EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Question 020 – 2(1): Direction to Nunavut Housing Corporation on Homeowner Renovations (Netser)
Mr. Netser (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) My question today is for the Premier. (interpretation) On March 5, during the selection of the Premier, I posed a question regarding homeowners in Nunavut and how the houses are getting older and the program, the amount of dollars that are allotted… (interpretation ends) I will be encouraging the federal government to work with them.
Even if we do not get an agreement from the federal government, we will work with the homeowners.
(interpretation) My question to the Premier: (interpretation ends) what direction has he given his Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation with respect to priorities for assistance to homeowners?
Speaker (interpretation): The question was posed to the Premier, but we will direct it to the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): I would like to say that the homeowners of Nunavut, of course, have high utility bills and renovation costs.
We have been directed to look into the matter and find out how big the problem is.
The monies that are allotted are for programs are not fully utilized, and we are going to be directing our department to look into handing over more monies for renovation to home ownership bids.
Mr. Netser (interpretation): Thank you.
So the homeowners of Nunavut will have a larger amount of money available to them if they would like to renovate their buildings.
When talking to the local housing authorities, they just stated not long ago that there was no money for homeowners.
When are we going to see new monies for these types of programs?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Kilabuk.
We could use the example of people who made their applications and were approved this year for renovations.
Looking at last year’s figures, the problem is some of the people will probably not be able to renovate their house this year because they might have missed the shipping days.
We are going to keep our eye on what has been used this year and what is available this year.
Question 021 – 2(1): Bussing Issues during a Blizzard (Curley)
I am glad to direct my question to the Minister of Education.
I think we all know that kindergarten and elementary children go to school and usually we urge them to go to school on time.
I would like to tell the minister that we want to keep our children in school and to go to school every day, but we can’t because of the weather.
When we say it’s a blizzard in Iqaluit, everything shuts down. But in Rankin, even in a blizzard, everything stays open, and the children keep going to school.
Usually, the children wait outside in -40 degrees at eight o’clock in the morning for the bus.
Sometimes on bad days the bus does not come.
I don’t know who the contractor is and sometimes because the school bus is not available, the children just go home. And so, sometimes we use the Friendship Centre’s bus.
Mr. Minister, instead of going on holidays this summer; I think you should look into this matter and rectify the problem.
If the member could join me, we will take the holiday together and work on it.
There is a whole range of issues of bussing in Nunavut.
It depends on, again, each local DEA, the contract that is in place, and so on.
At the end of the day, I think the best thing that can be said, you know, is common sense should prevail.
And the member is correct: if it is stormy weather, for example, and the children are left outside, there should be some cognizant observations by the authorities in place. Common sense should prevail, and that would not happen.
Mr. Speaker, if the member has, for example, times, dates, chronological sequence of when issues have occurred, I can actually look into what occurred at those times.
And at the same time, work with the members, Minister Brown is from the same community, to see what we can do with the DEA to make sure these issues don’t keep coming up in the school year which starts this fall.
I can work together with you, but there are a lot of people who are working for the Department of Education.
We have the records which are kept by the principal at the school, so you can ask for copies of the records that we have.
I don’t know who the contractor is, but because the school bus cannot come, usually what they do is use the Friendship Centre’s bus and they are late to get home for lunch because the bus is not available.
This is not the problem of the students; it is your department and the contractors who are responsible for the running of this bus, and I would like the minister to deal with this before the end of the school year.
We have to have our children taken care of properly if they are going to go to school.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Minister of Education, Mr. Picco.
I appreciate the member’s comments and observations. At the end of the day there has to be a contract. In this case between, I would assume either the school operations or the local DEA in Rankin.
Under that contract there are terms and conditions that the contractor would have to follow.
If in the case, as the member is explaining, that certain conditions have not been followed then that would be a breach of contract, and that is something that I am prepared to look into.
Mr. Speaker, I will be in contact with the people at the department after question period.
I would hope to have an answer for the member on Monday at our next sitting as to exactly what has occurred with the contract as outlined by the member.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): I would like the minister to be aware that I and my wife know what the problem is.
