EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
As far as adequacy goes as far as the overall budget, I think when you look at this stuff that we are looking at, it goes anywhere from $224,000 to the highest of $15,871,000 for department and that’s Health and Social Services that in previous years has been under funded.
So, when we talked about realistic budgets, I don’t think, in some cases there may be and in some cases there may not be.
I think we need to try and do what we can to ensure the accuracies of these budgets so that we don’t look at supplementary appropriations or even if we say, okay we are going to have a deficit, but we have to meet these needs.
This is what we know we are going to have and not just say we are only going to budget this much, knowing full well that the Department of Health is going to need a $20,000,000 bail-out part way through the year.
To me that’s not accurate budgeting and I think that is something that we need to, even if it shows we are going to have a deficit.
That’s not a dirty word if we need to provide those services and we are not getting enough resources to do it, we still have to provide those services.
So, that was just a comment.
We are on page 27, (interpretation ends) Total Government Services, not previously authorized, $1,003,000, (interpretation) do you agree?
Chairman (interpretation): Turn the page to page 28.
There is a note here to provide funding of $1,000,000 for the costs associated with...I am getting dry here, I am losing my voice...to provide funding of $1,000,000 for costs associated with the implementation of the first phase of the fire protection strategy.
Could the minister tell us what specifically the $1,000,000 will be spent on?
It’s a plan for additional resources for fire marshal’s office equipment and personnel, and to provide additional training and to promote and provide public education and awareness for fire services safety and prevention programs.
Chairperson (interpretation): Miss. Aglukkaq.
Can the minister clarify how many additional personnel that the fire department, the fire marshal’s office will be hiring?
I have here, there will be a deputy fire marshal, dedicated PY. Second internship candidates and one headquarters administrative support.
Mr. Evyagotailak would like to make a comment.
Mr. Evyagotailak (interpretation): Mr. Chairman, I believe we don’t have a quorum.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Evyagotailak.
We don’t have a quorum at this time.
Please ring the bells.
I guess people got tired of me asking questions, so they left.
You mentioned that the first phase of fire protection, it implies that there is going to be a second and third and fourth phase.
Does the government have an idea of what the total costs of the will be?
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Peterson Madam Minister.
I believe that this program in the long run will save the Government of Nunavut funds for lost prevention initiatives.
The department has put a lot effort into training in the last year and throughout Nunavut and the amounts that I have in front me will probably require additional $2,000,000 in the base, perhaps next year to continue on with the efforts of training fire fighters throughout Nunavut.
I applaud the government for making that move because when I was with the Nunavut Association Municipalities we had some serious losses when some of our municipalities’ buildings burned down.
We learned from our difficulties that we didn’t have sufficient fire protection and education across Nunavut and I’m very happy to see the fire department is working to help educate the fire departments and train them across Nunavut.
The municipal training organization is doing a lot of great fire training work.
So, I think this is an area that as the minister said, we could make small investments now that will pay big dividends down the road by protecting 20 or 30 million dollar infrastructure buildings and other projects.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Peterson. I don’t think that was a question.
We were on page 28.
Total protection services not previously authorized. $1,122,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Capital planning and technical services.
Planning and technical services not previously authorized. $609,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Not previously authorized. $6,700,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Page 29.
On page 29, $300,000 is being requested by the government to implement the NNI function in the Department of Economic Development and Transportation.
How many PO’s have the contracting supplies or forward hearing to date and how many decisions has it made?
From what I understand the $300,000 in this supplementary bill is to set up this shop for the NNI monitoring and training units, which will include approximately 3 or 4 employees and the setting up of the office.
In terms of the statistics of the work that has been done by the individual responsible for managing NNI program, I don’t have that information. Perhaps the minister, I don’t have those statistics in terms of the delivery and the monitoring of appeals for NNI.
Mr. Evyagotailak (interpretation): That is it
Just a follow-up on a line of questioning. Can the minister commit to giving that information to us by the February session?
Hon. David Simailak: Yes, we’ll certainly get that information that is being asked for.
We’re on page 29.
Total corporate management not previously authorized. $369,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Department of Economic Development and Transportation not previously authorized. $659,000.
Total Transportation. $367,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Total department not previously authorized. $1,404,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Page 31.
The total for uncontrolled expense shortfall is $7,700,000 and there is a figure in there of $2,900,000 for uncontrolled expense shortfall of the local housing authority.
Can the minister tells us what specifically $2.9 million dollars will be use for?
The increase is to cover prior uncontrollable expenses in the areas of utility costs and it is to offset the impact of the fuel price increases of August 2004.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you. Mr. Peterson.
