EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
At the appropriate time, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Minister questions.
Member’s Statement 652 – 1(6): Authority of Income Support Workers
I rise today to talk about the income support workers who provide the services on behalf of the government.
When you look at the income support workers, they have too much authority over everything.
The government believes in setting up a paper trail and no one is believed unless there is written proof.
Only when the Government sees something on paper, they start to believe that it is actually a fact.
I do know that the income support workers, without any proof or without anything documented can decrease the number or the amount of dollars that an individual gets when they hear from the people out there that this person had won money through lottery or bingo or something or that they had received some money from their children.
There was a time when one of the individual’s daughters graduated and she gave her X amount of dollars.
So, when this social worker heard it, without any documentation, decreased the amount that she was entitled to.
And here we are there was no documentation or proof that this individual had received money from some source.
I have yet to see a piece of Legislation that says that you can decrease an amount if you found out, without proof, that there was income of some kind.
Usually a Government operates on a paper trail or proof or documentation.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to unanimous consent to conclude my Statements.
Speaker: Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his Statement.
Mr. Irqittuq (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker and my Colleagues.
That is the way it is with the Government.
The Government operates on documents, not only the Government, but also other entities.
I do not know how an income support worker can make a deduction without proof or without documentation or without a receipt.
That is on hearsay that they make that deduction.
If the law says that they can do that, then they have overwhelming power.
Member’s Statement 653 – 1(6): Nunavut Arctic College Courses
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the importance of Nunavut Arctic College programs offered here in Iqaluit and throughout Nunavut.
Tomorrow’s nurses, community health representatives, teachers and carpenters and environmental technologists are being trained in these programs.
Their efforts are an investment in their own future and the future of Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, many students have to leave their families, their children and their communities to be able to follow this career path, their career paths.
These individuals make personal sacrifices in order to reach their goals and play a part in achieving our vision of Nunavut.
As I can attest to myself, Mr. Speaker, being a student is a struggle.
It is difficult to manage your family obligations from afar, it is difficult to make ends meet, it is difficult to focus on your studies when you are worried about how to pay the next bunch of bills coming in and keeping food on the table.
Mr. Speaker, if we are serious about developing our work force and serious about providing support to students so that they can build their skills and become the professionals that Nunavut desperately needs then we should be ensuring that they receive their financial assistance payments on time.
Mr. Speaker, you will recall that Members from this side of the House brought forward a Motion to support our students, recognizing the important role they play in our future.
Mr. Speaker, it is not fair to ask our students, who are already making great sacrifices in struggling very hard to make ends meet to go without the financial support that they are entitled to.
I would like some commitment from this Government that every effort will be made to ensure that students receive that assistance on time.
At the appropriate time, Mr. Speaker, I will be questioning the Minister responsible.
Member’s Statement 654 – 1(6): Thank the Members for Attending Various Functions
It has taken me too long to show my appreciation.
In the fall, I went to my community with the Premier, Mr. Okalik, and I would like to thank him so that we can turn the sod for the College building.
I would also like to thank my colleague for going to my community.
The Baffin Mayors had a conference in Cape Dorset, and I would like to thank the people of Cape Dorset on behalf of the other Mayors for having a successful conference in our community.
That was the Baffin Mayors, and again I would like to thank our Premier for attending the conference of the Mayors.
Enoki Irqittuq, Jobie Nutarak, David Iqaqrialu also attended in the Mayor’s Conference, and were welcomed in my community.
I would also like to send my condolences to the people of Kimmirut, for their loss.
Member’s Statement 655 – 1(6): Thank Husband and Constituents
Hon. Manitok Thompson (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say thank you to Tom, my husband, who has been alone in Rankin Inlet for quite a while now and say thank you the people of Rankin Inlet and Whale Cove.
Again, I would like to inform them that I will be running for the next election.
I would like to say hello in Coral Harbour. Speaker, I would also like to thank Paul Kanayuk, who is here in the House; to Trevor and Buddy, who are with their father, listen to your father; I just wanted to say that I will see the people of Rankin Inlet on Friday.
I wish to draw attention of the Members to a number of visitors in the Gallery today.
Joining us from Elections Nunavut are Sandy Kusugak, Hillary Makpa, and Meeko Solomon.
They are from Rankin Inlet and Meeko used to be our principal in Coral Harbour when I was just a little man.
They are in Iqaluit this week to conduct training sessions for the returning officers for the upcoming the territorial elections.
The returning officers will be learning how to register Nunavut voters on the new registrar of electors, an ongoing initiative of Elections Nunavut.
The returning officers joining us today are Jonah Kilabuk, returning officer for Pangnirtung, Daisy Nuqingaq, for Uqqummiut, Katherine Piugattuk, Amittuq, and Lymikii Kalluk, returning officer for Tunnuniq.
