EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
How would people from the Kitikmeot participate in this large heritage centre being constructed in Iqaluit?
Mr. Chairman: Thank you, Peterson.
I agree with Mr. Peterson as to how Kitikmeot residents can access their new heritage centre if it’s going to be located in Iqaluit.
That’s why if I know that you are aware we have our heritage centre down in Yellowknife and the Baffin region residents have never seen that heritage centre either.
We don’t want to do the same.
For that reason, we have been considering this issue; how we can consider the heritage centre along with the communities or the regions.
The heritage centre that’s being identified in Iqaluit is going to house all the artefacts that should be preserved; it’s going to have storage places. These artefacts deteriorate pretty fast, so they are going to have specialized cases.
This heritage centre is going to be multi-purpose like the other museums. One of the things we are going to consider is how we can provide services to the smaller communities who have their heritage centres or museum.
So we will be considering this later on, but at this time we have to make a decision on the Nunavut Heritage Centre.
We don’t have a Nunavut Heritage Centre and Mr. Chairman, we have received support from the people of Nunavut through NTI, through their resolutions, they wanted to see the heritage centre built and those have helped us to go ahead through the meetings in Cambridge Bay.
The other Inuit entities have met and considered the fact that Iqaluit will be the location of the heritage centre.
Could the minister tell me how many heritage centres we have based in Nunavut right now?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): I’m not exactly sure at this point, but I can say that there are three heritage centres that we fund: there’s one here, one in Cambridge Bay, and one in Baker Lake.
Those heritage centres are partially funded by the government.
I’m sure that those smaller centres located in Nunavut have now applied for grants or monies from the Nunavut Government.
I was going to ask again where the location was, but he answered my question before I asked it.
I noted on page F-11 that you have mentioned the heritage centre’s core funding. There’s $350,000 in the current fiscal year, but it’s decreasing to $300,000 in the next fiscal year. Is there a reason why it was decreased by $50,000?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): I will have my deputy minister respond to that question.
Chairman (interpretation): Go ahead, Mr. Akeagok.
Mr. Akeagok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
There’s a $50,000 cut because the requests for funding are smaller.
If you look in F-10, Culture and Communication Programs, there’s a $25,000 increase in there and in Nunavut Arts, there’s another $25,000 increase.
Those were funds that are the same amount as what has been cut from the heritage centre’s core funding and the reason why we did that is because there were more requests for funding in those two programs than in that registered heritage centre’s core funding.
The three requests from those I have mentioned have not changed.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Akeagok.
Mr. Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the minister and David for that answer.
If there are three branches to heritage centres, does that mean each one gets $100,000 for their core funding?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): We just follow through with the funding requests that they send me. We don’t just give it to them; they have to make a request for the funds in order to receive them.
Chairman (interpretation): Any more, Mr. Peterson?
That’s it? Thank you.
We are on page F-9. (interpretation ends) Culture, Language, Elders and Youth. Branch Summary.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $3,814,000. (interpretation) Do you agree?
Some Members (interpretation): Agreed.
Chairman: Thank you. (interpretation) Moving on to F-14, I’m sorry, F-12, F-13, and F-14 were all included in F-12. (interpretation ends) Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
Community Programs. Total Operations and Maintenance. $2,586,000. (interpretation) Do you agree?
(interpretation ends) We are going to F-16.
Is this for supporting the sports programs? Is this where they receive the funding? That’s my first question.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, the monies are provided for Sports Nunavut for recreational programs and it’s provided by the government.
Do we have a copy of the requests that were approved? Can we have a list of the programs that were approved?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): The list hasn’t been tabled in the House yet, but we will do so some time in the future.
We will be tabling the list of names that were approved in this session or at the end of our fiscal year.
Could the minister agree to provide that information per community?
Could he do so?
That was my last question, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you…and how much?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The list will be in full detail. It will tell you which communities, and how much, and we will be tabling that list during this sitting.
We’re on page F-15. (interpretation ends) Summary for Sports Nunavut.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $3,483,000. (interpretation) Do you agree?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Going back to F-4.
Total of Expenditures.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $16,219,000. (interpretation) Do you agree?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Are you agreed that the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth is concluded?
I would like to thank the minister and his officials for appearing before the Committee of the Whole. Do you have any closing comments Mr. Minister?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Yes, I would first of all, like to thank my colleagues for approving our estimates for the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
I will take all the comments and suggestions that were made to heart, during this time.
I think this is more important than we realize and we have to work harder to make sure that we provide the appropriate programs and services. And, I thank the House.
Chairman (interpretation): We will be moving onto Human Resources. If you have your opening comments, just stay where you’re at and make your opening comments.
We are back with the Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Louis Tapardjuk. I would like him to start with his opening comments.
Bill 12 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2006-07 – Review in Committee – Human Resources
I am pleased to present the proposed main estimates and business plans for the Department of Human Resources for 2006-07.
