EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
The federal government will eventually start to offload its obligations to the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people. For that reason, we feel that the federal government should be held accountable to those facilities and we will do our best to try and ensure that we get our share of the federal commitment, particularly for Inuit people. We are underfunded.
The infrastructure requirements of our health facilities, including boarding homes, is the responsibility of the federal government, not only to plan but to build and provide funds through the Nunavut government.
First, we want to follow that route before we would eventually and hopefully not have to use our own funds for that purpose because we would be competing with the other facilities that are currently needed, for instance, school facilities, and so on.
Question 116 – 3(3): Bad Gasoline at Resolute Bay (Elliott)
Over the winter, the community of Resolute Bay was hit by a number of problems relating to their fuel. In particular, the gasoline that was being used to operate vehicles, skidoos, and four wheelers was causing them to not start in cold temperatures. They also experienced soot buildup in the spark plugs.
I was wondering if the minister could explain what happened in the community and what his department did to assist.
I would gladly answer the first two questions.
(interpretation) During this winter in Resolute Bay, the fuel for vehicles and snowmobiles was low on octane, perhaps.
Although this was the reason cited, when the fuel was sampled and studied, the fuel tank was too big and the fuel lost most of its octane. An example of this is, when we fill a red five-gallon gas tank and leave a little amount in the can with no means of air, than the can fills with gas vapour.
The octane in the liquid gas was leaking out.
When the weather is cold, the octane evaporates and many vehicles were unable to start as a result.
That is why when it became apparent that the fuel was low on octane, although still useable, we ordered an additional 36,000 litres for Resolute Bay.
This new fuel supply has arrived and is far superior and it was used instead.
I hope that I was clear.
Mr. Elliott: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for my second question.
So with what happened in terms of the fuel and the low octane is that you had explained this would not cause permanent damage to car engines and skidoo engines.
Hon. Lorne Kusugak (interpretation): From what I have been led to understand, when the fuel was ignited, it burnt properly. Nothing was mentioned about whether this fuel was what caused damage to the sparkplugs.
Community members have brought concerns of the amount of money spent on sparkplugs over the winter. Will the Government of Nunavut be assisting with reimbursing community members with these expenses?
In talking about automobile sparkplugs, even when the fuel is absolutely fine, they sometimes still become problematic. Some come from the box already problematic, and due to the fact we cannot ascertain the reason, we haven’t considered compensation as per the members’ question about faulty sparkplugs.
Due to the uncertainty of the actual causes and whether the place where the sparkplugs were bought is the reason, is why we have not considered such an action.
I’ll pass that along to the community members who have been raising that. I don’t know how happy they will be about it.
My final question is: in the capital plan, there are other communities across Nunavut that are receiving upgrades to their fuel tank. I think, as you had explained, that that’s part of the problem: the increased volume of the tank caused more evaporation. What is your department doing to ensure that this doesn’t occur in other communities over the next coming winter?
I know that it’s of great concern for community members in terms of search and rescue activities and people going out on the land and being caught on the land with their skidoos not starting.
With respect to storage tanks farms and the capacities in the communities unable to keep up with demand due to population growth, the growing purchasing power of consumers and the rising numbers of vehicles and snowmobiles requiring fuel, the capacity issue becomes more of a pressing concern especially when we cannot increase it.
That is our biggest worry, how we can increase storage capacity in the communities.
Fuel supply in Nunavut is an annual event.
In fact, this is the first time we experienced fuel problems in Resolute Bay due to very cold temperatures.
We are looking at improvements for the summer supply.
Just to inform you, the fuel leftover from the winter will be usable again during the summer, when it is no longer cold and the fuel will again be back to normal, since it is not bad fuel.
We will, however, continue to look at the situation in that community and elsewhere on how the fuel actually performs in the upcoming winter and in subsequent years.
Question 117 – 3(3): Lawsuits against QEC by Ex-employees (Schell)
In the last sitting in February, I had asked the minister how many lawsuits there were by ex-employees and I thought there were three or four, and he indicated that there were only two lawsuits that were filed by ex-employees to the Qulliq Energy Corporation. So my question for him is: since February, have there been any additional lawsuits filed against Qulliq Energy by ex-employees for wrongful dismissal?
