EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
We started being taught about the Bible, which I am not talking against, and shamanism was taken from the people.
I have constituents that know a lot about shamanism.
They have a lot of knowledge in this area but it seemed that there wasn’t a lot of respect for Inuit when they first arrived.
I would like to ask unanimous consent to complete my statement Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: The member is requesting unanimous consent to conclude his statement.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker and my colleagues.
We need to encourage and incorporate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
People from the south that moved to Nunavut need to respect it.
As Members of the Legislative Assembly, we need to respect the knowledge of our elders.
So I would just like to encourage our people to respect Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and the values of our elders.
In the past there were a lot of very respectable people and if we want our children to have a good future we need to set an example and respect our elders and their values, including shamanism and other areas.
We need to respect the activities that our elders used to participate in like drum dancing because our young people are starting to get confused as to where they are really from.
So let’s respect our elders so that our children will know what we should be moving towards.
Member’s Statement 420 - 1(5): Infrastructure Needs for Non-Decentralized Communities
I rise today to speak about the smaller communities that are non-decentralized.
We as Members of the Legislative Assembly often hear about the work that is being done in decentralized communities, they are building offices and jobs are opening up in those communities.
I feel that other communities that are smaller need to be visited to see what services are available and the status of the buildings.
Mr. Speaker, presently in my constituency they are putting together a video of what kind of buildings are in the community and I feel that we need to treat the communities fairly in putting in infrastructure.
So, once that video is available I will make it available to the members just so that the members will know what infrastructure is in our community.
Member’s Statement 421 – 1(5): NTI President’s Dinner
I rise today to show my appreciation to the members and to the elders and colleagues that attended the feast held on behalf of the new President of NTI.
I appreciate your appearance at the feast Mr. Speaker.
My parents and my family have not spoken up to show our appreciation to the people of Nunavut when my younger sister Cathy Towtongie was elected.
When she ran for her position, it is something that she worked hard toward and she has been elected.
She spoke last night about working towards this goal and when she spoke, I was thinking that her time has finally come where she is able to speak out on what she has been working towards.
She has done well in her schooling.
I really appreciate the support that she has received and I believe that she has worked very hard to get where she is today.
I am very proud of her.
I thank the members for attending as she spoke last night.
Member’s Statement 422 – 1(5): Niqinik Nuatsivik Benefit Dinner
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of the House another successful event that took place in our capital city last night.
Mr. Speaker, last night the Niqinik Nuatsivik food bank had its very first, and hopefully it will be an on-going event, benefit dinner last night at Wizards Café.
I'd like to acknowledge a number of local people that have been working very hard for the last few years to establish a food bank here in Iqaluit.
I am sure the people that rely on that service are very appreciative to those individuals.
Mr. Speaker, I know during these tough financial times that we find ourselves in, a service like this is an unfortunate necessity.
Mr. Speaker, apparently there were around 40 participants that were there last night and they had a very good arctic char dinner, which everyone enjoyed.
There were also numerous cash donations that were made by people that participated in the event.
I don’t know the extent of the funds that were raised last night but I understand that those numbers will be finalized by tomorrow.
They also had Mr. Speaker, a karaoke machine there last night and I understand that went over quite well as being very entertaining.
Mr. Speaker, I plan on making a cash donation to the food bank for support in lieu of being able to attend last night due to prior commitments.
I would like to inform any other members that if they too would like to make a donation they can contact me and make sure it gets forwarded on to the food bank.
Member’s Statement 423 – 1(5): Sanikiluaq Feast
I rise to talk about an event last January in my constituency when government officials came and met in Sanikiluaq.
The people of Sanikiluaq warmly welcomed the officials and they were able to get together in the community hall where a feast was held.
It was standing room only.
I appreciate the welcome my community gave.
Member’s Statement 424 – 1(5): Bingo at Elks - Speaker
First of all, I would like to pass on my congratulations to Cathy also.
I was not able to attend last night as I was in a wastewater recycling program meeting in Apex last night.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to continue our assembly’s Friday Members’ Statement tradition.
Mr. Speaker, over the years many Nunavut residents have and continue to be involved with a participatory event here in Iqaluit through the medium of TV and also in public forums, Iqaluit residents can be found enjoying this practice.
Mr. Speaker, this past week as many members know, my mother has been visiting Iqaluit.
She joined with my wife and our neighbour to attend the gathering.
To her surprise Mr. Speaker, a very distinguished gentleman was also present at this gathering.
He was very aggressive Mr. Speaker, he did everything possible, and I mean everything possible to win.
Mr. Speaker, at one point he even suggested that he would chair or even call the meeting.
