EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
We talked about the development of the Nunavut tourism industry.
We would expect that program would be running especially for tourists that come to the north to take pictures and to go see the scenery and it will put more money into the communities when those tourists start coming into the communities.
And we would hope that tourism industry becomes aggressive in the north.
Ms. Williams (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman and welcome.
I'll be making a brief comment on something that is very important to the High Arctic region, in my constituency.
We would like to make sure that the CEDOs are doing economic development work at the community level.
Usually the CEDOs are funded by the hamlets and looking at the opening remarks, we're looking more into harvesting programs.
We are concentrating on harvesting programs and the communities have to have some more benefits going to their communities.
Especially for Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord with the caribou project.
Also another one that I would like to mention and what was also in the opening comments is the outpost camps.
There are a few of them but they do need support and I think that we have to promote that further.
I think there was a question on the issue of outpost camps but we want to make sure that your department gives further support to the ones that are established and another issue is environmental protection, which wasn't mentioned by the minister in his opening comments.
But in our communities, especially in the community of Arctic Bay and Resolute Bay it's something that is very important and we have to look at environmental protection when there's mining companies involved in the vicinity of these communities.
I think it's also important that we look at environmental protection, because of course it affects the animal habitats and so on.
I think it is the Department of Renewable Resources that is working on this issue but it is kind of hard to see who is exactly responsible when you live in the smaller communities.
It is something that has to be promoted by your department to make sure that the environment is protected and we would also like to make sure that the mining companies had a plan so that the environment is protected.
My fourth comment that I would like to bring out is, there are quite a number of communities that are given heavy-duty sewing machines but I do not know whether these women are trained on how to operate these heavy-duty sewing machines. Of course, they are very expensive and they are not being utilized because the women are not trained in operating these machineries.
I think that we should do something about that because it is self-sustaining and since the wildlife, since we are people who live close to the environment and to the animals around us we can bring in additional income through these types of activities.
We also have to make sure that the environment and the wildlife are protected.
Your department, I believe, have to concentrate on these issues.
Those are some of the comments that I wanted to make Mr. Chairman.
I would like to say that I am very proud of this young man who is the Minister of Sustainable Development.
I will make a very brief comment and it is in regards to Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and the wildlife species in Nunavut.
I think that your department should integrate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit into your department.
Some of the wildlife species migrate and they go through different areas of the land in certain times of the year and there is more in one year and less in the other.
The people do the population studies study in one area and then they say that there is a depletion in a certain species because they stay in one area for five years and of course the wildlife has moved away to richer grounds.
In the rivers and lakes that are stocked with fish, there are fluctuations in the fish population and because of course they migrate too.
I know the animals out there.
There is always a fluctuation of species like foxes for example.
They are migratory and they move around to where the food is but what the biologists do is that they concentrate on one area and then we are told that there is depletion in a certain species.
Also the weather patterns, the climate is changing.
It is very different from the time when I was young.
Those are things that we have to be aware of.
Also, in Taloyoak, I would like to thank your department for looking into the polar bear issue, for doing a polar bear study because of course we hear that the numbers are decreasing and I am glad that you are going to do something about it and doing a study.
I will just leave it at that for now.
Very briefly, I am also glad that Mr. Akesuk was appointed to head this department and they've done a huge job since he went on.
He has a whole variety of activities in his department from wildlife to tourism and possibly marine species also.
I congratulate the minister for doing a good job and to his officials.
The Deputy Minister, I've known for quite a long time.
When I was trying to set up my small business and I received a letter at one point from her.
When you have your own small business, you have to do so many things.
I was very pleased with your opening comments and it's going to be a boost for the Nunavut territory and I'm very well aware that in my constituency, you stated that you're going to be looking at economic opportunities.
Not only for my riding but also the communities of Nunavut that are non-decentralized.
They're going to see what kind of economic development ventures could be started in these non-decentralized communities.
This issue and this study or review into the smaller communities is something that I'm looking forward to and it is something that's not going fast enough.
There's no new meat processing plants in some of the communities, there are no fish plants that are built in the communities and it's a lot harder for those communities.
We used to have it easier when there were no plants around but now that they have a harvesting program in Coral Harbour, which my colleague, Mr. Arvaluk was happy about because there's a meat processing plant in Rankin Inlet and I am happy for the people of Keewatin.
The smaller communities who do not have any plants of any type, are going further down hill because the majority of the opportunities, the employment are going to those communities that have plants.
Pangnirtung has one and I think it's been three or four years that we were not able to sell our fish. In my riding, we can harvest caribou but since those meat processing plants and fish plants were established, there's less opportunities for the other communities.
I think your department should also look at other ventures that are being established down south for example, the fox farms that are established down there which is taking out some of the revenue that we might be generating up here.
