EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Evo Airut as you know has been operating his business very successfully for many years.
Mr. Speaker, when Nunavut was created we were very happy.
I am happy to say that I represent the people of Rankin Inlet and they have provided jobs for Inuit.
If you look at the other communities it becomes evident there is something different happening in Rankin Inlet.
Mr. Speaker, Rankin Inlet is a role model for the rest of the communities worth emulating because capable Inuit are being put to work and becoming independent and I believe this should be noted by the government.
Member’s Statement 239 – 1(6): Emergency Services at Gjoa Haven During Blizzard
Mr. Speaker, first of all I would like to wish my son Jonathan a happy birthday. It was yesterday.
I would like to be with you, but unfortunately you understand that I have other commitments.
I wish you a Happy Birthday Jonathan.
Mr. Speaker, last week, on November the 11th, in the morning in my community of Gjoa Haven, there was an unusual event.
An operator at the Airport went on the CB Radio and reported that there was a signal from a crashed plane from about five kilometres out.
At the time during there was a storm with blowing snow.
The Search and Rescue and Fire teams sent out a team, despite the storm, to the direction of the signal outside of the community of Gjoa Haven.
So when they reached the 5-kilometre range outside of Gjoa Haven, the search and rescue and the RCMP were there right away to see what was happening even though there was a horrible storm.
As people of Nunavut we know the weather can change at any time and it could be very cold but I would like to congratulate the people of Nunavut because it doesn’t matter what the weather conditions are, the people of Nunavut will always come together to help each other.
Member’s Statement 240 – 1(6): Nanisivik Mine Closure and Remediation Plans Update
Mr. Speaker, I’d like today to address an issue that I have been pursuing since the day I was elected to the Legislative Assembly.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, the Nanisivik Mine closed almost two month ago now, however, Mr. Speaker, the legacy of Nanisivik will be with us for many years to come.
For the residents of Arctic Bay uncertainty about the future continues.
Throughout the past year my constituents have continued to express to me their hope that our government will take strong leadership in securing a prosperous and wealthy future for the community.
Mr. Speaker, the challenges facing the community are significant.
For example, while I understand that in the short term, the residents of Arctic Bay will continue to use Nanisivik airport, it is not clear what the future options will be.
Many kilometres of road must be maintained if the Nanisivik airport facility is to be used on a permanent basis.
Mr. Speaker, I remain concerned about the environmental impact of certain proposed remediation practices.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that the land should be returned to us in as pristine a condition as possible.
But it is not clear to me what the government’s expectations are for the cleanup nor is it clear as to what body will assume its cost.
Mr. Speaker, I am encouraged by the work that the GN has done to date, however, I look forward to future updates as to the status of the Nanisivik land cleanup.
(interpretation) I will be asking questions of the Minister of Sustainable Development at the appropriate time.
Member’s Statement 241– 1(6): Lucie Idlout – Host of APTN Buffalo Tracks
Mr. Speaker, first of all I would like to thank Minister Anawak for his good words about our good friend, Mr. John Amagoalik.
And at this time, I’d like to say on behalf of our family, the very best to John and his family.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to update this House and Nunavummiut on the recent success of a well known Nunavut musician, actress and entertainer.
Mr. Speaker, Lucie Idlout needs no introduction, she has performed across Nunavut and the north, Canada and even in Europe.
Lucie this month has added another success to her resume.
This month she began to co-host a very popular, nationally broadcasted TV show, Buffalo Tracks, on APTN.
Buffalo Tracks is a talk and variety show taped before a live studio audience in Toronto.
Mr. Speaker, Lucie’s influence can already be seen on the show, an obvious Inuit aspect to the set.
I would ask that, Mr. Speaker, you in this House join with me in wishing Lucie all the very best in her new endeavour, and keep up the good work representing Nunavut on the national stage.
Item 4. Returns to Oral Questions. Mr. Akesuk.
Return to Oral Question 223 – 1(6): Mining Strategy
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr Speaker.
The question asked by Mr. Havioyak on Thursday, October 31st, 2002 in Pangnirtung Session.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker I would like to provide a response to a question raised by the Member for Kugluktuk on October 31st.
As I indicated in my original response, my Department at present does not have full mining strategy documents.
However our message to the public regarding the mining sector is very clear, it has been outlined a number of times in statements.
As I have stated in this House, in budgets from my department and the documents that I have distributed, our vision for this sector fulfills the principles of the Bathurst Mandate and Sustainable Development.
With our partners at Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and the Federal Government we are working to build a sustainable mineral exploration and mining sector that forms the foundation for a diverse and vibrant economy in Nunavut.
In future we foresee a sector that is active across the territory and that provides substantive benefits to all communities.
