EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
We would make a contribution agreement saying that these monies would be specifically geared for the summer students.
Question 45 - 1(3): Invitation to Education Minister
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker I don’t recall putting up my hand, but since you called my name I might as well ask a question.
I had already written down my question and I think you found out that I wanted to make a comment even before I said anything.
On November 30, the minister has been invited to go to Pond Inlet.
The same invitation is extended to myself and to the Minister of Education.
I would like to get a copy of your response to that correspondence from the DEA.
So my question is are you going to be coming up to Pond Inlet on November 30 as you were invited.
Minister of Education.
Hon. James Arvaluk (interpretation): Since it’s not just to open a school, I will be going up.
There’s also going to be a QIA Youth Conference, so I’ll be there on November 30.
Speaker: Thank you Hon. James Arvaluk.
Question 46 - 1(3): Proper Spelling of Names
Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister Responsible for Culture.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Gjoa Haven brought up an issue the other day that also affects my constituency, in reference to the proper spelling of names.
In some cases, where people have had their names changed in spelling it just doesn’t mean the same any more.
My question to the minister, and I don’t think we got an answer the other day, is what is his department doing to try to create a register to ensure that names are spelt properly and that the concerns some of the elders have in reference to this issue are addressed.
Minister Responsible for Culture, Youth, Elders and Language, Mr. Havioyak.
Thank you for your question, this has been on my mind, correction of the spelling of last names, and even the names of the communities as well.
My staff are aware of this issue. We also need better planning for the future to address this matter.
I appreciate the response from the minister.
My concern would be how does the minister’s department plan to go about this because there are probably many individuals out there that your department are not aware of that have problems with the spelling of their last name. So what is your intention as to a consultation process to make sure that everybody who has a problem with this, with their last name being spelled improperly, how they’ll be notified of the procedures to correct this. Thank you.
Speaker: (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. O'Brien.
Hon. Donald Havioyak: Thank you, Mr. Speaker .
My staff is looking into this, in the meantime, I’ll take this as notice.
Speaker: The question is taken as notice.
Question 47 - 1(3): Clyde River School Renovations
I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Education.
We were doing our main estimates in June, in our June sitting and there have to be renovations done to the school in my community.
I have yet to see workers who would be going up there to renovate the school .
My question is if the blueprints are going to be ready, and the 400 thousand that was approved for my community to go ahead with the blueprints was there, so I am wondering if that’s going to go ahead.
Speaker: Mr. Arvaluk
The estimates that were approved by this House will go ahead.
Question 48 - 1(3): DEA's Terms of Reference
Mr. Kattuk: (interpretation): My question is directed to the Minister of Education.
We were told by the Department of Health that there’s going to be a dissolution of the three health and education boards before July, 2000.
My question is do the DEAs know what their terms of reference are going to be.
Speaker: Minister Responsible for Education, Mr. Arvaluk.
Hon. James Arvaluk: (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker Yes, they will know what their terms of reference are.
Mr. Ken Lovely has been directed to look into these issues and we have met with the divisional board and, as the member from Sanikiluaq knows, Walter Audla, the Chair of the DEA.
We will want to continue discussions with the divisional boards as we’ve been doing to date.
On July 1, 2000, we’ll be amalgamating the boards and then we’ll decide if they’ll be taking on additional responsibilities because the DEAs will take on the responsibility of reporting to the Minister of Education without having to go through the divisional boards.
The divisional board staff will keep working and will report directly to my portfolio.
So there will be an ongoing process and Mr. Speaker, we’re looking forward to it.
We would like the communities to decide what responsibilities they will take and give an estimate on how much it would cost to take on those additional responsibilities at the community level.
Question 49 - 1(3): Airline Routes
Nunavut is on its way.
We’re into our seventh month and I know the centres of the universe are in strategic locations, and airlines have got to recognize that the traffic patterns are changing in Nunavut.
I was just reading an ad in a magazine “More flights, more choices” by one of the largest airlines in Nunavut.
I was just commenting to my colleagues from Sanikiluaq, Gjoa Haven and Pelly Bay, that when they have to come to the capital, they have to travel the equivalent of Yellowknife to Tokyo, Japan to get here, which, if they’re air mile collectors, they’re doing fine.
But I’m leading to my question, here which is, with the creation of Nunavut, the regional air carriers, the large carriers, have totally forgotten about maybe running some flights from Gjoa Haven, Pelly Bay, Cambridge Bay, directly into Iqaluit.
My question to the Minister of Transportation is, does he have any plans to sit down with these airline companies and ask them if they’re going to accommodate the Kitikmeot and maybe rearrange some traffic patterns, because the Government of Nunavut is the largest purchaser of airline tickets, usually at full fare. Is there any kind of plan for the minister to sit down and say, “Can we bring the Kitikmeot into the equation, or into the traffic patterns coming to the capital, and maybe bypass Yellowknife now and then”.
