EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
When you’re doing a business plan it should be included as to if it would be co-op housing or whatever.
Yes, it is very clear and that was one of the concerns too from the communities; if there is a market for homeowners and we can definitely consider this as part of the business plan.
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): Can the minister plan at the operations and maintenance session that during that session, to see what cost savings there were with Nunavut or Northwest Territories that was before the creation of Nunavut.
I wonder if they can find out as to what cost-savings would be…like it costs $200,000 even before the start of the construction in Iqaluit.
In the smaller communities, for the land, they pay something like $650 a year, and if possible, I’m sure they can build them for cheaper. I wonder if this can also be included during the operations and maintenance session.
We have a fairly good idea how much it is to bring units up here and we can also check to see how much it was back then to bring a unit and we can definitely give that information to Mr. Arvaluk, to his concerns.
One of the main reasons, if the government buys it once then lease it gets very expensive.
The house, they let the housing association pay and then the housing association, because they have a high number of people working for them, the rent is something like $1,200 to $1,800 a month at this time.
I am sure it can be cheaper for the homeowner and the government without going through the local housing associations and the government wouldn’t be affected through the subsidy.
We have to find ways to see if it would be cheaper for the government and the homeowners for those individuals who are lucky enough to obtain a unit like that.
I have a few questions about the Northern Housing Trust. I understand that there are 725 units for Nunavut. I am not sure how you arrived at that figure, but could you give us an overview of how your allocations are made to the communities in Nunavut?
I’ll try and answer it the same way as I answered the last time when he asked that question in Question Period. We are looking at the waiting list in the community and I guess the delivery of this program is suitable for our territory. We did try our very best to come up to treat each and every community equally to deliver the units to the community.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister. (interpretation) We are on L-6. (interpretation ends) Grants and Contributions.
I understand that he did answer during Question Period, but it was my understanding in the past when we discussed housing allocations, there was a methodology that the Nunavut Housing Corporation uses, a desktop review, and they incorporated four different studies or reports to arrive at allocations per community.
The minister is telling me today again that it was based on the waiting list.
That doesn’t sound very scientific, if every community had 100 people on the waiting list and another had 50, then, I mean, it just doesn’t sound like it’s enough scrutiny there.
Perhaps the minister can expand on why they went from a fairly detailed methodology in the past couple of years now to just how long the waiting list is. Can he expand on that?
We are currently looking at the allocation of houses; looking at the communities and their population in the community. We are currently reviewing our system and we tried to make it a little bit easier when we were setting it up.
And we are not scientists but we try and use the simplest method when we were allocating our houses to Nunavut communities.
I don’t think there are any scientists in the House; we are all politicians or as one of my associates would say we’re performers.
But it seems to me that we should have a standardized process, a methodology that the Standing Committee, the Housing Corporation, the Local Housing Organizations, the Hamlet Councils, other people in Nunavut can understand year after year this is how the allocations will be made.
Maybe you can consult with people from time to time so some fine tuning could be made.
But to simply use the waiting list and make it that simple, a community could tinker around with that somehow; instead of 50 people on the waiting list, they have 100.
I know that a lot of people in Nunavut have quit applying for housing because they have been turned down too many times after three to four years. I don’t think that they even appear on the waiting list.
So the waiting list, if you use that formula, then you probably understated the housing needs in some of the communities.
That’s common, Mr. Chairman.
I wanted to ask the minister about the comments in his opening statement.
The Financial Management Board has recently approved the Delivery Strategy and it goes on further.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation requested funding to implement the Delivery Strategy. They will be requesting necessary funding from the FMB, or Financial Management Board.
Can the minister clarify what exactly the Delivery Strategy is, and then what type of funding they require from the FMB?
I apologize, instead of the waiting list, it’s the total tenant units and the Nunavut Housing Delivery Strategy is completed, but they are not translated. They will have to be translated into Inuinnaqtun and French.
Once it’s completed, I will table it and we’re going to decide on how we’re going to spend the $200 million.
I think we might have a mechanism available to us to have that Delivery Strategy tabled through the Members of the Legislative Assembly, even if it’s not translated, I think the Rules and Procedures Committee approved that.