Hon. Lorne Kusugak: I’ll have to check, Mr. Speaker.
I do not keep daily tabs on whether lawsuits are happening in QEC or anywhere else in the departments I’m aware of. I’ll check and I’ll get back to my colleague.
Question 118 – 3(3): Dental Services for Nunavut (Elliott)
In my Member’s Statement, I mentioned the urgent need for community-based dental services and preventative programs across Nunavut.
Can the minister clearly describe what initiatives are currently underway to provide dental services and prevention programs across all of Nunavut’s communities?
Hon. Tagak Curley: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, Mr. Speaker, we are sort of at the mercy, in some ways, of the federal government when we’re dealing with the mostly Inuit populated communities. They do have a program structured through the Nunavut Non-Insured Health Benefits program and that includes the partners of NTI and all of the other regional associations in terms of establishing policy guidelines.
I think it’s normally a multi-year agreement that they do have.
That program is really somewhat limited because the way, which the member stated today, it includes all of those regions. The demand is increasing and so on. At the same time, we do have a school related dental therapist that does come in and take part, and we are grateful that, I believe, that is cost shared by our department.
I’ll have to check further on that, but I know that the Department of Education is involved somewhat with that program.
In terms of a long-term strategy, we really don’t have any developed but it’s something that we, as a department, have relayed to Public Health.
We are certainly going to have to look into that. At this moment, I don’t have any further information to add.
The majority of Nunavut communities do not have a full-time dental therapist.
Can the minister update the House on what efforts are underway to train and hire dental therapists for Nunavut communities?
Minister for Health and Social Services, Minister Curley.
As I said earlier, we don’t have a comprehensive plan towards that, but it’s something that we certainly should be looking into further. We depend on all of the other services from the south and there are a number of services that are provided, again like I said, through the Non-Insured Health Benefits program.
Again, these are somewhat limited because they normally schedule trips to communities through the agreement, which includes our department and in some cases, they’re supposed to be going into communities two times a year.
If the weather isn’t cooperating somewhat, sometimes that hampers trips.
Mr. Speaker, I indicated earlier in my first response that we would be responding further to the member’s concerns somewhat, but again, we don’t actually have a detailed comprehensive plan to increase the services to meet the demand.
I find it interesting that the minister says that there’s no comprehensive plan. One of the contracts lists in the government’s recent procurement activities report for 2009-2010, which is Tabled Document 251 – 3(2) and it’s what we’re discussing in COW, there’s a $110,000 sole source contract for an “Oral Health Strategy.”
I’m wondering if the minister can describe what this strategy covers and indicate whether he would be willing to table it in the House.
My response to you is, particularly with the dental issues with kids, there are dental therapy programs that are somewhat more active, I think, than the actual dentists beyond school years, and so on. That’s something we really don’t have anything concrete to offer to.
But in terms of the other prevention stuff, Public Health, through our department, is engaged with discussions with all of the other service providers throughout the nation. We took part in all of these.
It means that we need to provide more preventative measures, which includes just that, oral issues related to dental issues. So once I have that information, I’ll be glad to share that information and table it in the House.
Just to remind members that if there’s something that is in Committee of the Whole, questions should be asked in Committee of the Whole on it.
The member asked if the minister would table that strategy, so that’s why I let that go, but if it’s pertaining to the strategy or something that’s in Committee of the Whole, I ask members to refrain from asking questions on that in question period as it is in Committee of the Whole.
I apologize. I’ll ask questions in Committee of the Whole as well, where I have 10 minutes to continue to ask.
For my final question, I’m just concerned because it does keep coming up, the idea of the federal government and its commitments, and it’s not just your department that has been saying that. I know in some questions that I have asked to the Minister of Finance and a couple of other departments, the federal government’s commitment to the territory is just not cutting it.
