paul Okalik: For the rental officer, some of the responsibilities have reduced over the years. It used to be also for Fair Practices, which has been taken over by the Human Rights Tribunal, so some of the functions have become more focused and the role has been changed. So the responsibility has reduced somewhat but the dollars haven’t followed. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Can the Premier or the Minister of Justice indicate how many complaints have gone through the rental officer?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) My staff were competing to try and get me the sheet the fastest.
It has fluctuated over the years. At the high point, it was at 260 in 2005, the low point was probably in 2000 where there were 77, and year-to-date, there have been 24 up to February 4, so it fluctuates depending on the circumstances like any job. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Is it just one PY for that whole division? So that one person has to everything with no support staff?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) Yes, this is a contract for one PY but the PY also gets support from additional staff within our department. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I’ll just switch over to the Coroner’s Office.
I know there’s a chief coroner but how many other coroners are there in Nunavut?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) There is one chief coroner and there are 53 additional coroners in each of our communities. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
You said there are 53 other ones. Are there things that the chief coroner can do that those other coroners can’t do?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) The chief coroner actually administers the Coroners Act. So that’s his main responsibility and it’s supported by the local coroners in each of our communities. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Is it only the chief coroner that can do any reviews, or inquests, or whatever? Is it only the chief coroner that can do those?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) The initial work is done at the local level. The coroner reports to the chief coroner and the chief coroner reviews the report, makes decisions, and administers appeals that may be made to the chief coroner and of any questions that may be asked. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I know there was one inquest that was ordered here a number of years ago and it was the chief coroner that did it.
I guess my question was: is it only the chief coroner that can do those inquests or can any of the other 53 do inquests as well?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) Yes, generally the chief coroner deals with the inquests of any community but he also has two deputies that can do that in the event of a conflict. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Is there any support staff for that office as well?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) They share support staff along with the other bodies, so they’re taking advantage of resource staff within each body. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Can the minister indicate which bodies?
Hopefully they’re not the ones they’re looking at.
I know, I’m just kidding.
They said they share the rental officer. Is it the Labour Standards Board? For all the different programs under Court Services, do they all share the same support staff?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) The three bodies - the Labour Standards Officer, the Coroner, and the Rental Officer share support staff. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Page E-7.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $8,596,000. (interpretation) Do you agree?
Page E-8.
On this page, it states in English that (interpretation ends) “... include adult and young offenders’ institutions,” especially the “on-the-land camps and alternative homes (i.e. open custody).”
Can you prepare a long-term contract? I should explain first.
The way I understand it is that who is available in Pond Inlet to take young offenders or young adults to a camp, instead of taking them to Iqaluit, or Yellowknife, or elsewhere for three months or four months, whatever.
What I’m interested in is: do you have a plan to train those who want to be caretakers in dealing with young people or adults who have been incarcerated with a similar training that outfitters require?
Outfitters in my community require St. John’s Ambulance First Aid, a hospitality training certificate, and they also need a boat captain license in the summertime if they are to be commercial outfitters.
Because the prospect is attractive, they take it. Sometimes it takes them a couple of years but they take it and we have quite a few outfitters now who even have a captain’s license.
I’m very interested in having a long-term contract with potential caretakers for people. Instead of sending them to an overcrowded jail where they can get worse, they can be counselled, especially the young ones who were raised the wrong way and get into trouble; they weren’t given good guidance from their parents.
So I guess my question is: do you have anything in the plan that would be better than what you’re doing right now with the alternative homes and outpost camp programs?
I just want to explain this further. Even though I had responsible parents, I did break the law when I was young. It’s not always just the parents who are to blame.
We want to see more outpost camps help us out.
Training is provided in first aid and emergency response, and full training with all the equipment used in the program. Upon request, our officials are always available to anyone interested in starting an outpost camp program. At the moment, we don’t have a program in Pond Inlet, but we would be more than happy to see one there.
We’re on page E-8. (interpretation ends) Branch Summary. Corrections. Total Operations.
I was just looking through the business plan and one of the critical issues identified by the department was the “Lack of institutional bed space to meet the increasing demand, and to repatriate all territorial offenders who are being held in other jurisdictions.”
It goes on to say that because of the high cost of transporting inmates, if there is no space available in Nunavut, to other jurisdictions, that those other jurisdictions lack culturally relevant programming for inmates from Nunavut.
They talk about the need for enhancement and expansion of culturally sensitive programs, and they indicate “The need for community-based dispute resolution mechanisms, in place of southern adversarial practices or formal justice institutions.”
How big of a problem is it? How many people are we sending out, and just to get it on the record, why they feel it’s so important to house our inmates whether they’re young offenders or adults, or whether they’re male or female, here in Nunavut?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) I think one of the primary reasons is that we can offer more relevant programming towards Inuit within our territory. Currently, there are 45 inmates in Yellowknife and 10 in Ottawa; that’s too many.
With your support, we are building a women’s facility that will free up some space in the cramped facilities that we do have here in Iqaluit.
We’re also planning to build a facility in Rankin Inlet. So that will help us in dealing with some transfers out and hopefully deal with the overcrowding here as well.
The more we can manage ourselves, the more we can focus on healing, for example, and more attention to those matters that are more relevant to Inuit.
When we ship them out, we don’t always have control over how their programming is managed. We also don’t manage the rates these institutions may charge.