EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I would just like to ask the minister if, I don’t expect it this week or next week, but if that is something he could commit to providing to this Assembly, to the Members of this House.
Okay, if this is what we want to achieve, this is what it’s going to cost us.
And if we can’t then at least have an idea of what it is we need and strive to find ways in which to achieve it.
Also, when I talk about the devolution of responsibility and authority to DEAs and I mentioned in my comments earlier about becoming more streamlined, more effective, and more efficient are some ways to identify where resources can be reallocated to the schools, to the classrooms where they’re needed, as a result of things like that. That is just a request to the minister.
I didn’t really hear a definite question, but Minister Kilabuk, if you want to respond to what Mr. Tootoo was saying.
The plans in front of us, these ones that are presently available, I will be able to give the plans to each member.
I will be able to give some information as to where we are in the plans to my colleagues and how they are being dealt with by my department.
But I will want to know which subject you’re talking about.
I think that you have to recognize that some of the projects in the plans deal with long term matters, such as the ten year plan for example, it takes a long time to plan it.
Also for students to complete their education and to have both languages within the twenty-year plan takes time.
I will be able to give to each of the members the ten-year plan.
Chairperson (interpretation): Mr. Tootoo, do you want to continue?
Mr. Tootoo: I heard the minister asking what area in the education system, school system, K to 12.
That’s what I’m looking at trying to see, what we need.
We have the teachers, but maybe we don’t have enough of them.
Maybe we don’t have the infrastructure.
Maybe we don’t have the money to put into it to provide the adequate materials and supplies and text books and curriculum and development that is needed and that shouldn’t be a problem in the English stream because we’re using the Alberta curriculum.
But in the Inuktitut stream.
As I said in my opening comments yesterday, we have to ensure that whether a child is in the Inuktitut stream or the English stream, they should be able to cross over and be at the same level.
Unfortunately, I don’t believe that’s the case right now and again, the proper curriculum development so that when a child goes from one to the other, they should be at the same level.
We need to look at what resources does the department feel they need in order to make that happen so that we do have a higher standard of education being delivered here in Nunavut.
Regarding the teaching materials and their availability in Nunavut, this is our first priority.
We recognize that we are short of these materials and that we have to produce materials for Nunavut schools according to the communities’ wishes.
Not just for creating education materials but also curriculum issues, we reviewed the curriculum in the communities to include Inuit traditional knowledge.
We looked at each school.
In Cape Dorset for example, we worked with the elders and today there are more and more elders involved.
Especially in Arviat, in the education headquarters in Arviat, they are working hard to create teaching materials and a relevant curriculum.
There are issues such as creating entirely new curriculum materials.
The communities are taking over the education.
The member mentioned the standardization of the courses that the students are taking in English and Inuktitut, how much are they taking in either language.
I agree with the member that the teaching materials should be created and if they can ever keep up with the demand, whether it is in Inuktitut or English.
We want to see each student gaining knowledge in each of the languages, English and Inuktitut.
This is a true indication of the health of our educational system.
This way they will have equality between the English and the Inuktitut stream and the only way we can do that is to have the curriculum up to par whether it’s in English or Inuktitut.
Unfortunately, this is still not up to speed in Nunavut, especially with all of the expectations from the communities.
This is a priority in my department and we will continue to work hard at achieving our goals.
On page 9-6, it’s very well outlined here, the administrative mandate includes strategic planning, development of legislation, policy, budget coordination in the directorate and also human resources development systems.
I would like to ask the minister about what kinds of plans have been created.
When I was in Arctic Bay about two weeks ago, they didn’t know what kinds of programs were planned for their community, or how many teachers they were going to be able to take on.
How long does it take to plan for those things and when are they planned?
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): I would like to ask the member whether she’s talking about the DEA, teachers or the principals.
My question is under the directorate, it’s speaking about human resources development and good planning or planning coordination.
All of that stuff is under this directorate.
My question is: I was in one of my communities and they still did not know what kind of programs they will be delivering and they still did not know what kind of staff they will be hiring.
What kind of planning does this division do?
How do they plan for the schools in the communities?
I asked her which specific plans she was referring to but I didn’t hear her give me a specific request.
If she was talking about the school principals or the planning process at the community level, then I could respond.
But, the school principals, if she were to ask, who plans for the human resource section, the number of teachers they will require.
The principals have been informed beforehand to prepare the plans for the upcoming school year.
We prepare the initial budget figures based on the previous year and these figures will soon be updated using the proposals and planning that were put together by the community, not until afterwards do we start the final budget processing.