The contractor lives close to us and usually we get calls from people who are looking at their grandchildren, or their children, waiting for the bus, and they call us and they say the bus is not here again.
So I would like to thank the minister and I look forward to his department looking into the problem and finding a solution.
Rankin Inlet is straight around.
There are areas which are quite far from the school and we do definitely have a problem and I thank the minister that he will look into the matter.
Question 022 – 2(1): Alternative Measures for Biodegradable Bags (Arreak)
I would like to direct my question today to the Minister of Environment.
We as Nunavummiut have a common concern and that is our environment.
We would like to have a clean environment.
As members are aware, plastic is everywhere in Nunavut today, out on the land and scattered all over the place.
Plastic shopping bags can be found in every community and we use these bags for almost everything.
We use them in our homes.
Our children use them for their books, for holding their swimming gear, and we even use them to store our frozen country foods.
Although these bags come in handy, they are harming our environment.
They are also potentially very harmful to our wildlife.
In the west, around Alaska, some 30 villages have even banned these plastic bags and in some places they say it is time to tax these bags.
Mr. Speaker, my question to the minister is: if a community in Nunavut were to make an effort to encourage the replacement of plastic bags with reusable ones, would the minister’s department provide support to the community’s efforts?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Environment, Mr. Akesuk.
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker and I would like to thank Mr. Arreak for posing this question.
We will look into the matter. We can look at some ideas because of course we have to take care of our communities and our environment and we have to protect our wildlife from these hazardous materials.
We can look at other jurisdictions and see what kinds of policies exist or what they do with these plastic bags.
Speaker (interpretation): Your first supplementary, Mr. Arreak.
And even in the summer they might be harmful to your engines because they get stuck in the motors.
My supplementary question to the minister is: can the department look into supporting the use of alternative biodegradable bags in Nunavut?
We can look at alternative measures and also look into what is happening in Alaska.
We can look into the matter and also have discussions with officials from retail outlets.
In regard to whether they can start using biodegradable bags in Nunavut, we will have to work together with the regional outlet officials.
Question 023 – 2(1): Orientation for New Municipal Employees (Evyagotailak)
Mr. Evyagotailak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Community and Government Services.
I think we all know that as a group we are always learning every day as new members.
As for those new members to the hamlets, they don’t get any orientation on how they should operate their finances.
That is why they have problems coming up.
That is why it would be great if the new members could have orientation in the coming years.
Speaker (interpretation): Minster of Community and Government Services.
Under a partnership with the Municipal Training Organization, our department does provide training for staff at the municipal level.
I want to make it very clear that each community or municipality can request specific training if they feel that the council requires it.
We will try to accommodate them through our MTO partners.
Also, I have another question.
The question is regarding the sewage lagoons.
In Kugluktuk we are having the same problems: it is always flowing into the ocean.
In the springtime it starts flowing into the ocean, which is where we do our fishing.
This is very unhealthy.
I heard that there is funding available for upgrading these old sewage lagoons.
If this money could be used to upgrade our sewage lagoons in the near future… I want to know if our lagoon will be upgraded this coming summer or if there will be any work put into it.
Speaker (interpretation): For the members who are asking questions, perhaps if you could refrain from using too much preamble before your questions are asked.
Question 024 – 2(1): Arviat Elders Centre Renovations – Contractors/Pension Checks (Alagalak)
I have a question for the Minister of Health.
I’m sure that she will not be able to answer the question right away, but I would like to get an answer when she can get it to me, the sooner the better.
They hired a new contractor for that elders’ facility. We heard that there was going to be a contractor to do the work at the elders’ centre and it was not put out as an RFP. It was never put into tender to put in people to look after the elders in the centre.
I would like to get some information, and this has been questioned by the staff that work at the elders’ centre in Arviat. I am not saying that it is not run properly, but I wanted to find out how long is that contract to look after the elders.
Part of the things that they do at the elders’ centre is, I heard recently, that the pensions that the elders living in that centre receive, apparently the coordinators or the supervisors take that money and pay it towards their rent.
I heard that there are various ways of doing things in each elders’ facility in Nunavut; some of them do not pay and some of them need to pay.
