EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Will the minister commit to making changes to the funding application process in order that DEAs can apply for funding to conduct cultural activities such as on-the-land programs during the school year and conduct those activities without unnecessary bureaucratic delays and barriers?
Can the minister commit to change the dates of the application and the funds that have to be used? Can they do a review as soon as possible about these barriers?
Yes, I can get my staff to see how we can better serve this situation in the schools.
Question 593 – 3(3): Driver’s Licences for Sanikiluaq (Rumbolt)
Mr. Speaker, in the past four years, I have raised the issue of driver’s licences a number of times with the minister and I am sure that by now he would like me to take a long drive down a short road in Nunavut.
However, this issue remains unresolved for many of my constituents.
Mr. Speaker, the residents of Sanikiluaq were given to understand that with the GLO taking over the responsibility for issuing driver’s licences, there would be an improvement in the efficiency of the system.
Applicants for driver’s licences are supposed to receive their new licence within 90 days. This is not happening.
Can the minister clearly explain why driver’s licence application forms from the community of Sanikiluaq have to wait much longer than 90 days, sometimes almost a year, before receiving their driver’s licences?
Mr. Speaker, the motor vehicles division has been working actively to try and eliminate some of these difficulties that have been encountered.
Mr. Speaker, in 2010, I did a ministerial statement proclaiming that we had won the best award design and quality for the driver’s licence and general ID cards from the Bank of Canada and I am not throwing my best that we will be given an award for delivery of the service.
Mr. Speaker, there have been a lot of difficulties being encountered with the applicants themselves when they request the documents, of course, the birth certificate, which most applicants did not possess.
So it is a difficult situation to deal with, but the GLOs in Sanikiluaq, Repulse Bay, Grise Fiord, and Pangnirtung have improved the quality of the delivery of this service.
Just last month, some of our non-automated offices got the capability of transferring data electronically to our headquarters here in Iqaluit, which drastically improved the delivery of the service. In the past, the data was gathered on a memory stick and sent through Canada Post to our headquarters here and analyzed. In most cases, there was missing information, which again the path of sending the memory stick out back to the applicant takes a lot of time.
So with this improved electronic data gathering, this should eliminate some of the need for the wait time.
When residents of the community of Sanikiluaq pass their driver’s test and get a driver’s licence it restricts them to driving only in Nunavut. Some residents would like a driver’s licence that enables them to drive outside of Nunavut. Say if they go on holiday, they would like to be able to rent a car.
Can the minister explain what services his department offers to ensure that residents of all communities across Nunavut are able to obtain an unrestricted driver’s licence?
The onus is on the person that wants to drive out to another jurisdiction, good get information they can simply call up the office, the motor vehicles office and request some assistance on how to get access other driver’s licences within other jurisdictions.
Mr. Speaker, I do not have that information in front of me but any applicant that wishes to do so can just pick up the phone or email the motor vehicles division and get assistance from there.
It does not seem right that in order to obtain an unrestricted driver’s licence, an individual would have to pay their own way to a major centre like Iqaluit to take the appropriate driver’s test.
Would the minister be prepared to have the appropriate driving examiner travel to communities on a regular basis to schedule driver’s tests so that interested individuals could obtain their unrestricted driver’s licence?
Mr. Speaker there are several different types of classes of driver’s licence and to be more specific the applicant or the person is interested in getting an out-of-jurisdiction licence will have to get assistance from the motor vehicles office.
Of course, in the past, the current practice is that for a class 3 driver’s licence, airbrakes licence, there is a person who evaluates and licence offers out there for airbrakes, class 3 licences.
Question 594 – 3(3): Empty Fuel Drums in Nunavut (Elliott)
Yesterday, during Committee of the Whole, when the minister and his officials were before us defending the operations and maintenance budget for his department, we were told that the Department of Environment has been storing 45-gallon drums of fuel in our communities and in remote locations across the territory for decades.
His department stated that during those decades of fuel storage, not one incident was recorded. For the public record, would the minister confirm this is, in fact, true?