It says 4.8 million for the financial impact of the fuel increases, but can the minister be more clear on what the 2.9 million will be used for.
What type of utility costs.
The amount will be used for fuel prices as well as for the water and sewer costs for new public housing units.
When the inevitable happens, when we have the power prices increase, will the local housing authorities organizations get an increase in their base funding to cover the increase in power rates across Nunavut.
I had said earlier, during the session that we would be dealing with the whole issue what is going before cabinet regarding the proposed GRA application and the recommendation from the URRC when that recommendation has gone to cabinet, we will be reviewing all those elements that will effect, not all those elements but the impact it will have on AGC’s, not only government and we mentioned many times that the Government of Nunavut covers 80 percent of those costs away so we need to look at that.
Come February we’ll be in a position to talk more in details of what that will all mean.
How much does the Government of Nunavut provide to each local housing authority in percentage terms for O&M and other costs associated with the maintaining buildings and providing services to the tenants and the communities where they have public and social housing?
From what I understand from my officials the amount is quite high.
They don’t have a strong revenue base, but it is unfortunate that the minister is not available here.
I can commit collecting that information in terms of how much each community receives from the territorial government.
Mr. Peterson: I read a newspaper story on CBC report story last May where we had $6,000,000 and rental arrears and $1,000,000 in damages that had not been collected over, I think it said 30 years.
I’m sure the department is making efforts to get that under control.
It seems to me that there has to be money that comes from the government to cover those costs.
You just cannot collect that money. You need money to repair your buildings, you need money for O&M. I’ve read a figure somewhere that cost an average of $18,000 in O&M for the Government of Nunavut to operate one housing unit in Nunavut.
If that is not offset by equal amount of revenue then the government has to pay quite a bit.
If you’re only charging $60 a month in rent, that is not going to amount to $18,000 to break even.
I’m just wondering how much money the government, the housing corporation provide each housing authority to operate their houses in their communities?
I recognize the member’s concerns and I think some communities are much more active than other communities in collecting rent as well as dealing with individuals that are not paying rent and one example is in Cambridge Bay.
There has been a lot of coverage on potential tenants being evicted for not paying so.
He raised an interesting point.
In terms of how much each association receives from the territorial government, I don’t have that information available, and I mentioned earlier that it is unfortunate that the minister is not here but I will commit to providing that information to the member.
We are on page 31.
Nunavut Housing Corporation. Nunavut Housing Corporation not previously authorized. $8,009,000.
Chairman: Appropriations.
Appropriations. $45,502,000.
Chairman: Supplementary Appropriation.
Act II, 2004-05.
Definitions One.
Chairman: Going to page 2 under schedule.
Operations and Maintenance. $45,502,000.
Chairman: Supplementary Appropriation. $35,502.000.
Chairman: Item 4.
Chairman: Item 5.
Chairman: Item 6.
Chairman: Item 7.
Chairman: The Bill as a whole.
Chairman: Bill 2 is now ready for third reading.
Chairman: Bill 3.
Capital Act.
We’ll take a 5 minute break before we starts with the next one.
>>Committee recessed at 14:54 and resumed at 15:16
Chairman (interpretation): We can proceed.
Our next item is Supplementary Appropriation Capital II, 2004/05, Bill 3.
Let us go to page 4.
Finance Capital Branch.
Comptrollership.
Total Comptrollership special warrants. $39,000.
Total department. $39,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Human Resources Capital.
Total Directorate special warrant not previously authorized. $100,000.
Here we are seeing $100,000 being transferred from Department of Human Resources’ O&M to capital, to complete the renovations in the Trigram Building.
I know I asked the questions earlier supplementary amount in there, in the O&M.
Is this just the debit or credit of that earlier entry in there, or is this additional funding?
He has raised the same questions and we are dealing with the item in the O&M sup-Bills, this is basically to show that same amounts under the capital sup-Bills.
Branch Directorate.
Total Directorate not previously authorized. $100,000.
Chairman: Total Department. $100,000.
Chairman: We will turn to page 6.
Total Directorate, special warrants. $229,000.
Chairman: Registries and Court Services. $634,000.
Chairman: Special warrants. $84,000.
Chairman: Total department. $947,000.
Chairman: Turn the page to page 7.
Culture, Language, Elders and Youth Capital.
Mr. Barnabas: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. $111,000 is being requested as the carry over for Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, capital funding for community heritage elders and youth centres.
Will the department table a comprehensive annual report next year on its 2004/05 capital spending, including which projects were funded?
I will pass that on to the Minister responsible for the department to do so.
I was just wondering if we could ascertain that the Minister would be willing to provide us with that information.
I believe that I just answered that question.
