EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Didn’t you already know that a more successful Housing Strategy was the Sweat Equity Program?
Homeowners built their own homes and it was very successful. They were built with pride and they did their own labour.
I hear that the access housing has not been as successful.
Have you considered revising your policy to reflect the reality of Nunavummiut?
We are looking into correcting the issues that we face with homeownership and retrofits, and how we could better assist the people for homeownership assistance for repairs and additions. So we’re looking into that.
The minister just created another question for me because he, or whoever the minister was, has been saying that now for almost seven or at least five years.
Can he tell me, then, approximately when they will be coming up with a strategy that reflects the Nunavummiut reality?
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you. We are trying to look into getting more funding for the MAP program and we have been working on it since this year.
Over the two years, we have been trying to rectify the problem so that it could be more accessible by the people. Perhaps, it will be better organized and a better program itself for the people to access it from this day forward.
Kitikmeot Region. Total Kitikmeot Region.
On page L-10, under the homeowner programs, I had a couple questions concerning the Nunavut Down Payment Assistance Program, NDAP.
In Cambridge Bay, we have what we would define as an emerging market. We do have a bit of a market there but compared to a real estate market, it’s not as active. A typical real estate market is active 12 months of the year.
In Cambridge Bay, houses come onto market sometimes in April, sometimes in June, sometimes in November, and sometimes in January.  So if an individual is applying to NDAP to apply for $30,000 for a used house, or $50,000 for a new house, if they applied earlier in the year, there’s a good chance they would get approved, assuming everything falls in place and they have their bank financing.
But if they apply in November, December, or January, there’s less of a chance that there will be funding available.
What do you do in those situations when there’s a house or two on the market that people are after and you have good candidates for this program but you don’t have the funding? Can you move funding around between the regions, or do you have a source somewhere that you can access for them?
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you. Yes, if the funding goes ahead, it would be more open to the people accessing NDAP and we could also assist people who are trying to buy a house through that program.
I don’t think I quite understood the minister.
If I was applying for that program in December after I saw a house on the market and the price is reasonable, I had been to the bank and I was eligible for a pre-approved mortgage, and then I go to the housing and find out that there’s no funding left while the opportunity is there, do I have to wait until April and lose that opportunity, or is there a way that I can access some funding from the Housing Corporation through the NDAP program to purchase that house?
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you. Yes, once these are approved for funding by the bank, we would look for funding to assist you so that you would go ahead and purchase the house through that program.
That’s exactly the situation that happened last year. I believe some of the clients in Cambridge Bay were saying that they were being told that there were no funds and that they couldn’t purchase the houses.
So what happened is the other people with deeper pockets bought the houses and the people that required the help from the NDAP program remain in the housing that they had last year. So the opportunity was lost.
Had they been able to access the funds, there’s a very good chance they would have been able to purchase those houses. So that’s what I’m concerned about.
I think a government program like this shouldn’t be something that’s on a first come first serve basis. We’re trying to encourage people to get into private housing and free up social and public housing. This is a perfect program to help them do that.
So if you have clients in whatever region, whether it’s Kitikmeot or other regions, there’s an opportunity there in November, December, or January, maybe even February. So I think we should do everything we can to help them access that funding.
I wonder if the minister could give me some sort of assurance that I could take back to my constituents that if opportunities arise and they apply to housing, assuming everything else works – they have the proper income threshold, the bank is willing to help them out and there’s an opportunity there - can they access funding through the Housing Corporation, through the NDAP program?
Yes, the staff are able to assist the people once they go through the bank to get a down payment. Our staff and our officials are working with them concerning the purchasing of the house they want.
I’ll be keeping an eye on the situation.
People usually come to me with concerns in this area and plus, I know a little bit about financing and real estate, so I can give them advice that way. I’m not a real estate guy but they appreciate the advice I give them when they’re buying houses. I might have to get a business licence then.
When you put out construction contracts in communities, usually there are, in most communities, two to five contractors who will bid on contracts.