Ms. Williams (interpretation): In regards to the Department of Education, how much proper planning can you do when there’s a shortage of staff housing at the community level?
In regards to the operational aspects of the schools, and the funding that is allocated to them, usually the schools plan for exactly the kinds of resources they will need for the upcoming school year.
We’re all well aware that the staff housing is the responsibility of another department within the Government of Nunavut.
The plans for the teachers are still underway and it is impossible at this time to state what is required.
If staff housing is required it’s that department and staff responsible for housing that deals with that issue.
I don’t think I’m making sense.
I’m not talking about housing.
My question, as Mr. Rich said, in English, that they’re looking for high quality teachers.
These high quality teachers can have a profound effect on students, as we are told, but if there is no staff housing in some of the communities, as is the case, then the Department of Education usually hires couples who are both teachers or a couple of friendly teachers who can share a house.
So how can you get high quality teachers within Nunavut if we have a shortage of housing?
My question is, there is not enough staff housing available at present, so how is the Department of Education meeting these standards when we’re talking about high quality teachers and how good are these teachers when we have to have staff compatible enough to share houses or when we have to hire couples.
I may not be getting through here.
In respect to your question, you are saying you’re not talking about housing but you keep mentioning it a couple of times in a sentence.
I know where she’s coming from but we can look at this question from different perspectives and respond to it correspondingly.
If we look at the previous years, there were a lot of teachers who were married and who shared a house.
If we look at today, there still are successful married teachers in the community.
But I would like to inform the member that we hire very capable teachers and we don’t hire them just on the basis of their being married and therefore being able to share a house.
We try at all times to hire the highest quality teachers and we hire them based on their skills and capabilities.
On page 9-6 I would like to ask a question in regards to purchased services.
There has been a significant increase in these figures.
What type of services are we purchasing with these increases?
The reason for the increase under the purchased services figures is that the purchases and other services provided have increased.
Ms. Williams (interpretation): I don’t understand what else are you purchasing that leads to the increase?
Did you buy pliers, saws, wood, papers, what are you purchasing?
I will have our finance person respond to your question.
Chairperson (interpretation): Mr. Loehr.
Mr. Loehr: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
When we do the budget for a division or a branch we first determine our salary dollars and then if there’s, based on positions and when we do our salary calculations we have to determine whether there is sufficient funds in salaries first and then if there is any money left over we allocate for various other O&M dollars, like purchased services and transportation, travel.
In this case there was a reduction in the salary dollars required, so it was moved into purchased services to allow for occasional items that we may end up purchasing.
It hasn’t been specifically allocated to any one item at this point.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Loehr.
I am trying to ask, purchased services there are an increase not decrease that is what I am trying to ask.
Are you expecting to buy more, or is this purchased service, is that for salary or is that to buy items?
What happens is that first Compensation and Benefits are calculated and what is left over goes to the purchased services.
I will have Mr. Loehr give you a briefing on how it works.
Basically we price out our salaries and retain the funds in the Directorate for their programs and planning.
When the salaries went up from 600 thousand to 614, we had an increase for any new funding.
We started with 600 thousand last year; we increased for any new increments of fifty-three.
Then we reduced it by 39 thousand because the pay scales were lower this year than last year for the staffing in the Directorate.
Therefore, the 39 thousand dollar reduction was transferred to Travel and Transportation in the amount of 17 thousand and purchased services in the amount of 22, for a total of 39 thousand to offset that reduction.
Specifically, those purchased services are retained in the Directorate, but they have not been allocated to specific purposes.
Yes, they are not specifically allocated.
They will be spent for purchased services as they come along.
Mr. Arvaluk: You need for 2002-2003, according to your statement here, you need eight thousand bucks.
You have a reduction of salaries from the top there.
You really don’t need 25 thousand dollars for purchased services, but to keep the balance of 776 thousand dollars, you put it there.
For the purpose of good budgeting and good government, would it not have been better to transfer part of the purchased services extra budget to school services like 9-18.
To improve the school subs and the elders’ participation in schools, etc. etc. instead of having it under the directorate.
In respect to the finances that are being alluded to under the directorate, it’s managed by the office and under the direction of the deputy minister.
If we wanted to we could move it on to the other pages.
If we look at the adjustments last year and in response to your question, there is one item that is not included and I am referring to it because it relates to the affected adjustments as compared to the previous year salary amounts, if we look at these amounts in respect to the question, yes they are included.
