EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I find it hard to feel that it is conscionable to spend that kind of money on groups of ads that may be seen by a few people.
How to get the information to those people that want it and need it is always a question in Nunavut.
We have such different kinds of groups, not only in terms of language but in terms of how people prefer to access that information, but getting everything to them is not easy.
Our only solution is to put the notices themselves into the newspaper and perhaps every time there is an update we could notify people in that way as well.
I would welcome any further suggestions on how to get that process not exorbitantly expensive but to get the most information to the most people.
I thank Ms. Kusugak for those candid comments.
I do appreciate that there is a cost and unfortunately it is one of those things that you didn’t anticipate.
At the same time, as Members of the Legislative Assembly, and I am sure as a government we have been going around for the last year to talking about openness and transparency and accountability and all the catch words. People are starting to expect us to provide them with information that should be made public.
I don’t have any solutions for you to address all that but there are probably people out there that would appreciate knowing what the final outcome is, for the public record.
I can’t sit here in all honesty and tell you how you can do that, I know that it is expensive.
Chairman: Was that a comment or a question?
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq: Thank you, Mr. Chairman and welcome to the Legislative Assembly, Sandy and your staff.
I don’t want to repeat a lot of the things that were already stated, similar situations and concerns I share with items that have been brought forward by my colleagues but I believe that under this new legislation, the first go around I think we did a very good job in trying to implement a new legislation trainer staff in our first elections in Nunavut.
I think in that way that it went very well.
Along the way I had shared with you my frustrations and concerns during the election process, but having even this discussion around that table in the House today is also informative to potential candidates in Nunavut down the road.
The only way to address many of these issues is going to be more time in the whole area of training, when it came to picking up my package and to be questioned by staff, where are you going to run, it’s really none of their business. But, any person who has an interest in running in Nunavut is entitled to receive the package without being interrogated by employees.
That was the first step in many that come around that I want to state just for the record as well, so that there are staff that do follow up on trying to address those.
The other area of concern that I had and was brought up was related to the whole issue of the residency in Nunavut, the question is if you have a unit or a house in Nunavut and you live outside the territory, outside in other jurisdictions, this is where I am not clear if there is enough research done to really determine whether individuals are residents of the Nunavut Territory. That also applies to municipal elections.
This is a concern that has been raised on a number of occasions from my constituents and I’m not sure how we get around identifying proof of residency whether it be through airline tickets or statements of declarations of individuals.
I believe there is more to defining residency, just because you have a house doesn’t mean you actually live in the territory and it’s quite specific in the legislation so I bring that as an item before the House for you to follow up on.
The other area that was also brought up that I’d like clarification on is the issue on the advance voting or mobile voting. As you know there was staff turnover in the Nattilik riding during the whole phase of trying to get the voters list and I didn’t actually get the Taloyoak voters list until two or three days before the actual vote day because of turnover in staff.
Having said that, in Taloyaok, individuals were not eligible for the same options to vote ahead of time aside from the advanced poll because there was no returning officer, in the legislation it states returning officer and not deputy returning officer, so there is a lot of confusion around that and discovering those differences along the way adds some frustrations and confusions.
I know that it is being addressed this time around, but for the record, I wanted to state that because I do have constituents that had expressed their frustrations why are people in Gjoa Haven eligible for that option and why are we in Taloyoak not eligible for that option, those kinds of problems.
For the record, I’d also like to state that.
The other area that I want to bring forward is the whole issue that my colleague, Mr. Peterson, brought up, and that is around being eligible to be able to run for municipal elections.
This is something that is brought up on a regular basis with me.
Just recently, in December, some individuals were advised that they could not run in elections for the municipal level because they had arrears to the Housing Association.
When the legislation for the Municipal Legislation Elections Act, was established back when I don’t believe at that time there was any factor that the number of programs that have since been transferred from the government to the municipalities under the empowerment initiative.
The question that has also been raised, is your debt for leases, water and sewer?
Or, is your debt for housing?
Is your debt for economic development initiatives, because a lot of these initiatives are under the municipality now.
The one situation I will explain here today is a person who is living in his mother’s house could not run for election because his mother lived in the unit had debts, which to me is really a misunderstanding.