Every once in a while you have a contractor who puts in a very low bid.
I’ll use an example. There would be a contract that you budgeted $200,000 for it and the various contractors have put their bids in. They would be in the range of $185,000 to $210,000 but you’ll have that one contractor that puts a bid in for $100,000.
Obviously, if you could do it for $100,000, you can save the Housing Corporation a lot of money, but perhaps, they can’t do it for $100,000.
When you get bids like that, if your district office gets bids like that, how do they treat a bid like that?
Do they award it because it’s the lowest bid, or do they talk to the contractor to see if he can do it, or do they basically outright reject it?
Whenever we do a tender and we feel that a contractor has low-balled on the price, we always go back, if we are able to go back, to the contractor and give them the opportunity to withdraw their bid on that without penalty.
If they feel that they are confident that they can do the project for that amount of money after we have advised them that we are concerned, then because it’s a public tender process, we don’t have any choice but to award it to the low bidder.
I thank the minister Mr. Scott for that answer.
So in a situation where that occurs and you do award a contract, there’s normally a specified time when the contract has to be completed.
If the contractor hasn’t started a contract within a suitable period of time, after awarding the contract, in fact, if there’s a six-month contract and they don’t start until the fourth or fifth month, obviously, they’re not going to get the contract completed by the end of the six months.
What do you do in those types of situations where it’s apparent that the contractor can’t deliver on the terms of the contract?
Should you yank the contract, or do you grant them an extension? If you grant them an extension, why would you grant them an extension, obviously, if they didn’t comply with the terms of the contract?
In dealing with contractors, such as Mr. Peterson has described, it’s almost like a series of progressive discipline that we go through and warnings provided to the contractor to the point where if the corporation feels that the contractor cannot comply with the terms of conditions, then they will cancel the contract.
We have to allow our contractors at least some grace period, but if it’s apparent that the project is not going to get done, or is in jeopardy, then we will cancel that contract.
There was another part to Mr. Peterson’s question, but I’ve lost it. So we’ll let him ask one more. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think they did answer the question but he did raise some more questions. I hope he’ll let me ask a couple more.
In the smaller communities, housing is a serious issue, the lack of the housing, so we absolutely must have the contractors completing the contracts on time and on schedule, and, hopefully, on budget.
So if you have a contractor who is consistently under-bidding the market and consistently starting contracts late, so you give them extensions, at some point there, shouldn’t you have identified that this contractor is not going to deliver on the terms of the contracts?
You said you would grant them an extension and give some leeway, but at some point, if he doesn’t comply, then you yank the contract. Are there any penalties associated with yanking the contract; any financial penalties?
Can you take them off the bidding list for the following construction year? What do you do? Do you allow the contractor to bid again?
I have like four questions in there, so I hope you followed them all.
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you. I will have Mr. Scott respond to your question. (interpretation ends) He’s on a roll, too.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister. Mr. Scott.
I think part of the previous question was under what conditions or why would we grant an extension.
Usually, the contractors blame the corporation but we don’t usually buy that argument. Sometimes there are circumstances that are beyond the contractors’ control, whereby we would consider extensions to the contract, but if it’s a result of the contractor not performing their duties, then, obviously, they are subject to potential cancellation.
Most of the contract, depending on the size of a contract though, would also carry either a bid bond, often it’s a cash bond, and that we can withhold, and hold that as a penalty against the contractor.
In the course of events throughout the contract, we do withhold 10 percent from draws from the contractor, which we could hold back, and if they don’t complete the contract, then we don’t release those to the contractor.  In larger contracts, there are performance bonds, and if a contractor does not perform, then we can call on the bonding company to make up for any losses or additional costs.
Mr. Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the minister and Mr. Scott for the answers.
I’m wondering if the minister could tell me if he or the officials in his department are at all concerned that by dealing with a low balling contractor in a community and granting them extensions and leeways, and sort of insignificant penalties, that it would undermine the entire construction contractor industry within the communities so that other contractors stop bidding on Housing Corporation contracts. Are you concerned about that all?