Mr. Chairman, the Department of Human Resources has been allocated a budget of $18 million, which represents an increase of 0.6 percent or $123,000 over last year’s budget.
This increase is the result of some salary adjustments.
We had a complement of 91 staff, which includes 14 management intern positions that are assigned across most government departments.
While keeping in mind the fiscal restraints the Government of Nunavut faces, the Department of Human Resources has re-profiled internal money to support program requirements that are consistent with the principle of Pinasuaqtavut, and support the guidelines of Article 23 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.
We will endeavour, Mr. Chairman, to increase the representation of Inuit in the Government of Nunavut, by providing departments with tools and technical support to achieve 56 percent Inuit employment by March 31, 2010.
In light of our commitment to excellence in human resources, management, and to constantly improve our quality of service to our client department; efforts will continue to provide training and development to employees within the public service.
The development of new training strategies such as internship programs, Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun language training and finding a new performance appraisal system within departments, are a few areas we will focus on.
The Inuit Employment Division was currently reorganized with the planned goal to establish a Human Resources Planned Framework for the Government of Nunavut.
This will include a comprehensive strategy for increasing Inuit employment in accordance with Article 23 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.
In addition we will continue to lead the implementation of the Inuit Employment Plan by working closely with all departments to develop more defined plans, targets and shared accountabilities.
About 30 percent or $5.4 million of the department’s budget for the fiscal year is allocated for Inuit representation in the workforce and to training and employment initiatives.
Just about 44 percent or $7.9 million of the departmental budget is allocated for the effective management of its recruitment and retention programs.
We will continue to look for new ways to look for centralized recruitment services and the casual hiring process.
The department is continuously enhancing the staffing process and guidelines to provide a responsive and transparent recruitment process to all government departments and to ensure the consistent application of the Priority Hiring Policy, which would provide employment priority for beneficiaries.
We will continue to get staffing practitioners within the Department of Health and Social Services, Education and Nunavut Arctic College by communicating and advising them about Nunavut Government approved staffing processes and guidelines.
The funding for the Summer Student Employment Program is maintained at $950,000 with the continued support and cooperation of all Government of Nunavut departments. We will continue to provide training and employment opportunities to the young people of Nunavut.
The remaining $4.7 million or 26 percent is allocated for employee wellness, employee relations, management of operations and job evaluation programs.
The department will continue to provide wellness programs by delivering year round courses and workshops designed to improve the well being of employees and to ensure safe working conditions.
In the next year, the department will start negotiations for the new Collective Agreement with the Nunavut Employees Union as its present agreement expires on September 30, 2006.
The review of the Public Services Act will be completed in the fall of 2007, which will reflect the objectives, policies and practices of the Nunavut Government.
Implementation of Phase II of the Human Resource Information and Payroll Service will begin in the winter of 2007.
We will also continue to add job descriptions to eliminate artificial and inflated barriers and we will increase efforts to include Inuit cultural and language components in government positions.
Mr. Chairman, the programs and services of the department are fully supportive of the goals and priorities that are outlined in Pinasuaqtavut and are culturally sensitive to Inuit societal values through the principles of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
To enable us to carry out our tasks in meeting and developing the government’s public service, and providing human resource management support to GN departments and agencies, we will need the resources identified in the draft main estimates.
Mr. Chairman, those are my comments and I will be pleased to answer any questions.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Tapardjuk. (interpretation ends) Does the co-Chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations have any comments?
Proceed, Mr. Peterson.
I am pleased to provide you with my opening remarks on the 2006-07 Main Estimates and Business Plan of the Department of Human Resources.
The committee notes that the proposed 2006-07 budget for the department has $18,019,000.
This represents a 66 percent increase of the department’s initial 1999-2000 budget allocation of $10,836,000; 0.5 percent increase over the 2005-06 revised main estimates for the department.
The committee has noted that the Government of Nunavut’s overall vacancy rate remains static at approximately 20 percent. In other words, almost one out of every five full-time positions in the Government of Nunavut stands vacant. Approximately 36 percent of the vacant positions are located in Iqaluit with approximately 284 vacancies.
A number of other communities also have significant numbers of vacancies.
In January of 2000, the Government of Nunavut-wide vacancy rate was approximately 25 percent. It remains unclear to the committee that the work of reducing the government’s overall vacancy rate to 10 percent is a realistic goal in the short or even medium-term.
The committee has noted that almost all Government of Nunavut departments have added PYs to their organizational structures in their 2006-07 business plans, despite the number of existing positions which remain vacant. The committee is aware that the department has Government of Nunavut-wide responsibilities in relation to job evaluation and classification.
The committee is concerned by what appears to be an inordinately high rate of growth in its Government of Nunavut positions classified as being in the management category as opposed to a number of non-management, frontline positions.
