EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
In his Minister’s Statement, he indicated that, “A review was completed on maintenance management programs and operations in most communities.”
Can the minister update the House as to how many of these communities have been completed?
If memory serves me correct, my memory is always questionable, there were either seven communities left or seven communities done.
I’m pretty sure there were seven communities left to be completed, but I will double confirm that and if my memory is incorrect, I will let the member know.
I thank the minister for his honest answer.
Can the minister update the House on when he anticipates the rest of the communities being completed?
As I indicated in my statement, this is not something that’s going to happen overnight.
The staff at the corporation are quite busy right now, as I’m sure that the member is aware, just dealing with the construction season coming up as well as the delivery of the capital for the units coming in this year.
However, that work is ongoing and they are continuing to go into the communities and have these assessments done.
The corporation is hoping that by next winter, most or all of the communities will be completed.
My administrators were also, as a result of the Auditor General’s report and observations, trying to come up with a way to be able to go in and maybe look at forming some type of an assessment team to be able to go in and do assessments into each of the LHOs in the communities and that will be the one purpose of a team of individuals.
That’s something that we’re still in the preliminary stages of looking at, but that will help ensure that assessments are performed on a more regular basis.
Question 020 – 3(2): Tax on Plastic Bags (Okalik)
I sense that the Minister of Finance may be sleepy, so this question is directed to him.
Yesterday, during his Budget Address, the minister stated what will be taxed and where the money is allocated to.
Sometimes taxes are imposed on certain items to act as a deterrent.
We have done this with alcohol and tobacco by taxing them.
Today, it’s becoming evident that there are too many plastic bags spread all over the place in our beautiful land.
I would like to see a reduction in the use of plastic bags. I would like to ask the minister if he has considered looking at taxing plastic shopping bags in Nunavut. Has this been taken into consideration?
I thank the member for that question and I thank him for keeping me alert.
Mr. Speaker, at this time, there are no plans to tax plastic bags.
Plastic bags take a long time to disintegrate as they’re not biodegradable, and they just keep accumulating and polluting our beautiful land.
I want to ask the minister if they would consider dealing with this issue in the future or if his department would collaborate with the Department of Environment on a strategy to reduce plastic bags throughout Nunavut.
We have to reduce our plastic bags in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, as I recall in the Second Assembly, I believe it was you yourself who raised the issue of plastic bags being an issue for the environment.
I think we recognized, as Members of the Legislative Assembly, that plastic bags are an issue across Nunavut. Not just plastic bags, there are disposable diapers, plastic containers; there’s all sorts of those types of products.
Anywhere you walk around communities, some of the mayors across the way and on this side, former mayors know those are issues that we raised at municipal meetings.
It’s something that we should all take seriously and the government must take seriously.
It’s something I’m sure that my colleagues will discuss on this side of the House and I’m sure it’s an opportunity for the members across the way to discuss as well is standing committees and ask all of the departments who are affected by this to consider.
I’m willing to bring it up with the department or my cabinet members to discuss and if the member wants to share his concerns with me, my office is always open for discussion.
I totally agree with the minister.
I raised that issue with the Minister of Environment during standing committee meetings.
We must find ways of reducing the use of plastic bags and look for a better alternative because we need to preserve and protect our environment.
That is the main reason why I’m asking him to start planning for the future.
Again, I thank the member for that question and comment.
In the Second Assembly, I think the Department of Environment sent reusable bags to all Nunavut households and it’s something that we should probably encourage.
I use some of those recyclable bags to carry my binders back and forth between my departments, they’re very sturdy and they’re useful.
I know in shopping stores down south, just before you check out, the stores will actually offer to sell you bags for a dollar to use to carry your groceries. I’m sure that’s something again that we can discuss as a cabinet, how to encourage Nunavummiut to reduce the use of plastic bags and encourage the stores to sell recyclable bags.
Speaker: Thank you. (interpretation) Is that all?
Please note that question period is now over. (interpretation ends) Item 7.
Tabled Document 014 – 3(2): Contract Activity Report 2007-08 (Kusugak)
Hon. Lorne Kusugak (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to table the Contract Activity Report for 2007-08.
Tabled Document 015 – 3(2): Ingirrasiliqta: Nunavut Transportation Strategy (Taptuna)
I am pleased to table Ingirrasiliqta; Let’s Get Moving, the Nunavut Transportation Strategy. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Tabled Document 016 – 3(2): High Arctic Council Sovereignty Campaign: Poster and Bookmarks (Elliott)
Further to my Member’s Statement of today, I wish to table the High Arctic Council’s sovereignty campaign poster and bookmarks.
