EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
As I stated earlier the smaller communities lose out in a lot of things.
My question is to the Community Government Minister.
I do know that the Government is not just full of money, so, I am just wondering if this per capital basis is the standard of criteria.
When was that devised for the Government?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Minister responsible for Community Government and Transportation.
Hon. Manitok Thompson (interpretation): The Government has not forgotten the smaller communities.
I can use Kimmirut as an example, although it is a smaller community, we were able to open an arena.
There are health centers and different agencies in the communities, but I do understand the Member’s concern.
The standards and criteria for the Government were carried over from the Government we had before, but with Nunavut, we have tried to make them more for Nunavut.
And so, this way, smaller communities would be able to request, according to these kinds of standards of criteria, but with the lack of money, we cannot always attend to their concerns.
I would like to ask my question again.
I wasn’t referring to Kimmirut; I am referring to the communities that I represent.
The standards that were devised by the Northwest Territories Government, I think that we have been using them for four years now.
Has the Government of Nunavut updated this, as of December 2002 or are they still working on it?
When she said that some of the smaller communities are losing out, I just used Kimmirut as an example.
We have tried to update the standards so that the communities, by not using the per capita.
The priorities that we set with the Nunavut Government for housing and different types of infrastructures in the communities for health concerns, we had to prioritize those needs for Nunavummiut.
And so, the old standards and criteria, we try to keep away from them and try to focus on what the community needs are instead.
I do understand her response, but she did not respond to my question as to when the Government of Nunavut came up with the standards and criteria for capital projects in Nunavut.
When did they deal with capital issues as it relates to this summer, was it before February 2003 or after?
When did the government start amending the standards and criteria?
I brought this up because I have a letter that I can table if need be, in regards to this matter.
I do not think that they were updated as of February 2003, so I am asking when were they amended?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Minister Thompson.
When I was the Minister for the Department of Public Works, when we first became the Nunavut Government, I advised the legislature about the capital project contracts and I also advised my departmental decision makers not to depend on the standards and criteria and to focus on the needs of the community instead.
That is what the Standing Committee decided and they were aware of this issue and if there is funding available for this type of allocation, then we would do it on an as needed basis only.
She is probably not the only Minister responsible for projects.
Perhaps the information needs to be given about the different standards and criteria that they are trying to implement at the community level.
Yes we do that always in our capacity as Ministers.
We ensure that department staff are informed.
Question 363 – 1(6): Distribution of Health Fund
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier today, but before I get into my question, I would like to congratulate the Premier and his two counterparts in the Yukon and Northwest Territories for the success that they had in obtaining extra funding from the Federal Government for our health care.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to extend our thanks to Svend Robinson, who also raised the issue in the House of Commons and I believe who helped our case along.
I know that Minister Picco met with him as well and made him well aware of the circumstances and challenges that we face up here.
Mr. Speaker, my question is, at the time, and there is a press release that was issued on February 20th stating that there would be a floor of 60 million dollars for a special health fund for the territories.
I would like to ask the Premier how that money will be divided up.
Will it be divided up evenly at about 20 million dollars per territory and over what period?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Premier Okalik.
Hon. Paul Okalik: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What we agreed to was that there was a floor of $60 million dollars to be divided up equally amongst the three territories.
As to the length of the agreement, that is still under discussion.
The shorter the period, it will be beneficial for us.
That is what we are discussing right now with the Federal Government.
We made a deadline that we would have an agreement on the details by the end of this month.
So, we are trying to conclude the discussions and hopefully we will be able to complete them successfully.
We agreed that the minimum that the territories will get, it will be 60 million dollars divided equally.
Mr. Speaker, I guess a key word in that whole thing is the floor.
I am sure our Health Minister would indicate that would be in the basement, the money that we need and that he needs.
I would like to ask the Premier, what are the chances of getting additional funding on top of that $60 million dollars?
And if that is just the floor, how do we move up closer to the main floor, the ceiling of funding that we need and you require for Health in Nunavut?
What we established is a special fund on top of the per capita monies that we are getting in the general CHST transfers that are being transferred to all Governments.
I should tell you that amount is only $3 million dollars a year.
This is in addition to that monies that we are getting.
We also open the door for additional monies for specific healthcare needs that we may have in the future, and available technologies that we may want to work on like Telehealth.
Additional monies that we can get from the Federal Government; that is still open.
A special fund for healthcare, that is the minimum that we would get, as to exactly how much money that would work out on any given year is still up for discussion.
We are hopeful that we can get the most of that 60 million.
