EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
The use of technology, such as access to computers, the internet and distance education opportunities, must be improved;
Inuit language and culture, including the involvement of Elders and the provision of Inuktitut language courses, are in demand; and
Nunavut-wide coordination and management of programs, including management’s support for establishing third party funding and partnerships, are seen as necessary for stability and access to future opportunities for employment in areas such as mining.
Mr. Speaker, Members of the standing committee have noted that a Working Draft of the Nunavut Adult Learning Strategy has been brought forward by the Minister of Education and tabled in the House. Members look forward to discussing this document in light of our review.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That concludes the Standing Committee’s Interim Report. At this time I would like to move that the Interim Report of the Standing Committee be received by the House.
Speaker (interpretation): Do you agree that the interim report be received by the House?
Motion 002 – 2(3): Extended Adjournment (Kilabuk)
I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Cambridge Bay, that notwithstanding Rule 4, that when the House concludes its present sitting in Iqaluit it shall be adjourned until February 21, 2006.
AND FURTHER that at any time prior to February 21, 2006, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall interact its business as if it has been duly adjourned to that time.
Speaker (interpretation): There is a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.
We will take a break for 20 minutes, at this time and we will go back to Item 16 when we resume.
>>House recessed at 15:31 and resumed at 15:58
Speaker (interpretation): Please be seated. Going back to Orders of the Day for today.
Motion 003 – 2(3): Ending Domestic Violence in Nunavut (Kilabuk)
WHEREAS domestic violence in our homes and our communities is unacceptable to the Members of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut;
AND WHEREAS every person has the right to live free from physical, sexual, or mental abuse;
AND WHEREAS the most vulnerable Nunavummiut, especially children, Elders, and women, have the right to live in homes that are free from violence;
AND WHEREAS the Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council presented a report on this issue in March of 2004;
AND WHEREAS the 2004 Annual Report of the RCMP’s V Division revealed that 6673 crimes against people took place in Nunavut between 2001 and 2003;
AND WHEREAS the 2005 Report of the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics indicated that children and youth, under the age of 18 accounted for 61 percent of victims of sexual assault;
AND WHEREAS Inuit societal values should guide healing programs that involve both victims of violence, and those who cause it;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Honourable Member for Iqaluit Centre, that the Legislative Assembly affirm it’s commitment to supporting measures to reduce and eliminate domestic violence in Nunavut.
AND FURTHER I MOVE that this House encourage all elected office holders at the municipal and regional level to join the Members of the Legislative Assembly in this commitment.
AND FURTHER Mr. Speaker, I MOVE that the Members of the Legislative Assembly demonstrate personal leadership in participating in public education efforts to promote the unacceptability of domestic violence in any form and to provide positive role models.
Each Member of the Legislative Assembly is allowed to speak to the motion for 20 minutes each and the person that moved the motion is the last person to speak to the motion and seconder.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, I am very glad to have the opportunity to speak to the motion that is before the House today.
Mr. Speaker, the intent of this motion is to issue a call to the leaders of our territory to make a firm commitment to reduce and eliminate domestic violence in Nunavut.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, violence itself is a terrible act.
We have seen on the news the many examples of the horrific results of terrorism and war. Those examples often seem extreme and very far away but our lives have been affected, nonetheless.
Now, Mr. Speaker, now if we would close your eyes and ears for a second to listen to the silent cries of those people suffering from far away to hear and to realize how distant they are.
But then again to open your eyes and ears, how loud our own people cry!
Mr. Speaker, these are people in our own homes and communities suffering from domestic violence.
It is real and it is here.
Mr. Speaker, they cry, holding out their arms and reaching for a helping hand to enable them to live free of domestic violence.
Imagine, Mr. Speaker, how a person’s freedom, security, confidence and self-esteem must suffer from violence at home, at the hands of someone they know, a member of their own family Mr. Speaker. Imagine, how our ability to live and take pleasure in that living can be threatened by acts of violence within our own home.
Mr. Speaker, when we talk of domestic violence, we can understand the term to mean any violence between members of the same household, wherever the violence occurs.
The violence may include physical, sexual, emotional or financial abuse Mr. Speaker. It can include our partners, our children or even our elders.
The statistics are frightening.
The numbers are shocking. How many reports from women’s groups, from police officials and from caregivers and individuals in our own communities do we need to read before we raise our voices in protest and take a stand?
And Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, the World Health Organization released a report that revealed that one in six women worldwide Mr. Speaker, worldwide, suffers from domestic violence.
Mr. Speaker, I say that we have heard enough, enough to compel us to work together as leaders and join our voices in a call to end domestic violence.
