EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Ningeongan (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) Your department’s draft 2010-13 business plan indicates that one of its priorities is to “Continue efforts to have the recommendations of the Nunavut Small Craft Harbours Report implemented.”
What is the current position of the federal government with respect to funding new small craft harbours in Nunavut?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Ningeongan. Minister Taptuna.
We’re still continuing efforts to make sure Nunavut is not forgotten. We do lack that infrastructure within our territory.
We’re continuing our efforts. We’re putting a lot of time and energy into that. We’re talking to DFO and we’re continuing.
Although I practically said that last spring, it is a file that’s hard to deal with.
We’re making efforts and we’re continuing our efforts to deal with that. We won’t stop until we get somewhere.
I would like to ask the minister what the federal government’s definition of a small craft harbour is. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
There are a handful of different definitions for those kinds of marine facilities - docks, wharves, small craft harbours, and ports. A small craft harbour is the same type as the one that was built in Pangnirtung and that is usually for commercial activities, such as fishing.
As the minister is aware, there were seven communities that were identified as potentials for getting their harbours upgraded and Chesterfield Inlet was one of them.
That’s why I was asking what the definition would be.
It could well be below what Pangnirtung is getting and yet, the need is just as great.
So that’s why I was asking the question. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
With so many definitions, depending on who you speak to, it’s a little different again.
There is something about offloading onto a dock, which is a different definition for a dock that is loading onto a marine vessel.
So there is a little bit of difference there.
For smaller communities, it’s considered a small craft harbour for mostly community use.
For the community that you’re speaking about, it is still on the books and at this time, being reviewed.
Mr. Ningeongan (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) That leads me to this question then: what definition does Chesterfield Inlet fall into?
A definition of a small craft harbour shouldn’t have to be the obstruction here.
To get away from definitions, I would rather see some work getting underway in Chesterfield Inlet without having to worry what the definition would be.
The community itself could very well identify what they need.
Could that be done by consulting with the minister’s department then?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. Minister Taptuna.
I understand his frustration; we don’t have any docks in Nunavut. There is one being constructed in Pangnirtung.
Within the department here, we have been battling hard to get the projects on the go.
There are five or seven communities that were identified.
During our last standing committee meeting, we indicated that there is going to be one community that’s going to be looked at for the design plan and there is one well underway at Qikiqtarjuaq.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. Mr. Ningeongan.
I would like to assure the minister that I’m not frustrated here yet.
I’m just simply trying to pursue an issue that was brought up about 11 to 12 years ago, so that was the main reason for asking the question.
So if the community wishes pursue this, would your department be able to respectfully get together with Hamlet of Chesterfield Inlet then and hopefully come out with a strategy that will be more convincing for the federal government to start getting underway?
As a department, we would like to see docks in every community.
It’s a major need for this territory.
When we speak about infrastructure about like that, marine infrastructure, it’s one of the economic engines for the territory, it brings more economic activity.
Lack of marine infrastructure like that in every community is a major concern and we’re going to be lobbying and put a lot of effort and energy into that.
Yes, if a community does come to the department for assistance, we will look at it and try and help out as much as we can.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. Are there any questions on this page?
Like my colleague from Nanulik… the small harbours in the community, I think the hon. minister indicated that it’s mainly for commercial fisheries and so on.
I think that we are in understanding among the Inuit people that there is some type of bartering. You know, you get a seal and you can sell it to the next Inuk for Maktaaq, or fish, or Tuktu, so there is a commercial indication in that.
So why do they have that name, small harbours, only for commercial fisheries? Is it because it is a federal initiative, Mr. Chairman?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Ningark. (interpretation ends) We’re on O&M, but the minister opened the door for us to talk about capital with his opening comments. Minister Taptuna, you have no choice but to answer at this point.
Thank you to the member there from Kugaaruk.
Yes, there are criteria just like in any program that the federal government puts out. There are criteria, and we try and abide by it and we try and find ways around it.
I know small craft harbours/docks have been a major issue.
The territory is ten years old, but then again, when we broke off from the NWT to become Nunavut, the whole territory was 130-something years old, so it’s been an uphill battle. The more communities that ask for help in getting these small craft harbours/docks, we would be pleased to hear more from the communities because the more we hear about that, the more pressure we can put on Ottawa and these other funding organizations.
Those criteria that the member is speaking about with fisheries were one of the criteria that DFO has for small craft harbours.
I thank the minister for his explanation. The minister had suggested that we have to look for ways around those things to make sure that our federal counterparts are happy with what we’re doing up here.
One thing that came to mind is that in a small community, hunters are always dealing with each other. It’s like an outdoor market for seals, fish, Maktaaq, caribou, you name it. It’s one way of looking at the alternatives.
