EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
We want to see this initiative run smoothly.
However, the communities Taloyuak and Gjoa Haven should be involved right from the start, especially when they are deliberating on the choice of a community and services that will be offered where this facility will be housed.
I would like to be informed about whether the facility will be placed in Cambridge Bay or in the outlying communities.
As the details are being fleshed out, including the options, I would like to be informed as many of our residents will have to go for treatment for their vices, be it for alcohol or drugs.
Many of the individuals who go for treatment will impact many lives around our region.. In order to ensure that this facility operates in the most efficient and effective manner, I will be asking questions about this facility from time to time.
During my last trip to Gjoa Haven, an elder from the community, Qajalik, stated that current initiatives within the social services are too based not the Inuit traditional values and principles which are used to resolve Inuit social problems.
They don’t use Inuit traditional values and principles in counselling.
Inuit felt it would be accomplished with the creation of Nunavut, that Inuit values, practices, and traditions would be incorporated into the treatment centre services.
The unilingual elders are taken advantage of, which causes mental anguish, especially when their grandchildren or their children are forcibly taken from their homes.
Nunavummiut have many questions regarding these centres. Will the treatment centre be established? Will it be utilized?
If we will be utilizing the centre, how will it provide these services in Inuktitut?
Many elders are awaiting these centres in our communities, Gjoa Haven, and territory.
Will Inuit be in the middle, That is what I want clarified since I know… .
The Member for Nattilik is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement.
Member for Nattilik, you may proceed.
As I was stating, I think that if we are going to be using Inuit traditional knowledge, values, and principles in healing and counselling, we know that the majority of the social workers stem from the southern provinces.
With these cultural divides, we know that a lot of counsellors and social workers have a very heavy workload, which is exacerbated by the differences in the way the two cultures deal with conflict resolution.
Many workers leave when they are stressed out and the residents of the communities will not be leaving their community for treatment, so I believe that the local resources available in the community should be better utilized.
Much like the local DEAs which are rediscovering the Inuit fountain of knowledge available in the communities, the Department of Health and Social Services should be using this immense store of knowledge since we have many Inuit who are quite competent in counselling others. We have to use what resources we have.
Whenever an incident occurs in our communities, it impacts all of the residents, especially when it relates to social issues.
We have to repatriate the traditional Inuit counselling, knowledge, and social skills which were used to deal with social issues in the past. I would like to recommend that we include IQ values in the centre.
We are still on Item 3. Members’ Statements.
No one has their hand up, so we can now go to… .
Member’s Statement 360 – 3(2): Lack of Government Services in Hall Beach (Tapardjuk)
Mr. Tapardjuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am ecstatic that I am able to stand on this side now, the regular members’ side.
I would like to speak to this issue first. The session is usually aired on television and it seems like our community in Igloolik continues to have satellite problems, so they haven’t been able to watch.
I just heard recently that they fixed the problems and I am grateful that they will actually be able to watch the proceedings.
Mr. Speaker, I wanted to rise today to speak to this issue that I want Nunavummiut to hear about, along with my colleagues here in the House, and this revolves around the smaller communities and the services provided to these smaller communities.
The discrepancy between a small and a larger community is very noticeable because if you look at our community of Hall Beach compared to Igloolik, there is a big difference in the number of houses.
The number of services available is not always able to go to Hall Beach because there is a lack of housing.
Even though the social workers in Igloolik as well as other government employees who have to provide services to the smaller communities face barriers, such as the lack of housing, the lack of office space, things of that nature that allow an employee to work within the community, I wanted my colleagues to understand that even though the communities may be smaller, they are still part of Nunavut and they have to receive the same number of services that are provided to these larger communities.
Prior to my leaving this session, I will be working with the minister either inside or outside the House to deal with this pressing issue and to see how we can resolve these problems.
I want all of the communities to be represented properly and to be provided the best possible service that there can be.
Going back to the orders of the day. Item 3. Members’ Statements.
There are no more names. Item 4. Returns to Oral Questions.
Item 4: Returns to Oral Questions*
Return to Oral Question 498 – 3(2): Assessment of Housing Units (Clerk)
Return to Oral Question 501 – 3(2): Office Space for Mental Health in Sanikiluaq (Clerk)
I am tabling returns to the following oral questions that were taken as notice in the last sitting: No. 498 – 3(2) and No. 501 – 3(2).
We can now go to Item 5.
Member for Nanulik has his hand up.
I would like to acknowledge and recognize someone who is very close to my heart, who is my assistant, and also whenever I am in trouble, she is the one who helps me stand again and that is my wife, Elizabeth Ningeongan. Please welcome her to the Gallery.
