EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
With multiple parties involved in some transactions, making corrections to hard copy documents can result in great delays and associated costs. Allowing the electronic submission of documents and survey plans will greatly increase the speed of all property transactions.
Currently, duplicate Certificates of Title must be presented to the Land Titles Office before transactions can be accepted for processing.
Very often, duplicates have been lost or misplaced, thereby delaying their production. This bill removes the antiquated requirement for producing duplicate Certificates of Title at the time of registration.
This bill also clarifies certain provisions, corrects errors, and updates references for Nunavut.
The electronic submission of registration documents and survey plans will facilitate the flow of investment dollars into Nunavut communities, allowing for more new construction, faster and smoother housing transactions, and increased economic development.
Those are my comments. I would like to thank Ajauqtiit for its consideration of this bill, and I’m sure that my colleagues will have some comments and questions.
Minister Okalik, do you have witnesses you would like to bring to the witness table?
Yes, I’ll have the same officials. To my right is my Deputy Minister, Markus Weber, and to my left is Louis Arki, who is the Director of Nunavut Legal Registries.
Does the Chair of the Standing Committee Ajauqtiit have opening comments?
The Standing Committee Ajauqtiit has had the opportunity to review Bill 27, An Act to Amend the Land Titles Act.
Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee Ajauqtiit recognizes that the intent of this bill is to greatly increase the speed of all property transactions by allowing the Land Titles Office to accept electronic submissions of documents for registration and filing.
The standing committee looks forward to this addressing problems and delays that have been identified in this area.
Mr. Chairman, the standing committee supported the bill at the clause-by-clause stage of the standing committee review.
The standing committee recommends the passage of the bill to all members.
Are there any general comments on this matter?
I thank the minister for introducing these amendments to Bill 27, An Act to Amend the Land Titles Act.
I raised this very issue with the minister almost two years ago, concerns from my Cambridge Bay riding. We had a lot of individuals who were buying homes - resale homes and also purchasing new homes - and the paperwork delay was incredible, anywhere from three months to eight months.
I, myself, had a similar experience. It was just a simple thing with the spelling of my name that resulted in a tremendous delay.
I know that this bill will speed up the process and facilitate the quick transfer of funds, timely transfer of funds when people are closing real estate deals and have to purchase other houses.
The banks and CMHC as well require all of this information, so it’s important that this bill be introduced at this time and I will be supporting it.
Yes, this is a very important instrument in modernizing the whole transaction system.
Aside from that, I would like to urge the minister and his officials to also consider that we need to also modernize the way in which local communities deal with transactions of land titles.
In some places, it’s so casual that they don’t realize the deadlines that are established to close the deals on transactions and that tends to be quite a concern.
When I was involved with the private sector, we had to build over 200 units prior to April 1, 1999, and there were times that we literally had to have someone travel on the spot to try and get local land titles groups and land development officers to move because in some places, when deadlines are approaching, some guys sometimes go on holidays without authorizing anybody else.
So despite all of these provisions that they’re dealing with, it can create a bit of a logjam. Your financial institutions, which put some financial instruments in place for temporary businesses, get quite worried about it.
So I will have some questions later on with respect to what constitutes, for instance, a format approved by the registrar. I will ask you questions at the appropriate time to deal with that.
I’m just making these statements now because we need to improve the training aspects as well for not only private home transactions but commercial transactions that can get quite complex if the deadlines are not met.
Mr. Arvaluk.  Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I will be in support of the bill.
In Pond Inlet, we have a huge co-op which is also in the construction business. There is a private contractor as well.
This has been discussed in the past as to how to simplify the process. If a small mistake is made, sometimes they have to wait for long periods of time.
One of the reasons is that we have to order our material by ship. As a result, we only have the summer to ship in our material.
I would like to thank the Minister of Justice for at least making this issue easier to deal with and for doing it the Inuit way. I will be in support of the bill.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Arvaluk. (interpretation ends) Mr. Alagalak.
I am very pleased about the amendment to this bill because it modernizes the Land Titles Act. In the past, it seemed like interested people had to wait for long periods to obtain land titles.
