EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I would like to warmly welcome the official sitting to my right and I would like my colleagues to welcome the President of Nunavut Arctic College, Peter Ma.
We welcome him.
You may now proceed with your opening comments. Minister Quassa.
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to be here today to present and discuss the proposed 2015-16 capital plan for Nunavut Arctic College.
(interpretation ends) Nunavut Arctic College has taken on the responsibility of their capital planning, linking facility development and program delivery strategies. They continue to develop their internal capital planning capacity to build a firm infrastructure for training Nunavummiut.
(interpretation) As the only post-secondary institution in the territory, Arctic College plays a central role in providing Nunavummiut with adult learning programs and services.
This year’s submission requests $4,802,000 in capital funding.
The focus is to continue building infrastructure which allows program delivery in all communities.
(interpretation ends) You will see on the plan that construction continues on the Kitikmeot Residence and Daycare Centre in Cambridge Bay. Student accommodation and services is a fundamental piece for program delivery at the campus level.
This supports the continued planning and development of the mine training centre/Kitikmeot Campus in Cambridge Bay and will allow the enhancement of health and education programs in the region.
Planning and design ($800,000) money for this facility is requested for 2015 in order for construction to be completed by 2019.
(interpretation) Nunavut Arctic College’s roots are the services provided to our students in the communities.
The core of our program delivery is in the community learning centres.
There are three new CLCs in the planning and design stages: Iqaluit, Grise Fiord, and Whale Cove.
Completion of these three facilities will provide a physical space for CLCs in all Nunavut communities and strengthens the number of new initiatives which can be offered at the community level. Increased delivery at the community level is a strategic direction of the college.
These community learning centres have been in the capital planning process for several years and are moving forward. The Grise Fiord CLC is a renovation to the existing hamlet building in the community ($1,752,000).
The start date of the project was dependent upon the completion of the new hamlet facility, allowing us to renovate the existing building as a CLC.
The new hamlet office was opened in June of 2014 and site visits and design are planned for this fiscal year.
Whale Cove planning and design continues and a site has been selected and secured.
A repeat design for the new facility is ongoing and should be completed by 2014-15.
Construction of the new facility is scheduled to be initiated in 2015-16 ($1 million).
Our plan to develop a CLC in Iqaluit is progressing.
Site selection was completed in 2013; planning of the facility was initiated with completion of the design in 2015-16.
(interpretation ends) Small capital of $250,000 is also being requested in order to ensure that we are able to meet growing demands for the replacement of equipment and vehicles.
The focus of this funding will continue to be the renewal and update of IT needs for the college.
This allows Arctic College the flexibility to address aging equipment for effective program delivery in the college, but also Piqqusilirivvik and the Nunavut Research Institute.
(interpretation) The aging infrastructure requires significant attention, which is currently not being addressed by the minor capital budget.
Some of the projects for this funding will be addressing ongoing issues with student residences in Iqaluit and CLCs in the communities.
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to be here today to discuss Nunavut Arctic College’s capital plan for 2015-16 and the subsequent four years.
I am pleased to provide opening comments on behalf of the Standing Committee on Social Wellness as the Committee of the Whole begins its consideration of the proposed 2015-16 Capital Estimates for Nunavut Arctic College.
Mr. Chairman, Nunavut Arctic College’s proposed capital budget for 2015-16 is $4.8 million, which will be allocated to three community-specific projects as well as towards two minor capital projects for addressing upgrades and renovations to current facilities and small equipment needs.
Mr. Chairman, the standing committee is in full support of Nunavut Arctic College’s role in providing educational opportunities to adults across Nunavut.
Members recognize the importance of having the basic infrastructure from which to deliver both campus-based and community-based programs which are relevant to the needs and aspirations of the population.
Mr. Chairman, the development of an effective campus model which can provide focused educational programming in various disciplines is key to establishing a capable and employable workforce.
The long-term investment in the Kitikmeot Campus in Cambridge Bay is a testament to this objective.
Members are pleased that providing daycare space for students is a major component of this project and urge the minister to continue his department’s commitment to ensuring that early childhood programming space is included within all future infrastructure projects.
Mr. Chairman, members look forward to learning of future plans for the next phase of training delivered through the Kivalliq Trades Training Centre.
Members would also appreciate receiving regular updates on partnerships that are negotiated in conjunction with mining companies, municipalities, and other entities to invest in Nunavut-based infrastructure and which can lead to employment and careers within the mining industry and other sectors.
Mr. Chairman, the status of Nunavut Arctic College’s Nunatta Campus in Iqaluit has raised some concerns.