It’s only a comment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) A very good comment. (interpretation) Are there any questions or comments?
I have a couple of questions from the department’s business plan on K-13, Motor Vehicles.
Under your priorities for 2010-11, the first bullet is to “Conclude public engagement program and introduce new Traffic Safety legislation to replace the Motor Vehicles Act.”
And then in 2011-12, it talks about creating the regulations. Does that mean the minister is going to bring this forward in the summer or fall session?
I’ll have my deputy minister answer that question.
We are about to begin the consultation process and work towards developing a new Act.
How long it is going to take is going to be dependent on the time it takes to complete those consultations and complete the drafting work.
So I would not expect it to be finished by the summer session.
Optimistically, it could be done by a similar session next winter, but I would not expect it any sooner than that.
I guess you will have to change your priority for 2011-12. I’m just thinking that by the time it gets through the House and the legislation is completed, then you will have to go out with the regulations.
The other question I have is about you had mentioned the new driver’s licences, the award winning design and everything.
Again, with the Inuit Language Protection Act and having the Inuit language recognized, does it actually have all official languages on it?
I went to try and get one and I was told that I have to wait until it expires before I can get a new one, so I don’t actually know what they look like. Are there English, French, and the Inuit language on the driver’s licence?
Chairman: I have a copy right here.
No, I don’t see Inuktitut, but it has to be readable for traffic cops, I guess.
The Inuinnaqtun word is Nunavut in there and I’ll let my deputy minister supplement that.
As has been stated, the only word that is translated is Nunavut itself.
It is the same in three languages and it also is there in syllabics.
Now that the language legislation has passed, we are reconsidering and we will be entering discussions with the producer of the licence to see if there is a way that the other languages can be added without making the thing unreadable.
It’s a very sophisticated document and it has significant safety features within it. At the end of the day, it does have to be readable and understandable by, as somebody said, traffic cops and I guess as identification as well.
So that will be taken into consideration within the next year.
Chairman: I believe, Minister Tapardjuk, you had your hand up as well. (interpretation) I’m sorry. (interpretation ends) I didn’t see him in time.
The member has been asking questions regarding the Inuit Language Protection Act.
We will be talking about this Act, which the Department of CLEY is responsible for.
At that time, we will talk about the implementation plan.
We have made requests to other departments asking how they are going to implement the Inuit Language Protection Act.
All departments will be responsible in dealing with implementing the Inuit Language Protections Act.
I just wanted to clarify that for the member, Mr. Chairman.
To the page.
Mr. Elliott: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank you for that explanation.
To me, as the government, we need to be the ones making sure that we have services available and everything following the rules and regulations that are going to be coming out, so that’s great to hear.
On K-6 of the main estimates in terms of transportation, I have noticed there is compensation and benefits for the workers.
In looking at page K-1 in the org chart for the structure of the positions, there are 23 positions for airport workers.
Are those the people who do the heavy equipment operation and whatnot for cleaning up the runways and working at the airports?
Chairman (interpretation): Who would like to respond to that question?
Thank you.  Chairman: Mr. Long.
The compensation and benefits is mainly for our government staff who oversee the airports.
The actual operation of the airports, the O&M, would be reflected under Contract Services of $12,000,568. You mentioned specifically somebody who would operate a machine at the airport. That would be a contracted service generally to the hamlet.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Long.
Yes, I had been asking questions in CGS and I guess I was in the wrong spot for that.
In terms of Arctic Bay, we have the airport up in Nanisivik and I believe there are six people who work up there, three are casual and three are full time. Are they under the contract service that you’re talking about, the $12 million, or are they under the compensation of the 23 that I was talking about?
I believe that there may be two or three indeterminate positions there that we would move to the Arctic Bay Airport. The others are casual positions which, when their services are no longer required, would simply terminate due to no longer being necessary.
As Mr. Taptuna pointed out the other day in Oral Questions, September is when the airport will open up.
Has it been determined that those three indeterminate positions - I’m assuming again so that there’s no confusion - would stop, those people would no longer be Government of Nunavut employees, and those three positions would then be contracted to the hamlet?
Chairman (interpretation): Who would like to respond? Minister Taptuna.
Again I don’t micromanage the staff, so I don’t know some of these questions that the member is asking, but I will check with them and get back to him on the specific issue about Arctic Bay.
Chairman: At this time, the minister can’t answer and he will get back to the member.
I’ve got constituents who are wondering about their jobs and whether they will be working after September, so it’s kind of a big issue for them.
