EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
The most common drug that seized in Nunavut are what are called soft drugs and that includes marijuana and hashish and that could be blond Lebanese hash and so on.
Mr. Speaker, I don’t have the hard drug statistics here with me.
Anecdotal evidence says that there may have been cocaine and so on because there have been charges laid.
I’m not aware of heroine or crack cocaine personally, but there may have harder drugs like that.
When you have softer drugs, there is a good indication then that you are going to have probably harder drugs also at the same time.
Member for Arviat. Mr. Alagalak.
Question 427 – 2(2): Manitoba/Kivalliq Road Update
I would like to direct my question to the Minister Responsible for Economic Development and Transportation.
Prior to the winter session, we were told that there would be a feasibility study done on the Manitoba/Nunavut road that is going to be built.
There are three phases and we have heard that there is going to be some work initiated this summer.
Exactly when are they scheduled to begin this project?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister responsible for Economic Development and Transportation, Mr. Simailak.
The Kivalliq Inuit Association is responsible.
We are assisting financially but it is mainly the responsibility of KIA. They’ve got SNC Lavalin on who will be doing the study and exactly where it’s going to be built.
SNC Lavalin is starting the work and they will be doing a study this spring and summer and all the Keewatin communities are going to be consulted by SNC Lavalin including Tikiraqjuaq, Baker Lake, Chesterfield Inlet and Rankin Inlet.
They will be consulting these communities on what they think about this Manitoba/Keewatin Road.
Through the Mackenzie River, they’ve had highways for a very long time.
If SNC Lavalin is going to be consulting the Kivalliq communities, and hearing the name of the company indicates that they have not been up here for a very long time or that they are southern companies.
When they are consulting the communities, are they going to be including Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and other northern perspectives?
Currently, KIA has the responsibility, but Manitoba and the Nunavut Governments are helping financially.
As I stated earlier, the Kivalliq communities are going to be consulted by this firm and there’s going to be a committee struck, which will have representatives from the Kivalliq organizations or entities.
Our staff and the Manitoba Department of Transportation will also have meetings with those entities and we will be updated on what’s going on and what the changes are.
Speaker (interpretation): Second Supplementary, Mr. Alagalak.
Could the Minister inform us in mid-summer, for example, you stated that KIA is going to be responsible.
Are you going to be getting updates from these organizations?
Yes; we would be updated on a regular basis, and our staff are also in the committee that I mentioned earlier; we will be kept updated.
Speaker (interpretation): Last Supplementary, Mr. Alagalak.
I am very pleased that such a project will be going on in the Kivalliq Region, and of course, we would like to be updated and I am sure that there’s interest in all Kivalliq communities.
When you get the progress report this summer, are you going to inform us right away?
Yes; I will keep the Kivalliq Members of the Legislative Assembly informed about the progress.
Question 428 – 2(2): Lottery Ticket Sales to Sports Funding
My question is not for the acting Minister of Justice; it’s for the Minister responsible for Sport North.
Last March, I asked a question to the Minister in regards to lottery proceeds, and as we all know, the Minister tabled the financial statements for Nunavut Lottery earlier this week, and I will bet you he already has the answer to his question, having just tabled these statements.
Mr. Speaker, according to the financial statements he tabled earlier this week, the Government of Nunavut received a little over $310,000 in 2003-04 from lottery revenues. Looking back through the other ones, I think since the beginning of the creation of Nunavut, a little over $1 million, that’s a lot of 6/49 tickets. It’s too bad I have not won yet, but I guess you have to buy tickets if you want to win.
Mr. Speaker, when the public buys lottery tickets, Mr. Picco is rubbing off on me today, they believe that the money is going to a good cause and not just to the government’s general coffers.
My question is this: did every single dollar that the Government of Nunavut receive go to sports funding?
The money that is taken from the tickets are put into the government’s funding from Sports Nunavut and from the recreational facilities, they are given some funding.
