EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
For the subsidy we 're paying nine million six hundred fifty-one thousand two hundred sixty-six.
We're subsidising fuel for heating, aviation, gasoline and jet A-1.
Oral Questions. Mr. Tootoo.
I'm pleased to hear that the total subsidy is 9.6 million dollars roughly.
Does the minister have that broken down by gasoline, aviation and diesel fuel.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Tootoo. Minister responsible for Public Works, Ms. Thompson.
Hon. Manitok Thompson: The subsidy for heating fuel, we're subsidising three million eight hundred seventy four thousand two hundred twenty-nine.
For aviation fuel we're subsidizing twenty-eight thousand sixty hundred forty-four.
For gasoline the subsidy is two million six hundred forty- seven thousand five hundred and eighteen.
For jet a-1 fuel we're subsidizing by five hundred and one thousand one hundred sixty eight. For a total nine million six hundred fifty one thousand two hundred sixty-six, that’s how much we are paying from our pocket as a government.
Speaker: Thank you Ms. Thompson. Final supplementary, Mr. Tootoo.
Mr Tootoo: Thank you Mr Speaker.
Mr. Speaker it is nice to see that a large part of the fuel subsidy program is for heating fuel and gasoline, which affects most of the residents of Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker I was wondering if the minister could provide us with some information on how they determine what the subsidies are for the different fuels.
I do not have that information in front of me.
I have offered a presentation by the PPD staff to the regular members or any one else on the pricing of fuel.
If they're interested I will have to take that as notice.
Speaker: Thank you Ms. Thompson. (interpretation) There are quite a few members here that are unilingual speakers.
Please utilize your interpreters.
Question 158 - 1(3): Decision Making Process for Subsidies
Mr. McLean: The nine million dollars the government puts into home heating fuel etc.
Mr. Speaker, my question is how does cabinet or the Financial Management Board decide on how much a subsidy is going to be on petroleum products every year.
Is it just thrown out there that we are going to charge eighty cents a litre for gasoline and seventy cents a litre on fuel oil.
Is there a certain criteria to show how much is a gas subsidy or how much is a petroleum products subsidy.
How is that determined.
Who are you addressing your question to.
Mr. McLean: Who ever decides.
What ever minister over their Mr. Speaker, decides what the subsidy will be on petroleum products, whether it’s Public Works, or the Financial Management Board, who ever they are, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. McLean, if there are two ministers then the premier is supposed answer the questions.
Mr. McLean: I guess I would have to ask the Minister of Finance, because I guess he writes the cheque to subsidize the petroleum products program.
So would the minister answer me how he figures out how much he is going to subsidize the petroleum products division every year.
Is it just a ball park figure or is it some kind of magic formula.
Mr. Speaker, the petroleum products division as you know is a bit separate from government.
They operate with a revolving fund that has certain guidelines as far as they're not able to enter into a too large deficit position as a result of the sale of petroleum products.
I don't have the full details on how that works but I can provide that information to all members.
I can say in respect to actual increases that the petroleum products division would ask through the minister responsible, they would bring forward, as to what took place this past December, bring forward a request to the Financial Management Board which is all of the cabinet members, the spending arm of the government, for their consideration of the price increase at that time.
I can tell you there was a request for considerably more than the five cents that was passed on recognizing the significance of the increase Nunavut-wide.
It was an issue that was debated at great length but recognizing we couldn't let the revolving fund get in too large a deficit, because ultimately the government would have to come back in with additional dollars to deal with that matter, we approved the five cent adjustment.
Mr. McLean: I don't want to belabour this topic but my fear is with the escalating costs of transportation, the world price of crude and the nine million dollar subsidy and the revolving fund in the petroleum products, we may see a even higher increase in petroleum products in the next six months.
Has the Minister of Finance got some kind of plan in place other than what he just explained to me to make sure that doesn't happen.
A very good question from the member.
I can say that at the same time this whole discussion took place there was a recommendation, or direction, I should say, that the minister go to the petroleum products division first of all to review exactly what was causing the whole escalation of fuel prices throughout Nunavut.
I can't remember the exact time frame but I believe they have several months to put that together, to report back to the Financial Management Board.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Oral Questions.