As leaders, Mr. Speaker, we are in a position to support and encourage measures, initiatives and actions that make a real difference in the lives of Nunavummiut.
Mr. Speaker, our traditions have shown us that by working together, we can accomplish much. By working together, we can survive in the harshest of climates; we can adapt to changes in the world around us.
We can pass our skills and successes on to our children so that they, in their turn, can meet new challenges with confidence and ability.
Mr. Speaker, we are not as strong individually as we are in a group.
One individual may not be able to stand up to an abuser. The most vulnerable people in our society, the women, children, and elders, may not have the strength or the voice to protect themselves from being abused.
But as a community, we can work together to stop the abuse from happening.
As a community, we can give each other the strength to not allow the violence to continue.
Mr. Speaker, as leaders we are here to work together towards building a healthy Nunavut, something that we can pass on the leaders of the future.
As you have heard today, Mr. Speaker, these calls have come before us many times.
For example, when we had a very unfortunate and also a violent incident in my community, I was very proud of our mayor at the time, Mr. Jack Maniapik, who stood up and maintained his composure and professionalism, and to date, his stance is still very clear.
He did this at a critical time as a municipal leader and I can assure you that this mayor has made his community proud.
So, at this time, I thank Mr. Jack Maniapik, and I will share with you, Mr. Speaker, this is probably the big reason why I bring this motion forward today, he has been a real inspiration to me.
Now, think what we as MLAs, along with our leaders in the Regional Inuit Organizations and the mayors of our communities, can achieve if we work together to say that we will add our voice to those who are tirelessly working to prevent and eliminate domestic violence.
Mr. Speaker, at its recent annual general meeting, NTI issued a call for support to keep the Kugluktuk Crisis Shelter operational. Not too many years ago, the NWT legislature addressed the issue of domestic violence through a motion.
Mr. Speaker, our efforts must start at home - our homes.
So it starts with us because Nunavut is our home.
As Members of the Legislative Assembly, we are committing ourselves to be supporters and role models in the campaign against domestic violence.
This means that we will, for the comfort and support we need to give, we will deal with both protection programs and also healing programs that deal with both the abused and the abuser.
Mr. Speaker, at this time, I want to apologize to all victims of violence and abusers alike if my comments have caused them to endure painful memories of what they have been through, but I hope that, at the same time, it gives them a measure of comfort to know that we state today that we stand with you.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge all members to join me in supporting this motion and making a commitment for the future of Nunavut.
Speaker (interpretation): The seconder to the motion, do you have any comments, Mr. Tootoo.
Members I am very pleased to speak in support of this important motion that is before us today.
I think that it’s actually long overdue and I’m glad finally that we now have finally the opportunity as the Legislative Assembly to put our position on the public record for all Nunavummiut to see.
As a father of young daughters I am all too aware of the need for us as a community, and as a society to take strong measures against family violence, especially violence against women and children.
Like many of us in this room, I, too, have lost friends who have fallen victim to abuse and violence, we mourn them still.
It’s obvious that the majority of Members of this House are men; however, we will not be successful in our efforts to stop violence against women and children, unless all Nunavummiut join together.
Nobody in this House needs to be told that violence against women is a serious issue in Nunavut, one that we must address with courage and conviction. Families and children have lost their loved ones, loved ones that cannot be brought back. The pain, the anger, and the sadness will be with them and with us forever.
Mr. Speaker, also survivors of this abuse live their whole life with emotional scars that haunt them.
It has terrible affects on their personal lives and potentially the lives of their children.
In Nunavut there are a number of organizations that work towards awareness and prevention of violence against women and I salute their hard work. I want to make clear that I stand with those who do not tolerate these cowardly acts of violence against our most vulnerable, or make excuses for those who do.
I add my voice to those who say that we need to provide care and support for victims and their families. We need safe places for women and children at risk. I fully support the work done by the dedicated shelter volunteers.
Mr. Speaker, there were stickers given out at the Take Back the Night march a couple of years ago that said stop the violence.
We must do what we can to stop the violence. We must take a stand and this motion demonstrates where we stand and I urge all members to support this motion.
Speaker (interpretation): Any comments to the motion.
I’m going to be in support of this motion.
First of all, I’d like to say some people are concerned that they think that we are not in support of this.
I could tell you that my wife and I work very hard to give support to these individuals. When we did, not one person from the government stood up to what is happening, we were asking, but there is an expectation from the public out there.
Can the government resolve the problems that are being experienced? Has the government also helped the break up between two spouses? Can the government resolve these issues?
We are going to keep encouraging the youth and to help the youth that are feeling down.