I’m wondering if you could explain what your department is going to do. Again, this is something we have been going back and forth about in terms of federal government funding. It affects the oral health, but it also affects, like I have been pushing in Arctic Bay, funding for something like a health centre, which we require federal government funding for infrastructure.
Maybe if you could outline what your department is doing to speak with our MP, to speak with the federal government, and to speak with territorial ministers of health.
I know a lot of money is going to First Nations for infrastructure and I’m wondering when they are going to start providing funding for Inuit.
Yes, the question is very important not only to the Members of the House here but Nunavutmiut as a whole.
We are somewhat limited and constrained by what are included in the Non-Insured Health Benefits treatments, which include a number of areas and one is vision care, dental, and among other things, medical travel.
So the department continues to discuss plans and strategies internally.
Eventually the federal government maybe should transfer all of that funding directly to the Nunavut government and establish its own programs and guidelines, but we do know that that will likely not happen, then we would be able to schedule more dental and arrange contracts directly with our own officials and the dental programs that are available in Nunavut.
But at this moment, we are somewhat constrained due to the fact that they are scheduled out through the Nunavut Non-Insured Health Benefits program.
So I’ll be pleased to take your advice and we shall try and see what we can come up with. At this moment, I’m not quite prepared. I don’t have that information, but once we have further plans, I’ll be able to discuss them with my colleagues.
Members will note that the time for question period has expired.
Moving on in the Orders of the Day, Item 7.
Written Question 007 – 3(3): Community Access Roads Program Expenditures (Ugyuk)
I have a written question for the Minister of Economic Development and Transportation concerning the issue of Community Access Roads Program expenditures.
The Department of Economic Development and Transportation’s 2009-2010 capital estimates included $500,000 in funding for community access roads.
The Department of Economic Development and Transportation’s 2010-11 and 2011-12 main estimates each contained $500,000 in funding for community access roads.
Broken down by community and project, what were the Department of Economic Development and Transportation’s Community Access Roads Program expenditures for the 2009-2010, 2010-11, and 2011-12 (to date) fiscal years?
What application and reporting requirements are in place with respect to funding received by municipal governments and other entities under the department’s Community Access Roads Program?
With respect to community access road projects funded in the 2009-2010, 2010-11, and 2011-12 (to date) fiscal years in the communities of Gjoa Haven and Taloyoak, what contractors were engaged to perform work and how were the contractors selected?
As of June 7, 2011, what is the status of community access road projects funded in the 2009-2010, 2010-11, and 2011-12 (to date) fiscal years in the communities of Gjoa Haven and Taloyoak?
Speaker: There is agreement.
Reports of Committee on the Review of Bills and Other Matters.
Tabled Document 055 – 3(3): Arnait Nipingit: Women’s Leadership Summit Report September 13 to 17, 2010 (Aariak)
I am pleased to table the Arnait Nipingit: Women’s Leadership Summit Report for September 13 to 17, 2010.
Speaker: If I can just ask the page to please bring that up to the front.
Tabled Document 056 – 3(3): Public Service Annual Report 2009-2010 (Shewchuk)
I am pleased to table the public service annual report for the year 2009-2010.
Tabled Document 057 – 3(3): Northern Development Ministers’ Forum Report, Thunder Bay, Ontario, August 30 to September 2, 2010 (Taptuna)
I am pleased to table the Northern Development Ministers’ Forum Report in Thunder Bay, Ontario, August 30 to September 2, 2010.
Tabled Document 058 – 3(3): Nunavut Emergency Management Annual Report 2010-2011 (Kusugak)
I am pleased to table the Nunavut Emergency Management Annual Report 2010-2011.
Tabled Document 059 – 3(3): Government of Nunavut Action Plan on the Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut 2011 on the Children, Youth and Family Programs and Services in Nunavut (Curley)
Hon. Tagak Curley: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to table the Government of Nunavut Action Plan on the Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut 2011 on the Children, Youth and Family Programs and Services in Nunavut.
Minister responsible for Finance, Minister Peterson.
