EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
The Income Support Program on G-7 is the headquarters operations of the office so that’s the policy, the program, the compliance, oversight, and training piece of the department, plus I deliver the Senior Citizens Supplementary Benefit in my office.
The delivery of the actual programs for the Department of Education under Income Support and all the other programs that are on the adult side of the department, with the exception of FANS, are delivered by the three regional offices which are called Career and Early Childhood Services.
Those are on different pages that we will get to.
I have no more names on my list for Income Support. Total Operations and Maintenance. $3,733,000. Do you agree?
Chairman (interpretation): That amount has been approved, so can now move on to Adult Learning and Post Secondary Services.
I would ask that my deputy minister replace the person on my left if you are in agreement, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman (interpretation): Are my colleagues agreed?  Some Members: Agreed.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Ms. Teiman, for appearing before the committee.
Ms. Okpik will have to go to the witness table.
Adult Learning and Post Secondary Services. Total Operations and Maintenance. $8,674,000.
Chairman (interpretation): G-9 is an information item.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $43,180,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Curriculum and School Services.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $19,437,000.
Chairman (interpretation): School Operations. Total Operations and Maintenance. $125,467,000.
On School Operations in the business plan, G-8 and G-9, I think, I’m concerned about how well the counsellors are trained.
I know one janitor became - what do you call those students who work on a Qamutik - a cultural instructor at one time.
Does a school counsellor require more qualification than the cultural instructor with some sort of a certificate or diploma to deal with students, especially encouraging them to do well in school and try their best, etcetera, or if they have any problems with family at home, etcetera?
What’s the qualification of a school counsellor?
Ms. Okpik, can you try and answer the question?
These two positions are different from each other.
I don’t have any documents in front of me that elaborate on the certifications of school community counsellors.
As we stated yesterday, they are very important to the communities and they have to know the community and speak Inuktitut.
What we talked about yesterday is that we’re trying to hire counsellors. We are starting to establish training programs for counsellors.
They will be trained after the training modules have been completed.
They have to know how to counsel and possess other qualifications.
I should thank you first of all for the correspondence that I received and I think that all of us need to be aware that when we started having Inuit teachers, it allowed parents to communicate with the teachers, especially the principals, about their children’s behavioural problems.
However, the principal at the high school still cannot speak Inuktitut.
The majority of the students have parents who are Inuit.
The teachers who are bilingual, especially if there was an Inuktitut-speaking vice-principal, become the interpreters to the principals.
If it’s stated in the collective agreement that they’re not paid for their interpreting services, then why does it have to go through the collective agreement, not through the government policy?
We are compelled to follow the collective agreement on employment. If it states in the job description that this individual has to be bilingual in their work, then they would be provided a bilingual bonus.
We continually review that policy. Not all staff receive the bilingual bonus.
When parents request for the use of those individuals, we put in the bilingual bonus. Sometimes I submit a request to Human Resources when the individuals have been given the positions.
Can an employee who has become a necessity for him or her to speak both languages in order to deal with parents be recognized in the middle of their employment and deemed required as a bilingual educator accordingly?
Yes, that is not a problem. For example, when it becomes evident that this individual needs to be paid the bilingual bonus and we realize that it’s necessary, it’s deemed required. Often, we are not informed and we would be more than pleased to hear those kinds of requests.
Once we realize that it’s required, they’re given bilingual bonuses.
It is not always possible to have a bilingual principal, especially in high school.
Is there a requirement for all schools to have a bilingual vice-principal?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): No, we don’t have a policy that says the vice-principal has to be an Inuk. There is nothing stated like that in our department, Mr. Chairman.
Would you consider creating or at least make a proposal to cabinet, if there are experienced bilingual teachers in the school, that there should be a bilingual principal in the school?
On July 1, we celebrated the graduation of students for Master of Education from the University from PEI.
There were 21 who passed the training and are planning to make sure that they can become principals in the schools.
There’s going to be another program starting this year in 2010 and we will start the Master of Education training again to increase the number of graduates who have a master’s degree so that there will be more Inuit teachers who can become principals.
Within the new Education Act, the DEAs have an opportunity to select school principals.
I believe that this will alleviate some of the problems experience in the hiring of principals.
So we have an educational leadership program in the schools and this program will continue, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Ningark (interpretation): Yes, Mr. Chairman, the scenario that Mr. Arvaluk was speaking about would be quite advantageous if the vice-principal was from the local community and fully functional in both languages.
This can provide many side benefits, especially when the principal is not an Inuktitut-speaking individual. The vice-principal should automatically have to be bilingual.