In trying to answer the second part of it; I don’t understand what the Delivery Strategy is, and then further, I don’t understand what you mean by ‘request necessary funding from the Financial Management Board,’ what is that all about?
I know you got $200 million under the Northern Housing Strategy. Do you require additional funds from the Government of Nunavut for the 725 houses?
We have a rule where we can table documents called, ‘Backdoor Tabling.’
We are still on page L-6. (interpretation ends) Minister Akesuk.
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you. With this $200 million, we decide on how many houses we are going to build and as the O&M dollars fluctuate, we would like to get these approved and get the projects going.
We’re going to do the best we can to make sure that all of these documents are completed as soon as possible so you can have copies.
I hope the minister is saying that he’s giving us his commitment that he will give us a copy of the Delivery Strategy before we leave this sitting. Can the minister confirm that?
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Well, they are approved already; we didn’t really want to table the document without it being translated into Inuktitut. We could probably do that this week.
We will look into it and see if we can table it without it being translated.
With respect to the 725 units that are going to be delivered in Nunavut communities over the next three years, can the minister give us an indication if the hamlets are willing and ready to be able to receive them? When I ask that question, I am referring to; will they have the necessary funds to build the paths, the roads, to install the telephones; the incremental costs of constructing a house in the Nunavut communities.
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk: (interpretation): Thank you.
We are working closely with CGS to make sure that the hamlets are prepared to receive those houses. So we’re working closely together with Community and Government Services and the hamlet councils.
The minister is probably aware that constructing 725 houses over the next three years is going to place a tremendous strain on available labour in the communities, in terms of tradespeople; electricians; carpenters; plumbers; and other necessary trades; and probably other developers.
Has the minister developed a plan to deal with that likely increased demand on our available trades and labour in each community?
We are working closely with the other entities, and we are working closely with Nunavut Arctic College so that we can train people. In regard to the electricians, plumbers and so on, we will have the people so that these houses will be built.
I recall, last year, I think it was, or the year before, when we approved 15 houses for Kugaaruk, when the tenders went out and then the proposals were submitted, and they were well over budget, so the houses didn’t get built in the year that we were expecting them to be built.
That’s why I asked that question. We do have 725 houses. How realistic is it that all 725 will be built over the next three years and be available for occupancy?
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): We would like to see everything go according to plan. If we’re going to be building additional houses, we have to make sure that we do this properly.
If we want to access further funds from the federal government, we have to make sure that we use our money responsibly.
After these 725 units are built, what would be the housing need in Nunavut; the social and public housing need in Nunavut to accommodate all the people that require housing?
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): It’s evident that these units will be very beneficial to Nunavut when we construct them in the upcoming years. We definitely need additional units.
According to Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated’s and our department’s strategy we require about 3,000 units and it will cost approximately $1 billion.
So therefore we still need to construct many units in the future to meet the demand and also to have equal service as the rest of Canada.
So we still require additional units, even if we finish this.
I’m assuming that federal lobbying, I guess we call it, is ongoing in Ottawa. Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, Nunavut Housing Corporation, and the Government of Nunavut continue to lobby strongly with the government that we require additional housing up here.
Can you give us an update on how that’s progressing in Ottawa?
Up to now, since the Conservatives became government, I haven’t had a chance to meet with Diane Finley. But I have written a couple of correspondence with them. And I have talked to Indian & Northern Affairs Minister, I believe it was in April on issues that we have from my department in housing.
So I think up to now, we are still talking to them, and of course, once we’re done with the units that we want to build for the next three or four years, 725 units, we’ll continue to pressure the federal government to come up with more money to at least go in the national average of homelessness in our territory.
We’re still on Page L-6, Nunavut Housing Corporation, Grants and Contributions.
Total Headquarters Region. $4,700,000.
Chairman: Thank you. Page L-6. Qikiqtaaluk Region.
This includes Page L-7, L-8, and part of L-10, L-9 I’m sorry.
Total Qikiqtaaluk Region. $6,258,000.
L-9, this includes L-10, Kivalliq Region.
Total Kivalliq Region. $2,930,000.
