EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
We all know that social counselling is a very difficult field.
When an elder and a young person arrive at a common understanding, it is very noticeable.
That is why he asked if a position could be created within the division for a real elder, who may not be able to understand a word of English as life is a teacher, and those of us from the younger generations don’t have the wisdom resulting from our elders’ traditional lifestyles.
We are all following the paths they walked.
With that in mind, I will join in working passionately to incorporate changes to our social services.
This is with respect to those positions on this issue, so I would like the minister to respond to my question.
Yes, trying to create employment opportunities in the communities is part of our request here.
With regard to the language requirement, including our legislation pertaining to languages enacted by the government, if this requirement did not comply with these laws, then we are breaking our own laws.
How we can incorporate social counselling into our communities and how it could provide any further benefits with the seven positions we are requesting from you, they were created to provide a benefit to the communities.
That is contingent on you, the members, as to whether you approve or disapprove this request. That is your legal mandate.
Nonetheless, I want to state here that this request from the Department of Family Services isn’t meant to derogate current community practices or to alter their wishes for future practices.
It is not trying to change the way communities practise certain things, but rather to allow for further opportunities for employment that we wish to create in the communities related to social counselling methods. That is why we have requested approval to create these positions.
I wholeheartedly believe in traditional knowledge and values.
I know and I believe that if there are interested people out there, they can consider these aspects very carefully. We are trying to establish these positions at this time so that we can provide adequate services.
If they can speak and write in more than one language, it would be our preference. We believe that it’s better.
If you are interested in providing those services, we are not closed to the option of coming up with new positions and proposals.
This is about whether or not a unilingual elder can be allowed to provide counselling services.
Our youth live an alien culture compared to what Inuit traditionally practised for generations. Our youth, if not all of them, are using technology and modern lifestyles.
This is what is creating the problems. To them, our ways are alien, which is why it is important for a real elder and our youth to arrive at a common understanding.
A statement was made earlier that even a unilingual elder who may not be able to speak or write in English shouldn’t be ineligible solely for that reason.
That is why we have interpreter/translators who provide that service, either in spoken or written formats in both languages. Any commentary can now be transcribed by interpreters skilled in multi-language disciplines, especially in written English.
Although it may incur additional costs, the benefits would outweigh that. Isn’t this something that can be considered by our minister?
In Nunavut, social services deal with different organizations and communities and this will carry on.
Yes, I understand what our elders are asking for when it comes to counselling. The people who are filling the new positions will have to work very closely with the communities in collaboration with the elders.
We are stating here now that since we started, when it comes to these new positions, these social workers for the seven communities are going to be a little bit different.
We’re trying to come up with something a little bit different.
The social work or counselling that is provided today is different.
We definitely want those seven positions to be created so that the communities and different organizations within and outside of the government can be involved and so that the youth can be involved.
My deputy minister will supplement my response, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
I held a social worker position for over ten years and I actually am an elderly person, as I am getting quite old now.
What I gather from the statements of our elders is primarily the reason why we are trying to create these positions.
I really want to see workers in the communities who are intimately familiar with their communities.
It would include the direction the community is advocating.
In fact, one of the things we have considered is that part of the challenges we face in our lifestyles relate to alcohol and drugs.
Perhaps a real Inuk elder wouldn’t be able to relate to these substances and how to cope with them. Perhaps it would not be relatable to that generation and to teetotallers such as me with respect to those substances.
Those are the reasons why we would be able to have requirements for the applicants to be fluent and literate in both languages. They should speak Inuktitut and English, if possible.
This is our difficulty in trying to be in the middle of these diverging interests. I am also very grateful that MLAs have provided passionate arguments here in the House.
If the preference is to not respond to this question, I don’t mind that either.
This will most likely be party to social counselling.
I’m referring to the Inuit language. Has that consideration been included in their plans for future budget estimates?
I don’t think I quite understood his question.
If it is not related to his earlier question, then it will become obvious that I didn’t quite understand his question.
In relation to these positions and concerning future employment positions wherever and whenever they are created, it is becoming a larger consideration, at least based on what I am hearing.
I have heard the direction members wish to take.
I don’t think many positions created beforehand underwent this kind of scrutiny.
The comments made are very poignant and relevant to our deliberations and negotiations, which is what democracy is.
This is something I am quite familiar with.
Many positions within the Nunavut government have existed for quite a while now.
I take pleasure in hearing members advocating for that.
What I want to add is that there will be a need for people to be trained and educated in working with children, elders, and youth.