Mr. Speaker, as the Premier indicated that this is additional funding on top of the per capita funding through the THST, I understand that one of the big things that all three Premiers raised down there and there was concurrence from all the southern Premiers, that the per capita funding formula is not adequate and does not suit our needs in the North, in all three Territories.
This is an acknowledgement of the fact that it does not work for us.
Can the Premier indicate if there is going to be any move to address those same per capita funding issues in other areas, other than healthcare?
Yes, that is another issue that we discussed with the Prime Minister and there will be longer term discussions for other areas where per capita funding just does not work for the North.
There have been other precedents that were set, like the Transportation money that we received last year, infrastructure money.
That set the floor of one percent of the overall $2 billion dollar fund.
So those things are happening.
This was a good precedent on health.
Hopefully, more social programs will also reflect that in the future.
Those discussions will be continued.
Mr. Speaker, the Premier had indicated in the beginning that there are more long term discussions going on.
Can he commit to updating this House as to how those discussions are going?
I know that this per capita funding is an issue that we have raised in the past in the way of infrastructure funding, and things like that.
I know that all Members of this House would agree and support our position on that.
Can the Minister commit to providing Members of this House with regular updates on how things are going on per capita funding?
I remain optimistic.
Once those discussions conclude, hopefully, while we are in Session, I can inform the House of the terms of the agreements that are concluded, so yes I will continue to do that.
The Member for Tunnuniq. Mr. Nutarak.
Question 364 – 1(6): Social Worker Needed in Pond Inlet
In Pond Inlet, they have not had a social worker for three months.
There was in training there temporarily and the Clyde River social worker does come in periodically.
Since Pond Inlet does not have a social worker, is he working on that or is he taking the normal course or is he considering it as an urgent issue?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services. Mr. Picco.
Mr. Speaker, the issue around staffing the social workers has been ongoing.
It is something similar to the nursing situation and that is a shortage of social workers.
Mr. Speaker, we have, under the Department of Health, retained the right and the ability to hire nurses, recruit for nurses and so on.
Social workers, Mr. Speaker, are still under the guidance of HR, Human Resources.
Like any other position within the Government except for teachers, HR facilitates, advocates, advertises and so on for the positions.
What has happened in this position in particular, I just want to explain it, to make sure that we are clear on it.
Mr. Speaker, HR facilitates the recruitment of staff for the Government and in this case, since the position has been vacant, the Department of Health and Social Services goes to HR to look. We have a vacant position; here we need to act on it.
And we have been acting on it on an urgent basis.
My understanding, Mr. Speaker, is that the position closes this week and it has been advertised, it closes this week.
Then, using the week after the closing date of the position, the applicants are all reviewed, they are screened, reference checks are done, and then an offer would be made.
Mr. Speaker, that process takes about three to four weeks and we would hope to be in a position at that time to be able to put someone in Pond Inlet.
So, the Member is correct, we are, received right now, working on having a position, a full-time position in Pond.
At the same time, we have had someone address some of the social work issues that have arisen in the community.
With the growing population in the community and the high birthrate in the community, Iqaluit is a city and a centre for the Nunavut Government.
The social workers, are they also hired according to the number of people in the communities?
Can you please respond to that?
Mr. Speaker, the Member makes a good point and yesterday in a question, the Member for Amittuq asked a similar question and there is one at the staffing level that is used at a community.
In the past, the Deputy Member knows, we tried to have at least one social worker or two nurses in a community.
There is no formula today dictating, stating, what should be the correct PY, person year of employment for nurses, social workers or for that matter, many of the positions that we staff in communities.
What we have tried to do is look at the workload in those communities.
For example, if there is a heavy social worker workload in the community.
In that case, Mr. Speaker, we would try to have more PY’s put there.
Again, it is all cost contingent on having the available dollars for the different positions that you would try to hire for and at the same time, Mr. Speaker, how you augment the different resources at the community so that you would have, for example, a social worker with the mental health worker, with the CHR, with alcohol and drug workers.
Other people who would be in the similar role, lending interdependence forth, that is the model that we have moved towards.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Regarding the social worker in Pond Inlet.
The social worker is off right now and there’s over 1000 people in Pond Inlet.
Social workers in the communities, and especially in the larger communities, do have a heavy work load I believe.
I think the best way is to have two social workers at least in the larger communities, so that they can keep up with the work load.
As he said, there’s no formula devised, and I think this is the time that he can start devising on a population basis.
Mr. Speaker, I would agree with the Member.