Perhaps we ought to even pass a motion as that would alleviate a lot of problems and to provide funds to that effect.
I believe it would be valuable if the vice-principal was required to be bilingual.
This is a good suggestion and I am swayed towards that type of scenario.
I believe that we are largely done with that part. There is a wish to make a motion with respect to this matter.
Would anyone like to make a motion to support this?
We do not have a written motion, so I am unsure as to the protocol.
Are there any further questions or comments?
Chairman (interpretation): Total Operations and Maintenance. $125,467,000.
On to the next page, you have to agree to the total appropriations being requested. This is the summary appropriations request. Total Operations and Maintenance. $206,758,000.
Are you in agreement that the Department of Education is concluded?
Minister Tapardjuk, if you have any closing remarks, I will provide you with an opportunity.
I just wish to express my gratitude to the committee and my colleagues as well.
Yesterday as well as today, references have been made to this term, “lifelong learning.”
When one is queried by a multitude of people with varied questions respecting the legislation, it is also a valuable learning experience. So I wish to thank my colleagues for asking those tough questions.
I fully expect that when the new Education Act is finally being implemented with all of its associated regulations, some of these imposing challenges that seem insurmountable will eventually be resolved and that is my expectation.
I also share in your expectations that the new legislation will assist the district education authorities in fulfilling their increased roles and mandates as envisioned in the legislation and that this will provide them with the tools to properly administer their local schools and educational system.
I also thank your officials.
We have completed the department and we can now go to the next department.
We have Minister Kusugak, the Minister of Community and Government Services.
Are you prepared to make your opening comments? Minister Kusugak.
Bill 22 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2010-2011 – Community and Government Services – Consideration in Committee
Yes, I am ready.
Chairman (interpretation): You may proceed, Minister Kusugak.
Hon. Lorne Kusugak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman and my colleagues, for the opportunity to appear before the Committee of the Whole to review the 2010-11 Main Estimates and Business Plan for the Department of Community and Government Services.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Chairman, the Department of Community and Government Services (interpretation) plays many roles in the delivery of programs and services for local government, government services, petroleum products, procurement, protection services, informatics, and project and asset management.
Including the PPD revolving fund, CGS has a budget exceeding three hundred and seventy million dollars with 340 positions in 14 communities.
Over the past fiscal year, my department has focused on the priorities of this government as well as our core business services.
One of the priorities addressed was the tabling of Bill 12 to protect municipal employees’ pensions from creditors.
CGS will continue to work with the Northern Employee Benefit Services and the GNWT over the next business cycle to introduce pension plan legislation as well.
(interpretation ends) My department continues, Mr. Chairman, to support communities in developing integrated community sustainability plans to assist with prioritizing infrastructure development over the short, medium, and longer terms through the Nunavut Community Infrastructure Advisory Committee.
We continue to assist municipalities with acquiring insurance coverage at affordable rates by providing ongoing funding of $850,000 for the municipal insurance program, also referred to as NAMIX.
Over the past year, CGS worked with hamlets to implement new Canadian accounting standards for tangible capital assets.
These set amortization and life cycle accounting timeframes to better reflect the capital assets of communities in their financial statements.
Mr. Chairman, CGS continues to invest significant resources in training to ensure that we improve services and programs to our client groups.
We offer over 6,500 training days a year to municipal employees through our collaboration with the Municipal Training Organization (MTO).
Mr. Chairman, our budget for the upcoming year has a modest net increase over last year’s main estimates.
We have increased building maintenance budgets to be able to better focus our efforts in maintaining government assets and client service.
This will not only make our buildings healthier places to work but will also extend the life of these assets and reduce the high cost of operations and energy usage.
To strengthen the maintenance program, CGS has begun condition assessments of all GN assets and will manage this data in the real estate capital asset priority planning.
That RECAPP system will be used to track service life and provide recommendations on life cycle renewal investments.
The Petroleum Products Division continues to manage the fuel provision mandate for the GN. The global oil market and currency trends continue to be very unpredictable, and we have seen both record high and record low fuel prices lately.
In addition, the Canadian dollar continues to fluctuate against the US dollar, which also affects pricing.
PPD has no direct control over these commodities, but the department is working hard to improve their procurement practices and moderate the cost impact to Nunavummiut by capitalizing on lower prices whenever they become available through the early purchase of fuel.
Mr. Chairman, the Petroleum Products Division has proceeded with an early purchase of 50 million litres of diesel in the past couple of months and with recent increases in fuel prices, this has already saved approximately two million dollars.
