EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
There are a lot of individuals who end up going to jail because they have problems mentally, and we are aware of all the concerns that are coming out regarding not having enough counsellors, not having a treatment centre.
We have heard that the treatment centre was being closed in Nunavut, and in other areas.
My question is that I just want to get an update as to what they are doing with the treatment centres.
Speaker (interpretation): Mr Anawak.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Speaker, we are all aware that people that are incarcerated are there because of something they did or because of an offence, and when they are sent to correctional centres there are programs that are available for counselling and that are available for offenders.
In our department we are trying to think of better ways to improve the counselling services and I know it is very important that when a person is incarcerated they need that help and we’re trying to improve the programs.
Mr. Kattuk (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Speaker, is there counselling available, what is available for them.
Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Anawak, Minister for Justice.
Hon. Jack Anawak: I cannot really say what programs are available.
Ron McCormick is the individual that is working on this and it is not just counselling services for the correctional centres.
We are trying to think of ways to improve counselling in all areas.
But we are working on this currently.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you Mr Anawak.
Question 227 - 1(3): Overcrowding and Safety in Schools
The schools in the communities are very over crowded, not just in Cape Dorset or Kimmirut but in all communities the schools are overcrowded.
They don't have enough space to hold their classes and I'm wondering if we are breaking any safety regulations like the fire safety regulations, because the classrooms are overcrowded.
Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Arvaluk, Minister for Education.
Hon. James Arvaluk (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, these have been reviewed by the fire marshals and they do often work with representatives from education, and health services are often doing reviews of any safety hazards.
We follow the STR which is the Student Teacher Ratio that we use, and we make sure that each class has the students that are needed for one teacher. So we continue to make sure that the classrooms are not taking in too many students.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Arvaluk. Oral Questions.
Question 228 - 1(3): Update on Clam Diving Project in Clyde River
I have a question for the Minister of Sustainable Development.
My question has to do with a Broughton Island issue if there has been something done about that item.
Perhaps Mr. Iqaqrialu, you could rephrase your question so the minister can understand it.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, we are often told to make our questions short but when I do this I'm often told to rephrase my question.
My question has to do with the clam diving project.
What has happened. Can I get an update on what they are doing with that.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister for Sustainable Development, Mr. Kilabuk.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Mr. Speaker I will be very brief.
In Nunavut, clam diving projects number about sixteen individuals who have the certificate for diving.
When the clam diving project goes ahead they need to make sure the divers have a higher level – a level 2 diving certificate in order for them to go ahead.
Question 229 - 1(3): Home Care for New Born Children
Mr. Irqittuq (interpretation): My question is directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services.
In my constituency of Igloolik there is a woman who gave premature birth and the baby could not suckle so they fed the baby intravenously so there would be normal development of the baby.
The mother was taught how she should handle her premature baby.
The husband was not happy with the process.
I'm not going to mention names but this mother had many things to do during the day, she had to work during the day and then she had to take care of the baby, and give him special treatment.
My question, does the Department of Health provide training to a parent and then is the parent required to provide that special care to the child.
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker in an issue like that, in this House, and in a small community there are a lot of personal and confidential issues surrounding different medical health and indeed work being done at the local health centre.
So I'm not aware of the exact case that the member is taking about.
Maybe we could have something in writing from the member that we could look into it at the department, but I don't think this public forum is the proper place to discuss the issues surrounding an actual case.
Question 230 - 1(3): Repairs to Public Housing Unit, Repulse Bay
Mr. Alakannuark (interpretation): My question is for the Minister responsible for Housing.
In Repulse Bay, I would like to know if there is going to be a housing review done for that community.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister responsible for Housing, Ms. Thompson.
Are you talking about the private homeownership program or the social housing, or are you talking about contractors that construct these houses.
Mr. Alakannuark I will give you another chance to rephrase your question please.
This is a question that I asked earlier about the heating systems in social housing, because it is a safety issue and I am asking again if these houses were inspected and if they ever found any of these houses as safety or health hazards.
This is a question that was brought up in our session in Iqaluit and we dealt with it right away on the day you asked that question.
I called Vitaline Depateie, who works for the Housing Corporation and she called your community and told them to correct the problem that was occurring in Repulse Bay.
They worked directly with the local housing authority to rectify the matter.
Question 231 - 1(3): Nunavut Seat on Canada Post Board and Council
Mr Speaker, last spring I asked the Premier in regards to the outrageous increase in postal rates, if Nunavut had a representative on the Canada Post Board.
I would like to ask the Premier at this time if he is able to provide me with an update on that.
