EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
The steering committee will work closely on an implementation plan for the priorities identified, such as health, renewable energy, economic growth, transportation, and opportunities for exchanges for education, cultural and sporting activities.
At the present time, senior officials of both governments are working to prepare the consolidated MOU and a work plan for implementation.
I look forward to the completion of this next phase of our work with Manitoba and the opportunity to share the signed consolidated MOU with you in the coming months.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take the opportunity to thank the people of Rankin Inlet, the Government of Nunavut staff, and Mayor Hickes in Rankin Inlet.
They all provided warm hospitality not only to Premier Selinger and the delegation from Manitoba but also to me and the other delegates that were present that were present on behalf of the Government of Nunavut. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am sorry I did not acknowledge you immediately, primarily because a member inadvertently called me the Premier yesterday and I assumed that I had that position.
(interpretation ends) Hon. Hunter Tootoo.
Minister’s Statement 194 – 3(2): Young Parents Stay Learning Program Graduates (Tootoo)
I rise today to announce the success of some very special graduates. Seven young mothers from Kugluktuk, Taloyoak, Pond Inlet, Igloolik, Pangnirtung, and Iqaluit have successfully completed high school as part of the Young Parents Stay Learning program.
Mr. Speaker, Young Parents Stay Learning is a Department of Education daycare subsidy program to help young parents with the cost of licensed child care while attending school. Any parent attending middle or high school or any parent under the age of 18 attending a post-secondary program in Nunavut can apply for this subsidy.
This initiative provides up to a 100 percent subsidy for daycare fees in a licensed school care facility, or a community licensed facility, or approved unlicensed caregiver for young parents while they attend full-time school. In essence, it is a program to fill the gap before these young students are eligible under the rules and regulations of income support.
Mr. Speaker, since its inception in 2005, Young Parents Stay Learning has helped 115 students further their education.
This program is an example of the Department of Education’s dedication to ensuring fair and accessible assistance that enables Nunavummiut to reach their full potential.
Mr. Speaker, please join me, and I ask you and my colleagues to join me, in congratulating these students and wishing them all the best in their futures.
We send our congratulations. (interpretation ends) Ministers’ Statements.
Member’s Statement 303 – 3(2): Letter from Young Constituent (Curley)
Every year since I was elected to the House, I have received letters or correspondence from all over the place.
I really enjoy reading the correspondence I receive from students, especially high school students.
I would like to read this very short letter written on September 22.
(interpretation ends) Dear Tagak Curley, MLA for Rankin Inlet North, my name is Kelly Makayak.
I’m 16 years old and living in Rankin Inlet.
I’m writing a letter to you because I am concerned about the teenage alcoholism and drug abuse here in Rankin Inlet.
My concerns are based on seeing a lot of under-aged drinkers and students who have left school because of drugs.
Most teenagers here are saying that the only reason they drink is because we have no recreational activities other than the sports that we have here in Rankin Inlet and the school clubs which run on school hours.
I personally think things would be worked out better if we had an arcade or other things to do here in Rankin Inlet during our school breaks, including weekends.
I understand that you are working on getting a new arena.
I also understand that it will take a couple of years to succeed.
I have been thinking of some other suggestions, like a bowling alley or theatre, just anything for us teenagers to do after school.
I have witnessed too many things that had to do with alcohol and drugs. I don’t like being the odd one out.
I also don’t plan on starting anytime soon. Thank you for your time and effort, and I will be expecting a reply.
I want to say to this young man that help is on the way.
Member’s Statement 304 – 3(2): Progress on the Pangnirtung Harbour (Komoartok)
I rise today to inform the House about progress made on constructing Pangnirtung’s new harbour.
As members will recall, the 2009 federal budget provided important financial support to accelerate the construction of the community’s new harbour. (interpretation ends) This investment was much welcomed by the community.
As members know, one of the foundations of Pangnirtung’s economy is the fishing industry. The development of a modern harbour will contribute to our ability to build our industry and create opportunities for training and employment.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report to the House today that progress on the Pangnirtung Harbour is proceeding well.
Phase 1 of the project was completed on August 13 on time and on budget.
Phase 2, which involved additional dredging and construction of the new breakwater, was completed on October 9.
All work is complete for this season and the community is looking forward to the resumption of the construction in June of next year.
Mr. Speaker, this project has created significant local employment and we expect these levels to be maintained next year.
Over the coming winter, a floating dock will remain in place.
This will be a test to see how they will withstand our currents, ice conditions, and winds of Pangnirtung.
Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the good cooperation between the business and the government that we have seen.
During the summer, the Department of CGS worked closely with Arctic Co-operatives Limited to address a fuel shortage situation.
Their cooperation ensured that the project was not delayed and I thank the minister for recognizing the importance of quick action.
Mr. Speaker, I know that many of my colleagues have been pushing hard for small craft harbours in their constituencies.