They completely brought down the economic opportunities that we could have gained because they have fish farms and fox farms and so on established down south. Using the fish roe and starting hatcheries down south and I think that we should be aware and keep a keen eye on what's going on outside of Nunavut because they're taking out fish roe, taking them down and putting them in hatcheries and growing char.
So we have to safeguard what we have up here because we are losing economic opportunities that we should have gained from.
Especially the communities that do not have fish or meat processing plants.
Tourism in the smaller communities is not doing as well.
I'm sure the tourists go to the places that they want to see if it's got mountains and majestic scenery but there are some of us who have flat lands but we do have an abundance of big and small game.
Maybe it's the smaller communities fault because they are not doing enough marketing but tourism didn't seem to quite get off the ground in the smaller communities not only for Hall Beach but also for the smaller communities.
I am very glad that we will be able to ask questions to your department on our concerns and my last comment that I would like to make is in regards to the outpost camps and they are suffering because we don't give them enough financial support.
There, I don't know whether there's been a decrease in the outpost camp funding, but I think that we have to think about the outpost camps.
There was a problem last year where the outpost camp funding was approved but we weren't able to bring gas, heating fuel to the outpost camps because the ice was not in good condition anymore, by the time the money was made available to buy the gas for the outpost camps.
So we have to look at that so the money goes into the communities in a timely manner so that we can bring in their necessary supplies.
I tried to keep that as brief as possible.
If I could ask you to sit as the Chair for the Committee of the Whole.
Chairperson (Mr. Irqittuq) (interpretation): I believe that Mr. Iqaqrialu would like to make a few comments.
I have the chair.
So you have 10 minutes Mr. Iqaqrialu.
I'll keep a close eye on my allotted time.
Last year or since that time that Nunavut Government was created in 1999 we've been in full operation for the last two years and we have seen the change in the whole of Nunavut.
We have seen some changes and we hope to keep this accelerating in the future.
I was brought up as a hunter, as a harvester, as a full-time hunter and I was taught the hunting techniques and everything else related to the land and the environment.
As Mr. Alakannuark stated it's very, very true, the wildlife species migrate, so the numbers are never consistent in one area.
Also the animals move around following the abundance of the food.
They eat themselves out of house and home so they move to another area.
It's never a constant number in one particular area because they're migrating.
When we see a report that was compiled by southerners or people that who were not brought up here, their studies seem to be so true but we know that they're not and it has a huge impact on the harvesters.
Also, we see studies that have been put together by people from outside of Nunavut which has an impact on the economy of Nunavut and we're told that these studies come from us but in truth they didn't.
Also, the harvesters are not being listened to, they're not participating in the study.
But they do know everything about the wildlife and their environment and habitats and so on.
I think the people of Nunavut should be the ones who are doing the studies and keeping a tab on what's happening with those species so I think it's necessary that we do that.
Using my community as an example, Clyde River and Broughton Island, both have an abundance of polar bear and the policies have been changed where you can harvest male bears and not females.
How it has affected me is that if we should harvest too many male bears, the reproduction would slow down because of course the large mammals reproduce very slowly and if there's too few male bears, the reproduction might slow down.
My area is a breeding ground for the polar bears and sometimes it gets quite dangerous because sometimes they go right into the community.
We've never had a mauling to date but it's a danger.
I would also like to tell your department about the polar bears and how they put the polar bears to sleep in order to do studies.
That hurts the animals.
It also damages them mentally and physically because of course, polar bears think like humans.
They have human behaviours, and when they're not mentally stable, after they've been put to sleep, they get very skinny and their behaviour becomes erratic.
There are a large number in my community and the older bears are very skinny because the small animals that they feed upon or eat are depleting.
We have seen bears that have died naturally out there in the environment.
Another one that I would like to mention is regarding the wildlife in Nunavut.
We have had test fisheries done in our communities.
I have been involved in those.
The fish migratory patterns, they migrate very far and they also go to different lakes and because of that, some of the lakes seem to have less fish than before because of course they have migrated to another lake.
It would be very helpful if we started our test fisheries again and we have seen that actual experience in my community.
This is something that we've learned from including myself and how we can increase the population in those lakes.
Also Economic Development, we have had a few problems with that but even if that is the case, it has been a booster to the communities.
Anyone in Canada, whether you be in Nunavut or outside of Nunavut can start a small business.
We have the freedom in Canada because of course, the outside world does not have that much freedom and there is starvation and negative things out there.
As people of Nunavut and even though we have a shortage of money we could look into developing our economic development and we can help the poorer countries out there.
It is something that would be very important because we cannot grow vegetables and we can only harvest the wildlife that are up here.
The minister and the Department of Sustainable Development are looking at a whole variety of opportunities that can be gained by the Nunavut communities and I am very proud of them.
