EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
What are the Minister’s plans and we know the fishing industry brings approximately, and I said $60 million dollars a year to the economy of Nunavut.
I commend the people who are involved in the fishing industry in Nunavut.
It sounds like a tremendous amount of money to me as a business man, as it is.
Is the Minister looking at trying to double or triple that amount in the strategy and what are his plans?
We just came back from Ottawa from the Senate Committee on Fisheries and I believe we want to send our message that we have a $100 million dollar industry here, that we only get $9 million dollars a year.
I believe there is a lot of work to do and I’m going to continue to promote how we’re going to develop the fishing industry here in Nunavut.
I think that we’ve got to send that message to the Federal Government to make sure that we get recognised especially if they have to allocate any quota again from our adjacent waters to make sure that our fishing industry in the future will be successful.
Question 693 – 1(6): Social Assistance Appeal Board Training
On October 30th there was a statement on the appeal board and there were appointments of six individuals to this appeal board.
Who will be training these members on the policies and regulations on social assistance and other issues?
If my worker is listening, please take out the caribou meat so we can thaw it out for a snack during our break.
(interpretation end) The training for the appeal board members will be provided by the Income Support Director and my staff in the department at the headquarter level.
Please invite us for the caribou during our break.
In regards to the Social Assistance Appeal Board, this is going to be a board that will be providing a service to all the residents of Nunavut.
I believe there used to be a three member board.
Are they going to have equal representation from all Nunavut communities?
Do they have local appeal boards in Nunavut communities?
If there are not enough ulus, I have a few in my office.
I’m talking to my staff.
Yes, there are local appeal committees at the community level.
Quite a few of us have applied for income support and the social worker is usually provided training in the rules and regulations and policies.
In regards to the local appeal committees, who will be providing training on the policies, rules and regulations for them?
That was a message to Phil.
He should be running by now, Phil, the blue box in the trunk.
I will get the name and I will get the details and give them to the Member who trains the local people on the appeals of income support.
I know we’re talking about social assistance which buys food.
I don’t believe right now, people travel to communities to train the appeal boards committee in each community.
Can the Minister clarify that there will be training and if so, who will train these people?
My staff will train these people and I don’t know how it will be done but we’ll make sure that they get trained.
Speaker: Members, just for the record, you realize that the question was taken as notice by the Premier for the Minister on the 31st of October, so therefore it will be stricken from the record of the status page.
Question 694 – 1(6): Changes to the Policies on Social Services
My question is for the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.
He is going to be coming out with a report on work that was done by the suicide prevention and I’m sure that in there, there will be some comments on the policies and procedures that social workers use in dispensing with their work.
Does the Minister have any plans to change the rules and policies that social workers work under so that it would reflect more the needs and wishes of the people of Nunavut?
Speaker: Just a reminder to Members that we have approximately seven minutes left on the clock and still a number of people yet to speak.
So, seven minutes left.
Mr. Speaker I just want to say very quickly, it is very nice to see so many people here today, especially the teens about suicide; that was a very difficult task we asked the Members to do.
Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct, there are several recommendations within the report; it hasn’t been tabled yet, but I can say we’ve already set up an interdepartmental team to review the recommendations of the task force.
It went to the committee of Deputy Ministers and I would expect, Mr. Speaker, that some of the recommendations including the way social workers interact with the client will be one of the ones we review at that time.
Just one more question and that I would advise the Minister to also pass the recommendations and observations to the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit committee that the Minister of Culture Language Elders and Youth  has just announced in order to make sure that the wishes of the people are reflected in whatever policies and programs that the Minister comes out with.
Speaker: I take that as a comment. Oral Questions.
Question 695 – 1(6): Plans to Teach Traditional Knowledge
Today, parents work extremely hard to provide for their children.
We are not teaching children traditional ways anymore, yet because of the harsh climate in Nunavut, our youth need survival skills and on the land skills.