I believe we still have to be concerned with the administration of land titles through municipal governments.
I don’t know whether or not the territorial government is responsible for lands in the other communities, but I’m pleased that there’s administration of land titles and a requirement to pay funds... the public out there expects to make annual payments.
There are commercial lots and lots for private homes that people are interested in, so it seems like we need to deal with this on our own.
However, we have to go through the municipalities for approval. During the process of making payments for the land titles, private homeowners and private businesses sometimes get confused with all their payments for their homes or buildings.
So if this bill goes through, perhaps through the regulations and through the agreements with the communities... I’m sure that these will be separate.
I want the communities to have expectations that this will be set properly for private homes or commercial businesses to obtain land titles.
We need to modernize and update it in Nunavut.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Alagalak. (interpretation ends) General comments. (interpretation) I have no more names on my list for general comments.
We will move on to the clause-by-clause review of the bill. (interpretation ends) Bill 27, An Act to Amend the Land Titles Act.
Mr. Curley: Keep going.
Can the minister, Mr. Chairman, explain whether there are other provisions, or regulations, or whatnot on exactly how this format will be designed?
I’m sure it’s an instrument that would be a legal instrument, a format to be approved by the registrar.
Can we have some examples?
If you read further, if the format is not acceptable to the registrar, he/she can revoke the application.
So I’m wondering exactly how we are going to... at least the proponents of individuals who are trying to register properly, will be able to be given a format that may or may not be acceptable to the registrar, will it contain a legal advisor or legal people?
So could I get some more information before I move on further?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) What’s in place today will continue.
The only real change is that instead of being a piece of paper today, it will be on your computer and those which are being used today will continue.
It’s just that it will be much quicker and we won’t have to wait for paperwork to arrive, it will be done electronically within seconds. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I think that’s a good step to take.
The only thing that I’m concerned with is that the format could be subject to dispute if one proponent that is trying to register a property believed that it was done in a proper format, but the registrar still revokes the document submitted if it’s deemed to be understood that it doesn’t meet the requirements. What would cause it to not meet the format that is acceptable to the registrar?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) The documents will still have to be produced but it’s in electronic form. The lawyers will produce the documents and have to require signatures from the parties, but it will be then registered electronically with the man on my left once again, who will review it and make sure it’s acceptable and if there are any improvements that have to be made, then it could be done right away. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The man on the minister’s left appears to be a good man, but...
... the person after him may not be as friendly as the gentleman to the left of the minister. No, I’m kidding. I think that’s understood that as long as the legal instruments and signatures are still required, that explains my concern.
We were on clause 6.
Chairman: Is the committee agreed to Bill 27 as a whole?
Chairman: Thank you. Do the members agree that pursuant to Rule 67(2) that Bill 27 can immediately be placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading?
Chairman: I think we’re done with our clauses.
I thank you, minister, and your officials.
Would you like to make any closing remarks?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) During the early part of our mandate, we made a commitment to make business quicker and reduce some of the barriers faced by our business sector, and I’m very pleased with the support of the members that we’re going to be improving the system today and I look forward to more progress in these areas so that our constituents can benefit from development taking place throughout the territory.
Thank you very much for your support. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman: I would like to thank the minister and his officials.
Your committee has been considering Bills 33, 26, and 27, and would like to report that Bill 26 and Bill 27 are immediately ready for third reading, that Bill 33 is immediately ready for third reading as amended, and that one committee motion was adopted.
Bill 34 – Nunavut Outfitters Liability Protection Fund Act – Third Reading
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Iqaluit East, that Bill 34, the Nunavut Outfitters Liability Protection Fund Act, be read for the third time.
Bill 34 has had its third reading.
Bill 29 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 1, 2008-2009 – Third Reading
I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Quttiktuq, that Bill 29, Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 1, 2008-2009, be read for the third time.
Bill 29 has had its third reading.
Bill 30 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, No. 1, 2008-2009 – Third Reading
I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Nattilik, that Bill 30, Supplementary Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) Act, No. 1, 2008-2009, be read for the third time.
Bill 30 has had its third reading.
If there are no more, Item 22.