The money from selling the lottery tickets, the selling of the tickets from that is given to the government and then the government gives to Sports Nunavut.
That part of it I understand and I think most people do, but that money, the $310,530 that the government received last year, in 2003-2004 in lottery revenues: did it all go through to sports funding.
When people buy their tickets, that is the impression that they get is that the proceeds are supporting a good cause; they are supporting groups in the community.
Did it go specifically go to sports funding.
The $341 thousand for the year 2003-2004, the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth received that fund.
We do expend well over that amount money for recreation and sports.
We do expend well over that funding that we just explained.
Under the old regime in the Northwest Territories, Sport North received 100 percent on the lottery revenue.
That money was divvied up to the territorial sport organizations.
The Minister is indicating now it just goes to general revenue and it help supply the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth’s overall budget for everything, that the money is going for that.
That would indicate just like the education tax that was being collected here in Iqaluit before was supposed to go to Iqaluit’s schools, was going to general revenue and not to the Iqaluit schools.
The same thing is happening with these proceeds.
Would the Minister consider in looking at option of separating that revenue out so that it does go to the territorial sport organizations, which are always desperately looking for funding to travel and participate in different tournaments?
I will ask my officials to look into this.
I can ask them to review this and look for improvements.
I take your words.
It is a very good suggestion and it would be ideal to consider.
I will have to ask the Cabinet members to make a decision on this and consider this.
Question 429 – 2(2): Shortage of Housing
I would like to direct my question to the Minister of the Housing Corporation.
In discussion last winter during our session we discussed the shortage of housing all winter.
I am sure that we will hear from our constituents on the lack of housing.
Due to overcrowding, housing is one of the top priorities.
In Rankin Inlet, there were individuals living in one unit that are overcrowded by ten people. There are 106 individuals on the waiting list, a lot of units are overcrowded and not all of them are written down.
Could the Minister tell me, these 106 individuals who are on the waiting list, could the Minister commit to me that they will consider, after the planning of the units, that they will consider these individuals on the waiting list?
I knew I couldn’t end the day without getting a question.
(Interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. in regards to his question to the housing shortage in Rankin Inlet, there are a lot of communities in Nunavut in dire straits with the lack of housing.
I have stated that I will have my officials review the lack of housing and find ways to provide more assistance to the communities.
We are now reviewing and looking for ways on how we can reduce the numbers of people on the waiting list in the communities.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Speaker.
These 106 on the waiting list perhaps they have a family, I’m sure with all their children involved, there are 250 individuals altogether.
I would like to ask the Minister again, during your deliberations this summer, and the fact that some units were not built in Rankin Inlet due to high costs, even though the material came in because the labour component was over budgeted.
I’ve received correspondence from the Housing Association that when they are going to go over budget, it would be ideal to have the local Housing Association to construct this unit so that they can construct this unit within the budget.
Would you also consider this?
Hon. Peter Kilabuk: I think that’s an option that should get its due consideration.
I will pursue this further with my staff and see what other options we can develop as part of the over all strategy.
In response to my colleague, I will definitely have a closer look at that with my staff at the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
I appreciate the Minister’s openness to this area.
I think we need to be creative now a day as to how these houses are built in order to save some money and costs of building.
The cost of building has become very expensive, I just want add this because the labour components, due to the NNI policy, the contract was saying they’re jacking up the price, so if you would commit to studying that, I think Nunavummiut would be able to build more houses, rather then paying contracts with huge amount of labour costs.
I’ll definitely take a closer look how much flexibility we have in this matter, and I’ll commit to providing my colleague once I have this in writing and confirmed.
Committee Report 006 – 2(2): Bill 15 – An Act to Amend the Wildlife Act
I wish to report that Bill 15, an Act to Amend the Wildlife Act has been reviewed by the Standing Committee Ajauqtiit, and that the bill as amended is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 68(5) and have Bill 15 as amended moved into Committee of the Whole for today.