Tabled Document 060 – 3(3): Nunavut Outfitter Liability Protection Fund Annual Report 2010-2011 (Peterson)
I am pleased to table the Nunavut Outfitter Liability Protection Fund Annual Report 2010-2011.
Tabling of Documents. Member for Quttiktuq, Mr. Elliott.
Tabled Document 061 – 3(3): Copy of Bill 21, An Act to Amend the Employee Standards Act (Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories) (Elliott)
As the Minister of Justice and other members are aware, I have been advocating for amendments to territorial law that would protect the jobs of Nunavummiut who are required to be absent from work to serve in our National Reserve Force.
I believe that almost all Canadian jurisdictions have introduced such measures.
I wish to table today a copy of Bill 21, which was introduced last month in the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories. This bill provides members of the reserve force with an entitlement to unpaid leave from their employment if they are required to be absent from work for the purpose of service with the reserve force. I look forward to discussing this matter with the Minister of Justice so that we can agree on a way to introduce similar legislation during our upcoming fall sitting.
Moving on in Orders of the Day, Item 14.
Motion 009 – 3(3): Appointment of a Ministerial Member of the Management and Services Board – Notice (Aariak)
I give notice that on Thursday, June 9, 2011, I will move the following motion:
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Hon. Member for Uqqummiut, that the Hon. Lorne Kusugak be appointed as a ministerial member of the Management and Services Board.
Motion 010 – 3(3): Appointment of Alternate Ministerial Member of the Management and Services Board – Notice (Aariak)
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Hon. Member for Uqqummiut, that the Hon. Daniel Shewchuk be appointed as an alternate ministerial member of the Management and Services Board.
Bill 11 – Legislative Assembly Statutes Amendment Act – Notice
I give notice that on Thursday, June 9, 2011, I will move that Bill 11, Legislative Assembly Statutes Amendment Act, be read for the first time.
Bill 12 – An Act Respecting Nunavut Elections – Notice
I give notice that on Thursday, June 9, 2011, I will move that Bill 12, An Act Respecting Nunavut Elections, be read for the first time.
Mr. Schell: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek the consent of this House to waive Rule 62(1) so that Bill 11, Legislative Assembly Statutes Amendment Act, can be read for the first time today.
The member is seeking consent to waive the two-day waiting rule so that Bill 11 can be read for the first time.
There is agreement.
Bill 11 – Legislative Assembly Statutes Amendment Act – First Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Rankin Inlet South and Whale Cove, that Bill 11, Legislative Assembly Statutes Amendment Act, be read for the first time.
I see none.
I seek the consent of this House today to waive Rule 62(1) so that Bill 12, An Act Respecting Nunavut Elections, can be read for the first time today.
Bill 12 – An Act Respecting Nunavut Elections – First Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Rankin Inlet South and Whale Cove, that Bill 12, An Act Respecting Nunavut Elections, be read for the first time.
The motion is carried and Bill 12 has had first reading.
I seek the consent of this House to waive Rule 62(1) so that Bill 11, Legislative Assembly Statutes Amendment Act, can be read for the second time today.
The member is seeking consent to waive the one-day waiting rule so that Bill 11 can be read for the second time.
Speaker: You have agreement.
Bill 11 – Legislative Assembly Statutes Amendment Act – Second Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Rankin Inlet South and Whale Cove, that Bill 11, Legislative Assembly Statutes Amendment Act, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill streamlines the administration of two Acts. It amends the Integrity Act to adopt the suggestions made by the Integrity Commissioner to clarify the provisions respecting the enforcement of the Integrity Commissioner’s recommendations.
It also amends the Order of Nunavut Act to allow a member of the Order of Nunavut Advisory Council to designate a substitute and to clarify attributes of memberships in the order.
The motion is carried and as Bill 11 is a House Bill, it is referred directly to Committee of the Whole.
I seek the consent of this House today to waive Rule 62(1) so that Bill 12, An Act Respecting Nunavut Elections, can be read for the second time today.
The member is seeking consent to waive the one-day waiting rule so that Bill 12 can be read for the second time.