Hon. Hunter Tootoo.
Tabled Document 017 – 3(2): Nunavut Housing Trust Review of Delivery Strategy Implementation Stage One, May 2008 (Tootoo)
As a former Member of this House would say, I am very pleased to table the Nunavut Housing Trust Review of Delivery Strategy Implementation Stage One, May 2008.
Bill 1, Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2009-2010, with Mr. Okalik in the Chair.
I ask members to remain at their seats so that we can proceed directly into Committee of the Whole.
Chairman (Mr. Okalik)(interpretation): Good morning.
We can now begin our committee meeting and looking at our agenda, we have the following item to deal with: Bill 1.
I would like to ask what the wish of the committee is.
Mr. Ningeongan (interpretation): Mr. Chairman, we wish to commence with our review of Bill 1, starting with the Department of Economic Development and Transportation, followed by the Department of Health and Social Services.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Ningeongan.
Does the committee agree to proceed with that?
Bill 01 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2009-2010 – Economic Development and Transportation – Consideration in Committee
Chairman (interpretation): My colleagues would like to proceed in that order.
I would now like to ask Minister Taptuna of the Department of Economic Development and Transportation to make his opening remarks.
Hon. Peter Taptuna (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman (interpretation ends) Committee members, I will proceed with my opening comments.
I am very pleased to be here to present the budget for the Department of Economic Development and Transportation for 2009-2010, and to outline for you the proposed budgetary changes and some of the proposed spending priorities for the current year.
Following my opening comments, I will be pleased to answer your questions and those of the other members of this committee about our proposed budget and program activities for 2009-2010.
With me today are members of senior management from my department: Jane Cooper, Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for the Economic Development Branch; Methusalah Kunuk, Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for the Transportation Branch; and Sherri Rowe, Director of the Finance and Administration Division.
They will assist me in responding to your questions.
The budget we are reviewing today is for expenditures for salaries, grants and contributions, and operations by the Department of Economic Development and Transportation.
The total budget I am proposing for the 2009-2010 fiscal year is $55,055,000.
In 2008-09, the department’s budget was $57,736,000.
Our new budget, therefore, represents a decrease of $2,681,000 from last year.
The principal cause of the overall reduction in our total budget has been the completion of two programs funded by the federal government, the Northern Strategy Fund and the Community Development Trust.
These are targeted federal programs that were available only for a limited term.
The Northern Strategy funds, totalling $5 million, were used to support our Smaller Communities Initiatives Program, which ended March 31, 2009. The Community Development Trust was allocated $800,000 last year to assist with the start-up of regional socio-economic monitoring committees.
Other major changes for 2009-2010 represent budgetary increases. This year, the department has received additional financial resources to support the Nunavut Employees Union salary increase of $487,000 and fuel increases of $76,000.
The department has also been allocated an additional $2,091,000 in funding to support Nunavut’s participation in activities associated with the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver.
This important international event will allow us to promote Nunavut to the world by showcasing Inuit culture, Nunavut products, and our territory’s tourism, trades, and investment opportunities.
With these exceptions, the department’s budget is substantially unchanged from 2008-09.
In the preparation of this budget, the department has been guided by two general objectives.
The first has been to maintain in 2009-2010 the program commitments that were initiated in 2008-09 and to ensure that important initiatives and key priorities already underway are properly supported in the current year.
The department took on a number of new challenges last year and so despite the very short period for planning this year’s budget, our priorities remain very clear.
We have entered 2009-2010 with considerable momentum and a full agenda. Our continuing priorities include:
Further improvements to the Motor Vehicles Office in Iqaluit, for which an additional $352,000 has been allocated in 2009-2010;
Continuing the implementation of Sanaugait, the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Strategy;
Continuing the implementation of Parnautit, the Nunavut Mineral Exploration and Mining Strategy;
Preparation of the Tourism Development Strategy for Nunavut;
Implementation of the Nunavut Transportation Strategy; and
Completion of the comprehensive review of the NNI Policy.
The department also will continue the work begun in 2008-09 to improve the delivery of services and to build on some of the achievements of past years in improving our processes for handling program applications and contribution agreements.
We will continue our work in specific economic sectors. In addition to the implementation of the mining strategy and in partial response to an anticipated decline in mineral exploration activity this summer, we will renew and expand the popular Prospector Assistance Program.
This will also be the first full year of activity for the Mine Training Roundtable, which we support through the new Mine Training Fund Policy.
