EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
This program will be running for three weeks. They will be in school and doing reading still.
Parental permission is mandatory for student participation.
You have already answered one of my questions on whether this could be operated in other communities, but I do have, if the Speaker will allow me, a two-part question.
Who developed the curriculum and how many students will this program be able to carry?
I stated earlier that there are various groups. Only one group did not create this; it is a cooperation of various groups.
I understand that he had two questions, but I already answered the first question.
Nevertheless, we are able to create this literacy program through cooperation.
Perhaps I did not answer appropriately, as I forgot what the other question is, Mr. Speaker. I guess I am getting too old.
Question 052 – 4(2): Programs and Services Review (Angnakak)
Ms. Angnakak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) My question is for the Minister of Finance once again.
Mr. Speaker, in my earlier question regarding the review of government programs and services, the minister indicated that he did not know which specific programs and services would be reviewed as a priority.
Surely, Mr. Speaker, there has to be a list of program services that have been identified to be reviewed.
Can the minister tell us what areas of the government’s program and services will be reviewed?
I thank Ms. Angnakak for her question.
Mr. Speaker, as I indicated in my earlier answer, I don’t have the details.
My intent would be to look at all programs and services in the government.
Again, we are working on an RFP. We have to select the organization that will assist us, plus we also have to select our team.
Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs and Finance will put a team together, and then we will be in a better position to assess specific priority programs to review.
As Ms. Angnakak indicated, there are a lot of programs and services throughout the government. We do provide a lot of programs and services to Nunavummiut.
Can the minister tell us how long the review will take?
Perhaps I should have my crystal ball over here.
I certainly hope it won’t take four years. We are already six months into our term.
I would be hopeful that it would be complete within, don’t hold me to this, but within a year and a half to two years, and then we will have time to make some improvements. I don’t want to make any firm, hard commitments. It’s going to be a challenge.
Question 053 – 4(2): Disaster Compensation for Harvesters Policy (Mikkungwak)
I had been asking about people who passed away, but the question I now have is to the Department of Environment relating to hunters anywhere in Nunavut who have been receiving assistance if wildlife has destroyed their hunting equipment, such as polar bears.
I thank the member for that question. I stated earlier that there would be a review on this in terms of what kinds of assistance hunters would get.
There are some assistance programs available now, but we will continue to review the program with the view to improving it.
As we all know, in a compensation fund package, there are always funds that are set aside.
My additional question here would be: are those compensation funds exhausted or are they carried over if they are not utilized?
The policy for these funds… . Perhaps the member could specify which program.
However, if there are surpluses, they are redirected to some other program within the Department of Environment.
Mr. Mikkungwak: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the minister for his response.
My additional question in regard to this compensation package for the hunters or families is: if there is no physical damage to any of their hunting equipment, can the minister… ? Does the current compensation package that is in place for harvesters reflect human life loss?
I thought the question was related to compensation for damaged equipment.
In terms of the loss of life or physical damage to hunters, this was dealt with and improvements were made to the issue in relation to his question.
Question 054 – 4(2): LHO’s and NHC Boards of Directors (Enook)
My question is for the minister responsible for the housing corporation.
Many communities get confused, especially misunderstandings in the boards of housing associations and the housing corporation.
The local housing associations say that they have some powers, yet their powers are taken away.
I would like to ask the hon. minister a question in relation to the housing association boards and the housing corporation. If there’s disagreement and they can’t reach an understanding as to which demand would be followed, who has more power in terms of the final decision?
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is a good question.
The local housing association boards get elected by their peers in the community and they take their seats.
However, they work with the housing corporation in terms of assigning houses paid for by the housing corporation.
Issues develop and when they are able to have discussions, they resolve their differences, but sometimes the hamlet councils or the various housing associations have policies and procedures that they must follow, whether it be related to their selection or money matters in terms of subsidy programs. Housing associations deal with many issues.
However, if there are disagreements, there are by-laws and policies in place by the housing associations, so they should be following their policies, procedures, and by-laws. Those by-laws would override any other contentious opinions.
The minister can clarify the question that I would like to ask. It relates to local housing association managers, sometimes referred to as the general manager, who is in charge of all the employees in the community.
Who hires that manager? Who can hire and fire the manager?
They hire managers of the housing associations in the communities through open competitions.
They have their own boards and the boards are responsible for the hiring and firing of the managers.
So I can get perfectly clear on this, let me ask a simple question.
The housing manager in the community has been selected for the job by the local housing association. The housing corporation cannot touch him and cannot fire him. Is that my understanding?
I apologize. I cannot respond to that.