Can the minister let me know when that request was done.
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Sorry Mr. Speaker, I wasn't sure of what the member was asking.
If he is asking about when we directed them to do it, it was at the time the decision was made for that 5 cent a litre increase and that was a part of the decision to bring back the additional information and options for the Financial Management Board to review.
When did he look at re-looking at the matter of escalating costs.
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated earlier I don't exactly remember what time frame there was.
It was two or three months from the decision but I can find that information out and report back on that.
Question 159 - 1(3): Changes to Decentralization
Regarding community empowerment, I would like to ask this question to the Premier about decentralization.
When the Nunavut Government was first established and we were elected we talked about decentralization and we talked about infrastructure. We were going to decentralize to Igloolik, Pangnirtung and Arviat, to all these communities.
They had stated how many staff would be going to these communities. For example, Igloolik was to receive 72.5 positions at that time, the beginning of the government. Currently, Mr. Speaker, there has been a large cut back on the positions that were going to be transferred to the communities, such as Pangnirtung and other communities.
We have approved all of these decentralization programs, how much are you going to be cutting back these positions that are supposed to be going out to the communities.
Yes I have written a letter to the municipalities and I'm sure that you have also received a copy.
It took quite a bit of time to translate those documents, but I have written a letter to the Mayor of Igloolik about the 70 positions to be transferred to Igloolik and these positions have been identified as to what their job descriptions are.
So we have not cut them back but we are trying to direct them there and we have identified the number of positions going to the communities.
As you are aware there are some positions filled already in Igloolik, in fact the infrastructure is not complete yet and some of the housing is not available for the staff.
So if the staff move up there right away they won't have any housing and there would be housing problems.
So we have to look in to all these details and the staff need infrastructure to work.
Question 160 - 1(3): Fuel Purchase Process
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for Petroleum Products.
Mr. Speaker, the increase in fuel, as indicated in here January 6 letter, indicates that it was due to the rising price of the global price of crude going up.
I would like to ask the minister what process is used and how we purchase the fuel for Nunavut.
As to the process that we used for fuel, perhaps I will take your question as notice and then I will return with my reply and I thank the regular members, as a member for Rankin Inlet, I thank you for letting me stand up the whole time.
Mr. Speaker, earlier the Minister responsible for Public Works and Services indicated that back in the fall when they purchased their summer purchase of fuel, they knew right away that they would have to increase the price.
She also indicated that usually they increase the price in the fall.
Again, I guess I would ask what led to the delay of the price increase until January.
The fuel that we purchase for the communities is transported and put in the tanks.
We don't see the actual price and the landed cost of this fuel until later.
It takes a long time for us to find out the actual price of the fuel and we also do a study and find out whether we are going to be going into a deficit situation or not.
We don't know the actual price or whether there is going to be a hike in the rates when the fuel is landed at the community level.
I didn't know whether we were going into a deficit situation or not when the fuel was landed.
We had to do an analysis of the costs and whether we are going to stay within budget or whether we are going to have a deficit before we set the price.
What I was trying to say was that we don't know how much the cost of fuel is, or what the costs of transportation costs are going to be like, or how much it is going to be when it is landed.
Like I said we just follow through with the global market and when the fuel is brought into the community, and only afterwards do we start getting the paperwork, the invoices and so on.
After we do a review of all the paperwork then we make a decision whether there is going to be an increase in the fuel rate.
Speaker: Third supplementary, Mr. Tootoo.
Mr. Speaker, the minister indicated that they don't know ahead of time what the fuel and transportation costs are.
Mr. Speaker, is the minister saying that they just say we've got all these empty tanks, just fill them up and tell us what it is going to cost us after.
How do they determine who is going to do that, I am sure there must be some type of contract in place so that you do know ahead of time what you are getting.
I guess my question is, what is the process.
Is there a service contract in place for the supply and delivery of those products.
Well you have to fill the tanks because we can't operate the communities without petroleum products.
We have to buy petroleum products.
The cost of fuel is not the only thing that we factor in, there is also the transportation costs and employees salaries and benefits, the gas delivery people at the community level, the administration.
There are all kinds of factors put in there before we see the actual costs.
