EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I think we all understand that traditionally, across Canada, around the world, teachers and nurses are the most poorly paid professions historically.
They did not get recognition because the world was a healthy, rich man society, not for children and women and the sick.
Today, we recognize these are essential services, especially for Nunavut.
I would like to ask the Premier: if there is a possible discussion, has he at least spoken to other potential partners? You see if we could pool our resources together to come up with a Nunavut-wide program to attract more people to get excited about education and nursing training in Nunavut, that part is in the Hansard.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) What we can do and what we have been doing, as a government, is that we guarantee employment for Inuit, through the Akitsijiit, and the nursing program, or the teaching program. That’s a lot more than what you would see elsewhere, where once you’re done with a degree, you don’t automatically get a job.
But in our system, we have been automatically ensuring that any of our graduates are eligible for any job in the government in terms of nursing or teaching and that will continue.
I don’t see that anywhere else in the country.
Oral Questions. Your final supplementary, Mr. Arvaluk.
I understand your stance. We also know that the people in Nunavut, and since the creation of this government, we know and we know that the federal government knows exactly where the Nunavut government is at this time.
I think it’s about time we realize what are not essential jobs for the people of Nunavut.
We have to follow specifications, for example, if we’re going to be building a house and that requires a lot of money, but education and proper, adequate health services are essential to the people of Nunavut.
The Minister of Health is working as hard as she can, but her hands are tied due to the laws that she has to work by.
Are you going to be having another meeting with the Departments of Education and Health, for example, through the regions that are preparing and planning for future development?
As Nunavummiut, our population is very small. If we’re going to be setting up different programs, it would help very much, not only for those but also for other professional positions.
The Labrador government was also here to talk with the Nunavut government on how they can bring down the costs of services by working together.
We’re going to be looking at what options we have to cut costs down and we’re going to be having discussions with other jurisdictions like Labrador, Northern Quebec, the Northwest Territories, and Yukon.
What can we do to bring down the costs, to bring more adequate services to our jurisdictions, and to properly educate our people?
Question 005 – 2(4): Teachers or Nursing Graduates Guaranteed Employment (Tootoo)
I just want to follow up with the Premier and ask for clarification on one of his responses to my colleague not too long ago.
He had indicated that he said that any of the teachers or nurses that graduate would be guaranteed employment with the government.
He said that we guarantee employment for all our Inuit graduates. I just want to get clarification if that’s what I heard.
I just want to clarify if it’s employment for Inuit graduates for those programs or guaranteed employment for all graduates of the programs because there are non-Inuit graduates that have lived up here all of their life that feel that they’re not getting a fair shake.
I just want to ask him if he can clarify that for the record, please.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Tootoo. Mr. Premier.
I know in the nursing program, we guarantee employment for all graduates, but as we have a real shortage of Inuit nurses and teachers, that was my reference to our Inuit students that are graduating, they’ll get a job within our government, that we have a real shortage of Inuit nurses and teachers in particular.
I just want to make sure that I have it correct. As you know, there are a lot of non-Inuit residents of Nunavut that have lived up here all of their lives and have gone through our education system and this is their home.
I think they want to know they have an opportunity to contribute back to this government in the same way that it helped them over the years to get to where they are.
I’m just wondering if the Premier could clearly state whether or not non-beneficiary graduates of these programs that have lived up here all their lives would be guaranteed employment upon completion of their programs.
I know that nurses are in severe shortage, so any graduates are welcome to jobs within our government. There is a real shortage.
The Minister of Health alluded to a real shortage in nursing, so all of the graduates are eligible for jobs within our health facilities.
What about the teaching program?
Hon. Paul Okalik: What can I say? Like I said, we have a real shortage in nursing and we’ll hire whoever graduates from nursing.
Our Priority Hiring Policy is Inuit, wherever we can, and northerners are also welcome to apply and those that graduate from our schools are more than welcome to apply.
And we guarantee our nursing graduates employment within our health facilities.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Premier. Mr. Tootoo.
It sounds like the Premier is saying that if you’re a non-beneficiary, you grew up here in Nunavut all of your life, the only way you’re guaranteed to get employment with this government is to go through the nursing program.
It doesn’t matter if you have no interest in being a nurse, if you want to be a teacher or any other professional that we’re in dire shortage of, “Well, I’m sorry. We’ll only hire you if you’re a nurse.”
I’m not knocking or disputing the Priority Hiring Policy, but there’s something missing when we have long-time northerners, who have lived up here all their lives, falling through the cracks.
They’re not even being looked at, unless they graduate from the nursing program.
I think for human resources, they consider a northerner as someone who has been here a year.
That is not a heck of a lot for people that have been here all of their lives.