This has been an ongoing discussion in the House on how Inuit can be provided more assistance in the communities.
This contains quite a lot of past concerns.
Once the positions are filled, they will have to be available to the communities that don’t have services presently.
They will be able to deal with things like income support recipients and people who receive counselling, which isn’t available right now.
Presently, social workers are not able to deal with all the problems within the communities.
I know they want to do something about that, but with their workload, they end up dealing with only part of it.
Family support workers will have to work on community problems when it comes to wellness or social conditions in communities.
If I didn’t quite understand my colleague, I apologize.
Perhaps my deputy minister can supplement my response on how much work we do as the Department of Family Services with the communities.
To further elaborate on that, Family Services directors went to Clyde River.
We have heard about the Ilisaqsivik Society counsellors.
They were able to tell us what more we can do. We consulted them and visited them before I went to Family Services.
We were told how the counsellors talk about further training.
The Ilisaqsivik Society has trained counsellors. We want to train them further.
Some of them speak Inuktitut, some of them speak English, and some are unilingual.
There are many issues within this and our expectations are to have applicants who want to fill these positions.
Our considerations will be using your comments and their needs.
I don’t think they responded to my question.
This is outside the first way I asked the question.
My question is on the traditional Inuk’s language, the written language, and their training needs.
Will there be anything within the request?
If the minister didn’t understand my question, he will ask.
My new colleague, I think, knows exactly which buttons to push to make my seat a little hotter.
When speaking about languages, at the appropriate time, I will speak about language issues as I also hold that portfolio, but at this time, I think it is outside the purview of the Department of Family Services, if I understood correctly.
This can serve as relevant comments when we are dealing with the language department in front of this committee.
We are on Family Services. Corporate Management. Following my list of names, Mr. Keyootak.
Being one of the last, my questions have largely dried up, as many questions I had were answered.
However, on this same subject, something that is confusing me now that I want to ask about is what the witnesses attempted to respond to, but it seems like it was not answered.
It is regarding these seven positions that I now want to ask about.
I understand certain segments of the earlier responses. When a question was asked about the applicants and the requirement to have the ability to speak and write in English, that seemed to be the common thread in all the answers, but in my mind, they responded in the opposite way of the question posed. The usual answer is that they are not part of the HR department and that the HR department will have the discretion to screen the applicants for the job positions.
What is the intent of this response about the requirement to speak and write in English, yet when asked about that requirement, they respond that they are not the HR department and cannot screen the applicants for these positions?
Perhaps a clear answer should be provided on the question about the applicants for these positions. Are you saying that your department will have no input into the screening of the applicants or does it only apply to the requirement for applicants to have the ability to speak and write in both English and Inuktitut?
Being a government, we deal with human resource issues when positions are open. When the positions are open, they are dealt with through the human resources department and the Department of Family Services goes through that route.
As I stated earlier, the positions we want will have to be filled by bilingual people.
Today, if I speak to a young person, they won’t understand part of what I’m saying.
There are many people like that now who cannot totally understand.
I think all of us know people like that.
I think we have to consider those people and the majority of our population in Nunavut are young people.
It’s for that purpose and for people who only know Inuinnaqtun, who have not been educated that way.
I think it is for that purpose that we are requesting that they need to be bilingual.
I think this is the best route to go today.
We state that we are concerned about how we can improve communications within the government and within the Department of Family Services.
There will be others that will be involved.
If I say it in English, (interpretation ends) family resource worker, (interpretation) it is specific to families and they will make other avenues available where communities can work together to pool their resources and collaborate based on what they bring to the table.
What I stated earlier was related to the HR policy and the entire policy cannot be dealt with by the Department of Family Services since legislation already governs that process.
That is why I made that statement earlier and I am reiterating that now.
We are not playing favourites or throwing anybody under the bus. What we are trying to do is to alleviate the challenges by providing the services requested by the communities.
Let me ask this question to the same witness regarding the positions.
When these seven positions are open for competition, will it be open to everyone, Inuit and non-Inuit, or will it be specific to Inuit? Will this be open throughout the territory for anyone to apply?
Yes, it will be open for anybody to apply. Whenever jobs are advertised through newspapers and other means, it will be advertised the same way.
Nunavut Land Claims Agreement beneficiaries will be the priority as usual because that’s normal practice.
With that being the situation, I perceive it to only be open to a certain segment and not everyone.
It will not allow unilingual elders to be able to apply, although the statement was made that it will be open to the general public.
