EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
In previous years it used to be a federal contribution agreement to the municipalities to provide 50% to outside agencies like the private sector.
I think there was 75% to municipalities and I know in previous years in Baker Lake that we hired 10 to 15 summer students to work in the recreation field or to go out and take a census.
It was a make work project.
So could the minister commit to notifying myself and the municipalities that this program is there that is available for municipalities that want to go out and put some of these high school students in grade 10, 11, 12 to work.
Mr. Speaker, we are not quite at our two-year anniversary yet, so I don’t know how he could have brought it up three years in a row…
…but anyway, Mr. Speaker, I do recognize the validity of what the member is raising and we will check out what federal programs there are and if we can certainly contribute or else make sure that information is going to be available to municipalities, housing authorities, other non-profit organizations.
Question 158 – 1(5): Alternative Sentencing Committees
My question is about the Justice Committees in the communities.
They are the way that the department is connected to the communities, in much the same way that education authorities are a connection with the Department of Education.
I wonder if the minister could update us on what is happening with the Justice Committees and how they are supporting the committees in recognizing the fact that they have a very important function.
Yes, we realize that definitely they do positive work in the communities.
We did not feel that the money that they receive was adequate and this has also been communicated to me.
This year during the budget session we will look at their funding again, because they do a lot of work in the communities.
They have a very important role in their communities.
It is good to hear that they will be giving more money.
Have they thought about providing adequate meeting places or adequate office space.
Yes, as we discussed in the committee meeting, some of them are able to find adequate meeting spaces and we will be looking into better meeting spaces where they don’t have one.
I would like to further ask the minister to tell us how many people have been dealt with rather than going through the courts.
At this time I can not give further numbers because there's been a lot of people have gone through these Justice Committees in the communities and I could reply to her in a written response.
Question 159 - 1(5): Special Education Teachers
In communities, there are people who have disabilities such as those that are deaf and mute, or other disabilities, I just wondered how those individuals would be getting some tutoring assistance in the schools.
Speaker: Thank you. Minister Kilabuk.
Regarding those people with disabilities from the kindergarten and the higher grades, when they need some assistance in the school, they are often assisted by our department by bringing people that can teach those kinds of things for disabled students.
This is done due to the shortage of specialists in Nunavut, depending on the type of disability that they have.
The ones that have those kinds of disabilities in the Nunavut area, I just wondered if the department has thought about hiring individuals to go around to communities to teach people with disabilities.
Just about a week ago, I'm happy to say Mr. Speaker, the Council For the Disabled was here recently in town for a conference discussing this and other issues.
We will be working with those individuals to see what kinds of assistance people of Nunavut can get in the schools, for people with disabilities.
And we will be working with the council to deal with those kinds of things.
Yes, thank you for the clear response from the minister.
Supplementary Mr. Speaker. There are people that are mute in the communities and they have to be assisted by special teachers that deal with the deaf and mute.
The reason why I am asking these questions is because there should be teachers for the disabled mute and deaf people in Nunavut.
We have not forgotten those people with disabilities and we will do our best to help them as much as possible by bringing in people that can teach those people with disabilities of that kind.
Our teachers do not diagnose which students they have, that have disabilities.
We will work closely with the Department of Health, and the doctors once they find out which students have disabilities and then we can bring in professionals to teach those people.
There are teachers that are outside of Nunavut and also some within Nunavut.
Have you done any review as to whether it is less expensive to hire outside or inside of Nunavut.
At this time, perhaps if I could say to the member that indeed we do have limited amounts of funds and we try to do it in the best and most efficient way
We now have the Council for the Disabled for Nunavut and we will be working with them to see how we can best provide dollars to properly work with those children.
Question 160 – 1(5): Resource Development Agreement
Last year when the minister spoke about the budget, he said that he was going to negotiate a memorandum or agreement for resource development in Nunavut.
I wonder if the minister can tell us what work has been done to date on resource development in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, there has been some initial discussions in trying to develop a framework for what issues we will try to transfer and in trying to develop a potential timeline in which to undertake the negotiations and assumption of responsibilities.
So there have been some very preliminary discussions at this stage with some officials.
I will ask a further question, I may make a mistake, but if so please let me know.
In Quttiktuq, PanArctic has been working to explore for gas and petroleum products.
What plans are in place at this time, or is there anything in place to co-ordinate the exploration or resource development in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, I can’t speak of any specific plans, it is not the government’s responsibility to do that.
There is private sector interest of course, they would approach right now the federal government, or if it were on land, there would obviously be involvement from the Nunavut Impact Review Board and through NTI depending on the location of the land and where people might want to undertake the exploration.
