EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I recognize some of the visitors in the gallery, although I won’t be acknowledging them all. Welcome.
Mr. Speaker, it’s not every day that I have an opportunity to recognize individuals because we are from a community quite far away.
I would like to recognize two individuals, my sister whose Inuktitut name is Olibuk, but her English name is Mary and she has her husband’s last name, Tatty.
Mary Olibuk Tatty, please rise so people can see you.
I would also like to recognize a person from Arviat who is a member of this group.
I know that they have a very heavy responsibility with their careers.
I would like to acknowledge my brother-in-law from Arviat, Mike Gibbons. We call him Tunaalaaq in Inuktitut.
He is also an Anglican layperson, (interpretation ends) Reverend Gibbons.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize and welcome them to the gallery while they are staying here in Iqaluit.
Welcome to the gallery for those who were just mentioned.
Ms. Angnakak (interpretation): Thank you.
Although I acknowledge every one of you, specifically from my constituency are Opah Picco as well as residents of Iqaluit Rosie Kopalie, Annie Shappa, Natsiq Kango, and Kootoo Alainga. Welcome.
I would like to recognize my paternal uncle Mathewsie Kellypalik and my cousin, Teresa Kellypalik. I would like to welcome the South Baffin delegates.
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery. Member for Tununiq, Mr. Joe Enook.
I would also like to welcome each and every one of the delegates here, but we thank you ever since you’ve had a very heavy responsibility in your career. Thank you for your tireless work and efforts.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize individuals from my community, Elizabeth Inuarak and Tapitia Takawgak. Welcome.
I would also like to recognize people in the gallery. I would like to welcome every visitor and people of Rankin Inlet, Chesterfield Inlet, and our fellow Nunavummiut.
I would like to recognize fellow residents of Rankin Inlet, Mary Olibuk Tatty and Noah Tiktak.
It’s not too often I get to stand and recognize people from Sanikiluaq.
I think it’s the very first time I’m allowed the opportunity to correct somebody in the proper pronunciation of somebody’s name...
...from Sanikiluaq.
The lady I would like to recognize has lived in Sanikiluaq for a very long time, all of her life I do believe, and she has been a mayor of the community for a long time and is presently working at Paatsaali High School.
Please welcome Ms. Annie Amitook.
It’s the first time I have more than one name on the list.
I would like to recognize school counsellors from Gjoa Haven, Allen Aglukkaq and Christine Porter.
Thank you for doing your job.
I also would like to recognize my brother-in-law, Casimir Tungilik, who is an escort to our two pages for this week from Gjoa Haven.
Their names are Erica Tungilik and also Ikey Kogvik.
Speaker (interpretation): To all visitors, welcome to the gallery.
Cousin, welcome to the gallery.
When I had my very first win in a territorial election, I recognized only one person during my first tenure as an MLA, and now in this term, although three years have now passed, I will be able to recognize another resident and it is very pleasurable.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to recognize the current mayor of Naujaat. Although he was previously acknowledged in his role with the school, he is our mayor in Naujaat who is visiting here. I am very pleased and wish to welcome Solomon Malliki.
Speaker (interpretation): To all visitors and my brother-in-law, welcome to the gallery.
I also wanted to stand and recognize each and every one of you.
As you are currently sitting inside the Iqaluit-Manirajak riding, welcome to my riding.
The person I really wanted to recognize who is part of this group is related to my mother, so I would like to welcome my mother’s cousin.
I use the Baffin dialect.
Mike Gibbons, welcome and we love you as a family.
Further, the member from Sanikiluaq was first in acknowledging this person I wanted to mention and that person is Annie Amitook.
This Sunday the elders had a feast at the Legion that was organized by the Ladies Auxiliary.
We are thankful to the group for assisting the elders of Iqaluit, as the facility is also within the Iqaluit-Manirajak riding.
I would like to thank the group by naming them, as we enjoyed the feast tremendously, and Annie Amitook was sitting with me at our table in the Legion.
I stand today and with immense pleasure I want to acknowledge the people from Baker Lake. I want them to feel very welcome to this House and they are Christina Aupaluktuq, Jean Pudnak, as well as the current Chairperson of the Baker Lake District Education Authority, David Simailak, who was a previous Member of the Legislative Assembly.
I would like to recognize individuals from Rankin Inlet, Mary Tatty, Noah Tiktak, and Lucy Maklagak.
I would also like to recognize individuals from my constituency, even though they were recognized.
From my community is Kisa Stevie Aulaqiaq and from my constituency, Oqqallak Panipak, who is also from Clyde River.
It’s a rare opportunity to acknowledge people from Arviat and please rise when I call your name.
Mike Gibbons, Susan Pameok, and Billy Ukutak.
I think Billy Ukutak has already left.
I’m very pleased to see people from Arviat.