A new community learning centre in the capital city has been included in the college’s recent five-year capital plans although it is not yet scheduled to proceed.
While this Assembly recently approved a carryover of funds for this project, its status remains unclear.
Members recognize that there is increasing pressure to update or replace infrastructure, such as the North 40 campus building, also known as the Old Residence, and look forward to regular updates on this issue.
Members raised a number of concerns regarding the level of miscommunication between on-site workers, Arctic College staff, and college students as a result of recent renovations at this facility.
The standing committee stresses the importance of establishing and maintaining open communication and dialogue in such situations.
Mr. Chairman, two community learning centre projects are planned for the communities of Grise Fiord and Whale Cove.
Members are in full support of these projects, as community learning centres support Nunavut residents in their home communities while they work towards their educational advancement and future employability.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my opening comments on the proposed 2015-16 Capital Estimates of Nunavut Arctic College.
We will now proceed to the page-by-page review of the departmental estimates.
On the first page, Nunavut Arctic College. (interpretation ends) Branch Summary. Headquarters. M-3.
Mr. Enook (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) Hon. Minister, (interpretation) welcome, as well as your officials.
I will be basing my questions on your opening comments and since the pages are numbered, let me just state the matter I want to ask about.
This was related to your comments about the mine training program being developed.
Mr. Chairman, I would like some information. As the hon. minister is well aware, a mine adjacent to Pond Inlet is being developed.
In particular, for the residents of Baffin Island, it provides a great opportunity for employment for our residents who are interested in working in a mine.
It is adjacent to Pond Inlet.
With respect to your comments about the mine training program being developed for the Kitikmeot, we don’t have a facility like that in the Baffin region. The Mary River project is proceeding towards production and it looks like it will become operational shortly. I would like to ask the minister when his department will be looking to open a mine training program in the community of Pond Inlet.
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for that very pertinent question.
Yes, for the development of the mine in the Baffin region adjacent to the community of Pond Inlet, my own community is also fairly close as well, so I completely understand your commentary.
Now, with respect to the Kitikmeot Campus and Mine Training Centre that is being developed to teach mine trades, there will be different courses for the various mining trades based on the jobs at our mines.
Let’s be clear that the Kitikmeot centre isn’t solely for the residents of the Kitikmeot and it is open to all Nunavummiut.
As per my earlier comments, I believe this is the third campus we have, as we have a campus here in Iqaluit, there is a campus in the Kivalliq region for trades training, and now this centre for mine trades training in that campus.
This just goes right along with the Sivumut Abluqta Mandate to train whoever they can train in Nunavut or to have training programs in Nunavut.
The campus in the Kitikmeot, although it will be located in Cambridge Bay, is open to all residents of Nunavut, with students from the Baffin, Kivalliq, and Kitikmeot regions.
We will be building the residence, as our expectations are that students will arrive from all corners of Nunavut to take the mine trades training courses.
With respect to the actual question regarding a new facility, I can’t answer that right now, but once the new campus has started up and is offering programs, we also expect students from the Baffin region to attend those programs.
If I understood you correctly, the college now has three campuses. As Nunavut Arctic College, are you telling me as well as Nunavummiut that we will never have four campuses?
At this current time, that is the plan we are following to date.
We currently have the three campuses and I am not insinuating that there will never be a fourth campus.
I was just reporting on what our plans are in this current fiscal year.
Once the campus in Cambridge Bay is up and running, as it obviously is being started up, it will finally be the third campus ever since we started creating campuses here in Nunavut.
The news contains many stories about development, particularly in the Baffin region, that mining development is growing exponentially.  There is another project near Iqaluit we hear of and that is the Peregrine Diamond project, as well as another project adjacent to Hall Beach and obviously, about the start-up of the mine at Mary River.
These projects will require employees. The Mary River project is amongst the largest and possibly longest-lived mine based on the reserves.
The Government of Nunavut has continually stated this principle that wherever possible, students will be taught at the closest institution to their homes, as this allows for greater completion of the courses, and the Department of Education is always making that statement.
Due to the high number of positions available at Mary River in particular, the Kitikmeot mine training centre may, indeed, be a great place to teach mine trades, as people prefer a well set-up facility.
However, the principle of adjacency means wherever possible, we will clamour for a facility closer to home.
This is one of the core principles of this government.
Now, as we are in the Fourth Legislative Assembly, can this government consider a Baffin-specific facility? Due to Pond Inlet’s proximity, it would seem to be the most viable option. Will a creation of a mine trades training centre be considered?
I also thank my colleague about his concerns related to training programs.
