EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Member’s Statement 130 – 2(3): Arctic Winter Games Team Nunavut (Aglukkaq)
I would like to congratulate the following athletes from Gjoa Haven for their success in making Team Nunavut and having the opportunity to participate in the Arctic Winter Games.
In Arctic Sports: Sandra Ruben, Adam Angutilluq, and Brad Ikutilluq. In badminton: Joannie Puyatak, Sarah Aglukkaq, and Quviq Anaviluk.
For midget hockey: Gary Takkiruq, Amos Kammukaq, and my nephew Craig Aglukkaq. In bantam hockey: Saglak Takiruk, and Dwayne Uluulaaq. In women’s hockey: Valene Pukiqnak, Sharon Takkiruq, Andrea Qingaqtuq, and Pamela Aglukkaq.
As well, I would also like to congratulate Megan Pizzo-Lyall from Taloyoak for being chosen for women’s hockey and congratulations to all the individuals and to wish them all the best in the Arctic Winter Games.
Member’s Statement 131 – 2(3): Midget Hockey Tournament – Kitikmeot (Peterson)
I rise today to inform the House about the Team Kitikmeot midget hockey team, who recently participated in the Arctic Winter Games territorial trials hosted in Rankin Inlet earlier this month.
Mr. Speaker, Cambridge Bay’s midget hockey players joined players from Taloyoak to enter Team Kitikmeot in the tournament and competed against teams from the Baffin, the Kivalliq, as well as a team from Gjoa Haven.
Mr. Speaker, the Olympic theme is Passion Lives Here. Passion also lives inside each of the players who participated in the midget hockey tournament.
Participants traveled long distances from many different communities to play in the tournament.
Mr. Speaker, Nunavut is a huge place. We have 26 communities spread across two million square kilometres and three time zones.
It is not easy to organize large tournaments of this nature.
Mr. Speaker, while they didn’t win the tournament, Team Kitikmeot had a great weekend and represented our two communities very well. We are very proud of our young hockey stars.
Mr. Speaker, I met the Cambridge Bay players when they returned in the early morning hours after a long flight. From their cuts and bruises and the way some of them were limping, I could tell that they experienced a rough hockey tournament.
Mr. Speaker, despite their injuries, on our way back to town the player’s in my vehicle told me they had a great time and made lots of friends from across our Territory. Mr. Speaker we must never forget that respect, good sportsmanship, and making lasting friendships are worthy ideals in any competitive event.
Mr. Speaker, the hockey coaches and volunteers must be commended for their dedication and commitment to helping our aspiring hockey stars pursue their dreams of careers in hockey.
Mr. Speaker I’d like to congratulate Byron McCallum from Cambridge Bay who was selected as a member of the Arctic Winter Games Midget Hockey Team. I ask the Members in the House to join with me in congratulating all the athletes who have competed in the Arctic Winter Games trials across Nunavut. I wish all the athletes best of luck in Alaska next month.
Member’s Statement 132 – 2(3): Bad Weather (Kilabuk)
Today being Friday I will mention some Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit from my community. We believe that one person can affect the bad weather or cause the bad weather if somebody’s expected to arrive or to go somewhere.
Mr. Speaker, I am saying that the standing committee has been trying to go up to Pangnirtung for quite a long time, and they haven’t been able to go to date. Now that they’re expected to leave today, now the weather in Pangnirtung is out. Because of the weather, I don’t think they will be able to go up to Pangnirtung today.
One would say from my community, now that we’re expecting them, the weather has turned bad and there must be somebody in that committee whose thinking is not in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, I just want the committee to be hopeful that they should try and travel. They should go up separately one at a time so that one person will not cause bad weather.
Member’s Statement 133 – 2(3): Number of Male Employees (Curley)
We heard yesterday, maybe it’s mainly directed to the Inuit employees or maybe non-Inuit, we heard that there are really few male employees within Government and there are 800 female employees Inuit and 400 male employees.
I am encouraging the male population to apply more.
(interpretation ends) I read once in an article a while ago now, that the famous Prime Minister of the day was given information by his aide as he was studying his notes. And this particular aide stated to him by the, that was about 70 years or so ago, by the year 2000, the aide read an article states to the leader that most corporations of the world and institutions of the world will be headed by women. And without looking up, as he continues reading his briefing notes, he replies with one word.
And I think he’s probably given the answer of the day. And he replied with one word, and he said, “Still!”
Member’s Statement 134 – 2(3): Nunavut Arctic College Hair Stylists (Picco)
I rise with some urgency this Friday morning.
Mr. Speaker, an invasive alien species has been at work here in Nunavut, and particularly here in the Leg.