It wasn’t clarified to be that, but there is a real lack of understanding out there as to what kind of debt people have to owe to run in municipal elections.
There are many people who are very talented, very willing, able individuals that are not able to run in municipal elections because of that reason and I really think that has to be looked and compared to why it does not apply to us.
They are responsible for making bylaws and developing bylaws, and we are responsible for making laws.
Why is there a difference in how we look at who is eligible to run in elections or not.
I think that is one area that needs to be looked at.
I just say those for the record and say we need to follow up.
I am not asking for any response, but they are very similar to other members concerns.
On a final note I do also want to echo the member’s concerns around the final results or knowing whether you have been elected or not, because I believe I got my results quarter to eight in Gjoa Haven and it didn’t appear on TV until eleven o’clock, Kitikmeot time, Gjoa Haven time.
We talk about, do we want to serve the media or the public? But, the public has access to that television and waited there a long time.
I don’t know what happened between quarter to eight and midnight Rankin Inlet time and one o’clock Iqaluit time, to have such a long delay of information.
I really think that over time, that can also improve and one I think that needs to be looked at in broadcasting elections for Nunavut the next go around.
The eligibility to run in municipal elections because of owing money or the eligibility to run in a territorial election because of owing money is an example of where the two pieces of legislation, the Local Authorities Elections Act and ours have to make sense together.
What both members are speaking to is that it is inconsistent and it is illogical to apply it in one situation and not apply it in another.
So either the members can address as a change to our Nunavut Elections Act is to require candidates not to not owe any money to the territorial government in order to be candidates.
Or I suppose when the municipal election legislation comes up for review, they can choose to have that clause taken out.
That would be part of the change would be to eliminate the requirement to not owe the municipality money.
At least one or the other is going to make the laws consistent with each other and make them more understandable from the voter’s point of view.
In discussing the election results it is certainly something that we work towards.
As I said the turnaround time from information coming into our office and going back out from our office was a minute and a half or two minutes at the most.
I am thinking that I certainly know that in some communities where polling stations were held in the Recreation Hall, then access to fax machines, phones can sometimes be extremely difficult.
It is part of our rental with whoever runs the polling station that they make those facilities available but because you write it on a piece of paper and somebody signs it, it doesn’t always means that it happens.
We are going to continue to work in that.
I understand as a problem the availability of to be able to get that information out is not always the greatest, so we would work on that.
If you would like, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Orr could speak to the residency issue, if that would be desired.
Any other comments, Ms. Aglukkaq?
The issue of the residency, I am not clear what steps are taken to determine a person is eligible to run in the elections or not because I certainly have received comments and concerns from my constituency not only in the territorial elections part but also in the municipal elections.
Again, I will point that out just as an item that that should perhaps be looked at because I am not sure whether there is a difference or not.
And one certainly item I would like to seek clarification on, I don’t know if you have that information readily available.
It is clear to me as a Nunavut resident.
What’s not clear to me is how long when you say one year resident but I am not clear that that is always the case.
I am not convinced that that is always the case.
My question then is what you need to determine that people are residents of Nunavut for a year as a proof of evidence to be eligible to run.
If you are absent consecutively for how long, does that make you ineligible to come up with your twelve months.
Is it twelve months consecutive?
Or do you take three months vacation and come back to do seasonal work and go again.
That is the kind of question that I have around that whole issue of being a resident of Nunavut for one year to be eligible for territorial elections.
Mr. Orr, are you going to answer that question?
I appreciate the question on residency, because this is something that a lot of time was spent on when this Act was first considered by the House.
The residency is a two edged sword in the sense that the first time this came before the House was the desire was to make the rules of residency quite flexible to allow the people who went out for temporary purposes, people doing temporary work even prisoners incarcerated outside the territory to be able to vote.
If you open it up and make those rules flexible for the people voting then the other side of it is it is also flexible for the people who would want to run as candidates.
The rules and quite a few rules set out in section four of the Act deal with things like leaving for a temporary purpose, seasonal residents and all that.
I have to impress that there are two factors, one is, are you a resident and how long have you been a resident?