Minister Responsible for … Mr. Premier.
Hon. Paul Okalik: Yes, we have done some preliminary studies.
What we’ve done, for instance in Cambridge Bay, is we did a survey of all our employees that travel between Cambridge Bay and Iqaluit as one example, and there was a lot of traffic during the course of a single month.
So what we have done is we made those studies available to the airlines, to show the amount of traffic that’s taking place between Iqaluit and Cambridge Bay and I undertook as well to help out the member for Igloolik, through their Mayor, to do a similar study. So if there are further requests made we are open, through my office, through the Bureau of Statistics, to collect further data that can be made available to the airlines.
That’s very good that we are doing these things, that’s beneficial to all of us.
But getting back to decentralization, my favourite topic.
Gjoa Haven is a decentralized community, Cambridge Bay, Kugluktuk, Arviat, Baker, Rankin, and communities like that.
So there’s going to be more traffic between certain areas and I wonder if the minister responsible has taken that and given it to the statistician to see if there could be an increased traffic flow in those areas.
The benefits of more traffic between Cambridge, Gjoa, Pelly and Spence, it would probably be a cost savings to the government, rather than them having to go to Yellowknife, sit there in hotel rooms for a couple of days, and this is not only MLAs but the government employees.
So has that been considered also with decentralization coming on too, the increased traffic patterns.
Ma’na.
Speaker: Ma’na Mr. McLean.
That was the sole purpose for Cambridge Bay for example, next to Kugluktuk it is one of the most active areas where we have traffic to Iqaluit, and it is very cumbersome for our employees and MLAs to come here to Iqaluit.
So that was one of the main focuses for Cambridge Bay, we thought we would try it out and see how much traffic there is.
But we are open to other communities that may want some surveys done with our employees.
Question 50 - 1(3): List of Consultants
Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Premier and I realize that he probably doesn’t have this information at his fingertips, although he may.
My question is, would the Premier be prepared to put together a list of consultants that have been hired since the start of Nunavut, with information like where they’re from, the terms of their hire, and also whether they were hired on a sole source or an advertised contract.
And would the Premier be prepared to have that information to the House prior to the close of this session.
There shouldn’t be that many people, but if he would do that I would appreciate it.
Hon. Paul Okalik: Could the member clarify if it is for every single contract this government has issued since April 1.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Premier. Please clarify your question Mr. O'Brien.
Mr. O'Brien: Mr. Speaker I am not talking contracts in general, I’m talking consultants that were hired, I guess this is a form of a contract, but I am talking consultants that were hired to carry out a task, whether it is for a week, a month, two months.
Yes, since we started on April 1.
If that information could be made available to the House.
There are some contracts that we assumed as well before April 1, so how far back do we go.
There are some contracts that we inherited and we extended as required for the services.
So how far should I go in trying to meet the members concerns.
I was aware that there were some commitments that had already been agreed to that’s why I indicated since April 1, since we started the government.
New contracts from that point on.
Hon. Paul Okalik: Well I am not exactly sure, I could take it as notice, as we have maybe three more days left of sitting, so I may not be able to commit to getting that in the hands of the members.
So I will take it as notice.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Premier, taken as notice.
Question 51 - 1(3): Pay Equity
Concerning the recent announcement by the Public Service Alliance in regard to the pay equity victory.
We know that it is going to cost the Federal Government five billion dollars to deal with their employees and it is being appealed.
Could the minister responsible advise me as to how this is going to affect us.
Mr. Speaker, last week I answered a question about potential excess funds that may be available to this government and I cited some of the potential areas where we might have to expend some of those funds. I implied at the time that there was a Supreme Court ruling on the federal pay equity issue.
I was wrong. I would like to correct that for the record, it was not a Supreme Court ruling, it was a Federal Court ruling.
But the Federal Government hasn’t decided whether or not they are going to proceed with a possible Supreme Court appeal on that ruling.
The impact on us Mr. Speaker, in respect of the award that was allowed for that federal case, there are some precedents that will be set that will impact on the GNWT of which we are a party in respect to the pay equity dispute, because of some of our employees that are on the Nunavut side or that were residents of Nunavut at the time, over the years while the pay was accumulated.
So right now the GNWT, who has the lead on this, has tried to analyze exactly what are the impacts of this and of course, the impact on the Government of Nunavut is a part of that analyses.
So I don’t have that information as of today but we are certainly aware of it Mr. Speaker.
I realize the minister doesn’t have that information today but the figure that I remember when the old government of the NWT was around, surrounding the pay equity issue, was around 80 million dollars, if the public servants won.
