EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Now, with respect to the member’s question as to a type of durable garbage container, I stated that I would consider that. When the opportunity arises to speak to this issue, we will try to do that this week. Whenever a consensus has been reached about this idea, we would be able to table it and announce it at a future date.
Question 365 – 3(3): Correctional Facility Issues (Aupaluktuq)
Yesterday, the Northwest Territories’ Minister of Justice announced that the GNWT is considering no longer accepting Nunavut inmates at its correctional facilities.
According to information that was recently provided by the GN in its return to a written question posed by one of my colleagues, Mr. Ron Elliott, there are approximately 20 Nunavummiut serving sentences or on remand in NWT facilities.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask: can the minister inform the House if he has had discussions with his counterpart in the NWT on this issue?
As far as having discussions with my counterpart, no, I have not met with Minister Abernathy in NWT.
However, I’m aware of the situation and I heard it on the news last night too.
We do have a contract in place, an MOU with the NWT for the incarceration of 20 inmates, and that is running until the fiscal year-end of 2014.
So that agreement will be in place until 2014.
I would like to thank the hon. minister for that response as well.
My question is: has the GNWT indicated to our government if it is also considering repatriating any or all of the Nunavut inmates who are currently housed in NWT correctional facilities?
I think it would be the goal of the government to have all of our inmates incarcerated in Nunavut if we, at all, could do that.
At present, I can tell you that we have approximately 40 inmates who are housed outside of our territory, territorial inmates, and approximately seven federal inmates in facilities in southern Canada.
The total cost to our government at present is approximately $4.7 million to look after these inmates outside of our territory.
So I think the long-term goal would be to have all of our inmates, even our federal inmates, housed in our territory at some point in time.
As you all well know, we’re opening up the correctional facility in Rankin Inlet this fall some time. Also, as this House knows, we do have plans for building a temporary structure to deal with the crowding issue that we have at our BCC facility in Iqaluit.
So we are very well aware of the situation and we will deal with it as matters come forward.
As far as the inmates in the Northwest Territories, as I have spoken and said, we do have an agreement until the end of 2014.
Recently, the Department of Justice issued a tender for the acquisition of a “men’s rapid deployment structure,” which is what the minister was referring to.
As the minister has previously indicated, this is designed to be a solution to overcrowding at the BCC.
Can the minister indicate when he expects this structure to be operational?
Hon. Daniel Shewchuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for that very important question too.
As the member is well aware, we have been approved for planning and design of this structure. The tenders have closed for the RFP.
Those will be reviewed in the next coming weeks.
I would hope to have a capital plan moving forward for the earliest construction of this facility brought forward to this House as soon as possible.
Question 366 – 3(3): Rent Scale for Public Housing (Oshutapik)
My question today is directed to the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
To date, I haven’t received any response to the question I posed about overpayment of rent for public housing. Can you provide us with an update on that?
Last time, we received an update was with the previous minister.
Has anything been resolved, or worked on? There are some people who quit jobs that they enjoy because of the high cost of rent. The housing corporation simply takes too much of the income they earn while working.
Perhaps the minister has an update on what has been done to the House?
I will take that question as notice.
Question 367 – 3(3): Factors Affecting Suicide (Tapardjuk)
The issue of suicide is a serious one across Nunavut. I appreciate that there are plans and programs in place and others being developed to help prevent suicide.
However, I feel that we also need to be more informed about the kinds of factors that lead people to make the terrible decision to end their lives.
Mr. Speaker, there are sad statistics which reveal the numbers of Nunavummiut who have taken their own lives over the years, with details on their gender, age or ethnicity.
Can the minister describe what activities are undertaken by his department to analyze the behavioural environment of suicide victims, to identify the kinds of mental health challenges they faced and the types of supports that were or were not available to them?
I thank Mr. Tapardjuk for asking the question.
Mr. Speaker, it’s no secret that suicide is a serious issue in Nunavut.
Since 1999, I believe, the numbers are staggering, I think it’s close to 370 suicides in Nunavut.
On average, every year, it’s close to 30.