The day you move here then you are a resident.
Then there is the question of the twelve months to run.
Say you move here for a month and you go on a training course for a month.
The idea was to allow that period of twelve months to continue to run and then the clock would stop and then start again.
By all means I encourage the House to look at the issue again if they want to reconsider.
I have one more name on my list that want to speak.
Do you want to confer with Ms. Kusugak, or do you want to report progress?
What is the wish of the floor?
I hear progress.
In accordance with Rule 6(1) I will now rise to report progress.
We have a motion on the floor and the motion is not debatable.
I will now rise to report progress. (interpretation): I would like to take this opportunity to thank you Ms. Kusugak and Mr. Orr.
Your Committee has been considering Tabled Document 52-2(2) and would like to report progress.
A reminder a meeting of the Regular Members Caucus tomorrow at half past nine in the Tuktu Committee Room.
Orders of the day for Wednesday, April 26, 20005:
Tabled Document 58-2(2)
Speaker (interpretation): We will resume on Wednesday, April 27, 2005, at 1:30.
>>Session adjourned at 18:15  Nunavut Canada
Wednesday April 27, 2005
Pages 2328 – 2373
Opening Prayer 2328
Ministers’ Statements 2328
Members’ Statements 2330
Oral Questions 2334
Petitions 2353
Tabled Documents 2353
Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills 2355
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 2356
Report of Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 2372
Wednesday April 27, 2005 2328
105 – 2(2): Minister Kilabuk Absent from the House (Aglukkaq) 2328
106 – 2(2): Day of Mourning (Akesuk) 2328
107 – 2(2): Canada Health Infoway’s Investment in IIU Telehealth Network (Brown) 2329
108 – 2(2): Nunavut to head up ‘Best Practices’ in Aboriginal Education on Behalf of Ministers of Education (Picco) 2330
282 – 2(2): Kitikmeot Cementation Mining and Development (Peterson) 2330
283 – 2(2): Bowhead Whale Hunt in Repulse Bay (Mapsalak) 2331
284 – 2(2): Territorial Hockey Tournament (Curley) 2332
285 – 2(2): Hunters of Nunavut (Kattuk) 2332
286 – 2(2): Congratulate and Commend the Gymnastic Club (Tootoo) 2333
287 – 2(2): International Award for Iqaluit (Picco) 2333
288 – 2(2): Netsilik Cup (Aglukkaq) 2334
360 – 2(2): Domestic Violence (Tootoo) 2334
361 - 2(2): Policy on Flag in Half Mast (Curley) 2337
362 – 2(2): Funding for Ilisarksivik Society (Arreak) 2338
363 – 2(2): Income Support Deductions (Kattuk) 2339
364 – 2(2): Meeting with the Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans (Netser) 2341
365 – 2(2): Plans for Runway Extension in Cambridge Bay (Peterson) 2342
366 - 2(2): Reinstatement of Private Accommodation Rates (Tootoo) 2344
367 – 2(2): RFP for Medical Evacuations in the Kivalliq (Netser) 2346
368 – 2(2): Tabling of 2003-2004 Public Accounts (Peterson) 2348
369 – 2(2): Wildlife Regulations Community Consultation Tours (Curley) 2351
370 - 2(2): Kivalliq Air Operations (Kattuk) 2352
Petition 006 – 2(2): Long Term Care for Disabled People (Aglukkaq) 2353
121 - 2(2): Return to Oral Question 221-2(2) Larga House Contract Update (Brown) 2353
122 - 2(2): Return to Oral Question 240-2(2) Conducting Investigations on Incorrect Diagnosis (Brown) 2353
123 - 2(2): Return to Oral Question 227-2(2) Financial Help for Ladies’ Auxiliaries (Brown) 2354
124 - 2(2): Editorial from Nunatsiaq News (Areak) 2354
125 - 2(2): Core Area and Capital District Redevelopment Plan (Picco) 2354
126 - 2(2): Report of Contracting Activity for the Office of the Legislative Assembly for the Fiscal Year 2004-2005 (Speaker) 2354
127 - 2(2): Actuarial Funding Valuation Reports on Retiring Allowances Act (Speaker). 2354
128 - 3(2): Actuarial Funding Valuation Reports for Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act. (Speaker) 2354
Bill 15 – An Act to Amend the Wildlife Act - Notice 2355
Bill 19 – Legislatives Assembly Statues Amendment Act- Notice 2355
Bill 16 – Supplementary Appropriations (Capital) Act No. 1. 2005/06 - Notice 2355
Bill 17 – Supplementary Appropriations (O & M) Act No. 1. 2005/06 - Notice 2355
008 – 2(2): Development of Amendments to the Nunavut Elections Act (Peterson) 2369
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq, Hon. Olayuk Akesuk, Mr. James Arreak, Mr. Levi Barnabas, Hon. Levinia Brown, Mr. Tagak Curley, Mr. Joe Allan Evyagotailak, Mr. Peter Kattuk, Mr. Steve Mapsalak, Mr. Patterk Netser, Hon. Jobie Nutarak, Hon. Paul Okalik, Mr. Keith Peterson, Hon. Edward Picco, Hon. David Simailak, Hon. Louis Tapardjuk, Mr. Hunter Tootoo.