Speaker (interpretation): There is a request to waive Rule 68(5) so that the Standing Committee report on Bill 15 can be immediately referred to the Committee of the Whole today.
Bill 15 is referred to Committee of the Whole for today.
Tabled Document 146 – 2(2): Nunavut Fisheries Strategy March 2005
I wish to table the Nunavut Fisheries Strategy which has been developed in partnership with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated.
This strategy sets a clear Nunavut-wide vision for fisheries in establishing priorities for action to reach this position.
Nunavut’s fisheries will be a major contributor to our economic growth in the coming years.
What this strategy we will set our direction.
Tabled Document 147 – 2(2): Letter from Standing Committee Ajauqtiit Regarding the Act to Amend the Wildlife Act, Dated May 5, 2005
I would like to table a letter to the Nunavut Wildlife Legislation Working Group from the Standing Committee Ajauqtiit, dated May 5, 2005.
Tabled Document 148 – 2(2): Letter from the Rankin Inlet Housing Association on Housing Shortage in Rankin Inlet
On May 3, 2005, I received a letter from the Housing Association in regards to the housing shortage in Rankin Inlet and would like to table it.
Tabled Document 149 – 2(2): Information Package on Early Childhood Education and Care
As I indicated in my Member’s Statement, I am very happy to be able to table a package of information on early childhood education and care that I received by mail from Mr. James Clancy who is with the national president of the National Union of Public and General Employees.
It has some very good information.
The first part of the pack has a pamphlet called The Neglected Workforce.
And the second part is the Early Childhood Education and Care, As Simple As 1,2,3, National, Affordable and High Quality.
And the last part of it is Child Care in Canada, with some background information.
Speaker (interpretation): Please forward the materials to our clerk.
Tabled Document 150 – 2(2): CIM Bulletin for March and April, 2005
Tabled Document 151 – 2(2): News Release on Acne
I would like to table some documents.
First of the documents is a SIN Bulletin for March and April of 2005.
I believe some of the Members will find that the article on page 92 and 93 of the bulletin; it’s quite interesting.
I also would like to take this opportunity to table a featured news release from the Canadian and United States Dermatologist Launch concerning acne, as well as psoriasis and eczema; helpful tips that may be of use to some of the Members.
Tabled Document 152 – 2(2): Photograph of Toonik Tyme Golfers
I know that Mr. Picco has been much anticipating this tabling; it’s a photograph of two gentlemen and it’s not gentlemen in line for Bill C-38, it’s two gentlemen that were participating in the Iqaluit Toonik Tyme Ice Golf Event that was held up across from the middle school, and then it says Iqaluit East Member of the Legislative Assembly Ed. Picco and Premier Paul Okalik posed during a round of Ice Golf.
As Mr. Picco pointed out earlier in this Session, he said that Mr. Premier and myself rose to our feet after he made a putt.
I just want to set the record straight; we got tired of standing around waiting for him to make that putt, to take the shot, so we just sat down and had a rest, and then after he got he finally shot, we got up and we were just moving on to the next hole.
So I would like to table this picture and also mention one thing it doesn’t mention on here because I was in that round, too, but because I just won that round, I think that was the consolation prize; it was a picture for the two gentlemen that were the losers on that round.
So I would like to table that for all Members to see.
Motion 025 – 2(2): Compensation Program for Nunavut Residents’ Loss from Bad Gasoline
I will read this in English because it’s lengthy.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, WHEREAS the quality of gasoline in our communities is an issue of great importance to Nunavummiut and the Members of the Legislative Assembly,
AND WHEREAS witnesses have appeared before the Committee of the Whole to respond to Members’ concerns and questions on this issue,
AND WHEREAS the Government of Nunavut has tabled information that confirms a number of concerns raised by residents with respect to this issue,
AND WHEREAS a number of residents, through no fault of their own, have suffered losses as a consequence of quality of gasoline available in their communities,
AND WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly recognizes the issues of liability with respect to the role of Shell Canada must be resolved,
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Honourable Member for Akulliq, that the Legislative Assembly recommend that the Government of Nunavut introduce, no later than the summer of this year, a comprehensive compensation program for residents who have suffered damage to their snowmobiles, outboard motors, ATVs or other property as a result of the quality of the gasoline supply in Nunavut communities;
AND FURTHER, I move that the Government of Nunavut table a comprehensive report on the gasoline situation during the fall 2005 sitting of the House.
