EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Speaker, the Kitikmeot Economic Development Commission is presently hosting a regional economic strategic planning workshop in Cambridge Bay from March 7 to March 9, 2006.
Mr. Speaker, delegates from all the communities in Kitikmeot are attending this important event. It includes representatives from elders’, youth, and women’s groups, the district education authorities, hunters and trappers organizations, hamlet councils and the private sectors.
There are discussions of folks on planning to develop the Kitikmeot economy over the next 25 years.
Mr. Speaker, the Nunavut Economic Development Strategy and other studies will be utilized by the participants to set them in their discussions. The four key areas where they will agree to establish priorities are: our land, our people, our community economies, and regional economy.
Mr. Speaker, a key element of their economic planning will be the development of an implementation plan that identifies actions to be taken by communities.
Mr. Speaker, we know from our own experience that when strategic plans gather dust on bookshelves and when no one takes on responsibility of the ownership of them, all we have done is waste a lot of time, energy, and money. There are no benefits when this occurs.
Mr. Speaker, the people in Kitikmeot are very proactive and forward thinking. They are not waiting for the Government of Nunavut to tell them how to create economic prosperity and opportunity for their communities. The Kitikmeot region is on the verge of a major economic boost and they are planning to succeed.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members to join me in wishing the delegates every success during their deliberations at the Kitikmeot regional economic planning strategy meeting.
Member’s Statement 194 – 2(3): International Women’s Day – Recognition (Brown)
What my colleagues just mentioned about international women’s day, as Ms. Aglukkaq mentioned, and our colleague, Mr. Tootoo, I agree with their comments and I am very proud of all the women.
As members here your spouses stay home and look after your family while you are here and they do patiently wait for you and they are looking forward to seeing you when you get home.
Way back then, when the men were out hunting, the women would stay home. And now even though you are not hunting, you are here.
They are looking after their homes and your children.
You will have a good home and I know that your family misses you because we do have a family too.
Since today is International Women’s Day, I am happy that they are recognized because they work very hard.
Way back then, it seems to be that we were equal.
The men were out hunting and the women sewing clothing so that the men could be properly clothed.
The way I see it they supported each other.
The reason I wanted to stand up today is that in our community of Rankin Inlet there was a woman who recently gave birth, Barbara Nakulaaq.
I wish to congratulate them. They had a little girl.
Stacy Anaruaq and Darcy Kablaaliq also had a baby girl.
We welcome them to our community.
The daughter’s name will be Kanajuq Kablaaliq, who is a relative.
Her name will be Kanajuq and they have resided there for a number of years on Marble Island. They used to live in Marble Island, the Kablaaliqs and Putuguqs and Qilalaaq, who is still alive.
I just want to mention that we do not hear those names anymore. I do not want to lose those traditional names.
I believe Ms. Kablaaliq is listening and she is one of our elders and I am very thankful to her.
Member’s Statement 195 – 2(3): Recognition of Wife (Kattuk)
I would like to especially recognize my wife Alacie who I haven’t seen for a long time.
I would like to apologize to her and I’d like to recognize the women in this House today.
Sometimes we have weird dreams and in one of my dreams I was hitting my wife Alacie.
I am totally against violence and in one of my dreams I hit her.
In my dream there was a dog and I started walking, but his leash got longer and was going towards me, so I picked up a rock and threw it at him, but he kept coming towards me. It was very near and I was trying to kick the dog.
It was my wife I had kicked accidentally.
I would like to apologize in this House because I never want to do that to a woman.
Member’s Statement 196 – 2(3): Kivalliq Chamber of Commerce Meeting – March 27 to 29 (Curley)
I rise today to inform members that on March 27 to 29, 2006 in Rankin Inlet the Kivalliq Chamber of Commerce will be having their annual meeting. I wanted the members to know, especially the Minister for Economic Development.
They’ll be discussing the concerns of Keewatin residents in regard to construction and also in regard to Nunavut Housing Corporation, as well as the Nunavut Arctic College, trades training, the Manitoba/Nunavut road, and also especially the concern of the Kivalliq Marine Sealift contract.
They also want to get more information on apprenticeship trades occupations.
We urge the minister to move forward with this.
One of my colleagues says that there is too much red tape within the government and there are too many barriers for the businesses.
Just in case the minister didn’t know about it, I wanted to inform them that they would be meeting from March 27 to 29, and on the evening of March 27, Charlie Panigoniak will be entertaining.
So please come and you’re all welcome.
Member’s Statement 197 – 2(3): International Women’s Day – Recognition (Barnabas)
I, too, rise today to congratulate the women in my riding and my wife whom I’m so proud of.
Also, I’m so proud of women because they’re so capable.
