EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I want to make a special note of Brian and welcome him to the gallery.
He is also on the board of governors, as I said earlier.
Last, but not least, Sandy Lenz, and old friend of mine from way back, and Mr. Lloyd Kendall.
Both of these gentlemen lived in Hall Beach with me and worked in construction, I believe Lloyd was a teacher at the school and moved with his family to Iqaluit, where he has been a resident for many years.
He is also a constituent of mine, so I would like to take this opportunity to welcome those gentlemen to the gallery.
I, too, starting from the end, would like to recognize and welcome my cousin.
I’m glad to see you here in the House, Johnny. My nephew, James, is here, too, and I am glad that you completed your training. I congratulate you.
Also, a person I have known for a long time, Mr. Nattaq’s son, Jimmy Nattaq, from when I worked on constructing some of the government units.
I am sure that you have seen some of those government furniture desks.
Rather than purchasing furniture from the store, you can ask Jimmy to build you some furniture.
He is very good at building furniture.
Lastly, I would like to advice the graduates.
I am glad that you were able to complete your carpentry course.
In the Nunavut labour market, there was a high shortage of certified individuals.You will be the workforce.
Please don’t apologize, but continue to work, and try to grab jobs because we need workers and contractors.
Please try and fill up the 85 percent requirement.
I rise today to recognize Alexander Alomi, from Rankin Inlet.
He is related to me through my mother.
I am also very proud of the graduates.
They got up every morning to complete their training, and I congratulate them.
Question 172 – 2(1): Question on Fuel Stabilization Subsidy
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister responsible for the Power Corporation.
Earlier today in the ministers’ statements, the Minister of Finance clarified this.
The subsidy for the Power Corporation is going to be in the form of a contribution agreement to subsidize some of the losses incurred by the Power Corporation over the last year or so.
My question for the minister is, how is this going to be implemented? Is there anything that is going to show up on the individual consumer’s power bills, showing the subsidy on the form?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister for Power Corporation, Mr. Simailak.
No, I’m told it is not going to show up on the power bills at all.
Question 173 – 2(1): Access Road in Rankin Inlet
I would like to direct my question to the same minister in regard to building access roads.
Last week, during the Chamber of Commerce meeting, a resolution was made that the access roads that are close to the river or streams are very unsafe, especially when the hunters try to cross the rivers.
The hunters will try to cross the rivers when they are already flowing and when it is already too dangerous to cross.
I do want to thank the government for setting up the bridge in Baker Lake.
But in Rankin Inlet, that is not the case.
The river is very close, and they try to cross the Meliadine River.
I think there was a resolution made on whether the government can focus on that before anybody loses his life.
Perhaps the minister can look into this and make sure it is put into the long- term review.
I got a copy of the KCC motion or resolution, and yes, we are starting to consider this with our officials, as to how they can get some funding from the federal government.
Perhaps applying for federal funding is under consideration.
I do want to thank the minister for reading the resolution.
One of the reasons, Mr. Speaker, that the roads, or the access roads, not just bridges, become very dangerous, especially in the fall, is that the ice starts to form, although they do help to keep the cost down on your groceries by shortening travel distance.
Many people on Hondas will try to cross the river.
Perhaps you can get your cabinet colleagues to consider the fact that it is very important to go harvesting to subsidize the groceries that the communities have and also work with your colleagues.
Yes, my officials will set up the options, and I’m sure that we can give it to the cabinet level. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 174 – 2(1): Update on the Grise Fiord Access Road
Mr. Barnabas (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to direct my question to the minister of transportation.
It has been approximately two years, in Grise Fiord, in a place called Nuvuk, that they had been trying to build an access road, but it was never completed because their funds depleted at that time.
I would like an update on what is going to be happening to that access road that was never completed.
We regard this as very important.
We regard the building of access roads as a high priority, and we will be providing funds that will be accessed by the communities.
It has been placed as a high priority, and there will be money made available to build access roads.
Question 175 – 2(1): Statistics on Homicides
Mr. Speaker, in the business plan we reviewed earlier this week, it noted that in Nunavut in 2002, there were 2,037 violent crimes reported, including homicides, sexual assaults, assaults, and robberies.
We’ve heard over the news over the last year that there have been a number of homicides that remain unsolved.
In Cambridge Bay, we have a homicide that remains unsolved as of today.
We were pleased last week to hear the minister’s comments announcing the Victims’ Assistance Committee and various programs that his department is working on.
Mr. Speaker, can the minister clarify whether his department, in cooperation with the RCMP, is keeping statistics on how many victims of these violent crimes are women, how many victims are children, and how many victims are men?
