EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
There’s a reduction of more than half in the budget.
The Bathurst mandate, we said, education would be one of the top priorities of this government.
I’m wondering why there is such a reduction in the trades program by almost more than half.
Regarding the trades program, the reduction as I said earlier, I tried to explain, that even with that reduction in mind, the people in the trades program, there hasn’t been a decrease in the numbers.
I wanted people to understand that the Federal Government Agreement for the trades program is $2 million 856 dollars.
And that is a Federal Government Agreement.
This looks small on here in 9-12, $299 thousand dollars down to $148 thousand dollars.
But the instructors through that program also have a budget for over $2 million dollars.
It is not to say that there will be a decrease in the number of people in the program.
It’s because the funds are set aside in another agreement and not reflected in this budget.
It’s close to $3 million dollars that the Federal Government has in an agreement with us.
Mr. Chairman, I don’t know what else to add.
Like I said earlier, the Operations and Maintenance for trades, we also took some money from the boards operations.
What about the $2 million?
Where is this reflected in the budget?
Please show me the page where it is.
We will get to them one of these days, on page 9-21.
Yes, I will ask the questions when we get there.
I would like to ask at this point regarding the trades program, what improvements can we make?
I’m sure there is room for improvement.
For instance, the Fort Smith Trades Program, could the Minister put a plan in place or has he considered whether or not there can be a trade school here in Nunavut?
If they did not have to go outside of Nunavut, there would definitely be more graduates of these programs.
We need a carpentry program for instance in Coral Harbour and in Naujaat, have an oil burner training program those are the types of ideas we should be considering.
Has there been any consideration in that regard so that they don’t have to go out of Nunavut to go to trades school?
Yes, I mentioned earlier, and I will say it again, regarding the trades program, yes it will be included in the review.
There is a plan in place for an adult workers program that I announced in the House earlier about the need for setting up a school or talk about improving the programs already in place.
These will be part of the review and the plans for on the job training and will include the needs for Nunavut in the trades along with infrastructure requirements and other improvements for this program.
That’s all I can answer for now, Mr. Chairman.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Kilabuk. 9-11 and 9-12, they’re on the same page but with different numbers.
My question is regarding the fees and payments section.
My question is why the reduction in the fees and payments budget line in there.
Chairperson (interpretation): 9-11. Minister Kilabuk.
Yes there is a decrease in there.
We had to move some funds and that’s why we took from the $23 thousand dollars down to $16 thousand, $5 thousand dollars for administration costs.
We also moved funds from the early childhood program as well.
We also moved funds to the trades program.
As well, we also moved 1thousand dollars to the trade program section.
I just wanted to have a better understanding about what the decrease was about.
Some of the communities that have a growing population and there are going to be more people who want to take post-secondary education.
In the fees and payments, I thought they would have to keep up with growing population.
I understand from his explanation but at the same time, you would think that the fees and payments would decrease every year due to growth in population, so that’s why I brought that question up.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Alakannuark. Minister Kilabuk.
The $23 thousand to $16 thousand decreases, that is only for the Adult Learning and Post Secondary Services.
It does not mean that there is a reduction in the Financial Assistance given to students, but it is an administrative issue within that Division.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Alakannuark, and Mr. Minister. 9-11. 9-12.
The question that I was going to raise has already been raised.
(Interpretation ends) I will ask a question in the area of Trades Schools for Nunavut.
I know that if I hear you correctly, you will be reviewing this.
I want to bring an idea or suggestion to you that if we are going to be looking at Trades Schools for Nunavut, I would like to suggest that each region have one, instead of saying that we are going to have one big one in the capital, or somewhere, like you mentioned, nearby.
You used that word before.
As you know, most of the students did not stay very long, here for example, because they are far away from home on holidays, or during their break they have to pay their own way in some cases.
Still to have it closer to their home communities, or in each community, that we have a Trades School.
I would like to suggest that.
I want you to consider this option, instead of having one in Nunavut, but have one in each region, or each community if that is something that can be looked at very carefully.