Yes, that is true. We have not heard any incidents in regard to the storage drums here in Nunavut.
How many used and empty 45-gallon drums under the responsibility of the Government of Nunavut’s Department of Environment are scattered across our 25 communities and in remote locations across the territory?
Minister responsible for Department of Environment, Minister Arreak.
I do not have the accounted information, but I could get the information if we can to see how many empty barrels are in the communities. I do not have any information at this point, but I will let you know once I get that information.
What is the Department of Environment’s plan for removal of these used 45-gallon drums, will they be shipped out of the community to be reused or will they be left in the community and disposed of in our landfill sites?
Since they do affect our environment, we will try to find cost-effective ways to deal with these empty 45-gallon drums.
Why does the Department of Environment not support local businesses contracted by the Petroleum Products Division and use the GN bulk fuel storage facilities infrastructure in every community provided through Community and Government Services to purchase and store fuel?
With respect to the member’s comments we have not had any accidents related to oil spills or destroying the environment.
I can look into how we can make best use of the empty barrels and to make sure that these are not dangerous to our environment.
The members will note that the allotted time for question period according to our clock has expired.
Before we move on in our orders of the day, I just hope that all members enjoyed their last time of asking their third and final supplementary.
With our new rules commencing this spring, there will only be two supplementary questions and I am sure the ministers look forward to that as well.
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bill and Other Matters.
Tabled Document 342 – 3(3): Natural Resources Conservation Trust Fund Annual Report, April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011 (Arreak)
Tabled Document 343 – 3(3): Natural Resources Conservation Trust Fund Annual Report, April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012 (Arreak)
I am pleased to table the Natural Resource Conservation Trust Fund Annual Report, April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011.  Secondly, Mr. Speaker I am pleased to table the National Resource Conservation Trust Fund Annual Report April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012.
Please bring those documents up to the front.
Tabled Document 344 – 3(3): News Release: Government of Canada Helps Prevent Homelessness in Nunavut (Ningark)
I wish to table a copy of the Government of Canada’s news release concerning funding that is being provided to the Hamlet of Kugaaruk for an emergency shelter. I very much welcome this investment and would like to express my appreciation to our Member of Parliament for her support.
Tabled Document 345 – 3(3): Nunavut Human Rights Tribunal Annual Report 2011-2012 (Shewchuk)
I am pleased to table the 2011-12 Annual Report of the Nunavut Human Rights Tribunal.
Tabled Document 346 – 3(3): Government of Nunavut’s Response to the Recommendations of the Minister’s Task Force to Review the Nunavut Liquor Act (Peterson)
Tabled Document 347 – 3(3): Nunavut Sexual Health Framework for Action 2012-2017 (Peterson)
Tabled Document 348 – 3(3): Draft Ilagiitsiarniq – GN Family Violence Prevention Framework for Action (Peterson)
I have three items I would like to table; two of them will be health items as well.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table the Government of Nunavut’s Response to the Recommendations of the Minister’s Task Force to Review the Nunavut Liquor Act.
Second item, Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table the Nunavut Sexual Health Framework for Action 2012-17.
I am pleased to table the Government of Nunavut Family Violence Prevention Framework for Action.
Bill 52 – An Act to Amend the Nunavut Teachers Association Act – Second Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Rankin Inlet South and Whale Cove, that Bill 52, An Act to Amend the Nunavut Teachers Association Act, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Nunavut Teachers Association Act.
Among other things, the amendment changed the name of the association in the English version of the Act, simplified the definition of “teacher,” added by-lawmaking powers, required the association to make its by-laws available to the public, remove the eligibility of executive directors in the Department of Education to be associate members of the association, and make revisions to the association’s disciplinary process.
Speaker: Thank you, Madam Minister. The motion is in order.
