EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. McLean: Mr. Speaker, I have a petition.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of Keewatin Regional Health & Social Services announcement April 14th regarding Gloria Penners service at Ublivik will end June 30th 1999.
Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 144 signatures of residents of Baker Lake and Mr. Speaker, the petition states that many people of the land are concerned about losing Gloria Penners services.
Report 3 - 1 (2): Ajauqtiit, Review of Draft Business Plans and Preliminary Budget Information 1999/2000 Main Estimates
Mr. Speaker I would like to review the introduction and general recommendations from the Standing Committee of Ajauqtiit.
Mr. Speaker, the mandate of the Standing Committee is to review issues related to the Government of Nunavut' obligations in respect to the implementation of the Nunavut Land Claim Agreement and also to review the budget of the Office of the Legislative Assembly.
Mr. Speaker, members of Ajauqtiit reviewed the draft business plan and preliminary budget information for the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, April 27th, 1999. During a presentation from the Speaker, Levi Barnabas, and the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly.
Members had an opportunity to review some of this information in earlier orientation and other meetings with the Speaker and the Clerk of the Assembly.
However, in this meeting, the Speaker in effect appeared as a Minister and the Clerk as a Deputy Minister and the members asked questions as they would of any other Minister or department official.
A total budget allocation for operations of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut is 9 million, 748 thousand.
In general recommendations, as with other Standing Committees, members experienced some frustration in reviewing financial print outs that were initially provided only in English.
Members thank the Office of the Legislative Assembly for preparing an Inuktitut, more user friendly format and providing it to the members after the meeting.
However, in light of difficulties effecting all committees, members passed the following motion:
That all materials or correspondence provided by the Government of Nunavut Departments or Ministers to the Members of the Legislative Assembly should be done in both English and Inuktitut.
That sufficient resources be allocated for translation services to ensure that this happens on a timely basis.
Mr. Speaker, that concludes my introductory comments.
I move, seconded by the member from Hudson Bay, that the report be referred to Committee of the Whole for consideration in concurrence with the 1999/2000 Main Estimates.
I further seek unanimous consent to waive rule 91-4 to move the report into Committee of the Whole for today.
Mr. Tootoo is seeking unanimous consent to waive rule 91(4), that the Committee report be tabled at the Committee of the Whole.
Since there are no nays, Mr. Tootoo you have unanimous consent.
Item 12.
Reports of the Standing and Special Committees.
Report 4 - 1 (2): Culture, Education & Health, Review of Draft Business Plans and Preliminary Information on the 1999/2000 Main Estimates
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation) : Thank you Mr. Speaker.
I will be reading the report on the review of draft business plans of the Standing Committee on Culture, Education and Health.
It has seven pages.
Standing Committee on Culture, Education and Health. Mr. Speaker, it is going to take me a while so bear with me.
Terms of Reference.
The mandate of the Standing Committee on Culture, Education and Health is to review the latest policy proposals, draft legislation, departmental business plans and estimates.
Review bills referred by the House.
Review Departmental Performance, and consider any other matter referred by the House.
The Department of Health and Social Services, Department of Education, Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
Unless otherwise referred to in the terms of reference in any other Standing Committee, all Boards and Agencies that fall under the responsibility of the Minister of Health and Social Services, the Minister of Education, and the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
At the point of the Standing Committees' review in April of 1999, the Government of Nunavut was only three weeks old.
Nevertheless, in spite of it’s youth, the Government has had to make plans and move forward quickly with the budget for the new fiscal year.
Much of this preparatory work was done by Departments prior to March 31/99, under the leadership of the Office of the Interim Commissioner.
However, as elected members of the Legislative Assembly, it was our duty to review and make recommendations concerning the plans and the budgets for the three departments of Education, Health and Social Services, and Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, to ensure that they meet the needs and priorities of Nunavummiut and the new Government of Nunavut.
Presentations were made by the Ministers and their departmental officials to the Standing Committee which included draft business plans mostly developed prior to February 5th. 1999. Draft capital plans, mostly commitments by GNWT prior to March 31, 1999 and one-page budgets or main estimate summaries.
Members also had the opportunity to ask questions to obtain further details and some Departments provided additional information following the hearings.
As this is the first time that the Standing Committees have performed this review function, members have some questions and recommendations about the process for all three Departments.
General Recommendations to All Departments:
The need for detailed and realistic plans and long term goals.
In general, there is support for draft business plans as presented, however while some departments have various specific goals and proposals, the Standing Committee is concerned at the lack of detail in others, as well some goals and objectives seem very ambitious for the time frames presented.