We hope that this will contribute to price stability when we begin receiving shipments of fuel this summer.
This month, PPD will purchase 16.5 million litres of gasoline before refineries switch production to summer grade gasoline.
Again, we hope to take advantage of lower prices and to ensure that only the best product is supplied to our communities.
PPD also monitors the oil and currency market daily and we note that forecasts indicate worldwide, fuel prices will rise into the spring and summer months.
While it is important to achieve the best price for fuel, it is equally important to take steps to reduce fuel consumption used for producing energy.
This department will continue substantial energy management initiatives which include improving the energy efficiency of building designs, lighting, heating systems, and the maintenance and operations of these assets.
CGS has initiated an energy performance contract for GN building retrofits.
This will help to improve lighting and HVAC system energy performance and is funded from future energy savings.
CGS will also assist other departments and agencies in implementing various parts of the GN Energy Strategy. All of these efforts, Mr. Chairman, are aimed at reducing our consumption and reducing costs associated with utilities.
Mr. Chairman, with respect to Protection Services and Nunavut Emergency Management, we have been working hard to improve the response programs available to the public for search and rescue. We continue to work with community search and rescue organizations, hamlets, and individuals in assisting with coordinating the RCMP, military, and community groups in response to searches. These efforts will continue.
The Territorial Fire Prevention Strategy review has been completed and implementation will continue over future years.
CGS continues to provide a substantial amount of training and equipment to local fire departments throughout Nunavut.
Protection Services is also working with communities to develop emergency response plans to prepare them for responding to emergency events.
Service delivery to Nunavummiut by the GN will be enhanced through the upgrade of the wide area, local area, and municipal area networks.
CGS is working with the Department of Finance and the Qulliq Energy Corporation to guide the implementation of new infrastructure over the next 18 months.
Mr. Chairman, the recently tabled Tamapta Action Plan will be supported through these and other technology improvements.
Improved communications with government will be a priority for my department, working with EIA and communities through a variety of resources and call centre technologies.
Mr. Chairman, I hope my comments give an appreciation of the types of services that Community and Government Services provides both internally and to the public at large. There continues to be great values in partnerships and collaborations when we work together to meet the needs of government departments, communities, and Nunavummiut in general.
I would be pleased to address any questions that you may have.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Kusugak. (interpretation ends) We will go right to the chair of the committee to do the opening comments at this time.
I thank the minister for his opening comments.
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to provide opening comments on behalf of the Standing Committee on Community and Economic Development on its review of the 2010-11 main estimates and 2010-13 business plan for the Department of Community and Government Services.
The standing committee notes that the department’s proposed 2010-11 operations and maintenance budget of $172,064,000 has increased by approximately 1 percent since the introduction of the department’s 2009-2010 main estimates.
The number of positions in the department is 340.
This is an increase of 10 PYs from its 2004-05 business plan.
The department’s 2010-13 business plan indicates that the department is continuing work on the Consumer Protection Act and the Lotteries Regulations. The standing committee looks forward to ongoing updates on these legislative initiatives.
Mr. Chairman, as you will recall, the Northern Employee Benefits Service Pension Plan Protection Act was passed during the 2009 fall sitting.
Members are very pleased to see that the Government of Nunavut listened and acted on the concerns that we raised on the need to protect municipal employees and their pension plans.
The standing committee looks forward to further progress on the department’s plans to “Work towards an updated pension plan legislation to regulate the [Northern Employee Benefits Service] pension plan for municipal employees in Nunavut and NWT.”
Mr. Rumbolt: The Department of Community and Government Services is responsible for preparing the Government of Nunavut’s annual reports on departmental contracting, procurement and leasing activities.
The most recent reports, which were for the 2008-09 fiscal year, were tabled in the Legislative Assembly on December 7, 2009.
Members look forward to the tabling of the 2009-2010 reports at the earliest opportunity.
Mr. Chairman, the department’s proposed budget for municipal transfer payments is decreasing from $51,979,000 in 2009-2010 to $48,686,000 in 2010-11.
During the minister’s appearance before the standing committee, members questioned what accounted for this decrease.
Members were informed that the decrease was directly related to savings on utility costs.
However, the standing committee urges the minister to continuously monitor the adequacy of the funding allocated under the Municipal Funding Policy, which is used to assist municipalities to deliver programs and services.
During the minister’s appearance before the standing committee, members questioned how the department’s budget deficit reduction activities were progressing with municipalities.
Members were informed that the department’s efforts to assist municipalities in deficit reduction exercises are showing improvements and there is only one community in a deficit position.
The standing committee was pleased to hear this and encourages the minister to provide ongoing support and updates on this initiative.