Are there any further comments.
At this time do you want to return as Chairperson.
Chairperson (Mr. Iqaqrialu) (interpretation): For the Department of Sustainable Development.
Under the details, branch summary on page 11-9. We are going to the page Kivalliq Region, 325 thousand. Any comments.
Questions. Under page 11-9. Olayuk did you want to make a comment.
I think we could start off on page 11-7.
Before we get to the Keewatin and Kivalliq region maybe we could start off on the branch summary in 11-7.
I apologize I opened it on that page.
We will start off on page 11-7.
Buildings and works, 695 thousand.
Total headquarters region.
Chairperson (interpretation): It is carried.
We will go to the next page 11-8.
Total Qikiqtaaluk Region, 695 thousand.
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It would be good to under the attraction development Grise Fiord and Hall Beach.
What is the actual, the attraction development on the Paumaktuk Park and Sylvia Grinnell Park, what is the actual development on these.
In Iqaluit, Grinnell Park has been developed gradually before Nunavut came about and it's going to be ongoing development in that region. What kind of development are they referring to under attraction development.
Chairperson (interpretation): Minister of Sustainable Development. Mr. Akesuk.
Under the attraction development this is ongoing maintenance in Isabella Bay under the sanctuary.
They are looking through to see what kind of tourism attractions they could develop in the Sylvia Grinnell Park.
It was not completed. The development there, the attraction development there was not completed. So this is to complete the development that was ongoing for parks interpretive attractions under development attractions.
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): Not just on the attraction development but also other development under 11-9 also and page 11-10 in Baker Lake, Coral Harbour, Rankin Inlet what are the actual projects so that we'll know.
Can you, because on the heritage site in Baker Lake exactly what kind of development are they going to make, are they going to make Inukshuk’s or it doesn't describe what types are being proposed for these areas. I also asked that question to public works.
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, of course.
When it's written down that way, next time you have these information we'll put more details into it for the main estimates. The capital estimates.
For total Qikiqtaaluk, 695 thousand. Any further comments.
Sustainable Development branch summary for Kivalliq, 325 thousand.
Total Kitikmeot region, 270 thousand.
Total building and works, 1 million 985 thousand.
Total headquarters region, 135 thousand dollars.
Under this 58 million 233 thousand dollars, equipment replacement, parks, campgrounds, how come these were not already in place in Qikiqtaaluk, Keewatin and Kivalliq whether if they're just not going to go into just one area.
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): The amount of money allotted for equipment replacement, for various regions in parks, campgrounds and also, review of the monitoring of the houses.
These are for various regions, not just necessarily for just these two areas, regions.
James Arvaluk.
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): Mr. Chairman, they have been audited.
In the audit report, when it's tabled, I'll ask more questions on those.
Mr. Minister. Mr. Akesuk.
On the 12 for parks that have been recognized as heritage parks, there are 12 that have been placed for their maintenance and repairs for equipment there.
Under the total headquarters, 135 thousand dollars.
Questions. Do you agree.
Total Qikiqtaaluk region, 60 thousand dollars.
Also, total Kivalliq region, 80 thousand dollars.
Total Kitikmeot region, 40 thousand dollars.
I'd like further clarification on this Inuktitut.
I'm sorry, I think we went through that before.
It was in the Kitikmeot Region.
The question that I was going to ask is on the previous page.
Chairperson (interpretation): I don't want you to be left behind.
While we're still the same department, we can go back to the next page that you wanted to ask questions on.
I'd like to return to 11-9.
The Inuktitut part that says Pusiiksainiq under the attraction development, but it's says office and garage underneath the writing.
These are the questions I want to ask.
The question is about the 50 thousand.
In Kugaaruk there's a protected area in that region, 100 thousand for the wildlife officer who has no workplace.
So, that 100 thousand will be used to build a workplace for the wildlife officer and garage.
This page has been dealt with so, we'll go back to 11-10.
Total Kitikmeot, 40 thousand.
Chairperson (interpretation): Total equipment acquisition, 315 thousand.
Three regions; Qikiqtaaluk, Kivalliq, Kitikmeot all these have mobile equipment for motor vehicles and they're all under the mobile equipment.
In the Inuktitut part there's nunasiuti, maybe the next time you can state exactly what the actual equipment is rather than this mobile equipment like exactly under the Kugaaruk in Inuktitut is Arvilujuak, can you have that spelling corrected.
It just says mobile equipment so we will be able to, it's for snowmobiles, boats, trucks that's what it would be used for.
Total equipment acquisition, 315 thousand.
Sustainable Development details of capital.
Total headquarters region 500 hundred thousand.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Equipment European Union certification, can you clarify that under headquarters region.
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): It's in order to market country food from our meat plant such as caribou meat, musk ox it has to be certified to be sent out of Canada.