Chairman: Agreed.
L-11, this includes L-12.
I would like to ask the minister. Two communities in the Kitikmeot, Umingmaktok and Bathurst Inlet have houses that they received from Northwest Territories Housing Corporation several years ago and your department has found funding internally, I guess, at the regional level over the last couple of years to help the folks fix their houses.
I’m wondering if you could comment on whether there will be funds available in the upcoming fiscal year to assist the folks down there to upgrade or renovate their houses.
They need their houses levelled, they need the stoves repaired, windows repaired.
I wonder if you could comment.
We will do our best to come up with improving the units down in Bathurst Inlet and Bay Chimo. And if it would, as they are not recognized as communities, that’s why we don’t have them listed on the capital projects, but then again, we will work closely with the two outpost camps that we could help them out in renovating or renovating the units that are there.
I wish he could call them outpost camps because they keep calling themselves communities, and at the recent KAGM, they clearly stated that again.
I did have a request last year from an individual down there who wanted to apply for a house, but I told her that she probably wouldn’t be eligible. Certainly, I’ll make sure that I will work with your district office, Mr. Crockatt, to see what could be done for next summer.
So I appreciate those comments.
We’re on page L-11.
Total Kitikmeot Region. $295,000.
Chairman: Total Grants and Contribution. $15,983,000.
Chairman: Back to page...just a minute, Mr. Arvaluk.
Mr. Arvaluk: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) Just for further clarification for all of the totals, before we agree to that. The homeless people that you were referring to that we’re going to be building 200 units so that those people who are on the waiting list can have a house...
When we talk about homeless people, does that include the family members who are staying with their family members?
We cannot survive in the wintertime; we have to take on our family members into our homes, even though they’re of age to get their own place.
Sometimes these adult people who are living in your own home, are these individuals included when you count homeless people?
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Yes, we also include those individuals who are staying with their family members.
We appreciate those family members who have taken on their family members. That is part of Inuit tradition and we also include those individuals living within the family unit.
How did you do a survey; how did you count them? Did the housing association do a survey on the number of homeless people that are living within their family members’ houses?
The housing associations in the communities are responsible for listing the names of the people who are the tenants in one unit.
So that’s how we include those individuals. We do want to work closely with the local housing associations because they allocate units.
Going back to page L-4.
Total Capital Expenditures. $15,983,000.
Chairman: Are you agreed that Nunavut Housing Corporation is concluded?
Thank you, Mr. Scott, Mr. Whitworth, and Mr. Tagalik. (interpretation) Do you have closing remarks, Mr. Minister?
I would like to thank my officials and also the Members of the Legislature. Thank you for approving our capital estimates.
I know that we will work to endeavour to make sure we do everything properly and to make sure that we live up to the statements that were made.
We will continue to expect to get more units.
We will move on. (interpretation ends) I would now like to ask Minister Aglukkaq for the Department of Health and Social Services to make her opening remarks. Minister Aglukkaq.
Bill 26 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2007-08 – Review in Committee – Health and Social Services
Thanks for the opportunity to present the Capital Estimates for 2007-08 for the Department of Health and Social Services.
Our Capital budget is very focused for 2007-08. We had to make some hard choices. We recognize the financial limitations the Government as a whole faces.
We are working hard to balance and weight the financial and the very real needs of Nunavummiut and our ability to meet them.
The department is proposing a capital budget totalling $9.419 million. This would include $3.96 million for phase 2 of the Qikiqtani General hospital for the design and renovation of the current Baffin Regional Hospital, $2.59 million towards the construction of the Igloolik continuing care centre and $1.5 millions towards the construction of the Gjoa Haven continuing care centre.
The capital expenditures proposed for 2007-08 are considerably lower than past years, now that the construction of the major health centres is nearing an end.
Using the five year plan the department will concentrate on the repair and maintenance of existing facilities until funds are available for renovations or replacements.
I would note that the decision by Full Caucus to give priority to the new continuing care facilities has put pressure on our plans to replacing health centres in Taloyoak, Repulse Bay and Arctic Bay.
We are ensuring that work will be done on all of our older facilities to maintain their integrity.