Chairman (interpretation): Mr. Barnabas, can you ask your question again?
Mr. Barnabas (interpretation): My question to the Minister is $111,000 is being requested as a carry over Culture, Language, Elders and Youth .capital funding for community heritage elders and youth centres.
We will bring this up on the report, 2004/05, and it will have a list of what the funds were used for.
We are on page 7.
I am pleased to hear and look forward to seeing that information in the House.
Just below that there is an additional $15,000 for more renovations to the Trigram Building.
I am just wondering if this is on top of the other money that was there in Human Resources.
I know that the Minister had indicated the other day the total amount.
I am just wondering if this is additional that are included in the total amounts that she had indicated yesterday?
The amount that is shown on page 7 is Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth’s portion to the renovation of the Trigram Building.
Mr. Tootoo: Mr. Chairman, I am just wondering if Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth’s portion of those renovations but yesterday the Minister had indicated that this was a contract for both departments.
And there was an amount that she mentioned yesterday.
I am just wondering if this amount was included in that total that she gave us yesterday, or if it is an additional amount on top of that?
To clarify the comments made, there was a question made in question support in regards to an overall figure for the renovation of the Trigram Building, and I had stated at that time, it was one project for the overall seven hundred figure that was discussed yesterday.
And the question before yesterday was what the difference is.
Who covered what?
And I had mentioned at that time it was one project.
In terms of the $100,000 we were discussing yesterday, under Department of Human Resources, in that amount is that $15,000 Culture, Language, Elders and Youth’s portion.
That $20,000 that is there and it states Nunavut various, in regards to recreational facilities.
Twenty thousand is not a big amount.
Which one is it for?
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq: The $20,000 figure is the carry over from that line item to this fiscal year.
Special Warrant. $146,000.
Chairman: $146,000.
Chairman: Page 8.
Mr. Evyagotailak (interpretation): On page 8, $3,959,000 is being requested capital for carry over for numerous Department of Education projects.
Can the minister tell us which of the projects are over budget or behind schedule?
For the communities that are behind schedule I believe those are listed in the page 8.
That is where those projects are, behind schedule, so we’re putting forward those amounts to this new fiscal year, and on the bottom it states that the transfer is taking, is going from one fiscal year to the next fiscal year and there is no increase in the original approved capital projects for those communities listed.
Mr. Evyagotailak (interpretation): Does that mean any of them are over budget?
There is no increase in funding.
There is no change from the original amount.
We’re basically carrying the funding from the old fiscal year to the 2004-05 fiscal year, to finish the project.
Mr. Evyagotailak: Mr. Chairman, can the minister tell us which of those projects are under budget or ahead of schedule?
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On the projects listed there, they are all behind schedule so that is why we are transferring the money to the next fiscal year to finish the projects.
Once we are closer to the end of the project, we’ll have a better idea whether they are under budget, or not.
Mr. Evyagotailak, Are you done?
I understand the minister’s comments of what these municipal operations is doing in transferring money that was appropriated last year into this year.
But they are the same amounts but that doesn’t necessarily mean that all of them are on budget, and on time, or under budget, but out of the ones that are listed there is the minister aware of any of them going to being over budget?
Not at this time. We’re not aware, as far as we know that that is the amount that is being transferred to complete the project.
Is there any requirement for the Minister responsible for Education to inform, I don’t know whether it would be the Minister of Finance department or Department of Community and Government Services, or whoever is administrating those contracts, if and when they discover that they are going to end up being costing more than appropriated.
On a regular basis there is a strong working relationship between Department of Community and Government Services and Department of Education and the Department of Finance to monitor all the capital projects and at which time we are aware we will go forward with that.
Now that we have the illustrious, electrifying Minister of Education with us, I was wondering if he could indicate on page 8 of the 2004-05 Supplementary Appropriation, Capital number 2, the list of project for the capital projects for the Department of Education, if he is aware any of them that may be running into over budgeting problems?
To repeat my response in the presence of the minister, at this point and time, I stated that Department of Finance, Department of Community and Government Services and Department of Education are working together on a regular basis to monitor the progress of each of these projects.
As far as we know at this point time, they are on target and should that information become available, I committed to the members that information will go forward in the House.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. Minister of Education, did you want to add on to this?
I must say that since the new minister stepped in the role of finance is not like the other role, but with the other minister, it was like pulling teeth to try and get information out and endorsing the minister.
So, there were 12 requests to carry over capital projects.
It is my understanding that the 12 projects listed in the mains of page 8, all have contractual agreements for carrying over requests and basically just to ensure adequate cash flow for successful completion of the project.
I don’t see any indication where the project has gone over budget and that’s certainly not the reason for capital carry over.
