EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Speaker, there are several factors for that.
Over the past couple of years more people have become accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle.
What that means is that we are not as active and we are eating more processed foods from stores and so on.
Mr. Speaker, we are seeing increases as the member rightly point out, in diabetes, we are seeing increases in cardiology, heart disease and so on.
Mr. Speaker, one of the reasons for this is that the store bought foods that we are buying aren’t as healthy as country food.
That has been proven and demonstrated over the past several years in Nunavut.
The other issue Mr. Speaker, on animals, I am not aware of the issues around animals, I wouldn’t be able to speak to some of the concerns with those areas there.
But what I can say Mr. Speaker, with some authority, that airborne contaminants such as POPs have been demonstrated to be in our environment, in our water, on our land and as a result would be found in the food supply.
However, Mr. Speaker, in all regards from the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, from ITC, ITK and so on, everyone has determined that it is better to continue to eat country foods because they are more nutritious for you, even with some of the toxins that we have heard about.
I should also add Mr. Speaker, that there are ongoing tests for toxins in food as well as country food, and I would suggest and recommend that we continue to eat traditional foods.
Mr. Alakannuark (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the minister for his response.
In regards to the wildlife species we have been noticing greater numbers of wildlife with more cases of illnesses and diseases and the Inuit know that these are not just isolate cases.
I was wondering if the department is looking for options and how we can deal with the illnesses of Inuit people and also the wildlife.
I was wondering if he has also looked at the options for that.
A couple things have taken place, as the member is aware, Mr. Speaker, in the member’s own home communities, in cooperation with Canada Post, the Government of Nunavut has introduced through the food mail program, a discount so that more healthy foods could go into Kugaaruk.
Because of that program we would be able to see after several months if people are having an uptake on more nutritious foods.
For example, apples, oranges and so on.
That’s one thing that the Government of Nunavut is doing.
The second thing that we are doing Mr. Speaker, is through our Nunavut Food Guide, which we just introduced, which outlines healthy food for Inuit, as well as for other residents of Nunavut.
That food guide points out the healthy food combinations and that’s something that we are doing.
On animals Mr. Speaker, that would be better probably answered by Mr. Akesuk, who is responsible for the environment as well as for wildlife.
I believe that under Sustainable Development there may be some issues surrounding some of the diseases that are seen in animals, like brucellosis, and so on.
Yes there are POPs contaminating our communities and also the smoke from the dump is also contaminating our air.
Even our small children are breathing this smoke.
So how are you reviewing the pollution that is in the air, especially the pollution that is coming from the dumps?
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this has been an ongoing debate, especially here in Iqaluit.
One of the things that I have just this week, as the Department of Health and Social Services in reviewing the Health Act, to see if there is an opportunity there Mr. Speaker, to look at the ending of open burning at dumps.
Now this would bring with it a huge financial implication to communities.
But the idea may be to look at stopping the open burning at dumps in Nunavut and target it at communities over three thousand people or something like that and set a timeframe for it to see if we could bring forward some of those issues.
So we are studying the possible legislation, I am hoping to have something probably by the fall, in discussion with my cabinet colleague.
But very quickly Mr. Speaker, POPs are evident when you burn plastic in dumps and we are looking into it.
Question 193 – 1(6): Plans for Suicide Prevention
I was a little worried that we were going to run out of time before my turn came.
We all know that the issue of suicide is extremely huge.
Has his department made any plans in regards to suicide prevention?
The issue of suicide and suicide prevention is the responsibility of Health and Social Services.
We are going to increase the funding for suicide prevention and look at how we are going to deal with this issue and try to find out the reasons why people commit suicide.
We will be having inquests to find out the reasons why people commit suicide and I think that’s the best way to go about it.
We can only do an inquest after we receive permission from the immediate family members.
We are starting to look into it, it’s very sad but suicides are committed almost on a daily basis and the number is just too huge. We are trying to do something about it.
The reason I am asking this question is because, as I said earlier, I will be tabling a document which gives you the statistics on the number of suicides that have been committed since Nunavut was created.
They are statistics starting from the 1980’s and there has been a huge increase since the 1980’s to now.
There are a huge number of suicides every year.
This is just to give you a figure and it’s also a wake up call to the government.
The statistics have never been tabled in the House, and I am very well aware that when there is a recent suicide, we tend to try and deal with it only after the fact.
I have lost older brothers who have committed suicide and only after the suicide is completed do we try to do something about it.
From that and based on experience I know that I am not the only one who is affected by suicides. I would like to ask the Premier, because completed suicides in Iqaluit are in large numbers, if I table this document would it be a wake up call to the government?
We have been dealing with this on an ongoing basis.
We do want to completely eradicate suicide, but that’s impossible.
We will be increasing the amount of money that will be used for suicide and suicide prevention.