Are you saying that you will get back to me on any question I ask about the Arctic Bay/Nanisivik Airport or can I continue to ask more questions?
Chairman: The question was about employees, so you can ask other questions on other stuff related to that.
In terms of the operations and maintenance of the building up there, the Nanisivik Airport has a building and there is heat, hydro, and fuel that are being paid for right now, I am assuming, under this portion of the budget.
Will that portion of the budget be shifted over to Hamlet of Arctic Bay? Has the Hamlet of Arctic Bay been contacted yet and asked whether they want to take this on?
We are at that time of the year where we’re negotiating with all of the airport contracts with the hamlets and others.
That has not yet been completed with Arctic Bay.
It is our intention to begin negotiations with them and all of the details will be worked out in that contract. We do intend to do that within a timely period of time.
So within the next month or two, the Hamlet of Arctic Bay can expect to engage with us in that discussion and hopefully ending in a satisfactory contract.
In terms of the heavy equipment that’s up there, the graders, the dump trucks, and whatnot, will those be shifted over as well to the Hamlet of Arctic Bay? Will they have to purchase those?
Will they be a transfer of assets or write them off? I don’t know what the technical word is.
We are decommissioning that airport, which means that any of the assets there that we can utilize at the Arctic Bay Airport will be transferred there. Anything we have no further use for will be disposed of following normal government procedures for liquidation of unnecessary assets.
In terms of decommissioning, I know I had asked questions of the minister in December and he was mentioning that it was up to Transport Canada to clean up the area and whatnot.
Is it the Government of Nunavut’s responsibility to decommission the Nanisivik Airport or who will be doing the reclamation for that?
I was making reference to the disposal of the assets that we own, such as equipment, the generator and things like that.
The actual decommissioning of the airport, that’s a good question. I’m not totally clear of the answer to that, but we can certainly find out and let the member know.
Chairman: There’s a commitment to look into it and get back to the member.
Mr. Ningark: That’s it for now.
Chairman: Are there any further questions?
(interpretation) To the page. Branch Summary. Economic Development and Transportation. $20,553,000.
We can now go back to page K-3.
Total Operations and Maintenance. Department Summary. Economic Development and Transportation. $53,284,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Is the committee agreed that the Department of Economic Development and Transportation is concluded?
Minister, would you like to make any closing remarks?
I appreciate the questions and comments that we received today and the hard work that my staff has done. One of the issues that we have been talking about is we want to work more closely with the regular members in benefiting Nunavummiut out there. We welcome the questions and comments that they bring forth to our department.
Bill 22 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2010-2011 – Nunavut Arctic College – Consideration in Committee
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister and your officials, for being here. Sergeant-at-Arms, can you escort the minister and his officials out, please.
We have completed that department, so we will move on to Nunavut Arctic College. I will now ask Minister Shewchuk to begin his opening comments. Minister Shewchuk.
Hon. Daniel Shewchuk: Yes, I do. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to be here today to present and discuss the 2010-11 Main Estimates and Business Plan for the Nunavut Arctic College.  I look forward to the opportunity to work together in advancing Tamapta, especially as it applies to the Nunavut Arctic College.
The Tamapta Action Plan sets out three goals for the Nunavut Arctic College.
The first goal states, “Work on the Nunavut Trade School will continue until it is completed in time to allow the delivery of trades training in 2010.
Subsequent initiatives will expand training capacity for mining occupations.”
Nunavut Arctic College currently offers all levels of carpentry and housing maintainer. Trades training will significantly increase this fall with the completion of phase 1 of the Nunavut Trades Training Centre in Rankin Inlet.
The new centre will enable apprentices to complete training in all three levels of oil burner mechanic and the first two levels of electrician and plumber.
When the new centre opens, the old trades facility will provide a transition until phase 2 is completed some time in the future.
Phase 2 will train heavy equipment operators and the first two levels of heavy duty and auto-mechanic.
Planning is underway for the new Kitikmeot campus.
The new campus will include a mine training centre. This will enable Nunavutmiut to take the first two levels of millwright and welder. It will also include appropriate space for more programs, such as teaching and nursing.
The second Tamapta goal for the Arctic College states, “We will take a strategic approach to reducing gaps between those who are unemployed and job opportunities, by taking stock of the current labour force in Nunavut, compared to demands of the labour market. In addition to education our youth, we will identify opportunities for adults to pursue personal development.”
According to the 2006 census, about 60 percent of adult Inuit Nunavutmiut have not completed high school.
To help alleviate the situation, the GN Report Card recommended extending “Nunavut Arctic College’s Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition Program so that adult educators can help individuals in each community develop PLAR profiles for the skills they have already acquired and have these credited towards further training that they might take.”