Orders of the Day for June 4:
Motion 41 – 2(4)
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Members, in accordance to the authority provided to me by Motion 4 – 2(4), the House stands adjourned until Wednesday, June 4, and we will start at 10:00 in the morning. (interpretation) Thank you.
>>House adjourned at 17:56
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Pages 4531 – 4600
Opening Prayer 4531
Point of Privilege 4531
Ministers’ Statements 4531
Members’ Statements 4535
Returns to Oral Questions 4547
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 4548
Oral Questions 4549
Revert to Item 5: Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 4569
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills 4570
Tabling of Documents 4570
Notices of Motions 4571
Motions 4571
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 4572
Report of the Committee of the Whole 4594
Speaker’s Ruling 4595
Third Reading of Bills 4597
Assent to Bills 4598
Orders of the Day 4599
Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4531
198 – 2(4): RCMP “V” Division Recruitment DVD (Okalik) 4531
199 – 2(4): Elder Abuse Awareness Day (Tapardjuk) 4532
200 – 2(4): Community Access Program (Picco) 4533
201 – 2(4): Youth Strategy Update (Tapardjuk) 4534
202 – 2(4): NAC Health Program Graduates (Aglukkaq) 4534
487 – 2(4): Farewell to Leetia Nowdluk (Mapsalak) 4535
488 – 2(4): Congratulations to Pond Inlet Graduates (Arvaluk) 4536
489 – 2(4): Boating Safety Awareness (Curley) 4536
490 – 2(4): Comments on Wife in Anglican Ministry (Simailak) 4537
491 – 2(4): Reflections on Working with Peter Kattuk (Akesuk) 4538
492 – 2(4): Zacharias Kunuk Awarded Honourary Doctorate by Trent University (Barnabas) 4539
493 – 2(4): Thanks to All Members (Kattuk) 4539
494– 2(4): Graduates from Hall Beach (Tapardjuk) 4542
495 – 2(4): Mr. Peter Kattuk (Picco) 4542
496 – 2(4): Grade Six Graduates of Cambridge Bay (Peterson) 4544
497 – 2(4): 43 Year Anniversary with Ron Brown (Brown) 4544
498 – 2(4): All the Best to Peter Kattuk and Family (Aglukkaq) 4545
499 – 2(4): Father’s Day Message to Fathers (Netser) 4546
500 – 2(4): Wishing Nunavummiut a Safe Spring and Summer (Okalik) 4547
Return to Oral Question 563 – 2(4): CGS Initiatives in Kugluktuk (Brown) 4547
607 – 2(4): Road Dust (Peterson) 4549
608 – 2(4): Help for Substance Abuse Addicts (Simailak) 4551
609 – 2(4): Marine Safety Program (Curley) 4555
610 – 2(4): Concerns Regarding Where Nunavummiut go to Voice Concerns about Mining Development (Arvaluk) 4557
611 – 2(4): Polar Bear Quota for Sanikiluaq (Kattuk) 4560
612 – 2(4): 30 Year Anniversary of the Hamlet in Repulse Bay (Mapsalak) 4562
613 – 2(4): Status of Clean-up of Old Baker Lake Power Station (Simailak) 4563
614 – 2(4): Government’s Plan on Effects of Development (Curley) 4565
Committee Report on Bills 016 – 2(4): Bill 6, Official Languages Act (As Amended) (Mapsalak) 4570
267 – 2(4): Strategic Action Plan for Youth Initiatives (Tapardjuk) 4570
268 – 2(4): Crown Agency Council of the GN Activities Report April 1, 2007 – March 31, 2008 (Tapardjuk) 4570
269 – 2(4): Grants and Contributions – GN Report 2005-2006 and Grants and Contributions – GN Report 2006-2007 (Tapardjuk) 4571
270 – 2(4): Members’ Guidelines and Information on Indemnities, Allowances and Services in the 2008 Election Year (Management and Services Board) (Speaker) 4571
042 – 2(4): Referral of Tabled Document 216 – 2(4) to the Committee of the Whole – Notice (Curley) 4571
041 – 2(4): Extended Adjournment (Picco) 4571
018 – 2(4): Bill 6 – Amend Subclause 36(1)(a)(i) Strike Out Subsection 32(4) and Substitute 32.1(1) (Arvaluk) 4590
019 – 2(4): Bill 6 – Amend Clause 49 - Coming into Force Provision (Arvaluk) 4593
Bill 06 – Official Languages Act – Consideration in Committee 4572
Bill 26 – Securities Act – Third Reading 4597
Bill 27 – An Act to Amend the Land Titles Act – Third Reading 4597
Bill 33 – An Act to Amend the Labour Standards Act – Third Reading 4597
Bill 06 – Official Languages Act – Third Reading 4598
