EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
No matter who you are they want to utilise our language and as a government we are committed to them.
Mr. Speaker, the Nunavut Government has a huge task ahead of it.
But our elders' beliefs and values have been stated.
I know we will incorporate their language and their comments into the system.
I want the elders to know that we will not forget them and we believe in the elders.
If it were not for the elders we would not have this government, and because of our elders we are here today.
Please let's all agree with each other and hope that this legislature commits itself to the elders’ knowledge and wisdom, and that we will utilize it.
Member’s Statement 137 - 1(3): Regional Cultural Similarities
Mr. Havioyak (interpretation): When we met with the elders yesterday I could see their faces too were just like when we were having meetings in Kugluktuk.
Our culture seems all alike and the issues are similar in all of Nunavut and also in Kugluktuk.
Our elders and youth we hear their issues and it touches my heart to hear what they are going through because we are all Inuit and I want you to hear this.
Member’s Statement 138 - 1(3): Passing on Elders’ Knowledge
I would like to make a comment on the elders' meeting this morning.
When we met with the elders, every issue touched my heart.
I am warmed in my heart, because the elders are helping me in that way.
Yes, we are working very hard to preserve our language and traditions while the elders are still alive, and I have been taught how to survive out on the land and I keep talking about how to survive out in the land and how to work in a cold environment because we are from a place where it’s very cold.
It’s an urgent matter now, we have to start teaching our young people, if we don't extract the knowledge from the elders now I don't know how our young people would know how to survive out in the cold, harsh land.
The elders and members should support this.
Returning to the orders of the day.
Mr. Speaker, today in the gallery I would like to welcome well known northern scientist and raconteur, Mr. Bruce Rigby and some others who are here in the building, a guy who has been with us right from the start here in Rankin, my neighbour and someone who helps me when I get stuck, IBC technician Philip Joamie.
In the back of the gallery one of Apex's best known residents and the guy who taught me how not to, Mr. Speaker, not to skin a caribou, entrepreneur Jerry Ell.
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery. Mr. Havioyak.
I don't recognize too many people here.
I would like to recognize a couple of people from Kitikmeot, the interpreters, from Cambridge Bay Sanie Nakunyak and Angus Ally.
I would like to recognize the interpreters from our region.
Hon. James Arvaluk (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize the Board of Governors of Nunavut Arctic College, Paulette Timco, Ludy Pudluk and Bruce Rigby.
Number 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.
I would like to recognize my predecessor and mentor, Ludy Pudluk.
Mr. Puqiqnak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rarely take the opportunity to recognize visitors in both Rankin Inlet and in Iqaluit.
At this time I am very pleased to recognize a person who was a teacher in Uqsuqtuq and this person’s name is Pauliit.
I use to have a mother whose name was Paala, we call her Paala which is an Inuk name and she's known in Uqsuqtuq by the elders, by this name.
She visits the elders, please stand up.
I am sure that people are getting tired of me recognizing people in the gallery, but I would like to recognize a person who has been coming to observe the session.
I have known this person for a long time, we talk quite a bit together and his name is Larry Ussak, sitting in front of Jerry Ell.
I would also like to recognize the radio operators, two of my aunts or cousins, Veronica Tautoonie and Elisabeth Kusugak.
Welcome to the galley.
I would again like to recognize the excellent workers who I mentioned before, the staff of the local plant.
It’s the Keewatin Meat and Fish Plant.
I have already stated their names.
Also the people that Manitok mentioned, one is my real sister and the other one is my sister, both Veronica and Elisapee, I would like to recognize them both.
Recognition of visitors in the gallery, Mr. Akesuk.
I would like to recognize the people who haven't been recognized.
Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Iqaqrialu.
Question 211 - 1(3): Increased Funding for Fuel
My question will be addressed to the Premier of Nunavut, in regards to the high cost of fuel in the communities.
The Nunavut government gives out money for operations and maintenance of the facilities and programs and services.
With the increasing fuel prices does that mean there is going to be an increase in the amount of funding that is made available to the communities.
At this time we don't have anything put together, but I did talk to the Mayors of the communities and the funding that is made available to the Hamlet Councils will be reconsidered and looked at for ways we can give more support because they have a lot of facilities and mobile equipment.
With the increase in the fuel prices we will be looking at more financial support.
It’s not only the Hamlets that are provided funding, would you be considering giving increased financial support to the other institutions that are provided funding from the government.
I am sure that the other organizations will reconsider the amount of dollars that are given to them, but we are going to be concentrating on the Hamlet Councils because of the increased fuel costs and they have a lot of vehicles, they have facilities and houses and there will be an increase in operations and maintenance costs.