So there are certain processes that are involved depending on the specifics.
I can’t speak of any specific application that might be there or not unless the member has more detailed information.
Last year in the news, I believe, we heard that the federal government made an announcement about the some exploration projects that were going to be happening in the High Arctic.
I'm not really sure if the Nunavut Government is involved in this.
I think there was a stop put to the exploration at that time, so I'm not really sure what's happening.
Mr. Speaker, again if the member has specifics, we can try to find out what actual information is, but generally, I'm not sure what project this is.
I don't have any correspondence but I just heard about it in the High Arctic. I heard through the media, they were thinking about doing exploration in the High Arctic.
Perhaps there has been a stop put to this, so I'm not really sure about it, so that's why I'm asking the question.
Mr. Speaker, the member may be referring to a proposal call from the federal government to see if there was an interest in exploration.
I'm not sure if that's what he's referring to, but if it is, I understand that was not a formal request for exploration and permits.
Maybe the member can speak to me after the session if there's any specific information he wants to have.
Question 161 - 1(5): Hall Beach School Update
Mr. Speaker, I'd like to direct a question to the Minister of Education.
The capital estimates have been completed by the House, our school needs an addition and thank you that there is some funding set aside for the design for our school.
However, in the 5-year plan, there is no money set aside, exactly what is going to happen with the extension of our school.
There was some money put aside for the design and the planning of the school extension for 75% of it in 1998-1999, but it was delayed during the division of Nunavut and NWT.
The member is right that there is nothing in the budget for that extension of the school but with the planning that we have, at this time, in 2002-2003, if there is some money it may be provided for the construction and completion of the extension of the school.
Mr. Speaker, the minister just stated that if the money were set aside for that project then construction of the project would proceed in 2002 or 2003.
I would like to ask the minister what he means when he says " if the money is set aside ".
Last year the budget for the new schools had been significantly increased from the previous year.
The increases were targeted for renovations and additions, with Education as a priority.
We are continuing to proceed under the plan for 2002 and 2003 for the beginning of the construction of the school.
Yes, I am pleased with the minister's response on the construction for 2002 and 2003.
However, I just wanted to get some clarification about his first comment.
He said if money is set aside, which to me also seems to imply if none is forthcoming the project might be further delayed.
Is that the intent of the answer, " if money is set aside ".
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Yes, Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
On the specific question that the member is posing in the case of the Hall Beach project, it had been planned for quite a while and the final plans completed for the most part now.
As a result of the progress made up to today I would like to say to him right now that the construction of this project will be our priority.
That is, if there is any money left over or carried over it will be put in that project.
Mr. Irqittuq your final supplementary.
Mr. Speaker, once again the minister responded by saying that “if there is any money left over”, then the school would be built.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask if the construction will actually commence in 2002/2003.
Yes, if no unforeseen events beyond the control of the government take place, the construction will indeed get underway in the year it is planned for.
Question 162 - 1(5): Six Hundred Unfilled Positions
Mr. Speaker, out of 2,789 positions within the Government of Nunavut, 2,195 are filled, that leaves roughly 600 PY's not filled, so my question today is to the Minister of Human Resources.
Out of those 600 positions that are not filled, what is stopping them from being filled.
Minister of Human Resources. Mr. Ng.
Mr. Speaker, it is an ongoing recruitment process in respect of advertising and doing the screening and carrying out the interviews and those are the main issues really in trying to get people to accept job offers.
It continues to be actively pursued and as you note, the percentages are moving up, so there is progress being made.
Mr. McLean: Koanna Uqaqti.
Uqaqti, are any of these positions not being filled because of the unavailability of staff housing.
No not as of today.
Speaker: Thank you. Mr. McLean.
Mr. McLean: Koanna, Uqaqti.
Will there be a shortage of staff housing a year from now and some of these positions will not be filled.
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if he is asking me a hypothetical question there which I wouldn’t be able to answer, it would be my opinion.
But Mr. Speaker, I would say that we are trying to address the issues of staff housing requirements as it relates to staffing up our positions.
As members do know, in some communities we have a bit more flexibility than others.
So it is a matter of trying to balance those needs, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. McLean: Koanna Uqaqti. Uqaqti, I wonder if the minister would commit to this House that if there is a serious need for staff housing a few years from now, could the minister commit that the Government of Nunavut will not build or own staff housing.
First of all Mr. Speaker, I am not the minister responsible for staff housing, a very capable minister.
I know that she is undertaking a review of the exact staff housing situation as it relates to our employees.