If you could clarify that for us, please.
Minister of Justice.
Currently, we just maintain general statistics of crimes, and I am not aware of the breakdown at this time.
Concerning that, if homicides go unsolved, there are potential murderers walking among folks in the different communities.
I know the police are doing their best.
In Cambridge Bay, it is quite complicated, but people are nervous.
They probably have a couple of suspects, but it takes time to catch these folks, and sometimes it might take years.
We would like to know what the police are doing in that regard.
Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the minister could update the House on what other initiatives his department is working on, perhaps with the Department of Health and Social Services, to address the specific needs of victims of violent crimes.
I am a bit confused. It might have been a different section of the question I was focusing on.
I apologize to the member.
In terms of ongoing investigations, I cannot disclose where they are, but they take these issues very seriously, and they try to do the best that they can, but they do not want to risk having mistrials over procedures on suspects.
So, they take their roles very seriously and do the necessary work to see if there are charges warranted and in terms of murder investigations.
So, there has been some success, but some of these files are ongoing, and they have to make sure that there was foul play. Those things take time in some instances.
At Christmas 2002, we had a young girl in Cambridge Bay who was sexually assaulted. They finally arrested someone, but it took six months. There was a holdup in DNA testing.
They had to do a DNA test, and it took six months.
I think the current hold-up with the investigation in Cambridge Bay is due to DNA testing.
It takes us two to three months now, and while they are waiting for DNA tests, they have some suspects in mind. They are walking among us, and there are no arrests made. That concerns a lot of people where these violent crimes occur.
Can the minister tell us if he could ask the officials in charge if there is a way to speed up the DNA testing when those samples are sent to southern Canada?
As to the process, I can say that we can request that these get expedited. I cannot refer to any particular situation, but I appreciate the member’s recommendation.
We will review this matter with the RCMP.
In some instances, some time needs to be spent in making sure all the evidence is replaced, for charges to be made, otherwise the issue could be thrown out of court.
The issue is that the offender can walk away.
Those are the potential pitfalls of the Charter and the legal requirements under which the RCMP has to operate.
I appreciate the member’s concern and will relay that to the RCMP.
I appreciate the minister’s reply to that.
Anything we can do to speed up catching the offenders of these violent crimes is good.
If you don’t catch them, then they’ll move onto another community or just move right out of Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, recently the Qullit Status of Women’s Council published this report What Inuit Women Need in Order to Deal with Abuse and Violence.
It points to a lack of services, such as trained counsellors, an inadequate system for abused women and children to turn to.
I’m wondering if the minister can inform the House if the government will be making any formal response to this report and taking any action in response to some of these recommendations.
Yes, we have been taking steps.
We do have a working group of interdepartmental officials within our government trying to find ways to respond to the recommendations.
Question 176 – 2(1): Summer Student Program – Beneficiaries or Non Beneficiaries
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Human Resources, and it’s on something I know I raised and was aware of in these last couple of weeks. It has to do with the summer student program.
Mr. Speaker, my question is, if the sponsoring department wishes to hire, is looking for, someone with specific skills, and there is someone in the pool of students who meets those requirements, would it matter if he or she is a beneficiary or non-beneficiary in order to fill the offered position in that area?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Tapardjuk.
In the agreement made in March by the cabinet, we identified two objectives which were to put a priority on the beneficiaries who would like to have a summer job with the department.
Again, in the second category, they would be people from Nunavut who are not beneficiaries.
At this time, there are approximately five times more applicants this year, and again in Iqaluit there were 27 identified, 17 beneficiaries and 10 non- beneficiaries, all from Nunavut.
And again, Mr. Speaker, to supplement further, starting from now, all the applicants were given a two-week waiting period that applies especially to Nunavummiut.
To date, there are 53 positions filled, and in total there were 64 positions.
We will be reviewing it again, but to date we are following the same categories and objectives, and we’re going to follow through with the March decision that was made.
At this time we are more open to non-beneficiary applicants, as there are some unfilled positions.
The minister indicated that there is a two-week waiting period for students, and as I mentioned before, some students have been waiting for over a month to get a job.
Just going back to my earlier question.
For example, the department of health, if they had a couple of positions available, identified for summer student employment program, that needed required specific skills, there was a pool of applicants received, and there was a non-beneficiary Nunavut resident that had those skills, would that person be offered a position, or would the department be told not to hire that individual and hire a beneficiary instead?
The departments in the government exercise discretion on that.
Human Resources is just giving direction to the department on what was agreed in March.
The departments have a discretion; $680,000 has been identified to be used for the summer student program, but each department has the discretion of hiring who they consider to be the most qualified.