The motion is carried and Bill 52 has been read for the second time and is referred to the Standing Committee on Legislation
Bill 57 – Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2013 – Second Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Rankin Inlet South and Whale Cove, that Bill 57, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2013, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill corrects inconsistencies and errors in certain enactments of Nunavut, corrects references to the Northwest Territories statutes, and repeals provisions that ceased to have effect.
Pursuant to Rule 67(2), I request unanimous consent to order Bill 57 into the Committee of the Whole for consideration.
The minister is seeking unanimous consent to have Bill 57 ordered directly into the Committee of the Whole.
So it will be referred to the Standing Committee on Legislation.
Bill 58 – Public Service Act – Second Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Iqaluit East, that Bill 58, Public Service Act, be read for the second time.
This bill repeals and replaces the Public Service Act. It modernizes the language of the Act, adds new provisions concerning the reporting and investigation of wrongdoing and protection of the rights of those reporting, and updates the provisions concerning political activity by public servants.
The motion is carried and Bill 58 has been read for the second time and is referred to the Standing Committee on Legislation.
Bill 59 – Collaboration for Poverty Reduction Act – Second Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Rankin Inlet South and Whale Cove that Bill 59, Collaboration for Poverty Reduction Act, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this Act affirms in law the commitment that the Government of Nunavut to participate as a partner with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, Inuit organizations, other governments, non-governmental organizations and businesses of the Nunavut Round Table for Poverty Reduction to implement The Makimaniq Plan and the Five-year Poverty Reduction Action Plan in the matter consistent with Article 32 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. The Act also creates a poverty reduction fund.
The motion is carried and Bill 59 has been read for the second time and is referred to the Standing Committee on Legislation.
Bill 60 – An Act Respecting the Nunavut Law Foundation – Second Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member Rankin Inlet South and Whale Cove, that Bill 60, An Act Respecting the Nunavut Law Foundation, be read for the second time.
The motion is carried and Bill 60 has been read for the second time and is referred to the Standing Committee on Legislation.
Bills 53, 54, 55, and 56 with Mr. Tapardjuk in the Chair.
In accordance with the authority granted to me by Motion 44 – 3(3), the committee will stay in session until it reports itself out, and it’s our last day today.
Before we proceed to the Committee of the Whole, we will take a 22-minute break.
Chairman (Mr. Tapardjuk) (interpretation): Thank you for returning.
I would now like to call the committee meeting to order. We now have quorum and so we can begin our deliberations.
In Committee of the Whole, we have the following items to deal with: Bills 53, 54, 55, and 56.
We wish to commence and complete today the clause-by-clause review of the following bills in this order: Bill 54, Bill 56, Bill 53, and Bill 55.
Those are the four items we will be dealing with.
Are we in agreement to deal with those bills?
Bill 54 – An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act – Consideration in Committee
We will now deal with Bill 54. (interpretation ends) Bill 54. (interpretation) Minister of Finance, please go to the witness table.
Minister Peterson, if you have any opening remarks, you may proceed. Minister Peterson.
I am pleased to present Bill 54, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act.
Bill 54 will amend Nunavut’s Income Tax Act to bring it more in line with the federal Income Tax Act and with current territorial and federal taxation practices.
The Government of Nunavut enjoys a productive tax relationship with Canada, formalized by the Canada-Nunavut Tax Collection Agreement.
Under this agreement, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) takes on all of the risks associated with collecting Nunavut’s personal and corporate income taxes on our behalf.
We expect these taxes will bring in almost $35 million in 2013-14 alone.
In return, Nunavut agrees to keep our tax rules consistent with federal rules.
This means we need to update our legislation from time to time to reflect changes to federal legislation.
Bill 54 will amend Nunavut’s Income Tax Act in two ways.
First, it will amend the Act to allow the Canada Revenue Agency to withhold an individual’s tax refund if that person is not complying with obligations to file various documents with the Canada Revenue Agency.
Withholding refunds is a reasonable way to encourage individuals to comply with tax laws.
This amendment reflects the changes that the federal government made to section 164 of its own Income Tax Act and current federal practice.