From a broader perspective as Chairman of the Financial Management Board, obviously whatever avenue is used to address staff housing needs, it has to be cost effective. So there will be all sorts of factors that will have to be taken into consideration when making a final decision.
I believe the member used up his final supplementary, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: Sorry, that was your final, I am sorry.
Question 163 – 1(5): Elders’ Societies
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth.
I think that there are elders’ societies in most of the communities.
Are they all operational.
Speaker: Minister of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth.
That is a good question posed by the member.
The elders’ societies in the communities have not communicated much me, but I do think that they are operational.
I have not heard of any problems from the communities so I assume they are operating smoothly.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Are you going to be having an elders conference some time in the future, somewhere, possibly in Iqaluit, Cambridge Bay or in Pond Inlet for that matter.
It would be nice to have a Nunavut-wide elders conference. The Kivalliq elders are going to be having a meeting in Coral Harbour starting on March 21, today.
In the Baffin region it will be on March 26.
In the Kitikmeot area we are currently looking at the people that are going to be setting up the conference.
They do not have an elders co-ordinator in the Kitikmeot, so I am not sure when the elders will be meeting in that region.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Will all the Baffin communities be represented at the elders' conference for the Baffin region, , or are you just going to be taking representatives from the larger communities.
During the elders’ conferences we usually try to get a representative from each of the communities in the respective regions.
There will be representation of all regional communities at the regional conferences.
Question 164 – 1(5): Staff Housing for Decentralization
I think today is my day.
I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Finance, regarding decentralization of government jobs.
I believe it was last year or last fall we were told that they were sometimes putting government employees up in hotels because of a lack of staff housing.
I would like the minister to clarify this point and let us know if the lack of staff housing is causing a problem in recruiting staff.
Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, right now we are able to provide staff housing for those that require it.
It depends on which community again, that the member refers to.
There are instances where individuals are placed in commercial accommodation while they are waiting for their personal effects.
Maybe while they are waiting for their house to be prepared if someone has been in it prior and it needed renovations or whatever.
So there are examples of individuals that would be accommodated in private accommodations.
I am not asking about only one particular community.
I am talking about Nunavut Government employees as a whole, because of course, we have to hire people that will work in the decentralized communities.
Are there currently any problems with the lack of staff housing in any of the communities within Nunavut.
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Generally, Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated, no.
But I mean there are certain communities that have more pressures on them because they have more vacancies and needs that are more direct.
As members know, with the decentralization targeted at decentralized communities, it is being phased in, so there is a bit more flexibility and a lot of the staff housing is available.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that the staff housing being built in the decentralized communities cannot meet the number of employees that are going into the communities.
Mr. Speaker, are we not going to run into problems as the positions are being filled.
Mr. Speaker, that is what I referred to earlier, that the minister responsible is undertaking an assessment of staff housing requirements throughout Nunavut and trying to come up with solutions, if there are short or longer-term requirements.
Mr. Speaker, that brings up a question.
Is the Minister responsible for staff housing the only one who knows what kinds of problems we have with staff housing, whether we can meet the demands or not.
Is she the only one who knows where we stand with staff housing.
No, the minister responsible is very knowledgeable as members know, but it is outside of just her department.
Although her department has overall responsibility, of course, decentralization secretariat under the Premier, because of the positions going there, Human Resources, myself because of the staffing requirements.
So other departments, because of their needs for staffing as well, it is government wide, it is just that the minister responsible, her department, Public Works and Services has the direct responsibility for staff housing.
So I thank the member for his very good questions and that was the end of question period.
The time is up for question period.
Moving on to the Orders of the Day.
Written Question 011 – 1(5): Kivalliq Partners
Uqaqti, my written question today is for the Minister of Sustainable Development.
Uqaqti;
How many employees does Kivalliq Partners in Development have on payroll.
How much does it cost the Government of Nunavut for this function.
How many staff in Kivalliq Partners are on the Government of Nunavut payroll.
What are the specific duties of the employees of the Kivalliq Partners on Government of Nunavut payroll.
Do the Board members of Kivalliq Partners receive an honorarium.
If they do, how much per day do they receive.
If they did, how much honorarium was paid out last year in total.
What are the travel costs of Kivalliq Partners in Development per year.
How much outside of Nunavut travel did they spend in the year 1999-2000.
Will the minister give me complete details of all sources of revenue from outside agencies and how much.
We will go on.
Item 13. Tabling of Documents. Mr. Premier.
Tabled Document 017 – 1(5): Letter from Prime Minister regarding Gun Legislation
The letter requested by the now Speaker of the House, from the Prime Minister, regarding the gun legislation.