I have no more names on my list for Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery.
I feel invisible at times when I am not acknowledged.
I would also like to recognize an individual from my community, Mr. Tom Inaksajak.
He is here to participate in the suicide prevention workshop.
There is also an individual from Taloyoak, but I did not see that person. I would like ask that individual to stand up so that people can see the individual from my riding.
I know that the suicide prevention participants have a very difficult job, which I’m very grateful for them having done so. I know they will work hard on the issue because of their compassion for our children.
Welcome to the gallery for all of those who were just mentioned.
I will recognize people from Igloolik and Hall Beach.
Question 446 – 4(3): Maintaining Dental and Medical Equipment (Sammurtok, A)
Mr. Speaker, earlier this year it was reported that dental services in the community were cancelled due to broken equipment.
It is not clear how often this type of equipment is serviced and maintained.
Can the minister clearly explain how decisions are made to replace or repair medical or dental equipment?
Whenever a piece of equipment or medical equipment is identified as being in need of repair, it is brought to the attention of the nurse-in-charge if it is a community or their regional office if it is in a regional centre and that piece of equipment would either be repaired or replaced as soon as possible.
It seems that in many health centres across the Kivalliq region, the equipment is very old. I have heard that requests for new equipment are often ignored.
Can the minister clearly describe what procedure is followed to request new equipment and who has the authority to approve or deny such requests?
I apologize for calling you Tom; I meant to say Alexander. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister of Health, Mr. Hickes.
The exercise that we are going through later this week looking at approving the Department of Health’s capital budget is a part of that process.
The repairs are taken a little different, but the equipment replacement itself comes out of our minor capital.
I look forward to all members of this legislature approving the budget so that we can act on the replacement of equipment as soon as possible.
With that being said, we do have a lot of needs across the territory and we do have a ranking system that anytime a piece of equipment can be repaired, we are going to continue to use it.
We will try to get the full life’s use out of any piece of equipment that we have and until such time that it is broken, that is when we would look at replacing it.
We do attempt to be very proactive.
The communication from the residents and from the staff in the health centres across the territory is a very key component to addressing what equipment needs to be repaired or replaced.
I am certain that most specialized medical or dental equipment requires a specific maintenance regime.
Can the minister describe what contracts or arrangements are in place to ensure that specialized medical or dental equipment is inspected and repaired on a regular basis?
With regard to the specifics of an individual contract, I don’t have all the details in front of me.
My binders are thick enough as they are right now. I can assure the member that I will look into that specific issue that he is addressing and I will get back to him within the next couple of days.
Question 447 – 4(3): Language Use in Nunavut Schools (Okalik)
I want to ask a question on a matter one shouldn’t even have to consider, yet it is very disturbing.
My colleague, the Member for South Baffin, made a statement earlier speaking to students being asked not to speak in Inuktitut.
I was informed later on that that policy is also being practised here in Iqaluit.
Mr. Speaker, we are living in the Inuit homelands and Inuit have no other place on Earth to go to if they wish to strengthen and preserve the Inuit language. It is only here in the Inuit homelands where Inuktitut must be used.
The colonial era with their antiquated practices were left behind where they didn’t want Inuit to speak their own language in the schools.
I wonder if the minister can remind all teachers that we are now living in the year 2016 and we have no desire to return to administrations that almost caused the loss of the Inuit language in the past as we survived that era.
Can the minister clearly identify that throughout the entire territory of Nunavut, the Inuit language has to be respected and used everywhere?
I also thank my colleague for sharing his concern.
Mr. Speaker, people can see me right now as I am the epitome of students who experienced that type of colonial schooling.
You can see me now and I heard the scolding in person not to speak in Inuktitut, though I doubt my colleague ever went through this type of directive.
Nonetheless, what I can say is that I was personally shocked to hear that.
Part of the reasoning why Inuit fought so hard to get Nunavut was in order for Inuit to move forward.
I have personal experiences in this process as well, as I sat in on the negotiations during the land claim process. The past experiences were the foundation to enact changes and Inuit were adamant that they didn’t wish to see such practices.
I actually lived through that era when the teacher would reprimand me for speaking Inuktitut and whacked my hand with a yardstick.
I actually experienced this first hand, so I am intimately aware of this fact. Further, I shall never approve of any directive asking students not to speak in Inuktitut nor shall I support such an initiative.
However, what I can say regarding that concern is that it shocked me and I have tasked departmental officials to resolve this issue. I have provided that directive and this case will be fully investigated.
In all of our schools, none of our students should be scolded for speaking Inuktitut, so I have provided direction on this issue.
On a personal level, this was so unexpected I first couldn’t believe the story as it was related.
We are hearing about this issue in the Inuit homelands where children are being scolded for practising their language that they are trying to carry on.