I will continue to support their efforts to back our hard-working Minister of ED&T as he makes the case to Ottawa for additional investments that will support our efforts to build modern infrastructure and achieve greater economic self-sufficiency. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I allowed you to speak past your allotted time. (interpretation ends) Members’ Statements.
Member’s Statement 305 – 3(2): Summer Events in Resolute Bay (Elliott)
I rose in the House yesterday to inform my colleagues about the important events that took place this summer in Grise Fiord.
I am very pleased to take this opportunity today to speak about summer in Resolute Bay.
I would again like to express my appreciation to my constituents for making me feel at home. As the only Member of this House whose constituency includes three communities, I feel that I have three homes.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister’s visit to Resolute Bay this summer on the occasion of Operation NANOOK 10 also included an historic meeting with a number of our elders, during which he delivered the Government of Canada’s official apology for the Inuit High Arctic relocation.
This gesture on the Prime Minister’s part was much appreciated.
As members are aware, the unveiling of Resolute Bay’s monument to the High Arctic exiles took place on September 8.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, I have been a tireless advocate for community involvement and engagement when it comes to ensuring that the human dimension of arctic sovereignty is not neglected.
Initiatives such as the annual Nanook sovereignty exercise are extremely important, but we must not lose sight of the fact that the single most effective way for Canada to exert its sovereignty in the High Arctic is to ensure that the residents of our communities live in healthy and sustainable communities.
Mr. Speaker, it will not come as a surprise to members when I say that Resolute Bay was, understandably, disappointed not to have been selected by the federal government as the location for the new Canadian High Arctic Research [Station.]
However, I continue to believe that Nunavut is one territory and I want to take this opportunity today to congratulate Cambridge Bay on its selection.
On behalf of the residents of Arctic Bay, Grise Fiord, and Resolute Bay, I say to Cambridge Bay, “Welcome to the High Arctic. We look forward to your joining us in our efforts to build stronger communities.”
Mr. Speaker, I want to conclude by noting that the community has been encouraged by the efforts being undertaken by the government this summer to identify a long-term solution to our utilidor system in consultation with the community itself.
I am hopeful that we will be able to achieve an affordable solution that satisfies the community’s needs.
>>Applause  Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Elliott.
Member’s Statement 306 – 3(2): Choosing Our Leaders (Ugyuk)
I may speak a fairly long time, so please remind me when I have gone past my time limit.
I will be speaking to a couple of issues, most of them relating to elders issues. This person came from Pond Inlet whom I spoke to and, if I understood, he wanted me to speak about these issues.
There are a lot of adults who are working with an elder and his name is Gamailee Kilukishak.
Quite a few people know him already, but it was the first time I met him this summer in Iqaluit.
If I could understand him, then with respect to traditional Inuit knowledge, if I do understand, then I tend to say, “Yes, I understand.”
When you understand and it’s close to our understanding of Inuit culture, it helps us to understand.
However, he spoke about an issue I had not even thought of because I’m a little bit younger than that individual.
I did not grow up in a traditional lifestyle.
Some of us were brought up in the community but were not brought up in the traditional way.
It’s something I haven’t thought of, but he brought it up and I still didn’t.
If you are going to understand this, you will understand.
He mentions those from Europe, including Queen Elizabeth, as well as her son, Prince Charles, and her grandson.
When the Queen’s son divorced from his wife, he no longer became eligible to become king.
I understood that Prince Charles could never become the King and therefore, Prince William would most likely be the next person to take over the Crown.
I understood that as well.
I hadn’t even thought about the particular issue that he was speaking to.
I would like to ask for an extension of my time, Mr. Speaker.
Our colleague is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement.
You may conclude your statement, Ms. Ugyuk.
This elder was telling me a story and I understood what he was talking about because he was speaking Inuktitut, but apparently the Queen had stated that Prince Charles could not be a king because he had divorced.
However, he was talking about his grandson.
Yet we hadn’t been told about that and being Canadian citizens, the Queen is our sovereign.
He was talking about that royal family.
He gave me a very good thought.
If those of us who are elected also have to have that perspective, if we are going to be electing future leaders, ministers, or Members of the Legislative Assembly, where there is going to be leadership, then we also have to think of these candidates in that manner.
Hopefully this is understood, but I understood his point.
We have to ensure that when you know the person, Kilukishak from Pond Inlet gave me that idea about that particular story and he wanted to ensure that this statement was understood.
Member’s Statement 307 – 3(2): Millie Kuliktana (Taptuna)
I rise today to speak about a great person, a great community leader who has given her time throughout the years in providing leadership within our community through her work on the hamlet council and through her volunteer efforts on such things as from organizing the Nattiq Frolics to spearheading the formation of the Tahiuqtiit Society, which is a non-profit organization that sponsors local training for youth and other community members.