It is the contractual arrangements on the schools that are going forward.
One of the projects in there is the replacement of the Joamie School that was lost in the fire.
My understanding, Mr. Chairman, is if that project is ahead of schedule.
I’m just wondering if minister responsible could indicate when they’re projecting the project be completed and students will be able to go into their new school.
Minister Aglukkaq, did you want to respond?
In terms of the figures that are before us, to complete the project the carry over is required because if falls in between two fiscal years.
In terms of when the grand opening will be at the school, I believe that is the question that Mr. Tootoo is asking of the Minister of Education.
The Joamie School project by all expectations is moving forward very quickly.
The landscaping has been basically completed on the outside indeed.
The final work is being done inside.
We would hope to be in a position to move in earlier then expected.
I believe the date that we looked at was some time in March, when the final building is finished all the shake downs and so on.
Maybe the students could be in as early as this spring in April or May, maybe earlier?
Again, it depends when the project is complete.
When all the shake downs of the building are done and the finals are complete.
I think that is really good news for Iqaluit residents who have been waiting for the school to be finished.
The other area project on there, that little interest in, I’m not sure that this is one that current Education Minister is very familiar with is the Aqsarniit School addition.
I know that the minister is aware that when the school was built, it was built to house three grade levels and right from day one when it opened it only had the capacity to house two and this addition I think is something that is long overdue.
I’m just wondering what and when we can expect to see some work being done on this?
I see there is $98,000 in here.
Is that just for design phase of the project?
When can we expect to see the work being done on the school?
Why is this being carried over, is it just because the work that we are getting done was not completed in the prior fiscal year?
Or it is just more work that is being carried on over two fiscal years and what work is that?
There still hasn’t been any signs of any construction anything up there so.
From what I understand the project is entering its first year of construction phase and now it is on the final committee as well to look at the design and what not and to continue on with that project, the funds have been transferred to the next fiscal year.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. Are you finished?
I just thought this was a something that was a design function that was committed to have been done the last fiscal year.
Is there any specific reason why it is taking so long to get done?
There is a requirement for it to be carried over if they are going to be starting construction this year.
I believe the majority of funding to initiate this project will be in this phase.
The carry over is the smaller amount from that actual budget for initial review of the building, and what not. From what I understand the majority of the funds are coming this fiscal year in the capital that was just approved two days ago.
I just want to get a clarification in regards to Sanikiluaq.
Is the new Sanikiluaq School for $97,000?
I believe that $97,000 figure is for the design phase of the new school.
They’ve already worked on the design.
Isn’t the design completed yet?
The transfer of the $97,000 is from the fiscal year 2003-04 capital project.
This document is transferring that figure to the currently fiscal year of 2004-05 and I believe that funding was allocated to initiate the design phase of the actual school.
The construction of that school has not started.
And the funding was to initiate the design so that we can go to the next step of going forward with the capital project for the actual construction of the school.
Mr. Kattuk: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
We’ve seen the design already.
It has been up and shown through the local channel.
The design has been seen.
So, my question is the $97,000, will it be used for, I’ve seen the design in the local channel in the last two years.
The design was done and I just wanted to find out what the $97,000 is being used for?
The majority of the project for the design phase was completed in 2003-04 which the member states has been advertised and the original target funding for that design phase was $650,000 and the remaining balance of that $96,000 is what we’re transferring into this new fiscal year.
The design phase from what he said is done but to go forward the construction that is why we need to transfer the funding that was left over.
This is basically the balance of what was not spent in 2003-04.
We need to transfer it to this capital year of 2004-05 to conclude that design phase of that project.
We’re on page 8.
Grants.
Special Warrant. $3, 859,000.
Chairman: Total Department. $3,859,000.
That is a large amount here $30,630,000.
I’m wondering if the minister could tell us of any of these projects are ahead of schedule and whether they are on budget?
In terms of again, I’ll state that this funding that is being transferred from one capital project year to the next fiscal year, the 2004-05.
In there it basically says that there is no additional funding and there is no additional funding required for that.
The projects had been initiated in that one fiscal year and in terms of where they are at the building and development, each date.
I don’t have that information.
How many years can you carryover from one fiscal year to another but can you carry over two fiscal years?
Yes, we can carryover funding that was approved in one fiscal year to the next fiscal year, if there are balances in that.
How many fiscal years can you carry money over, if the project is behind schedule and not on budget?
We can carryover the funding from one fiscal year to the next fiscal year until the project is completed.
Mr. Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Can the Minister tell me if the Kitikmeot health facility is on schedule and on budget?
As far as I know, the Kitikmeot health facility is on budget and on schedule.