EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I am also stressing the fact that we are there to assist outfitters and dog team owners in looking for alternative business sources and what they can do. Even in the tourism industry, it is very important.
The dog team business is huge and can supply an experience to tourists.
So we will assist in any way we can, in collaboration with the Department of ED&T, to assist these hunters, outfitters, and dog team owners.
Does the minister have a plan then to visit these affected communities and work with the dog team owners especially to give them different scenarios or different possible plans so that their livelihood is not unnecessarily disrupted or affected by this reduction of polar bear quotas?
I do have a plan and I am going to visit all of the affected communities after the sitting early in the month of April. I commit that we will work with ED&T to address the needs and listen to the people in communities that are affected.
I would also like to encourage at this time that there are other programs out there that interested outfitters and dog team owners may be able to access through the Baffin Business Development Centre, the Kakivak, regional Inuit associations, and NTI. So I also give them encouragement to explore those options too.
Question 250 – 3(2): Patient/Client Complaints Procedure (Ningark)
As per my Member’s Statement earlier, I referred to the matter that there’s too much disparity in the treatment of patients who are sent out for medical treatment or appointments.
Moreover, this is not the first time I have raised this concern as I spoke to the issue during my initial statement shortly after I was elected. I believe the government is aware of the concern that I have expressed previously.
My question is directed to one of my dear friends, Mr. Curley, the Minister of Health and Social Services. I’m also aware of his passion and commitment towards Nunavut and in his attempts to serve the residents in his present capacity.
As per my reference to the contact information for the patient complaint procedures sheet, which I believe is not confidential, this information is in the public domain, so I will note the fax number listed. I was unable to get the transmission I was trying to send through 867-975-5771. It kept stating that the line was busy and unavailable, or perhaps the bill hasn’t been paid and the line was cut.
In any event, I’m not sure why this fax couldn’t be transmitted.
My question to the minister is this: is the fax number actually working?
I wish to thank the member, John Ningark, for raising the matter about the number.
What I can state to you is that if that number is unavailable or if it can’t be accessed, then we will attempt to resolve the problem at our end. It has to be open for any faxes that may be sent regarding complaints.
I hope that this matter is already being resolved and my expectation is that this number is being checked to ensure that it works. Since the number was conveyed to all communities in Nunavut, it has to work and I will ensure that this problem is rectified immediately, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the hon. minister for his reply.
I believe that we will be having a short break around three o’clock as that is our usual practice and if I attempt to retransmit the letters, I hope that the fax will be received.
I don’t think it’s a question, but my expectation is that the number will be back in service by that time. We are trying to place this as a priority.
Question 251 – 3(2): Impact of Uranium Mining on Public Health (Aupaluktuq)
I want to direct my questions today to the Hon. Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Curley.
When I ran for election to this House, I made it very clear that while I support responsible economic development and opportunities for multinational corporations to do business in our territory, the health, safety, and dignity of our people come first.
As the minister is well aware, there are serious concerns about the safety of uranium mining and its impact on the health of our residents.
In fact, some governments simply don’t allow it at all.
Can the minister clearly explain to the House and my constituents exactly what steps the Department of Health will take or has taken to ensure that potential uranium mining in Nunavut does not pose a risk to the public health of our residents?
I thank you for raising the question.
The question deals with a very complex matter.
Yesterday, when the member was raising questions to the minister during question period regarding the mining sector, it was noted that we don’t have any applications that have either been approved or not as of yet.
Further, in regard to the public hearings that are scheduled as per my colleague’s comments, they have not even commenced yet.
That being the case, I cannot state how they will be received. However, it is only when the applications are actually being reviewed that they request concerns and comments from the public.
If our department was invited to present their concerns specifically in the area of environmental health, our officials will be available for that. However, we cannot state with any certainty since this is still in the review process. With respect to the issue raised by my colleague, we cannot speak to it until that process is completed.
Thank you very much, hon. minister, for that response.
I’m not a scientist, not yet anyway. I don’t know the full benefits of uranium, but in all areas of life, the well-being of my people and land comes first.
I support development and I’m in support of advancement in my community, region, and territory.
I look forward to working with the Hon. Minister Curley in regard to the issues of public health or the concerns that may and will be raised.
I also encourage the Hon. Minister of Health as well as the Department of Environment and the Department of Mines to be prepared in the near future to possibly answer some future questions that my constituents and the people of Nunavut may have.
The statement is duly noted by the government.
Question 252 – 3(2): Government of Nunavut’s 2010 Budget (Elliott)
My questions are for the Minister of Finance, the Hon. Keith Peterson.