So I’m just wondering if the Premier could direct the Cabinet to come up with some type of a directive that addresses that issue for long-time northerners so that they, too, are going to have some preference over for hiring after the beneficiaries on the Priority Hiring Policy.
Right now, there are beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries, and the ones that are from up here don’t stand a chance because they are lumped in with the people that apply from the south and have been here just a year and may have a lot more experience and qualifications than them.
They’re not even getting short-listed, not even getting looked at, and they’ve been here, this is their home, this is where they grew up. So I’m just wondering if the Premier could commit to directing or coming up with a solution to that problem for these individuals.
The purpose of the Priority Hiring Policy is to respond to historical disadvantages of a set group that is permitted under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, so that is what we’re using to allow for priority hiring of Inuit.
There is no history of any other group within Nunavut that I know of where they are in a disadvantaged position where there is a historical disadvantage of a set group. Inuit unfortunately are in that state today and our current state is that we are highly disadvantaged in terms of employment opportunities.
We make up 85 percent of the population in Nunavut and yet, still unfortunately, we only make up 46 percent of our workforce within our government.
That’s what we’re trying to change, that’s what is allowed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Any other way that we can accommodate other groups, yes, we will continue to do that, but the purpose of the Priority Hiring Policy is to change the state that we are in today so that Inuit will catch up to the rest of the country.
So that’s why the Priority Hiring Policy is in effect. To change it would open us up for other possibilities under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, so that is where we hit the wall.
Mr. Tootoo, I wish to indicate that your last question was final supplementary.
Question 006 – 2(4): Hiring Priority for Long Term Northerners (Tootoo)
I want to clarify for the Premier that I’m not, in any way, knocking and saying that I have an issue with the Priority Hiring Policy for beneficiaries.
I know why we are doing that, I agree with that.
What I don’t agree with is that 85 percent of the population are beneficiaries that are being addressed in the Priority Hiring Policy and I would say a small portion of that 15 percent are long-time northerners that are non-beneficiaries, people that have lived here all their life and have grown up here, in some cases, are second and third generation non-beneficiaries that have been here all their lives.
Mr. Rennie was here earlier, Mr. Williamson was here, and they have lived up here for years. There is no distinction right now under our priority hiring to recognize long-term northerners. Like I say, “One year, whoop-de-do.”
In the Northwest Territories, prior to division, there was a clause in there where, if you were considered a long-term northerner, it was another category. There was the P1, P2, whatever; P2 would be a long-term northerner, someone that had lived 20 years or half their life in the Northwest Territories. What I’m asking the Premier: would they look at developing another category in there to address those individuals that, right now, are being ignored and treated as the same as someone that gets off a plane from down south and not being looked at?
And again, I’m not disagreeing with the Priority Hiring Policy for beneficiaries. I’m not. They keep coming out and saying that’s why we’re doing it, I know why we are doing it and I agree with that, but there’s something missing.
That’s what I would like this government to look at.
We all have constituents like that and they agree, too, with the Priority Hiring Policy but they feel that they should be recognized because they belong here, too.
This is their home and there are no recognitions given for that. So that’s what I’m asking the Premier, to commit to looking at that and then coming up with some solutions to deal with that.
I represent a significant portion of those long-term northerners, so I represent everyone.
My constituents have been very patient in dealing with this matter because they see that Inuit in particular are in need of this special assistance.
They have been wonderful and accommodating to our goal of changing the status quo.
I believe my human resources minister has been reviewing it for a while and I don’t know where it’s at today.
We all know that they do support the Priority Hiring Policy to give beneficiaries the first opportunity of positions of jobs within the government.
Like I said, we’re only 46 percent Inuit employment across the government.
The other 54 percent are non-beneficiaries, for the most part, that come from outside the territory.
They have been here maybe a year or they come here just to work.
I think that those individuals that have lived here all their lives, this is their home, they’re being treated the same as those folks. They do agree to the Priority Hiring Policy, but when you don’t have a suitable beneficiary for a position, there should be some consideration given to those long-term northerners and not just dumped in the same category as all non-beneficiaries. That’s what I’m asking.
Would the minister commit to coming up with a solution to deal with that problem? That’s all I’m asking.
I think I have tried to answer this question. We have a Charter of Rights and Freedoms which prohibits us from discriminating against any group, in terms of mobility rights, to be hired anywhere in the country. But that Charter of Rights provides an exemption where there is a historical record of discrimination and disadvantaged groups to be allowed to have special rights in terms of being hired by a government or other programs that the government may establish.
That’s where we have to be careful as a government. We do not want to expose ourselves to possible situations where we could be liable. So that charter protects us and at the same time, prohibits this government from carrying out any programs that may discriminate against other Canadians, so we have to be careful.