Also, joining us today in the gallery is Jeannie Inutiq from Resolute, who is the returning officer for the community’s upcoming plebiscite.
(interpretation) I would also like to recognise Irene Avaalaaqiaq from Baker Lake.
In 1975, there was no grade nine education in Coral Harbour.
I went to Baker Lake and that’s where I boarded, at her house.
She was like my mother and she took care of me.
I would also like to give her my thanks.
I would also like to recognise individuals from my community.
Salamonie Natali.
He has been an advocate of housing in the communities.
He has worked hard in dealing with housing for people in the communities.
He has done a lot of work in my community of Clyde River.
Daisy Nuqingaq who is from my constituency of Broughton Island; I would like to recognise her.
I would also like to say that people of Broughton Island have made me very welcome and it’s very good that they have made me feel welcome whenever I go to their community and to thank them at this time.
I would also like to recognise at this time some of my constituents and some of Ms. Thompson’s constituents.
Although Paul Murphy is not really my constituent anymore, he is here now.
But there’s three of these members from Iqaluit.
I’m not sure which one it is.
I would like to recognise Haulli Mukpah who was originally from Chesterfield Inlet, Mitchell Solomon from Rankin Inlet and Paul Kanayuk is our Sergeant-at-arms, who is my cousin, although he is not a constituent of mine.
The constituent of mine who is the Chief Electoral Officer for Nunavut, and I would also like to recognise her as well.
I’m not going to recognise anyone from Sanikiluaq but I would like to recognise someone from Public Works.
You knew that Ross Mrazek was my Deputy Minister of Public Works but he retired.
I would like to recognise my new Deputy Minister and I knew that the father of my Deputy Minister at that time.
He was a pilot and I used to work with him.
I would to recognise my new Deputy Minister, Robert Gunn.
This person was recognized already, a constituent; she has always been a returning officer and very capable at doing her job, Catherine Piugaattuq. I grew up with her, and I would like to recognize her.
I would like to recognize Jeanie Inutiq from Resolute Bay and Hillary Makpa and I would also like to recognize Mr. Naatanai and his daughter is our preacher in Resolute Bay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker for recognizing me and I thought that I was not going to be seen.
I would like to recognize somebody from Pond Inlet, Laimiki Kudluk and Jeanie Inutiq who was originally from Pond Inlet, but now living in Resolute Bay; Jeanie and Laimiki.
I would like to also recognize an individual who I have not recognized before.
I think it was in 1946 or 1947 when I was a child I grew up in this community or this camp.
After so many years, I was told that what I did when I was a child in the back of my mother.
I would like to recognize an individual who used to live in my camp and who travelled around with us in numerous places around Netsilik area and Pelly Bay and all those areas.
He knew me when I was a child; I would like to recognize my fellow Member, Mr. Alakannuark.
Speaker: Welcome to the House.
Are there any further Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery?
Last, but not least, Mr. Picco.
Mr. Speaker, I was moving my boat in the driveway last night; hurt my back.
Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to welcome to the Gallery, Mr. Bobby Gunn, a constituent of mine and I congratulate Bobby on his appointment as the new Deputy Minister for Public Works and Services.
I would also like to welcome, as Jack mentioned earlier, Mr. Paul Murphy, well known around Nunavut and a great entrepreneur and I would also like to welcome a person, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Arvaluk.
James Arvaluk used to be from Igloolik and he lived in Hall Beach and from Pond, he was all over the place.
Something like Jeanie Inutiq; Jeanie lived in Clyde, she has been in Pond and now she is in Res.
It is strange how things work out.
Last night, I was looking at a picture and me and my wife, Oopah, and who should be in the picture, but Jeanie Inutiq at our house visiting with Oopah’s grandmother before she died.
So, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Jeanie Inutiq to the Gallery.
Are there any oral questions today?
We’ll start off with Mr. Iqaqrialu.
Question 636 – 1(6): Funding Privately Owned Buildings for Renovations and Maintenance
Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Human Resources in regards to the issue we dealt with yesterday.
Although we approved it yesterday, we approved the capital estimates for Human Resources and it was passed yesterday.
Rather, I should be asking my question to the Minister for Public Works in regards to $73 thousand dollars that we approved.
I am quite envious with $73 thousand for the Nunavut Government’s office renovation.
I would like to know for the Trigram building, if there’s an agreement signed, if they’re going to be using Government of Nunavut money to make an addition to a privately owned building; is there an agreement signed between those two, or is there a contract between those two within the Government of Nunavut?
. If you understand me?
The Department of Public Works is responsible for the other departments’ buildings.
There has to be an adequate level of maintenance done, we use the Human Resources funding for maintaining, the units that the government is leasing; if they need an addition or improvement, the Government of Nunavut can pay for the addition or renovation.