This is based on my understanding of the reality due to this requirement to speak and write in English.
That automatically cuts off a large segment of our population.
If it is only open to bilingual citizens, then unilingual Inuit won’t be able to apply to these positions.
It’s good that it is turning to this kind of debate. This is rare for a minister to hear this kind of debate.
Many jobs have been created for the Nunavut government and it’s always been the case where it’s necessary for the job to be filled by a bilingual person. It’s great to hear what you’re saying.
However, I keep repeating that these communities need someone who can work for social services.
As a government, we can’t create a job that is only available for a population that only speaks one of the languages.
That’s not the case.
These jobs have been requested especially for the smaller communities because they need additional help more so than others.
If other communities can be assisted through this, then these jobs will help those communities.
That’s all I can say on the matter, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
I completely understand the importance of these jobs locally and of the tremendous benefit they bring. It will be a boon to these communities, but I have a caveat to that understanding.
By so doing, you are depriving our most experienced, most knowledgeable Inuit elders who are most expert at counselling of that opportunity simply because they cannot write in English.
That is the regretful part of the concessions here and I find it personally demeaning.
With due respect to the applicants for these positions, we keep saying that life counselling isn’t a game. It is a deadly serious matter, affecting a person’s life.
People with a different language and culture are given that authority. Inuit have a very different culture from those who have different languages.
Whenever any type of life counselling is contemplated in Nunavut, such as these important positions, I personally feel our most capable people should be allowed to apply as well, even if they can’t write in English.
When an Inuk is wise in the old ways of counselling, they can surpass that barrier. I am extremely apologetic for that fact.
Indeed, when discussing the elders, we should be requesting their advice as to whether they would even be interested in such as position. That is the other side.
Another matter that I want to reiterate here is that we are trying to accommodate the communities’ requests or needs.
These new positions being created are not solely for dealing with social services. They will not just deal with income support or welfare. They will be heavily involved in the social counselling and services provided in their community, as they will work with various other frontline workers and elders.
They will use elders as their foundation and they will also serve as a foundation for the elders via this position. Once the position has been filled, it will finally start towards that. They will not be abandoned or left.
That is how we went about creating these positions.
There have been many other positions that went through this process, with the requirement to be bilingually fluent and literate.
I want the members to know that we are not casting aside our elders.
The Department of Family Services isn’t casting elders or anyone aside, irrespective of whether they are Inuit or non-Inuit.
Even if the people can’t speak Inuktitut, we are not casting them aside nor are we doing that with unilingual Inuit who can’t speak English.
That is not the intent here.
Be aware that you are encroaching on confidential issues. Nonetheless, if at all possible, if you can ask your questions carefully.
Let me then just comment on that remark about elders just being used as a foundation. The practice of placing elders as the foundation seems to be misnomer now. They should be deeply involved and not just used as a reference.
In particular, when it revolves around social services, they should be part and parcel of the process, not just the foundation.
I have envisioned elders within our government system, to see how we can involve our elders in this day and age, and not just be thought of as the foundation and used. I wish to see them involved in actual jobs.
Perhaps this is too deep for the system. I want to see them removed from just being an iconic foundation, but to be part of the government workforce, at least within this area.
I think many of us share that concern.
Yes, I think we share that concern universally, which is why we are passionately debating this issue.
The seven people who are successful in the applications for these positions are our first step forward.
We aren’t just speaking about elders, as elders are included in the job description, including relationships with youth, and it is in response to community wishes to create positions to alleviate our social ills, especially in the context of social services.
That is why we have included this request.
It will be a difficult proposition to hold that job, as there has never been a job much like the one contemplated here.
The communities I referenced are where the jobs will be created and that is the reason why these were created.
The comments and concerns voiced will have another avenue, as this is the first time real debate has sprung up over language issues related to jobs and the wish to include elders in our workforce in our communities within Nunavut.
Family Services. Corporate Management. Following the list of names, Mr. Akoak.
Mr. Akoak: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, minister, and staff.
Your department is very important to all Nunavummiut. They’re asking for your help, they want your help, and they do need your help.
My first question would be I just want to know what the department’s definition of “absolute homelessness” is.
Back in those days when we lived in qammait (sod houses), I remember we all had homes.
Now, even though people do not live in qammait anymore, everybody remembers living in a qammaq (sod house).
Everybody had a home back then.
It’s quite recently that I have lived in a qammaq.
It’s just an example of the way things used to be.
I know we want to go back to the way things used to be and we want everyone to have an adequate home because we don’t want to have homeless people out there.