Mr. Speaker, Millie Kuliktana, and most of you would recognize her name, plays a vital part of our community and has been involved in the school system from working as a classroom assistant to the role of a teacher and most recently in her role as a director of school operations in the Kitikmeot region.
Millie has worked diligently with the youth of our community and has opened up her home on a number of occasions as an alternate to the streets.
As many of you heard, Millie’s health has taken a turn for the worse, having developed a rare, life-threatening lung disease which has put a halt to much of her beloved activities.
After being hospitalized for two months this fall, she has been allowed to return home to Kugluktuk until January, at which time she is ordered by her doctors to relocate to Edmonton for an ongoing monitoring and treatment.
This weekend, she will gain a new daughter-in-law, as Quinton and his fiancé, Laila Uttak from Igloolik, have moved their wedding date up to allow Millie to celebrate it with them.
She also gets to celebrate Christmas at home with family, with many relatives and friends.
Mr. Speaker, Millie is unable to continue with her employment and so it will be a great loss to education and to Kugluktuk, including Nunavummiut.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Millie Kuliktana this afternoon for her dedication and her commitment to education, and a personal commitment and desire to see better life for Kuglukturmiut.
Member’s Statement 308 – 3(2): Success of Young Parents Stay Learning Program (Okalik)
I know Millie Kuliktana very well and I hope she becomes well in the future.
Now, with respect to our government, I would want to recognize that our government has proceeded.
I thought that I would never smile at Hunter Tootoo, but I was actually smiling during his Minister’s Statement because he recognizes that young parents who want to further their education are able to do so.
Perhaps this surfaced during my campaign. A young parent conveyed her story who was not quite 18 and she stated she was in hardship because she could not be assisted by any government agency.
When I heard about this particular story, I did some research. I worked with Minister Picco to see how we could deal with people in that situation.
I am very happy to report that this is now being followed and it has provided a lot of assistance for students. I thank the young woman who gave me her situation and showed me where to make improvements since it has really provided a lot of assistance for younger students.
I would like to take this opportunity to further urge all Nunavummiut to continue education. It is very easy to quit, but it’s only by continuing to work at what we want, even though it’s very hard and challenging, and once you pass it, it’s very gratifying.
After we have completed our education, we can then choose our career.
So I further urge our fellow Nunavummiut, especially the youth, let’s look for ways to further our education instead of always looking for issues. It’s very easy to quit. So again I encourage you to undertake education in a field that you enjoy.
That’s what I wanted to speak about.
Hon. Lorne Kusugak (interpretation): Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker.
I am very happy today to recognize this person. Unfortunately their member is not here, but he has been a past Member of the Legislative Assembly and he’s also the hamlet SAO in Repulse, who is also my maternal cousin.
So I would like to welcome Steve Mapsalak to the House.
I would also like to recognize a resident from Igloolik. He is a member of the Inuit Heritage Trust.
Because he is an elder now, Louis Uttak, who we used to call Alianakuluk, has adopted his surname of Louis Uttak but his name is Alianakuluk. I would like to recognize him.
I want to recognize the board members of the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation: Greg Cayen, Nancy Karetak-Lindell, Marg Epp, Wayne Solomon, Tommy Owlijoot, Allan Lahure; and the staff of the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation: Angela McPherson and Sherry Rowe.
I, too, would like to recognize two members of NBCC who are from Arviat and that’s Nancy Karetak-Lindell, our former MP and long-serving member on the many organizations that are benefiting Nunavut now, and also Tommy Owlijoot, who is a long-serving member on NBCC.
It gives me great pleasure to introduce NBCC member from Baker Lake, Mr. Al Lahure. Aside from the stores and the government departments that were placed through the federal programs, he employed a lot of Inuit locally as a businessman under Baker Lake Contracting and Supplies.
And the result, Baker Lake benefited by having a lot of apprentices as well as journeymen who have benefited from the trades and also have gained employment.
With that, I would like to have the distinct pleasure of recognizing Mr. Al Lahure.
It is indeed a pleasure this week. It’s not very often that I get a chance to recognize people from the Kitikmeot and from my constituency two days in a row.
I would like to recognize Marg Epp from Cambridge Bay and Wayne Solomon from Cambridge Bay.
Mr. Speaker, I served on the Northwest Territories Business Credit Corporation for six or seven years, so I realize and recognize the tremendous work that these folks have ahead of them. I wish the entire board well in their deliberations. We do need a strong and vibrant private sector.
I am sure, with the contributions that this board will make, that we will move in that direction.
I would like to welcome all of the visitors to the Gallery.
I do represent a constituent who is the Chairperson of the Nunavut Investment Group, Greg Cayen, who is here. Welcome to the Gallery.
He is one of my constituents, so I would like to welcome him to the Gallery.