It is long-term planning, it is going to take a while, but eventually there will be something in place that could address this need in Nunavut.
Just for clarification again.
You mentioned earlier that you are currently reviewing, or will be planning for this Trades School in Nunavut.
I cannot remember exactly what you mentioned earlier, I just wanted to get some clarification on that.
Yes, I stated earlier that when the review is being undertaken, it will part of the discussion.
The need for a Trade School will be part of that review so that there can be a school in place in Nunavut.
I also would like to state that with this comment, for instance in Iqaluit, the Carpentry Certificate Program is in place in Iqaluit.
With that in mind, we can build on it and look at what is already in place.
I would like to state that the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories Governments, I have met with my counterpart and they have stated that it is getting harder and harder to run these Trades Schools.
That has recently become a concern regarding the difficulty in operating these types of Trades Schools.
That is one thing that we are going to have to keep in mind once we start discussing and planning this.
Yes, I do agree that it will be part of the review.
I hear you when you say it’s going to be a hard issue to deal with.
That’s going to make it very difficult to do reviews and statistics in two territories, it’s not to convincing.
We could do our own here; it might work better from the other territories.
I really want to make sure that you’re careful, and do very detailed review on this.
When did you say you were going to start on this? Did you say you started it and if you did, when do you expect to have at least, bring to our attention that it will be completed.
First of all, let me try and clarify the intent of our review.
All we want to do is look at an adult learning strategy.
The trades school will only be one component of it.
There will be many other issues and matters discussed during the review.
Now, as I indicated earlier, we want to make sure that when we do the review, we include as many components as we can to make the puzzle whole.
So, the review that we’ve started, we expect that to be completed by the fall of this year.
There’s a very good question regarding financial assistance for students.
First of all I’d like to ask when there’s a student going elsewhere outside of Nunavut for post-secondary education, do we help them pay for their rent?
Yes, there was a breakdown of the different types of assistance given to students.
They have to pay for rent.
If they have a telephone they have a phone expense, and they also receive assistance for going to school and as well, for school materials and books and different things.
But the rent is not a specific expense that we pay for but it’s part of the overall assistance given to the students.
According to the Bathurst Mandate, it was stated that for future purposes, we stated that students in Nunavut are our future and if we’re going to ensure that the youth have a good future, we have to find the best possible ways to give assistance for student within Nunavut.
We always say that because the students are our future, that we want them to be ready for any type of job within Nunavut. We are always saying that because they are our future, that we are going to hire Nunavummiut who have adequate education, especially some of the Ministers who have stood up in this House with that line.
But I think there are problems due to the increase in the cost of living and I don’t think the assistance we provide is par with that increase.
Has the Department of Education considered all options including to pay all expenses required for a student to go to post-secondary or adult learning programs?
I think it’s worth while to make that commitment if we want to provide the best service for our students.
We don’t need the students worrying about the expense of going to school day to day when they should be focussing on their studies.
Has that been an idea taken into consideration by his department?
Yes, we have the best system perhaps within Canada.
If we can look at other systems, we hear that enrolment is really good down south.
In Nunavut, the student services and programs are the best in Canada.
The students who go to school down south will have to pay from their savings or loans or perhaps their parents pay for their tuition.
We are not spoiling the students.
We are providing the best service and support programs for the students within the whole jurisdiction of Canada.
In financing individuals to further their training, yes we pay for their accommodations, their transportation and also their financial assistance and their tuition and for their safety.
Yes, we are quite unique within all the jurisdictions of Canada.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman and we will not stop.
We will look at ways to retain students until they complete their courses and we provide 12 thousand dollars per student annually.
I know that, I don’t blame the members for not knowing what kind of support we provide for the students.
Our programs and services for the students are top of the line.
I also took part in the fact finding mission to Greenland and I saw the type of program I would love to see here being run at their trade school there.
Not one student has to pay for their tuition because the home rule government pays for all their education.
If we want to educate Nunavummiut and if we want to have strong educated people, yes, we have to find better solutions to service them because the Greenland Inuit people work at all levels of the government and all levels of society because they live there.