Minister’s Statement 105 – 2(2): Minister Kilabuk Absent from the House
I would like to inform the House that Minister Kilabuk will be absent today.
Minister’s Statement 106 – 2(2): Day of Mourning
Good afternoon to my constituents.
The Day of Mourning is a National Day for persons injured or killed in the workplace.
April 28 has been proclaimed a Day of Mourning in recognitions of workers killed, injured or disabled on the job.
Since 1984 more than sixteen thousand Canadians have been killed on the job.
In 2004 almost eight hundred Canadians lost their lives as a result of workplace injuries or disease.
In the same year the Workers' Compensation Board of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories compensated over seven hundred time loss claims.
These statistics are alarming; at the same time this, represents an eight percent decrease in accidents from 2003 and a twelve percent reduction in comparison to the three year average.
This is due in part to increased safety programs and awareness.
Mr. Speaker, workplace injuries are preventable, and we must continue to make workplaces safer and to stop the needless loss of life.
In 2004, four workers died in Nunavut while trying to earn a living off the land and in the workplace.
One death is one too many and we must work together – employers, workers and governments to make our workplaces safer.
PSAC Nunavut Area Council together with the Nunavut Federation of Labour and the Workers' Compensation Board call on all workers to wear black tomorrow.
Day of Mourning ceremonies will be held in Iqaluit on April 28 at noon in the Legislative building.
On the Day of Mourning, I ask all members to please take time to remember.
Minister’s Statement 107 – 2(2): Canada Health Infoway’s Investment in IIU Telehealth Network
I rise today to announce that Canada Health Infoway and the Department of Health and Social Services are working together to help increase access to healthcare through Telehealth.
Together, we are working on two projects that started on April 1st.
The first project is called Capacity Building and the second one, Inuit Documentation.
The Capacity Building project is a training program for Telehealth technicians, allowing them to enhance their skills to operate equipment in their community.
The project is designed to serve as a model for remote and aboriginal Telehealth initiatives across the country.
The Inuit Documentation project identifies successful strategies, best practices and lessons learned in the implementation of the Telehealth programs in Nunavut.
This knowledge will be shared with similar communities across the country to help facilitate implementation and adoption of Telehealth initiatives.
The main goal of Canada Health Infoway is to increase the use of existing Telehealth networks and foster the growth of Telehealth programs focusing on northern, remote, rural and aboriginal communities.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that Canada Health Infoway is working with us toward our goal of bringing care closer to home.
Minister’s Statement 108 – 2(2): Nunavut to head up ‘Best Practices’ in Aboriginal Education on Behalf of Ministers of Education
Mr. Speaker, Nunavut’s expertise with aboriginal education has been recognized by Ministers of Education from across Canada.
The Council of Ministers of Education Canada – or CMEC – agreed to have Nunavut lead the effort to identify and share ‘Best Practices’ in Aboriginal Education, including teacher training and recruitment.
Mr. Speaker, aboriginal education is one of the top three priorities identified by the CMEC earlier this month.