Second, Bill 54 will confirm that common-law partners and married couples are equal under Nunavut’s tax laws, as they are elsewhere in Canada.
This amendment simply formalizes what the GN already does, which is to treat common-law and married couples equally.
Mr. Chairman, these amendments will not change current practice nor will they impact Government of Nunavut revenues or compromise the spirit or intent of the Act.
I am pleased to answer questions from members.
As Chair of the Standing Committee on Legislation, I am pleased to make some brief opening comments as we begin consideration of Bill 54, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act.
The standing committee recognizes that the intent of the bill is to harmonize certain provisions in the territorial Income Tax Act with recent changes to the federal statute.
The standing Committee has no objections to the proposed amendments.
The standing committee recommends the passage of Bill 54 to all members.
Yes, I have two witnesses.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister. Peterson.
Thank you, Minister Peterson. I also thank the Sergeant-at-Arms.
For the record, please introduce your witnesses. Minister Peterson.
To my right is Geoff Chown, Acting Deputy Minister of the Department of Finance, and to my left is Camilius Egeni, Director of Expenditure Management.
Just before we review the bill, are there any general comments?
There are short amendments to this bill and we can understand the opening comments of the minister, but I just wanted to get some clarification.
In the minister’s opening comments, it states that “First, it will amend the Act to allow the Canada Revenue Agency to withhold an individual’s tax refund if that person is not complying with obligations to file various documents with the Canada Revenue Agency.”
The reason why I said that is it looks like the CRA has all the information. He could find out about the refund, but if the information is not all there, he’s not going to know.
The Canada Revenue Agency will not know. You can read it in English; I just rephrased it in Inuktitut.
If the CRA lacks documents, they will be withholding the refund. (interpretation ends) The first opening paragraph of the minister indicates that the CRA has determined that individuals submitting a tax to CRA, assuming that he complies with all the documents required, and then in the end, the tax refund or not is determined, but then it says that if that person is not complying with obligations to file various documents, then they will withhold that tax refund. I find it kind of difficult to rationalize exactly what the first paragraph means here if you read it carefully.
How can the CRA determine that if a person is not complying properly, the refund is going to be withheld? If they’re missing a tax receipt and all the other receipts or charity refunds, they cannot determine the refund unless they get all the documents. Is that what it says?
I will ask questions at appropriate sections, Iksivautaaq.
Are there any other general comments? There being none.
We will go to (interpretation ends) Bill 54 (interpretation) in your legislation binder. I believe all of you have a copy of (interpretation ends) Bill 54. Bill 54, (interpretation) An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act. (interpretation ends) Clause 1. (interpretation) Do you agree?
Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask our Law Clerk of our Assembly exactly what 3(1), “Subsection 24(1) is amended by striking out ‘(2),’ and substituting ‘(2),(2.01),’.”
Mr. Law Clerk.
Law Clerk (Mr. Chandler): Thank you, Mr. Curley.
That actual clause means that they have taken the (2) and they putting in (2.01) because they want to add another subsection. Thank you.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chandler.
Mr. Curley: Thank you, Mr. Law Clerk.
Then it also means that the CRA will amend the Act to allow the CRA to withheld an individual’s tax refund if that person is not complying with the obligation to file various documents with the CRA.
Mr. Chandler: That’s not exactly my understanding. It’s not just documents and it’s not the documents associated with the income tax return. I believe that there are other programs that taxpayers may have to either supply documents or have not been doing what’s required of them, and this ability to withhold the tax refund is a way of making them become compliant with other programs.
It doesn’t refer specifically to the documents that you file with your income tax return.
If I understand Mr. Curley’s comments, he’s asking the question: why or how, if someone is deficient in filing the documents associated with their income tax return, doesn’t CRA just ask for those documents and pay out? I don’t believe that’s the purpose of this section. The section is to force taxpayers to be compliant with other programs where they either owe money or owe documentation.