Mr. Speaker, I'm not clear on what the question is.
Is it the board, or the Canada Post Council, because there are different boards and councils for Canada Post, I just want a clarification.
Mr. Tootoo please rephrase your question.
I would like to thank the Premier for clarifying that.
So, does Nunavut have anyone, whether it is on the Canada Post Board or Canada Post Council that can represent the interests of Nunavummiut at that level.
As of today there are two boards.
The first one is the Northern Postal Service Customer Council, which is an advisory council and Mr. David Simailak from Baker Lake is a member of that council.
However, the body that really determines the operation of that Crown Corporation is the Board of Directors and currently there is no representative from northern Canada.
Each region of the country is represented on the Board of Directors for the Crown Corporation.
So I share the concern of the member and will forthwith write a letter to the Prime Minister requesting membership on the board of directors for a representative from northern Canada.
I will be raising the matter with my colleagues from northern Canada in Whitehorse next week.
Speaker: Thank you Mr Premier.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Premier for taking this issue and running with it and I wish him the best of luck.
Mr. Speaker, I heard on the news over the last couple of days that there have been representatives from Canada Post touring northern communities to hear views and concerns of the residents.
Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the Premier would try and ensure that these representatives hold some type of public hearings or meetings in Nunavut and not just in northern Quebec.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Tootoo. Mr Premier.
The Northern Postal Service Customer Council is holding hearings in Labrador and will be coming to Rankin Inlet on April 11th to the 13th and if anyone wants to make a presentation they can call the following number - 1 (800) 204 4187 to make a presentation.
So I invite anyone from Nunavut to take part in this hearing.
Mr. Speaker, is there a reason why it is coming to Rankin Inlet, because a large part of the population and the furthest away who are effected the most are in the Baffin Region. They have the largest population and they are the furthest away so they have the highest rates and the most impact is felt there.
I would like to ask the Premier if we could try and have this council come to Iqaluit and hold some hearings there as well.
Mr. Speaker, it is not our council and we have no control where they decide to hold their hearings but I will convey the concern to the appropriate body and suggest that other sites might be appropriate as well.
Mr. Tootoo, final supplementary.
Mr. Speaker, one other thing I would like to ask is I understand that it is not our council and we don't have any control over where they meet.
Mr. Speaker, I know the cost of travel here, a round trip from Rankin to Iqaluit is probably over two thousand dollars.
Mr. Speaker, if someone wants to attend and intervene in this meeting for the average person it is almost impossible because of the cost.
I'm wondering Mr. Speaker, if they choose not to hold meetings in other locations in Nunavut will there be some way in subsidising people that wish to attend that meeting.
Hon. Paul Okalik: As I stated in my prior answer we will try to ask the council to hold hearings in Iqaluit for example.
Perhaps elsewhere but I'm not aware of any funding provided for intervenor status to travel to another community for Canada Post.
I'm sure written submissions will also be accepted.
Question 232 - 1(3): Update on Task Force on Housing
Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister responsible for Housing.
I would like the minister to update the House on the status of the report that is being compiled by the task force on housing.
Minister responsible for Housing, Ms. Manitok Thompson.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Task Force as you know was created October 1st and their mandate was going to finish at the end of March.
The first part of their short term recommendations have been put forward to me, it was to build 100 units, 100 social units, and they are still working on the other issues that they have to deal with by the end of March.
(interpretation) The Task Force Mr. Speaker, has completed part of their mandate and we’re aware of how many houses that we should be building, where these houses are going to be constructed.
The Housing Task force still has meetings.
Their finish date was March and we haven’t seen the final report or recommendation, because they are still meeting.
Reminder to the minister, we do have interpreters, so you don’t need to repeat your answer in Inuktitut.
Mr. Speaker, the recommendations that have been put forth in the, the recommendations I guess is the report in its totality, is it the minister’s intention to tie the recommendations of this report in to the projected surplus that we heard so much about over the last week or so.
Mr. Speaker, as you know we have not discussed the budget yet and therefore, that is a budget item and I cannot speak to it at this time.
Mr. Speaker, I’m not referring to the budget.
We have spoken openly here in the House about the projected surplus, it is well documented in the media, that we all know.
My question is more directed to, is it the minister’s intention to tie these recommendations in to the approved, or into the projected surplus, and furthermore, it is the minister’s intention to have these recommendations implemented in this year’s fiscal budget, as opposed to next year’s.
I know that there has been a great concern about housing since the Nunavut government was established.
I know that there are many people who are quite concerned about the housing crisis, and I know that it is the Nunavut government’s priority, housing is their priority.