Nanga from Resolute Bay has supported and helped all the residents of Resolute Bay and she’s an elder.
Her husband has passed away and she’s very strong.
I would also like to acknowledge Qapik Attagutsiak from Arctic Bay for she has been living alone for some time. She is advising doctors on midwifery.
I do want to acknowledge her capabilities. She is always invited by doctors to teach the elders on northern issues. I am so proud of her, so I would like to rise and acknowledge them.
Member’s Statement 198 – 2(3): Women’s Day – Recognition (Arreak)
I, too, would like to say how proud I am of women and my wife, my daughters, and my mother whom I’m also proud of.
Also, the women are now being involved in boards and agencies. Just recently in the municipal elections, my two daughters are now members of the municipal council and they are starting to get into the political workforce.
The women are given some jobs that are at the lowest rate of pay and women do a lot more volunteer work than men. So they are the people that help on important issues on a volunteer basis and there are a lot more volunteer women than men.
We should not forget about the widows in our communities. At times, we have to consider them because they work very hard to try and keep their family together and to support them and their grandchildren.
Just so that we won’t have International Women’s Day just today, we should treat every day to be proud of women because they help us out a lot.
Member’s Statement 199 – 2(3): Hockey Equipment Donation to Cape Dorset (Akesuk)
I also would like to thank my wife and my daughters who treat me very nice even though we attend meetings every day.
I would like to talk a bit about an individual who works in Cape Dorset. The children from Cape Dorset received a donation from Brian Donlevy on behalf of Cape Dorset; 1,267 pounds of hockey equipment were given to Cape Dorset.
Mel Orecklin, who works in Cape Dorset, had been coordinating the hockey equipment to be brought to Cape Dorset. I also would like to thank the airline that brought up the hockey equipment. We thank them; Brian Donlevy, who came from Toronto; we thank them very much because the hockey equipment is going to be very beneficial to the hockey players in Cape Dorset.
Member’s Statement 200 – 2(3): Canadian Armed Forces (Picco)
Recently, a joint exercise between the Canadian Armed Force and our local Ranger Force was held here in Iqaluit. The Armed Forces benefit from working with and training with our local volunteer Ranger Forces across Nunavut. The training received includes cold weather drills, inter-force cooperation, and traditional skills to survive on the land.
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Armed Forces are well welcomed in our communities across Nunavut.
There is, of course, an economic spin-off to increased military activity and with the demonstrations of our sovereignty.
I have noticed that the forces still come in January wearing uniforms and outfits that were designed for use in southern Canada.
The traditional armed forces parkas are well known by the wearers and many of our rangers as being obsolete north of 60. The wind pants are heavy and not well suited to activities experienced out on the land. The gauntlet mitts and wool hats with balaclavas are also below par.
Over 22 years ago, Mr. Speaker, when I saw the armed forces on winter manoeuvres, they used the same equipment they use today. Our soldiers should be outfitted with proper winter wear.
I think if they put out a proposal call to the north and took some local suggestions; the forces would be more appropriately attired for the arctic.
Mr. Speaker, a case in point, wearing army green in a winter landscape is pretty laughable, but happens on manoeuvres all the time.
Issues with machine guns freezing up and the lack of cold weather grease are also indicative of the forces lack of preparedness for equipment to operate here in arctic conditions.
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of our armed forces, but we want to see our federal government give them the resources, equipment, and material to do their jobs North of 60.
The whole point of the arctic exercises is to learn from the experience.
I hope we see these changes with the new government in Ottawa in the coming months so that the equipment that is obsolete will be changed so that when our armed forces come here to participate, they are better equipped.
Member’s Statement 201 – 2(3): International Women’s Day – Recognition (Kilabuk)
Since today is a very important day, International Women’s Day, I rise to thank my wife first of all, for her patience and I would also like to thank…before the session I had to bring in the mother and her daughter who had been down in Ottawa for quite some time for medical purposes, but this special day, I would like to thank along with my wife, and along with members, the two women members at the Cabinet level.
Also, I would like to acknowledge the Department of Health and Social Services for supporting patients and also for providing services so that we could lead a better life.
On behalf of all of our constituents, I would like to thank the department, my mother-in-law, Geela Sowdluapik, and my wife Rosie Kilabuk.
I would like to acknowledge them for coming to Iqaluit, and I would like to welcome them.
Member’s Statement 202 – 2(3): Thank and Recognize His Wife (Alagalak)
I, too, would like to thank first of all, my wife.
I’m so proud of her because she is everything to us in our house. When someone gets ill or someone needs help or support, she is always there. She also helps out as a layperson in church.
She counsels many people when they have problems in their social lives.
She is very important and she had gone down south to attend the revival church.
I would like to say how proud I am.