Life is very precious as we all know but there are suicides being completed and we do want to eradicate it, and because we want to do something about it we are increasing the funding.
We are trying to look at how we can better prevent suicide.
I have lost family members to suicide as well; it has had a personal affect on me also.
We do want to do something about it, but we can’t do anything about it.
We are looking at it, we are asking questions, we are looking at other solutions.
I am well aware about the Premier’s comments and it seems it is something that we can’t do anything about.
But I can use an example, we are trying to do something about prevention, we have worked together as a government to look at solutions.
I can use the example of the bad gasoline, we are all working together to find solutions for it and it’s the same thing with suicide, we have to work together to find solutions.
I know that we won’t totally eradicate it, but we have to work on it in order to alleviate the problems.
Like I said earlier in the House, I suggested that there be a conference of survivors and immediate family members of those who have lost loved ones to suicide to talk about the problem.
We have been urging the Department of Health and Social Services to work harder on it and that’s why we have put more money in there.
I can’t tell you exactly what is going to be happening this year, but the minister will be available to respond to your questions.
We are doing all we can, and we will support this department to work on it.
I am very pleased with the responses and the minister saying that they will do something about it.
I wish we could find the solution and put as much energy into it as we are putting in to the bad gasoline issue.
At our October sitting I hope to see some solutions and programs to deal with suicide and suicide prevention.
As I stated earlier, and we have approved the estimates, there is an increase in the figure and we will be working on it.
I am sure we can give more details in the October sitting.
We are working on it and we would more than welcome additional support from out there.
I would like to extend question period for another half hour as today is our last day.
Speaker: The member is seeking unanimous consent to extend the question period for one half hour.
There were nays.
Mr. Iqaqrialu, there were some nays and therefore question period will not be extended.
There were nays Mr. Iqaqrialu, from this side of the House.
I would like to get approval from the members to go back to Item 5.
Speaker: The member is seeking consent to go back to Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery.
Please proceed, Ms. Williams.
I apologize for calling you Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize, I could say our ally I guess, she works with Correctional Services of Canada and I had a wonderful time working with her when we were doing the agreements for correction services of Canada.
Her name is Sandra Lewis Dent-Otter, sitting over there.
She works in Ontario region where our inmates currently serve and she works with aboriginal issues for federal inmates.
She is a very good person for our people that are serving down in Ontario, and she has a very good understanding and I would like to welcome Sandra.
Tabled Document 026 – 1(6): Report on Suicide in Nunavut
Mr. Speaker, I would like to table a document regarding the statistics on suicide in Nunavut.
They start from April 1, 1999 to May 15, 2002.
This report came from the Coroner’s Office and it states that there have been over 75 suicides in Nunavut since April 1, 1999.
Tabled Document 027 – 1(6): School Formula Funding Review
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document, School Formula Funding Review.
Tabled Document 028 – 1(6): Report of the Public Meeting on the Nunavut Liquor Commissioner’s Recommendations on Changes to the Liquor Act
Mr. Tootoo: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased today to be able to table a copy of the report on the public hearing on the Nunavut Liquor Commissions recommendations on changes to the Nunavut Liquor Act prepared by Eko Inuit Originals and commissioned by the City’s Netsik Committee.
Mr. Speaker, it is a report on the public hearing and it is not a position of the City, it is a report on the public hearing.
I would like to table it so all members can take it home, have a look at it and maybe use some of the recommendations there in their consulting or some of the ideas in their consulting in their communities on those changes.
Tabled Document 029 – 1(6): Ikuma II Report: Meeting Nunavut’s Energy Needs – Structures and Strategies for Energy Self-Reliance
Tabled Document 030 – 1(6): Nunavut’s Addiction and Mental Health Strategy
Mr. Speaker, I have two documents to table today.
The first document is the Ikuma II Report: Meeting Nunavut’s Energy Needs.
Now Mr. Speaker, this is on structures as well as strategies for Nunavut’s energy self-reliance and it is in Inuktitut and English.
That’s the first document.
Mr. Speaker, the second document that I would like to table at this time is the Nunavut Addictions and Mental Health Strategy that we discussed earlier in the Minister’s Statement from yours truly.
Speaker: Just a second Mr. Picco, we will have one of the pages to pick up one of the documents to record them.
Tabled Document 031 – 1(6): Nunavut Tourism Corporate Business Plans for 2002-2003
I wish to table the Nunavut Tourism Corporate Business Plan for 2002-2003.
Tabled Document 032 – 1(6): Provision of Jury Summons in Inuktitut
I would also like to table a document regarding court interpreters and it is in Inuktitut.
Tabled Document 033 – 1(6): Children First Secretariat
I have been standing up ten times today.