Biodiversity is fine. Environmental stewardship is okay, but habitat loss and a congruence of the Borg collective where coiffure styles are imposed on members has to cease, and has to cease immediately.
Now, Mr. Speaker, you may be asking yourself: what is he talking about?
Other members listening may agree or disagree with my supposition, my hypothesis, but there can be no denying the serious fallout, the tremendous pressure, the ongoing pandemic of rampant nervousness of a trip to the hairdressers.
Mr. Speaker, our own students at the college, trained by the salon expert, Suzanne Laliberte, worked on the cranium of Premier Okalik, on the Jackie Chan like Peter Ma, and yours truly.
And in your case Mr. Speaker, improvement on perfection is hard to accomplish.
Mr. Speaker, in all seriousness, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate this year’s students in Nunavut Arctic College’s award-winning hairstylist program, and recommend that all members drop by Ukiivik to see the good work occurring with our students.
Member’s Statement 135 – 2(3): President of the Nunavut Employees Union (Tootoo)
I can assure you that I won’t be using words that took me all week to look up in the dictionary in my statement.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to rise today and acknowledge someone that all the Members of this House know in one way or another in his capacity as President of the Nunavut Employees Union, and that’s Mr. Doug Workman.
Mr. Speaker, this week the union has held its conference and Mr. Workman was re-elected for another term as President of the Nunavut Employees Union.
So I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate him on that and continue to look forward to a good working relationship with him and the union members to raise their concerns and issues here in the legislature, as I know all members do, including Mr. Picco and Mr. Okalik, other members from Iqaluit, and also, I’m sure Mr. Speaker, Mr. Tapardjuk, the Minister of Human Resources.
So I would like to ask all members to join me in congratulating Mr. Workman on his re-election as the President of the Nunavut Employees Union.
Member’s Statement 136 – 2(3): Team Canada Hockey Game (Okalik)
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) This being Friday, I thought I would comment on the recent demise of our Canadian hockey team, unfortunately this past week.
My colleague from Iqaluit Centre keeps bugging me about my Montreal Canadiens; so, I think I’ve got to rebut some of his comments today.
This past week Canada lost to Finland, unfortunately, and they were led by a Montreal Canadien player, named Saku Koivu, so that’s unfortunate.
And in the critical round, against Russia they then lost again, to a team led by a Montreal Canadien boy, by the name of Kovalev.
So, I think it’s too bad that my Montreal Canadiens didn’t have any players on Team Canada.
I think that was the main reason because they didn’t have true champions leading them on the Canadian team.
I think that’s something that future Team Canadas will have to reflect on; that they have Montreal Canadien players on them so that they can win the next gold medal in the next Olympics.
Return to Oral Question 124 – 2(3): Providing a Tracking System for Missing Hunters (Brown)
A Return to Oral Question asked by my colleague, David Alagalak, MLA for Arviat; Question 124 – 2(3) and the title is: ‘Providing a Tracking System for Missing Hunters.’
Nunavut Emergency Management is conducting testing on two systems that might provide the capability to have real-time location information for individuals on the land. The technology is expensive and requires ongoing funding and maintenance. Therefore, it is imperative to fully understand these capabilities and limitations prior to any commitment to purchase.
One system was first tested in winter 2004-05, but due to serviceability issues required further testing this winter. The second system was purchased in winter 2005, however, due to technical issues with the system, testing was unable to commence until this January.
A detailed report on each of these systems is targeted for completion in June 2006.
Results from this study will be examined with regard to potential users, the best type of use, and the cost for both purchase and long-term sustainability. Nunavut Emergency Management is also examining the potential specific technology in relation to other types of technology already in use that provide similar capabilities.
It gives me great pleasure this morning to introduce to the Gallery some of the members of the board of directors of NS, or Nunavut Sivuniksavut, Program in Ottawa as well as some of the staff.
With us this morning, we have Clara Evalik, who is the Chair, Helen Moroc, Juanita Taylor, Mr. Bert Rose, Elisapee Karetak, June Shappa, Steven Lonsdale, Anguti Johnson, as well one of the directors who is not available right now, a well-known local leader, Mr. Jose Kusugak, and also the instructors Murray Angus and Jackie Price.
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the NS directors and staff to the Legislative Assembly and this program, Mr. Speaker, is one of the better known programs throughout Nunavut and their graduates have gone, in many cases, to become leaders within Nunavut.
This week, Inuujaq School has had Pages here in this House. I would like to recognize my daughter Marie Barnabas and her good friend, Becky Qaqqasiq-May.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you for your services.
I would like to recognize and welcome David Tuluqtuq. (interpretation ends) David Tuluqtuq is a self-employed, businessman in Baker Lake as a journeyman/plumber and has been for many years, and is also the president of the local Co-Op in Baker Lake.