There are many training programs that we should be providing to our youth in relation to our traditional knowledge.
What kind of plans do you have so that our youth will be taught survival skills, traditional clothing making and tools?
There are very few Inuit now who know the traditional methods and have skills to survive up here.
What kinds of plans do you have so that we can pass on traditional knowledge to our youth?
Speaker: Mr. Alakannuark, in the absence of the Minister, I’d ask the Premier to take the question.
Yes, from what I know, we are trying to set up traditional teachings that are Nunavut relevant.
We have been working on this for quite a while, but we’re not at the final stages yet. We do have a panel who meets to talk about the training programs that will be provided to youth.
I will inform the Minister about the concerns of our Member.
All of the Nunavut communities have schools established.
We would like to see the elders teach traditional skills in the school environment.
Do you have any plans so that we can have the elders teach those skills?
Yes, we provide funding to the council and there are elders who come in to teach the elementary grades.
You stated that you have those set up in the school environment.
How many years do you expect to fully implement this traditional curriculum?
We have been working on this because we want to implement it in all the Nunavut schools.
We want to pass on our traditional knowledge, language and skills to the school population.
We would like to see Inuktitut taught in the schools.
Of course, it is not going to be implemented right away since we’re in the planning stages.
We are putting together the curricula and once they’re made available, we will be producing them in the schools.
But there has to be a planning stage and the final stage before it’s fully implemented.
The Premier responded to my question, but not fully.
My question was in which year or in how many years will you be implementing this?
I do want to give him an adequate response, but since Nunavut was created, we have been working on it and this year is where we give them an additional 2 million dollars so that they can fast track the planning stage.
As I stated earlier, we are setting up the program.
We will ask for advice from the people out there and then we’ll find out when we will be able to implement it.
I cannot say what year, but we do need to have everything in place and it depends on whether the whole thing is well received by the people of Nunavut or not.
Written Question 021 – 1(6): Lena Pederson Boarding Home
This question is directed to the Honourable Ed. Picco, Minister of Health and Social Services.
Question one.
What is the policy for the assignment of beds at the Lena Pederson Kitikmeot Boarding Home?
Are residents from Kugluktuk, Cambridge Bay, Gjoa Haven, Taloyoak and Kugaaruk traveling to Yellowknife for medical purposes given priority over other Nunavut residents for accommodation at the Lena Pederson Kitikmeot Boarding Home?
Number Three.
Are Nunavut residents traveling to Yellowknife for medical purposes given priority over non-Nunavut residents for accommodation at the Lena Pederson Kitikmeot Boarding Home?
Number four.
What are the accommodation policies that apply to the operation of the Lena Pederson Kitikmeot Boarding Home?
Number five.
Does the Lena Pederson Kitikmeot Boarding Home meet all of the contractual requirements of Nunavut’s Department of Health and Social Services?
If not, what specific contractual obligations are not being met?
If the Lena Pederson Kitikmeot Boarding Home does not meet all of the contractual requirements of Nunavut’s Department of Health and Social Services, what options are being considered by the Department to ensure compliance?
Petition 009 – 1(6): Medical Travel
Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring forward a petition from the people of Broughton Island.
I was with the Health and Social Services Minister in Qikiqtarjuaq and the people of Qikiqtarjuaq have been having problems for three years with medical travel.
There are 164 signatures petitioning to improve the medical travel system.
Petition 010 – 1(6): Community Hall in Gjoa Haven - Expansion
Mr. Speaker, I have a petition to table from the people of Gjoa Haven about the community hall.
They would like to have their community hall expanded to meet with the occupancy capacity requirements of the fire marshal of Nunavut.
The Hamlet of Gjoa Haven signed this petition asking for a larger community hall.
There are 205 signatures.
Report 022 – 1(6): Bill 36 – An Act to Amend the Workers Compensation Act – COW Review of Bill
Mr. Speaker, I wish to report that Bill 36, an Act to Amend the Worker’s Compensation Act has been reviewed by the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Services, and that the Bill, as amended, and reprinted is ready for Consideration in the Committee of the Whole.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek and ask consent to waive Rule 68(5), and have Bills 36 moved to the Committee of the Whole for today.
