EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
For a number of years, Rankin Inlet’s water source, Nippisar Lake, has been visibly depleting.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, I recognize that the department has been working to solve this problem and has previously identified Char River as an alternative source to replenish the community’s water reservoir.
However, residents of Rankin Inlet remain concerned about the extent to which this solution can meet the community’s needs.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, according to the population estimates provided by the Nunavut Bureau of Statistics in 2015, Rankin Inlet is the second largest community in Nunavut and it continues to grow.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, I do not need to emphasize the importance of water; it is a basic and vital element to our survival and success as individuals and as a community.
It is of the utmost importance that we do everything in our power to ensure that our communities have sufficient access to clean water at all times.
Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be tabling photographs of Nippisar Lake, Tasinnaaq, as we call it in Inuktitut, that illustrate the low level of water in the lake.
Unfortunately the lake has been in this state for quite some time.
Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will also be asking questions on this issue. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Member’s Statement 310 – 4(3): Staying Safe (Mikkungwak)
Before I make my statement, I would first like to say that our eldest son is celebrating his birthday. I wish Derrick Mikkungwak a happy birthday.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remind my fellow northerners and fellow hunters to stay safe when going out on the land or water.
Mr. Speaker, an important action to take to stay safe while out hunting actually happens before you go.
Before you leave, make sure to tell someone where you are going, when you expect to be back, and who you will be going with.
Remember to make sure your gear is in good working order before you go out, keep an eye on weather, and take extra supplies and emergency equipment. It’s evident that last year and the year before our government announced that SPOT devices are available and some of them are available at your local RCMP, hamlet, or HTA office to use while you are gone.
Mr. Speaker, every year our communities in Nunavut face the worrisome task of searching for someone who has gotten lost.
I would like to ask for unanimous consent to my statement.
The member is seeking unanimous consent to his statement.
I don’t hear any nays. Mr. Mikkungwak, please proceed.
I also thank my colleagues very much.
I have a public reminder to my fellow Nunavummiut, especially as we start to approach winter.
When searchers have to conduct searches, it is quite palpable as a past searcher when a search is undertaken for hunters who haven’t returned.
With advance preparation, we can all play a role in keeping ourselves, our family members, and our fellow residents safe.
Member’s Statement 311 – 4(3): Appointment of Pond Inlet Resident Rachel Smale to the Prime Minister’s Youth Council (Enook)
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to rise today in order to congratulate one of my constituents for a tremendous accomplishment.
Mr. Speaker, my fellow community member, Ms. Rachel Smale, is one of only fifteen young Canadians to have been chosen to serve on the Prime Minister of Canada’s National Youth Council.
Rachel was appointed to the council last month and has already had at least one meeting with the Prime Minister.
Mr. Speaker, the mandate of the National Youth Council is to advise the Prime Minister and the Government of Canada on policies and programs that are important to youth.
It is my understanding that one of Rachel’s priorities will be to address the issue of suicide prevention among youth.
Mr. Speaker, Rachel is a mentor, a volunteer, and a scholar, having received the Governor General’s Academic Medal in 2015.
Mr. Speaker, Rachel will be an excellent advocate for Nunavut youth and I ask all members to join me today in expressing our support for her important work on behalf of Nunavut youth.
Member’s Statement 312 – 4(3): Successful Bowhead Whale Hunt in Igloolik (Quassa)
Indeed, examples are always uplifting when traditional practices are revived in our community and throughout Nunavut.
Nunavut has repatriated the bowhead whale hunt and communities can now harvest bowhead whales, as per the ancient Inuit cultural practices and customs are followed when harvesting these whales, which is extremely joyful.
I grew up hearing stories about ancestral hunters who were on qajait (kayaks) who singly caught a bowhead whale all by themselves, and I doubt that would ever happen today.
Nonetheless, the practice of harvesting bowhead whales is continuing.
Just this past summer in our community of Igloolik, the hunters were able to harvest a bowhead whale measuring 27 feet.
Although it was coined as being small for the species, I assure you it is quite a large animal.
I want to take this opportunity to name the main participants in the hunting crew.
What is further inspirational is there was a woman involved in the actual hunting party and she was part of the group.
Although she was the lone woman, it is very heartening.
Lucy Qattalik was the only female during that hunt, but there were also many others involved whom I shall name.
The captain was David Irngaut, who is the president of the hunters and trappers organization. Theo Ikummaq was his co-captain.
