EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I’m not really sure exactly if we’re going to be doing any testing in the colder weather next winter and we had not planned on that.
But we wanted to do some testing to see if the gasoline is causing break downs of snowmobiles.
There might not be any changes as a result of the testing but we will find out what else we will have to do.
Question 012 – 1(6): Cost of Gasoline Testing
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): My question is directed to the Minister of Public Works and Services about the testing of the two snowmobiles and gasoline.
I just want to ask the minister how much that testing is going to cost.
I stated in my Minister’s Statement that I will be providing the results of the testing and I don’t have the information right now as to how much it is going to cost.
I can provide that to the members when it is ready.
The tests that are being done right now, will we be raising the gas prices because of the cost of testing?
Hon. Peter Kattuk (interpretation): No, Mr. Speaker.
Question 013 – 1(6): Update on Nanisivik Mine Closure
Can the minister provide us with an update on the closure of the mine in Nanisivik?
There is a committee from the department that deals with the closure and I am wondering what has been happening so far.
I thank the member for her question.
The Nanisivik Mine closure committee is progressing very well at this time.
The Chairman of that committee travels to the Nanisivik mine to consult with the people and work with the people.
What we are doing is talking with the Nunavut Water Board and federal officials to see what kinds of things we can do to clean up the site.
We will do our best to try to do a clean up and reclamation of that area of the mine in Nanisivik and to make sure that land is utilized after the mine is closed.
I will be visiting sometime in June to see what is happening with the clean up and the reclamation of the mine.
Yes, I am happy that the committee has been progressing well, but we would like to find out what kinds of activities they are working on right now.
I am happy to find out that the minister will be travelling up to the community in June but I would like to warn the minister that in June there might not be very many people in the community of Arctic Bay.
What kinds of activities have they done so far?
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): The Territorial Government and the Federal Government have been working on how best to clean up the Nanisivik Mine area.
What they are doing is they are talking about the kinds of clean-up they will be doing and the Transportation Department also has a seat on that committee.
The things that they have been doing will be provided to the member in written form.
I thank the minister for saying that he will be providing me with a written progress report.
I know that report must be very thick because I have seen it.
Are you also working on a different report?
As I said, the Federal Government and the Nunavut Water Board are talking with each other about the clean-up process that they will be following.
My department along with others will be meeting about the clean-up of the mine site.
We will be working with the Federal Government and the Nunavut Water Board to make sure that we are working properly on the clean-up of the Nanisivik Mine.
Question 014 – 1(6): Budget Process for District Education Authorities
Mr. Speaker, we all know that the current legislation that we have is the one that we should be following right now, that the District Education Authorities have to right to administer and manage the educational affairs within the communities.
I would just like to ask the minister the process that the Department uses in developing budgets for the communities.
What input, for example, here in Iqaluit, do they get from the Iqaluit District Education Authority in the development of the budget for this part of it in his department?
First of all, I would like to thank the former divisional boards who did all the initial stages of the consultation.
Now we are currently working with the local education authorities.
In regards to the funding of these authorities, they are funded through a contribution agreement and there are varying levels of dollars they receive.
We follow the number of students and also the amount of responsibility that each authority takes on.
Mr. Speaker, maybe I should have been a little more specific.
According to the Act that we are operating under right now, the DEA has the right to administer the educational affairs within their community.
What I meant there Mr. Speaker, was administering the finances and managing; they have the responsibility of managing each school’s budget.
That is what I was trying to get; some information on how the department works with the DEA in the development of the budget for the schools that are in the communities.
There are quite a number of communities in Nunavut who administer their own finances for schooling, but in regards to administration costs, that is at the discretion of the education authorities.
If they are not going to be managing their own finances, the department’s finance staff are the ones that administer their funding.
What input did the Department of Education seek from the Iqaluit District Education Authority in the development of the budget for the schools here in Iqaluit?
Hopefully that is clear enough.
I tried to respond the best that I could to your different questions.
Usually what we do is base our budgets on the number of students from last year and we get input from the teachers and the staff.
We are also open to working with the education authorities.
The employees from our department have an idea of how much is going to be given to the schools.
One thing that we have a problem with is that we base the funding on the number of students from the previous year and that is why there is a variance in the amount of money that is given to the authorities.
Final supplementary seems to come too quickly when you have to ask the same question over to clarify it.
Mr. Speaker, if I understand the minister’s response correctly, the department developed the budget for the schools here in Iqaluit without any input from the District Education Authority.