I welcome all visitors to the Gallery.
We can now go to Item 6. Oral Questions.
Member for Akulliq has his hand up.
*See Appendix 1 for full text of Returns to Oral Questions 498 – 3(2) and 501 – 3(2) filed with the Clerk.
Question 521 – 3(2): Issues with NHC in Kugaaruk and Repulse Bay (Ningark)
I stated earlier in my Member’s Statement that I will be asking a question to the Minister of Housing. First of all, I would like to thank the minister for appointing housing association councillors. Due to his power as the minister, he appointed certain people to run the association.
As I spoke to earlier in my statement, from what I heard, the housing association employees have not been paid for. I believe it’s now two or three weeks ongoing where they haven’t been paid and the minister also received some correspondence from Kugaaruk. The mayor and his worker in Repulse Bay also dealt with that issue.
I am wondering whether the minister is able to pay those employees now.
The member is asking the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation.
I also thank my colleague for raising that question, but I also wanted him to know that the questions you raised will… .
I am sorry. the answers you used to provide will be sorely missed on this side.
I want the individual to know that the units that were being constructed starting last fall were taken under the Affordable Housing Initiative program.
The units in Kugaaruk were constructed by NCC Dowland.
There was one five-plex and also four units.
As we stated this fall, the SIP units, which comprised four units in Kugaaruk, would be constructed up until the end of December.
They wanted to ensure that they were shelled in and the funding was only allocated for that purpose.
The contractor also had a subcontractor that worked on the housing and basically these were to raise the units. NLRV, I believe, was the subcontractor.
What I want to state here is that the Nunavut Housing Corporation doesn’t pay the subcontractors because the contractors are responsible for that, so I cannot really answer why they weren’t paid.
The project had to be completed by December 31 and we have been informed that once the subcontractors completed their projects, the work was done. We will be offering new contracts on January 1 and furthermore, the finishing projects will be in April, which would be new contracts. That’s all I can provide at this time.
Your first supplementary, Member for Akulliq.
My first supplementary is with regard to the contractor that the government appoints. First of all, with an appointed contractor, do you not have an agreement where, if you have subcontractors or people underneath you, you have to pay them?
Don’t you have an agreement that states that they have to pay their subcontractors by a certain date?
That is another question for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation.
With regard to the contractors, they also have to deal with their cash flow. That is how they pay their subcontractors and they may have to borrow funding.
What we do as a government is we provide the funding based on the completion of the project, the finalization of the inspection, and they also check the boilers. CGS inspectors also look at various aspects.
We provide the funding based on the completion of these deliverables. This is basically geared towards contractors.
I would have to look into the issue to see why the problem surfaced, but our obligation with respect to the contractors is that as long as they are providing the deliverables and they pass inspections, the project gets paid.
However, if there are any problems, then the funding can be delayed.
So it’s based on the completion level.
It’s only when there have been delays in the construction that payments are also usually deferred.
Your supplementary, Member for Akulliq.
It’s on a side issue to the housing corporation, so I’ll ask him later.
As I stated, I also thank the minister for dealing with the housing association.
They had an agreement to deal with that particular entity.
It stated that the bureaucracy of the housing corporation informed them, but they have never seen actual correspondence.
They were told that if they don’t want to listen to the housing corporation, then the council will be kicked out, (interpretation ends) “Out they go.” (interpretation) So if an underling of the minister can just kick out a housing association board, then isn’t that power being abused?
I would like to respond by saying that the local housing authority isn’t the employee of the contractors or the people working for the contractor. The local municipality can only make sure that the contractor is abiding by municipal legislations or policies.
The contractor is the one who is responsible for payment of their employees. That’s all I can tell you.
Under this government, we have Tamapta plans, which means all-inclusive, no fear, and no dictatorship within the Nunavut government.
When I hear from my community that one certain entity appointed by the minister of the Crown is told that “If you don’t follow what you’re supposed to do, out you go,” it doesn’t make sense at all, especially when we believe the government’s plan is Tamapta, which means all-inclusive.
Will the hon. minister communicate through his staff with the housing association in Kugaaruk and find out who has stated that “If you don’t follow, out you go”?
The question is for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Minister Curley.
As I stated, if I have a question from yourself and the local housing authority, we will find out exactly what you mean by who stated that. If we can get something in writing about your question, we can look into what happened.
We are at Oral Questions.
Question 522 – 3(2): Health Services in Igloolik (Tapardjuk)
Mr. Tapardjuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health.