The Standing Committee is concerned with setting up expectations that may not be met due to limitations in our financial or human resources.
At the same time the Standing Committee appreciated the efforts of the departments which outlined longer term strategic goals and objectives, even up to twenty years.
Recommendations:
That the Government of Nunavut Departments create detailed business plans which specify achievable goals and objectives for the business planning cycle of one or three years, and detailed work plans for the current fiscal year.
That the Government of Nunavut Departments create long term goals and objectives which the current programs are designed to meet.
That the Standing Committee be consulted in the development of these plans before they are finalized.
It is unclear from the presentations to the Standing Committee what directions the departments have received regarding the recommendations that are in the Footprints Documents prepared by the Nunavut Implementation Commission.
There appears to be some inconsistency as the departments are fulfilling some Footprints recommendations but not fulfilling others.
Is there a list of principles or criteria by which Departments are making decisions?
Recommendation:
That the Government of Nunavut generally implement the recommendations of Footprints unless there are good reasons for pursuing an alternate course of action, and these reasons are publicly outlined.
Decentralization:
Footprints recommended a decentralized government.
The Office of the Interim Commissioner reviewed these recommendations and in October 1998 made a public commitment for a number of decentralized positions under different departments to go to specific communities.
It is unclear from the presentations to the Standing Committees as to what the plans are for these decentralized positions.
Which communities will have which positions and what is the expected time frame for these positions to be established?
Furthermore, how will the services that have been contracted back to the GNWT be integrated into the decentralization plan?
For these three departments in particular, it is not clear as to how the decision to abolish the Regional Health and Social Services Boards and the Regional Education Boards will impact on the decentralization and maintenance of the current service levels.
That the Government of Nunavut departments provide the Standing Committee with detailed plans regarding the decentralization by community by position and with time frames.
Where the departments are proposing to take an alternate course of action than in Footprints, or to the 1998 public statement on decentralized positions, a review of alternative options and compelling reasons should be provided to the Standing Committee.
Inuit Qaujimanituqangit
All departments stated a commitment to making Inuit Qaujimanituqangit a cornerstone of the new Government, and under the Office of the Interim Commissioner this was a component of both division and the goals of governance of the new Government.
However it was disappointing that no department presented a clear articulation of what this means.
As noted below, the Standing Committee embraces the involvement of the communities and elders in policy development and program delivery as two components ensuring a culturally sensitive government built on Inuit traditions, and Inuit ways of doing things.
Members also welcome the commitment by the Cabinet to making Inuktitut the working language of the Cabinet and the Government, and various initiatives proposed for the departments to increase the capacity of the staff to speak and understand Inuktitut.
These are clearly part of the process of using Inuit Qaujimanituqangit, but the Standing Committee knows that Inuit Qaujimanituqangit is much more than this, although mindful that developing consensus as to what Inuit Qaujimanituqangit means across Nunavut will be a difficult task. It is probably one of the most important tasks of the new Government of Nunavut.
Without a clear understanding about what our goals are with respect to Inuit Qaujimanituqangit and how the Government of Nunavut staff are to integrate it on a day to day basis, there is a tremendous risk that it will remain good intentions, or words on paper.
Members do not want the Government of Nunavut to take that risk.
Members were advised in the follow up that the Nunavut Social Development Council sponsored a conference on Inuit Traditional Knowledge in March 1998, out of which came a working group which also includes Culture, Language, Elders and Youth Department and other departmental officials.
Members welcome this beginning and encourage a collective effort to build on it.
That the Cabinet build a strong policy statement about their commitment to Inuit Qaujimanituqangit as the foundation of the Government of Nunavut.
That as an immediate priority, that the Cabinet direct the Department of Culture and Education to continue to work in partnership with the Nunavut Social Development Council and others regarding Inuit Qaujimanituqangit to develop a policy discussion paper for consideration by the people of Nunavut about Inuit Qaujimanituqangit and how it should be integrated into the Government of Nunavut.
Community Input and Support
As noted above, all departments spoke of their commitment in making Inuit Qaujimanituqangit a foundation of their work, however, there are very few details as to how this will happen.
The Standing Committee welcomes the stated commitments to work with our communities.
Members of the Standing Committees believe that if the departments truly utilize the communities needs first in making decisions about policy or programs, that they will be utilizing the community heritage as well as traditional knowledge.
However, even when the departments give an example of community bodies and organizations that they wish to work with in the future, few details were provided as to how this would happen.
The Standing Committee notes that the GNWT Government had a stated commitment to community empowerment and in the past they negotiated the transfer of responsibilities to some communities in Nunavut.
For such as the delivery of Social Services, however, it is uncertain what the Government of Nunavut policy will be in this regard.