The PLAR learning process recognizes prior accomplishments and values Inuit societal values.
This business plan includes ongoing annual funding of $400,000 for PLAR. Arctic College intends to build PLAR into its certificate and diploma career programs to provide an alternative entry into college for Nunavutmiut without high school completion.
The third Tamapta for Arctic College states, “Through Nunavut Arctic College and its partners, we will increase post-secondary opportunities in all occupational categories, from career training to professional education.”
Nunavut Arctic College respects and promotes Inuit language and culture. The Fur Design and Production Program has received national recognition.
The program includes traditional and contemporary methods and uses seal pelts almost exclusively. For three years, the fur program has relied on third party funding. This business plan proposes ongoing annual funding of $425,000 for the delivery of the full diploma program in Iqaluit and for the delivery of the traditional modules in two communities per year.
For the first time, this business plan includes a three-year program in the appendix.
The three-year program plan lists the base and third party funded programs being offered in the current academic 2009-2010 year, what is planned to be offered in 2010-11, and what is hoped to be offered in the following year, 2011-12.
The plan is updated semi-annually depending on student demand, funding, appropriate facilities and housing, and community need. The programs with asterisks are third party funded.
Partnerships are especially important as the Arctic College continues to build university capacity in Nunavut.
According to 2006 census, only 4 percent of adult Inuit Nunavutmiut have some university.
Nunavut Arctic College supports the commitment of the territorial premiers “to examine options for the development of a northern university that would contribute to northern social, economic and cultural development and provide opportunities for more northerners to obtain the education and research skills fundamental in today’s knowledge-based global economy.”
The Vote 1 Main Estimates account for the base contribution from the government to the Nunavut Arctic College. The increase of $2,305,000 includes forced growth funding of $775,000 for the new trades training centre and normal cost adjustments of $705,000 related to staffing.
It also includes the two new initiatives already mentioned: $400,000 for prior learning recognition and $425,000 for the fur program.
The Vote 4/5 Main Estimates include the base contribution and third party revenues. Third party revenues are projected to decrease by $1,364,000.
As a result, the consolidated budget of Nunavut Arctic College will only increase by $1.1 million, or 3.1 percent.
Mr. Chairman, I pleased to be here today to discuss the Nunavut Arctic College’s 2010-11 main estimates and business plan. This is a critical government investment in reducing “the gap between unemployed people and job opportunities.”
I look forward to your questions, comments, and discussion. There may be questions that we are not able to answer today, but we are committed to doing our best.
Do you have witnesses that you would like to join with you?
Sergeant-at-Arms, can you please escort the minister’s official to the witness table.
Minister Shewchuk, please introduce your witness.
I would like to introduce to my right Dan Vandermeulen, President of the Arctic College.
We are ready for the opening comments of the standing committee. Co-Chair Mr. Schell, you can now begin.
As the Co-Chair of the Standing Committee on Oversight of Government Operations and Public Accounts, I am pleased to make opening comments as we begin deliberations on the proposed 2010-11 budget of Nunavut Arctic College.
Mr. Chairman, Nunavut Arctic College is one of Nunavut’s Crown agencies.
The accountability relationship between the college and the government is somewhat different than for line departments.
While the minister has legislative responsibility for the college, its board of directors has the overall responsibility for directing program delivery.
It is the standing committee’s understanding that Memorandums of Understanding and letters of expectation from Crown agencies are to be approved by the government’s Public Agencies Council.
Although the standing committee has had the opportunity to review the college’s business plan for 2010-13, which is structured in a manner similar to those for GN departments, the committee looks forward to the minister tabling a Memorandum of Understanding between the government and the college which will clearly outline the college’s priorities and goals.
Committee members encourage the Minister responsible for Nunavut Arctic College to work closely with the Minister of Education and his other ministerial to give clear direction to the college.
Ongoing communication between departments and agencies is important to ensure that all Nunavummiut are supported in their efforts to access opportunities for education and training.
Mr. Chairman, the college’s total budget is made up of a base contribution from the Government of Nunavut, third party funding, and revenue from other sources, such as tuition fees.
The GN’s proposed contribution of $24,186,000 to the college for 2010-11 is approximately $2.3 million more than the contribution funding amount approved for 2009-2010.
The Government of Nunavut’s base funding contribution to the college for 2009-2010 represented just over 60 percent of the college’s total budget whereas for 2010-11, it will represent just over 66 percent of the college’s proposed total budget.
During the minister’s appearance before the standing committee, he indicated the increase in base funding is due to forced growth issues, such as the opening of the new trades training centre and staffing costs as well as the introduction of new programs.