Mr. Speaker, I think the minister is already aware and we are also aware that we had an issue in Igloolik where a youth passed away. However, I won’t be raising that question to the minister.
I want to hear from the minister whether he can inform this House, along with the listening public, whether his department has a protocol for dealing with the level of service of the health centre; it depends on the nurse as well as the community. How do you try to follow a standard when you’re dealing with specific patients or the level of service that has been provided to a patient? Do you have a protocol or a checklist that nurses have to follow?
Is there some kind of procedural process where it identifies the nurse?
For example, words of hospitality, words of welcome, little things of that nature.
That’s my first question, Mr. Speaker.
That question is directed to the Minister of Health.
Thank you for your question. We have the same questions from the communities.
As the Department of Health and Social Services, all Nunavut residents are to be ensured the quality of health services delivered in our communities at our health centres and that the standards exceed in our health service delivery in our communities, especially to have a proper Nursing Program and nurses responsible for these health centres.
As we stated, we apologize and send our condolences to the families who have lost their young infants.
Due to that reason, I have talked with our staff and our directors of the health centres on how we can improve our services in the community, and I can say that we will try and help Nunavutmiut to the best of our ability.
Your second supplementary, Member for Amittuq.
Mr. Tapardjuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also thank my colleague for his appropriate response.
We are all aware that these are very difficult circumstances when you are working as a nurse and we have to handle issues that require confidentiality, as well as other issues that are quite stressful.
Most of us know, those of us with the hamlets, they tend to have a subcommittee that deals with the health and social services that comprises part of the hamlet council.
Can the minister inform me as to how these subcommittees that may be underneath the hamlet council would be able to work in collaboration with the Department of Health as well as the local health centre?
Perhaps meet with the subcommittee members so that they will be able to work with the health centre nurses and the administrators in order to meet their local needs. Does the committee require more mandates or do they even have the privilege of being able to speak with the local health centre?
Can we offer the nurses or the health centre to sit on the subcommittee?
I would like to know what kind of by-law you have or whether there’s any issues related to having the nurses on the subcommittee, Mr. Speaker.
We have heard repeatedly from the majority of the communities, the hamlets, the Inuit organizations, and our elder from Rankin Inlet who had just passed away had advised me that we should have an ombudsman who will be representing our Inuit people if they have complaints.
I would like to tell our colleague that we are working on it within our department.
It’s taking time, it’s a slow process, and the health issues are our responsibility.
Empowering these health committees at the local level will take time because of confidentiality issues. We feel for you. The local people, especially our elders, need someone at the local level to make an appeal or to make complaints about public health and have them dealt with in a proactive manner.
I can also state that if our medical staff or the head nurse is requested to speak before the hamlet council, they are open to making a report and the director is open to this idea as well as being open to any complaints about medical services. At least they are able to speak to these issues, according to my understanding, Mr. Speaker.
Your final supplementary, Member for Amittuq.
It is quite obvious that we have to keep our communities as well as the local health centres informed, including the subcommittees that deal with health and social services. They have to work closely with the community health representatives, especially when informing the members of the community.
When problems are occurring, especially when we go through a difficult time, people require support and assistance when they are undergoing stress.
Does the minister have any plans to deal with this issue further with the hamlets, health and social services committees, or even the community health representatives to look at how they can collaborate and work together to deal with some of these issues?
I believe that some of the smaller communities require visiting social service workers.
Does the minister have any resources available if the communities should request this assistance to the minister?
I’m sorry, I made a mistake. You still actually have one more supplementary and I wasn’t aware of the process.
That question is for the Minister of Health.
I would also like to thank the member for your question in regard to healing and I believe you also have another question relating to the healing circles, especially when they have to be provided with emergency services.
As I have heard, some people are grieving in Igloolik.
I have asked our officials to be available if the community of Igloolik requests to get some healing group support. They can contact private healing companies and they can use those entities since Inuktitut is their working language.
I have directed my officials to be entirely open to any suggestions and I will also ensure that it remains open, Mr. Speaker, for any requests.
In regard to your question, we have considered these selfsame matters and I expect that some time in the future, we will at least have a phone number where people can call when they have problems. As you stated earlier, which I totally understood, some people are very uneasy about opening up about their problems and many of these issues are highly confidential.
We will continue to try and hire the director of medical affairs, including the counselling positions that are under the Code of Professional Conduct.
Because the policies are professional conduct policies, we will work with them.
We will need their support and we will continually work on that until we find a solution.
Oral Questions. Member for Quttiktuq.