If we did have a projected surplus, I know that we are very concerned about housing, but the projected surplus will only be used in next year’s budget.
The budget for the new year is already planned, and this year, if we did have a surplus, I think everyone is aware that in the new budget that is going to come out the surplus will come out in the new estimated budget.
Question 233 - 1(3): Nunavut Involvement in Gun Control Challenge
My question is in regards to gun control and if the Nunavut government is involved.
The response I got was that the Nunavut government has no jurisdiction over gun control.
So therefore, I would like to ask the Premier if the Nunavut government is going to be involved in the gun control issue with the Federal government.
As I have stated before, we were was a bit too late to intervene in the court case right now, but we are open now, in our future if there is going to be another court case, we are willing to intervene.
This court case now is only for provinces and Nunavut is not a province, and we don’t have that kind of jurisdiction, so therefore we were unable to participate.
Do I understand then the territories have less authority and power than provinces.
Is that why we are not involved.
Yes, the provinces are involved and they have been involved in the past, and they were involved with the presentations of evidence to the courts, and they were able to intervene in the court case.
But we were too late because the Nunavut government was not established at that time.
So therefore, we were unable to take part in the presentation of evidence and voice our concerns.
Perhaps it’s not a question but I want to get clarification because the Inuit people have been surviving by using rifles.
They have been using rifles for survival, and with all the legislation, it hinders the hunters, and some of the regulations hinder our very way of life.
So therefore, the Nunavut government should be involved.
Mr. Okalik, Government Premier.
As I have stated before, this was dealt with before the Nunavut government was established, and it was in the courts before Nunavut was established.
We were unable to be involved, if there is going to be another court case like that in the future we are going to be involved.
Speaker: (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Premier, Mr. Okalik.
Question 234 - 1(3): Funding for Cultural Instructors
My question was directed to the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth yesterday.
I would like to ask that question now.
With the 1 million dollars, the language money, which is geared towards the Inuktitut languages and French services, and because the elders have stated that it is an urgent case now to have instructors on culture, perhaps you can find some funding that can be used for that very reason.
Minister responsible for Culture, Language, Elders & Youth.
I thank you Mr. Iqaqrialu, for your question so the people can be informed.
As I mentioned in my statement yesterday about the agreement, and the assistance that we are going to be providing to the communities, the funding we are going to be providing to the communities they can use for instructors to teach Inuit culture.
We also talked about this week that we will be dealing with the elders and youth for them to work together.
But again, let me mention that the money that we will be providing for the programs is for each community.
I would like input from the communities as to how best they can make their proposals to our department if they need funding for their communities so that it can be used for culture, elders and youths in their communities.
I would like input from each community in regards to this.
The elders don’t even know how to fill out application forms, and you were talking about giving contributions when they apply through application forms.
If that is going to go that way, it is going to hinder the elders because they have no way of applying.
They can’t fill out application forms, why can’t you just contribute this funding to the communities and get directors in each community.
Mr. Havioyak, Minister responsible for Culture, Language, Elders & Youth.
This issue will be ongoing.
I know for a fact that the people that cannot speak in English, we will inform about that, so my staff in Iqaluit and in Igloolik, so there are staff that can help in the communities, in our communities that can help to fill out forms and also, we have interpreters, translators in each community.
If you wish to fill out an application form to apply for funding, you can go to our department for assistance.
So, I would like to inform the member that there are government staff that can help.
When the elders had their conference in October, I stated that the elders and youth can help each other in promoting the culture in the communities.
If it is going to remain that way there are going to be people who can fill out application forms and there are other people who cannot fill out application forms.
With the GNWT we always had to apply for funding through application forms, it seems like it is not going to change here in the Nunavut government.
As Nunavut residents we have to find ways to help people.
I think it is time we help people as the Nunavut government.
Rather than waiting for the people to apply for funding, we should just be giving them funding instead of them applying for it, applying for funding to run their programs.
I think it would be better to contribute the funding, or give them grants, and we have experienced that when we have to apply for funding through application forms, this was a problem in the past and I think you should be able to give the funding directly to the communities.
I was wondering if you are willing to give the funding to the communities directly.
Hon. Donald Havioyak (interpretation): Yes, I understand your question, but don’t forget the funding is for all the Nunavut communities, sometimes the funding will be different as for the job, and also we talked about community funding being given to each community.
I think the whole Nunavut, we are trying to help our communities.
That is my job.
I want to help whoever applies for funding from other communities, so we could know what they are asking for, what kind of programs.
That is how I want to give contributions.
Your last supplementary, Mr. Iqaqrialu.