For example, we at Public Works service the departments.
According to what you stated yesterday when the Minister was at the witness table, Public Works uses the money from the other department for maintenance.
Yes, I was quite envious to see that happen.
In my constituency, the government is leasing a building so we would be able to do that now.
Is that going to set up a precedent in the communities of Nunavut, especially when we need to make an addition or renovation to the building?
Since this has already happened, is that allowable in all the communities of Nunavut?
What I am trying to say is the Department of Public Works and Services provides services to the Government Departments.
Perhaps in Clyde River, if there is an office building being leased and needs renovation, or maintenance, yes, we can maintain it.
If there is funding made available, our department does the maintenance.
Do I understand that in my community, if the government staff forwards applications to the Government, if the building that they are leasing needs renovations, or additions, then they can apply?
Is that his response?
My response is, the Government leases units and if these units require maintenance, additions, and renovations, in any one of the communities, they can do so.
By using government funding we can apply to renovate or whatever we need to maintain our units?
Hon. Peter Kattuk (interpretation): I apologize.
Mr. Speaker, what I am trying to say is that the Department of Public Works, for example, Human Resources have funding set aside.
The $73 thousand that you had approved yesterday, there is funding set aside through that department.
The Department of Public Works and Services, we are not the source to apply for funding.
If the government departments are leasing a unit, and if they provide the funding, we provide the maintenance, as the Department of Public Works.
I cannot really respond to him about applying for funding, but providing that the Department has some funding set aside for those things, then it can happen.
Question 637 – 1(6): How Many Inmates in the NWT Including Women
It must be the red jacket today.
I would like to ask the Minister how many inmates that we have in place, in the Northwest Territories, including women?
Speaker: The Minister responsible for Justice, Premier Okalik.
Currently I am aware that there is one female inmate from Nunavut, serving time in the Northwest Territories.
Overall, elsewhere for male inmates there are about 20 male inmates serving time outside of Nunavut.
The Minister just indicated outside of Nunavut and I was specifically asking about Northwest Territories.
I’ll keep my questions to the Northwest Territories.
My next question is that we have approximately 20-25 inmates serving time in the Northwest Territories.
How much does that cost the Government of Nunavut?
Currently there is about 15 inmates serving time in the Yellowknife Correctional Facility.
I don’t have the exact total as in the overall amount but I can provide the information to the Member.
This government is always saying we don’t have enough money.
My next question to the Minister is what type of Inuktitut programming do our 15 inmates in the Northwest Territories receive at this time?
I am aware that some elders do go visit the facility and provide programming for the Inuit inmates there.
As to the overall programming, I’m not aware of any other programs that they are provided.
Our goal is to bring them back to Nunavut so that we can manage those ourselves.
As I announced earlier this fall, we’ll be opening up a facility in Kugluktuk so that we can run that ourselves.
I’m very happy to hear that we have just one female inmate serving time in the Northwest Territories.
I think there have been some; courts are public here so, I think it’s fair to say that this court is having a hard time placing some of these women who need help.
Can the Minister tell this House when he will be putting up facilities for female inmates.
Speaker: Minister Responsible for Justice, Premier Okalik.
I cannot say exactly when, but we’re governed by economies of scale and currently one inmate cannot justify opening a facility open 24 hours a day and with guards to provide security.
So, perhaps in time, but hopefully not.
Hopefully we’ll never need a facility and there’ll be as minimal female inmates possible as coming out of the Territory of Nunavut.
Question 638 – 1(6): Income Support Rates
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to ask today, that I counted no less than six Baker Lake ties in the House today worn by Members of this Legislative Assembly and with all the art and wall hangings and stuff, it’s nice to see that Baker Lake is finally, after five years making a small influence on this Assembly’s art.
That’s a joke Mr. Speaker.
But anyhow.
Mr. Speaker, my question today is to the Minister Responsible for Income Support.
We know that every so often I get an e-mail that our per/diems as Members of the Legislative Assembly has been raised according to union agreements etc. etc.
I think today, we get $108 a day per/diems to buy groceries to take care of ourselves while we’re here in Iqaluit doing our hard work.
The statistics out there said a lot of people in Nunavut need and rely on income support to live daily.
I’ve asked this question in the House over the last three or four years.
Has the new Minister been in the department long enough to look at the income support rates?
I have talked to my staff on my concerns and the Member’s concern.
So, we are aware of the basic needs might be very low in Nunavut according to our income support payments.
I asked this question of the Minister of Finance two or three times in the last four years about the cost of living increases in income support and he said that it was all tied to the cost of the food basket in Canada and it is pretty hard to pick a food basket in Nunavut because of the high cost of living, transportation costs, etc…, etc….
Would the Minister look at, the Minister responsible for income support, look at putting that on, putting that cost of living allowance on income support checks for groceries?