I don't know about the other organizations.
Oral Questions. Mr. Iqaqrialu.
I did direct that question to the Premier and he didn't answer my question.
But, my question was, will you be increasing the O&M dollars to all the organizations or bodies at the community level.
This question is for the Premier.
The Premier re-routed that question to Mr. Anawak.
Mr. Premier, you have to rise if you are going to re-route that question to other members.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): I apologize, like I said earlier, we were anticipating the Hamlets asking for increased dollars because of the increase in fuel costs.
We anticipated their needs and we do know that other people, organizations get funding from the Nunavut government.
We’ll be asking the appropriate departments to see if they could get an increase in their O&M dollars.
I am just using the Hamlet as an example.
Because we anticipated the increase, we looked for the funding, and I am sure that the other organizations will be looking to the appropriate departments to increase their O&M dollars.
Question 212 - 1(3): Proper Spelling of Names
Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister Responsible for Elders, Youth and Culture.
Mr. Speaker, in October I posed a question to the minister in reference to the spelling of names.
A number of people have contacted me in my community in regards to the spelling of names changed to where in some cases it doesn't mean the same anymore.
The same names but the spelling has been changed and doesn't represent the name that they were given at birth.
The minister said that he would look into this and get back to the House.
I am asking the minister now what plan has he developed or what has taken place since October in this regard.
Minister Responsible for Culture, Language, Elders & Youth, Mr. Havioyak.
I understand your question.
The people's names we can't just use them any way at all, but I can't say right now, we are still working on it, we are still doing processing.
Mr. Speaker, maybe the minister could be a little clearer on this issue.
Is there any attempt been made to create a register where individuals could contact his department and get some assistance as to how to go about getting their name properly spelled.
About name changing, the spelling of the names I said this last winter in wintertime when we were at the meeting, we are still processing this, and we're still trying to work on them.
We don't want to make mistakes, we want to work in a good way, the right way.
We can't just finish right away, it takes time, because we don't want to make mistakes.
We have to review all the spelling right now.
I want to reply to your question but sorry, it’s not quite finished yet.
Some of them are, if I find out more information on this about the names, I will let you know.
Question 213 - 1(3): Justice Programs at the Apex Treatment Centre
The question today is to the Minister of Justice regarding the Apex treatment centre.
My question today is, did cabinet approve the Department of Justice proposal to use the treatment centre in Apex for rehabilitation.
Minister Responsible for Justice, Mr. Anawak.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Justice and the Department of Health & Social Services have discussed this issue but at this point they have not taken it to the cabinet level.
Oral Questions. Mr. McLean.
Mr. McLean: Mr. Speaker I appreciate the minister’s response but as I stated today about drug rehabilitation inmates and other people in Nunavut, when does he expect to take it to his cabinet colleagues to discuss it.
I expect to have a discussion with the Minister Responsible for Health and Social Services and determine the time to take it to the cabinet for further consultation.
Mr. McLean: We know that this government moves at such a rapid pace and that I am sure we will have an answer on it within the next two weeks but in the meantime my question, Mr Speaker, my question to the Minister is does the Department of Justice have any alternate plans to provide healing, drug and alcohol, anger management, or family type skills program that he is looking at right now.
I would like to thank the member for his question because I think it is extremely important we go on making changes to the way things have been done in the past and we expect if we are going to go into new programs or new ways of doing things, then it would be in consultation with the members.
We are in the process of making up some plans such as creating more outpost camp programs for people we hope would not necessarily have to go through incarceration but go through a healing process.
The plans are there, we are working on them, in some cases because of the need to do more consultation we will make sure that the members have an idea of when we would want to go on with some of the programs, of course after full consultation with the members and the public.
Final supplementary, Mr. McLean.
That brings forward another question that we all been saying for the last year or so, about rehabilitation on the land program infrastructure.
There is not much money around to build buildings and things and I am not sure what the cost of that building in Apex is.
I think it was built for a noble cause and now it's sitting there empty.
Does the Department of Justice have any plans for that building or is it just going to sit there empty and taxpayers dollars wasted.
Hon. Jack Anawak: Mr. Speaker, at this time the building belongs to the Department of Health and Social Services, and as much as we would like to take advantage of it being empty, at this point in time it would have to be a discussion between the Minister of Health and myself, and then in conjunction with that, taking it to the cabinet level to see if we can utilise it.
But at the same time however that doesn't mean that the Department of Health and Social Services may not have some plans for it.
Question 214 - 1(3): Funding Program for Youth Centres
The Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth said that he was working on a policy for youth.