Does the minister have an estimate if it comes to that, here in Nunavut, the costs of this and is there any kind of contingency plan going to be brought forward if there is a large settlement and where the money is going to come from.
Three questions, Mr. Ng.
Mr. Speaker the member is correct, when the GNWT first analyzed this there was a potential impact to the Government of the NWT at the time, it was potentially in the range of 80 million dollars from what I understand.
Since then of course the GNWT undertook individual offers to past and current employees for sign off on the pay equity amounts that might have been coming to individual employees, and it was my understanding that anywhere in the area of 80 to 85% of those employees have signed off.
So there is a question on the release of those past employees signing off whether or not there will be any further liabilities if there were to be a subsequent tribunal or court ruling in respect to the pay equity issue.
We have, it’s my understanding that the Government of Nunavut in the division of assets and liabilities, has approximately 12 million dollars set aside as potential ongoing pay outs for the pay equity disputes, but that is a figure that I will make sure that I confirm to the honourable member.
Question 52 - 1(3): Awarding of Contracts
To the Minister of Human Resources, this document states that in February or March the private business policy would be amended.
But to date, last June we stated and passed a motion that the various contracts would be awarded to Nunavut companies.
There was a motion passed in June, which I have seen and this has not been adhered to.
If the Nunavut companies are not going to be awarded contracts in Nunavut, then we are not going to develop Nunavut.
Perhaps in the month of February and March 2000, does that mean that we won’t be awarded any contracts in Nunavut.
The policy is going to be reviewed because we have inherited the business incentive policy form the GNWT.
We are still using it at this point in time, we had made a small change and under a minister’s statement I announced that the change was from NWT to Nunavut.
We still have to amend that incentive policy.
We are looking at how we can incorporate Article 24 into the business policy, but the policy is in place.
Just a reminder this is going to be dealt with in the committee of the whole and you will have an opportunity to ask your questions, but the oral question period is over unless there is a motion to extend it.
Mr. Speaker, my question is addressed to the…
Speaker: Sorry Mr. O'Brien.
I don’t know if the interpretation was accurate.
Question period is over until there’s a motion to extend the question period.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, I move to extend the question period.
Speaker: There is motion on the floor and the motion is not debatable.
Our policy is to extend it for 60 minutes, and according to our policy unless it is changed we have another 60 minutes.
Question 53 - 1(3): Partners in Development
Mr. O'Brien: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and to my colleague for extending question period and to the rest of my colleagues for agreeing to it.
My question Mr. Speaker, is to the Minister responsible for Sustainable Development.
Mr. Speaker I wonder if the minister could tell us whether this government is still an active participant with Partners in Development, located in Rankin Inlet.
Minister for Sustainable Development, Mr. Kilabuk.
Yes we are but I will advise the members that our participation in the agreement is under review at this time.
Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the minister could tell the House when we would expect to get an answer as to whether we will continue to be a partner in this agreement or not.
Minister for Department of Sustainable Development, Mr. Kilabuk.
I will advise the members once the review has been completed and once our decision is available.
I am not in a position to indicate the time it will take us to get from here to the recommendation.
I do not have enough information on the time frame available.
I believe this question is taken as notice.
Question 54 - 1(3): Airline Travel Routes
My question is to the Minister of Transportation.
Earlier in the day I was expounding on the virtues of air traffic in Nunavut.
Has the minister initiated any discussions with the airlines about travel routes in the last six months and making Nunavut more accessible for everyone in Nunavut, the smaller communities, the larger communities also.
Even before the election while I was in the position of Interim Commissioner of Nunavut, I initiated talks with the airlines about the possibility of the air routes changing.
Since April 1, I have had a couple of one on one meetings with the airlines with that suggestion but at this point in time all I can say is that we will be pursuing that with joint meetings with the airlines to discuss it further.
However, again, as Interim Commissioner, and later as minister I was encouraged by the willingness of the airlines to look at the possibility of changing the air routes.
Question 55 - 1(3): Gun Legislation
I asked this question last spring so I will be asking it over again in regards to gun legislation.
We know that the gun legislation is not compatible with the Inuit life style and we have been lobbying the government and we were going to be lobbying against the federal government in Ottawa.
So I would like to ask the Minister of Justice what kind of developments there have been.
I apologize, I was going to update the members of the House on the developments but our staff member is now touring the communities to announce the people who will be working on this locally in the communities.
Last summer I had spoken to him, I am not sure which communities he has visited so far, but in the communities he has visited he has had a great turnout every time he went to a community.
I will inform you when I receive a further update and then I will also consult with you about any developments.
The Inuit people in the communities have to adhere to the gun legislation.