So that's what it means.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Two hundred and 50 thousand is a lot of money.
Is this for staff travel or staff, what would that 250 thousand be used for.
It's towards three areas.
It's divided into three.
The Kitikmeot meat plant, to inspect meat and in Rankin Inlet the meat plant, 125 thousand dollars will be used in the Rankin Inlet meat plant and 100 thousand dollars is towards Cambridge Bay's meat plant.
You want to continue Mr. Nutarak.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Equipment upgrades, arts and crafts facilities.
For which communities would that be spent.
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): That's also divided amongst three communities to upgrade equipment at the Jessie Oonark Centre and the Uqqumiut Arts and Crafts facility needs to be expanded, there's 10 thousand dollars for the review of the centre in there's another centre that it will be used for expansion.
Mr. Nutarak are you done.
The money that is divided amongst the three communities.
If there was a request to build a new centre would that be for all of Nunavut, would we have to request more funds.
When we start dealing with main estimates, we'll be able to look into the question that Mr. Arvaluk raises.
Total headquarters, region 500 thousand dollars.
Total contributions, 500 thousand dollars.
Total capital expenditures, 2 million 800 thousand dollars.
We'll go back to page 11-5.
Sustainable Development, details of expenditures.
This is where we started.
On page 11-6.
Chairperson (interpretation): Go to the next page, 11-5.
Sustainable Development program summary.
Excuse me, I apologise, I raised my hand when I shouldn't have.
Chairperson (interpretation): Total Capital expenditures, 2 million 800 thousand dollars.
We'll move onto capital expenditures.
We'll go onto the main estimates.
Page 11-6, main estimates.
Page 11-6.
Is everyone on page 11-6.
Sustainable Development branch summary, corporate management.
Total operations and maintenance, 3 million 296 thousand.
Total expenditures, 3 million 296 thousand.
Chairperson (interpretation): Turn the page 11-7.
Sustainable Development, branch summary.
Total operations and maintenance, 28 million 236 thousand.
Before we go onto 11-7, I'd like to go through 11-8, 11-9 and 11-10, 11-12 and so on.
I think we should go through the details before we go through 11-7.
Chairperson (interpretation): We'll do that.
If you will now turn to page 11-8.
As the community economic development officers when Mr. Akesuk and I were CEDOs we couldn’t go over 5 thousand dollars.
I wonder if they could look at this again to see if they could increase the 5 thousand.
I realize that when we were economic development officers this money was not very much but to start to give grants to small businesses that's the amount that is best presently.
If that amount is less than 5 thousand, if it's going to go over 5 thousand, the proposals, I think they are called proposals would have to be done.
There are some individuals that know about how to work with numbers but I'm not too good at putting it on paper so, I wonder if this will be able to be increased.
The 5 thousand dollars is for small businesses and we will be able to discuss it further on 11-15 and that's for the business development fund, more than 5 thousand dollars.
We'll be able to discuss that further.
Mr. Arvaluk do you want to continue.
We are on, turn to page 11-9.
The fur processing program.
Grants to harvesters.
Is the 120 thousand enough to, what does that cover, for example, the fur price is 25 bucks and right now if they are selling for 20 dollars, then your 120 thousand dollars will cover that 5 bucks.
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk: We are paying currently right now, 30 bucks a sealskin and I believe we also have a revolving fund on that.
Mr. Arvaluk: Maybe I didn't explain myself very well.
What I'm saying is, is that 120 thousand for 25 dollars for a fox pelt, white pelt for example, 30 dollars for a seal skin, we know all those things.
Is that what it's supposed to cover, those two.
Or is it supposed to cover the balance in case the hunter does not get the value of 25 or 30.
Last year, the money we used was 200 and the money came back to us so that the 120 dollars for 2001-2002 we feel is adequate although when we get to 11-18, you'll see the information again, and that is the way we have it figured out right now Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Arvaluk: I know about the 11-8 but that 120 thousand dollars, is it just in case it's not adequate, will you be able to be okay with the 120 thousand dollars, when the 120 thousand dollars is used up.
Yes, we can go over 120 thousand dollars if we have to.
What is the limit you can go over if you go over 120 thousand dollars.
To your estimates, how much would you go.
In 11-18, it states that the authorized limit is 900 thousand dollars.
Yes, that's very good to hear.
Have you considered whether the 25 or the 30 dollars could be increased when you assist the trappers and the harvesters of seals.
You don't usually provide income support, I mean social services does not provide income support as much.
Have you considered increasing that amount.
We are looking into this at this time and in purchasing the fox and the sealskins, sometimes they go by the quality of the seal and the quality of the fox pelts.
We will be providing some information on that at a later date to the harvesters.
It's nice to be able to speak.