The $500,000 request for minor projects would be used for repairs such as boiler replacements, ventilation systems, improvements and replacements of obsolete communication technologies.
The $500,000 requested for small capital would be used to replace the medical and dental equipment and vehicles.
Our five year capital plan includes facility replacements in a few years time. The aging condition of a building determines the priority to be given for its upgrading or replacement.
You will note that the capital budget does not identify the boarding homes we have talked about in the past.
Operational funding arrangements for the boarding homes in Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay need to be secured from Non-Insured Health Benefits programs of Health Canada.
In Cambridge Bay, Community and Government Services expects to be able to tender the construction contract this fall for renovating the old student residence.
In Rankin Inlet we plan to conduct an RFP for contracted services that will include the facility and staff once the Non-Insured Health Benefits are resolved.
The Department of Health and Social Services is giving practical affects to the Pinasuaqtavut goal of healthy communities through the capital budget.
We are ensuring modern facilities are in place to support the wide range of services we provide, such as home care, social services and public health.
We are expanding residential care services for those who can no longer live safely at home for health reasons.
I look forward to your support for the 2007-08 capital estimates for the Department of Health and Social Services and I welcome questions from the Members of the Committee of the Whole.
We have to take a 5 minute break.
>>Committee recessed at 17:44 and resumed at 17:50
I would like to make a motion at this time to report progress because we have some other things to do tonight.
All in favour of the motion raise your hand please.
Your committee has been discussing Bill 26 and I move that the Report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.
Speaker: There is a motion on the floor. Is there a seconder to the motion?
This House stands adjourned until Friday, December 1, 2006 at ten o’clock in the morning.
>>House adjourned at 17:55
Friday, December 1, 2006
Pages 2660 – 2714
Opening Prayer 2660
Ministers’ Statements 2660
Members’ Statements 2664
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 2672
Oral Questions 2674
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills 2692
Tabling of Documents 2693
Notices of Motions 2696
Motions 2696
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 2697
Revert to Item 5: Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 2712
Report of the Committee of the Whole 2712
Orders of the Day 2713
Friday, December 1, 2006 2660
146 – 2(3): Minister Okalik Absent from the House (Picco) 2660
147 – 2(3): Consultations on Language Legislation (Tapardjuk) 2660
148 – 2(3): Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council Appointments (Aglukkaq) 2661
149 – 2(3): United Nations Climate Change Meetings (Netser) 2662
150 – 2(3): Tabling of Approaching Ikummatiit (Picco) 2662
151 – 2(3): Fetal Fibronectin Test in Nunavut (Aglukkaq) 2663
344 – 2(3): Kugluktuk Warms up to Christmas (Evyagotailak) 2664
345 – 2(3): Seal and Animal Protesters (Arvaluk) 2665
346 – 2(3): Community Announcements (Brown) 2666
347 – 2(3): Christmas Wishes (Alagalak) 2667
348 – 2(3): Nunavut Youth Parliament (Peterson) 2667
349 – 2(3): Congratulate Jordin Tootoo (Tootoo) 2668
350 – 2(3): Congratulate Sister-In-Law (Netser) 2669
351 – 2(3): Opening of Youth Centre (Akesuk) 2669
352 – 2(3): Members of the Legislative Assembly Soccer Team (Barnabas) 2670
353 – 2(3): Community Announcements (Picco) 2671
399 – 2(3): Mandatory Leave Without Pay (Tootoo) 2674
400 – 2(3): CLEY Response to Elder Abuse (Peterson) 2674
401 – 2(3): Environment Support for Hunters’ Lost Equipment (Mapsalak) 2675
402 – 2(3): Hamlet Call Out Fee (Barnabas) 2676
403 – 2(3): Hospital Specialist Appointments (Arreak) 2677
404 – 2(3): Agriculture Ministerial Conference (Alagalak) 2679