I would like to table a document that was questioned by one of the members in regards to the Children First Secretariat.
Speaker: Are there any further tabling of documents?
If not we will move on to item 14.
Motion 008 – 1(6): Extended Adjournment – Notice
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): I give notice that on Monday, May 21, I will move the following motion.
I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Pangnirtung, that notwithstanding Rule 4, that when the House concludes its sitting in Iqaluit this week it shall be adjourned until October 28, 2002.
Motion 008 – 1(6): Extended Adjournment
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you colleagues.
I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Pangnirtung, that notwithstanding Rule 4, that when the House concludes its sitting in Iqaluit this week it shall be adjourned until October 28, 2002, and further, that at any time prior to October 28, 2002, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as it has been duly adjourned to that time.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters; Bill 2, Bill 3, Bill 4, Bill 5, Bill 6, Bill 7, Bill 9.
According to the authority vested in me by Motion 002 – 1(6) the committee of the whole will stay in session until it reports itself out, with Mr. Puqiqnak in the Chair.
Before we proceed to Committee of the Whole we will take a short break and report back to the Chamber at 1.30 p.m. Sergeant-At-Arms.
>>House recessed at 12.22 a.m. and resumed at 1.34 p.m.
The committee wishes to continue with the review of Bill 6 and the main estimates, starting with the Department of Human Resources followed by the Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs and the Legislative Assembly.
(interpretation) And if we can complete Legislative Assembly, we would like to move on to Bill 9 as well as Bills 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7.
I would like you to go down the witness table and as well as your officials for today.
Yesterday you introduced the officials who were with you, perhaps if you could, since today’s a new day, please introduce your officials again Mr. Minister.
On my left is my Deputy Minister Carmen Levi and Marion Love, who will be with me today.
Yesterday we were on page 4-13.
Human Resources. Branch Summary.
Total Operations and Maintenance 1 million 251 thousand dollars.
Mr. Chairman, just on the contract services on that page and there were a lot of questions asked yesterday.
I don’t recall if it was asked yesterday or not.
But can the minister indicate why there’s over a 180 thousand dollar increase in that area?
Chairperson (interpretation): Mr. Minister.  Hon. Peter Kilabuk: Thank you Mr. Chairman.
The increase of 180 thousand dollars is for the increased cost of arbitration, legal services, and negotiations. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairperson (interpretation): Do you have any more Mr. Tootoo?
Mr. Chairman, I can also see on here under purchased services, apart from the norm, a significant drop in purchased services.
Can the minister indicate what resulted in the over 50% reduction in purchased services?
What it was and is it something that the department is now doing instead of purchasing those services from somewhere else?
The reduction of 65 thousand dollars is caused by the reduced number of publications of the FNT Agreement.
It says right here the reduced cost or reduced number of publications for FNT or something. That is all that I heard and I would just like to get more of an explanation on that.
Yes, the reduction of 65 thousand dollars is caused by the reduced number of publications of the FNT Agreement.
Mr. Chairman, is it significant that they’re producing less copies of the Collective Agreement between the government and Federation of Nunavut Teachers?
If that is the reason why, how come they’re producing less?
Are there fewer teachers out there or why do we need to produce fewer copies?
It’s not that teachers are declining in numbers but what we are doing now is using more e-mail and websites and the CD-ROM in the computers to give out information.
So that’s why there’s a decrease in number in that portion of the purchased services.
I have no more names on that page.
Branch Summary. Operations and Maintenance, 1 million 261 thousand dollars.
Chairperson (interpretation) Opposed?
Page 4-14, Human Resources. Branch Summary. Decentralization.
Total Operations and Maintenance, 1 million 799 thousand dollars.
Last year on page 4-14, they used 500 thousand dollars. Why is it not there anymore under grants and contributions?
Last year there was 500 thousand dollars.
There’s nothing this year.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): During decentralization, this 500 thousand, we had some training at that time in 2001/2002 delivered via Arctic College, and this year there won’t be any programs because we have already done the training. That is why there is nothing in this area.
Mr. Havioyak (interpretation): Thank you. I want to get a clarification on removals and housing.
Why is there removal and housing there from last year?
I will get my Deputy Minister Carmen Levi to respond to the member’s question.
Chairperson (interpretation): Deputy Minister, Ms. Levi.
The money that we give to the Housing Corporation is for staff housing for the decentralized communities. It is for employees who are moving to the eleven decentralized communities and this applies whether they have their own house or not in the community that they are being moved to.
Most of the time these staff members usually have to get government staff housing and they have to be subsidized for the maintenance of their house.
I just wanted to find out what the situation was.
When it says staffing services, removal and housing, you have given it to the Housing Corporation.
I just wanted to comment on this, I don’t have anything else on this right now.
Chairperson (interpretation): I didn’t hear the question.