We somehow have to find that sometime within our territory if we want to have the expertise with our children and our students.
If we want to have qualified people, we will have to provide good services and provide training programs for them.
As Nunavut residents, although we may have lived in Nunavut for the longest time, we are a very young government. I was wondering if your department can consider having that kind of service.
If we want to provide good Programs for the students so that we can come up with, or have a result with educated people.
Yes as all my colleagues know that in the past we have done studies and reviews, and also we have reviewed the Income Support Program and also the Student Financial Assistance Program.
We provide good financial assistance.
The beneficiaries do not have to pay for their School textbooks, or their tuition, we pay for their tuition, and even their transportation.
The only thing that they have to pay is accommodation.
We still could not keep up with the accommodations.
Although we may consider it within our Main Estimates for next fiscal year, I am sure that it will be impossible.
I could tell my colleague that sometime in the future that we want to be able to put that in the Main Estimates, but the funding that we have for the Operations and Maintenance is to make it adequate, but in order not to confuse the public, if the public has any concerns, or if they have any questions in regards to the Student Financial Assistance Program, they can approach the college to get the appropriate information.
Chairperson (interpretation): There is a Motion on the Floor, and it is not debatable.
To report progress, all those in favour?
Thank you for appearing before the Committee of the Whole, for the Department of Education, and also the Division of Income Support.
Mr. Speaker, you can come into the House now.
Speaker: Returning to the Orders of the Day, Item 21.
Reports to the Committee of the Whole, Mr. Chairman.
Item 21: Reports to the Committee of the Whole
Chairperson (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 30 and the main estimates and would like to report progress.
Also, Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.
Ms. Williams. The motion is in order.
Reminder to members of the standing committee members on Health and Education tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. in the Nanuq Board Room
Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 18th:
This House stands adjourned until Tuesday, March 18th, 1:30 p.m.
>>House adjourned at 18:02 p.m.  Nunavut Canada
Tuesday March 18, 2003
Pages 2793 - 2881
Opening Prayer 2793
Ministers’ Statements 2793
Members’ Statements 2794
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 2800
Oral Questions 2801
Revert to Item 5: Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 2820
Written Questions 2821
Petitions 2822
Tabling of Documents 2822
Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills 2824
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 2824
Report of Committee of the Whole 2879
Third Reading of Bills 2879
Orders of the Day 2880
Tuesday March 18, 2003 2800
Minister’s Statement 133 – 1(6): Telehealth in Arctic Bay 2793
437 – 1(6): Fake Inuit Arts and Craft (Puqiqnak) 2794
438 – 1(6): Keeping Prisoners in Nunavut (Havioyak) 2795
439 – 1(6): Housing in Nunavut (Alakannuark) 2796
440 – 1(6): Sanikiluaq Arts and Crafts in the Legislature (Kattuk) 2796
441 – 1(6): Making a Better Government in Nunavut (Anawak) 2796
442 – 1(6): Housing Task Force - Recommendations (Irqittuq) 2797
443 – 1(6): Open an Office for Sealift and Supplies (Thompson) 2798
444 – 1(6): Recommendations Must be Heard (Iqaqrialu) 2798
445 – 1(6): Education in Inuktitut (McLean) 2799
436 – 1(6): Revision to the Rent Scale (Alakannuark) 2801
437 – 1(6): Explanation on the Question of Assessment Testing of Students (Tootoo) 2802
438 – 1(6): RFP – Medical Travel – Kivalliq Region (McLean) 2806
439 – 1(6): Question on Patient Input Regarding Airline Travel (Anawak) 2809
440 – 1(6): Correctional Facility for Kitikmeot (Havioyak) 2812
441 – 1(6): Polar Bear Radio Collars (Irqittuq) 2813
442 – 1(6): Promote Authentic Inuit Carvings (Puqiqnak) 2815
443 – 1(6): Differences in Employee Benefits (Iqaqrialu) 2817