Bill 06 – Official Languages Act – Assent 4598
Bill 26 – Securities Act – Assent 4598
Bill 27 – An Act to Amend the Land Titles Act – Assent 4598
Bill 28 – An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, No. 3 – Assent 4598
Bill 29 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 1, 2008-2009 – Assent 4598
Bill 30 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, No. 1, 2008-2009 – Assent 4598
Bill 31 – Legislative Assembly Statutes Amendment Act, 2008 – Assent 4598
Bill 32 – An Act to Amend the Nunavut Elections Act, No. 2 – Assent 4598
Bill 33 – An Act to Amend the Labour Standards Act – Assent 4598
Bill 34 – Nunavut Outfitters Liability Protection Fund Act – Assent 4598
Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Honourable Olayuk Akesuk, Mr. David Alagalak, Mr. James Arreak, Mr. James Arvaluk, Honourable Levi Barnabas, Honourable Levinia Brown, Mr. Tagak Curley, Mr. Joe Allen Evyagotailak, Mr. Peter Kattuk, Honourable Peter Kilabuk, Mr. Steve Mapsalak, Honourable Patterk Netser, Honourable Paul Okalik, Mr. Keith Peterson, Honourable Edward Picco, Mr. David Simailak, Honourable Louis Tapardjuk.
Speaker (Hon. Peter Kilabuk)(interpretation): I would like to ask Mr. Evyagotailak to say the opening prayer.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Good morning, Mr. Premier, Ministers, and Members.
I wish to rise on a Point of Privilege today. I would like to take this opportunity to formally apologize to the House with respect to my comments on May 30, 2008.
While I had no intentions of misleading the House at any time, I take full responsibility for my comments and apologize accordingly.
Your comments have been noted and this matter is closed.
We will now proceed with the Orders of the Day. Item 2.
Minister’s Statement 198 – 2(4): RCMP “V” Division Recruitment DVD (Okalik)
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank my colleague for his apology.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to announce the development and production of a new recruitment DVD created by “V” Division of the RCMP specifically for recruitment in Nunavut.
This is one of a number of steps that the government has been working towards in tandem with the RCMP to increase Inuit representation so we can have a more effective and culturally relevant police force.
I encourage each of you, along with the local detachment, to engage community members and promote careers in the RCMP as our territory’s police force. Through a career in policing, Nunavummiut can help to make their communities safer.
I am also pleased that 21 young people from 18 communities will be arriving in Iqaluit next week to start their training as summer students.
In addition to their useful work in your community this summer, we hope that it will spark their interest in working towards justice for Nunavummiut.
Minister’s Statement 199 – 2(4): Elder Abuse Awareness Day (Tapardjuk)
I wish to extend a good morning to my mother-in-law, mother as well as my god-mother, as they are quite elderly women in Igloolik.
Mr. Speaker, the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is June 15.
The Department of Culture, Language, Elders, and Youth fully supports this special day as a time to share information, learn more and discuss the issue of abuse of older adults.
It is unfortunate that elder abuse exists in Nunavut, it is shameful.
Throughout Nunavut, it is time for everyone to be more aware that elder abuse exists in our territory. Elders are our teachers, our link to our past and they deserve to be treated with the utmost respect and dignity. They should not be left to their own devices.
All of these people have rights and nobody should violate these rights they hold.
No one deserves to have their rights violated. No one deserves to be mistreated or exploited at any age. They should not treat anyone like orphans; they have to treat them with dignity.
Those who are suffering now, mentally or physically, due to abuse, are the ones we have to assist immediately, Mr. Speaker.