The campus in Cambridge Bay isn’t yet operational or even offering courses that we are trying to open in the Kitikmeot region, with the ongoing work to complete the residences that we expect to be completed by March 2015.
We would prefer to have students from the Baffin region taking the training once it is operational.
However, the last point the member raised is one we will have to discuss with all Members of this House if we are going to contemplate ideas of that nature.
With the availability of spaces at the campus, it will not just be open to residents of the Kitikmeot, as it is for all residents of Nunavut. Furthermore, the campus in Rankin Inlet is also full with people taking the trades program from all over Nunavut at the trades training centre.
The courses are full with students from all over Nunavut.
We have the same expectations with the campus in the Kitikmeot region and we fully expect Nunavummiut to take advantage of the courses.
From my perspective, I am not too worried about the actual location due to this reason.
As long as these programs are open to prospective students who wish to work in those fields from anywhere in Nunavut, it is my priority.
I, too, think along the same lines as the minister, as long as people could at least have an opportunity to train not just for the residents of the Kitikmeot, Kivalliq, or Qikiqtaaluk.
As the minister said, training opportunity should be available to everyone.
I appreciate the campus in the Kitikmeot, but I’m not talking about that right now nor am I talking about the trade school in the Kivalliq. I appreciate that they’re there and I hope they are fully taken advantage of.
If I may, I want to ask a different question.
The future of jobs in mining in this is, indeed, very bright. In fact, the number of jobs will increase so much.
For example, in Mary River, a lot of people are brought in from the south because our people are not sufficiently trained.
Here we are taking the stand that so long as our people have the opportunity for training.
Wouldn’t it be appropriate, take the Qikiqtaaluk for example, or in my case, Pond Inlet, to have another campus built there with the view that since mining jobs will be so many, there likely will be a lot of people who will want to become trained.
If so, the proposed school in the Kitikmeot will not likely have the capacity to train every applicant.
When one thinks of what I just mentioned, I want to ask the question again about reconsidering building another mining school in the Qikiqtaaluk or in Pond Inlet by our government.
There is no question that we thoroughly look for ideas from anyone. We are always open and would welcome any suggestions. I look forward to the opening of the mining school so that anyone who wants to be trained can get into various careers in mining, such as millwrights, welders, and other professions.
Once that school is open, people from all over Nunavut will have the opportunity to acquire the skills to take on the jobs that mining will provide.
So, yes, we do really want to hear good ideas anytime.
I had asked a different minister earlier along the same lines, so let me ask a question in the same train of thought.
We can deliberate the issue until tomorrow or for the next 20 years.
In this Fourth Assembly, can this issue be researched and a decision of some sort made?
If and when the need arises and the process requires that this be discussed, then it would be considered.
We can’t just create something out of the blue without going through processes and thinking about them.
At this time, I can’t say it can never be done or it will be done. We do, however, always welcome suggestions.
So that I will understand correctly, since you say that you’re open to new ideas, will you be taking this into consideration now?
As I stated, this is what we do all the time, that we welcome and seriously consider them.
We will, indeed, take those ideas into consideration.
I will ask along a different line while the minister is deliberating when he will put in a school in Pond Inlet.
In relation to the department’s proposed budget, I am looking at a completely different issue related to adult education, the ones in 2014-15 that you have identified previously, block capital estimates included funding under the Department of Community and Government Services for preplanning for a new CLC in Kugaaruk.
Why does this project no longer appear in your five-year capital plan? Why is it that the CLC that was planned for Kugaaruk simply disappeared?
Once we consult with Community and Government Services, we will be able to return to your question with an answer.
I at least have another thing to look forward to, so I thank you.
Hon. Minister, let me ask you simply for the purpose of clarification.
We want to teach adults in the communities with various courses, but Arctic College never seems to offer the courses that we want offered in our communities.
It is regrettable that we don’t always get our wish list considered.
With regard to community learning centres in our communities, if we want them expanded because they’re becoming overcrowded, who do we have to convince that, for instance, our CLC is now too small?
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): Sorry about the little delay. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
There have to be reasons why there would need to be those things. There are things to consider, such as increasing number of jobs and an expanding population, so there’s a need to teach those courses at the community level.
To date, we have not been informed, for example, by Pond Inlet or any other community about the need to expand the local CLCs.
Every year, we review the status of the CLCs and what they need for renovation.
You talked about Pond Inlet. We have not heard anything from Pond Inlet and whether the CLC there needs to be expanded or what other things need to be done.
I wasn’t talking specifically about Pond Inlet.
I was talking about Nunavut in general and any community college in Nunavut that may need to be expanded.
My question is: who would we have to get in touch with? For example, if we want to raise issues about education in the community, we can approach the local DEA.