In his budget address, the minister informed the House that the Government of Nunavut currently has around 900 vacant positions.
However, when you look at the Government of Nunavut’s main estimates for the coming fiscal year, the departments are adding around 90 new PYs to their organization charts, even though it is perfectly obvious that they can’t fill their existing vacancies.
The Minister of Finance’s own department is not increasing its size and I applaud the minister for this prudence, as he would put it.
Will the minister, in his capacity as the Chairman of the Financial Management Board, commit to freezing overall PY growth in the government until such time as the Government of Nunavut makes real progress in filling its existing vacancies?
Hon. Keith Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank Mr. Elliott for asking that question.
Mr. Speaker, we indicated or told in the budget speech that there are 900 vacancies.
Those are indeterminate PYs. As the member well knows, many of those positions are staffed through casual employees, consultants, contractors, and the service has to get done.
Particularly in the health department, we have to deliver health programs in communities to Nunavummiut.
So those positions are being covered and we use the funding from some of those 900 positions.
I have had discussions with my colleagues about freezing some of those positions.
I can take his recommendation under advisement.
He mentioned contract workers and over the last few days, a number of members have pointed out that the government spends hundreds of thousands of dollars per year on sole source contracts to consultants to provide advice to the government.
Is the minister confident that we’re actually receiving value for the money for all of these consultants and if so, what evidence does he have?
I again thank Mr. Elliott for his question.
Mr. Speaker, as the member well knows, the Government of Nunavut has been in existence since 1999 and it has experienced tremendous growth over those years. The government has had to hire consultants and contractors to deliver a lot of the ambitious programs and services that they have delivered to Nunavummiut, most of which are very good programs.
I have talked to my colleagues again about a program review; we will probably be talking further about the use of consultants and contractors.
Until such time as we do manage to hire all of the people we need to deliver the programs and services, we will probably continue rely on various consultants and contractors.
For example, Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General of Canada herself stated in one of her OAG reports that the Department of Finance relies on the use of external organizations to assist us with delivering or preparing our public accounts and other documents because we don’t have enough financial people.
Of course, Mr. Speaker, I have indicated to members through various questioning in standing committees that the government is committed to providing training to Nunavummiut to take on those challenging financial officer jobs, not only in Iqaluit but throughout Nunavut.
In the coming fiscal year, the GN plans to spend around $390 million on compensation and benefits for its employees. To put it another way, Mr. Speaker, almost one-third of every GN dollar is spent on paying its own workforce. By my calculations, every PY that’s on the books cost the GN around $100,000.
Since we have 900 vacant positions, it’s about $90 million.
In the past, departments have bailed themselves out of trouble by using unspent salary dollars.
Will the GN be doing the same thing next year?
Mr. Speaker, I was on Nunatsiaq News online the other day and I saw a similar question about the calculations.
Mr. Speaker, it’s a good question. The departments do use some of that funding to hire staff or contractors and consultants to assist them to deliver their programs and services. Again, it’s something that this government is looking at very closely.
We have committed to a new way of business.
I did state in my budget speech, “Prudence,” and that will be the theme throughout this government’s term, prudence. We will be looking at all of the areas where we can save money and putting new programs and practices in place.
I strongly support the government in its efforts to negotiate with Ottawa for enhancements to federal transfers.
Can the minister indicate how he is working with his colleagues in the Northwest Territories and the Yukon to put forward a strong tri-territorial case for federal investment in the north?
It’s important that the three territories work together to present a united, common front to Ottawa. We share many of the same concerns and issues.
For example, on the THSSI funding, in December, the three finance ministers met in Whitehorse and we spoke to Minister Flaherty, the federal Minister of Finance. “Thank you” to Premier Fentie, who is also the Minister of Finance.
He’s our spokesman.
So we do actually work together and we talk.
We meet twice a year at federal/provincial/territorial finance ministers meetings to discuss areas of common concern, we make our case to Ottawa, and we try to keep each other up to date on issues of common interest.
Question 253 – 3(2): Vacant Staff Housing Units in Pangnirtung (Komoartok)
I would like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation, the Hon. Hunter Tootoo.
Just recently, Mr. Speaker, I attended a meeting with the infrastructure committee last month in Pangnirtung, actually on February 18, 2010.
We discussed capital projects and other infrastructure projects that stem from the Nunavut government, for which materials have to be ordered in via sealift.
We were discussing the capital project plans for our community via this infrastructure committee comprised of community members, GN staff, as well as a consulting company, Aarluk Consulting.