I guess the catch 22 in a situation like this, is if I put in a formula and say that for every five hundred people I should have one social worker or two nurses, then how do I have the financial resources to be able to do that.
I can say it but there’s no point in saying it if it’s not being realistic.
That’s the situation that we find ourselves in as a government.
Not just this government but many jurisdictions are in a similar position where you look at health and social services.
I can say to the Member, Mr. Speaker, internally through the department, we have been looking at work loads in communities as well as mixing and matching where we can, positions to match some of the heavy responsibilities that are out there for the positions and the staff.
Some of these positions, Mr. Speaker, as the Member is quiet aware, are quite stressful.
This afternoon in this house, for the first time since April 1, 1999, we will be debating the issue around suicide.
One of the issues there is do we have enough support in the communities.
This is part, Mr. Speaker, of the issue that the Member is talking about which is a good point about having some type of formula for this.
But if I have a formula, do I have the luxury of having the dollars to put the positions in place?
Final supplementary. Mr. Nutarak.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Already, Mr. Speaker.
I don’t have anything else to add to my question, and he mentioned that he’ll look into the communities that are lacking social workers.
It’s obvious that that position will not be filled within the next few weeks.
I just wanted to thank you for looking into the social worker problem that we have according to the comments that he’s just made.
The Minister of Health and Social Services, I would recommend that he check with Human Resources whether they’re working on this at this time or not.
Speaker (interpretation): That was just a comment.
Question 365 – 1(6): Small Business Grants for Construction
We know that some of the communities who have very small businesses in the communities do some construction work.
Sometimes it’s impossible for them to buy the material and build buildings at the same time because they have to wait for the material.
The small communities are contracted out by different businesses to help them with the construction.
Speaker (interpretation): We have a quorum at this time.
There is an Oral Question to the Department of Public Works and Services.
Perhaps the Member of the Legislative Assembly can repeat his question.
Speaker (interpretation): Can you clarify that question please, Mr. Arvaluk?
I hope that you recognize that this is not a supplementary question.
I asked if the Government of Nunavut and the Hamlet municipalities still have a practice where small businesses undertake the construction phase so that they would not have to finance the entire construction costs but they would help the small businesses do the order for the materials.
It was known that they could not do both with the limited financing that they had.
Is that still the case in Nunavut?
I will look into this because I do not have anything to respond at this point.
I can only state that I believe that this is still the practice, but I will look into it.
For the Members’ information, I will take that as notice.
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): When you are just going to repair a house in a small business, which is not buying a house, does this practice apply to all other regions?
Do you provide that assistance to all?
Hon. Peter Kattuk (interpretation): The question you raise, in regards to the capital projects that the Government of Nunavut is responsible, I can answer that this is still the case, but I cannot speak for the other contracts.
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): Are you saying that you are going to use monies from the government, if I understand you correctly, for example, the housing corporation and the power corporation can contract out the work to a small business if they are not going to do the actual new construction of the facility?
Hon. Peter Kattuk (interpretation): I will have to look into this matter.
I will take it as notice and I will respond to his question at a later time.
I will look into his last question and take it as notice.
Speaker (interpretation): He will get back to you on your question and return to your oral question.
Returning to Orders of the Day. Item 6. Oral Questions.
Question 366 – 1(6): Plans for Kitikmeot Boarding Home in Yellowknife
Mr. Havioyak (interpretation): I have a question here to the Minister of Health and Social Services.
In regards to the first item, I would like to thank him.
On February 9th, he went to Yellowknife to see the Kitikmeot Boarding Home to inspect it.
I know that we have been asking questions about that particular boarding home for quite some time.
I am just curious, and today I would like to ask the Minister since he has inspected it, what his plans are for the boarding home in Yellowknife?
Minister responsible for Health and Social Services. Minister Picco.
I just wanted to add that, first of all, I think we were all very pleased with some of the issues raised by the Parliamentarians in the House of Commons including Mr. Robinson on the health issue.
I am sure that the Premier, as one really expected and accepted that type of health care and I would like to thank Mr. Tootoo for bringing that up.
Mr. Speaker, we did have an opportunity on February 9th to review the situation regarding the boarding home in Yellowknife.
That is part of the larger review of the boarding homes.
We also had an opportunity to the Boarding Home as mentioned.
Mr. Speaker, the process right now, is that we have a long-term lease in place in that facility and we would like to be able to move in a direction, which would give us the level of comfort for the patients who are going through Yellowknife.
And I think it is important to point out, Mr. Speaker, that that facility was put in place in 1988 and we have seen, over the preceding year, an increase of around 30-35% more patients going through and staying at that facility in Yellowknife.