As she is growing older, she still is working very hard. I’m very proud of her.
She provides help and assistance to anyone who requests it, and she never refuses anyone whether it is in the middle of the night; when she’s needed, she helps out.
Also, I don’t want to forget all the nurses in Nunavut because the majority of health centres are staffed by nurses that are women.
Since today is International Women’s Day, I would like thank the women and say how proud of them. I am for standing up on their own two feet, even though they may be going through difficult situations.
Member’s Statement 203 – 2(3): Acknowledgement of International Women’s Day (Okalik)
Since today is International Women’s Day, we acknowledge the fact that they provide a lot of help and I would also like to thank my mother who has passed away.
I would like to thank her for her guidance everyday when she urged and encouraged me to attend school.
So I have been trying to follow her words. Therefore, I was able to complete my higher education and I thank her everyday of my life because of her advice.
It is going to be very beneficial to me and I am very proud of that and I would like to thank all the mothers.
I am sure that they care and nurture their children even though we parents cannot be there for our children all the time.
And to our staff and also to my colleagues, I would like to say thank you to each and every one of you and also to my right, Deputy Premier Brown; I wouldn’t even know where I would be, so I would like to thank her.
And to all the women, everyday is your day, but today is International Women’s Day and I would like to say how happy I am for that.
Mr. Tootoo: I would like to introduce in the Gallery a good friend of mine and a constituent, Mr. Jude Davidee, who I found here watching the proceedings.
Last week, he came in wearing his Montreal Canadiens shirt, but for some reason he did not want to wear it.
Today, maybe it is because they lost to Toronto last night, but regardless of what he is wearing, it is always a pleasure to see him here in the Gallery.
Question 230 – 2(3): Nunavut Business Credit Corporation Investments (Peterson)
Mr. Speaker, in the budget address last week, the Minister of Finance stated that Nunavut’s future lies in a more diversified economy in developing long-term security and creating a positive environment where business industries in Nunavut see it as a good place to invest and to do business.
The Nunavut Business Credit Corporation is our lender of last resort to invest in businesses. My question for the minister is: since April 1st, 2005, how many businesses in the Kitikmeot has the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation invested in?
Speaker (interpretation): Minster of Economic Development, Mr. Akesuk.
I have no actual data of the Nunavut Business Development Corporation’s statements. The actual approved version of the statements; I would also like to present the statements that we have approved so far to this date from the Business Credit Development Corporation.
Just to clarify, I am looking for information from the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General’s Report on page 40 stated that Nunavut’s smallest Crown corporation had only a handful of employees. In March 2005, the corporation’s comptroller left the government. By the following October, the position had not been filled.
I see from the Kivalliq News want ads, employment notices on March 1, 2006, the comptroller position is still not staffed.
My question for the minister is: this small group of employees with no comptroller, how does the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation fulfill its mandate to invest in Nunavut businesses?
I do believe we do our very best to make sure that we do our job as requested by our constituents in Nunavut. Again, we are doing our very best to make sure we are fully staffed in the future as this is very important for our territory to have a Nunavut Business Corporation that is helping Nunavut.
And also, we have a very active board that is doing their very best to make sure that we do our job with the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation.
So we are doing our very best to staff up our corporation. I think that we will even have something better in the future.
Mr. Speaker, it is a stated priority of the Government of Nunavut that economic development is important to our territory.
I believe that a properly functioning and efficient effect of the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation will help us to develop our economy.
A question for the minister: can the minister commit to tabling a report on the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation’s investment activities to show us how they approved loans to businesses to help create jobs that increase Nunavut’s gross domestic product?
I will do that to make sure that we have proper information for my colleague. We’ll come up with a report to table in the House.
I thank the minister for his commitment. I hope he means he will table it during this session. I forgot to ask about that commitment.
Loan documentation and security are important to protect the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation’s investment in Nunavut businesses. Such small staff and no comptroller, I have some concerns there. The question for the minister: can the minister ensure this House that all loans are properly documented and secured in the event of potential default by the borrowers?
I do not know which one to answer; there is only one supplementary left. I will do my very best to table something before the sitting is done.
Since we became a government, we have outstanding loans of $19 million. I do believe that is quite a bit of money that we have loaned out to the territory since we became a government in 1999. I think that we are doing our best.
We want to come up with even better ideas in the future to make sure that our portfolio gets even bigger and more effective to our territory as the businesses are growing up in the territory.
I think it is important that we work together and come up with better ideas that we could use in the future, that we get input from my colleagues and the business people in the territory.
Question 231 – 2(3): Positions for the International Nurses (Tootoo)
Earlier in this sitting, there were a number of questions posed to the minister in regard to international nurses that have been recruited to work throughout Nunavut to help us try to alleviate some of the shortage of nurses that we have.