We can certainly look at it and review it.
Question 639 – 1(6): Individual Charged for Staying at Medical Boarding Home
I would like to direct my question to the Minister for Health and Social Services, as he stated that he has got a very bad ache and I wanted to kind of help him to get rid of the pain.
This was asked to me by an individual who went to Ottawa and she was breastfeeding her baby and she had to take her baby down because, of course, she is breastfeeding it and when she went down to Ottawa, she was asked to pay $200 dollars.
Is that part of your policy to charge an individual who brings their child to go down for medical purposes?
Mr. Speaker, each case is independent of another case and it is judged on sole merits.
For example, Mr. Speaker, if a mother was amaaking (carrying) a baby, for example, on her back and that child was being breastfed, then, Mr. Speaker, those costs would be covered under the NIHB.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Thank you. According to the age, as the Minister has stated that each incident is done or dealt with separately.
Perhaps the Minister could consider the child more seriously if it is skinny or do not bother with the child who is fatter or this is just a question.
But this individual who had to pay the extra dollars, did they make a complaint to your Department?
Mr. Speaker, I am not aware of that individual case. I can tell you, like last week, for example, in the Larga Home, we were at about 120 percent occupation; it was over 80 patients in Ottawa.
In any given time you have a transfer of between 10 and 15 patients going and coming out.
Mr. Speaker, on the situation regarding the child, if the child, for example, is still breastfeeding at age 3 or 4 and the mother had to take them, then depending, again, on the circumstances, there can be an allowance made for that.
It is very difficult for me to say exactly what the situation is regarding this case because I am not aware of the details other than what the Member has said, but I am not aware of a complaint coming through my office where a person had to pay $200 dollars, but if the Member is aware of it, then, Mr. Speaker, if he could make me aware of it with the backup information and so on and we can review it.
We did have a case a couple of weeks ago of a lady who actually paid more than the other communities, we were able to reimburse them on their money.
This was one of the concerns that were raised when I was having a public meeting in Pond Inlet.
I’ll get the information and give the information requested to the Minister.
I had them stand up for too long and I apologise.
No, I don’t mind standing up.
Mr. Speaker, again, in instances like this when we hear anecdotally that there was a person who was charged or invoiced for accommodations at a boarding home, there are rules and regulations in place and the management of the boarding home have to follow those rules and regulations.
However, exceptions can be made depending on the circumstances.
In this case, as the Member has said, there may be an extenuating circumstance and like I said, I’m very open and prepared to review the case and see if we can help out the Member’s constituent.
Question 640 – 1(6): Problems in Payment for Student Financial Assistance
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister Responsible for Student Financial Assistance.
I believe it’s the Minister for Education.
As I had indicated in my Member’s Statement, I have been made aware of a number of students who are having problems getting their financial support cheques from student financial assistance.
Can the Minister inform me if she is aware of any problems that the department has had in making sure that these cheques are being issued to the students on time?
I’ve been aware of different problems in regards to students not being paid for the FANS (Financial Assistance for Nunavut Students).
In one particular case or group of students was the early childhood education students here in Iqaluit.
The problem was the students had to do their applications 30 days before the program started but they had not done so, until I think, they were in the program.
That put a delay on the process but we were able to do bridge financing to the students and solve the problem that way.
So, I can say that I’m aware of all the problems that are related to the FANS and we’re trying to deal with them right now.
Hopefully we’ll be able to improve the services to the students.
Mr. Speaker, I know and I’m sure that the Premier can attest that there were some students who were taking the jewellery program here, who were not getting their cheques on time.
I would like to ask the Minister if she could indicate if she was aware of that situation, what the problem was there.
I’m also aware of that one and one of the problems we were having is that we had a decreased level of staffing at  FANS and we had technical problems with the computer.
We just had casuals who were not trained but very dedicated staff and in cases we had to do bridge financing and help the students as soon as we were aware of it.
A lot of times the students are not applying on time for FANS.
That’s one of the big problems.
I think we’ll have to have our staff, the adult educators help with the application process in the future to improve the service so that we can have students that are being paid.
A lot of times, the application has not even been done on time.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister indicated that staffing levels and technical problems are a couple of the reasons why students are not getting their cheques on time.
I would like to ask the Minister to commit, to make sure that these young people, not just young people, but older people who are making the commitment to go back and educate themselves, better themselves, making the sacrifices, in a lot of cases, that is indicated that they are leaving home, that the issuance of their cheques will be made a priority by her department?
I have already had my staff meet with the FANS group, to try to make sure that applications are filled on time and given to my staff in the Education Department and to make sure that students get paid.
Mr. Speaker, it is good to hear that, because in the past I have gone out hunting with some students just because they have no food to eat, just for them to be able to have some meat to be able to eat at home.