The others are Literacy and Post-secondary Capacity.
Provinces and territories are working together on these issues, engaging the federal government as required.
I am hopeful that Nunavut’s work on ‘Best Practices’ will identify the actions we collectively need to take in future to improve results for Aboriginal learners. Our work is one part of the team effort on Aboriginal Education led by Manitoba, and involving Saskatchewan and the Yukon as well.
Nunavut is recognized for our Aboriginal/Inuktitut/Inuinnaqtun leadership with curriculum and resources.
During this, Education Week, it is important to note the many successes with Education in Nunavut.
We are excited by the opportunity to share our best practices with the rest of Canada, and to learn from the positive experiences of other jurisdictions.
Member's Statement 282 – 2(2): Kitikmeot Cementation Mining and Development
I am very proud today to inform the House about a business deal that an Inuit-owned company in the Kitikmeot recently signed with a major Canadian underground mine contracting company, Cementation Canada.
On April 26 in Toronto, the Kitikmeot Corporation signed a unanimous shareholder agreement with Cementation Canada to form a new company, Kitikmeot Cementation Mining & Development.
Mr. Speaker, Cementation Canada is a very respected underground mine contracting company in North America that has made a major commitment to the North.
Their deal with Kitikmeot Corporation will provide immediate benefits to the Inuit of the Kitikmeot.
With the creation of Kitikmeot Cementation Mining & Development, the new company will immediately undertake an estimated two year, $20 million underground mine development contract at the world class Diavik Diamond Mine in the NWT.
The partnership projects that many employment and training opportunities will be created for Kitikmeot Inuit and other Northerners, particularly our youth, from this contract and others they hope to win.
To that end, Mr. Speaker, the partnership is looking at establishing training facilities in the North where Inuit and other Northerners can learn new skills that will allow them to actively participate in and benefit from the mining industry.
Kitikmeot Corporation continues to investigate the acquisition of the Lupin Gold Mine facilities from Kinross Gold to establish a Nunavut Mine School.
The Cementation Canada deal will provide a much-needed boost for the goal of establishing a mine school based in the Kitikmeot and serving the North.
Mr. Speaker, I would like the House to join me in congratulating Kitikmeot Corporation for negotiating a deal with Cementation Canada that will be good for our region, good for our communities and good for our residents.
Member's Statement 283 – 2(2): Bowhead Whale Hunt in Repulse Bay
First of all I would like to say Happy Birthday to my wife, it is her birthday.
Mr. Speaker, I am sure the people of Nunavut are well aware that there is going to be a Bowhead Whale hunt in Repulse Bay.
I would like to ask the Minister of Environment to attend the Bowhead hunt and I would like to extend an invitation the rest of the Ministers.
It will be an event that nobody should miss.
If the Ministers should go to Repulse Bay, I am sure that they could combine that with having meeting with entities and boards.
I would like this to be considered very seriously by the Member of the Legislative Assembly.
Member's Statement 284 – 2(2): Territorial Hockey Tournament
I rise today to inform the House that this weekend and last weekend there were territorial hockey tournaments in the Nunavut communities, especially the midgets.
There was a tournament in Rankin Inlet and I would like to congratulate the Rankin Inlet team in the midget territorial championship games.
I would like to recognize the following and to urge the youth and for the record; Mr. Speaker, the goalie Max MacDonald, the captain was David Clark, and the players Buggsy Kusugak, Kelly Kabloitok, Cody Quvugaq, Cody Panika, Ed Pilikapsi, Arthur Beardshaw, Troy Aqsaarniq as the coach, and there was also Paul Ugjuk, Jame Kabluittuq, Shane Tulugak, Ray Saatianaq, Rubin Qabluittuq, Carl Isaluk, and the assistants for Troy Aqsarniq, I would like to thank Carol Hickes, Chad Taipana and James Meri.. They worked extremely hard.
I would like to urge the youth to participate in these championship tournaments.
Please be sure that you involve your children and start them at an early age.
>>Applause  Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Curley.
Member’s Statement 285 – 2(2): Hunters of Nunavut
I rise today to talk about the hunters of Nunavut who worked extremely hard to feed their families and to earn a living.