There is a request to waive Rule 68(5) so that the Standing Committee report on Bill 36 can be immediately referred to the Committee of the Whole.
Bill 36 is referred to the Committee of the Whole for today.
Tabled Document 148 – 1(6): Letter From Tagak Curley Re: Bill 12
Hon. Manitok Thompson: Mr. Speaker, I have a letter from Tagak Curley who has asked me to table his letter statement on Bill 12, the Human Rights Act and Definitions of Marriage.
The new legislation, if approved by the current Members of the Assembly without changes would make sexual orientation one of the prohibited grounds for discrimination.
The current Government of Nunavut and the MLAs in support of this provision, in effect, would amend the Bible, and prevent gospel preachers freedom to preach the word of God.
Tabled Document 149 – 1(6): Minutes from Kivalliq Regional Mayors’ Meeting
The Minutes of the Kivalliq Regional Mayor’s Meeting, September 2, 2003, in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut.
Tabled Document 150 – 1(6): Inungni Sapujiijiit Task Force - Report
Mr. Speaker, in response to Motion 012-1(6) made by the MLA for Amittuq, Enoki Irqittuq, I wish to table the following document Inungni Sapujiijiit Taskforce on Suicide Prevention and Community Healing.
It is called, “Our Word Must Come Back To Us.”
Mr. Speaker, at this time I would also like, again, to invite the Members to join mebetween 6:30 and 7:00, in the Grand Hall in the Foyer to meet the Taskforce members and talk about some of the issues around suicide and the work that they have done on behalf and for all Nunavummiut.
Tabled Document 151 – 1(6): Nunavut Power Corporation Second Annual Report for Fiscal Year ended March 31, 2003
Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure, as I said earlier, to table before Nunavut’s Legislative Assembly the Second Annual Report for March 31st, 2003 Fiscal Year End for the Nunavut Power Corporation.
As many of the Members already know, the Power Corporation ended the 2003 fiscal in a deficit.
However, the deficit of approximately $7.9 million dollars is considerably, considerably lower than the deficit of approximately $13 million dollars that we had anticipated earlier in the year.
The Power Corporation has implemented numerous fiscal management, and financial management, and other budgeting systems since the Auditor General’s Spring, 2003 Review.
Tabled Document 152 – 1(6): Nunavut Literary Prize Guidelines
Mr. Speaker, I mentioned earlier, Mr. Speaker, that I would table a document about the Nunavut Literacy Awards.
Tabled Document 153 – 1(6): Retiring Allowances Fund
Tabled Document 154 – 1(6): Supplementary Retiring Allowances Fund
Members, I have two documents Tabled.
First are the Financial Statements for the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Fund for the year ending March 31st, 2003.
The second one is for the Financial Statements of the Assembly Supplementary Retiring Allowances Funds through the year ending March 31st, 2003.
Do we have any further Tabling of Documents?
If not, we will move on to Item 14.
Bill 49 – An Act to Amend the Safety Act - Notice
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Mr. Speaker, I give Notice that on Thursday, November the 6th, I will move that Bill 49, an Act to Amend the Safety Act be read for the first time.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters, Bill 12, Bill 36 and Bill 41 with Mr. Irqittuq as the Chairperson and in the accordance with the authority provided to me by Motion 2-1(6), Committee of the Whole will stay in Session until it reports itself out.
And before we proceed to Committee of the Whole, we will take a 20-minute break before we return.
>>House recessed at 15:57 and resumed at 16:31
Chairman (Mr. Irqittuq) (interpretation): Thank you for coming to Committee of the Whole.
We will commence our meeting.
We will be dealing with Bill 12, 41 and 46.
The committee would like to begin with Bill 12, the Human Right’s Act.