The Department of Culture, Language, Elders, and Youth continues to work with other departments to raise awareness and education on this issue as increasing public awareness is one key way to addressing the needs of abused and neglected elders. It is wrong to not treat elders with the due respect and dignity they deserve.
With that, we will be distributing information kits and posters regarding the deferential manner in which Inuit are supposed to treat their elders, in all official languages, to every hamlet and community in Nunavut.
Please join me in making Nunavummiut aware that we need to treat our elders with respect and deference. When that day arrives, please ensure that if you happen to pass by an elder requiring assistance or who is walking, I am telling the younger generation to provide that assistance to show their respect for them.
Minister’s Statement 200 – 2(4): Community Access Program (Picco)
Hon. Ed. Picco (interpretation): Good morning. (interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House about the Department of Education’s Community Access Program, or CAP.
CAP is an initiative developed by Industry Canada to help provide Canadians with affordable public access to the Internet and the skills to utilize it effectively.
Under CAP, local schools, libraries and community centres act as gateways to the Internet, providing computers and support on how to make the best use of the Internet.
Mr. Speaker, this spring, the department completed a three-year project funded by the Office of Learning Technologies.
The project was launched in six pilot communities to reduce the digital divide in Nunavut by increasing the availability of Inuktitut training and materials in Information and Communication Technology, or ICT.
One of the outcomes of this project was the development of a website containing educational materials on ICT. Mr. Speaker, this site contains manuals in both English and Inuktitut. These manuals were reworked to make them Nunavut-relevant and then translated into Inuktitut.
Mr. Speaker, this project also delivered of workshops and one-on-one instruction on ICT. Over the course of three years, 4,459 people received one-on-one assistance and 178 participated in workshops.
As you know, Mr. Speaker, skill development is crucial to the success of all Nunavummiut.
Mr. Speaker, based on the number of users accessing this information, this initiative has been a tremendous success.
The department is pleased to offer access to and training on the Internet and computer technologies and look forward to continuing this important work.
Speaker: Thank you, Minister. It is noted that your Minister’s Statement did not come with copies to the desk. So therefore, I’m asking you to provide a copy to the front desk for distribution to the members and the House, please.
Thank you. (interpretation) Item 2.
Minister’s Statement 201 – 2(4): Youth Strategy Update (Tapardjuk)
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, youth representatives from Nunavut’s three regions came together in Iqaluit in March 2008 to review and revise the Youth Implementation and Development Strategy.
In community-based committees across Nunavut, youth work tirelessly to volunteer, work with their peers, and fund-raise for on-the-land events and social activities.
It is evident by their commitment to committees that youth are passionate about their identity, language and culture. They value highly the importance of traditional knowledge and encourage its practice within their communities.
Mr. Speaker, my staff has prepared the Strategic Action Plan for Youth Initiatives, which I will be tabling later today, to inform us all of the developments to date, the values and the goals set out by youth for the coming years.
In this document, youth participants have directed CLEY with steps to meet strategic outcomes which will strengthen youth within our society.
I would like to emphasize that we have worked very closely with NTI and the regional Inuit associations on this project, and their participation and contributions to this revised Strategic Action Plan for Youth Initiatives have been very constructive and helpful.
Mr. Speaker, the March 2008 Youth Strategy Meetings provided both an opportunity for youth to meet face-to-face and also work together to create the Strategic Action Plan for Youth Initiatives wholly based on values and ideas of Nunavut’s youth.
Minister’s Statement 202 – 2(4): NAC Health Program Graduates (Aglukkaq)
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a tremendous pleasure to recognize the graduating class of the Nunavut Arctic College.
This coming Friday, June 6, 2008, is a day to honour the graduates of the Maternity Care Worker Program and the Nursing Program.
All of the graduates have worked hard at getting to this stage. I applaud them on reaching this goal and formally acknowledge this achievement.
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House, please join me in congratulating the Nunavut Arctic College/Dalhousie University Bachelor of Science nursing students:
Sharon Owlijoot
Trista Mercer
Shelly Fisher
Allison Wheaton
Sara Greeley