Under the current Act as we know, the education authority here administers and is responsible for the finances of the schools.
When will they find out what they have to work with, if they’re going to be responsible for the budget that they have to work with, when will they find out what they have to work with?
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): I don’t know how many times we discussed this with the Iqaluit authority but it has been on a number of occasions.
I think it was especially last year that we had problems with the data in the computer and even though that’s the case, we gave them their material in September and there were adjustments made in October.
They finally got the final information in November when we started giving them monthly data.
I have also directed my staff from spring to make sure that they keep up with the information that is required and also to have them submitted prior to the end of the school year.
Question 015 – 1(6): Funding Formula for Schools
I just wanted to get some clarification from the Minister of Education about the question that the member had before.
He indicated that the funding depends on the number of students in each school in the community, using the previous year’s numbers.
Why, just for our information, why do we use last year’s numbers instead of making a current year’s estimate?
We have been using this system for some time.
At the beginning of the school year, we don’t use the numbers of the students enrolled.
We have been using last year’s numbers for some time now and it’s going to stay like that until some changes are made.
As he was saying, this would change once the students increase.
When will this information be available and how would the budget be put in place once we have this information so we can put in place a better budget for the upcoming year?
I apologize if I understood your question incorrectly, we use the number of students from last year but the money for teachers provides about 3% leeway.
We usually factor in the number of new students coming in and how many students will stay for the rest of year and the number of teachers required.
That is the basis of what we use.
I was just saying, you just indicated before in your response to the earlier question, that you have some plans in the near future to make some changes to the formula or through the act I guess.
My question is maybe before the amendments to the Act, do you have any plans to change the formula for each of the District Education Authorities in the communities?
I’m not sure how many times this has been brought up before to see if we could possibly look at changing the funding formula for the schools.
We have made a number of responses in the House.
We are currently looking at changing the funding formula for the schools and the funding that’s provided to the authorities.
Like I said earlier there are three different types of funding but only if our budget is approved can we finally tell you what kinds of changes we’d like to see and what plans we’d like to use.
Are there any further oral questions?
We’ll start from the top again.
Question 016 – 1(6): Timing of Provision of Budget Figures to District Education Authorities
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Education.
Mr. Speaker, he had indicated that last year due to technical difficulties, I guess, that information on the community budgets wasn’t passed on to them and speaking specifically to Iqaluit not to confuse the issue with the other communities.
In the past Mr. Speaker, and I’d just like to remind the minister that the DEAs used to get the numbers that they had to work with the following year in as early as March, and now it seems like they are not.
Last year it wasn’t till after the next school year started that they got that information.
Mr. Speaker, they need to know what they have to work with in their communities. Here in Iqaluit they are going to need to know the number of staff that they are going to have, the number of teaching positions.
It applies to everything that they are going to have to work with on the plan for next year. Is the minister stating that they won’t get that information until next fall?
I am not stating that they won’t get it until next fall, I didn’t say that.
Mr. Speaker, under the current Act that I keep referring to, basically the DEAs are there and they are responsible for administering the school budgets.
As such I would assume the department would view them as part of the Department of Education, as far as working on budgeting.
Can the minister indicate as to when they will see the numbers that they have to work with next year, considering the department has had their budget finalized for over a month now?
I would just like to clarify that the community District Education Authorities, not just in Iqaluit but in other communities, review their numbers and when a community or DEA requests or has a need; they are able to give us proposals or a list of their needs.
We have been working closely with them.
The money is only given to the communities after it has been approved by the Legislative Assembly.
So it can only be brought forward to the District Education Authorities after it has been approved.
So we are working with the DEAs as to how our communications could become better.
Mr. Speaker, the minister has indicated they won’t know anything until the budget is approved.
I just want some clarification that they have to start planning, if they are truly in the department’s view, responsible for administering the finances of the schools in their district.
Is he telling me that they are not going to get any preliminary numbers until the budget has been approved?
Perhaps just briefly to respond.
There are different areas that we need to put in money, for example cleaning functions and educational supplies.
The DEAs are able to decide as to how they are going to use their funds.
They can go ahead with their plans once they have decided what it is going to be used for.
So they are able to work together on where the money is going to go.
I don’t want to ask that question again because I have another supplementary that I want to ask.
What I’d like to ask the minister is this.
As he has indicated the District Education Authorities are responsible for allocating the resources that they get for education in the community, how can they be responsible for it if the Department of Education is making all the decisions on what money they get and they don’t have any say in how those dollars get allocated?