I wasn’t sure whether it was in Part 1. I mean it’s under section 3, Part 1 or 2, where it says, “The reference to subsection 164(2.01) of the federal Act in subsection 24(1) of the Income Tax Act, as enacted by subsection (1), applies in respect of the 2013 and subsequent taxation years.”
Is the reference that I quoted in the minister’s opening comments… ? Would it be correct if I say that it could be in that last certain part, 3(2), where they can withhold the tax?
I’m not sure exactly which subsection it would be because it’s referred to in the minister’s statement, but he didn’t say which particular clause it actually is.
I have a second question after that one.
Mr. Chandler: I would be loathe to speak for the minister in terms of what he means in his opening comments, but my reading of that section is that it’s merely a timeframe. It’s establishing a timeframe as to when a particular section will start to be enforced.
I’ll ask maybe if the minister can help us out in that regard. The last paragraph of your opening comments, I believe, is tied in with the last clause of the bill, section 3(2). If that is the case, the first part of the last paragraph in your opening comments refers to withholding refunds.
If the individual is qualified for a refund from the CRA, it gives the authority by this Act, Nunavut’s Taxation Act, to withhold the refund.
Does that only apply to the federal government?
I thank Mr. Curley for his line of questioning. Mr. Chairman, the federal government collects our taxes on our behalf.
In terms of withholding tax, would it be for the federal invoice or bill the individual from Nunavut may owe referenced only to the federal amount owing by the citizen of Nunavut or is the CRA now agreeing to be part of a collection agency for the Nunavut government if a citizen referred to is owing some monies either to the federal government or the Government of Nunavut? Is it for both?
It’s for federal only where the tax filer has not submitted to the federal government.
I have no other names on my list. (interpretation ends) Clause 3. (interpretation) Do you agree?
Do we agree to Bill 54 as a whole?
Chairman (interpretation): Do we agree, pursuant to Rule 62(2), that Bill 54 is now immediately ready for third reading?
Hon. Keith Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank yourself and the standing committee for your questions on Bill 54.
We will now deal with Bill 56.
Do you have opening comments, Mr. Peterson?
Bill 56 – Write-off of Assets Act, No. 1, 2011-2012 – Consideration in Committee
I am pleased to present Bill 56, Write-off of Assets Act, No.1, 2011-2012.  Bill 56 addresses the write-off of the following government assets:
$813,165 for the evaporation and shrinkage of petroleum products within the Petroleum Products Division of the Department of Community and Government Services;
$25,180.03 for the proposed markdown and write-off of inventory that no longer has any economic value by the Nunavut Development Corporation; and
$102,176.17 for the write-off of four housing units that no longer have any economic value.
Three of the units are beyond economic repair and one unit was destroyed by fire.
As Chair of the Standing Committee on Legislation, I am pleased to make some brief opening comments as we begin consideration of Bill 56, Write-off of Assets Act, No.1, 2011-2012.
The standing committee has no objections to the intent of the legislation, which is to write off petroleum products inventory lost due to evaporation and shrinkage, in addition to assets of the Nunavut Housing Corporation and the Nunavut Development Corporation.
In March of 2012, similar legislation was passed concerning petroleum products inventory lost due to evaporation and shrinkage in the 2010-11 fiscal year.
The standing committee would encourage the Minister of Community and Government Services to consider reporting annually to the Legislative Assembly on the operations of the Petroleum Products Division of the department, and that such reporting include detailed information concerning evaporation and shrinkage rates in different communities for different classes of petroleum products, as well as information concerning the department’s inventory management practices.
The standing committee recommends the passage of Bill 56 to all members.
Do members have any general comments on Bill 56?
The bill is in your legislation binder. (interpretation ends) Bill 56, (interpretation) Write-off of Assets Act, No. 1, 2011-2012.
I believe you have the bill in front of you now. (interpretation ends) Clause 1. (interpretation) Do you agree?
Part 1. (interpretation) Assets Written Off. (interpretation ends) Schedule. Part 1.
There are two parts. (interpretation ends) Part 1. $838,345.03. (interpretation) Do you agree?