I apologize for the delay, it was being translated.
Tabled Document 018 – 1(5): GN Employment Statistics
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Yes, Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table the employment statistics for the Government of Nunavut as of December 31, 2000, broken out by department and by community.
Bill 3 - Utility Rate Review Council Act – Second Reading
I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Iqaluit East that Bill 3, Utility Rate Review Council Act, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill establishes a review council that will have the ability to review and provide expert advice to ministers in cabinet on prices, rates and tariffs for goods and services provided by a variety of utilities.
This bill will also replace the existing Public Utilities Board with an independent process that provides for public involvement in the review of rates and tariffs that affect Nunavummiut.
The Review Council process is a unique concept that reflects the situation in Nunavut and the requirements of this government to have an independent and public system to review utility rates and other rates and tariffs paid by Nunavummiut.
Bill 3 has had second reading and accordingly the bill stands referred to a committee.
Bill 1, with Mr. Iqaqrialu in the chair.
Before we proceed with the Committee of the Whole, I think that members will agree that we take a 45 minute break.
I am sorry, I forgot something here.
Please join me in the Tuktu room for lunch.
>>House recessed at 11.50 a.m. and resumed at 12.53 p.m.
Chairperson (Mr. Iqaqrialu) (interpretation): Good afternoon colleagues, welcome back.
We will be reviewing the budget for the Department of Public Works and Services.
We will start the committee of the whole, main estimates 2001-2002.
Ms. Williams what is the wish of the committee.
The committee would like to review the main estimates, Bill 1, Appropriation Act 2001-2002 and also the capital estimates.
Chairperson (interpretation): Does the committee agree that we will be considering Bill 1, Appropriation Act, Department of Public Works and Services, main and capital estimates.
Could the minister do her opening comments please.
I didn’t eat well because I left in a hurry.
That’s okay. Thank you I will be speaking in Inuktitut because we were told to try and speak our own first language yesterday when I was in Rankin.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity to make some introductory remarks on the 2001-2002 budget for the Department of Public Works and Services.
I will introduce my staff to you later. Sorry I passed that section.
For 2001-2002, Public Works and Services has a total budget of 92.6 million which consists of 86.3 million for operations and maintenance and 6.2 million for capital projects.
Our new budget has an increase of 5.3 million over our budget for 2000-2001.
This increase is mainly due to new leases for staff housing and client department program delivery spaces, such as the new Arviat Health Centre, the centralization of telephone payments for the Government of Nunavut and an increase in the use of informatics networks.
To update you on our staffing levels, Mr. Chairman, my department has a total 202 funded positions for the new fiscal year.
This is down from 212 positions to reflect the transfer of technical positions to the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Currently at headquarters 67% of our positions have been filled, while staffing capacity is at 56% in the Baffin, 83% in the Kivalliq and 64% in the Kitikmeot.
A higher rate of Inuit employment remains a key goal for Public Works and Services.
As of February 28, 2001, our departmental Inuit employment rate was 48%.
While we have made some progress, the staffing of technical and Information Technology positions locally continues to be a challenge.
(interpretation ends) The combined salaries and operations budget includes 6.3 million for the Directorate.
The Directorate includes the Deputy Minister’s office and Corporate Services Division at headquarters.
In the regions, the Directorate includes the Regional Director and the Finance and Administration Services Section. The Directorate is responsible for the Senior Management of the Department as well as advice, assistance, planning and implementation of human resources, finance and policy functions of the department.
In addition, it provides government wide leadership in records management policy and procedures development and implementation.
Four point three million for Technical Services, which provides planning, design and management services for government projects carried out on behalf of client departments, assists clients in identifying their long term capital requirements and operational guidelines and develops government-wide technical standards for infrastructure.
Sixty three point three million for Operations. This division manages the GN’s inventory of owned and leased facilities and the allocation of space, conducts inspections and reviews of existing and planned facilities to ensure compliance with mechanical/electrical codes and standards, purchases goods and administers the Eastern Arctic Sealift on behalf of the government. In consultation with clients, develops, implements and monitors contracting policies and procedures including the Nunavummi Nangminiqaqtunik Ikajuuti (NNI) Policy and develops contracting guidelines and procedures.
Eleven point two million of the O&M budget has been allocated to our Informatics Operations Division for the operation and maintenance of the GN data and voice networks.
This includes Network Operations Centres in Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay, support centres in six secondary communities and office systems for all departments in over 50 buildings throughout Nunavut.
In support of decentralization, my department has been allocated 1.2 million for phase 2.