There are many agreements in place for the management of local housing authorities, as they are referred to. Some of these are contracts between the housing association and the manager.
There are other agreements like union agreements in place.
If there are other agreements in place, then they have to follow those in order to remove a manager. The housing corporation cannot fire managers.
Oral Questions. Member for (interpretation ends) South Baffin, Mr. Joanasie.
Question 055 – 4(2): Cape Dorset Summer Literacy Camp Selection (Joanasie)
My questions are for the Minister of Education, even though he was just asked a question by our colleague from Iqaluit-Tasiluk.
I thank him for asking the question.
Who is going to select the students for the literacy camp in Cape Dorset?
The local education authorities, as they stand, are in the communities, so they would be doing the selecting.
The question that was almost asked earlier is: how many students will take part in the literacy program?
We know that there are many kids within the age group of 5 to 12 years. I cannot say off the bat how many there will be in the program.
Can you say how much the funding is for this literacy program so that we will be able to assess the value of it?
I cannot say right now how much it will cost, but I stated that it is a collaboration between a number of different groups, including the Amaujaq National Centre, Inuit Tapiriit, the Cape Dorset District Education Authority, the Government of Nunavut, and Frontier College.
I cannot say how much the total cost is to run this program.
Hon. Minister Tom Sammurtok.
Tabled Document 012 – 4(2): Department of Community and Government Services’ Nunavut Lottery Financial Statements as of March 31, 2013 (Sammurtok)
Hon. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I am pleased to table the financial statements as of March 31, 2013 for Nunavut Lottery.
>>House recessed at 15:00 and Committee resumed at 15:29
We wish to continue with the review of the main estimates for the Department of Health, followed by the Department of Community and Government Services.
Chairman: Does the committee agree that Minister Ell’s staff go to the witness table?
Chairman: Sergeant-at-Arms, please allow the witnesses in the Chamber.
Minister Ell, for the record, please introduce your staff.
On my right is Rosemary Keenainak, Interim Deputy Minister, and on my left is Johan Glaudemans, Interim Finance Controller.
Chairman: We are now ready to go line by line with the budget.
Please turn to page H-4.
The floor is now open for questions on page H-4.
I am sure that this is not the first time you have heard this question.
Yesterday, you were referring them to your officials and your interim officials.
When will you be able to announce to us as to your permanent deputy minister and a permanent finance controller? That is my first question.
Hon. Monica Ell (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank you for asking that question.
I am sure you are aware that the position for deputy minister was for competition and it just closed last month.
Right now, we are going through an interview process of interested people, including the department director position. Three individuals would handle the director and they are the Premier, the finance person, and I. After we have look into it, we expect that we will be able to hire someone this fall.
I am glad that Rosemary is able to be in this position right now.
She has to wear two hats, but she only brought one for this meeting.
On my left, he just started as assistant deputy minister of operations.
I am confident that we will proceed with hiring a permanent employee for this position as well.
I thank the minister for a clear answer. Make sure your interim deputy minister does not think we do not want her here. I am glad that she is here.
She gives us very clear information.
When do you think you will be able to announce the assistant deputy minister of operations?
Hon. Monica Ell (interpretation): Thank you. To clarify the matter; that position for assistant deputy minister, we’re creating it.
We should have it filled by this fall as well.
Next name on the list, Ms. Angnakak…
One of the functions listed in the business plan states, “The Department of Health will be implementing the Nunavut Interoperable Electronic Health Records in referral sites located in Ottawa, Edmonton, and Yellowknife.”
I am wondering how you will assure Nunavummiut that their private and personal information stays and private and confidential.
Hon. Minister, Ms. Ell.
There are nine security directives that have been approved and will be used to administer the electronic health records. To say it in English, (interpretation ends) nine privacy and security directives have been approved to government the access to the electronic health record.
I’m just reading the business plan and further on down it also says that you are going to introduce health-specific privacy legislation.
What impact that does not having legislation in place for this have on your department and keeping files confidential?
Just for member’s information, we’re on H-4.
Hon. Monica Ell (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) The suite of security and privacy directives were approved by Canada Health Infoway, and meets all the requirements for the operation of electronic health records. Since personal information under the ATIPPA includes information about individual’s health and healthcare history, including information about a physical or mental disability.
Therefore, personal health records privacy is monitored through an audit control system.
There is a directive in place for handling privacy complaints or privacy breach.
I’m not sure if I may have answered the member’s question, if she wants to ask further. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I am wondering why legislation would be thought of later on down the line and if everything is kept confidential without legislation. Maybe we could talk about why you want to introduce the legislation.