Welcome, each and every one of you, to the Gallery. (interpretation ends) Item. 6.
Question 447 – 3(2): Issues with Obtaining Driver’s Licences in Cape Dorset (Schell)
I have no questions today for the Minister of Housing, but I’m sure my fellow members do have some questions for him.
I would like to direct my questions to the Minister of Economic Development and Transportation, Hon. Peter Taptuna.
Mr. Speaker, the issue of obtaining driver’s licences in a timely manner in Nunavut has been brought up by colleagues of mine in the House.
During the June sitting, the minister indicated that it should take approximately four weeks to receive a driver’s licence.
My constituents are waiting for several months to get one in Cape Dorset.
Can the minister explain what steps his department has done to improve the process to get a driver’s licence?
Yes, I agree, some of the processes have taken quite a bit of time.
Right at this point, there are 20 applications that are outstanding for Cape Dorset, and there are several different reasons.
The application has to come with the proper photographs, the cost of the application has to be included, the payment has to be included within that, and for the most part, there is none of that happening. There are some certain things that do have to come with the application, but those are missing.
My understanding is that the contract in Cape Dorset is with the local hamlet and they have an MLO there. My question is: is the contract for 12 months or is it for nine months?
It seems like when the person in charge goes on holidays for five weeks, nobody replaces her. She goes on medical travel for a week, nobody replaces her. She decides to go hunting, nobody replaces her.
My question is: is the hamlet responsible for that job for 12 months of the year or only nine?
For the most part, the contract is with the hamlet and with the community liaison officer, who usually issues the driver’s licence and processes the issuing of the licence.
Mr. Speaker, the contract, at times… .
You are absolutely right. There are some instances where the officers do leave the community for whatever reasons and, for the most part, they are not replaced. That slows down the process, but for the most part, we try and make efforts to send in our clerks to fill in and issue the licensing.
I’m sure, with the Cape Dorset situation where there is a backlog, that we will be making sure that a clerk from our department is sent up to Cape Dorset to assist in the training and the issuing of the driver’s licences.
Yes, I guess it’s quite obvious that that’s not happening in Cape Dorset.
I was told by office here in Iqaluit that there was a period of time where they never got anything from Cape Dorset for three months.
If I need to get any registration done, I don’t even bother in Cape Dorset. I just go to the office here in Iqaluit because it’s not worthwhile to wait.
I know several people who got their licences renewed and they had to get them renewed three different times because their temporary licences had expired.
So with all of these problems that are going on, what kind of monitoring do you have to make sure that this doesn’t happen again?
There are a lot of issues and we are trying to alleviate some of those issues.
In fact, the last time we did send a couple of issuing clerks down to Sanikiluaq, where one of the problems with getting the licences out to the clients had been a problem.
At this point, we are trying to determine how we can get the community liaison officers trained up more and working more effectively and efficiently.
As we monitor the situation, we have realized that yes, there are a lot of materials going back and forth and applications have to be completed in order to be filled and the proper issuing information is there.
So it comes from both sides, from the applicants and our officer. For the most part, we are short-staffed, but with any kind of situation where there is a backlog of applications, we do try and send somebody in there to assist the hamlets and the community liaison officers in moving the process up.
In Cape Dorset’s case, like you say, apparently they hadn’t received any paperwork for three months.
So I guess my next question is: have you ever considered that if you have an issue in a community that maybe you go to the private sector to get the contract fulfilled?
We will certainly consider that.
We will see how the next steps go because we are sending people into Cape Dorset to assist the community liaison officer of the hamlet there.
If that is the case, we may have to consider that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 448 – 3(2): Baker Lake Municipal Landfill (Aupaluktuq)
I would like to direct my questions to the Hon. Minister Dan Shewchuk, Minister of Environment.
Mr. Speaker, in yesterday’s question period, I asked questions concerning the conditions at Baker Lake’s municipal landfill.
Mr. Speaker, the minister informed me that the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada officers are given authority to inspect municipal landfills in relation to their water licences, which are issued by the Nunavut Water Board to each community.
I’m assuming that the Department of Environment’s staff, such as the local conservation officer, would have accompanied the INAC water resource officers during any inspection.
Can the minister indicate if his staff accompanied the INAC water resource officer when the Baker Lake landfill was most recently inspected and what were the results of the inspection report?
As far as I am aware, I don’t know the timeframes of when the last inspection was done on the landfill or dump in Baker Lake.
However, the member is correct in saying that the jurisdiction does belong to INAC and INAC inspectors.
However, if we were requested of our local conservation officers to accompany INAC inspectors, we would do so.
It’s becoming clear that the issues relating to municipal landfills are very complex.
I encourage the Government of Nunavut to table information for the benefit of all Nunavummiut in the House.
The minister indicated yesterday that the Nunavut Water Board has the authority to issue water licences to municipalities.