Each department has that discretion. It will be up to the Department of Human Resources to report on what type of progress or action happens at that point.
I understand and confirm what the minister is saying, that if the department wishes to hire an individual, whether they be a beneficiary or not, under the program, the Department of Human Resources would not say that they could or could not hire that individual they’ve identified.
The Department of Human Resources has given direction to the departments to follow a criteria in hiring summer student programs.
These were directives that were given to the departments, because, of course, the directive was set, so the beneficiaries would be given a first priority.
But of course, the departments have the discretion of hiring whom they would like to hire.
It is at their discretion, but from the Human Resources point of view, we have to provide the report after the program is over, and we have to be accountable to the government and for the funds that were used.
It is good to hear that the departments have that discretion, and it is a message that should be sent out to the departments, so they are fully aware it.
There seems to be some confusion out there.
Mr. Speaker, I guess I just want to confirm that in the event of the department identifying a position that requires a certain skill set, certain background, certain training, and it has been identified from the pool of applicants, the students looking for some employment to take part in the program, that the only qualified applicant is a non-beneficiary, is there any reason why that individual would not be offered that position?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): I apologize.
I would like the member to rephrase his question because I didn’t quite understand it.
Mr. Tootoo. Please rephrase.
I think he said there were 64 positions, or say there are 100 applicants, just for an example, just throwing a number out there.
And out of those 100 applicants one of the positions that a sponsoring department wants to fill over the summer student requires a certain set of training or experience or qualifications to perform those duties.
If the only person, the only student who has applied under the program, is a non-beneficiary with those skills, is there any reason why that person would not be offered that position?
Hopefully, that clarifies it.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): The government departments, it is up to them to hire who they would like to hire to fill that position.
But as I keep saying, there is a Nunavut Claims Agreement, Article 23, that was agreed to by the parties, and we have to follow it through.
We have given every opportunity to beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries, and the departments will have to decide who they would like to hire through that summer student program.
We can’t tell them that they cannot hire non-beneficiaries, but we can say that we have a set of references that they can apply.
It is up to each department.
Each department has the discretion. There is Article 23 that they will have to keep in mind, also.
Question 177 – 2(1): Vacant Wildlife Officers
My question is directed to Minister Akesuk.
Mr. Speaker, the renewable resources officer position in Arctic Bay has been vacant for over a month, and the position is not yet filled.
When the hunters and trappers are out on the land again, and when the whaling season is going to be coming pretty soon, I’d like to ask the minister what they are doing about filling the position.
I would like to say “Happy Birthday” to Peter.
In regard to the question of the member, in the first Nunavut government, I was the Minister of Sustainable Development, and we wanted to have those wildlife officers positions filled at that time. We’re doing the same thing today.
We will look at it very carefully to make sure that position is filled in Arctic Bay.
What we do now is bring in wildlife officers to those areas in the communities that do not have wildlife officers, and the positions are advertised by Human Resources.
I have not seen any ads in the newspaper for that position.
When will that be opened as a competition?
I will look into that and see what is happening, whether it has been put out for competition through the media, and I will let the member know.
Question 178 – 2(1): Update on Diamond Strategy Conference
Last week there was a National Diamond Strategy round table held in Yellowknife, May 26 and 27. All provinces and territories were invited.
The stakeholders were to convey their vision concerning regulation, security, taxation, finance, human resources development, training technology, domestic marketing, and development of diamond export markets.
I am wondering, Mr. Speaker, did we have a representative there and if we did, what input did we provide to the discussions?
No, I am not aware at the moment if we had any representation at this conference.
Thank you for that candid answer.
There is a national diamond strategy being developed, and the national mine ministers’ conference is being held here in Iqaluit from July 18 to 20 to make recommendations on this national strategy.
I am wondering if we will have some input on this strategy. Diamonds are going to be a very big part of our economic future with Tahera Corporation coming in a couple of years.
I am sure people would be very interested.
I noticed that we are going to be providing some input into this national strategy.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister responsible for economic development.
Yes, I myself will be attending that conference with energy and mines ministers, and I am sure we are providing input, ongoing input, into developing that strategy, but I can confirm that with my staff and inform the member.
The other day, the minister indicated that we will have a Nunavut mining strategy by the end of this year, December 2004.
I am wondering if perhaps we will have a Nunavut diamond strategy or some section included in that Nunavut mining strategy.
Could the minister confirm that will occur?
Hon. David Simailak: Yes, the diamond section should be in that strategy. I am sure it will be.