As the Premier is also the Minister of Justice, so I’m sure that’s why he keeps referring to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
If what he’s saying is correct, then the Priority Hiring Policy that they have in the Northwest Territories is unconstitutional, if that’s what he’s saying.
I don’t know if we can look at how it was worded there and see if, in fact, it was or wasn’t unconstitutional and against people’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. And if not, look at implementing and bringing in something like that to recognize that component of our population and covered under, I think it was, as a long-term northerner.
Would the minister commit to taking a look at how it was worded in the Northwest Territories prior to division? I think it was a P2 category, a P3... whatever it was, there were different categories. The first one was aboriginal, then the next priority was a long-term northerner and there was a description of that in there.
Would the Premier commit to taking a look at that and seeing or determining whether or not they would be against the Charter of Rights and Freedoms?
If not, would they look at directing the Department of Human Resources to look at bringing in something like that, a category like that?
I understand from my minister that this policy is going to be under review this year. As part of that review, we’ll look into all matters.
I want to add that we value the contribution of all of our employees and we appreciate the work they’re doing for our government.
To say otherwise, that regardless of who you are, we appreciate the work that you do for Nunavummiut.
And also in particular, to long-term Nunavummiut that have taken the effort of learning our language and learning more about our culture, we appreciate that very much. They’re more than welcome as Nunavummiut to be a part of our workforce and continue their contribution.
Oral Questions. Your final supplementary, Mr. Tootoo.
The Premier indicated that that policy was under review; it was going to be under review.
Would he commit to having the question looking at the way that it was worded, if you want to call it that, the Northwest Territories’ Priority Hiring Policy, and getting back to me and letting me know if it would be against someone’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms if that type of clause was put into our Priority Hiring Policy?
The policy I believe is set for review this August.
As a part of that review, we will do a thorough examination of the policy and see what we can do.
Members, I remind you that today, we have been very patient with your questions and the lengths of responses but tomorrow, we might not have the luxury.
So be reminded.
Oral Questions. (interpretation) I don’t think there are any more.
Tabled Document 001 – 2(4): Clyde River Old Town Clean Up - Letter from the Minister of Environment and Photos (Arreak)
I wish to table today a letter from the Minister of Environment about the old Clyde River site in my constituency, as well as some photographs that I took last summer at the site.
Old Clyde River is a contaminated site that is an issue that I have posed questions on in the House and during the committee meetings.
I will be asking further questions about this site during the session.
I wish to table a document.
Tabled Document 002 – 2(4): Statutory Requirements for Tabling of Reports and Other Documents in the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut - March 2007 (Speaker)
Tabled Document 003 – 2(4): Languages Commissioner of Nunavut Annual Report 2005/2006 (Speaker)
Speaker: I wish to table the document Statutory Requirements for Tabling of Reports and Other Documents in the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut.
This list is regularly updated by the Legislative Assembly and tracks the status of documents that are legally required to be tabled in the House.
The current version of the list indicates what documents have been tabled as of March 5, 2007.
I trust all members will find this document useful.
Again, members, I wish to table today the 2005-06 Annual Report of the Languages Commissioner of Nunavut.
Tabled Document 004 – 2(4): Towards a Representative Public Service – Statistics as of September 30, 2006 (Tapardjuk)
I wish to table the following document: Towards a Representative Public Service – Statistics as of September 30, 2006, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Minister responsible for Human Resources.
Tabled Document 005 – 2(4): Return to Written Question 020 – 2(3) Social Worker Positions in Cambridge Bay* (Clerk)
Tabled Document 006 – 2(4): Return to Written Question 021 – 2(3) Status of Decentralization* (Clerk)
Tabled Document 007 – 2(4): Return to Oral Question 379 – 2(3) Assistance for Business Community (Clerk)
Tabled Document 008 – 2(4): Return to Oral Question 399 – 2(3) Mandatory Leave Without Pay (Clerk)
Tabled Document 009 – 2(4): Return to Oral Question 400 – 2(3) CLEY Response to Elder Abuse (Clerk)
Tabled Document 010 – 2(4): Response to Petition 5 – 2(3) Rent Scale Review (Clerk)
Tabled Document 011 – 2(4): Response to Petition 6 – 2(3) Dissatisfaction with Gas Tax Rebate Program (Clerk)
Mr. Clerk (Mr. Quirke): Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I’m tabling a number of documents that pertain to outstanding items from the Third Session of the Second Assembly that were filed by the appropriate ministers with my office: Returns to Written Questions 20 and 21; Returns to Oral Questions 379, 399 and 400 that were taken as notice; Return to Petition 5 and 6.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Item 10. Tabling of Documents.
Orders for the Day for March 7:
*See Appendix for full text of Returns to Written Questions 20 – 2(4) and 21 – 2(4) filed with the Clerk.