The Nunavut Information and Privacy Commissioner have recommended that the Government of Nunavut consider health-specific privacy legislation to deal with the complicated issues surrounding personal health information.
All other jurisdictions in Canada have health-specific legislation in place, and/or pending.
Thank you for that answer. That really is very helpful.
The department receives a large amount of third party funds. How much control do you have over these funds?
I would like to refer question to my Interim Finance Controller, Mr. Johan Glaudemans.
Chairman: Mr. Glaudemans.
Mr. Glaudemans: The third party agreements are normally regulated by funding agreements that set out specifically what their responsibilities are as well as the type of expenditures that we can incur based on these agreements. There’s a variety.
Some, we have more flexibility and some, we can carry over unspent funds from one year to the next, but we have a responsibility to adhere to these agreements.
That has been done so in the past and we are always working on this and making sure that we respect the agreements, and also that we use the funding that is provided to us to the maximum extent possible.
I know, sometimes, it can be very difficult, I think, to keep the criteria.
I’m just wondering what kinds of challenges are posed on the department in regard to third party funding, for example, keeping to timelines or reporting.
What kind of impact has that had on the department in delivering the programs and services?
I would like my deputy minister, Rosemary, to respond to the question.
Some of the challenges we have encountered in the past, for example, around tobacco is funding might have been approved later on into the year, so we’re not able to spend some of the funding for that current year.
That kind of delays us.
In the past, however, as Johan has indicated, there is some flexibility where, if the agreement is multi-year, as long as we spend the money within that timeframe, we could rollover and then hopefully maximize the funding from there.
Those are some of the challenges we’ve had, but there has been some flexibility put in on some of the agreements we’re getting from the third party.
My next question is about your department is going through an evaluation of programs and services, and I would like to know what you found out from that evaluation.
The planning is underway. I can’t really answer that right now because it’s still in the works.
Perhaps my deputy minister can respond to that better.
That was a priority in 2013-14.
However, we’ve had some staffing issues around that area.
Now that the GN mandate is to do a program review, we will be looking at incorporating that into the overall evaluation of the government.
Chairman: Are you done?
Ms. Angnakak: Yes, I just have one more question.
Have you looked at specific factors that might contribute to whether the cost of medical travel will exceed or not exceed the allocated budget?
With respect to her question, if we overspend the budget, in efforts to reduce the amount of money we use for medical travel, whenever it’s possible for them to fly with an escort… .
We changed the Medical Escort Policy in June. That’s one of the cost-saving efforts. We look for other ways to reduce costs.
The Department of Finance has been trying to find ways of reducing medical travel and improving expenditure management reporting.
We have been working with the managers within the department to make sure we provide better projections, particularly around medical travel and out-of-territorial travel where we have continually been over budget for the last several years.
Those are the kinds of things we are doing, trying to improve reporting and we are also trying to take a look at trends.
Again, as the minister indicated yesterday, we tend to look at historical expenditures and then project the future depending on the percentage increase that we have seen. Those are the kinds of things we’re looking at Mr. Chairman.
Next name on the list. Mr. Hickes.
I just have a couple questions also regarding the directorate.
In the Minister of Finance’s budget address yesterday, he quoted that it is important that we provide an adequate level of medical service in each community.
In the priorities, also from 2013-14, it has got a comment complete and implement the health services strategic plan based on the health care gap analysis aiming at optimizing staffing levels and service delivery approaches in each community.
Obviously, this is a priority under the Sivumut Abluqta Mandate.
What has your department done to complete this analysis and what are optimal staffing levels for communities?
If I understand the question you are asking about what we’re planning for the future.
Perhaps the funding we get from the federal government or the budget that we have now.
Can you please clarify your question?
Absolutely, Minister Ell.
In the business plan the third last bullet under the priorities for 2013-14, the status lists the department is considering approaches aimed at establishing optimal staffing levels in each community.
What has your department done to recognize staffing levels in each community and what approaches are being aimed at maximizing the benefit to our constituents?
It is still in the planning process.
I cannot point out that this is what we are doing right now. We are putting together what we are going to be doing.
I fear I may get the same answer for this question, but I will ask it anyway.
Also, under the very last bullet under the priorities for the 2013-14 fiscal year in the business plan, the department is considering revisions to the Nunavut Nursing Recruitment and Retention Strategy based on the evaluation.
The status is saying that the department is exploring revisions.
Can you give the members an idea of what revisions are anticipated to be put forward?
Hon. Monica Ell (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Chairman.