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you. Because we rarely see these types of incidences, we would have to do a thorough review and see where we can correct the problem.
We rarely ever see any incidences and because of that, we will have to look at the contracting system and see where we can make improvements.
Kitikmeot Region. Total Kitikmeot Region. $2,090,000.
Total Grants and Contributions. $19,125,000.
Back to page L-4. Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Department Summary. Detail of Expenditure. Total Capital Expenditure. $19,125,000.
Are you agreed Nunavut Housing Corporation is concluded?
Minister Akesuk, do you have closing comments?
I would also like to thank the members for their interest in the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
I’m sure that there will be some challenges in our department sometimes but we will make sure that we do the best we can.
I would like to thank the members for their excellent questions and I’m sure that I didn’t respond to all of your questions but we are looking at building 725 houses. They will go ahead and we will make sure that we use our capital in the most effective way.
I would also like to thank my staff and the interpreters.
Chairman: Thank you, very much, minister and your staff.
I would now like to ask the Minister of the Department of Justice to make his opening comments.
Bill 16 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2008-2009 – Consideration in Committee – Justice
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, very much, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to appear before the committee to present the Department of Justice’s 2008-09 Capital Budget.
We all know that the Baffin Correctional Centre is overcrowded.
To address this we propose the construction of a new facility in Rankin Inlet and implementation of the Family Abuse Intervention Act, or FAIA.
In the long term the Act will reduce the number for incarcerations by addressing behaviours in the community proactively. The planned 36-bed healing facility in Rankin will primarily house residents from surrounding communities.
Inmates in remand who have access to their family and community support have greater success for healing and reintegration.
In addition, Rankin Inlet offers many existing resources for our corrections team in rehabilitating offenders including elders, addictions and spousal abuse counselling services. The community also has the policing and medical resources required to provide support to a correctional facility of this size. Community consultations with seven stakeholder groups were conducted in Rankin Inlet in February.
As you are well aware, the department is also continuing its efforts towards the construction of a small facility for female inmates in Iqaluit. We hope to develop that facility in 2008 with the carryover of the 2007-08 capital budget.
I look forward to the continuous support of my fellow MLAs as we move these projects forward.
Chairman: Does this committee agree to bring the witnesses in?
Mr. Arvaluk: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) Before we start, I would like to take a brief five or ten-minute break before we proceed with Justice.
Chairman: Okay, we will break for ten minutes.
>>Committee recessed at 16:48 and resumed at 17:01
Chairman: Thanks for coming back to the Committee of the Whole.
Does the Chair of the Standing Committee Ajauqtiit have comments?
Mr. Arvaluk: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) I will have to apologize.
I don’t know whether it would be correct for me to read the opening comments without the minister here.
Chairman: Yes, Mr. Arvaluk, that’s okay. Go ahead, sorry.
Since the minister is not here listening to the opening comments of the standing committee, I would like to move to report progress.
A reminder of a meeting tomorrow morning at ten o’clock of the Management and Services Board in the Tuktu Boardroom, and at eleven o’clock a meeting of the Regular Caucus in the Nanuq Boardroom.
Orders of the Day for November 1:
Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Clerk. (interpretation) Sergeant-at-Arms... (interpretation ends) I’m sorry.
I’m getting ahead of myself.
(interpretation) This House stands adjourned until tomorrow, November 1, at 1:30 p.m.