I would ask that the minister very clearly indicate to all the teachers that the Inuit language requires support and promotion and that they should not to try to stop the usage of Inuktitut.
As per my earlier statement, I have instructed our departmental regional offices to send direction on this issue and that Inuktitut should not be belittled anywhere in Nunavut. This directive was sent to all teachers.
Further, what we have to be aware of is that Inuktitut is now a foundational language in our schools. It is also clearly laid out in our legislation that Inuktitut, English, and French languages are the official languages in all of our schools. This is a legislative requirement.
I would like to assure my colleague that I have already sent in my directive on this issue.
Question 448 – 4(3): Repurposing Taloyoak’s Old Health Centre (Qirngnuq)
I asked this question last year regarding the elders’ wish to help our youth.
Elders have the knowledge and that’s why they want to help with respect to living a healthy lifestyle for their families and their children. They want a place where they can meet so that they can help.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, last week I rose in this House to address the request of the Taloyoak Hamlet Council and the elders of the community for a space where they could meet amongst themselves and with the youth of the community to provide guidance and counselling.
Can the minister clarify whether the old health centre in Taloyoak could be repurposed into an elders facility?
If my memory serves me correct from the information I received from the department, the Department of Health has surplused that building, so Community and Government Services would now be responsible for that structure.
The mayor of Taloyoak has written to the Minister of Health on this issue a number of times.
Can the minister confirm that he has received the mayor’s correspondence and, if he has, what options has he suggested for the hamlet to proceed with repurposing Taloyoak’s old health centre into an elders centre?
Whenever a facility has been surplused by a department, it goes to Community and Government Services where they do an evaluation on potential uses to keep utilizing that infrastructure.
Again I would have to confirm, but I’m quite sure that Taloyoak’s health centre has been surplused to Community and Government Services.
I believe the mayor has also been touch with Community and Government Services or if not, then through my office.
We’re always going to explore different opportunities to keep infrastructure that’s still usable to make sure that it is utilized before it deteriorates even further through lack of use.
It does take some effort.
Oftentimes there are upgrades or renovations that are needed to a facility; identifying monies of where that’s going to come from.
Depending upon the programming that it is going to be utilized in the facility, I would very much entertain speaking with Mr. Qirngnuq a little bit further to explore all avenues available to that community.
Question 449 – 4(3): Service Contracts Outside of Nunavut (Angnakak)
Today we’re going to keep the health minister on his toes.
Mr. Speaker, last week the minister, in response to my colleague’s question about interpreting services in Ottawa, mentioned that he had recently met with the chair of the board of the Ottawa Health Services Network, known as OHSNI, and its executive director.
Can the minister clearly describe what kinds of services are covered under the OHSNI contract and how the fees for those services are negotiated?
The OHSN services that are provided in Ottawa are quite extensive.
To summarize it, they look after our residents from the moment they land in Ottawa with interpretation services available.
In cooperation with Larga Baffin and the medical facilities that we utilize around the area of Ottawa, they look after making sure the appointments are kept and made. In addition too, they work with our patients to make sure that they understand the procedures that are going on.
There is charting that’s done where they make sure that the advice is applicable to somebody when they’re returning back to Nunavut.
It’s quite an exhaustive list. I guess I could sit down with the member and go into a little bit more detail.
Basically from the moment they step off the plane until they’re back in their community, OHSNI has a part to play in the health care that is provided to our residents.
Mr. Speaker, I know that patients from the Baffin region usually travel to Ottawa for medical services that are not available in Nunavut.
Residents in the Kivalliq region and from Sanikiluaq go to Winnipeg and others travel to Edmonton or Yellowknife.
Can the minister clarify whether there are similar contracted services in those other locations for patients travelling outside of Nunavut and, if so, which companies provide those services?
I’ve got a number of briefing notes. I don’t recall the numbers or the names of the companies off the top of my head that utilize the services in Winnipeg.
In Winnipeg it’s a partnership group that’s associated with the Kivalliq Inuit Association, Nunasi Corporation, and there’s another partner I can’t remember the name off the top of my head.
There is a similar contract with Alberta services being provided.
There’s also a Larga centre in Alberta that looks after the accommodations, food, and boarding for our residents. That is in partnership with the Government of Northwest Territories to utilize that service there.
Again I’ll have to follow up with the member on the specifics of the contractors that are providing that service.
I just don’t have it readily at my fingertips.
I think all of us here would appreciate that information, so perhaps you can give that information to the Speaker then we can all get it.
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that Nunavut does need to rely on outside agencies to provide assistance with accessing medical services in other jurisdictions.
How often does the minister put out a call for proposals for agencies in jurisdictions outside of Nunavut to organize and provide services to our medical clients?
Again I just don’t have that level of detail on when contracts are expiring.
If and when they go out, a lot of the services that we get provided by contractors, it’s an ongoing relationship, just as recently as I met with OHSNI last week to negotiate the as-needed services for residents that are at Embassy West.