Are there any opening remarks?
Mr. Chairman, it is my pleasure to appear before this committee to speak about the Human Rights legislation, which I introduced at the fall 2002 session of the Legislative Assembly in Pangnirtung, and which received second reading at that time.
Each one of us in this first Nunavut Legislature has a special role to play in building the future of our public government.
We are setting the path for future legislators by encoding the basic values that we all hold dear.
We are building for the future because we remember the past.
As Inuit, we have all felt the lash of discrimination.
This Human Rights Act is a major step forward in our ability to deal with these matters closer to home.
There has been a lot of confusion about just what this piece of legislation is meant to address.
There has been public speculation that this is about redefining marriage and family relations.
I want to be as clear as possible in saying that is not correct.
Let me be perfectly clear about what we are dealing with.
We are dealing with the history of discrimination that we have all felt.
We are dealing with a reality that is still with us today such as being denied access to establishments and services because we are Inuit.
That is the only issue that is before us and that is the issue that we as Nunavummiut must say clearly is not acceptable.
The Nunavut Human Rights Act will mean that we no longer have to appeal to federal laws or bodies to deal with those prejudices.
Our Human Rights legislation will reflect the unique concerns of Nunavummiut, keeping in mind Inuit culture and values.
Failure to enact this legislation means we will continue to have the Federal system apply in Nunavut, a system that is time consuming and does not reflect our society.
I believe that this new legislation will enhance the recognition and protection of the basic Human Rights of all Nunavummiut.
For the first time, we will have a made-in-Nunavut legislation relating to this important part of our lives.
Currently, we have both Territorial legislation, the Fair Practises Act and federal legislation, the Canadian Human Rights Act, which govern human rights in Nunavut.
Neither of the existing Acts gives any recognition to Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and this one, and this is one of the improvements that we have included in the new Legislation.
The Bill before you is a result of a lengthy consultation process that has benefited from the participation of many Nunavummiut, including representatives of NTI and the regional Inuit organizations, the Nunavut Status of Women Council and many others with an interest in this area.
Since the Nunavut Human Rights Act will replace the Canadian Human Rights Act, we have consulted the Federal Government on this matter.
We have been mindful that as a public government representing a largely minority population, we have a special role to play in protecting human rights.
We have made every effort to ensure that the provisions for administering this Act are kept simple and publicly accessible.
We have also committed to providing further public information on this Act prior to its implementation so that Nunavummiut can have a full understanding of its rights and protections.
This Human Rights Act reinforces the belief that we all have responsibilities to guarantee that every individual in Nunavut enjoys equal opportunity to a full and productive life.
As we knew with the creation of Nunavut, no people can be truly free or reach their full potential until they are allowed to do so in a climate where they are respected for who they are.
These are my Opening Remarks.
I would be pleased to answer any questions that Members may have regarding this Legislation.
The Committee Chairperson, do you have Opening Remarks?
Be happy and to my Colleagues, thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, Bill 12, the proposed Human Rights Act was referred to the Standing Committee Ajauqtiit approximately one year ago.
Over the past year, the Standing Committee has invited written submissions from the general public and from key stakeholders on the proposed legislation.
Eight submissions were received from Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, the Nunavut Status of Women Council, the Nunavut Employees Union, the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Nunavut, EGALE Canada, Iqaluit Pride and Friends of Pride and a number of law firms.
Mr. Chairman, early in its review process, the Standing Committee found that many Nunavummiut did not fully understand the intent of the proposed legislation.
The Committee found itself trying to educate the people of Nunavut about the proposed legislation and strongly felt that the Government, which introduced the legislation, did not do all it could to inform the general public about the intent of the Bill and to promote its merits.
The Department of Justice was therefore asked by the Standing Committee to develop public information on the Bill to explain its intent.
The Committee had requested that this information be distributed widely to communities and inserted in all newspapers.
However, not all of this appeared to actually happen.