Mr. Alakannuark (interpretation): I just want to get some clarification on this, what it means exactly.
In Inuktitut it states something like…it also provides staffing services, initiation of removal, and housing.
Minister, can you clarify that for the member?
Yes, if I understand the member’s question correctly, it is for people that have to move from one community to another, for the removal of their personal effects.
If it’s not clear enough he can ask the question again.
Do you understand that Mr. Alakannuark?
Mr. Alakannuark (interpretation): Yes, I didn’t really understand the Inuktitut part where it says to remove somebody out of their house.
It seems like it is talking about firing staff, instead of moving them.
That is the way that I understood it.
It seems like you are ousting the individual out of their house, rather than moving them to another community.
Perhaps it could be a little bit clearer.
I am sorry; I apologize for the translation.
It has to do with removal of staff such as moving them to a different location from their place of hire.
We are on 4-14.
I think this has to do with…the one million seven hundred and ninety-nine thousand had to do with equipment or belongings.
We are talking about decentralization.
Some decentralized communities when I listen to the radio; as one of the members stated this morning, in some communities there are no jobs. As I said this morning, when we are talking about decentralization, where do you get employees; from the community or from other communities? Because some of them say that there are not enough jobs in the communities even though they are decentralized.
I just don’t want to…I am sure whoever is hired in a decentralized community, maybe because they are in a most…they understand what is happening in a community.
Can the minister inform us where the majority of the staff is coming from?
Are they hired from the community, or are you getting more people from other communities?
For the vacancies that are out there we advertise throughout Nunavut.
In any community that is decentralized, I can get my deputy minister to give more clarification on that process.
The job ads that are put out in the papers are put out in all regions of Nunavut and open to all the people of Nunavut.
If there are positions that are technical or require specific qualifications they are placed in the southern papers if they are vacant.
If there is already staff present, especially if there is no one who’s applied within the community, then they are moved from elsewhere.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Ms. Levi. Mr. Iqaqrialu.
My question was made clear by the previous answer, thank you for the response. Another question that I have is that Pond Inlet is a decentralized community as well as Baker Lake.
Who advertises for positions that are open in those communities?
Is it the Baker Lake staff that advertises these positions, the Pond Inlet staff; or is it done centrally via your department?
The staff of the Human Resources offices in the regions are the ones responsible for the advertising.
There are offices in Rankin Inlet, Cambridge Bay and Igloolik and they look after the positions in their respective regions.
And also in Iqaluit, we do the advertising for employment positions on behalf of all government departmental headquarters.
The Department of Human Resources in the regions assist all departments in the hiring and advertising.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you. Do I understand that when there are positions open only for the community of Pond Inlet, it’s advertised elsewhere and not just in that community or is it that the selection committee is based elsewhere?
I did not quite understand that last part.
The Human Resources Office in Igloolik would be primarily responsible for advertising the position.
If there was a teaching position and job opportunity when a job is going to go out, it’s put out into the public in that community as well as other communities in Nunavut.
It depends, the government staff are also made aware of positions they may be interested in, so most people everywhere get this information about these positions.
For the communities that she is mentioning, would that job advertisement be seen in public?
We’re on 4-14.
Total Operations and Maintenance 1 million 799 thousand dollars.
Mr. Chairman, I’m just wondering if this amount that’s budgeted for purchased services and transportation is also for removing people effected by decentralized positions and how many, can the minister indicate how many people again this year, that they plan on using this funding to relocate?
Out of this amount EIA is probably better to respond to that question.
They’re responsible, or decentralization is, and I don’t have the details in front of me.
Before I go on to Mr. Tootoo, I’d like to recognize the elders visiting in the gallery and their grandchild is getting married and unfortunately I’m not able to be there but I’d like to welcome them to the gallery.
Mr. Chairman, there is also another elder sitting back here in the gallery; one of our interpreter’s mothers, Ms. Rita Nashook.
I’d like to welcome her to the gallery as well.
I should have looked around the room but thank you Mr. Tootoo for recognizing her.
Mr. Tootoo you can continue.
I’m just wondering how the department comes up with these numbers and if they’re not sure, like the numbers of people that they’re going to be moving or anything.
How do they come up with the numbers and the funds they’re going to need to be able to put these numbers in the budget?
In arriving at these figures, the figures from the previous year were used.
Mr. Chairman, I know in the initial main estimates it is 2.29 million dollars and the revised estimates are 2.3 million dollars and this year it’s 1.8 million dollars.
Out of that 2.3 in the revised amount, is that actually what was spent last year or were there lapses in there?
I was informed that last year this amount was fully used.
So, just taking a look at the numbers, one would assume that there are going to be less people moved around this year?
Looking at the decrease, from 2001/2002; the amount has been decreased about 500 thousand dollars.