Mr. Speaker, in the end common sense prevailed and he was not Mr. Speaker, he was not allowed to do this.
Mr. Speaker, this distinguished gentleman, Mr. Speaker, who tried so hard to win, who participated with my wife and my mother and other Iqaluit residents was no other than you Mr. Speaker, it was you.
Mr. Speaker, it was you who tried to win bingo at the Elks and Mr. Speaker you surprised everyone in attendance at the bingo by your offer to even call the bingo and play at the same time.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to say Mr. Speaker that my mother didn’t win and my wife did not win but Mr. Speaker neither did you.
So in Inuktitut I would say anniqpanna to you.
Mr. Speaker, it gives me very great pleasure to welcome to the gallery a very good friend of mine and a constituent.
A man with whom I have had several discussions in the past week and several weeks on Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and the involvement of culture into the Department of Health and Social Services.
He actually stopped me a few days ago and talked to me for some time about Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit within the Department of Health and Social Services.
I appreciate his advice and his wisdom and I would like to take this opportunity to welcome to the gallery Mr. Andrew Tagak. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
First of all I would like to welcome my wife who is here for the first time, Rosie.
If somebody does not know the individual that is sitting beside her, Mr. Tagak, I would also like to recognize him as well.
My late father in the 1920’s was one of the whalers with his father.
My father also has a brother who lives in Resolute Bay so Andrew Tagak is my cousin and I would like to welcome both my wife and Andrew.
Item 6. Oral Questions. Mr. Irqittuq.
Question 421 – 1(5): Responses to After Hours Calls
I think today is my day, I’ve been first on several things.
I already asked this question of the Minister of Justice.
I just wondered whether the communities outside of Iqaluit have to call the 1-800 number for the RCMP before they can get any help or services in the communities.
That was my question and he told me that he would give me an answer today.
Is he ready to give me an answer?
Mr. Speaker, in communities where we have two RCMP Officers they are on call as the member knows, 24 hours a day.
At times Mr. Speaker, after hours calls are automatically transferred to, it is my understanding that calls are automatically transferred to in this case, the Iqaluit detachment for services after hours.
Mr. Speaker, the actual information for the member’s question, I took the question as notice the other day and I want to get the complete answer to the question including other communities in Nunavut.
I don’t have that information with me yet and I will provide that information as I said earlier to the member.
I don’t have the information for today, Mr. Speaker.
I apologize to the member that I haven’t received the information yet from the Department of Justice but I will provide it under the time frame as acknowledged by this House and its Rules and the question is taken as notice.
As the question was taken as notice, the minister has 21 days to respond so we will move on.
Question 422 – 1(5): Training Opportunities for Youth in the Mining Sector
To the Minister of the Department of Sustainable Development.
I will be speaking in Innuinaqtut a little.
We all know that the mining companies are increasing in the Kugluktuk area and the employment is improving in our region.
As we all know some of the people are not qualified for a number of positions unless they take some kind of a course.
I'd like to ask the Minister of Sustainable Development if there would be any training for young people who are interested in working for the mining industry. I want to know if there is any training available to get a job in the mining industry.
I know that mining is developing near some of the communities in Nunavut and there are also some mines that are closing down.
What we have been trying to do is get some training for people that would like to work in the mines, with the mining companies.
I will be working with the Department of Education to try to get some training for those people who would like to be employed with the mining companies.
This is an on-going thing that we are doing and it will not be done right away.
We will do our best to make sure there is training given to those people who would like to work in the mines in the Nunavut area.
Yes, Mr. Speaker we feel that it is very important that we train those people to work in the mines and perhaps not just in the Kitikmeot region but also in the Kivalliq and the Baffin regions.
We all realize that the mines will be here, they will be more visible in the near future, and we would like to have a plan whereby we could train the people.
Thank you for your answer minister.
I would like to ask a supplementary.
Are you going to be meeting with some of these mining industry officials in the near future and if they are going to be hiring are they going to make some training available for the people who want to work in that industry.
We will consult with the different mining companies and talk to the various companies and we would like to work alongside them as the Government of Nunavut and the Department of Education to try to do some planning for training people that would like to work in the mines.
Especially for the youth out there, because of the fact that more mines are starting up in the future in the Nunavut area.
We don't know exactly when this training will take place but we will keep the members informed.
There will be a major meeting of mining companies in Toronto in the near future and I will talk with them as well at the conference.
Mr. Havioyak (interpretation): Thank you minister for your answers.
I would like to know, let’s use BHP and Diavik Mines for example.
When will you be meeting with BHP and Diavik?
When are you going to be meeting with them?
If we don’t have the proper information how are we going to know what kinds of jobs or positions are available in these mining industries.