I was called by an Elder from Pond Inlet today, by Thomas Uuttuq. He said he could give support to provide healing to those in need.
He said that he could provide assistance and support to people in the Baffin region to do healing programs but there is no funding from the government to provide services.
He could not even provide support through the telephone but be made himself available for his services for healing programs.
How come he is not being utilized? We heard from the government that they support this to revive spiritual stuff.
By using that he uses his beliefs too to help others. He is not even provided with funding. But he collects and gathers funding so that he can provide support to men.
He said that he was in Cape Dorset last winter. There are many men and women in that community that would like to get services like that. If we are going to provide services we have to provide services as a whole.
The people in religious groups can provide support because the government can’t resolve and fix all these problems.
We can talk about it and discuss it. If we want to see healing occurring we have to start thinking from the community first and start thinking of the leaders.
Do we have a solid foundation?
According to our beliefs no matter what denomination you are I could tell you, we are using them as our foundation. In English, it is a moral breakdown of our society.
Not believing and not respecting with all those things we cannot just start to heal.
We have to go backwards. For that reason, I would want to see no matter what religious denomination people come from we should be utilizing those individuals.
I have a friend in the community that does provide services in helping other people to go through the healing and they were even called middle of the night.
You should be asking those individuals to provide you support. How we can provide support to the public out there? My colleagues I am urging you not to forget about those people.
If we want to eradicate violence in Nunavut we must do this rather than just giving lip service.
Speaker (interpretation): Comments to the motion. Comments to the motion.
Perhaps the mover has comments to the motion.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to my colleagues for their statements and comments to the motion.
Mr. Speaker, it is evident that this motion on ending domestic violence in Nunavut contains a lot of various issues.
I rise today Mr. Speaker, to show our support for healing programs and to provide services for victims and offenders, our leaders at the community level, and municipalities.
I thank my colleagues for their statements to the motion and also for having a holistic view. By supporting this motion it will show our support for this. I would urge all members to show their support.
We cannot completely end the violence overnight.
We’ll have to get support from the frontline workers and we expect to find some sort of service provider for this.
So I urge all the members to support this motion.
I was waiting for question to be called, and then I was going to request that we could show in the printed record that all of us support this motion. I would like to ask for a recorded vote.
Speaker (interpretation): All those in favour of the motion, please rise. All those in favour of the motion, please rise, and when your name is called, please sit down.
I’m sorry; we’ll start off with Mr. Kilabuk.
In favour were 17, against 0, abstentions 0.
Bill 1, Bill 2, Bill 3, Bill 4, and Bill 1, with Mr. Netser in the chair.  Sergeant-at-Arms.
Chairman (Mr. Netser): Thank you.
We will have a short 10-minute break.
Thank you, Members.
>>Committee recessed at 16:25 and resumed at 16:37
Chairman (Mr. Netser): Thank you. I would like to call the committee meeting to order.
In Committee of the Whole we have the following items to deal with; Bill 1, Bill 2, Bill 3, Bill 4, and Bill 10. (interpretation) What is the wish of the committee?
We wish to commence with the review of the capital estimates for the Legislative Assembly, followed by the Department of Justice. If time permits, we would like to commence the review of Bill 2, Bill 3, Bill 4, and Bill 10.
Does the committee agree that we deal with those?
I would like to ask the Speaker if you have any opening remarks. Mr. Speaker, please proceed.
Bill 01 – Appropriations (Capital) Act, 2006-07 – Legislative Assembly – Consideration in Committee
I am very pleased to have the opportunity to appear today before the Committee of the Whole to present the 2006-07 capital estimates of the Office of the Legislative Assembly.
As members will have noted, the 2006-07 capital budget for the Legislative Assembly constitutes less than one percent of all GN capital spending. Total planned spending is $315,000.
Our capital budget is a modest one that has been developed to address some immediate needs, as well as building on the Assembly’s existing efforts to make our facility a showcase for Nunavut’s rich cultural and artistic heritage.
A total of $50,000 has been allocated towards routine furniture replacement. As Members will be aware, much of this building’s furniture has not been replaced in over a half a decade.
Our efforts in this area will continue to focus on the building’s three committee rooms, which experience a high degree of usage, including numerous events that are open to the public and media.
Ongoing audiovisual and IT network upgrades will provide a higher degree of functionality for building operations.
Approximately one-third of the budget has been allocated to Chamber and office upgrades.
In light of the pending establishment of the Electoral Boundaries Commission, which is required by statute, it is appropriate that we plan for a possible increase in the number of members.
Our acquisitions for public display will continue to draw on the traditions of different communities and artistic techniques.