The hunters were: Moses Iqqaqsaq, Judah Sarpinak, Donald Ittusardjuat, Levi Qaunaq, Tyson Qaunaq, who was the harpooner, Isa Irngaut, who was another harpooner, George Qattalik, Wayne Ungalaq, another harpooner, Terence Uyarak, who lent his traditional bowhead lance, if you know what an anguvigaq is.
Dean Ittusardjuat, who held the bowhead lance, Killiktee Ivvalu and Laben Kunnuk were also harpooners, Andrew Irngaut, Ted Attagutaluk, Joseph Attagutaluk, Daniel Attagutaluk, Paul Nangmalik, Dennis Aqqiaruq, Steven Sarpinak, Paul Jr. Nangmalik, and Daniel Qattalik.
[Eugene] Ipkangnak was one of the elder representatives, Daniel Qattalik was another elder, and Herve Paniaq comprised the last of the elders.
They had elder participants throughout the process of the hunt.
Member’s Statement 313 – 4(3): Inuit Representation on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Commission (Okalik)
Mr. Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I wish to add my voice to the calls for an Inuk woman to be appointed to the Commission on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
Far too often Inuit women are the victims of violence in our territory.
If they’re spared their lives, they then live with physical and mental scars of their trauma for the remainder of their lives.
Inuit women have to live with the findings of the commission.
Why are they not allowed to serve on the body that will be working on solutions for this very difficult problem that we are facing?
It saddens me to have to explain this as a Liberal and as I was so hoping to see this as a tool to battle our unacceptable statistics of violence against Inuit women in our young territory.
Mr. Trudeau, whatever happened to your promise to have a nation-to-nation relationship with aboriginal people? The Inuit of Canada are waiting for this to be honoured and implemented.
Pauktuutit, the very body my late mother was the founding member of, is there to represent Inuit women, as they should.
They were then called racist by a so-called Nunavut Senator for asking for an Inuk to serve on the commission.
Mr. Speaker, Pauktuutit are not racist.
As an example, their top employee is a qallunaaq. If they were racist, it would be very difficult for this employee to work for Pauktuutit.
For them to be called racist is just ludicrous. Mr. Dennis Patterson, you owe them an apology. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 402 – 4(3): Foster Parenting in Nunavut (Shooyook)
Social work is a difficult issue with respect to the apprehension of children.
Have you and your staff discussed any future plans on whether the current Act is good for Inuit? There are some problem areas.
With that being the case, as minister, have you taken this under consideration at all regarding foster care that follows Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and how it can improve?
Can you elaborate that to me?
I thank my colleague for that question and asking for further elaboration.
The business of having foster children and youth is the responsibility of the Department of Family Services. When that type of action is going to proceed, they are involved in providing assistance within Nunavut.
They don’t just decide out of the blue to put them in foster homes.
Family Services doesn’t suddenly decide to take this child and move them elsewhere as a foster child, but rather we provide support, especially for foster children.
With respect to the legislation we work under today on how a child or youth should be dealt with, parents are directly involved.
When that is being done within Nunavut, the Inuit organizations are kept informed about it.
The Inuit tradition of having foster children has always been the case, but having foster children today is a complicated process.
They try to work carefully under the legislation and the parents are directly involved. They work together with the parents who will be fostering the child, and that’s how we do things in Nunavut.
Mr. Shooyook (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the minister for that statement.
Nonetheless, I disagree with his statement about certain parts of social work.
My reasoning for the disagreement is that in my constituency I have been informed by many parents who were not informed prior to the apprehension of their children and that occurred in several cases.
Two or more, I am unsure of the exact number, but not all cases had prior parental discussions before the apprehension.
The communication needs to improve.
I am referencing fostering children where parents are judged to be incompetent parents and their children are sent off to a different community through apprehension.
This is not adoption, as this is apprehension of the children from the family.
With that being the situation we face today, Inuit cultural practices are being neglected and if it were practised, it would help to resolve many difficulties.
I wonder if the minister has debated where improvements can be made to ensure parents don’t undergo unnecessary mental trauma. Due to this mental trauma, as per my earlier statement, I wonder if any discussions or ideas have surfaced on resolving this issue.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister of Family Services, Mr. Johnny Mike.
I also thank the member for his clarification about the two cases where apprehension occurred that he is aware of and now asking about. I will want further details on the case if they were, indeed, apprehended without prior notification. I would ask that he be available to discuss this because I want to be very clear on that.
This is the first I have heard of a case of apprehension without notification in my role as the minister.
I would like to meet with him to clarify the issue and I will want further information from the member.
However, I want to restate that the Department of Family Services is committed to looking at ways based on this increase in foster children and further related to community communications in order to ensure communities are consulted about foster children.