Well I guess it’s simple if you look at the DEAs developing their budgets based on the allocations they get through the formula funding process.
Question 017 – 1(6): Impact of Earned Income on Income Support Payments
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to direct my question to the Minister of Education.
In our communities we have a lot of income support recipients.
I’ve been approached by individuals who receive assistance each month and if they earn income within the month that they received the assistance it is taken out of the amount that they would normally receive under income support.
So I’d like to ask the minister how much money would an individual have to make in order for that to be taken out of their income support?
This question has been raised in the House numerous times.
When an individual receives income support Mr. Speaker, I’d like to clarify that it depends on whether the individual is single or has a family that depends on him.
I’ll be able to provide him with that information.
I don’t have the information in front of me as to how much they would have to make in a month for it to be taken out of their cheques.
I’ll be able to provide that.
I didn’t hear the response that I was looking for.
In Nunavut, for instance, in the Nattilik area, I have two communities that I represent and there are individuals who have approached me trying to get some answers to questions.
I’d like to know when I’ll be able to get that response that he is saying that he will provide to me because when an individual does some work during the month that money is taken out depending on how much he’s made.
Mr. Speaker, I’ll be able to provide that information to the member tomorrow.
It’s in my office and I’ll be able to provide that.
In our communities we have social workers, income support workers and they have offices in each community.
Are they able to provide that information in the community?
Minister Kilabuk seems really enthusiastic about answering these questions, so please proceed Mr. Kilabuk.
That information is provided to the communities and is available from our staff, yes.
Question 018 – 1(6): Sending Children South for Schooling
We’re all aware that the teachers in the communities send their children out to the south for schooling and we’ve heard about home schooling.
Can the minister tell me about the process that is used to send their children out to the south?
Does he have a figure as to how many students are going to school in the south?
I think there are two questions there, Mr. Speaker.
I don’t have the figures as to how many students are attending schools in the south or how many students are taking home schooling.
This is something new in some communities and I don’t have that information with me.
Can the minister say why teachers end up sending their children south for schooling when there are schools in the communities?
Just a brief response.
The parents are able to send their children wherever they’d like.
It’s up to the parents as to where the children will attend school.
I understand that we’re able to send our children to where we’d like them to attend school.
I’m wondering would they be sending their students out of Nunavut because they feel the education level is too low here.
My question is the level of education in Nunavut equal to the southern schooling system?
I think there were two questions.
Regarding the parents, I am not able to state why they send their children off to southern schools. I am not sure if they think the level of education is too low here.
I am not able to respond to that question. I don’t have the answer.
Final supplementary. Ms. Williams.
I’d like to get some information as to why the teachers are sending their kids off to school in the south when they themselves are teachers in Nunavut.
Can the minister get that information for us in the near future?
I am not sure as to when I will be able to provide that information.
But when I have any information I’ll surely provide it to the members.
Question 019 - 1(6): Future Use of Nanisivik Mine
Mr. Speaker my question is directed to the Premier in regards to the closure of the Nanisivik mine.
He stated that it was possibly a future location for national defence.
Can he give us an update on this idea?
We are presently trying to look at what it would be used for.
We are concerned about possible contaminants if it wasn’t cleaned up properly.
That is the main concern that we have regarding the situation of the mine and we’ll be dealing with those concerns.
The information will be available to the people of Nunavut and Arctic Bay when it is ready.
I appreciate that response.
I see that they are still working on it.
I would like to ask the Premier when the mine is closed would they be able to use that location for a university or college. I think it could be done very easily.
Could they use that as a university or college?
We are going to have to look at the different ideas and we will be working with Arctic Bay and communities.
We are going to look at the best way for it to be used to benefit the people of Arctic Bay and those surrounding areas.
It would have to be cleaned up in order for any activities to start there.
I appreciate his response, but did not hear a yes to my question.
Would you consider building a school there?
Perhaps we could move there.
We are looking at different ideas, suggestions from Nunavummuit.
There are a lot of facilities in that mine site like a swimming pool and a gymnasium.
We will be looking at the best way of using it.
There is also a suggestion to make it into a university or a military site.
We will be looking at all those ideas with the help of Arctic Bay residents.
I understand his response, but I would like to state that in Nunavut, Nunavut students often go to Fort Smith or other jurisdictions, to attend school.
Some individual that take courses are unilingual.