The department’s proposed 2010-11 main estimates include $1.5 million in funding for the Mobile Equipment Block Funding Program. This program, which was introduced last year, “Provide annual core funding to assist communities in mobile equipment lifecycle planning, procurement and maintenance.”
During the minister’s appearance before the standing committee, members questioned the adequacy of funding for this program. The minister informed the committee that he would be looking at the possibility of increasing the Mobile Equipment Fund if additional funding were secured.
Members have heard concerns from numerous municipalities regarding the inadequacy of the funding, which is $62,500 for each community.
The standing committee strongly encourages the minister to increase the funding allocated for this program and looks forward to ongoing updates on this important issue.
Mr. Chairman, the department’s proposed 2010-11 main estimates include $850,000 in funding for the Municipal Insurance Exchange to “offset incremental costs associated with municipal insurance coverage and to implement loss control program initiatives…”
Mr. Rumbolt: “… with focus on such critical areas as fire training and fire prevention.”
The standing committee supports the government’s ongoing support for NAMIX until such time as the system can become self-funded.
The department’s 2010-13 business plan indicates that a “Draft report has been developed” concerning the “... open-market feasibility study which develops sealift re-supply policy options…” The standing committee looks forward to reviewing the results of this study and its being tabled by the minister in the Legislative Assembly at the earliest opportunity.
The department’s proposed 2010-11 main estimates include $500,000 in annual funding to provide training to search and rescue organizations and to assist with the purchase of equipment.
The department’s proposed 2010-11 main estimates includes $50,000 in additional funding for a program “To assist communities and qualified organizations through providing emergency search and rescue contribution funding.”
The standing committee encourages the department to provide clear information to communities on the process by which they can access these funds.
Mr. Chairman, the department’s 2010-13 business plan provides an update on the status of one of its priorities for the Office of the Fire Marshal. It indicates that the review of the Fire Prevention Strategy has been completed and “Recommendations will be developed for the future direction of the Strategy.”
The standing committee looks forward to the tabling of this new strategy in the Legislative Assembly at the earliest opportunity.
The standing committee also looks forward to reviewing the 2009 annual report of the Office of the Fire Marshal, which is required by law to be tabled in the Legislative Assembly under the territorial Fire Prevention Act.
The standing committee also notes that the proposed budget for the department’s Capital Planning and Technical Services Branch is increasing from $27,006,000 in 2009-2010 to $32,370,000 in 2010-11.
Most of this increase is due to a $5,087,000 increase in the budget for building maintenance.
Mr. Chairman, the department’s 2010-13 business plan indicates that one of its priorities has been to “Deliver community based training for potable water, wastewater and solid waste management…” in Rankin Inlet and Iqaluit in the 2009-2010 fiscal year “… with the Municipal Training Organization (MTO).
Upon completing these courses, Hamlet employees will be in a better position to meet guidelines established by the regulatory authorities for: source water protection… water disinfection, chemical handling safety procedures, system filters, pump and valve operations and maintenance, chemical and biological water testing, record keeping and administrative procedures.”
The standing committee continues to recommend that the department prepare and table in the Legislative Assembly a comprehensive report on water quality in all Nunavut communities.
In recent years, the department initiated water and sewage pilot projects in three communities. The department’s 2009-2010 business plan indicated that “The three original pilot communities were not satisfied with the block funding terms and conditions implemented by the designated project sponsor; the participating communities decided that they no longer wanted to be involved. As a result of having no participating communities, the pilot project was cancelled.”
During the minister’s recent appearance before the standing committee, members questioned if the department intends to initiate a similar pilot project in the future and requested information concerning why the communities decided to not participate in the past projects.
Although the minister informed the committee that this project was an important initiative, it remains unclear why his department and the Nunavut Housing Corporation have been unsuccessful in working together to deliver these pilot projects.
The standing committee recommends that Community and Government Services and the Nunavut Housing Corporation work together on this issue and looks forward to the minister reporting to the Legislative Assembly on this initiative.
Mr. Chairman, during the minister’s appearance before the standing committee, members questioned how Community and Government Services and the Department of Environment are working together on the issue of Nunavut’s aging waste management infrastructure. The minister indicated that his department is looking into waste options. However, the minister was not able to give detailed information on this issue to the members.
The standing committee recommends the minister provide this information to the House at the earliest opportunity.
The department’s 2010-11 main estimates project that the department’s Petroleum Products Revolving Fund will have a surplus of $6,407,000 in 2010-11. The standing committee encourages the department to closely monitor these funds.