Meetings are underway here in Nunavut during this month with foster parents in the communities and representatives from every community in order to understand the situation. Furthermore, to extend our gratitude to the foster parents who are a bastion of support to the department, more work is being done to assist them.
What I can state now on this subject is that once Inuit families are involved, the case is identified and the communication trail is started. With respect to fostering children, the Department of Family Services doesn’t just apprehend children forthwith, but in compliance with the legislation.
There is even a requirement to sign off on a case if contemplation of apprehension of a child or teenager is involved, and then a form requiring parental signature has to be included where the affected parents have to sign documents when either a child or teenager of theirs is being considered for placement in a foster home.
As the minister responsible for this portfolio, you have to research this issue more deeply since Nunavut ought to be governed differently from the old NWT and our lifestyle today is completely different now in Nunavut.
As the minister, I urge you to formulate plans to resolve this issue specific to social work with the assistance of local Inuit experts in family resolution to work on a daily basis, to become employed in that capacity.
By undertaking this type of local expertise usage, apprehension would no longer increase.
This practice we have today is obviously impacting lives today, the result of Inuit having willingly relinquished their parental rights, with no avenue for redress. No wonder our children are in a bind.
I want to you know that this has led to destruction of families as one of the factors.
As the minister, can you or your officials place more efforts on researching ways to get funding for interagency cooperation between the RCMP, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit experts, and social workers to look at the inclusion of Inuit experts on a daily basis?
I would personally like to see a position such as that where this person would become employed as the liaison specific to any cases involving children to ensure this process is fixed.
When verbal promises are the only reference to resolving this without recognition of Inuit practices, nothing will ever come to be resolved. I urge that funding be sought or requested to actually incorporate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit in a tangible manner so that it can become a position in the future to assist the process.
I thank my colleague for providing the advice.
This is the third year that the Department of Family Services has operated under the legislation the department was reorganized through. This legislation was put together by the Government of Nunavut.
As I stated earlier, the Inuit organizations are involved in the process and as a government, we identified seven positions in the communities to provide assistance to families.
Arctic Bay is one of those communities. Under the legislation, Inuit organizations, the RCMP, the hospital and health centres, the Department of Family Services, and the municipalities can work closely together.
Yes, I totally agree with you that it has to be considered as to how Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit can be more utilized or improved so that the business of having foster children can be decreased instead of increasing.
I have the same thoughts as my colleague in this area.
Question 403 – 4(3): Motion Regarding the Establishment of a Board of Management for the Qikiqtani General Hospital (Angnakak)
Ms. Angnakak: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation) Good afternoon. (interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Health.
Mr. Speaker, on November 6, 2014 Motion 16 – 4(2) regarding the establishment of a board of management at the Qikiqtani General Hospital was adopted without opposition in this House.
I moved the motion and I am sure the minister will recall that.
For the benefit of my colleagues and the listening public, can the minister remind this House who seconded that motion?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister of Health, Mr. George Hickes.
I am sure that the member and all of my colleagues and anyone who can read Hansard can find that information out.
Mr. Speaker, I was the member that seconded that motion.
I’m glad that the minister has a good memory.
Mr. Speaker, I’m sure that the minister will recall that motion, as he has indicated. It was adopted in this House and it required the government to undertake a comprehensive review of the merits and benefits and also the logistics, administrative and financial aspects of establishing a board of management for the Qikiqtani General Hospital and reporting on its considerations and findings on the first day of the 2015 fall sitting of the Legislative Assembly.
That deadline was over a year ago now.
Will the minister commit to tabling this report at the earliest opportunity before the end of this current sitting?
Minister of Health, Mr. Hickes.
I appreciate the passion that the member brings on this topic. At the time and I still think it is an important issue to explore.
Unfortunately we have had a number of initiatives through the Department of Health that have had higher priority obligations from the department to utilize the capacity that we have.
That being said, I can assure the member that this is something I do speak to my officials on fairly regularly and it is not a topic that is going to die on the order paper.
I am very adamant that we will come to a conclusion on this report, but it is going to take a little bit of time. The report is not final right now.
I have seen some very preliminary information from that topic and I have requested some further discussion on it.
I can’t commit at this time to having that tabled before the end of this sitting.
I think that’s very disappointing because all sorts of things could always come into play and take precedence, and then you really never get to actually fulfilling the motion.
Mr. Speaker, it is my belief that when the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut adopts a motion, that motion expresses the will of the House.
If it is the will of the House that the government undertake an activity or initiative, then it should be incumbent upon the government to do so.