I want one of the staff members to consult with the hunters and the Inuit people locally to make sure that they know what they are doing.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): Yes, the federal government would have to pay for this type of consultation process.
We are now working on the gun legislation but the federal government will have to work on this other part, and we would just be supporting them.
Question 56 - 1(3): Lobbying for Funding
Now that I am going to be asking my question I am sure that we will be running out of time.
To the Minister of Finance.
My question is, the funding that we received last year for the O&M of Nunavut is inadequate to date and we now realize that this funding is inadequate and there are great needs out there.
I am sure that all our needs and our priorities are not going to go ahead due to limited funds.
I would like to ask you if you are going to be lobbying the federal government for more money so that we could have adequate funding for programs and services, such as health, education, these are the two areas that there is a huge shortfall.
Have you approached the federal government to see if we can get more funding for those departments.
Mr. Speaker, not directly.
I know that different ministers at different meetings with their federal counterparts have brought up issues on specific needs, or plan on undertaking that initiative if they haven’t already.
So, not from the perspective of formula funding.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Mr. Iqaqrialu.
Due to a shortage of funds do you have any plans to review the situation again.
He has responded to you, but I will allow him to give you another response.
Mr. Speaker, it is really difficult to approach them specifically on generalities of adequacy of funding at this stage, given that we are just over half a year into operations right now.
We know that because we are not fully staffed there are going to be some excess funds available, but by the same token we also know there are some extraordinary needs out there and specifically in the area of housing that a lot of us have spoken of and are aware of.
So I think it would be prudent on our part just to first of all, get a year or two of operations, know exactly what our program needs are outside of specific areas that we can easily substantiate and rationalise so that we can approach our federal counterparts for extraordinary circumstances.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): In regards to funding, the Department of Health & Social Services are already in a deficit of 1.8 million dollars, how are we going to pay for this deficit and how are we going to find new dollars because of this deficit.
Mr. Speaker, as we know the Minister of Health, along with the Department of Finance and the Department of the Executive, right now are analyzing some of the needs of the health boards in respect to the delivery of programs and services.
I think also a fact that has been brought up, is that those boards carried over some deficits as of April 1.
We are trying to deal with that and rectify that situation to make sure there's sufficient funding for the delivery of Health and Social Services programs.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Ng. Your last supplementary Mr. Iqaqrialu.
I also would like to ask again, up to April or rather March of the year 2000, we expect to be in a deficit of 20 million dollars.
I was wondering if this was a fact or an estimate.
Could you elaborate for me.
Mr. Speaker, if the honourable member is speaking about the Government of Nunavut, we don't expect to be in a deficit for this current operating year.
I think he might be referring to some of the information that has been provided in respect to the three Nunavut-based health boards and that is a different situation, because there is a matter of current year financial needs and spending to ensure that there are sufficient funds for the delivery of programs and services carried out by the boards.
And there's also, by the same token, the matter I indicated earlier of their deficits carried forward as of April 1, 1999.
It's a matter of how the Financial Management Board is going to deal with the issue of funding for current year operations and how they are going to deal with the deficits of the three boards.
Question 57 - 1(3): Pelly Bay Gymnasium
I will direct my question to the Minister of Education.
I asked this question previously, in regards to the gymnasium in the school.
I know the year 2000 is coming this winter, only a couple of months from now.
I was wondering if your department has plans to build a gymnasium for our school in the up-coming year?
I had written a letter to Mr. Iyaqsaa, the mayor, in regards to this issue.
I received a letter on October 8 from him.
I was only able to respond by saying that we would be doing a community tour and this was in your capital plan.
I approached him by saying look at the capital plans and if indeed we inherited it from the GNWT. But I cannot respond to you whether or not we will or will not fund it this winter.
The government's priorities are on the priorities of communities, so I'll have to speak to him and then I can get back to you and discuss this matter again.
Mr. Alakannuark: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The reason I asked that question is because the previous government I believe set aside some money for the gymnasium and I saw the blue prints that were drawn by the previous government.
The people of Pelly Bay have been waiting a long time for this gymnasium that was going to be connected to the school.
Yes it's in the original five year plan that we got from the GNWT but if you can recall, I think it was in the June session, that if it's a safety issue or if it's a health issue or if it has a risk or if it's a contract that has already been awarded, only these projects would go through. If it's not within those categories then it would be deferred to another year.
Your gymnasium is not in those categories but it is within the five year plan.
If there's still enough support by the people of Pelly Bay then it will stay within the capital plan.
Question 58 - 1(3): Health Board Deficit
Mr. Speaker just to make a supplementary comment to Mr. Iqaqrialu's question.
The Minister of Health and Social Services isn't here to answer the question but the Minister of Finance stated that the Government of Nunavut will not be in a deficit situation this year, except for the Department of Health and Social Services.