Many young people in the communities want youth centres.
My question is, has the minister established a fund to assist community groups, who wish to operate youth centres in their communities.
Speaker: Minister for Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
Hon. Donald Havioyak (interpretation): Thank you, I've already answered that through the policy.
We wanted to get some clarification from the youth on how to put a policy in place for the youth of Nunavut.
I believe there are two questions on funding assistance.
We have in our department a funding source for our youth.
The funding that we are working on is going to be aimed towards the elders and the youth and they are going to be helping one another.
So we have to provide some funding to the youth and we can use this funding for counselling them, so they learn our way of life.
Right now we don't have a concrete plan for funding to build youth facilities, but we will be discussing this in our budget session in Iqaluit.
Mr. Puqiqnak (interpretation): Mr. Speaker since the department was established to deal with language, elders and youth, if Culture, Language, Elders and Youth does not have funding to build youth centres which department or departments of Nunavut do have a mandate to provide money to build youth centres in the communities.
Which departments have you been working with.
Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Havioyak.
Hon. Donald Havioyak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you for your question.
I just want to inform everyone that this will be included in my capital plan, and that we will be reviewing all the other possibilities that we can use to maybe build some youth facilities in our communities.
We will be discussing this further in our budget session in the near future.
I have met with youth groups in Cambridge Bay and Pond Inlet.
We will be reviewing this and discussing this further in our next session.
Question 215 - 1(3): Harvesting Bowhead Whales
Mr. Irqittuq (interpretation): Yesterday I was talking about Bowhead whales.
Since the killer whales have been killing the Bowhead whales and since we have a land claims agreement we are allowed to harvest a Bowhead whale and I don't think we have harvested a Bowhead whale last year.
What is your position in regards to the Bowhead whale harvest.
Yes, perhaps to explain a little.
When we deal with marine mammals it’s the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and if we are going to be dealing with any type of species it is the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board.
Although I understood his reply are you going to be supporting the harvest as the minister for wildlife issues.
My question is are you going to work hard for Nunavut concerns on this.
Minister for the Department of Sustainable Development.
When we deal with marine mammals it is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans - the federal government and the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board.
If they request support we will assist them but we do not have that jurisdiction.
It is the NWMB that has that jurisdiction.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Kilabuk.
I understand, however during our campaigning days we spoke of the issues that concern us.
I know that we spoke about issues that we can't do anything about.
The minister is responding to me that the NWMB is responsible for that, but my question is, are you going to work hard to support the Nunavut needs.
Yes, we have been working very hard and we are not going to stop the close working relationship that we have with the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board.
We have to work in partnership in the management of wildlife and we have to work with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
Question 216 - 1(3): Holistic Healing Programs
Mr. Tootoo: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.
Mr. Speaker, the minister spoke yesterday about the need to deal with the whole person when dealing with alcohol and drug abuse.
This would imply programs that work with people on a physical, spiritual, emotional, intellectual and cultural basis.
Mr. Speaker, it is very difficult to imagine how a social worker trained in the south will be able to deliver such a program to Inuit in our communities.
Much of the teaching the elders have to offer is spiritual, cultural, social and personal in nature.
Spending time with elders allows people to learn about the culture and heritage and to be reminded of the wisdom and strength of the past and to apply that to the problems of the past and present.
As mentioned by the other members a holistic program would require the involvement of elders and local people in the community.
Will the minister tell this House how he intends to develop programs and train local people to deliver programs that really do deal with the whole person on matters of alcohol, drug addiction and mental health issues.
Mr. Speaker, if I could just get a piece of clarification if I could.
There are different aspects to the holistic approach when treating addictions and treating problems with individuals.
Which approach is the member talking about when he asks this question.
Mr. Tootoo I will allow you to ask the same question, and rephrase it. Mr. Tootoo.
Sorry the minister didn't understand my question.
I'm asking him how he intends to develop programs and train local people to deliver programs that deal with the whole person on matters of alcohol, drug addiction and mental health.
Does he understand that question.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Tootoo. Minister responsible for Health. Mr. Picco.
Mr. Speaker as the member knows we are doing that right now.
We are running one of the first pure Inuit social programs in Igloolik.
I believe we have five people ready to graduate with their bachelor's degree in social work.
Mr. Speaker, we are also doing work with our alcohol and drug counsellors using the Apex Treatment facility.
We are bringing them into Apex and using reality based therapy, that type of treatment model.
So Mr. Speaker, not only are we using the holistic approach in treating alcohol as well we are using the mental and spiritual side of development of the person.