Most of the suicides are in the younger age groups, mostly among young males.
In the last year, this House has moved forward on a Nunavut suicide prevention strategy and an action plan with implementation planners.
The four partners who are working together, including NTI, the Embrace Life Council, the RCMP, and the Department of Health and Social Services, on behalf of the Government of Nunavut, are working on tasks to address the suicide issue in Nunavut.
There are a number of programs to assist folks to deal with their issues. We’re working on things like the ASIST program.
We have adapted the ASIST program and we’re slowly putting more resources into communities to assist people with mental health issues.
We have people in the department who are analyzing why people might take their own lives.
It’s a very difficult area because, obviously, you can’t ask people why they took their own lives. You can only imagine the pressures or stresses or other things that are going through a person’s mind, I think, that compels them to take their own lives. I can’t imagine it myself.
I have read several books about suicide and most of the authors say it’s a very difficult area to address.
We’re hopeful that with the work we were undertaking over the last year and going forward, we will be able to start to come up with some good data that will help us direct our programs and resources to the communities and to help people who are likely to take their own lives.
Even though this is a very unfortunate situation, we always have to deal with it.
Within this Legislative Assembly, there also was an announcement that about 10 percent of the suicides in Nunavut stem from people who are in the criminal system.
Now we have tried to look at the suicide data for the NWT, where they identified that 20 percent of the people who commit suicide have done so as a result of the criminal justice system.
It has obviously touched upon a lot of lives and I don’t think we should put a blindfold over these figures. How can the departments of Health and Social Services and Justice work together and collaborate to ensure that we don’t cause more people to commit suicide due to the lengthy court process? Where and how can we inform Nunavummiut that we will provide more solutions for them?
Mr. Speaker, one of the interesting things about research and statistics is that they can produce any kind of statistic to raise all kinds of issues.
I read the media reports all the time and most recently, in the last couple of weeks, there have been lots of stories about Nunavut. If we were a country, we would rank 38th in the world of 200-and-something countries, which I thought, 38, that’s pretty good because I have been to some third world countries where it’s a real challenge for them.
Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier in my answer, it’s very difficult to determine why a person takes their lives. People feel they’re under a lot of pressure. There could be issues that relate to their childhood upbringing.
I read a report from the Fenbrook Correctional Centre about the Tupik program that a lot of individuals in that facility were sexually assaulted or molested as children growing up.
They told the researchers that some of them thought about taking their lives.
I read stories about Ed Horne and why some of the victims chose to take their lives.
There are many reasons why people want to take their lives. It’s a complex area.
I can assure Mr. Tapardjuk that the Department of Health and Social Services and the Department of Justice, all the departments are working together through various committees to address the issues that are affecting our residents.
Hopefully, in Iqaluit later this year or early next year, when we renovate the old boarding home into a mental health facility, we will have an ability to help provide mental health counselling to some of the folks in the Baffin Correctional Centre. That’s going to be a huge bonus for us. We’re making progress.
I also thank the minister as we are keenly aware of the complexity of this issue.
The justice and court processes whereby the accused require a lawyer are, obviously, quite stressful, but these are the result of our personal actions.
However, I feel that people in these situations are abandoned by the system. This is particularly true as no advisors or counsellors are provided to people facing charges. This is especially the case with couples that have been forced apart by the RCMP through a peace bond prior to the case going before the court.
This is particularly draining and stressful mentally to the people in that situation.
Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Health and Social Services and the Minister of Justice review the process to see how it can be better structured and improved?
I am well aware of the fact that we cannot override federal legislation and we have to comply with the criminal justice system.
However, prior to the people crossing that bridge, it seems obvious that we can provide more assistance to the people who are in that situation.
Mr. Speaker, can the minister inform this House whether or not the Minister of Health and Social Services and the Minister of Justice can commit to reviewing this matter to search for improvements?
I thank Mr. Tapardjuk for the question. Mr. Speaker, as my colleague indicated the other day, the Department of Justice is putting more resources into the justice system to expedite the justice process so that people have their day in court, so to speak.
We have social workers and mental health workers in most communities in Nunavut who can provide help to folks who are waiting to go to court.