>>House adjourned at 17:07
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Pages 2187 – 2255
Opening Prayer 2187
Ministers’ Statements 2187
Members’ Statements 2191
Oral Questions 2196
Tabled Documents 2216
Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills 2217
Report of the Committee of the Whole 2254
Orders of the Day 2254
Thursday, November 1, 2007 2187
104 – 2(4): Recognition of the Contribution of Judith Varney Burch to Baker Lake & Nunavut (Simailak) 2187
105 – 2(4): Development of a Caribou Management Strategy (Netser) 2188
106 – 2(4): Home Energy Efficiency Rebate Program (Akesuk) 2189
107 – 2(4): Language Legislation (Tapardjuk) 2190
227 – 2(4): George Metuq’s 40th Birthday (Aglukkaq) 2191
228 – 2(4): Dangerous Activity in Clyde River (Arreak) 2191
229 – 2(4): Recognition of Inuit Special Constables (Peterson) 2192
230 – 2(4): Embrace Life Council Fundraising Supper (Picco) 2193
231 – 2(4): “Staking the Claim” Film – Recognition of Late Sam Raddi (Curley) 2193
232 – 2(4): Recognition of Panipakoochoo and Kyak (Arvaluk) 2194
233 – 2(4): Recognition of Seporah Kalluk Aronson of Resolute Bay (Barnabas) 2195
295 – 2(4): Appointments to the Liquor Licensing Board (Tootoo) 2196
296 – 2(4): Dust Control of Community Roads (Peterson) 2197
297 – 2(4): Hudson Bay Summit (Kattuk) 2200
298 – 2(4): Correspondence on the Need for a Mental Health Worker for Kugaaruk (Mapsalak) 2201
299 – 2(4): Medical Travel Policy (Arvaluk) 2203
300 – 2(4): Involve Inuit in Wildlife Management (Barnabas) 2206
301 – 2(4): Follow Guidelines in Regional Trials (Curley) 2208
302 – 2(4): Medical Travel Office Return to Iqaluit (Arreak) 2210
303 – 2(4): Satellite Cultural School Selection Process (Peterson) 2211
304 – 2(4): Guidelines on Homeowners Energy Rebate Program (Tootoo) 2214
136 – 2(4): Inuktitut Magazine Article -- “Inuktitut asks Sam Raddi about Inuvialuit in the Western Arctic” – March 1983 (Curley) 2216
137 – 2(4): Environment Assessment of the Eastmain 1-A & Rupert Diversion Project: Panel Report, November 30, 2006 (Kattuk) 2216
138 – 2(4): Dangerous Activities in Clyde River – Clyde River (Arreak) 2217
Bill 14 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No.2, 2007-2008 – Notice 2217
Bill 15 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, No.2, 2007-2008 – Notice 2217
Bill 17 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, No. 4, 2006-2007 – Notice 2217
Bill 16 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2008-2009 – Consideration in Committee – Justice 2218
Bill 16 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2008-2009 – Consideration in Committee – Economic Development and Transportation 2225
Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Honourable Olayuk Akesuk, Mr. James Arreak, Mr. James Arvaluk, Mr. Levi Barnabas, Honourable Levinia Brown, Mr. Tagak Curley, Mr. Peter Kattuk, Honourable Peter Kilabuk, Mr. Steve Mapsalak, Honourable Patterk Netser, Honourable Paul Okalik, Mr. Keith Peterson, Honourable Edward Picco, Honourable David Simailak, Honourable Louis Tapardjuk, Mr. Hunter Tootoo.
Speaker (Hon. Peter Kilabuk) (interpretation): Thank you.
At least the Halloween trick-or-treaters had fun yesterday.
Minister’s Statement 104 – 2(4): Recognition of the Contribution of Judith Varney Burch to Baker Lake & Nunavut (Simailak)
Hon. David Simailak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) Good afternoon.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Ms. Judith Varney Burch.  For 25 years now, Ms. Burch has dedicated her time and personal resources to promote Inuit art and culture throughout the world.
With her “Power of Thought” exhibition she has helped raise the international profile of the art of the late Jessie Oonark, and of other Nunavut artists and printmakers.
Recently, Ms. Burch accompanied a special collection of tapestries from Baker Lake on an international exhibition, on which she also served as a lecturer.
The exhibition materials have been translated into five languages. It has travelled to many major world centres, including Washington, DC, Mexico City, Tokyo, Moscow, and Beijing.