I know that Arctic College has a board of directors, but who do the people in the community have to approach?
Is it through the local hamlet or is it someone else?
I ask this question so that people in the communities will then know what the process is with this.
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank my colleague for seeking clarification.
I would urge that the adult educators in the community be approached or contact the president of Arctic College directly.
Anyone who wants their local CLC to be expanded or anything done, communities each have adult educators and I encourage people to go see them.
Perhaps I didn’t make my question clear.
For example, the adult educator works for you and I don’t think the educator would want to tell you something that you wouldn’t like to hear.
That is how government workers generally are; they’re reluctant to talk openly.
What I was trying to ask is, for example, if little Josephie Inuk from Pond Inlet tells you that our community learning centre is now too small and we’re asking you to expand it, most of the time no one would pay serious attention to him because he’s just an ordinary Joe.
Organizations tend to be paid more attention.
I’m asking who I can approach to represent me, who would be listened to when they tell you, “Hey, there needs to be an expansion of the community learning centre.”
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): I understand your question. Thank you for the question. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
We are happy to hear things of this nature. Perhaps your hamlet could even communicate these types of things to us so that they could be directed to the president of the college.
However, we need to know that there is a process relating to new capital projects. It is a long process of planning to go through. You can’t just suddenly get a million from here and there on your own.
I believe people generally know this kind of process is to be expected.
Yes, we definitely do want to hear, including local municipal governments, from local people on issues my colleague raises.
We are dealing with the capital estimates for Nunavut Arctic College.
Following my list of names, Mr. Savikataaq.
I would like to ask the minister. In your 2014-15 capital estimates, it included funding for CG&S to do a preplanning study for the Arviat Teacher Education Centre.
This project does not appear in the 2016-2020 five-year capital plan.
Can you provide an update on this project?
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank my colleague for asking that question.
I can say at this time that we don’t have the detailed information in regard to the member’s question.
Perhaps we can get back to the member with our response.
Also, in your 2014-15 capital estimates, you have included funding for CG&S to do another preplanning study for the equipment training centre component of the trades training centre in Rankin Inlet.
While this project remains on the books for 2016-2020, it is not clear when it will begin.
We also don’t have that detailed information, I apologize, but I can also get back to the member in regard to the question.
It is a very good question.
Mr. Savikataaq: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Let’s try a third one.
Just a clarification on the community learning centre in Whale Cove. In your opening comments, you said that it is scheduled to be initiated in 2015-16 with a $1 million budget, but in your substantiation sheet, it says that you have already spent $1.4 million on this project.
Just a clarification on what the $1.4 million was spent on if the building is not being built.
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would also like to thank my colleague for asking that question.
In regard to Whale Cove, let’s be aware that to date, we have not started the construction, but we expect to see the tender in March 2015.
Perhaps, Mr. Chairman, through you, I will have the president of Nunavut Arctic College supplement my response.
President of Nunavut Arctic College, Mr. Ma.
The member raises a good question.
At this point, I think he’s right.
We haven’t started construction.
It would seem odd that there would be prior expenditures, so it’s something that we will look into and, through you, we will get back to the member.
I’ll ask the minister. $1.4 million was spent or might have been spent, but they don’t know what it’s for.
They budgeted $1 million for 2015-16.
I’ll just ask him now. For 2016-17, he has nearly $1.8 million for the same project.
Are these figures correct, that it’s going to be a $4.3 million learning centre?
To top it off, in his substantiation sheet, he says that the daycare portion has been removed from the project.
They’re building less and appear to be spending more.
With respect to the daycare centre, the plan is to still have it attached as we have already stated that any new community learning centre anywhere in Nunavut or if there is to be an expansion of an existing facility, a daycare centre will always be included.
The centre in Whale Cove will include a daycare as part of the project.
I can only go by what the substantiation sheet says and it clearly states that the daycare has been removed from this project plan, so that’s why I’m asking.
That’s one part and he didn’t answer the other part. They already spent $1.4 million. They’re going to spend $1 million in 2015-16 and another $1.8 million in 2016-17.
Is that all correct?
The minister stated that the daycare is going ahead, but the substantiation sheet says that it has been removed.
I will just reiterate the fact that the daycare is still a part of the project, so I just wanted to clarify that.
Every new facility associated with Nunavut Arctic College, whether it is a community learning centre, will include a daycare and this will continue.
Perhaps the president of Nunavut Arctic College can provide further details, with your permission, Mr. Chairman.
I see where there is the discrepancy that the member mentioned with the substantiation sheet. I looked at our own note here. There are probably some errors in the substantiation sheet.