As I said earlier, there are people who are in remand at the Baffin Correctional Centre here. We’re beefing up our mental health services in Iqaluit with a facility.
I do know, as I visited three or four facilities when I was the Minister of Justice, there are mental health workers and resources in the facilities in the other provinces and territories who work with our Nunavut inmates if they require help.
We will move along in our orders of the day.
Bill 38 – An Act to Amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act – First Reading
Hon. Eva Aariak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I move, seconded by Hon. Member for Rankin Inlet South and Whale Cove, that Bill 38, An Act to Amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, be read for the first time.
The motion is carried and Bill 38 has been read for the first time.
Bill 39 – An Act to Amend the Judicature Act – First Reading
I move, seconded by the hon. member from Kugluktuk, that Bill 39, An Act to Amend the Judicature Act, be read for the first time.
The motion is carried and Bill 39 has been read for the first time.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters. There being no items in Committee of the Whole, we will go on to the next item.
A reminder that the Standing Committee on Legislation meets this afternoon starting at half past one in the Nanuq Boardroom and also, a reminder that the standing committee also meets at nine o’clock on Monday morning in the same room.
Members, before we adjourn today, I would like to ask all of you to join me in thanking and recognizing the pages that were here with us this week. They are Joe Audlakiak, Cassandra Dubeau, Justine Cooper, and Jerry Laisa.
I would like to thank you all very much for aiding us here this week.
This House stands adjourned until Monday, June 4, at 1:30 p.m.
>>House adjourned at 10:48
Monday, June 4, 2012
Pages 2633 – 2676
Opening Prayer 2633
Ministers’ Statements 2633
Oral Questions 2646
Written Questions 2662
Reports of Standing and Special Committees on Bills and Other Matters 2663
Tabling of Documents 2663
Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills 2665
Second Reading of Bills 2665
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 2666
Report of the Committee of the Whole 2674
Third Reading of Bills 2675
Orders of the Day 2675
Monday, June 4, 2012 2633
156 – 3(3): Community Access Program (Aariak) 2633
157 – 3(3): NHC Progress Update on NHT and CEAP Initiatives (Taptuna) 2634
158 – 3(3): Fisheries Development and Diversification Program Benefitting Nunavummiut (Arreak) 2635
159 – 3(3): Occupational Training Program Achievements (Ell) 2635
254 – 3(3): People of a Feather Documentary (Rumbolt) 2636
255 – 3(3): 30-Hour Famine in Arviat (Shewchuk) 2637
256 – 3(3): Addressing Family Violence (Ugyuk) 2638
257 – 3(3): Congratulations to Attagoyuk Ilisavik Graduates (Oshutapik) 2639
258 – 3(3): Recipients of Diamond Jubilee Medals in Cambridge Bay (Peterson) 2640
259 – 3(3): Iqaluit High School Graduates from Rankin Inlet (Kusugak) 2640
260 – 3(3): Congratulations to Baker Lake High School Graduates (Aupaluktuq) 2641
261 – 3(3): Iqaluit High School Graduates 2012 (Ell) 2642
262 – 3(3): Correspondence from Rankin Inlet Youth (Curley) 2643
263 – 3(3): Iqaluit High School Graduates from Constituency (Aariak) 2644
264 – 3(3): Congratulations to Arctic Bay’s 3045 Royal Canadian Army Corps (Elliott) 2645
368 – 3(3): Resources to Stop Family Violence (Ugyuk) 2646
369 – 3(3): Marine Infrastructure in Pond Inlet (Enook) 2648
370 – 3(3): Correctional System Issues (Elliott) 2651
371 – 3(3): Plans for Unmanned Aerial Drones over Canadian Arctic (Curley) 2653
372 – 3(3): Community Access Program Funding (Elliott) 2655
373 – 3(3): Arrangements at Winnipeg Airport for Medical Travellers (Ningeongan) 2657
374 – 3(3): Completion of Renovations at Taloyoak Arena (Ugyuk) 2658
375 – 3(3): Update on Liquor Task Force (Elliott) 2660
018 – 3(3): Vacant Staff Housing Units (Enook) 2662
Committee Report 019 – 3(3): Bill 19, Family Support Orders Enforcement Act – Reprint (Ningeongan) 2663