007 – 1(6): Question on Legal Opinion by French DEA (Tootoo) 2821
007 – 1(6): Unfair Rent Scale (Iqaqrialu) 2822
008 – 1(6): Support for a New Community Hall (Irqittuq) 2822
084 – 1(6): Issue on Northern Food Mail Program (Hudson Bay Regional Round Table) Resolution # 4 (McLean) 2822
085 – 1(6): Evaluation of Total Energy Situation in Nunavut (Hudson Bay Regional Round Table) Resolution # 1 (McLean) 2823
086 – 1(6): Aeroplan Miles (McLean) 2823
Bill 31 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 3, 2002/03 - Notice 2824
Bill 32 – Supplementary Appropriation (O and M) Act, No. 2, 2002/03 – Notice 2824
Bill 23 – An Act to Amend the Cities, Towns, and Villages Act – Third Reading 2880
Bill 24 – An Act to Amend the Hamlet Act – Third Reading 2880
Honourable Olayuk Akesuk, Mr. Ovide Alakannuark, Mr. Jack Anawak. Mr. Donald Havioyak, Mr. David Iqaqrialu, Mr. Enoki Irqittuk, Honourable Peter Kattuk, Honourable Peter Kilabuk, Mr. Glenn McLean, Honourable Kelvin Ng, Mr. Jobie Nutarak, Honourable Kevin O’Brien, Honourable Paul Okalik, Honourable Ed Picco, Mr. Uriash Puqiqnak, Honourable Manitok Thompson, Mr. Hunter Tootoo, Ms. Rebekah Williams.
Minister’s Statement 133 – 1(6): Telehealth in Arctic Bay
Mr. Speaker, Telehealth has given my department a valuable tool to provide even better health care to all Nunavummiut.
The Hamlet of Arctic Bay is just one example of a community that has benefited from the use of telehealth.
Mr. Speaker, to date Arctic Bay has put the technology to a variety of uses.
Two dermatology clinics have been held.
A team meeting was arranged about a critically ill infant whose medivac had to be cancelled due to weather, health professionals in the community joined a teaching session from Saskatchewan University to help upgrade their skills and connections were made between families in Arctic Bay and patients in confinement here in Iqaluit.
Mr. Speaker, this one community’s experiences are representative of the benefits this technology is having for our entire territory.
Mr. Speaker, telehealth is simply one more way we could face the challenges of providing health care in the north and Nunavut.
Patients constantly have access to the highest quality health care regardless of adverse conditions or distance.
Mr. Speaker, telehealth is an example of my department’s commitment to provide all of Nunavummiut the best possible health and social services available.
I’m proud to support telehealth and all the possibilities it can to bring to us here in Nunavut.
Member’s Statement 437 – 1(6): Fake Inuit Arts and Craft
Mr. Speaker, I might go past my time limit and if so please let me know and I will ask for unanimous consent.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about an issue facing carvers. I am proud to be a carver myself, which is how I earned my living before becoming a Member of the Legislative Assembly.
Mr. Speaker, today, I still consider myself to be a carver. Every time I make a statement, I have to think beforehand of what I have to carve and what story it should tell the viewer.
Mr. Speaker, it takes a while to carve a piece, especially when you do not use electric tools.
It also takes a lot of thought to make a piece.
Sometimes you make pieces portraying northern animals, as they are what we eat and what sustains us.
Other time we make pieces simply because we enjoy making it.
It all depends on the carver.
However, it is not so easy being a carver as one might think.
Mr. Speaker, while in Yellowknife on my way to Iqaluit for the session, I noticed a lot of mass produced plastic carvings in a gift shop.
Some of those depict Inuit in our traditional clothing or of our dogs and animals.
Mr. Speaker, I get really upset when I see those imitation carvings because I feel they take away possible sales from carvers because tourists would rather purchase cheaper souvenirs.
Mr. Puqiqnak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and colleagues.
Mr. Speaker, I consider those mass produced souvenirs an insult to carvers like myself and other carvers in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, carvers work really hard to produce such fine artwork, and it disturbs me that some people think they can imitate it.