Motion 028 – 2(2): Amendment to Motion 025-2(2) Compensation Program for Nunavut Residents’ Loss from Bad Gasoline
I would like to thank my colleague with the concerns that he has continued to push and, of course, a response will have to be made.
To the motion, I have continually said that I would make a commitment and I’m pleased to announce that I’m glad that during the coming weeks, we will give a response to the concerns on Shell Canada and the Petroleum Products Division.
They have had a meeting and we have had two representatives appear before us.
They are near completion of the review which deals with concerns that have been raised.
With respect to the motion, I would like to make the following amendment because this motion is worth our full support:
(Interpretation ends) I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Nattilik, that the motion be amended by striking the word “introduce” and replacing it with the words “coordinate with Shell Canada”.
In accordance with the applicable rules, each Member has 20 minutes to speak to the motion, but the mover to the amendment will have the first and last opportunity to speak to the motion.
To the amendment.
I was cut off, started a bit on the proposed motion.
I want comment on a bit, it’s not a big problem, but to me we’re getting down to the nitty-gritty, what I would call micro managing provisions.
This Assembly has no mandate or could not direct a cabinet as to exactly what the mandate would be given to the Minister.
I really felt that he should be seeking the mandate once the resolution was passed through here as it was, and then he would get the mandate, the nitty-gritty stuff exactly as he wants it.
If I were to add to the amendment, it would be instead of coordinate, negotiate.
That’s exactly what we’re trying to get him to do.
But, if he wants to just coordinate that thing or have someone coordinate, why would he need the Members of this Assembly to approve that kind of thing?
So either he considered withdrawing it because the Assembly could not direct the Cabinet Ministers nor the Cabinet.
So if he wants a mandate to negotiate or coordinate or telephone or what not he should be seeking that from his Cabinet Colleagues and not from me.
Speaker (interpretation): Are there any comments to the amendment?
I struggled with this one, but I think in all honesty, I think the motion as originally presented left Shell Canada out of it.
It might possibly give them the opportunity to wash their hands of the whole issue if the government has admitted fault and accept the liability audit that it could potentially give the people that made all of the money off the good gasoline and the bad gasoline that we got, to get away without contributing.
So Mr. Speaker, with that, I would support the amendment to the motion and I don’t believe it’s micromanaging or anything like that, but until it’s final and determined who is at fault and what liability lies where, I think that both parties need to be involved and work together to determining what that is and then come up with a plan to compensate people accordingly.
So with that, Mr. Speaker, I will be supporting the amendment.
Speaker (interpretation): Comments to the amendment. Mr. Picco.
I think the Member introducing the motion has done a good service for the people of Nunavut it’s highlighting the issue of my concern that is from a legal standpoint.
If and when the motion is endorsed by the House with or without the amendment or further amendment, we had to be careful of how we react as Mr. Tootoo has just said and Mr. Curley I think has alluded to is the issue around liability.
In the last gasoline case, some of the Members that were here before remember we were very careful in what we said about the liability because it turned out that the gasoline company ended up paying out money and we had to go out to our insurance company.
It cost several millions of dollars through no fault of our own.
In this case, based on all of the information that I have seen, all of the right specifications and everything were in place and it was a decision to remove an additive that was not up to arctic conditions.
And Mr. Speaker, I am not a lawyer, but I have a concern when we talk about coordinate with Shell.
Coordinate with Shell doesn’t give them any liability.