Committee Report 020 – 3(3): Bill 33, An Act to Amend the Labour Standards Act (Ningeongan) 2663
192 – 3(3): Discussion Paper: Impacts on Caribou and Inuit Harvesting of Caribou in AREVA’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Kiggavik Uranium Mine (Aupaluktuq) 2664
193 – 3(3): Schedule for the Student Loan Fund, Year Ending March 31, 2011 (Aariak) 2664
194 – 3(3): Member’s Correspondence of April 4, 2012 to the Minister Responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation (Enook) 2664
195 – 3(3): Minimum Wage Annual Report for 2011 (Shewchuk) 2664
196 – 3(3): Nunavut Law Foundation’s Annual Report for 2010 (Shewchuk) 2664
197 – 3(3): Nunavut Law Foundation’s Annual Report for 2009 (Shewchuk) 2664
198 – 3(3): Nunavut Law Foundation’s Annual Report for 2008 (Shewchuk) 2664
030 – 3(3): Referral of Minister’s Statement 155 – 3(3) to Committee of the Whole (Tapardjuk) 2636
Bill 40 – Representative for Children and Youth Act – Notice 2665
Bill 38 – An Act to Amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act – Second Reading 2665
Bill 39 – An Act to Amend the Judicature Act – Second Reading 2665
Bill 19 – Family Support Orders Enforcement Act – Consideration in Committee 2666
Bill 33 – An Act to Amend the Labour Standards Act – Consideration in Committee 2672
Bill 19 – Family Support Orders Enforcement Act – Third Reading 2675
Bill 33 – An Act to Amend the Labour Standards Act – Third Reading 2675
Before we proceed today’s sitting, I would like to ask Mr. Ningeongan if he could say a prayer, please.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Ningeongan. (interpretation ends) Before we start, first I welcome everyone back from a wonderful weekend.
Hopefully everyone had a nice Sunday evening, as I did. I would also like to ask members and beg their indulgence. We only have two pages here with us right now, so they’re going to be pretty busy.
Bear with them.
We will move on to Item 2 in the Orders of the Day.
Minister’s Statement 156 – 3(3): Community Access Program (Aariak)
Hon. Eva Aariak (interpretation): Good afternoon to my constituents in Iqaluit. (interpretation ends) Uqaqtittijii, I am pleased to announce today that the Department of Education has reallocated internal funding to ensure Nunavummiut have access to the Internet at our Community Access Program sites.
The Community Access Program, or CAP, provides community-based public Internet access sites throughout Nunavut.
The CAP program was originally designed by Industry Canada to assist rural and remote communities to obtain affordable public access to the Internet.
There are currently 24 CAP sites in 20 communities.
Uqaqtittijii, originally, funding from Industry Canada provided for ongoing costs, such as Internet, supplies, and equipment.
Unfortunately, Industry Canada recently announced it was cutting funding to the national CAP program.
This resulted in a loss of $85,500 to Nunavut’s CAP sites
Community-based public Internet access sites provide Nunavummiut with an opportunity to participate in the growing digital society and economy.
As more and more services move towards an online delivery model, access becomes increasingly important.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy that we are able to keep this very important service available to Nunavummiut.
Minister’s Statement 157 – 3(3): NHC Progress Update on NHT and CEAP Initiatives (Taptuna)
Hon. Peter Taptuna: Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues, and Kuglukturmiut.
Mr. Speaker, it is with great satisfaction that I rise today to provide my fellow members with an update on the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s progress with the Nunavut Housing Trust and the Affordable Housing Initiative funded through Canada’s Economic Action Plan.
As you know, Mr. Speaker, this government supported the Nunavut Housing Corporation in 2010, confident that it would fully carry out the federal government’s investment in housing in Nunavut and honour our obligations under the Nunavut Housing Trust and Canada’s Economic Action Plan-funded Affordable Housing Initiative.