Mr. Chairman, I believe that this capital plan is a responsible one that will enable us to better serve the needs of members, and work towards the ongoing improvement of our Chamber and precinct.
Do you want your officials to sit at the Witness Table?
Speaker (interpretation): Yes, I wish for the Clerk and Public Affairs Officer to join me.
Chairman (interpretation): Maybe if your officials can join you at the Witness Table.
Sergeant-at-Arms will you assist the Clerk.
Can you introduce your officials before we start?
Speaker (interpretation): On my right is our Clerk, John Quirke, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly.
On my left, Tony Rose, Public Affairs Officer.
Welcome Tony Rose and John Quirke. Welcome.
Are there any general comments from the members?
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, welcome to the Assembly, and your staff.
I would just like to say a few words.
The committee rooms are kind of too small and we can’t really put a TV in there, especially in one of the rooms and the Caucus Room; even though it’s the biggest, there are no audiovisual, and we looked at this last year, but it was too costly.
So, just for your consideration, Mr. Speaker, maybe not even at this time, but in the future, I believe we still have 14 years that we will be able to use this building.
Most of our standing committees have to be in-camera session, and I don’t think the residents of Nunavut even really know that we have committee meetings.
The Provinces when they have their standing committee meetings they are open to the public.
When we have our standing committee meetings here it is not public.
It seems like that as the youngest Assembly we seem to do that. What happens is unless the standing committee is going to the communities the general public don’t know much about it.
I wonder, in the future, how else we can make this more accessible to the public even just the audiovisual equipment. I wonder if this can help the public more or to the communities even not in the near future, or should I wait until we go to the questions?
Chairman (interpretation): You can ask that question once we go to the questions.
A-6. Office of the Clerk.
You can ask now Mr. Curley.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): I believe I made myself clear. If your officials can respond. But the way I understand it, I think we can put aside some money as long as Nunavummiut know we do because we see quite a bit of funding.
As I stated earlier that this is the youngest Legislative Assembly we seem to have lots of in-camera sessions and media can’t attend and the public is not given enough notice. I think for sure now we will use this over the next 13 years.
I wonder if we can start thinking about how else we can make this more open to the public whereas they know what is going on with the Standing Committees when we are in Iqaluit.
Mr. Speaker, do you wish to respond?
Speaker (interpretation): That is a very good suggestion and I’ll let the Clerk respond.
Decisions to have standing committees open to the public will be up to the standing committee itself. If you choose to go that route, we would make it possible wherever practical. For example, if you look at this structure and look at the standing committees that have met in Iqaluit, and most of them are in Iqaluit.
If they want that done locally we would just have to switch to the cable company that we have a contract with.
Here in Iqaluit that could be done very readily.
The member is right, when we do go to the communities it is the travelling committees and the communities do see them in action there.
Here for Iqaluit that can be done, but the bottom line is it is really the decision of the standing committee to do that and if they wish to do that, that can happen here in Iqaluit.
But to project a picture of the work done by the standing committees outside of Iqaluit into our outlying communities would be a challenge. As members know we are having difficulties right now with APTN in terms of TV broadcasting times. Not to say that a package couldn’t be made in terms of a DVD that could be sent out to the communities on a later date, although the information would be a couple of weeks behind.
But it can be done and it would be a decision of each individual standing committee depending on the issue before it.
Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Quirke.
Mr. Curley: The rule of standing committee, I had assumed that the rules had provided for that stuff. I suppose it is not in the rulebook that the Standing Committee be open to the public. It could perhaps be done through that route as well, or committee meetings by committee meetings as well.
The rules are silent in terms of standing committees in terms of broadcasting its proceedings. So it would be a decision of the standing committee. There would be no need to refer to the rules if they decided to go public and let the public participate in the standing committees.
In Iqaluit the only standing committees so far that have been open to the public have been those where the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Accountability had the Auditor General in front of them. They have been open to the public. The short answer is there’s no restriction in the rules that would not allow that to happen.
Chairman: Thank you. Is that it?
Mr. Okalik.  Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
We don’t get an opportunity to ask questions too often so I would like to ask some. The other side, they ask quite a few questions.
I have a question in regard to the budget for the art that is displayed.
I believe you purchase them from the people and I believe that we will get quite a bit more.
Once they are in your possession, where are they going to be stored?
My apologies, I will let our Clerk respond to that.
The inventory that the Legislative Assembly has right now is either stored in this facility or it’s stored in the warehouse that the Assembly rents.
If we have to we might have to look into this further to help people without income. Maybe we can even donate the artwork to the communities, especially for those people or organizations that have no money.
Speaker (interpretation): In regard to the archive position, it’s something that we can take into consideration.