What jobs are available?
We have to get that information from those mining industries.
We will be meeting with them at the beginning of April.
There is going to be a mining symposium in Cambridge Bay so just before that, I will get my officials to try to meet those companies that you mentioned so we can plan for the training of people to be employed and what types of jobs are needed.
So during the Nunavut mining symposium in Cambridge Bay in April I will get my officials to meet with those mining companies at that time.
Question 423 – 1(5): Traditional Knowledge & Studies of Fish Stocks
Yesterday I made a statement about the Sylvia Grinnell River and the ban on net fishing in that river.
I would like to ask the Minister of Sustainable Development about their traditional knowledge in regards to hunting and fishing or whether those types of traditional knowledge have been utilized to manage the fish in that area.
Exactly what kinds of input have they been receiving?
I believe the member is talking about the banning of fishing in the Sylvia Grinnell River.
It was closed in the past for some time, a little while back if I can remember correctly and it has since been opened.
Perhaps the people in Iqaluit know the area and the fish stocks and I know that my colleague knows the area as well.
So I know there is Inuit traditional knowledge that is being used along with the wildlife, fisheries and oceans people studying that.
I like the minister’s response but I would also like to ask another question.
From the time that we can remember, we lived from the wildlife in Nunavut.
We know there are a lot of people that are polluting areas where we continue to fish.
I just want to tell the minister that the hunters should be given the priority over these resources. I just wondered if the minister knows about people that pollute or over-hunt, and those people should not be allowed to hunt or fish.
I just wondered if those people who damage the environment are the ones that are being banned from doing these things.
There is legislation to protect the environment and if there is damage then there are consequences for those that are polluting the environment so the wildlife and fish are not harmed.
We have to realize that pollution to the environment has to be monitored very carefully because we don’t want our fish stocks and other marine mammals harmed.
We have to make sure those people are watched by Fisheries and Oceans or by our department so pollution is not spread around our environment.
For example, mines are one of the main things that pollute the environment so we are looking into these types of things as well.
These are the people that we have banned from fishing.
I liked his response.
But for the people who contaminate the environment, I know we have not stopped the industries even though we have rules and regulations about that.
But then we ban the hunters and we don’t stop the companies who contaminate or pollute the environment.
So therefore I would like a better understanding.
According to our rules, when have we applied the rules against these people.
I don’t have that information with me right now.
I will provide the information to the member here with a list of what has been stopped due to contaminants.
I will get the information and get it back to the member.
Also, we do have the Nunavut Impact Review Board and the Nunavut Water Board.
I will look into this further and find out from these federal officials.
Question 424 – 1(5): Capital Planning – Airport Terminal Buildings
Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for Transportation in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, in one of my communities I know there are plans in the future for the airport terminals.
They are getting too small.
It is okay when small airplanes come into our community.
But the other community that I have in my constituency is a decentralized community.
These terminals were built in the 1970s when the population was still quite small but today our population is over one thousand people.
We have a decentralized community and the airport terminal is getting too small and inadequate.
So I would like to ask the Minister responsible for Community Government and Transportation what capital plans they have in regards to this issue.
Nunavut’s airport terminal infrastructure is old and we are aware of that in the Department of Community Government & Transportation.
Mr. Speaker, our plan for all of Nunavut is to look at the infrastructure at the airports and terminals.
We will start that and also I will start talking with the federal government because our capital funding is insufficient to build the terminals that are required.
Mr. Puqiqnak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you minister for responding that you have plans to look at the communities in Nunavut and their terminals.
But in your planning process, we've got another season before summer comes and I know that it is very cold at this time of year in our communities.
When Minister Ng came to visit our community it was below minus 70 in our community.
At times when the planes come in late, especially the flights that come from Yellowknife to Gjoa Haven and it is the final stop before going to Yellowknife.
When that flight arrives the terminal is too small and the clients even have to wait outside.
Can't we build an extension to the terminal or put in an army tent there outside of the terminal so that these people would be inside to wait for the airline.
This is the very first time that I've heard about it and I will look into it to see how we can give more assistance to the community.
But in regards to the capital estimates, even though they are insufficient, I will pay particular attention to that issue and look into the Gjoa Haven airport.
Since today is Friday, I thank you for your response.
I would like to work with you but in the Kitikmeot region we have a head office over there and in the Nattilik area our airports and our recreational facilities are too small, built for tiny people.
Perhaps some of your officials are Inugaruliit, gnomes, in Cambridge Bay.
Our officials here are of normal size but I don’t know about the ones in your region.
Perhaps they are still growing over there.