We are delivering those programs culturally and sensitively and, in the example of Igloolik, training northerners, training people from Nunavut to be able to deliver those programs.
Mr. Tootoo: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the minister for his response.
He indicated that there is a social worker program being held in Igloolik and reality based treatment going on in the Apex Treatment Centre.
These programs, like the social work program, are they adapted programs that take into account the cultural sensitivity and the differences in the north, or is it a program being brought up from the south and being taught in the North.
Is it geared specifically towards Nunavut or is it the same program that is being offered down south.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Tootoo, you have exceeded your two questions.
Minister responsible for Health.
Well first of all Mr. Speaker, in the preamble of the member he asked whether we are trying to take the programs and make them Nunavut or northern based.
That is what the program in Igloolik is doing.
Now I'm not the Minister for Education and I don’t have the curriculum in front of me or the program.
My understanding is that Mr. Speaker, that the social work program being run through Arctic College is centring on our students who are all Inuit from Nunavut, specifically from Igloolik.
It is an excellent program.
I believe the member probably saw an article in News North highlighting and extolling the virtues of the program.
The program that we are doing in Apex, the second part of the question, is reality treatment, and for this training program we take our drug and alcohol workers out of the communities and bring them to Apex.
We have been doing this for the past several months and we have been doing workshops and on the job training with those staff.
Question 217 - 1(3): Training for Alcohol & Drug Counsellors
Mr. Akesuk: Mr. Speaker my question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services.
Mr. Speaker, having trained staff is essential to be able to deliver quality programs.
Many of the community alcohol and drug counsellors do not have very much training and very little on the job training has been provided in the past.
The workers themselves have asked for training so they can do a better job.
Can the minister advise what new training initiatives are now being delivered to community based alcohol and drug counsellors with money saved from the closure of Nunavut's only drug treatment facility.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.  Speaker (interpretation): Thank you Mr Akesuk.
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just said earlier in the response to member Tootoo that alcohol and drug workers are getting training continuously, and I just gave an example on how we are actually bringing them into Apex and doing training.
The savings from the closure of the Apex treatment Centre, which is a misnomer, because the centre is not closed, we are just not using it for residential treatment.
We are actually bringing our employees into our centre and providing on the job and professional training there.
So I hope that actually answers the members' question.
Mr. Akesuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the minister advise us on what new training initiatives are being developed for community based alcohol and drug counsellors in the future.
Speaker: Thank you Mr Akesuk. Minister of Health.
Mr. Speaker, we are trying to bring some new initiatives forward but those discussions pertain to the budget.
Just going back to his earlier question about the money that has been saved by closure of the Apex Treatment Centre, Mr. Speaker, any monies that have not been expended on the actual treatment of the in-residency patients, that money is part of the deficit that we see within the health board, which is ongoing.
Question 218 - 1(3): Resources for Community Health Committees
My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services.
Mr. Speaker, the minister spoke yesterday of the need to treat the whole person when it comes to addictions, and his support for community based programs.
Mr. Speaker, we all know a person’s family and community play a big role in being able to support people in making lifestyle choices.
While a person’s behaviour is their own responsibility, a person lives in a family, has friends and co-workers, socialises, volunteers and all of these relationships impact on what this person does.
Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Culture, Education and Health has made numerous recommendations over the last year to support the community in playing more of a role in health promotion and health prevention, for community based work , mental health, community wellness and alcohol and drug programs.
Mr. Speaker, the standing committee has strongly recommended the creation of and support for community health committees.
But communities can play more of a role in health promotion and prevention programs in their community.
Can the minister please advise this House what his plans are to develop and provide resources so that we can have effective community health committees created.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question from the member.
Earlier this week I again met with the members of the Keewatin.
Two weeks ago I met with the members from the Kitikmeot and in December as the member knows, I met with mayors from the Baffin Region.
So I met with almost all the mayors in all of Nunavut to discuss the plans after April 1st, when the Health Boards are integrated.
What we’re trying to do, Mr. Speaker, as I’ve said in this House and as I’ve said to the member, who is the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Health and who has been very supportive of the moves and directions and we thank him for that, is the Department of Health is trying to build our capacity by supporting the formation, where there are none right now, of Community Health Committees.
Some of the support that we’re giving them includes administrative support, logistic support, training, as well as a financial contribution.
Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee recommended that the Community Health Representatives and Community Wellness Co-ordinators play a support role in Community Health Committees so that they would in fact be able to play a key role in health promotion and health prevention programs.
Can the minister advise if these Community Health Committees will in fact be able to play a delivery role in health promotion and prevention if they wish or does he see them only as advisors.