I would like to also say that Arctic Cooperatives Limited individuals are here, Andy Morrison, and Gabe Hardisty.
From Corporate Services, Mary Nirlungajuq from Kugaaruk, and I’m sorry, I forgot one of the individual’s names, and I would just like to welcome them to the Gallery, and to recognize Mark from Arctic Cooperatives.
I would also like to recognize the individuals that have been recognized already, but I’d like to say a few words.
There are some people that usually come to the Northwest Territories, and there is an individual that came from a small community.
I would like to welcome Gabe Hardisty. He is from Wrigley, Northwest Territories.
I would like everyone to recognize him.
I, too, want to recognize Mary, (interpretation) who is my relative.
She now lives in Winnipeg and I would like to recognize her as well.
Question 149 – 2(3): Aging Community Freezers (Barnabas)
I talked about this quite some time ago, but I have not had any response or anything done on this subject. It is in regard to communities’ freezers.
Community freezers were installed into the communities when the settlements were established and we still have them today.
We used to write letters to members of the legislature, and I also made a statement at one time about how old the community freezers are.
Peter Kilabuk was the minister then and we wrote him a letter regarding the community freezers.
I will continue in English.
(interpretation ends) Have they done anything on deciding what they are going to do about aging freezers?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister responsible for Economic Development, Minister Akesuk.
I will find out what my staff has done so far in regard to the aging freezers.
There were a lot of questions at that time in terms of whose responsibility the community freezers are.
Those freezers in the communities are utilized by HTOs and other business, and in the summertime they need a lot of repair. (interpretation ends) Are they in tune with the communities that want small venturing operations if there are new freezers required?
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation) In regard to dealing with freezers, I know that they have to be in good condition.
It is very expensive to operate them. We are not really sure exactly how we would deal with them. They are aging and I’m not exactly sure what we should do about those community freezers.
It will probably take a lot of work.
We would like to continue the use of those community freezers, but it probably would be a lot cheaper if we were to purchase new ones but what we are trying to do is deal with them but it’s taking a long time.
Is the government helping HTOs that they are now trying to be more self-sufficient financially by different initiatives such as selling country foods locally?
According to Inuit Qaujimajaqangit, there is usually purchasing going on from community to community with country food.
What we can do as a government is we can provide some assistance to those hunters that make their wages selling country food. There could be people applying for assistance if they are making a wage economy out of selling country food. As long as there is something, an application then we could try to help the people in the communities.
Mr. Barnabas (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) What is the overall plan of the government in recognizing and assisting HTOs that they are an important part of the local economy, especially for local harvesters?
The government and the Department of Economic Development tried to provide some funding to the community HTOs and also we have legislation, Bill 35; that bill will strengthen the organizations in a community, such as the hunters and trappers.
Question 150 – 2(3): Territorial Financing Agreement (Peterson)
My question is for the Minister of Finance, and it’s from the budget address a couple of days ago.
During the budget address, the minister spoke about the new Territorial Formula Financing.
He mentioned in the simplest terms that the deal must include separate agreements for each territory, low fixed envelopes, consideration of Nunavut’s population growth rate, an adequate Gross Expenditure Base reflecting our unique challenges, and assurance that increases in our own sources of revenue will not have a negative impact on our entitlements under Territorial Formula Financing.
My question for the minister is: can he explain to the House what the implications are for Nunavut if the new deal doesn’t include the five requirements?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Finance, Mr. Simailak
Hon. David Simailak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If this new agreement does not proceed with the federal government, we would have a harder time getting some funding from the government and it would have an impact on our self-reliance in finances.
Mr. Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you, Minster of Finance.
In the same budget address, the minister mentioned the Advisory Panel established by the Council of the Federation and we worked with an Expert Panel established by the former government.
My question for the minister, if he could clear this up for me: how do the two panels work together, link together? I’m a bit confused - you have two panels making recommendations to government.
Are they doing the same work or are they supporting each other?
I’m not sure. Can the minister clear that up for me?
In regard to the first comment, in regard to the Expert Panel, they were directed by the federal government and they are accountable to the federal government, and they also make recommendations in regard to finances to the north.
And for the second panel, it is the provinces that set up the Advisory Panel.
There’s the Expert Panel and the Advisory Panel that is directed by the Premiers of Canada.
Mr. Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you, Minister of Finance.
We’ve heard that the Government of Nunavut met with these panels or the panels have come here to meet with Government of Nunavut and the Government has made their case.
Can the minister share whether or not he knows what the recommendations are of the Expert Panel and the Advisory Panel of the Government of Canada?
Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Simailak
At this time, both panels will be submitting their reports shortly before end of March or at the end of the fiscal year.
We did not hear what the recommendations are going to be, especially for the territories and for Nunavut.