After taking responsibility for the over-commitments associated with the Nunavut Housing Trust and Canada’s Economic Action Plan funding, the Nunavut Housing Corporation has worked hard these past two years to make sure that the promised units are completed on time and within approved budget reallocations.
Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to announce that the Nunavut Housing Corporation has completed virtually all of the Nunavut Housing Trust and Canada’s Economic Action Plan-funded units scheduled for construction.
Of the scheduled 1,011 units, there remain only 39 units to complete.
Of these 39 soon to be completed units, 32 were funded through the Nunavut Housing Trust and the remaining 7 under Canada’s Economic Action Plan.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation had secured before the March 31, 2012 deadline Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s approval for an extension of funding for the remaining seven Canada’s Economic Action Plan units.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that the construction over the past two years, which represents an impressive average of 350 units per year, was happening at the same time as the corporation was fulfilling a number of recommended actions to ensure the root causes of the Nunavut Housing Trust and Canada’s Economic Action Plan over-commitments were addressed.
Mr. Speaker, as we take stock of the lessons learned from our experience with the Nunavut Housing Trust and Canada’s Economic Action Plan initiatives, it is clear, now more than ever, that housing is a shared responsibility.
There are many stakeholders with different yet equally important roles to play that must come together if we want to overcome the many challenges facing housing in Nunavut today.
Mr. Speaker, we must strive to improve as a government and as stakeholders to work together to prepare Nunavummiut for the future housing investments that are ultimately required to address our housing needs.
Mr. Speaker, this is a theme I will be returning to over the next several months.
Minister responsible for the Department of the Environment, Minister Arreak.
Minister’s Statement 158 – 3(3): Fisheries Development and Diversification Program Benefiting Nunavummiut (Arreak)
Good afternoon to my constituents in Qikiqtarjuaq and Clyde River, as well as Nunavummiut.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to provide my colleagues with an update on the success of the Department of Environment’s Fisheries Development and Diversification Program in 2011-12.
This program was initially established in 2002 to help support development and diversification initiatives being undertaken by the Fisheries and Sealing Division.
In 2008, the Department of Environment established a Schedule B to supplement the program and provide support for important capital initiatives by the Nunavut fishing industry, such as licence and vessel purchases.
For 2011-12, our department committed just over $2 million under this program to a total of 54 projects valued at over $11 million.
Every dollar committed under this program helped leverage another $4.42 million from other sources to help these projects succeed.
A wide variety of projects were completed under this program, including research projects in support of our fishing and fur industries and capital investments in support of development of our fishing industry.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to highlight one project which has been highly successful in providing direct benefits to Nunavummiut.
To assist the development and growth of the winter turbot fishery in Cumberland Sound, just under $90,000 in support was provided to 28 beneficiaries to help them purchase gear and supplies to enable them to participate in this fishery.
To date, over $730,000 has been paid out to fishers by the Pangnirtung fish plant this winter for their turbot catches.
As well, this increased activity has helped to greatly expand the level of employment at the fish plant.
We are very pleased with the success of the Fisheries Development and Diversification Program and look forward to continuing to support the important research and investment required to build our fisheries and fur industries.
Minister’s Statement 159 – 3(3): Occupational Training Program Achievements (Ell)
Good afternoon to my constituents in Iqaluit West.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to announce that my department has expanded its occupational training programs by offering a communications certificate program in partnership with Saint Mary’s University to build our government’s capacity through investing in our communication specialists to ensure excellence in communication within GN and in our service provision to all Nunavummiut.
(interpretation ends) Our department has also accomplished its goal to continue the Canadian Professional Supervisor (CPS) designation opportunity and further expand our professional capacity through offering to our occupational training program administrative professionals the opportunity to receive their Canadian Administrative Professional (CAP) designation.
The professional designations, CPS and CAP, can only be offered with a sufficient number of graduates. Because of the success of our employees, these designations were possible.
Our Occupational Training Program graduates include:
4 from the Communications Certificate Program
11 from the Supervisory Program (with their Canadian Professional Supervisor designation)
12 from the Human Resources Program, and