The operational requirements of the office allow us a little leeway because there’s about 25 thousand dollars extra and we could transfer it to other priorities within our department once they are identified.
I hope it will be transferred elsewhere to where it’s really needed because I think most of us worked in the local level, regional level with the GNWT, the Federal Government.
As civil servants in different divisions, what I call the March mad dash, that when you have a potential surplus in your budget, as you said, ordering up extra tires and extra skidoos, boogie wheels for renewable resources etc. etc.
Especially public works where they’re making payments for that and sometimes that 28 thousand dollars may be used for something you really don’t need because what you’re trying to fight for is not 28 thousand dollars, but, what you’re trying to fight for is to make sure that at the end, gives you another 776 thousand dollars next year to protect that.
If you under spend it, you might not get the full amount next year because the executive might say you don’t need it.
I hope next time when you’re making a budget that you justify it by transferring it to something that you really need it like 9-18.
I thinking I’m barking up the wrong tree, Mr. Chairman.
I think I should be asking the Minister of Finance on that one.
But still, sometimes unjustified allocations, for example, these purchased services, the finance person just stated that we don’t really need it but we got to put it somewhere in this page.
I hope there will be a more innovative way of allocating your limited resources where they are really needed so that we will be able to say good for you.
You got it right on.
Qujannamiik, Itsivautaq.  Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Arvaluk.
The adjustments from last year total about 17-25 thousand dollars from last year and after we report progress today, I will direct my staff to put this amount of money to where it’s most needed.
I will do that as soon as we report progress today.
I don’t have anybody else on my list.
I want the members to know that when we are dealing with the details of expenditures, we are going page by page.
We are on Education Branch summary, 9-6, Directorate, any comments?
If there are none. Total operations and maintenance, 776 thousand dollars.
Policy and Planning.
On that page 2001-2002, 413 thousand estimated. It seems it hasn’t been used as far as the estimates go.
It seems okay but I am concerned about the decrease.
It seems you used the lower portion of it.
You should have used 413 thousand dollars.
Why was that not used and what was it used for?
We are in the main estimates for 2002-2003.
We are page 9-7.
What are you referring to Mr. Havioyak?
Mr. Havioyak: On page 9-7 under grants and contribution last year’s main estimates were 413 thousand dollars but after revision you only used 562 thousand dollars.
Was there some cancelled program or there weren’t enough applicants to apply for this grant.
Why did it go down from the main estimates?
If you look under grants and contribution there is 352 thousand dollars and above it is compensation and benefits 1 million 271 thousand dollars.
It is just to correct those changes that need to be made.
Mr. Havioyak: Koana.
I am referring to 9-8 because they are the same number as what you have on here on 9-7 on the detail I guess.
It says there library services.
What library services?
You first estimated it was 413 thousand dollars for that year but you only used 352 thousand dollars.
I think that is the same thing when you are talking about grants and contributions.
I am just trying to get a picture.
In the main estimates you asked for 413 thousand dollars but only used 352 thousand dollars.
I am wondering if there is a drop of some type of assistance to those libraries.
What kinds of things did you drop, if the number went down by, I’m just estimating here, 40-50 thousand dollars?
I’m just wondering why the number went down.
Maybe there was a cut on some of the things that were provided to the libraries.
I spoke earlier about the decrease.
Half of a position was moved, one position was moved or half of a position was moved, not deleted but moved.
Under grants and contributions some of the money was transferred over to compensation and benefits for half of a PY.
Mr. Havioyak: I think I understand the answer.
So you made it a more permanent position I guess when you did that.
I hope you don’t mind when I keep referring to 9-8 because it’s the same thing as the grants and contributions.
If I can, I just want to ask the minister just for clarification, you say you support library operations for each region.
When I look at regions, to me, the operations of each region, it says in my mind, Cambridge Bay is our regional office, it seems like that money is going to the regional office rather than to the communities in the region.
I’m just trying to get a picture because when you look at the paragraph on page 9-7, the public library services, I’m sure that’s for each community.
When I go into the detailed part of it, when you look at the region, it makes me think that the money is going to the regional headquarters instead of to the community.
I just want to make sure I understand this.
I know I brought this up at one point but again for the record, to clarify and let me understand this, is this for each community in all regions?
The contribution is for the public libraries in each community.
Do you want to continue, Mr. Havioyak?
We’re on 9-7.
Education Branch Summary.
Total operations and maintenance, 2 million 10 thousand dollars.