In our cultural industries, the next phase of implementation of the arts and crafts strategy will move ahead and in 2009-2010, the new Arts and Crafts Development Program will be available for the entire year. The new Nunavut brand for arts and crafts will be launched and the Nunavut Film, Television and New Media Program will be renewed and its scope expanded.
The department will also maintain its support for activities in the tourism and commercial harvesting sectors.
The department will also continue to support the strengthening of the private sector’s role in our economy, maintaining our budgetary commitments and promoting the Strategic Investment Program and the Small Business Support Program, and improving the information available to business about our programs.
Mr. Chairman, our second general objective in the preparation of the departmental budget for 2009-2010 has been to ensure that our mission and guiding principles contribute to the vision of the government expressed in Tamapta.
More than this, the department assessed its programs to determine how they contribute to Tamapta commitments.
In our business plan for 2009-2010, the department focuses on three of these priorities where current programs can be used to support the government’s commitment to improve the quality of life for all Nunavummiut.
The first of these is “Improve education and training outcomes.”
The department supports training in a variety of sectors through its responses to applications to its programs, such as the Strategic Investments Program, the Small Business Support Program, the Arts and Crafts Development Program, and the Film, Television and New Media Program.
The department also provides direct support for training through the Nunavut Mine Training Program, community economic development officer training, and the training of airport maintainers.
Secondly, the department contributes a priority to “Increase support for culture and the arts.”
Several of our programs in this area already have been mentioned and to these can be added our support for the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association and the Nunavut Film Development Corporation.
Finally, the department directly contributes to a third priority, “Support community-based sustainable economies.”
The department, as you know, has a lead role in the implementation of the Nunavut Economic Development Strategy, which identifies the strengthening of our community economies as a principal goal.
Several of our programs are used to support implementation, beginning with our contribution through the work of the Nunavut Economic Forum.
Sector strategies for mineral exploration and mining, arts and crafts, transportation, and tourism emphasize programs for community-based sustainable economies. And the department provides direct financial support to communities so that they can prepare community economic development plans and implement them through projects for which the department can provide financial assistance.
Regular improvements to community transportation infrastructure, as well as the recent improvements to broadband, make possible strong community economies.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, I want to highlight for members of the committee a few additional priorities included in the 2009-2010 departmental business plan:
The department will develop guidelines for community consultations for major development projects and extend its work in support of regional socio-economic monitoring committees.
The department will conduct a public engagement process to support the amendment and implementation of the Motor Vehicles Act, and develop and implement the Motor Vehicle Inspection Program.
The department will implement the next stage of the successful roll-out of the award-winning new driver’s licences and general identification cards.
The department will undertake an assessment of government-owned visitors’ centres and a program that supports them.
These highlights also include improvement to transportation infrastructure as one of the foundations for development of the Nunavut economy.
This work in 2009-2010 will include:
Development of a conceptual design for the proposed Iqaluit port
Conduct a comprehensive analysis of issues that affect the high cost of travel and transportation in the High Arctic communities
Complete construction of the Arctic Bay Airport, including the new airport terminal building
Implement major runway projects in Taloyoak, Kimmirut, and Arviat.
The department has a very ambitious agenda for the current year, Mr. Chairman, but I’m confident that with this budget and with this plan, we can meet all of the challenges ahead.
I welcome comments and questions from committee members on the 2009-2010 Main Estimates and Business Plan for the Department of Economic Development and Transportation.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Taptuna. (interpretation ends) We’re dealing with O&M and I see a lot of capital in there, so you may want to note that for the other ministers.
We’re focusing on O&M and we want to stick to that during our proceedings.
This being almost noon, I would ask that we take a lunch break at this time and reconvene at 12:45. (interpretation) Thank you. We will see you in the next hour.
>>Committee recessed at 12:00 and resumed at 13:00
We can now resume our committee meeting.
Thank you, Minister Taptuna. (interpretation ends) There must have been a very good government prior because you’re repeating a lot of the work continuing on with what took place here before, so good comments.
(interpretation) I believe that the Chair of the Standing Committee on Community and Economic Development is ready to provide responses to their departmental review.
Mr. Komoartok, you may now make your opening comments.
I will be speaking slowly so that I am fully understood.
I am pleased to provide opening comments on behalf of the Standing Committee on Community and Economic Development on its review of the 2009-2010 Main Estimates and Business Plan of the Department of Economic Development and Transportation.
The standing committee notes that the department’s proposed 2009-2010 operations and maintenance budget of $54,055,000 has increased by approximately 44 percent since the introduction of the department’s 2004-05 main estimates.