Like I said there is 9 million, 661 thousand plus that we pay out, Mr. Speaker.
We don't see the actual costs, there is not only the purchase of the gas, there are other cost factors which eat into the budget.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the minister going over the information that she provided to us already.
However, I believe my question was asking whether there is a service contract in place for the supply and delivery of these products.
I would still like to have this answered.
In regards to your question, I could take it as notice, I will compile all of the service contracts and so on and I will give you a break down of the delivery men, the people who have the contract at the community level, I will give you a break down of all that because there are a lot of cost factors that we have to put in.
I don't have the break down in front of me so I will get one.
Question 161 - 1(3): Community Costs for Fuel
Part of the question that I was going to ask was already answered by the Minister of Public Works.
There are different rates at the community level.
For example it will cost X amount of dollars in Arviat, it will cost an X amount in Arctic Bay and so on.
There are different rates in each of the individual communities.
So what I would like to see the minister produce is exactly how much each community is paying for petroleum products.
Some of the communities rates were increased by 6 or 7 cents.
I will put one together and give you the various rates in each of the individual communities, but the Department of Finance agreed to 5 cents.
I will give this to the appropriate minister.
Oral question period is over.
Item number 7, Written Questions.
Written Question 2 - 1(3): Petroleum Product Contracts
My written question is to the most popular minister today, the Minister responsible for Petroleum Products.
Mr. Speaker, I would like a list of the contracts that exist that are held by local dealers that supply fuel to the various homes and businesses in each community.
I would like to know the status as to when these contracts are up, the value of these contracts, so that we can determine the rates that was asked earlier by one of the MLAs.
What I am looking for is the actual contract, when they are renewed and the rates for each contract.
Item number 8, Returns to Written Questions.
Item number 9, Replies to Opening Address.
Reports of Standing and Special Committees. Item 12, Reports of Standing and Special Committees on the Review of Bills.
Reports of Standing and Special Committees on the Review of Bills.
Notices of Motion.
Item 15: Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills
Mr. Speaker, I seek consent of the Assembly to waive the two day notice requirement for first reading of bill 7, Loan Authorization Act 2000/2001.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Ng. The minister would like consent from the House that we waive the 48 hour notice, bill 7, for first reading on Friday, February 18.
No nays, Mr. Minister you have consent.
Bill 7 Loan Authorization Act, 2000/2001 - Notice
Mr. Speaker, with that consent I give notice that on Friday, February 18, 2000, I shall move that the Loan Authorization Act, 2000/2001 be read for the first time.
At this time Mr. Speaker, I also seek consent from the Assembly to waive the two day requirement for first reading of bill 8, Supplementary Appropriations Act, No. 2, 1999/2000.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. The minister has asked for consent to waive the 48 hour notice so that bill 8, can be read for the first time on Friday, February 18.
Mr. Minister you have consent.
Bill 8 Supplementary Appropriations Act, No. 2, 1999/2000 - Notice
Mr. Speaker, with this consent, I give notice that on Friday, February 18, I shall move that bill 8, Supplementary Appropriations Act, No. 2, 1999/2000 be read for the first time.
Speaker: Item 15, Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills.
Bill 9 An Act to Amend the Judicature Act and other Acts in relation to Judges - Notice
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, February 21, 2000, I shall move that bill 9, An Act to Amend the Judicature Act and other Acts in Relation to Judges be read for the first time.
Bill 10 An Act to Amend the Boards of Management Dissolution Act - Notice
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, February 21, 2000, I shall move that bill 10, An Act to Amend the Boards of Management Dissolution Act, be read for the first time.
Item 15, notices of motion for first reading of bills.
Bill 11 An Act to Establish Nunavut Day as a Holiday - Notice
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, February 21, 2000, I shall move that bill 11, An Act to Establish Nunavut Day as a Holiday be read for the first time.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Item 15, notices of motion for first reading of bills.
Bill 12 An Act to Amend the Divisional Boards of Education Dissolution Act - Notice
I give notice that on Monday, February 21, 2000, I will move that bill 12, An Act to Amend the Divisional Boards of Education Dissolution Act, be read for the first time.
Before we go ahead with having the Clerk read the Orders of the Day, I would first like to take a moment to invite the public to view the Nunavut Legislative Assembly mace after we adjourn for the day.