If that is going to be the case I will not be happy about it.
Speaker (interpretation): I did not hear a question.
Question 235 - 1(3): Use of Budget Surplus
Mr. Speaker, just a little while ago the Minister responsible for Housing indicated that any projects, any of the surplus dollars are going to be used in next year’s budget, therefore, couldn’t be talked about here in this House.
I’d like to ask the Minister of Finance if that has been the case where departments have been directed not to look at spending any of those surpluses this year and hold off and look at doing them in next year’s budget.
Mr. Speaker, all government departments will continue to operate obviously until the March 31st year end, and as members know I’m sure, that as happens with all governments and agencies, there seems to be a bit of a rush in the latter part of the fiscal year when there appears to be excess funds available within their budgets.
But having said that, I think it is important to recognize that even if that were to take place, whatever was to be purchased would be carried over into the next fiscal year, but we would be monitoring that situation and we would expect that all departments would continue to be prudent in their year end operations.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Ng. Mr. Tootoo.
Mr. Speaker, I would still would like an answer to my question, as to whether the departments have been told not to spend that money this year and save it until next year.
Minister of Finance. Mr. Ng.
Mr. Speaker, no, the simple answer is no.
No departments have been told not to spend any money, they have to continue to operate and to provide services for the constituents throughout Nunavut that we all represent.
And as I indicated, our projected surplus is a projected surplus as it stands now.
So, I mean, factors are already taken into consideration as far as what the expected expenditures would be up until March 31st.
Mr. Speaker, then in light of that, I’d like to maybe ask the minister, or inform the minister that I am quite certain that no member in this House would say no to some type of supplementary appropriation if it were to come forward in the areas of either housing or education, which are the areas that this government, as we have all said, are the top two priorities of this government.
I think it has been asked earlier, is there going to be anything happening with this surplus money in these areas, and the answer has always been “no, we have to wait until, can’t discuss it, it is a budget matter”.
If that surplus is there, can the Cabinet look at directing some of those surplus dollars into some kind of programs in those areas that we have already said are our top two priorities to be disbursed this year.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I will say that it is a projected surplus.
We expect, our estimates are that there will be a surplus on March 31st.
Whether those projections are correct or not, I would say to you in respect to priorities and issues after March thirty-first, once the savings or the surplus is confirmed, we will have a better idea at the time and then we can make the appropriate adjustments, and it is as I indicated to members of this House, part of the development of the 2000/2001 year budget.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Mr. Tootoo
I guess Mr. Speaker and the minister can correct me if I'm wrong, a supplementary appropriation is a change in any budgeted amount that has already been approved by this House.
If a department is projecting a surplus, which I would imagine I am quite safe in assuming that there is room to manoeuvre in those departments, as he has indicated he is looking at a possible 40 million dollars surplus.
There is a little bit of room to manoeuvre there.
I was wondering if those departments that we said are a priority of Cabinet, and they said it, why can't we do something with those funds this year.
Mr. Speaker, I guess I would say once again, because the funds are uncertain yet and that is the main reason and the secondary reason quite frankly is that we are into February 25th.
Five or six weeks away from a fiscal year end and I don't quite frankly know if departments can put together new initiatives within the time frame we have left in this fiscal year.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Mr. Nutarak.
Question 236 - 1(3): Recreation Facilities in Pond Inlet
Just a brief question to the Minister of Community Government.
I talked about recreation, the arena and the community hall.
Did he understand the question or my comments regarding this.
Speaker: Thank You (interpretation): Mr. Nutarak.
The question that he is bringing up is something that we are reviewing and I can't really state what is happening.
But I understand the item that he is talking about.
The time is up for oral questions.
Getting back to our orders of the day.
Written Question 05 - 1(3): Summer Jobs at Nanisivik and Polaris Mines
My question is for the Minister of Sustainable Development regarding job opportunities for students this summer.
I will be reading this in English.
(interpretation ends) Jobs were created last year in each of the Nanisivik quarries.
Of those summer jobs how many of them were held by residents of Nunavut.
Will the minister’s officials be working with Nanisivik and Polaris mine officials to encourage them to employ residents of Nunavut with any of the summer jobs available at the two mines.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you Mr Akesuk.
Written Questions. (interpretation) Item 8. Returns to Written Questions.
Item 9. Replies to Opening Address.
Item 10. Petitions.
Response to  Petition 08 - 1(3): Broughton Island Co-op
I have a response to a petition from February 18th, 2000, regarding the co-op in Broughton Island.
Item 12: Reports of Standing and Special Committees on the Review of Bills