Recommendations are being considered include improvements to hiring and human resource practices, as well as improving orientation, mentorship and professional development opportunities.
As I have been living in the past here I am going to jump ahead a couple of years. In the business plan under the very last priorities in 2016-17, it’s got developed health professions umbrella legislation to allow the regulation of multiple health professions currently regulated in Nunavut.
As the minister is aware, I have recently brought to her office’s attention on chiropractic legislation in Nunavut. I understand with some of the services now being offered in Nunavut, there might be a more expedient need to have this legislation looked a little bit sooner.
Is that an option for your department?
I remember the question from the member.
There are many revisions that we have to make because from the time Nunavut came to be those legislations have to be reviewed and revised.
In 2014, the Vital Statistics Act and the Public Health Act have to be reviewed.
In 2015, the Medical Professionals Act has to be amended as well as the Mental  Health Act because we stated that we would be doing the revisions on those Acts and we want to continue doing revisions on those Acts, as well as the Unregulated Professions Act.
Perhaps they will be completed in 2016 or later.
I will say it in English. (interpretation ends) Currently, these professionals maintain life insurance in another Canadian jurisdiction.
Those regulatory bodies may not provide regulations and disciplinary services across jurisdictional boundaries. (interpretation) In those, but we will be doing those revisions later on.
I thought I was done, but I just have a supplement to that question.
I understand there is approximately seven different health professions that are under the spectrum of the analysis for these regulations. Is there a priority to them or are you going to be doing them all at once?
Hon. Monica Ell: We are hoping to do them all at once.
The 12 professions are medical practitioners, physicians, midwives, licensed practitioners, dentists, dental therapists, dental hygienists, denturists, pharmacists, psychologists, optometrists, ophthalmic medical assistants, and veterinarians.
Nunavut currently licenses 12 health care professions and some of the professions, as I said, are regulated by an umbrella legislation, which includes the chiropractors, speech language pathologists, pharmacy technicians, dental assistants, paramedics, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists.
Next on the list, Mr. Savikataaq.
I would like to go back to the opening comments.
Minister Ell stated yesterday that she would have an update for us today on the $1.7 million for mental health and addiction, and I would just like the update now.
Chairman: Thank you. Mr. Savikataaq has asked for an update. Minister Ell.
Hon. Monica Ell: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for the reminder and I am happy to give an answer, Mr. Chairman.
Mental health and addiction, $1.7 million, is for one program officer. Funding is provided to communities through contribution agreements and provides programming, such as cultural programs, land activities, skills development, and mentorship for youth, suicide prevention programs, and anti-bullying programs.
The department delivers programs, such as funding ASIST training delivery through Nunavut Arctic College, Mental Health First Aid, and partners with the Embrace Life Council for education and awareness events.
On a different subject, your main estimates show an amount allocated for compensation and benefits for 2014-15 that is similar to the amount budgeted for 2013-14. Is the compensation and benefits budget based on all staff positions being filled?
Perhaps I’ll have my deputy minister, Rosemary, respond to the question.
I think you heard us whispering.
I was asking our finance controller.
(interpretation ends) It’s not 100 percent. There’s a bit of a vacancy factor built in. We would have to verify that, but the vacancy rate may be about 3 to 5 percent in terms of compensation and benefits.
And that’s with the new 13.5 PYs that you anticipate?
I would like our finance controller, Mr. Glaudemans, to answer the question.
Mr. Glaudemans: Yes, that is taking into account the new PYs that are to be created. The vacancy factor is calculated on an overall global compensation amount. The new PYs that are being budgeted for are included, and then there is an overall amount that gets deducted based upon vacancies and budgeting factors that are being considered.
What initiatives are currently underway to recruit more Nunavutmiut into the health professions, not just nurses, but to the health profession in general?
We have the Nursing Program at Nunavut Arctic College. The member may be aware that we help with those medical professions. I will have my deputy minister elaborate on what we are doing with that.
The department does provide bursaries and scholarships and we do work closely with Nunavut Arctic College to make sure that there is a dialogue between the nursing program itself and the department. We are trying to make sure that we have a closer relationship with them on that.
We also work with them in terms of community health representatives and home care workers.
We are going to continue to provide funding and training through Nunavut Arctic College for that.
I am not sure if the Minister of Arctic College already indicated we do fund the midwifery program through Nunavut Arctic College.
I believe there were two that graduated just this month in Cambridge Bay.
Those two students are expected to complete their studies and start their work in Cambridge Bay as soon as they pass their national exam.
We also do medical terminology for medical clerk interpreters and we will continue to do that.