It is a beautiful work of art and I am pleased that we are able to share that during our time here in Rankin Inlet.
Mr. Clerk, Orders of the Day.
Tomorrow morning, meeting of regular caucus at 8:30 a.m. in the Siniktarvik Hotel board room.
Orders of the Day, Friday, February 18, 10 o'clock in the morning.
Bill 7, Loan Authorization Act, 2000/2001
Bill 8, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1999/2000
We will adjourn this meeting until Friday, February, 18, 2000, at 10 a.m.
>>House Adjourned 4:41 p.m.
Friday, February 18, 2000
Pages 425 - 467
Tel (867) 979-6770 Fax (867) 979-6811 Toll-Free (877) 334-726
Opening Prayer 425
Ministers' Statements 425
Members' Statements 427
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 430
Oral Questions 433
Revert to Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 450
Written Questions 451
Returns to Written Questions 451
Petitions 451
Tabling of Documents 452
First Reading of Bills 453
Second Reading of Bills 453
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 454
Report of the Committee of the Whole 466
Orders of the Day 466
Friday, February 18, 2000 425
45 - 1(3): Ikuma Working Group Report (Picco) 425
46 - 1(3): Arctic Winter Games Representatives (Anawak) 426
91 - 1(3): Congratulations to Dana Bruce and Soccer Team (Arvaluk) 427
92 - 1(3): Square Dancing (Iqaqrialu) 427
93 - 1(3): Recognition of Gjoa Haven Athletes (Puqiqnak) 427
94 - 1(3): Sanikiluaq High School Graduates (Kattuk) 428
95 - 1(3): Congratulations to New NTI Executive Members (Alakannuark) 428
96 - 1(3): Congratulations to South Baffin Soccer and Hockey Teams (Akesuk) 428
97 - 1(3): Appreciation to MLAs for Cambridge Bay Visit (Ng) 428
98 - 1(3): Visit to Whale Cove (Thompson) 429
99 - 1(3): Logo Colours (Irqittuq) 429
100 - 1(3): Passing of Inusiq Sarah Akavak (Tootoo) 429
162 - 1(3): Social Worker for Kimmirut (Akesuk) 433
163 - 1(3): Decentralization for Smaller Communities (Iqaqrialu) 433
164 - 1(3): Air Link Between Keewatin and Kitikmeot Region (Alakannuark) 434
165 - 1(3): Fuel Subsidies (Tootoo) 435
166 - 1(3): Gjoa Haven Water Quality (Puqiqnak) 436
167 - 1(3): Hall Beach School Petition (Irqittuq) 437
168 - 1(3): Manitoba / Keewatin Power Grid (O'Brien) 439
169 - 1(3): Permanent Solution to Gjoa Haven Water Problem (Tootoo) 441
170 - 1(3): Diavik Mine Overlap Agreement (McLean) 442
171 - 1(3): Five Year Plans (Kattuk) 444
172 - 1(3): Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Plans (Irqittuq) 445
173 - 1(3): Clyde River Power Rates (Iqaqrialu) 446
174 - 1(3): Budget Consultation Results (Tootoo) 448
3 - 1(3): Gjoa Haven Water Contamination (Puqiqnak) 451
1 - 1(3): WQ 1 – 1(3) RFP's, Tenders, Contract Procedures 451
08 - 1(3): New Co-op Building 451
19 - 1(3): Inuit Employment Plans (McLean) 452
20 - 1(3): Ikuma Report (Picco) 452
21 - 1(3): Gas Increase Hits Hunters (Tootoo) 452
22 - 1(3): February 11 Nunatsiaq News Article (O'Brien) 452
23 - 1(3): Responses to Petition 6 - 1(3) and Petition 7 - 1(3) (Clerk) 452
Bill 7 Loan Authorization Act, 2000/2001 453
Bill 8 Supplementary Appropriations Act, No. 2, 1999/2000 453
Bill 8 - Supplementary Appropriations Act, No. 2, 1999/2000 453
Friday February 18, 2000 Nunavut Hansard Page  Rankin Inlet, Nunavut
I would like to ask Mr. O'Brien to open the meeting with a prayer.