During our meeting, a representative of the NHC apprised us that in Pangnirtung, there are over 12 units allocated for GN staff housing that stand empty across the Duval River.
They apparently haven’t been utilized for a number of years and here, the community of Pangnirtung has been clamouring for more housing as we are also under a housing shortage.
I approached the NHC to find out how many residents are currently on the waiting list for housing. There were approximately 68 people on this housing waiting list.
The breakdown is as follows: 30 individuals wanted a single bachelor unit, 30 more wanted a two-bedroom unit, 6 people wanted a three-bedroom unit, and 2 people wanted a four-bedroom unit.
The total is 68 residents on the housing waiting list, while the government has 12 units sitting empty and just being maintained for a number of years.
Based on the decisions made recently, it seems that these units will never be inhabited. These units sit across the river and are set aside solely for GN employees.
Whenever a resident of Pangnirtung is successful in landing a GN position, these individuals also tend to have housing units under their name or they own their own house.
That’s partially why these units have remained empty and they can’t be used for any other purpose.
When a community is suffering from a housing shortage and we have these units sitting empty, I wonder if the minister could contemplate setting aside half of these units for residents and the others for the GN employees. I imagine that those people whose positions are transferred may also leave their units.
However, I believe that at least half of these empty units can be transferred to residents of our community perhaps under the local housing authority.
I don’t believe it would place the NHC in a precarious position if they did that because they have to provide housing units for GN employees.
I would ask that the minister look into this matter and if possible, he could set aside some units for residents of our community.
Can the minister look into this possibility?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Komoartok. (interpretation ends) Minister of the Nunavut Housing Corporation, Hon. Hunter Tootoo.
I know this is a question that has been raised since the staff housing was put into decentralized communities. I know, right now, there are 61 staff housing units in Pangnirtung and my understanding is that we have 9 vacant, though he indicated the number 12.
I will follow up with my staff to ensure which number is correct.
Mr. Speaker, I know, right now, there are eight active competitions out there for positions that require staff housing.
Even though, in some cases, these units may be empty, they’re being held for competitions that are being put out by the various departments in the community trying to hire and fill the vacant positions that they have in their community.
I would like to remind members who wish to direct questions to the government to just offer a short preamble as a backgrounder prior to asking their questions.
This is a reminder to shorten your preambles so as to make better usage of our time.
I also thank the minister for his detailed response.
Some units have remained empty ever since they were built and here, we have a severe housing shortage in our community.
Even a small alleviation of these numbers would make a dent in our housing shortage. Even if a small percentage of these empty units were set aside for local housing, it would assist us. We all know that even if a small number of these empty units are used, it will lessen the problems associated with overcrowding and lack of housing faced by people on the list.
Will the minister commit to looking into this issue some time in the future?
It doesn’t look nice when you see many homeless people in the community.
It seems like we need to do something about it and I need to get the minister to commit to look into this issue again.
I can certainly empathize with the member and the residents in this community. It’s a situation that we face not only in Pangnirtung and the decentralized communities but in all of our communities in Nunavut.
At various times, they have vacant staff housing units that are being held for positions.
I think that one of the problems of temporarily using it for a public housing unit, if you move someone into a unit and then if a position gets hired, it’s not always the easiest thing to tell someone that they have to move out, whether it’s during the winter months, you cannot get someone out of the unit.
I mean there are challenges to that, but I will commit to the member to have a look at that possibility.
There are some very big challenges not only as far as dealing with individuals who could end up getting put into a unit temporarily and having to have to move them and find a place for them after that, also, we don’t know when a department may need a position.
If it’s advertised, when it’s going to be filled, if they have to re-advertise it… there are all kinds of variables to take into account.
But I will commit to the member to ask my staff to have a look at it and get back to him personally with the rationale and reasoning, one way or the other.
Question 254 – 3(2): Government of Canada Should Compensate Polar Bear Outfitters (Okalik)
Mr. Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I want to follow up on a question by my colleague for Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet).
A while ago, I wrote to the Minister of Environment Canada asking that hunters in Baffin Bay be compensated by their actions of banning the export of polar bears.
I would like to ask our Premier if she has had a conversation with our MP as to what kind of action the federal government will take in compensating our hunters in Nunavut. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Hon. Eva Aariak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the member for his question.
This is very important to everyone who lives in Nunavut, especially to the affected communities that hunt polar bears from that area.
This is being worked on by the Department of Environment and I trust their work.