The number of positions in the department has increased from 105.5 PYs in 2004-05 to 129.5 PYs in 2009-2010.
During the minister’s recent appearance before the standing committee, members took the opportunity to raise a number of important issues and concerns.
During the Second Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, the government began the practice of providing annual Ministerial Letters of Expectation to Crown corporations and agencies in order to establish priorities and provide direction with respect to their operations and initiatives.
Members are aware that the current government, through its Public Agency Council, is undertaking a new approach to this exercise and looks forward to the timely tabling in the Legislative Assembly of priority-setting items directed to these Crown corporations.
The Government of Nunavut’s most recent annual reports on departmental contracting, procurement and leasing activities were tabled in the Legislative Assembly on November 7, 2007.
To date, these annual reports have not included information on the procurement, contracting and leasing activities of the government’s major Crown corporations and agencies, including the Nunavut Development Corporation and the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation.
The standing committee recommends that information concerning these Crown corporations’ activities also be tabled in the Legislative Assembly on an annual basis.
Mr. Chairman, the department’s proposed main estimates for 2009-2010 include $18,919,000 in grants and contributions expenditures.
In 2007-08, the department’s actual spending on grants and contributions was $18,344,000.
During the minister’s appearance before the standing committee, members questioned the extent to which the department measures and evaluates the results of its grants and contributions expenditures.
Members were pleased to be informed that the department will be making increased efforts in this area, including an examination of how effective its grants and contributions spending has been in stimulating job creation.
I would also note that this issue was raised last year in the Legislative Assembly with respect to the issue of how effective the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation’s loan activities have been in the area of job creation.
Last year, the government’s Report on the Future of the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation and the Nunavut Development Corporation was tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
The government subsequently announced that the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation’s offices would be relocated from Cape Dorset to Iqaluit.
One of the options discussed in the report was the merger of the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation and the Nunavut Development Corporation into a single entity.
This approach was taken in the Northwest Territories in recent years with the establishment of the Business Development and Investment Corporation.
While the standing committee recognizes the importance of taking action to address the financial management problems that the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation has faced in recent years, members are not convinced that combining the two corporations into a single entity at this time would be a strategically sound decision given the very different mandates of the two corporations.
On March 17, 2008, the government announced that the Department of Economic Development and Transportation’s Fisheries and Sealing Division would be transferred to the Department of Environment as part of a cabinet portfolio shuffle.
Members had the opportunity to discuss the issue of where this division would be most appropriately located within the GN’s overall organizational structure during the appearances of both the Minister of Economic Development and Transportation and the Minister of Environment.
Members recognize that this division has been transferred between departments on a number of occasions since 1999.
In order to allow the division to focus on its mandate of fostering growth in this important sector of the economy, it is important that there be stability with respect to its location.
Members also agree that the Department of Environment’s ongoing relationship with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans has supported this division’s activities and initiatives.
In addition, the department’s role in administering the activities of wildlife offices complements the division’s activities in relation to such areas as the purchase of sealskins.
Accordingly, the standing committee recommends that the Fisheries and Sealing Division remain within the Department of Environment.
The department’s 2009-2010 business plan indicates that its goals include preparing a revised Film, Television and New Media Development Program policy in cooperation with the industry and the Nunavut Film Development Corporation; reviewing and revising the Strategic Investments Program; and reviewing and revising the Policy on Program Partnerships policies and guidelines.
The standing committee looks forward to these being tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
Mr. Chairman, the department’s business plan indicates that one of its priorities is to undertake the second five-year comprehensive review of the NNI Policy in cooperation with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated.
The standing committee looks forward to the results of this review, including, in light of the recent judgement issued by the Nunavut Court of Justice in March of this year, possible improvements to the appeals process.
The standing committee also urges the minister to table the annual reports of the Contracting Appeals Board in a timely manner.
The department’s 2009-2010 main estimates include proposed funding of $800,000 for Nunavut’s three business development centres.
On September 17, 2008, the report titled An Evaluation of Business Development Centres in the Kitikmeot, Kivalliq and Qikiqtaaluk Regions was tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
The department’s 2009-2010 business plan indicates that one of its priorities is to “implement the recommendations of the Business Development Centre assessment.”
The standing committee looks forward to ongoing updates on the status of this initiative and encourages the minister to carefully evaluate the results that are achieved by the government’s investment in this area.
Mr. Chairman, the expansion of access to banking and financial services in Nunavut’s communities is an important component of the territory’s economic development.
The committee is aware that on November 18, 2008, the Atuqtuarvik Corporation announced its partnership with the First Nations Bank of Canada.