The facility does not lend itself to expansion; it has not received any type of expansion other than the upstairs portion where there were, at one point, living quarters and they have been renovated into a couple of extra rooms.
We realize that there is some concern with the size of the facility and in the larger context of reviewing all of the boarding homes; we would be looking at Yellowknife.
And I am pleased to say, Mr. Speaker, that through the Health Committee, which the Member is a Member of, there have been recommendations to look at the boarding homes and we have done that.
We have a new Boarding Home in Ottawa; the Members here in this facility will know that in 2000, that we had only the Rotel in Ottawa.
Now we have our own boarding home.
There has actually been an expansion there.
We put a brand new boarding home in Edmonton and we are in the process of putting a brand new boarding home in Winnipeg, Mr. Speaker.
Hon. Manitok Thompson: Thank you!
Hon. Ed. Picco: Thank you Minister Thompson, you are correct on the situation.
Mr. Speaker, we need also to be able to look at the other ones.
And in context with the new extended health facility that we are putting in Rankin Inlet, as well as in Cambridge Bay, there may be an opportunity to look at the boarding homes in those two communities.
And if that is the case, with the boarding homes in both those communities, will we need less people going to Yellowknife and then we have to see how much space we need.
So, that is part of the evaluation and the process that we have to look at.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Mr. Havioyak.
Mr. Havioyak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thought he was going to speak about the Kitikmeot Boarding Home, I wanted to thank you but it sounds like you were just talking about something else.
I forgot one item, I want to thank the Minister and his assistant, Keith Best; and he has been looking into that building as well as Kitikmeot Boarding Home.
I want to thank him for looking into that matter for me.
I am wondering after you have inspected the Yellowknife Boarding Home, when will we be able to find out when it will become a standardized building?
Today, there are many people coming in from Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk.
And sometimes they run out of space in that boarding home.
After your next budget, I was wondering when will we be able to hear any news of expansions or a new facility based on your review of the facility?
Hon. Ed. Picco: Mr. Best will be with us this afternoon to debate on the suicide issues that I know the Members appreciate it.
Mr. Best, at the Auditor General’s hearing and the Public Council being able to be through the entire meetings and having an opportunity to review the financial situation.
Mr. Speaker, on the specific issue surrounding when the review will be finished in Yellowknife, again, Mr. Speaker, that is something that myself and Mr. Best have been looking at.
I would hope to have an independent analysis done of both of those facilities.
I would probably look at the opportunities through our RFP to do that.
As Mr. Ng has pointed out, by waving around papers in Legislature today, that it is important to be able to have an understanding of not only letters being sent, but of information being provided to the Members as well as the paper report that the Member is asking for.
I would hope to be able to do that probably within the next six to eight weeks.
Question 367 – 1(6): Update on Funding for Inuktitut Instruction/Curriculum
First of all, I would like to ask the Premier first, because I do not want to make a mistake.
I want to ask you a question concerning the Department of Education. Is that possible in this case?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you. I can try to respond to his question because in the past I have had a chance to be responsible for education and I have always enjoyed it.
Based on my knowledge and experience, if I can answer his question, I will try.
Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Iqaqrialu.  Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As I mentioned earlier about the Department of Education, I hope that you have noted that this is my first question.
The Inuktitut teachers have to use their own instruction materials for the classrooms in their community and there is not enough funding available for them to produce their own curriculum for Inuktitut instruction.
I think they do a lot of work and they need to change the subjects into Inuktitut, which we do not think about on a daily basis as politician or as a government.
What has the department done to help the Inuit teachers to produce more Inuktitut curriculum?
I can respond by saying that our elders have been helping in producing Inuktitut teaching material.
We have been able to have annual meetings where the elders deal with terminology and other programming.
We have been successful in obtaining cultural program funding for elders and we have been working with the Department of Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth to come up with the funding available for cultural programs to teach the elementary school students.
Trying to produce an Inuktitut curriculum is a very comprehensive task and we have been trying to provide the funding for the teachers’ centres.
We have tried to provide funding for Inuktitut curriculum so that they can be used for Inuit and non-Inuit for the Inuktitut as a second language material.
In respect to this answer, I already know that there is some work being done at the learning centers.
But what I am talking about, to use one of my communities as an example, is that I have noticed some of the teachers have to produce their own material by translating them and teaching the students from the material that they have.
Many times the Inuit teachers are not working closely with the elders and I am not talking about the curriculum that the elders have developed, but they are using their own terminology that they are teaching their students.