Judith Varney Burch’s relationship with Nunavut and with my home community, Baker Lake, goes far beyond the art itself.
She has always made sure that the artists are involved in the success of their works. She has repeatedly invited artists to come and exhibit in the United States where she makes her home during the winter months, and many artists have been invited along with their tapestries to the exhibitions to tell their stories in their own words.
When she isn’t travelling or wintering in the U.S., she opens her gallery and home outside of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia to those same artists.  Judith Varney Burch’s commitment and hard work has allowed many thousands of people around the world to share in the beauty and rich cultural meaning of Inuit art, and to meet and learn from Nunavut’s artists.
She has helped to establish the world-class reputation of Inuit art, and strengthened international understanding of Inuit culture, accepting every opportunity to link the art and the culture.
I ask that this House join me in recognizing her important contribution to the promotion of Nunavut and as a champion of Inuit art and culture. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister’s Statement 105 – 2(4): Development of a Caribou Management Strategy (Netser)
My department has recently started to develop a comprehensive Caribou Management Strategy for Nunavut.
Caribou are of critical importance to Nunavummiut, as a food source, a part of our economy, and an important part of our culture.
They are also an essential part of our ecosystems.
This strategy will address three critical goals.
It will work to conserve caribou populations for future generations, provide the minimum necessary interference with the many Nunavummiut that rely on caribou, while not unduly inference with the development of Nunavut’s economy.
Mr. Speaker, with increased mineral exploration and development activities we are witnessing the potential for increased impacts on our caribou. The strategy will provide the information needed to ensure that all parties involved in these activities have the information needed to make sound decisions that protect our caribou.
This will be a made-in-Nunavut strategy that will compliment caribou monitoring and management strategies already developed by our neighbouring jurisdictions and the federal government. However, it will also be respectful of our co-management process and be practical in terms of conservation and cost.
Mr. Speaker, we are engaging the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board and the NTI in the development of the Caribou Management Strategy since their advice will be crucial.
A first draft of the strategy is currently under development and will be reviewed at the upcoming caribou workshop which will be held in Iqaluit in mid-November. Input will also be sought from the relevant parties throughout the drafting process.
Mr. Speaker, the draft strategy will be taken forward for community consultation through a series of regional meetings that will involve all stakeholders.
My department will work closely with all relevant GN departments to ensure that implications of mineral developments on caribou are accommodated within the strategy.
I anticipate that a Caribou Management Strategy for Nunavut should be completed approximately a year from now.
Minister of the Nunavut Housing Corporation, Minister Akesuk.
Minister’s Statement 106 – 2(4): Home Energy Efficiency Rebate Program (Akesuk)
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Welcome back.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the exciting new measure taken by the Nunavut Housing Corporation to encourage energy efficiency on the part of homeowners in the territory.
The corporation introduced the Home Energy Efficiency Rebate Program, which was launched this fall.
Homeowners will benefit from the rebate itself and will benefit from savings achieved from increased energy efficiency and related lower heating costs in their homes.
Mr. Speaker, this rebate can be for as much as $1,000 in non-repayable assistance to approved homeowners and can be used by homeowners to pay for home energy audits, materials, and to cover labour and shipping costs into the territory when making their homes more energy efficient.
Those eligible costs include caulking and other sealants such as insulating spray foam, weather stripping around doors and windows and the installation of energy-efficient light bulbs and major appliances.
Mr. Speaker, the objectives of the Homeowner Energy Efficiency Rebate Program are to improve energy efficiency and comfort levels of Nunavut homes, and to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in Nunavut.
The rebate is one-time only and client expenditures must be made between September 1, 2007 and March 31, 2010.
Projects undertaken after September 1, 2007 may be eligible for the rebate, Mr. Speaker.
The importance of energy efficiency on the environment has been of great concern to many Nunavummiut. And the Home Energy Efficiency Rebate Program is indicative of the importance the Government of Nunavut and the Housing Corporation has placed on the environmental stewardship of our pristine arctic home.