Mr. Chairman, the recent high-profile federal consultations across Canada and in Nunavut on the issue of same sex marriage did not help.
In fact, it only resulted in further public confusion.
Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee held a public meeting in Iqaluit on October 1, 2003, with a view to possibly holding further community consultations.
Thirteen people attended the Iqaluit public meeting and all of the presenters were in support of the Bill with some recommendations.  Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee did submit a number of recommendations to the Minister and were pleased that motions were developed by the department to reflect the recommendations, which, if passed, will result in appropriate amendments to the Human Rights Bill.
Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee has decided to report the Bill back to the House without a formal recommendation as to its passage.
While some Members of the Committee were of the view that the Bill should now be put to a vote, others believed that further efforts on the part of the Government to consult with the general public should be undertaken.
Mr. Chairman, in the event that the Bill is passed, the Committee would encourage the Government, during its implementation phase, to give careful consideration to the location of the support structures for the new Tribunal.
Members would note, for example, that the Legal Services Board is presently located in Gjoa Haven.
This concludes my opening remarks and I anticipate that individual Members may have their own comments.
Will the Minister and his officials please go to the witness table?
Sergeant-at-arms, please assist the Member to the witness table.
Can you please introduce your officials for the record?
I know the other individual, but can you please introduce them for the record.
To my left is the elder advisor on the issue on traditional Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
He is well known by a number of people and his name is Mr. Lucienne Okalianuk.
To my right is my Deputy Minister, Nora Saunders.
They will be at the witness table with me.
According to our rules, each Member is allowed ten minutes for general comments and once general comments are done, then we will have questions from the Members to the Minister, also for ten minutes.
Does anyone have general comments to the opening comments for the Bill 12 review? Mr. Iqaqrialu.
Mr. Chairman, I have some opinions to make regarding Bill 12, the Human Rights Act.
The intent of the bill is very encouraging and can be very beneficial to the people of Nunavut.
However, because we as a government are so new, as I said in my Member’s Statement today regarding this matter, we are finally catching up to the needs of Nunavummiut.
The needs of Nunavummiut are still many, and still have to be worked on, starting with Bill 1, the Education Act, we knocked off the order paper because we wanted further input from Inuit.
We have also put out other bills off the order paper to ensure that Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit is included in the process.
We, as Members, are working for the betterment of the future of our youth and our people.
That is what I feel I am here for.
Mr. Chairman, looking at the many tasks we have at hand today, here is how it is.
The bills, once they are introduced, we intend to make them into made-in-Nunavut legislation.
We have never seen that.
The bills that are introduced before us, they are coming from other legislatures, from other jurisdictions in Canada.
The human rights legislation that is before us, we do know that in Nunavut, we are at a disadvantage for having to enact legislation that is undesirable.
That is how much treatment we had.
Our dog teams were slaughtered and once the dog teams were slaughtered to prevent people from relocating to another community and continue living in that same community.
This was the treatment through the policies of a foreign government.
Around the 1970’s, the ITC was formed to protect the Inuit of Nunavut and elsewhere.
This is the legacy that ITC left for the protection of Inuit rights and I am hoping to do the same for the future generations.
Mr. Chairman, the intent of the Bill is very desirable but it is too early to be set up at this time when we have other needs that need addressing.
The Human Rights Legislation, if it is enacted, then our priority needs will again be ignored.
I do not feel that this Bill is made in Nunavut legislation, but having said that, we as Nunavummiut should be able to fight for the needs of our people.
I cannot support this Bill at this time, as it is, because we have greater needs that need further attention.
Once needs of Inuit have been met perhaps within ten years, or twenty years, then we could start focussing on these types of legislation once we are in a better position to deal with these types of matters.
I do believe that it is for protection from discrimination.
Our needs, the needs of Inuit, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, we are not caught up with these needs.
I cannot go forth in supporting this Bill until those needs are met.
We have been imposed on with much legislation before, there are some new infrastructure and new schools being built.