Please be seated. (interpretation) Good morning.
Orders of the Day, item 2, Ministers' Statements.
Minister’s Statement 45 - 1(3): Ikuma Working Group Report
Hon. Ed Picco: Good morning.
Mr. Speaker, later today I will table a copy of the Ikuma Report which is a comprehensive document developed by the Ikuma Working Group.
This document represents the first major step towards the creation of a functioning power corporation in Nunavut.
It is anticipated that the Nunavut Power Corporation will be a made in Nunavut solution for the provision of electrical power to the residents of Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, as the members are aware the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, with its' headquarters over there in Hay River, currently provides power to Nunavut through a transition agreement.
A transition agreement, Mr. Speaker, that expires March 31st, 2001.
Between now and then it is critical that the Nunavut Power Corporation develops the capacity to provide these services to Nunavummiut.
With that in mind our first step was to establish the Ikuma Working Group last summer and assign them the task of studying different options, Mr. Speaker, for the provision of power in Nunavut.
Uqaqti, the Ikuma Report shows clearly that we are in a good position to establish an independent Nunavut Power Corporation and we have been very busy these past several months laying out the framework necessary to move forward.
I am pleased to inform you that a Director has been identified within our own public service to lead this government initiative.
This individual will work very closely over the next fourteen months with the President of the Nunavut Power Corporation.
We are now publicly advertising throughout Nunavut, Mr. Speaker, for the position of President of the Nunavut Power Corporation.
It is also anticipated that this position will be filled by April 2000.
Also assisting in this implementation are some of the former Ikuma Working Group members who helped to outline the options in the Ikuma Report. A tremendous amount of work lies ahead over the next few months.
Following the approval by the Legislative Assembly of the Main Estimates, I will be in a better position to provide you with further updates on this very important work.
In consultation with the Cabinet and you the MLAs, and the public, we will have to make many decisions.
We will have to develop the corporate structure of the power corporation, we will have to determine how much capacity can reasonably be developed within Nunavut before March 31st, 2001.
We will have to decide what levels of services will have to be imported, how rates might be regulated, and the level of decentralization that can be achieved over the short and the long term.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to discussing the Ikuma Report with the members of this Assembly later this week.
Ministers Statement 46 - 1(3): Arctic Winter Games Representatives
Last year the Arctic Winter Games International committee members asked the Nunavut Government if there could be a representative from our group at their committee meetings.
I discussed this with the members to update you on this.
I would like to announce that Mr. Jim Macdonald and Ms. Marilyn Neily have been appointed to these positions with the International Committee.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker , Mr. Jim Macdonald is a long time resident of Rankin Inlet and has been involved in minor hockey here.
Ms. Neily is a long time resident of Iqaluit and has been involved with the Arctic Winter Games for many years.
I am sure these Nunavummiut will serve the interests of Nunavut and the Arctic Winter Games International Committee well.
Ministers' Statements. Members' Statements.
Member’s Statement 91 - 1(3): Congratulations to Dana Bruce and Soccer Team
I would like to express my appreciation to Coach Dana Bruce and congratulate his junior men’s soccer team from Coral Harbour.
They will be going to the Arctic Winter Games and representing Nunavut in the Yukon.
Once again I would like to congratulate Dana Bruce and his soccer team.
Member’s Statement 92 - 1(3): Square Dancing
Today being Friday we are very happy to be here in Rankin.
I really enjoy dancing so when you are invited to square dances please bring a towel because I tend to sweat a lot at the dances.
Member’s Statement 93 - 1(3): Recognition of Gjoa Haven Athletes
I would like to recognize a person in my community.
The old timers hockey team was in our community for a tournament and during the hockey tournament an elder that has been participating in the old timers hockey team, he is 69 years old and he works very hard to be healthy.
Also, Mr. Speaker, if I could add to my members' statement, when I was in Iqaluit the people that I represent went to Iqaluit to try out in the Arctic Winter Games and I am very proud to say that my daughter will be participating in the Arctic Winter Games with another girl that's been chosen.
Member’s Statement 94 - 1(3): Sanikiluaq High School Graduates
I would also like to recognize people from my constituency in Sanikiluaq.