405 – 2(3): Sealift Fatality and Equipment Loss (Tootoo) 2681
406 – 2(3): Federal Cuts to Nunavut Literacy Programs (Peterson) 2683
407 – 2(3): Medical Travel Problems (Barnabas) 2686
408 – 2(3): Baffin Medivac Contract (Tootoo) 2688
409 – 2(3): Impact on Funding Cuts (Peterson) 2689
010 – 2(3): Bill 08 Statistics Act (Tootoo) 2692
011 – 2(3): Bill 16 Family Abuse Intervention Act (Mapsalak) 2692
199 – 2(3): Ministerial Meeting Report – Canadian Parks Council October 2006 – Department of Environment (Netser) 2693
200 – 2(3): Sales Transfer of AT&T Enterprises Assets – Letter to Brian Zawadski (Tootoo) 2693
201 – 2(3): Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women’s Council Annual Report 2005-06 (Aglukkaq) 2693
202 – 2(3): KBDC Loan – Internal Memo (Tootoo) 2693
203 – 2(3): KBDC Loan – Email from NBCC to the Deputy Minister of ED&T (Tootoo) 2694
204 – 2(3): Ministerial Meeting Report – FPT Energy and Mines Conference in Whitehorse, Yukon August 27 to 29, 2006 from ED&T (Akesuk) 2694
205 – 2(3): Ministerial Meeting Report – Ministers Responsible for Workers’ Compensation Board of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut October 10, 2006 (Netser) 2694
206 – 2(3): Nunavut Arctic College Management Response to the External Review Status of the Recommendations from October 2006 (Picco) 2694
207– 2(3): Nunavut Arctic College Annual Report 2005-06 (Picco) 2694
208 – 2(3): Energy for Our Future: Approaching Ikummatiit: Developing a Nunavut Energy Strategy, December 2006 (Picco) 2694
209 – 2(3): KBDC Loan – Letter to ED&T (Tootoo) 2695
210 – 2(3): KBDC Loan – Letter to KBDC from Browning Crocker Inc. dated August 15, 2006 (Tootoo) 2695
211 – 2(3): KBDC Loan Email to Terry Rogers from Browning Crocker Inc., September 13, 2006 (Tootoo) 2695
212 – 2(3): Youth Parliament 2006 – Hansard, Bill 01, and DVD (Speaker) 2696
022 – 2(3): Extended Adjournment – Notice (Peterson) 2696
022 – 2(3): Extended Adjournment (Peterson) 2696
Bill 26 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2007-08 – Review in Committee – Health and Social Services 2697
Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Honourable Olayuk Akesuk, Mr. David Alagalak, Mr. James Arreak, Mr. James Arvaluk, Mr. Levi Barnabas, Honourable Levinia Brown, Mr. Joe Allen Evyagotailak, Honourable Peter Kilabuk, Mr. Steve Mapsalak, Honourable Patterk Netser, Mr. Keith Peterson, Honourable Edward Picco, Honourable David Simailak, Honourable Louis Tapardjuk, Mr. Hunter Tootoo.
Ministers, Members and visitors, welcome.
Minister’s Statement 146 – 2(3): Minister Okalik Absent from the House (Picco)
I wish to advise members that the Honourable Paul Okalik will be absent from the House today.
Minister’s Statement 147 – 2(3): Consultations on Language Legislation (Tapardjuk)
Nunavummiut have long awaited new language legislation that would better reflect our territory’s unique linguistic reality.
The new language legislation will not only maintain the rights for French and English languages, but recognize the utmost importance of the Inuit language as the defining characteristics of the history and people of Nunavut.
I am pleased to report that the drafting stage of the legislation is progressing for the Official Languages Act and the Inuit Language Protection Act.
The Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth is now conducting consultations with a number of territorial language stakeholders, as well as with Nunavut communities.
These consultations will ensure that the proposed language legislation will respond to the best interests of Nunavummiut.
The department is planning to begin consultation with Qikiqtaaluk and Kivalliq communities before Christmas.
The consultations with the Kitikmeot region and the remaining communities will be completed in the New Year.
Mr. Speaker it is my intention to introduce the house upon completion of the public consultations two pieces of made in Nunavut Language legislation called the Inuit Language Protection Act and the Official Languages Act.
Minister’s Statement 148 – 2(3): Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council Appointments (Aglukkaq)
Good morning to everyone.