Bill 12 – An Act Respecting Nunavut Elections – Second Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Rankin Inlet South and Whale Cove, that Bill 12, An Act Respecting Nunavut Elections, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Nunavut Elections Act and the Public Service Act to implement the recommendations of the chief electoral officer in her 2009 annual report and addresses other matters.
The motion is carried and as Bill 12 is again a House Bill, it is referred directly to Committee of the Whole.
Bills 6, 7, 8, 11, and 12, and Tabled Documents 248 – 3(2), 249 – 3(2), 251 – 3(2), 274 – 3(2), and 275 – 3(2) with Mr. Tapardjuk in the Chair.
Chairman (Mr. Tapardjuk) (interpretation): Thank you.
We now have a quorum. I would like to call the committee meeting to order.
In Committee of the Whole, we have the following items to deal with: Bills 6, 7, 8, 11, and 12, and Tabled Documents 248 – 3(2), 249 – 3(2), 251– 3(2), 274 – 3(2), and 275 – 3(2).
We wish to commence the review of Bills 11 and 12. We will then continue our concurrent review of Tabled Documents 248 – 3(2), 249 – 3(2), 251– 3(2), 274 – 3(2), and 275 – 3(2) starting with the Hon. Lorne Kusugak with questions on the Qulliq Energy Corporation, followed by the Premier for the departments of Education and EIA, the Hon. Tagak Curley for Health and Social Services, and the Hon. Keith Peterson for the departments of Finance and Justice. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Moses Aupaluktuq.
Are we agreed that we first deal with Bill 11 and Bill 12?
Bill 11 – Legislative Assembly Statutes Amendment Act – Consideration in Committee
Are we agreed to have the Speaker at the witness table?
Chairman (interpretation): Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the Speaker to the table.
I believe these will be your first questions directed to you as the new Speaker of the House.
I can proceed?
Chairman: Please proceed, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Chairman and colleagues.
I am pleased to have the opportunity to appear today before the Committee of the Whole on the occasion of its consideration of Bill 11, Legislative Assembly Statutes Amendment Act.
Bill 11 amends the Integrity Act and the Order of Nunavut Act, both of which are statutes that come under the jurisdiction of the Legislative Assembly.
The amendments to the Integrity Act adopt suggestions made by the Integrity Commissioner to clarify the provisions respecting the enforcement of recommendations that have been accepted by the Legislative Assembly.
The amendments to the Order of Nunavut Act allow a member of the Order of Nunavut Advisory Council to designate a substitute in the event that a member is or will be absent, incapacitated, or unable to act.
The amendments also clarify attributes of membership in the order.
As members will recall, Nunavummiut were invited earlier this year to submit nominations to the Order of Nunavut. I am pleased to take this opportunity to advise all members that the advisory council will be meeting later this month to consider the many nominations that have been received.
I look forward to inviting all members to the first investiture ceremony, which I anticipate will be held this fall.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my opening comments to Bill 11.
Do you have any staff members that you would like to bring to the table?
Yes, I would like to ask for the committee’s indulgence to allow our Clerk, Mr. John Quirke, to join me at the witness table.
Are we agreed to have his Clerk come forward to the witness table?
Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the Clerk in.
For the record, please introduce your witness, Mr. Speaker.
To my right is the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, Mr. John Quirke.
I will now open the floor for any general comments from members.
If there are none, we will now go clause by clause.
Are we agreed that we proceed to the clause-by-clause review?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Bill 11, (interpretation) Legislative Assembly Statutes Amendment Act. (interpretation ends) Clause 1. (interpretation) Do you agree?
Chairman (interpretation): Are we agreed to (interpretation ends) Bill 11 (interpretation) as a whole?
Pursuant to (interpretation ends) Rule 62(2), Bill 11 (interpretation) can be placed on the orders of the day for third reading.
The next item to deal with is (interpretation ends) Bill 12, (interpretation) An Act Respecting Nunavut Elections.
Mr. Speaker, do you have any opening comments?
Bill 12 – An Act Respecting Nunavut Elections – Consideration in Committee