I would like my deputy minister to respond to my colleague’s question.
The definition for “absolute homelessness” in our department and the housing corporation is when people are living in a tent, in a shack, a sea can, or somewhere.
That’s absolute homelessness.
The people who are living in an overcrowded home are the housing corporation’s responsibility.
This is the understanding between the housing corporation and poverty reduction, my department.
Mr. Akoak: Just to understand and viewing people to understand, people living in overcrowded homes are not part of absolute homelessness.
Chairman: Thank you. (interpretation) I believe that was answered, but Minister Mike, would you respond to that?
Ms. Williams: It’s the responsibility of the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Mr. Akoak: Can I ask the minister?
Okay. I’ll just go on to my next one.
In your business plan on page 127, fourth bullet from the top, it says, “Implement the Homelessness Action Plan…on Absolute Homelessness.” That’s Priorities (2015-16) and Priorities (2016-17), the second bullet says, “Begin to develop a Nunavut Action Plan on Absolute Homelessness...” Is there a difference between those two?
My deputy will respond.
I didn’t understand the question clearly. Can it be repeated?
Can you rephrase or repeat your question, Mr. Akoak?
On page 127, from the top, the fourth bullet, it says, “Implement the Homelessness Action Plan…on Absolute Homelessness.”
That is one of the lines, “Absolute Homelessness.”
For the next fiscal year, Priorities (2016-17), the second bullet, it says, “Begin to develop a Nunavut Action Plan on Absolute Homelessness…” I’m just wondering if there is a difference between those two.
With regard to the member’s question, this is our priority. My deputy minister will supplement the response.
I can update the House that work to date, as far as implementing a homeless action plan, has been to start streamlining contribution agreements that are provided to shelters by the department, and developing guidelines for homelessness initiative grants and contributions programs.
Discussions between poverty reduction and career development are within our department.
People who are in homeless shelters, we are working to give them programs so that they can start to look for housing.
Instead of giving them beds, we need to do programming with them.
One of your priorities for 2015-16 was to “Implement the Homelessness Action Plan.” Your business plan indicates that a strategic plan has been developed to implement the action plan.
Can you describe the specific types of resources and support services that will address homelessness in Nunavut?
Our department is working with different communities and partners, as it states in that bullet the member is talking about, to determine needs and begin coordinating necessary support services.
I just outlined the programs and other streamlines that we want to do with grants and contributions.
Chairman: Thank you. We will continue with Mr. Akoak after a 15-minute break.
We will take a 15-minute break as of now.
>>Committee recesses at 19:00 and resumed at 19:24
Chairman: I would now like to call the committee meeting back to order.
Family Services. Corporate Management.
Under the grants and contributions section on page D-9 of the main estimates, it shows that contributions for homelessness initiatives will increase by $450,000 in 2016-17.
How will this additional money be spent?
I apologize, but if you can clarify your question.
Chairman: Mr. Akoak, please repeat your question.
Under the grants and contributions section on page D-9 of your main estimates for 2016-17, it shows that contributions for the homelessness initiatives will increase by $450,000 in 2016-17.
Hon. Johnny Mike (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) The director of corporate (interpretation) services will respond to that question.
Ms. Modesto-Vardy: The increased funding is allocated to family violence shelters and that’s for the additional support for family violence shelters.
Chairman: Thank you. When you have completed your answer, please acknowledge the Chair and at the same time, a reminder for the little red light to light up prior to answering a question.
Mr. Akoak: Mr. Chairman, did you hear an answer?
I didn’t quite get the answer on what she meant.
Can you ask her to answer the question?
What are you implying on?
I apologize. We were just rushing around a bit.
In regard to the question, we’re going to look for the response.
(interpretation ends) The director of corporate (interpretation) services will respond to that question.
Prior to transferring, he is referring to page D-9 on the homelessness initiatives contribution increment.
That is an increase of $470,000 and that’s for the planned homeless shelter for Cambridge Bay. That’s for that amount, $470,000.
Mr. Akoak: So is the additional $20,000 somewhere?
Is it added up?
Hon. Johnny Mike (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) The director of corporate (interpretation) services will also respond to that question. Thank you.
That increased from $837,000 in 2015-16 main estimates and it went up to $1,307,000 in 2016-17. That is an increase of $470,000 related to the planned homelessness shelter in Cambridge Bay.
In November of 2014, the Office of the Auditor General released a report on the audit of the Nutrition North Canada Program.