Question 425 – 1(5): Economic Development Plan Update
Ms. Williams (interpretation): I apologize Mr. Speaker.
I would like to ask, for the smaller communities…
…I apologize.
For the smaller communities could he update us on economic development incentives and the progress to date?
I didn’t understand the member’s question.
Could she re-phrase her question please so I can understand what she is asking about?
Speaker: Ms. Williams repeat your question please.
My question is, he had a plan for small communities’ economic development as he was instructed by the Premier or the government.
Can he update us on that plan?
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you, now I understand the question.
For the non-decentralized communities we are working on that issue right now and we have to use the funding wisely, as there are quite a few non-decentralized communities.
In the year 2002, we will be giving more assistance to non-decentralized communities to come up with more employment perhaps through tourism and also through private businesses. Perhaps the communities that we are working with the most will go first and the other non-decentralized communities afterwards.
Due to a lack of resources, we can’t work with all the communities but we have worked with Arctic Bay, Coral Harbour, Hall Beach, Whale Cove, Chesterfield Inlet, and Taloyoak.
These are the communities that we are working with on economic development plans for non-decentralized communities.
We have been working very closely with these communities on economic development plans.
In those non-decentralized communities what new things have you established to date.
The communities, I don’t have a list of what has been put into the communities, so I can’t respond to that question.
But once I have completed a list I will make it available to the member.
I appreciate his response and I will be expecting the list so that I can inform my communities.
My other question is, the communities that I was concerned about, because of the closing of the mine it will affect tourism.
So what has been done for that community in regards to tourism?
In regards to tourism, I will be working closely with the community that is dealing with the closing of the mine.
I will work hard with the committee to get their suggestions as to what can be done and what improvements can be made with tourism for non-decentralized communities.
I believe that those communities will have their tourism affected and I will work closely with those communities to improve it.
Question 426 – 1(5): Cost Factor of RFP for Kivalliq Boarding Home
Mr. Speaker, my question today is to the Honourable Minister of Health.
Mr. Speaker, I don’t want the Minister of Health to think that I am unfairly picking on him or badgering him on the question of the Kivalliq Boarding Home.
It’s a great thing.
It’s a great thing that we are finally replacing that aged facility that was infested with all types of vermin and other animals and stuff like that.
It’s a great day when he gets around to signing the contract for the Kivalliq Boarding Home so the people in the Kivalliq don’t have to suffer through that old facility any more.
They will have a nice, modern, clean facility so when they are down there having operations or cancer treatments, it will be, finally, for them.
Because like I say, we have all been discussing it in the Kivalliq how decrepit that old home is.
Mr. Speaker, my first question today is, on the RFP for the Kivalliq Boarding Home, how much of a factor was the cost in that RFP.
Mr. Speaker the cost was one of the factors that were taken into account on the awarding of the contract or the tender for the new boarding home facility in Winnipeg.
It was one of the components that were looked at in regards to the proposals that we received.
Mr. Speaker, I heard the minister talk yesterday about another facility that is being built in that cost was a factor in deciding what type and how large that facility would be.
I am asking the minister again, how much of a factor was the cost in awarding that RFP on the Kivalliq boarding home.
Is it 10%, 20%, 30% on the RFP.
Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services.
Mr. Speaker, I don't feel badgered, battered, abused, mistreated, misinformed or maladjusted by the member's question.
I want to make it perfectly clear that I will try to give him the answers that are permissible in the confines of the Legislative Assembly.
So with that Mr. Speaker I will say, in evaluating the proposals that we received the successful proponent had the highest score for Inuit employment.
It had the highest score as a Nunavut firm and using Nunavut firms as its major supplier of goods and services.
And Mr. Speaker the successful proponent also had the lowest cost of the proposals.
I hope that puts the member at ease with the information that he requested from me.
I felt sorry for the Honourable Member yesterday in my office when after Question Period he was complaining to me of how hard a day he had.
But he finally got around to answering my question.
Am I correct in assuming that the cost factor was a major reason why this RFP will be awarded?
Mr. Speaker, sometimes even I need the advice, solace, compassion, and understanding of the members.
That is why I was in his office.
Although I went there for help in my situation, he had to tell me about his situation.
So I was actually working as a counsellor.
The answer to the member's question is that cost did provide or was a factor in the decision to award the contract.
It wasn't a sole decision.
It was a decision in one of the contract proposals according to the tendering guidelines of the Government of Nunavut.
It was one of the factors.
It was not the major factor.
There are other mitigating circumstances and as I said earlier Mr. Speaker, what is important to note was that the successful proponent had the highest Inuit employment plan and also had the highest usage of Nunavut services and Nunavut firms for services and goods.