There are a lot of opportunities that Nunavummiut can take if there was a university here.
I think that it would open up a lot of opportunities for people of Nunavut.
Could he consider doing that for Nunavut?
We will consider all of the suggestions, like I have stated.
If we are going to make it into a university or a National Defence location, we have to make sure that it is cleaned up and not risky for activities to happen there.
We will do our best to make it beneficial for Nunavummiut.
We are working closely with everyone involved.
Question 020 - 1(6): Jury Notice Not in Inuktitut
My question is to the Minister responsible for the Department of Justice.
It is in regards to people that have to go to court.
When they have to have a jury, there is a jury summons.
The jury duty summons that is provided is never in Inuktitut.
I just wondered; who provides that form?
Regarding the information for the jury, we have the responsibility to provide that through the courts.
If I was to go to court and there has to be a jury then there is a summons.
It is then given to the RCMP if they don’t show up.
I am talking about the summons to appear to do jury duty.
If it is provided to a unilingual individual they can’t understand what it means because it is not provided in Inuktitut.
I just want to ask the minister if it can be done in Inuktitut.
Regarding the summons that is provided for jury duty, I can get the department to look at it to make sure it is provided in Inuktitut.
I will get my staff to make sure it is translated.
Before we proceed I would like to take a 15 minute break and ask members to join me in the members’ lounge.
That invitation also goes out to table staff and interpreters.
Before we leave, I would like to recognize on behalf of Mr. Alakannuark, his wife Torrin and also his daughter.
>>House recessed at 3.18 p.m. and resumed at 3.43 p.m.
Motion 02 – 1(6): Extended Hours and Days - Notice
I give notice that on Friday, April 26th, I will move the following motion.
I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Iqaluit West, that the Speaker be authorized to set such sitting days and hours as the Speaker deems fit to assist with the business before the House.
Motion 03 – 1(6): Process for Review of Bill 1, Education Act - Notice
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday April 26th, I will move the following motion:
I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Uqqummiut, that Rule 68(5) be waived, and that the Standing Committee on Health and Education report back to the House on its review of Bill 1, Education Act no later than the end of the Sixth Session of the Legislative Assembly;
And further, I move that the Standing Committee be permitted to undertake its review of Bill 1, Education Act, in such a manner as to allow the alternate members of the committee to participate fully as voting members in the committee’s deliberations and consultations;
And further, that any member of the Legislative Assembly be permitted to take part as a non-voting participant in any committee meeting on Bill 1, Education Act, when such meeting takes place in a community that is located within the member’s constituency.
Bill 1 – Education Act – Second Reading
I move, seconded by the member from Hudson Bay that Bill 1, the Education Act be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, when we dealt with the Education Act we wanted to involve the people of Nunavut as a whole.
The Education Act will impact all the people of Nunavut and the changes to the Education Act will have to be dealt with in a responsible manner for the students of Nunavut.
I believe that we have to provide opportunities for our youth.
The Education Act deals with the various kinds of changes and the consultation process that we have to do in Nunavut. And it deals with the District Education Authorities.
The Education Act will also have to deal with traditional knowledge of Inuit and the Education Act also deals with having a good education system for the people of Nunavut.
We will have to involve the parents and the District Education Authorities as well as involving the Minister of Education.
Mr. Speaker, I’m very pleased to rise today to speak to the principle of Bill 1 – the proposed Education Act.
As my colleagues and constituents will know, education is one of my top two priorities.
I believe that investing in education is investing in our future.
We cannot afford not to invest in a better education system.
I grew up within northern and southern education systems, both public and private.
Now I am a father and I am concerned that my children have the best education available to them.
I believe that providing the highest standard of education possible is an important step towards providing opportunities for our youth, opportunities to continue their studies, opportunities to develop their skills, and opportunities to reach their maximum potential – whether they choose to stay in Nunavut or move elsewhere in Canada.
Nunavut’s youth today are Nunavut’s leaders of tomorrow.
In order for Nunavut to develop and grow into a self-reliant and healthy territory, we need to promote the development and growth of the individuals who will make that vision a reality.
Mr. Speaker, we would be kidding ourselves if we thought that our current education system was adequate.
When the levels of student achievement and success are compared across Canada, our Nunavut students are at the bottom of the list.
Our teachers do the best they can with what they have to work with but there is a serious lack of resources.
Our priority should be to identify problem areas and make strategic investments to address them.
If we continue to accept a sub-standard system, our youth will continue to have sub-standard opportunities.