Does the minister agree that the government has an obligation to meet the terms of the motion as agreed to by all Members of this House?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister of Health, Mr. Hickes.
Again I appreciate the member’s passion on this topic. I share the ideals that she is pushing for.
A motion in the House is just that, a motion in the House. There’s an obligation for me as the Minister of Health to respond to that motion.
Unfortunately since I have come into this role, we have identified that the timing of the motion put forward was unrealistic with the level of detail and the level of thought. For the sake of just meeting the guideline and putting forward a report that is inadequate or may have not researched information is not how I plan on running the Department of Health.
When I bring forward a report on something, it’s something that I have looked at, I have analyzed, and I can support.
Until such time as I have a report of that nature in my hands to present to this Assembly, that’s when it will come.
Question 404 – 4(3): Community Justice Committee Appointments and Revocations (Joanasie)
As the minister will recall, during our recent spring sitting I asked the minister a number of questions concerning the appointments and revocations of community justice committee members. In response the minister stated that he planned to look further into the issue and report back to the House.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to reiterate my questions today.
Can the minister indicate if community justice committees are required to provide information concerning the appointments and revocations of their members when they submit their reports and proposals for funding to his department?
I thank Mr. Joanasie for the question and reminding me about the questioning in the spring.
I have to commend the Cape Dorset justice committee, a very active committee up there.
Mr. Speaker, the justice committees are normally set up and established under hamlet councils and the hamlet councils would submit the funding agreements and proposals to the government. The contribution agreements are with the hamlets and then they flow the funds to the justice committees.
The appointments and revocations are done by me. The justice committee itself does not send in these kinds of reports to our department.
I know for a fact that the department had a call-out for committee members this past August.
I would like to ask the minister if he can tell us today: is every member of a community justice committee also appointed as a member of a youth justice committee under the Young Offenders Act?
It is also my understanding that hamlet councils may sign agreements with the federal Crown counsel and the RCMP to provide community justice committees with the authority to deal with diverted criminal cases related to adult offences.
Hon. Keith Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank Mr. Joanasie for that question.
Under clause 717 of the Criminal Code, this allows me as the Minister of Justice to appoint the members to the justice committee so that they could consider adult diversions when appropriate.
Obviously, if there was someone charged with a real serious offence, they’re not going to be diverted to the justice committee.
We are very keen and supportive of restorative justice in the communities. If there is an adult case that can be diverted to a justice committee, where possible, the justice committee, the RCMP, and the department will try to do it that way.
Question 405 – 4(3): Considering Options for an Elders’ Facility in Rankin Inlet (Sammurtok, A)
Mr. Speaker, the need to increase the level of elders’ care in Nunavut has been expressed by a number of individuals and organizations, including myself.
The government must be proactive in considering options to open an elders facility in the community of Rankin Inlet.
This summer I provided the Minister of Health with a copy of an appraisal done on a building in Rankin Inlet that could easily be repurposed into an elders facility.
Can the minister confirm whether or not he and his staff have had an opportunity to review the appraisal documents I gave him?
Minister of Health, Mr. George Hickes.
Yes, I do recall getting that information from the member.
We’re still in the process of reviewing the details of it.
It seems to conflict with some information that we had.
As I recall when I was a regular member, we did a tour of that facility in Rankin Inlet and the costs that were listed at that time to bring it up to code to use as a long-term care centre exceeded the costs of what the building’s long-term value would pose, where the recommendation was to build a new facility.
The facility that the member speaks to is still being used for children.
I can’t remember the exact program that’s being run out of there, but there is a daily program that’s run out of that building right now for youth in the afternoons.
The goal is, and the member may be aware, I was just recently in Rankin Inlet about a week and a half ago speaking to the Kivalliq Inuit Association and other stakeholders, exploring how partnerships could be achieved to produce a long-term care facility in that community.
I understand the member’s frustration with the capital planning process that the Government of Nunavut has with the conflicting and often dire need of capital infrastructure across this territory.
Right now it is my opinion that the best way forward with a facility of this nature in any community would be best dealt with on a fee for service from a society, as some of our existing contracts currently provide service to elders across our territory.
Mr. Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) As I noted in my statement earlier today, the Continuing Care in Nunavut document which was tabled by a former Minister of Health in February recommended that existing infrastructure be repurposed to increase the capacity of residential long-term care.
Does the minister agree with this recommendation and, if he does, would he not also agree that the recently appraised Rankin Inlet building would be ideal for repurposing into an elders’ care facility?
Hon. George Hickes: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the member’s persistence with that specific existing facility.