I will move on to 9-9, since 9-8 is a part of the previous page.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Thank you, under corporate services, compensation and benefits, under 2001/2002, it was 1 million 76 thousand dollars and the 2002/2002 main estimates is 1 million 333 thousand dollars.
What was the increased percentage of staff?
How many staff would that benefit?
The increase is due to increases for staff due to the new collective agreement with the Nunavut Employees’ Union.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): I’m done. Thank you.
In 2001/2002, the department’s corporate services division was expanded to include a capital planning position and for 2002/2003, it has been expanded again to include a position for school operations.
What advantages are expected from creating this new position?
The increases for capital, we have staff dealing with capital estimates and planning.
This is part of the increase, and under education the concerns that were brought to our attention and the changes that need to be done is due to increase.
And, once they had been worked on this thoroughly it had made a lot of progress Supplies that had to be shipped in were planned, this was part of the increase.
What was going to be happening to the schools, once we talked with the DEAs and the communities, this also contributed to the increase.
As well as, the land and the size of the land was also a contributing factor.
The issue of where the money was going to be coming from for these, how it would be split up, has also made significant progress.
So, these are the reasons for the increase and we have an individual dealing with these areas, one individual and there have been a lot of improvements and if we were to have something else worked on the cost would certainly increase.
So I’ll have my DM add to my comments.
Mr. Rich can you give a further explanation.
In particular, the school operations financial support position that you mentioned, is there to better deal with school funding issues.
We heard the concerns of DEAs and others about getting timely financial information.
We also know that there is a large amount of financial information that is being dealt with at the school operations level, the three school operations level. So that person will have a specific responsibility to work with regional school operations to produce more timely financial information for use by regional school operations for the benefit of DEAs and to make sure the government has timely financial information about a large section of the education budget.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Rich.
What are the procedures in place in the government when you create a new position in the department?
Do you need approval from Cabinet or something or do positions just pop up and you put them in.
What is the procedure to create a position?
First of all the first thing will be to advertise the position and once the position is open the funding request will be given to FMB.
There will be information about the employee’s responsibilities.
We’re not just creating positions we are filling what is needed in schools.
Ms. Williams: In Directorate and Corporate Services and other divisions in the headquarters level, I think there are some new PYs in there.
Hopefully we’ll see the new PYs at the community level.
I want to make sure that will happen because government should not be serving itself, it should be serving the communities and especially the schools.
So I just wanted to mention that.
Hopefully there will be a very positive impact on the community level.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk: In this case and the creation of other positions, the benefits would definitely outweigh any negative impacts this would have with the position being created.
Now I also want to try and emphasise the importance of creating certain positions within our department to allow more…rather to help the department to provide more benefits to the communities, the schools and also community members.
So, in weighing the pros and cons on such positions, those things are considered as part of the process.
Almost every division has increased in travel.
I would like to ask the minister about travel and transportation that has been increased by 78 thousand dollars.
Why are they expecting to travel more and maybe clarify that?
For travel and transportation for this main estimate there’s a slight increase but I would like to elaborate to you that the adjustment for compensation and benefits also was increased and due to that, the staff that travel for school services, and for the contract services and also in line with travel and transportation to support the staff in their jobs.
Thank you. Anything else?
Total operations and maintenance, 2 million 5 thousand dollars.
Chairperson (interpretation): Next page 9-10.
Income Support.
Any questions on this?
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): On page 9-10, about 300 thousand is added.
Is it for the higher cost of living or the population increase?
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): I’m sorry Mr. Chairman.
For the 300 thousand, I have no answer for now.
We’re on 9-10.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): The total operations and maintenance for 2001/2002 was 1 million 865 thousand dollars, for 2002/2003, it is now 2 million 186 thousand.
I’m asking what this 300 thousand dollar increase is for.
Is it more positions or the population increase in Nunavut?
Just to clarify this approximately 300 thousand dollar increase, 286 thousand is for our office.
We want to be able to provide more training to income support workers.
This is geared for training because we want to be able to train more income support workers.
Also 186 thousand dollars is for elders, this is due to the increase in numbers.
We are also requesting new funding of 186 thousand to deal with these funding shortfalls.
I am totally lost.
What page is the assistance for the income support recipients figures, what page are they on again?
Are they not on 9-10?
When we go on to 9-16, they will be included within the Employment and Career Services section.
I was wondering if you will start working on that…I have asked the Minister responsible for elders previously, having deliberated this thought, the elders who are now sixty years old and over, they have never been in the workforce and they have never been on income support, because they were surviving through trapping and selling furs and all that.
Some of them were working part-time previously.
But they were never given any pensions.