Mr. Speaker, I know that we cannot ban these imitations, however, Mr. Speaker; we can do more to ensure that we promote authentic carvings and artwork from here.
Member’s Statement 438 – 1(6): Keeping Prisoners in Nunavut
I rise today to address an important justice issue.
Mr. Speaker, for several years now, I and the other Members of this House have spoken on the need to find ways of keeping our prisoners in Nunavut when they are serving their sentences.
Mr. Speaker, the people in my community of Kugluktuk have told me that our present system is not working.
Our prisoners are not undergoing the healing and rehabilitation that they need to re-enter society and return to their communities.
Mr. Speaker, the need for a new Correctional Facility has been clearly identified.
In fact, the Department of Justice’s own Business Plan says so.
It says “There is a need for more institutional bed space to meet the increasing demand.
To repatriate all territorial male and female offenders are being transferred to other jurisdictions.”
Mr. Speaker, in the last week two stories in the news have caught my attention.
In my community of Kugluktuk, the Hamlet’s Wellness Committee is trying to work with the Government of Nunavut to create a half way house in the community.
I applaud their efforts and I urge the Minister of Justice to help the community with funding and resources to achieve this goal.
Mr. Speaker, the other story that I heard yesterday, according to the news report, almost a quarter of a million dollars is needed to send our inmates out of Nunavut because of lack of adequate space here.
Mr. Speaker, I am not happy to hear this.
I want to see our scarce resources being spent here to develop facilities in Nunavut.
(Interpretation begins) Mr. Speaker, I will be asking questions on this issue to the Minister later on.
Member’s Statement 439 – 1(6): Housing in Nunavut
Mr. Speaker, the majority of the people live in public housing, and the majority of them are unemployed and want to work.
Only a small portion of the population lives in private homes.
People who own their own homes work to pay their mortgage, plus helping family members who are unemployed.
Mr. Speaker, it is a fact that there is a high unemployment rate, shortage of housing, high cost of living and cold winters in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, recognizing the unique situation that we have in Nunavut; this must be rectified in short order.
Member’s Statement 440 – 1(6): Sanikiluaq Arts and Crafts in the Legislature
I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to recognize and congratulate the people of Sanikiluaq.
Here in this Legislature in the hall are some artwork that was done by the people from Sanikiluaq.
Not a lot of people make those kinds of rocks that are framed and the frames were also made by the people of Sanikiluaq.
I would like to invite my Colleagues to join me in congratulating work that was done by the people of Sanikiluaq.
These people have done those things in order to make some money for themselves. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Member’s Statement 441 – 1(6): Making a Better Government in Nunavut
There are many people out there who sometimes disagree with the Government and the Members of the Legislature; the Members themselves also do not always agree on some things either.
But, I would like to say that when we talk about things that we do not agree with, what we are trying to do is to make a better Government.
And just using those as an example, when we talk about creating employment and creating jobs, say for instance, Peter Tatti of M and T, he runs a business in Rankin Inlet and Eyvo Airut who has YNC Enterprise in Rankin Inlet.
Whenever there is a problem with the operations of the Government, say for instance Peter Qarlik and Celestino Mappa, those are the people who we can ask for advice because they know what the Government could do to better the system or the operations of the communities.
We are here to do things to make a better life for the people of Nunavut and as a Government and as a Legislature; I think we have to try to make a better system for the people out there.
And maybe the elders can advise us on what things we can do better as a Government and as a Legislature, not just to make it look good, but to actually do work for the people of Nunavut.
And so, I am saying that the Elders’ Council that will be established, we should start listening to the Elders’ Council so that the Government can have a better operating stage.
Member’s Statement 442 – 1(6): Housing Task Force - Recommendations
I am happy to be back from my community.
I would like to briefly talk about the beginning of our Mandate as the Legislature and Minister Thompson told us to establish a housing taskforce.
We were tasked as a committee to review housing in Nunavut and we talked to as many people as we could in Nunavut.
In the end we made some recommendations, I believe there were 14 recommendations in total.