At this time, I can discuss this matter with Leona to make sure that we urge the federal government to consider this.
Mr. Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker (interpretation ends) The ban was not imposed by the international community, the ban was not imposed by our government, the ban was imposed by the federal government.
I would like those hunters to be compensated by the federal government, who imposed the ban on the trade of polar bear skins.
I would like to see in one of her newsletters, for example, what her government plans to do. She does a newsletter every week and I would like to know what their government plans to do for the hunters in these communities because there are not a lot of employment opportunities for these good citizens.
So I would like our government to ask this government to compensate these hunters for this year since they imposed the ban themselves. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I understand his question very well and all I can say is that it is part and parcel to my response.
Mr. Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I took the effort of writing to the Minister of Environment and expressed our disappointment in the decision of the federal government.
I would like to know if the Premier or any other government has put forward any correspondence to the federal government expressing our disappointment with their decision and if they plan to write any letters or any form of protest of this action. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Hon. Eva Aariak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I will commit myself to look into the matter further.
Our MP is very much well aware of the situation.
I will speak to her again and we will go from there.
Mr. Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) In trying to be open and accountable, I took the initiative of tabling my letter so that the people of Nunavut will see what I have tried to do.
I would like a commitment from this government in tabling any documents they may have in relation to this matter. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 255 – 3(2): Utilidor Study for Resolute Bay (Elliott)
My question is directed to the Minister of Community and Government Services, the Hon. Lorne Kusugak.
Mr. Speaker, I refer to Tabled Document 98 – 3(2), tabled on December 7, 2009.
It is regarding his department’s response to the petition I put forward by the community of Resolute Bay in regard to keeping the utilidor water system in their community.
Mr. Speaker, in his department’s response, it talks about a study that was being undertaken. This study was to ensure short-term solutions for the utilidor and the study would be completed in January or early February 2010.
With this being March, could the minister update the House on this study?
Yes, the study that was being done is a two-phase approach, I guess, Mr. Speaker.
One is that we have to figure out how to keep the current system running while we look at finding out what we are going to do with the different options in terms of the utilidor system in Resolute Bay. That study was worked on, Mr. Speaker, and it does deal with what do we do to keep the system from falling apart altogether while we try to figure exactly how we are going to address the utilidor issue in Resolute Bay.
Mr. Elliott: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the minister for that response.
He mentioned that it was a two-part study.
Does it mean that he is not able to provide us with a copy of it or table a copy of it because the second part is not complete?
I just didn’t understand that.
Hon. Lorne Kusugak: I’ll provide the copy if it is available. I would certainly be happy to provide the copy of the current work to my colleague, Mr. Speaker.
In speaking to the hamlet council, one of the big concerns that they have is the fact that preventative maintenance has not been done or completed on the utilidor system and that’s the reason why it’s in such disarray.
Is the government on top of this in terms of are they running a preventative maintenance program for this utilidor system?
Yes, there is a preventative program on the system.
The problem with the utilidor system in Resolute Bay right now is it’s over 35 years. It’s outlasted the initial intention, I think, of the utilidor system.
What we’re in the middle of doing right now is trying to figure out how to keep the system running the way it is by improving or replacing some existing equipment to make sure that we don’t have a catastrophe in the community where there is no water.
So there is a preventive maintenance that is done on the equipment. Unfortunately, it’s a very old system and things that old begin to create a lot of problems.
Our department is doing their utmost to make sure that the equipment is able to maintain a sufficient water supply for the fine community of Resolute Bay.
As the minister stated, he’s correct, it’s 35 years old and one of the problems that keep happening is, and I’m sure he is very well aware of it, in terms of the leaks that have been happening.
I know each hamlet is given $125,000 each year, but one of the things in Resolute Bay is it’s costing close to $425,000 and causing a great hardship on the hamlet to provide the service because of the increased costs of maintaining that system.
Has the government looked at helping the community in any way of covering those costs or helping alleviate those costs?
That’s the cost of trying to maintain such old equipment. Our department is doing their utmost to keep on top of the utilidor infrastructure in Resolute Bay. We will do our utmost to work with the municipality and try to keep costs, in terms of maintaining the facility, at a minimum and help where we can with that.
Question 256 – 3(2): Baffin Island Caribou Population Survey (Komoartok)
I would like to direct my question to the Hon. Daniel Shewchuk.
Last month, through the news media, we heard that there is going to be a caribou survey done on Baffin Island.
I would like to know when that will begin.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Komoartok. (interpretation ends) Minister of Environment, Hon. Daniel Shewchuk.