This House stands adjourned until Wednesday, March 7, at 1:30.
>>House adjourned at 16:53 Appendix – March 6, 2007
Return to Written Question 020 – 2(3): Social Worker Positions in Cambridge Bay
Asked by: Keith Peterson, MLA (Cambridge Bay)
Asked of: Hon. Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health and Social Services
Date: December 4, 2006
In Nunavut social workers are not regulated or licensed.
In some provinces social workers are required to be registered, but in Nunavut we do not have ‘certified’ social workers.
In 1998-1999 the Government of Northwest Territories allocated four social worker positions for the community of Cambridge Bay, and this has stayed the same since the Government of Nunavut has taken over social services for Cambridge Bay.
The four positions are as follows; one regional manager position, one area supervisor position, and two community social service worker positions.
Social worker positions were staffed for the fiscal years 1999-2000 to 2006-07 as follows:
In 1999-2000 three of the four social worker positions were filled during the fiscal year.
At the beginning of 2000-2001 all four social worker positions were filled to July, in August 2000 one social worker position became vacant.
In 2001-02 only one of the social worker positions was filled for the fiscal year.
At the beginning of 2002-03 one social worker position was filled, in October 2002 two more social worker positions were filled.
At the beginning of 2003-04 three of the social worker positions were filled, in August 2003 one of the social worker positions became vacant leaving two social worker positions filled.
In March all four social worker positions were filled.
At the beginning of 2004-05 all four of the social worker positions were filled.
For the majority of 2004-05 two of the social worker positions were filled and one position became vacant in May 2004, the other social worker position was sporadically filled throughout the year.
At the beginning of 2005-06 two of the four social worker positions were filled.
In August 2005 another social worker position was filled, for the majority of the 2005-06 fiscal year.
In 2006-07 currently two of the four social worker positions are filled.
The Department of Health and Social Services is continuously advertising and recruiting to fill the vacancies in social worker positions.
Advertisements for the CSSW III position in Cambridge Bay have been continuous since the vacancy of June 2005.
The position of Regional Manager of Social Programs was filled in an acting capacity for 2005-06.
During this period of time there have been four different unsuccessful competitions and the regional manager position is currently at the Department of Human Resources for re-advertisement.
Vacant social worker positions are advertised on the Government of Nunavut website and in the two northern papers: News/North and Nunatsiaq News.
We have recently started to advertise social worker vacancies on the Child Welfare League of Canada website as well.
There are also efforts made by GN social workers to recruit their own network of colleagues.
This is how the department has been able to fill vacant positions with casual social workers.
The Nunavut Arctic College Human Services Program is a two-year program with a one-year certificate exit and two streams in the second diploma year: Social Work, Alcohol and Drug Counselling.
There are currently five students in the program.
Two students graduated from the program in 2005.
Three students graduated in 2006.
Of those 2006 graduates, one is with HSS in Taloyoak, one is working at the Cambridge Bay Wellness Centre, and one graduate is working with the Department of Education in Cambridge Bay.
How does the Department of Health and Social Services determine which levels of certification are required for community social worker positions?
Each social worker job description in Nunavut was reviewed by staff in the Department of Human Resources and the Department of Health and Social Services.
A Canada-wide comparison of social work positions was also completed.
Social work job descriptions were then standardized for Nunavut and four classifications of positions were approved as follows: Trainee, Community Social Services Worker (CSSW), Area Supervisor, and Regional Supervisor.
Except for the trainee position, the social worker positions require a degree or diploma and equivalent experience.
How does the Department of Health and Social Services determine the case-per-staff ratio for certified social workers in Nunavut?
The staffing for social services in each community has remained the same since 1999.
The department tracks caseloads per staff member; however, caseloads are not used to determine social worker staffing levels in each community.
As noted above, Health and Social Services does not have a case-per-staff ratio for social workers in Nunavut.
Managers evaluate the performance of social workers and then arrange training based on the needs identified so that social workers in Nunavut can maintain and enhance their competencies.
This helps ensure social workers have the opportunity to continually develop their skills and provide quality social services for Nunavummiut.
The Department of Health and Social Services is also interested in exploring success indicators used by other jurisdictions that may be appropriate for Nunavut.
Return to Written Question 021 – 2(3): Status of Decentralization
Asked of: Hon. Paul Okalik, Minister of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs
Date: December 5, 2006
Information was required from all GN departments, agencies, and Crown corporations in responding to many parts of this written question.
This response could not have been prepared without the assistance and cooperation of the staff across all GN departments, agencies, and Crown corporations.
The following provision applies to all responses.
The data was assessed as of September 30, 2006.
There was some reorganization of GN departments effective December 31, 2004, so the decentralization data is broken down by the current departmental structure which is different from the government structure in the response to Written Question 26 – 2(2).