At this time, I can’t say what the recommendations are going to be, but I think it is going to be very helpful to the territories, especially for Nunavut.
Can the minister tell the House if the Government of Nunavut has talked to the Prime Minister of Canada about the problems with the Territorial financing, the financing agreements, as it pertains to Nunavut?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.  Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Simailak
We haven’t had discussions, but we will be doing so shortly.
Question 151 – 2(3): Hiring Process (Tootoo)
I’m just wondering if I could ask the minister, when they go through the hiring process, I know that’s something that this government’s had a lot of practice on over the last six years, but when they go through that process of screening individuals that apply for positions within the government, what process does the department use in looking at the individuals that apply and whether they meet the appropriate requirements for the position, and also on a background check for individuals that apply for positions as well?
In regard to human resources, for example, if we were to advertise a job the applicants would then be notified and interviewed.
Usually in the advertisements, the job descriptions are outlined for the position and what qualifications the individual will need.
The closing date is on the advertisement, and on the closing date individuals are then short-listed.
Usually, the land claim beneficiaries are given priority and if there is a qualified individual on the list, then they would be put on the interview list.
If there are no qualified individuals, we would then look at applicants from Nunavut.
We have to make sure that they have health care cards.
And, in the third category, if there were no skilled or qualified individuals in the first and second categories, then we would look elsewhere, outside of Nunavut.
The individuals who are going to be doing the interview are usually the ones who do the short listing.
Those are the procedures that we use when we’re hiring.
And then at the end of the day, the individual is notified.
For example, if there was a job opening at Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs, the Department of Human Resources is always involved when there is a job opening in any Government of Nunavut department.
The successful applicant is notified by the Department of Human Resources.
I thank the minister for very clearly pointing out the process that is followed.
In that process, he indicated that reviewing the applications, the people that apply for positions, and deciding whether individuals meet the basic qualifications or not is something that is done; is that something that is a standard thing they go through all applications for every position? Is there a checklist that they go through?
They look at the resumes that are received and do checklist to see who is qualified; is that something that is done on some kind of a format for every application that’s received?
First of all, under the Public Service Act, the Minister of Human Resources is given the authority to hire and fire.
During the month of December, the Department of Health and Social Services, the minister, using his or her authority, has given authority to the deputy minister and we can screen the employee applications.
We abide by the Public Service Act. The Minister of Human Resources now has given the authority to the Deputy Minister of the Department of Education.
For those applicants who are going to work in that department, they deal with that, but the other things for example, when we review the applicants and we screen them, and if we interview at least 60 percent of the applicants, if they have 60 percent of their capabilities, then we review them.
Also, we have to look at the applicants in two ways. The already existing employees who work for the government, if they try to get another job within the government, we look at them.
For example, if we are going to get a new employee, they are reviewed because we have to review all of those to make sure that these applicants have not been charged or to make sure that these applicants are not going through the court system.
So we have to screen them and the interviewing group interviews the applicants and they follow the Public Service Act.
I guess my next question for the minister: once they have done that process and then screen and interview individuals for positions, is there any kind of a format that they use? I know the member or people applying for positions have to provide references for the department or the employer to check with on that individual, but when they do that, do they just, the department or whoever is doing it, contact the references that the applicant has provided or do they get other information from other sources as well?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Yes, Mr. Speaker. After the interview process, we have to check out the references to make sure that this individual is qualified and to verify the months or years of where this individual has been working.
If we wanted additional information, we get in touch with the references that this individual has identified. We usually do that. We usually get in touch with the references.
I would like to thank the minister for that response My next question is: when they check with the references does the whole process, which I would assume is a confidential process and that other than the people on the interview team and the department, are they the only ones who know who’s being interviewed and whose references are being checked? So I would assume that it was only those individuals that would be checking on those references.
My question is: do they use any other format, or any other means of reference checking?
Do they accept unsolicited references from someone else that may have, somehow or another, found out that an applicant is being looked at for a position and take that into consideration when making their decision or not?
I didn’t understand your question, but I will be able to look into it further.
Question 152 – 2(3): Daycare Space for School Renovations (Netser)
Mr. Netser (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, last fall, we dealt with the Capital Estimates. During the session, the Coral Harbour school was supposed to be built this coming summer and we set aside $1.6 million in the Capital Estimates.
(interpretation ends) My question to the Minister of Education is; yesterday when the Member for High Arctic was asking questions pertaining to daycare centres, the minister indicated that any major renovations would include a daycare facility, or daycare space. I quote the minister, “At the same time, any major renovations to a school would also contain a dedicated facility, or child daycare, or daycare space.”
The minister indicated that they would be incorporating those facilities into any Government of Nunavut assets.