This will be a sector that supports sustainable development and makes a real contribution to healthy communities.
Our message to the mineral exploration and mining industry and Nunavummiut has been clear and simple.
We will support development that is economically viable, projects that follow through on their environmental and social commitments, and that might be profitable.
Environmentally responsible resource development projects cannot damage Nunavut’s environment and the company must demonstrate that they can minimize and refrain from any impact.
Projects that will provide substantive and sustainable benefits to the people and communities of Nunavut; to have mineral exploration and mining in Nunavut, we must help support present sector investments and that includes a clear and simple message on what the government expects from doing this.
Each year we provide information so that companies have the basic information to make investment decisions in an effective and efficient regulatory structure that does not cause unfair problems for industries but ensures that they work with government towards economic and environmental sustainability in Nunavut.
Another key to the future of mining in Nunavut is training and one step towards that is getting Nunavummiut more involved in this industry through prospecting courses in every community in Nunavut.
Nunavut now has a growing population of increasingly successful prospectors in every region of the territory.
We will continue to support the prospectors through the Prospector’s Assistance Program by funding their activities and work out on the land.
We are also continuing discussions with the Department of Education on facilitating the development of a multi party mineral industry training plan which would look at opportunities to coordinate training plans, define existing education and skill gaps and industries and develop a needed program to address these gaps.
DOC is also working with the Department of Education and the Nunavut Teachers’ Federation to deliver earth science workshops to school teachers at the upcoming regional teachers’ conference.
These workshops will benefit students by helping teachers make science curriculum and increasing their awareness and comfort levels in earth science.
Our high school Math and Science Award Program is intended to encourage and motivate high school students to pursue interests and careers in Math, Science and Technology.
The program recognizes students’ exceptional performance in Math and Science with cash rewards of $175, $275, and $350 dollars, for the Grade 8, Grade 10 and 12 students, respectively.
By next fall, my Department will table a detailed report on the Mineral Exploration and Mining Policy that will formally set out our strategy.
That document will build on the strong framework of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, the Bathurst Mandate, and the Global Mining Initiative, which is an industry driven initiative that is working to ensure that mineral exploration and mining are recognized as supporters of sustainable development.
Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure today to introduce from the Gallery some special guests.
First, Mr. Speaker, sitting next to my Executive Assistant, Ms. Marianne Demmer, who as you know will be leaving us very soon to take on future career opportunities.
Sitting next to Marianne, is Mr. Geoff Moffat and Mr. Tom Walker, from the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency.
In discussions with the Federal Minister, Minister Kaplan, a few weeks ago, I know that Mr. Ng and I impressed upon the Federal Minister the need and the issue of having forms translated into Inuktitut.
You may recall, Mr. Speaker, I have been on this kick for about three years writing different Federal Ministers with no responses that were positive.
But it did result in Minister Kaplan saying that she would have representatives come up and choose the workers.
They are here today so I would like to welcome them to the Gallery.
Also, Mr. Speaker, a lady that needs no introduction to this House, a constituent of mine, and a friend, an in fact she was in Kimmirut as an adult educator a life time ago, Ms. Maureen Doherty.
Sitting next to Maureen is the well-known author of the Raven Chronicles, soon to be published I believe, Ms. Kerri McKluskey.
I would like to recognize, he took the people I was going to recognize.
I would like to recognize a woman who has been living in the North, Maureen Doherty, the executive director for the Status of Women’s Council in Nunavut.
And also she has worked very hard for the Inuit Women’s Association.
And also there was a person behind me.
I was going to recognize an individual from behind me.
I was going to recognize Gillian Corless, the director of policy within our Department.
Also, Penny Rumbolt, manager of Communications in our Department.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize first of all our new Sergeant-at-Arms from Qamanittuaq.
I am sure, Mr. Speaker, that you were going to recognize him but he is going to be our new Sergeant-at-Arms, Mr. Thomas Elytook.
Although I call Mr. McLean my cousin, the new Sergeant-at-Arms is my real biological cousin because his father is my first cousin.
I would like to congratulate him and thank him.
And also, Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize my CA. He has been a teacher and principal in the past, and also he served as a member of the Hamlet Council, he is now my Constituency Assistant.
He is a very capable worker.
His name is Simon Upparuq.
Speaker: I just told my son that I was going to recognize the new Sergeant-at-Arms.
I should qualify that because he is only here for one week.
We still maintain our old Sergeant-at-Arms.
He’s a former constituent of mine.
Welcome Thomas.
Are there any further.
If not, we’ll move on to Item 6.
Question 239 – 1(6): Insurance Requirements for Cultural Inclusion Program
I think that’s the first for me to get up and ask the first question of the day.