I say I am going to coordinate with Mr. Tootoo, it doesn’t mean that Mr. Tootoo is paying, he might not be paying. I am afraid of that.
I think the intent of the motion is a good one.
It’s saying that there should be a compensation package in place.
I am just worried about if the Government of Nunavut should introduce it and we don’t know what that liability cost would be to the government; how many millions of dollars?
I believe that Shell Canada should have something there.
I would suggest an amendment to the amendment and I would just strike out coordinate, I would replace it with fund by Shell Canada and then deal with the liability issues at a later time.
So I would be very careful on the restrictions that would be placed on the government with a motion like this.
Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Picco, is your amendment to the amendment in writing?
I have just put in my amendment to the amendment to the motion.
I’m suggesting and again, I’ll just repeat, replacing it with; fund by Shell Canada.
The other opportunity would be Mr. Speaker, on the government’s side, if we abstain on the vote, it means that the vote or the original amendment, motion, or indeed, the motion couldn’t go forward, but it wouldn’t have a liability issue for the government.
So, we do have two options.
I would first of all move that amended motion, as I stated, and replace it with the words funds by Shell Canada, so that in the body of the motion, there is a contingent liability on Shell Canada and not solely on the Government of Nunavut.
Speaker (interpretation): That amendment to the amendment has to be written and so we’ll take a break for a few minutes.
>>Session recessed at 15:51 and resumed at 16:24
Speaker (interpretation): We’ll go back to Item 16.
There was an amendment.
Motion 29-2(2) Amendment Motion 28-2(2)- withdrawn
In the interest of brevity and expedience, I withdraw my amendment to the motion.
There was a motion and an amendment.
With respect to the amendment I moved, I just want to provide further clarification on the work we have done with Shell Canada.
We are continuing to work on identifying the problems that have been raised with us on the fuel supply and which are being thoroughly investigated by the Petroleum Products Division and Shell Canada.
All the questions that were posed on this subject and the compensation have been discussed by those parties.
I had stated that it would be completed by this week.
I also want to make clear the close working relationship we had with Shell Canada.
I’m very pleased about the task that was given to us to review this issue.
I had some concerns originally with the motion, I thought the wording “Shell” should be there, so when Minister introduced his amendment to the motion which said “coordinate with Shell Canada”, I felt that was a good amendment to mention Shell, not a lawyer.
I know lawyers could play with words when they get into court, but I thought we should have the name Shell Canada acknowledged in there as part of this serious crisis with bad gasoline in the region.
I’m fully supportive of the compensation for the hunters and trappers who are afflicted by this bad gasoline.
I believe that with the mention of Shell Canada in the main body of the motion, therefore I could support that motion.
Therefore, I will be supporting the amendment to the motion.
Speaker (interpretation): Comments or questions to the amendment?
Briefly I’d like to speak to the original motion.
In going through that original motion before the proposed amendment, I thought that motion was...
Speaker (interpretation): Ms. Aglukkaq, we’re dealing with the amendment to the motion tabled by Mr. Kilabuk.
Do you have a comment on the amendment, Ms. Aglukkaq?
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq: Mr. Speaker, my intent was to speak to both of them at the same time.
Comments to the amendment.
I will now ask for a show of hands to the amendment.
All those opposed to the amendment, please raise your hands.
The amendment to the motion is carried.
There’s an amended motion.
I would like to give the mover an opportunity to make final comments.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): As the final speaker?
Speaker (interpretation): There was a motion which was amended and according to the rules, Members have 20 minutes to make comments, and the mover has the opportunity to make the last comments.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): I thought I was going to be the first one to make a comment, now I’m making the last comments.
First of all, who should be compensated for the damage done to the motors?
Who should be compensated because they can’t go hunting out on the land because their equipment has broken?
Some of the hunters and trappers haven’t had any mode of transportation all winter.
Where are we going to get to the money to compensate the hunters and trappers?
The Government of Nunavut is the one who bought this gasoline and Nunavummiut are concerned.