For example, according to the department’s own quarterly Inuit employment plan reports, in January of 2000, there were 233 classified as middle management. That number has since grown to approximately 433 positions, an increase of over 85 percent.
By contrast, the number of administrative support positions has actually decreased by almost 15 percent.
In the past, concerns have been raised with respect to the excessive use of casuals to fill positions on a long-term basis. The committee is supportive of efforts to ensure that casual hiring concentrates on bringing Inuit into the Government of Nunavut’s workforce.
Members note that the overall Inuit employment rate in the Government of Nunavut remains static at approximately 45 percent. Members note with particular concern that the Inuit employment rate for headquarters positions in Iqaluit is just over 30 percent. In other words, only three out of every ten filled Government of Nunavut jobs in Iqaluit is staffed by a beneficiary.
Members noted that the department’s business plan indicates that work continues to be undertaken to review the Public Service Act and bring forward a new statute. The committee does not want to see this undertaking be a consultant-driven process, and would wish to see the Nunavut Employees Union and the Federation of Nunavut Teachers have a meaningful involvement in the process.
The committee has also noted the minister’s commitment to fully consider the issue of whistleblower protection as part of the review of the Act. The idea of re-introducing binding arbitration into the Government of Nunavut’s collective bargaining regime is one worth considering during this review, as is the idea of establishing an independent public service commission.
The committee noted that the department’s business plan indicates that reviews of the Government of Nunavut’s Conflict of Interest Policy, Anti-Harassment Policy, Language Incentive Policy and Code of Conduct continue to be at various stages of development.
The committee looks forward to these revised policies being provided to the committee for comment prior to their being finalized and tabled in the House. The committee has noted that the most recent annual reports of the Integrity Commissioner of Nunavut have recommended that senior Government of Nunavut officials be subjected to the same legislated standards of ethical conduct as ministers and MLAs.
In the case of the Language Incentive Policy, which would apply to bilingual bonuses for employees, the committee notes that this policy has been under review for a number of years now without apparent resolution. The committee would wish to see such a policy encourage the use of Inuit languages in the workplace, especially with respect to front-line positions that directly serve the public.
The minister tabled a revised Priority Hiring Policy in the House on November 28, 2005. The policy provides that Nunavut Land Claims Agreement beneficiaries who meet the qualifications of a given job have priority over other candidates.
In September 2005, Cabinet approved a new process for use by the Staffing Division of the Department of Human Resources.
The process provides for the consideration of current Government of Nunavut employees as well as Nunavut residents, with a minimum of one calendar year of residency, before applicants from other jurisdictions.
There is no change to the Priority Hiring Policy, which provides first and foremost consideration to qualified Nunavut Land Claims Beneficiaries.
The issue of workforce morale is important. Although the committee has noted with approval that the Government of Nunavut’s turnover rate decreased from 31 percent in 2000 to 18 percent in 2004-05, the issue of workplace absenteeism in the Government of Nunavut is clearly a problem.
The committee has noted that the department is working on an attendance management program to address this issue. The recent response to a written question posed in the House by a committee member revealed that the absenteeism rate across the Government of Nunavut doubled between 2002-03 and 2003-04, and increased again in the first six months of 2004-05.
The number of active grievances increased from 96 in March of 2003, to 116 in March of 2004 and 117 in March of 2005.
Members would caution the minister with respect to the risk of public confidence in the fairness of the government’s employment practices being undermined by perceptions of favouritism, especially with respect to the hiring of employees’ spouses or partners.
The committee would also wish to see the GN’s practices in such areas as overtime and educational leave applied consistently, fairly and responsibly.
Members continue to note with concern the significant gap between the number of beneficiary males and the number of beneficiary females employed by the GN; according to the 2004-05 Public Service Annual Report, although almost 800 female beneficiaries were employed as of March 2005, the number of male beneficiaries was approximately only 300.
It is disturbing that relatively few male beneficiaries are having success entering and staying in the public service.
Mr. Chairman, the committee has noted with approval the departmental business plan’s focus on the Inuit Employment Plan. Members wait with interest for the formal tabling of the “Seeking Balance” IEP Strategy document. Members are aware that the GN has set a target date of March 31, 2010, for 56 percent or more of all positions across all occupational categories to be filled by Inuit.
This is an ambitious goal, given that several hundred new Inuit employees will need to be hired in order to achieve it.
Mr. Chairman, the committee supports such valuable initiatives as the Summer Student Employment Program. However, concerns have been raised in the past with respect to the issue of fairness in respect to the treatment of some categories of students under this program.
The committee is pleased that the 2005 program was to have addressed these inequities, while retaining as its core focus the need to provide meaningful training and work experience opportunities for Inuit students.
The committee would wish to see the department explore ways of making the program more accessible to young people living in Nunavut’s smaller communities.