Mr. Speaker, my question today is to the Minister of Finance, I think he’s responsible for risk management.
My question, Mr. Speaker, when I was in my community not long ago at the school, I was talking about the Cultural Inclusion Program with some teaching staff and they pointed out that there was a new form that went out. It said anybody taking kids out on the land for the Cultural Inclusion Program using their snow machines, Hondas or whatever, that they need to carry a 1 million dollar liability premium.
We all know that a lot of these subsistence hunters and people that do this don’t have that kind of money to provide the insurance.
Is this a new policy brought down by the government just lately?
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the member is correct.
Finance, the Risk Management Section, is there from a broader government perspective.
I know that education has been working with the Department of Finance on that particular issue.
It was raised in our Pangnirtung session by Mr. Puqiqnak as well and Education is trying to clarify what the requirements are in order to allow individuals to take students out on the land.
It’s nice to see the minister is moving forward on that with the Department of Education.
But the fact of the matter is that school started in August and the people that I was talking to were saying that the Cultural Inclusion Program has been delayed in some communities.
You know, we hear in this House far too often about the cultural aspects in our schools.
And I’m not trying to point fingers at any ministers and stuff like that.
And I know that we need liability insurance if a snow machine goes through the ice and somebody drowns and there are all sorts of stuff.
Could the minister expedite this issue and get back to us within the next couple of days, or a week so that these schools can deliver their Cultural Inclusion Program?
Mr. Speaker, I wasn’t aware that there were delays in the Cultural Inclusion Program, but we will, based on what the member has raised, we will check into that and get back to him as soon as possible.
Hopefully within the next couple of days.
Oral Questions, Mr. Irqittuq.
Question 240 – 1(6): Tammaaqtarvik - People Finding Own Billets
Mr. Speaker, when I was in Igloolik, my constituents were quite concerned about this, so I’m going to ask questions about it.
The boarding home called Tammaatarvik is usually full to capacity.
The patients at times are told to find a place to stay or to board at a home.
Perhaps the Minister for the Department of Health and Social Services is aware of this problem or predicament.
Speaker: Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity last week to discuss the issue around Tammaatarvik with the mayor from Igloolik who told me and I instructed him at that time to send me a letter.
Basically what happened, Mr. Speaker, the Tammaatarvik Boarding Home at times, depending on specialty clinics and so on, is full, it’s over crowded.
At that time, patients are billeted out to homes that have been inspected in the community of Iqaluit.
Mr. Speaker, what we’re trying to do right now is to ascertain, is there a need for a larger facility and again how would we as a department be able to facilitate that.
The member is correct, we are aware of the situation and we try to limit it as much as possible.
At times if there is no room at Tammaatarvik, then we have to go to private homes to house hospital patients.
Mr. Speaker, yes, there are problems.
I don’t think we’re facing just one problem.
Mr. Speaker, I was wondering, and you can correct me if I’m wrong, among the patients that go to the boarding home in Iqaluit are mentally ill and other disabled patients.
I was wondering if you could reconsider having the mentally ill patients put up at another place.
At the present time, if we have patients who are suffering from mental illness, they are still patients.
We still need to be able to give them proper care, the very best care that is possible.
In some cases, Mr. Speaker, where a person has a mental illness, it is very typical to get a placement in private homes.
That is why we would hope by the end of this month, the first week in December, have the first psychiatric hospital facility 24/7 open in Nunavut.
That plan is under way within the mental health strategy.
We’re almost there.
There have been a lot of renovations done to that building.
I would hope Mr. Speaker, that in the next two to three weeks, when that facility is open, then we wouldn’t have the need to have patients suffering from mental illness having to be placed in the general population with the residents at Tammaatarvik.
Mr. Irqittuq (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I understand his response.
Mr. Speaker, I don’t believe he responded to my question in regards to the hospital patients that have to look for their own billets.
Do they have to look for their own billets when they get into town?
Mr. Speaker, there is a process in place for patients when they arrive.
If the Tammaatarvik is full, the patient is asked if they have a relative, for example in the community of Iqaluit or friends that they would like to stay with.
There’s usually a list of names at the Tammaatarvik that are approved boarding homes.
Say for example, if I have patients staying at our place right now because Tammaatarvik is full.
What happens is the boarding home will phone the people at the house and they inquire as to if you have space available for a hospital patient.
Mr. Speaker, that is the process that is being used at the present time because of the over crowding at certain times.
The reason I’m trying to get an answer from you is there was an incident where a patient came in, the Tammaatarvik Boarding home was full, and he had no friends or relatives that he could stay with.
So he was told by one of the individuals that he had to find his own place to stay.
Is that the case, Mr. Minister?