Question 179 – 2(1): Inuit Employment
The members are aware that the cabinet has a policy whereby Inuit employment has to be 85 percent in a certain year.
There are only about 40 to 45 percent employed at present in the Government of Nunavut.
I would like to tell the minister that some of the departments are not very receptive to Inuit people who are trying to gain employment.
Some Inuit like to take on a position in a certain field, but they are not comfortable with the people working in a certain department.
I have seen this in Rankin Inlet.
The only reason why they’re not trying to get a job in the government is that they are not very receptive in every department.
Perhaps the minister can eliminate that feeling in each department.
We are looking at this at this time, including how Inuit can be employed in the Nunavut government.
We will be looking at this issue of a department not being very receptive to Inuit people.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Yes, we have been aware that if there is one position open, when the spouse of the individual comes into town, they hire the the spouse for casual positions.
Sometimes, there have been many direct appointments, although it should be done through competition and hiring priorities because there are a lot of people, lots of Inuit, who don’t get jobs because of some departments hiring casuals.
There are a lot of Inuit people who could… . I’m sorry, Mr. Chairman. I would like to ask the minister or direct the minister to ask the people working at Human Resources to tell applicants that they are either not qualified, or after the interview, to make them aware that they are either qualified or not qualified.
Can the minister do that?
What we are doing now is looking at the concern of the member.
There is a division that just got created, the Inuit Employment Division, and I feel the question of the member is very relevant to the position we have just opened. We want to find out how Inuit could be welcomed to the Nunavut government departments to gain employment, and I will pass on that concern to the Inuit Employment Division of Human Resources.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): That is it for now.
I will be asking more questions later on.
Speaker (interpretation): I’m sorry, I thought you had your hand up, Mr. Curley.
Question 180 – 2(1): Employment Training
Part of it was touched upon earlier on during questioning.
I know that there are a lot of advertisements for employment within the Government of Nunavut.
When the competition opens, people apply for that position, but if a certain person is hired, then the spouse is usually given a casual position.
This is not the right way to do it.
I would like to address the Minister of Human Resources, especially on behalf of the decentralized communities.
There are a lot of Nunavut beneficiaries who could be hired.
There are a lot of people who come into the communities to take training, and the government does not even consider them.
I’m asking the minister if there are any reports out there on who provides the training to gain employment within the government.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): I’m not exactly sure whether there has been any collection of people who took some training to be in employment with the Government of Nunavut.
We are notified of open government positions, how many jobs have been taken, and how many are open.
What we have done for the cancelled positions is find out whether the applicant can go on casual employment or not.
Then, whoever wants to work casual is eligible for hiring.
What we’re doing now is finding out all that information, so that Inuit people, under Article 23, have the first priority to be hired.
That’s what we are looking at right now.
Question 181 – 2(1): Update on Employment Cuts
There was a lot of debate yesterday on the financial woes, as you may want to put it, of the corporation since it’s inception.
I’m just wondering if, as a result of the financial situation that the corporation is in, there have been any changes in hiring practices? Are they taking any measures, like cutting positions, cutting casuals, changing summer hiring practices to make up for some of those losses incurred by the corporation to try and save some money?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister responsible for Power Corporation, Mr. Simailak.
I’m not aware of any casual positions having been cut.
I’m sure that there are a lot of people looking for casual work, not only here in Iqaluit but in the communities, over the summer, especially students.
I’d just like to ask the minister if there are any guidelines or hiring practices that the corporation follows in filling those positions?
Yes, the corporation follows the Government of Nunavut hiring guidelines as established by the Department of Human Resources. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to ask the minister if, in fact, an individual is hired as a casual for a certain time period, and everything is signed off and done, would there be any specific reasons why, on short notice, something like that would be terminated?
Hon. David Simailak: I don’t think anything like that has happened recently.
Speaker (interpretation): Your final supplementary. Mr. Tootoo.
One would assume that when someone is assigned employment for a term position over a certain length of time, some cause would be required in order for the corporation to end that employment.
I am just wondering if, in fact, it would only be the case that someone employed on a casual basis by the corporation would be terminated from that position for a good cause and not for no reason at all.
Perhaps I could ask the member that, if he is referring to a specific case, he might write me a letter on it.
Question 182 – 2(1): Co-op Eligible to Apply for Funding
I say happy birthday to all the individuals from Sanikiluaq who have the same birthday as I. The question that I wanted to pose yesterday, although we agreed to it for Economic Development and Transportation, is in regard to the main estimates, which were approved yesterday for the Nunavut Development Corporation, $3,888,000.
In the smaller communities, co-ops are owned by local Inuit community residents.
I am asking about the co-op stores.