Question 523 – 3(2): Flu Update (Elliott)
Mr. Speaker, as you will recall, 11 months ago, on March 23, 2010, this House voted to approve just under $6 million in supplementary appropriations for one-time treatment costs for the H1N1 pandemic flu virus.
Can the minister clearly describe to this House what the current status of Nunavut’s pandemic flu plan is and how Nunavut’s health system is coping during the current flu season?
Hon. Tagak Curley (interpretation): Yes, Mr. Speaker, in regard to the question, the member is asking me to clearly describe to this House and I would like to provide him with information.
I also would like to take his question as notice because I would like to clearly describe my response.
The minister has taken the question as notice. Oral Questions.
Member for Pangnirtung, you may now ask a question.
Question 524 – 3(2): Money Owed to Pangnirtung Hamlet from NHC (Komoartok)
As I stated earlier, our local hamlet has requested more funding because their funds are usually just enough for the year, especially when it relates to financial management.
In our local community, the Nunavut Housing Corporation units were constructed on lots allocated to them. The hamlet hasn’t been paid any lease payments since 2005 and the revenue that is supposed to come within those three years has really scuttled our hamlet’s ability to properly finance a certain number of projects.
It’s caused barriers in our hamlet.
It’s now been almost six years where the Nunavut Housing Corporation has not made any lease payments to the housing association. The lease payment amounts are starting to grow bigger. Although the requests for payment have been sent to the Nunavut Housing Corporation, there has been no response.
The amount is now $129,000.
So my question to the minister is: when will the Nunavut Housing Corporation pay its lease obligations to the Hamlet of Pangnirtung?
The question is directed to the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation.
This is the very first time I have heard that question in regard to not paying the land lease.
If it states in the rental agreement that they have to pay the land lease, I would like to find out if the land lease is included in the rent.
I would like to get clearer information.
I would like the member to provide me with correspondence so I can provide that information to my officials. I would like to get clarification from the member and from the hamlet council. If they can write a letter in regard to this, then I will be able to do something with it.
Your first supplementary, Member for Pangnirtung.
Mr. Komoartok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also thank the minister for his response. He stated that will be looking into this matter and hopefully he will come up with a solution.
There have been correspondence that has been gathered together and they have been submitted to the Nunavut Housing Corporation, but then it seems to go into limbo because there is never any response. The hamlet council has already sent two stacks of paperwork to the housing corporation.
Maybe the minister can look into this matter after he finds his missing pieces of paperwork.
Absolutely, we will look into that matter once we get the correspondence.
I, too, want to understand the reasons for the non-payment of the land lease. If they were not paid as per the legal requirements, then it is not acceptable.
I want to get the background information so that I can speak with the officials at the Nunavut Housing Corporation here about the matter. I also believe that we may have to check with the district office in Cape Dorset as they usually have the land lease documents. After we have checked into that matter, I would like some correspondence so that we can resolve this issue.
Oral Questions. Member for Hudson Bay.
Question 525 – 3(2): Functional Review of Decentralization (Rumbolt)
My questions today are for the Premier.
On January 14 of this year, the Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs issued a request for proposals for consultants to undertake an independent review of the GN’s decentralized functions.
This RFP closed on February 4.
Can the Premier tell us today what company was awarded the contract to undertake the functional review of decentralization?
That question is for the Premier.
Hon. Eva Aariak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also would like to congratulate you on your first day as the Speaker.
The review of the GN’s decentralized functions is now ongoing at this time. I can’t really remember the name of the previous contractor.
Once I get that information, I will get back to you. (interpretation ends) I think what you are asking me is the name of the contractor to do the functional review. I will have to get back to you on that one once I have it. I know it is available.
Your supplementary, Member for Hudson Bay.
An issue that I and other Members of the Legislative Assembly have raised on a number of occasions over the last couple of years concerns the process by which our constituents obtain their driver’s licences and general identification cards. A number of questions have been asked about the delays and backlogs in this process.
As the Premier is aware, one of the government’s decentralized offices is the Motor Vehicles Division of the Department of Economic Development and Transportation.
Can the Premier confirm that this review will take a close look at the operations of this office and the extent to which decentralization has impacted the process for Nunavut residents to obtain driver’s licences and general identification cards?
Hon Eva Aariak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We have to continually monitor the government’s decentralized functions and make sure they are running well.
Yes, we will look into that to make sure that the communities are represented properly at all levels.
We will try and deal with his request.
The government’s request for proposals for the functional review of decentralization indicates that a final report must be completed by June 15, 2011.