Mr. Speaker, if the Tammaatarvik is full, the process is, as I said earlier, there is a list of boarding homes and the patients asked if they know someone in Iqaluit, and it has to be an approved boarding home.
We don’t want to send patients to just anyone’s house.
We have had instances in the past where people have gone to houses where they never got a meal and they weren’t able to sleep properly and maybe there was something going on in the house.
So that’s why the homes are approved.
No one is turned away to my knowledge and told that they have to find their own place.
There’s a list of billets.
Unless all the billets are full, then there would be other contingencies for them in place.
For example, Mr. Speaker, if the person who’s coming down is a government employee, they have the option of staying in a hotel and that’s covered under their insurance as an employee.
So there are options available and those are presented to the patients.
If the member is aware of an instant of someone who has actually turned away or told that they have to find their own accommodation the member can make that available to me.
Question 241 – 1(6): Establishment of a Nunavut Elders’ Council
I would like to direct my question today to the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
He made a statement in Pangnirtung and he made an announcement about the elders having a conference in Igloolik.
And in one of his comments, he stated that the elders talked about various issues.
At that particular meeting that you mentioned, you stated that they were going to be making a decision about what they are going to be doing in the future.
And referring again to the question that I asked in Pangnirtung, what’s happening with the elders’ council that was going to be established?
In April 2002, we stated that we were going to be establishing an elders’ council and setting aside a budget for the operation and maintenance of the council.
At that time, we got together to discuss how they were going to be structured or what their roles and responsibilities are going to be.
It’s something that has to be done before the establishment of a council and I will have to get the approval of my colleagues prior to the establishment of the council.
We have to set their terms of reference and I will have discussions with my colleagues on this issue.
Once those are done, once we have finalized the terms of reference for the elders’ council, then they will get established.
And we’re currently working on what kind of working relationship they will have with the Nunavut Government.
Once that is approved, once everything is in place, all the plans are finished, then we will start on establishing the elders’ council.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): At their Igloolik conference, I believe they mentioned something about the need for this council.
If you haven’t already done so, when do you anticipate creating this council?
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): Thank you. It will be a Nunavut wide council and we have not as yet established this body.
We would ask them about Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and we will structure what their terms of reference and mandate will be.
Once that is agreed to by my colleagues we will start recruiting members who will sit on this Council.
It is only after it has been approved by the Minister that we will finally start looking for who will be sitting on this Council.
Only after their terms of reference, responsibilities, and mandates are finalized, we will then start recruiting for names Nunavut-wide.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): As his colleagues will have to agree to the terms of reference, this elders’ council, would they be our advisors?
Or would they only represent, or be the leaders of the Elders of Nunavut.
It would not be very good to just have an advisory role and nothing else.
As I keep stating, and as the Member knows, we have stated more than once that Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit is not being integrated into the present Government.
Because of that and because we have not created the Elders’ Council yet, it has created a problem.
We should have done this in 1997-98 when I was the Interim Commissioner when the Nunavut Implementation Commission recommended that we establish an Elders’ Council.
If the Nunavut Government is to incorporate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit into the system, this Elders’ Council would liaise with the Government on Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, culture and what types of programs should be created.
Over and above that this will be a Nunavut-wide body. The Government would seek advice from the Elders’ Council on Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and what should be established.
On the side we are also thinking about creating an Elders’ Council in each individual community.
We also are talking about how we should be funding these individual organizations.
Question 242 – 1(6): Problems Encountered by Small Business
In Pangnirtung I asked some questions about economic development and the establishment of small businesses and their challenges.
Is your Department doing any studies on what problems the small businesses are encountering?
Do you have any plans to have such a study done?
The Grants and Contributions are quite small for these businesses, but some of the major problems that are encountered by the existing businesses is if there’s competition in one particular community, for example if there’s a small store or a corner store opened in a community already, and then another one is created, there will be competition created and both companies would lose out.
We cannot support same types of businesses in one community.
There’s going to be an economic development conference in February and it will be hosted by the Federal Government, NTI and the Government of Nunavut.
This conference will be in February and we’re going to be having discussions on economic development in general and small businesses.
This February conference, I’m sure will be attended by seasoned individuals. But there is a lot of potential in the communities and they do come across a lot of problems and challenges.
I think that there has to be a study done so we’ll know exactly where the problem is and that more businesses are created and growing in the communities.
In the smaller communities, there are very limited opportunities.
I would like to ask the minister if there’s going to be a study done.
Well it’s not only going to be for the big businesses.
It’s going to be for everyone.
We will do a thorough assessment.
It’s going to benefit the people of Nunavut.
We’re going to look at how we can improve the system, how we can make more monies available to the people out there.