The conditions of the contracts can change as needs increase or decrease in some cases.
At the same time, again I’ll provide the level of detail that the member is looking for through your office, Mr. Speaker.
Question 450 – 4(3): Language Use in Nunavut Schools (Joanasie)
Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s Statement I spoke about language use in schools and bullying.
I first want to ask about what I raised in my Member’s Statement on what actions the government will be taking at the Department of Education.
Will the minister write to parents about this matter? What immediate actions will he take and what long-term plan will he be tabling?
I also thank my colleague for bringing his concern up.
With this being a disconcerting matter, I recently received the information on this event and I would urge that the background be investigated by the Department of Education.
Currently I would like to see these allegations investigated by departmental officials. Once we learn of the actual details, we will review the case with the teachers to ensure that language is not used for this type of disciplinary action since language should not be a reason.
The reason for that is we are in Nunavut, where Inuktitut forms the majority of the spoken language and the majority of our residents are Inuit.
Due to these reasons, we will ensure a proper review is undertaken.
Further, as per my previous statement, the Inuktitut language is one we want all our students to be able to speak and we will ensure that this is clearly identified to our teachers, schools, as well as the local DEAs. We will ensure this is passed on to them.
I believe the case, at least in my estimation, revolves more around threats or bullying within our schools.
With this being the reason stated for this case, I would like to now ask the minister: what type of policies does the Department of Education have towards resolving bullying or threatening behaviours?
If I stated it in English, it revolves around the (interpretation ends) anti-bullying campaign (interpretation) and what kinds of action items are included in this program to ensure our students don’t practise bullying.
I also thank the member for clarifying the matter.
Yes, indeed, this issue is at the forefront of many of our schools, as obviously it is an important matter.
With respect to threatening, I wonder how best to term it.
Threats or bullying actions or even just an attempt to go over their teacher are the reasons why the department holds many training sessions on bullying from several years ago following the (interpretation ends) Safe Schools Strategy (interpretation) on how to ensure our schools have a safe environment. This is why we publish reading and course materials specific to anti-bullying.
As a matter of fact, the (interpretation ends) Canadian Red Cross (interpretation) is one of our partner agencies, including the (interpretation ends) Embrace Life Council, (interpretation) on promotional activities within our schools, both for our teachers and our student bodies in the school.
Another program in our schools is the (interpretation ends) 10 Steps Workshop and Support Development Initiative, (interpretation) as an example, to provide the training materials, which we have sufficient supplies of and these are used within our schools.
These are the types of reading materials made available to every school in the territory.
As well, if I say it in English, (interpretation ends) Crisis Response Guidelines for Nunavut Schools, staff and principal manuals, and Aulajaaqtut (interpretation) are examples of the materials currently in use in our schools.
These programs are successfully offered in our schools. Obviously the local DEAs have different approaches to the types of materials used. They also provide alternative measures and they have the ability to create their own materials.
This is how and where the department is focusing on, as our schools have to be safe, friendly, and welcoming to our students and to have harmonious relationships.
These are our goals that every school in Nunavut is working towards.
We have many teachers here in Nunavut with no Inuktitut linguistic ability, which is sometimes cited as a reason for miscommunication between teachers and students.
I wonder if the Minister of Education can discuss this with his ministerial colleagues and perhaps come up with a plan to provide Inuktitut courses for teachers to ensure they understand the language and ascertain whether a student speaking in Inuktitut is using threatening language or bullying others. I wonder if this reason can form a foundation for providing courses to our teachers to resolve this issue.
As per my earlier statement, there are different materials provided for training the students and all teachers in the school.
Furthermore, it includes an orientation course for new teachers who have been hired upon their first arrival into Nunavut about the territory and Inuit customs, including the language and what makes Nunavut unique. These new teachers are provided with training.
However, for longer term teachers, there are also courses available with Nunavut-wide school access done via a (interpretation ends) school team (interpretation) that works with the teachers, parents, principals, and school counsellors, who were visiting us earlier. They are part of this team, including parents of students enrolled at the school.
These are the school teams, working cooperatively to resolve challenges faced by the school, including dealing with bullying or discussions on the types of responses preferred.
Every school in Nunavut has these school teams.
In light of the seriousness of this matter, we are trying to be proactive.
Question 451 – 4(3): Search and Rescue Policies (Rumbolt)
Today my questions are for the Minister of Community and Government Services.
As the minister is well aware, his department’s search and rescue contributions policy and search and rescue organization support policy expired in 2008 and 2010 respectively.
On March 9 of 2016 I asked the minister a number of questions regarding these policies.
In his response, the minister indicated that his department had completed a new version of the search and rescue contributions policy and that the department was, at the time, consulting with the RCMP before finalizing the new policy.