During the minister’s appearance before the committee, the issue of GN job advertising was raised. The committee looks forward to the department exploring ways of using community radio to advertise vacant positions, in addition to traditional advertisements in the print media.
The GN’s Collective Agreement with the Nunavut Employees Union expires on September 30, 2006.
The committee will be monitoring with attention the progress towards a new collective agreement that is fair to employees and affordable to the government.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my opening comments. Individual members may have their own concerns and comments as we proceed.
According to Rule 6(1), I now recognize the clock and I will report progress. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Minister.
Speaker (interpretation): Orders of the Day. Item 21.
Mr. Netser: Your committee has been considering Bill 12 and the main estimates and would like to report progress. Also Mr. Speaker, I move that the Report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.
Speaker (interpretation): Is there a seconder to the motion?
Orders of the Day for February 24:
Speaker (interpretation): This House stands adjourned until Friday, February 24 at 10:00 in the morning.
>>House adjourned at 18:21
Friday, February 24, 2006
Pages 952 – 999
Opening Prayer 952
Speaker’s Ruling 952
Members’ Statements 953
Returns to Oral Questions 957
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 957
Oral Questions 959
Revert to Item 5: Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 978
Replies to Opening Address 978
Tabled Documents 984
Report of the Committee of the Whole 998
Orders of the Day 998
Friday, February 24, 2006 952
130 – 2(3): Arctic Winter Games Team Nunavut (Aglukkaq) 953
131 – 2(3): Midget Hockey Tournament – Kitikmeot (Peterson) 953
132 – 2(3): Bad Weather (Kilabuk) 954
133 – 2(3): Number of Male Employees (Curley) 955
134 – 2(3): Nunavut Arctic College Hair Stylists (Picco) 955
135 – 2(3): President of the Nunavut Employees Union (Tootoo) 956
136 – 2(3): Team Canada Hockey Game (Okalik) 956
Return to Oral Question 124 – 2(3): Providing a Tracking System for Missing Hunters (Brown) 957
149 – 2(3): Aging Community Freezers (Barnabas) 959
150 – 2(3): Territorial Financing Agreement (Peterson) 960
151 – 2(3): Hiring Process (Tootoo) 962
152 – 2(3): Daycare Space for School Renovations (Netser) 965
153 – 2(3): Medical Travel Office (Arreak) 966
154 –2(3): Medical Travel Airline, Co-pilot (Kattuk) 968
155 – 2(3): Decentralization for the Communities (Kilabuk) 969
156 – 2(3): Accreditation Report (Curley) 971
157 – 2(3): Plans for a Training Centre with the Department of National Defence (Barnabas) 973
158 – 2(3): Plans for Port Training Programs (Tootoo) 975
Reply to Opening Address 001 – 2(3): Mr. Patterk Netser 978
073 – 2(3): Towards a Representative Government – Statistics as of September 30, 2005 (Tapardjuk) 984
074 – 2(3): CCHSA Accredited Health Services Organizations (Curley) 985
Bill 12 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2006-07 – Review in Committee – Human Resources 985
Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Honourable Olayuk Akesuk, Mr. David Alagalak, Mr. James Arreak, Mr. Levi Barnabas, Honourable Levinia Brown, Mr. Tagak Curley, Mr. Joe Allan Evyagotailak, Peter Kattuk, Mr. Peter Kilabuk, Mr. Steve Mapsalak, Mr. Patterk Netser, Honourable Jobie Nutarak, Honourable Paul Okalik, Mr. Keith Peterson, Honourable Edward Picco, Honourable David Simailak, Honourable Louis Tapardjuk, Mr. Hunter Tootoo.
Speaker (interpretation): Good morning, Premier, Regular Members, Ministers, and Clerks.
Before we go to Item 2, I have a ruling.
During yesterday’s sitting, the Member for Nattilik raised a Point of Order.
I didn’t rule on the Point of Order at that time and it was requested that I review the Hansard prior to delivering my ruling.
Prior to coming to my decision I reviewed the Hansard from yesterday and the day before.
The basis of the Point of Order was that the Member for Iqaluit Centre had stated that nothing would happen in relation to the certification of the Baffin Regional Hospital for a period of 18 months.
This was contrary to statements by the government that improvements would be ongoing for the next 18 months at which time the certification process would be undertaken.
I have reviewed the Hansard and the Member for Iqaluit Centre stated:
...in that press release in the Minister of Health’s comments yesterday that nothing is going to happen there until they get re-evaluated in 18 months.
The concern of the Member for Nattilik is legitimate.
Upon reading the statement made by the Member for Iqaluit Centre, a person would conclude that no action was to be taken at the hospital over the next 18 months.
In any event, the Member for Iqaluit Centre provided an explanation and apology, which clarified any misunderstanding.
I find that there is no Point of Order.