The minister has indicated that there are, I think, around 40 percent of those nurses who are waiting to rewrite their exam to be able to be licensed to practice in Nunavut.
My question for the minister is: for the nurses that are waiting to rewrite their exam, my understanding was that they were on payroll, but are there positions throughout the territory that are being held specifically for those nurses once they successfully complete their exams?
The international nurses rewrote their exams on February 10, I believe was the date.
Those exams are being reviewed by the National Nurses’ Association.
For the international nurses that are recruited to enter Canada, nurses have to be offered a position and have to accept the position to enter Canada. So when they come into Canada, they are in Canada by accepting a position.
During the time they are oriented, they also study to write their national exam and they wrote their exam. Once they have completed their exam, they will be able to cover the full spectrum of the job. Until those exams are completed, the nurses cannot work independently.
The minister indicated that they have to be offered a job. Does that offer just simply state that they will have a job working for the Department of Health and Social Services or the Government of Nunavut, or does it specify positions in specific communities where they will be working?
The offer is to a specific position in a specific community where there is a vacancy.
Having said that, I would guess then, in the cases where those 40 percent of the nurses didn’t pass their first exams, that those positions are being backfilled, if you want to call it, by casual nurses or agency nurses and there’s still a vacant indeterminate position in that community.
I also understand, Mr. Speaker, that there have been a number of cases of Canadian nurses that wish to work in some of those communities that have been blocked from working in those communities because, even though there’s a vacant position, they are earmarked for one of the international nurses once they successfully pass their exam.
Can the minister indicate if that is indeed the fact; that they are actually blocking Canadian nurses from applying on these vacant positions in some of these communities; that they are holding those positions for international nurses?
In the past, before we started our efforts to recruit full-time nurses through recruiting international nurses, we used agency nurses in Canada. At that time, there were concerns expressed in the House: the high use of agency nurses was driving the cost of recruitment and driving the cost within the Department of Health for filling positions.
So we have tried to balance the two by putting in more efforts and energy in recruiting long-term nurses from the international pool and to hire international nurses, we have to make offers to nurses to come to Canada.
So if there are vacancies in the north for nurses, we are also looking at more efforts again, within Canada, which I have also stated during Committee of the Whole and through various questions raised in the House that we are trying to do both, in Canada, as well as through the international process.
Where there has been an offer made to an international nurse, yes, those positions are deemed as been filled by that nurse that has been offered. Until such time, those positions in the communities remain vacant.
I guess not having a qualified nurse in there would mean that that position is vacant and it would seem that the Department of Health and Social Services, if they have this person in shadowing, they are paying two people to do the job of one.
I guess my next question is; why are they blocking Canadian nurses from working within Nunavut in communities, whether they be a spouse of a teacher or an RCMP, that are going to be in a community for a while, that are not interested in going to any other community other than the one where their spouse is posted; I’m sure there are other vacancies throughout that they could transfer those international nurses to when they do finally complete their exam.
Is this something that the minister would look at so they were not actually saying that we have a shortage of nurses, but sorry we have nurses in our communities that we are not going to hire you because we’ve got a position here that we are holding for someone for when they pass their exam. Meanwhile, there’s someone that wants to be in that community, that has the commitment to be there for a while, and where these international nurses, it doesn’t really matter where they go to work in our territory; I’m sure there will always be vacancies throughout the territory for them.
So would the minister commit to looking at trying to address this issue so that we are taking advantage of the expertise that we do have within the territory and actually trying to take steps to hire nurses and not to put steps in to prevent them from being hired?
If there are Canadian nurses that are interested in Nunavut, by all means submit your names. We are interested in recruiting from Canada; we are interested in recruiting from nurses in communities that are interested in working for us.
The door is open to any nurse that wants to work in Nunavut.
We have not closed the door on Canadian nurses because we are hiring from the international pool.
In fact, we welcome the individuals to put their names forward and we will take it from there.
I have also made the commitment in this House that I also want to expand the Nursing Program in that when the students graduate that they are guaranteed employment.
We invest in training our nurses, but I didn’t see that we are completing the circle in actually looking to also hire those nurses that are graduating from our own program. So I’m open to that and I would like the member to also provide the names of individuals that he makes reference to and I will do what I can to assist in the process.
If there are nurses in our communities and there are vacancies, certainly, we will do what we can to support those nurses.
Question 232 – 2(3): Priorities as Minister of Energy (Curley)
I have a question to the Minister of Energy.
Energy policy and strategy plan requirements seem to be lacking some leadership in this government.
Could the Minister of Energy explain in part and inform this House exactly what, he, as the Minister of Energy, priorities are for energy-related responsibility he has?