A member used the example of Pond Inlet where negotiations have taken place for transferring social programs to the community government but to date it seems to be on hold.
That the Government of Nunavut Departments provide the Standing Committee with a written statement their commitment to working with communities and detailed plans as to how they will accomplish this.
What is their goal in the delivery of these important services, in particular for these three departments, how do they intend to work with this and what support do they intend to provide to the community groups.
Specified in their presentations, the District Education Authorities, the Community Health Committee, the proposed Community based Inuit Cultural Heritage Committees and elders councils and societies.
The standing committee welcomed the stated commitment on behalf of each of these departments to draw on elders and Inuit Qaujimanituqangit into their programs.
However there was concern that beyond the good intentions, there were no detailed plans and at this point there seems to be no policy direction to the government as a whole.
As noted above, if Inuit Qaujimanituqangit is going to be one of the cornerstones of this government, the Cabinet has to make a very clear statement in this regard. Departments must have clear plans and elders must be supported and allowed to participate.
In order to meaningfully involve elders in the policy making process and into program delivery, the Standing Committee believes that elders councils or societies in each community require consistent support.
This support should provide the appropriate co-ordination and administrative support, physical facility support and compensation for the elders' work.
It seems clear that the department of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth does not have enough funding for this task.
While no one department seems to have specific funding programs directed to this purpose, it was noted that many departments have funding programs that could be directed to this purpose and some have done so to date.
Departments should be encouraged to work together to ensure that a co-ordinated effort makes this happen.
In the case of the three departments being reviewed, funding programs at both the Federal and Territorial level could support elders councils to play a role in community wellness. Using, for example, Brighter Futures, prenatal nutrition which is in health, and in the schools, education, in the teaching and delivery of arts and crafts programs with arts and crafts funding. As well they should support women elders by using the Status of Women funding.
These are but to name a few.
Other departments, for example, Justice, community Justice and Sustainable Development, utilizing economic development, also have programs which could be partnered into such an initiative. Where the government of Nunavut could look in creating partnerships with local Hamlet Councils as well as Inuit Organizations.
Local Hamlets often provide income support through financial administration and meeting space for elders councils and these needs should continue to be supported in some communities.  In some communities, churches and heritage groups have provided support to elders associations and these groups should be part of the process.
In furtherance of the role of elders councils, in working to preserve the local heritage and culture, Inuit Organizations, such as the Inuit Heritage Trusts and the regional Inuit Organizations should also have a role to play.
Members believe that the resources are there only if a focussed and co-ordinated effort mobilizes them to be used for this crucial purpose.
Recommendations: That as an immediate priority, the Government of Nunavut prepare a policy statement on the involvement of elders in policy development and program delivery or services.
That the department of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth prepare an options paper for Cabinet after consultation with other departments and stakeholders on funding support to elders councils at the community level which would build partnerships amongst departments, local governments as well as Inuit Organizations utilizing existing funding programs at a federal and territorial level as well as local resources to ensure the participation of elders in policy development and program delivery or services at the community level and Nunavut wide.
That the departments develop detailed plans for integrating elders in policy development and program delivery within their mandate.
Sharing of information in the budget review process.
Although Ministers continually stated that there would be a close working relationship between the Cabinet and the regular members, members of the Standing Committee were frustrated at not being given the budget and program detail which was required for them to conduct a proper interim review.
Some departments were more forthcoming with community specific information and financial details.
It is regrettable then, that it is from imperfect information that the Standing Committees must make their recommendations. Members expect that the inadequacies of the current process are part of the growing pains of a new government and that, with a few changes, the goal of a close working relationship between the Cabinet and the regular members will be fulfilled in the future. Very short now, just bear with me.
Recommendation: That draft departmental budgets or Main Estimates be provided to the Standing Committee prior to the budget being tabled in the House, including details on expenditures in each program area, including detailed expenditures by community.
It should be in plain language and understandable formats, as well as in Inuktitut and English.
That the departments should provide mid-year progress reports that would be reviewed by the Standing Committee in October of this year, 1999.
They should include detailing the programs which have been initiated to date, they should outline specific expenditures to date and entitlements and providing information on plans for the remaining fiscal year.
I think before we take a break, I would like to recognize someone.
Mr. Nutarak, I'm sorry, Mr. Nutarak.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, my comments are finally ended but I have a couple of motions.
I move that following the review of the draft department business plans and preliminary information on 1999/2000 Main Estimates, rule 91(4) be waived and the report be tabled to the Committee of the Whole and that I would like to receive unanimous consent.
Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Nutarak would like unanimous consent to waive 91(4) and table the report of the Standing Committee to the Committee of the Whole.
Mr. Nutarak you have received unanimous consent and the rule 91(4) has been waived and the report will be presented later on.
Prior to our break I would like to recognize those who are present from Nunavut Trust.
Peter Krittiqaluk, the chairman, Jack Kupena, Charlie Lyall, and James Takawgak Arreak.
Welcome to the session, we will have a fifteen minute break and return.
>>House recessed at 3.47 pm and resumed at 4.11 pm.
Speaker: Item 13, Reports of Committees on Review of Bills. Item 13, Reports of Committees on Review of Bills.
Item 14: Tabling of Documents
Tabled Document 2 - 1 (2): Placement of Doctor in Baker Lake
Tabled Document 3 - 1 (2): Ambulance Service in Baker Lake
I have a couple of documents to table.
One regarding health care and the placement of a doctor in Baker Lake and the second one regarding ambulance service in Baker Lake.
Tabled Document 4 - 1 (2): Report # 7, House of Commons Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker I would like at this time to table report # 7 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.
This is an interim report on urgent issues arising from visits to Northern Quebec and Nunavut by the Committee.
The Committee felt that the urgent need for better housing and community infrastructure and the negative impact on NavCanada fees on northern communities merited prompt attention.
I urge all members to review this report on these crucial issues that effect every single one of our communities.
Tabled Document 5 - 1 (2): Report on Meetings in Clyde River and Broughton Island
I would like to table a document regarding meetings that were held in Broughton Island and Clyde River regarding the Hamlet.
Three chairs, of previous members, Tommy Enuaraq, Mayor, Loasie and myself, Mayor James Kalluk will write a letter to the Premier, Mr. Okalik and these letters will be read for signature and we would like the Cabinet members and the regular members to have a meeting regarding these issues.
Number 15, Notices of Motions.
Item 16: Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills
Bill 2 - Boards of Management Dissolution Act
I give notice that on Thursday, May 20th, 1999, I shall move that Bill 2 - Boards of Management Dissolution Act, be read for the first time.
Bill 3 - Divisional Education Councils Dissolution Act
Hon. James Arvaluk: Thank you Mr. Speaker.
I give notice that on Thursday, May 20th, 1999, I will move that Bill 3 - Divisional Education Councils Dissolution Act, be read for the first time.
Notices of Motions for First Readings of Bills.
Number 18, First Reading of Bills.
Number 19, Second Reading of Bills.
Number 20, Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters.
Speaker: Committee Reports 1 - 1 (2), 2 - 1 (2), 3 - 1 (2) and 4 - 1 (2), with Mr. Iqaqrialu at the chair. Mr. Iqaqrialu.
Chairperson, (Mr. Iqaqrialu) (interpretation): Ok, we will follow the procedures during this Committee of the Whole.
Yesterday we were dealing with the estimates and at this time we will move on to Human Resources.
Are there any other questions or comments to be made in that department?
Since there’s no comments I would like Mr. Ng to go ahead with the Human Resources, I believe, that’s your portfolio if you would go up to the witness table with your officials unless you wish to make opening remarks from your chair.
Hon. Kelvin Ng: I am pleased to present the main estimates for the Department of Human Resources for the fiscal year 1999/2000.
This department is a central agency which provides a wide range of services to the entire government in areas such as recruitment, training and development, job evaluation and labour relations.
There was no equivalent department in the previous government prior to the division.
The Department of Human Resources has a close relationship with the Department of Finance and Administration, which manages the payroll system and participates in collective bargaining.
The centralized approach to the delivery of Human Resource programs reflects the fact that the Nunavut Government is a relatively small organization.
The 99/2000 budget for the Department of Human Resources is just over 10 million dollars.
The largest component of the budget is removals to and from the community of employment and recruitment at about 6.3 million dollars.
The remainder of the budget is divided amongst the directorate, policy and planning, staffing policy, and an Assistant Deputy Ministers’ Division which includes regional offices, labour relations, training and development, and job evaluation/organizational design.
The department has no capital funding in its budget.
To carry out the activities of the department we currently have in place seventeen employees at headquarters and four in the regions.
I am pleased to tell you that 68% of the staff are Inuit.
Hiring for the Baffin Regional Office in Igloolik will not take place until office space and staff housing are available.
Current plans call for infrastructure to be available in 2000.
The regional Human Resource Services will be handled out of Head Quarters operation until then.
Mr. Chairman, we still have some major skill gaps to fill, the biggest one being labour relations. It will take some time before the department is fully functional and ready to deliver the complete range of programs and services outlined in the business plan.