So, if I get some more information from the minister, I could probably find out how they run the centres in Nunavut. Some elders are not very happy; they do not have any money left in their elders’ pension because they pay rent and they cannot provide anything else for their grandchildren.
I would like to find out from the Minister of Health and Social Services how they run the elders’ facility.
I think the Minister of Health and Social Services has that responsibility.
And I thank the member for the question.
I will be consulting with my colleagues or my staff to find out about how long the contract is for the people to coordinate and supervise.
This is the first time I have heard about pensions that are taken to pay for the rent.
I will answer the member.
Question 025 – 2(1): Plans to Build a Community Hall for Repulse Bay (Mapsalak)
The minister is aware of the request from the people of Repulse Bay for a community hall; it burned down a few years ago and it consisted of the office for the hamlet as well as other offices.
They could only start building that facility again using the insurance money and they had to get some assistance in the way of money from the government. And they could not build it with the community hall attached to it.
I would like to ask the minister if there are any plans in place under the five-year plan about whether there could be a community hall built in Repulse Bay.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Community and Government Services, Mr. Kilabuk.
Yes, I recognize the request from the member in his question because as you know, there are no community hall facilities in Repulse Bay since the fire a few years ago.
I have met with the member, and talked with my staff, and I would like to assure the member while he is here, during this session, I will be able to sit with him and inform him as to what our plans are for the community of Repulse Bay.
Can the minister, in his budget priorities, make sure that the community hall is built first under his budget?
The question from the member… I would like to make sure that I tried to listen to all of the Members of the Legislative Assembly.
We have had some funding from the federal government for community infrastructure and the agreement that we have in place with them is continuing.
If we were to get some more funding from the federal government for community infrastructure, I will have it in place.
Question 026 – 2(1): Plans to Change Qualifications for Homeowner Program (Tootoo)
My question is for the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
I will follow up a little bit on Mr. Netser’s question.
Last year, the Housing Corporation made some adjustments to the Home Ownership Program to allow dependents to be considered in how much funding was made available or who qualified for the program.
I know that there are also some concerns of people that own their own homes need repairs as well and I would just like to ask the minister: are there plans in place to change the criteria for the home repair program, to take into consideration dependents when calculating the income levels for people who are eligible for the program?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of the Housing Corporation, Minister Kilabuk.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk: Mr. Speaker, it is an ongoing discussion I have got going right now with my staff at the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
So it is one of the items that we are currently discussing under the agreement.
I guess on your birthday you look more like a Chairman than a Speaker. Everybody is calling him Mr. Chairman today, but you are Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, can the minister give an indication if the plans… I know the former minister of the Housing Corporation was talking about streamlining and lining up all of the programs to have more consistency within them.
Can the minister give an indication if those changes will happen so that the same criteria that are used for the home repair program, or for the home ownership programs that allow for independence, will be in place for the Home Repair Program for the coming year’s delivery?
Hon. Peter Kilabuk: I’d like to ask my colleague to repeat that question please.
I somehow got lost with his line of questioning.
Hopefully this doesn’t count out of my stuff. I was asking the minister if he could commit to having the same uniform criteria, the changes in the home ownership program that have taken place to allow for dependents in the calculations criteria, in place for the home repair program for this coming year’s delivery.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Housing, Minister Kilabuk.
If we do get our review done in time for this year’s delivery, we will certainly seriously consider it.
The minister mentioned, “If we do get the review done.”
What stage is the review at, and when does he expect it to be completed?
Hon. Peter Kilabuk: Mr. Speaker, the internal discussions and the review that are going on now with my staff should be completed hopefully before the end of the month.
Then, can I ask the minister to commit, once the review is done and the decision is made by the corporation, that when change comes forward, make it known to members of this House as soon as possible?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Housing, Mr. Kilabuk.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk: Mr. Speaker, once I do get word on the matter, it is something that I most definitely will share with the House.
Question 027 – 2(1): Update on the Negotiation with NAV Canada (Peterson)
My question is for the Minister of Economic Development and Transportation, concerning community aerodrome radio stations.
Everybody knows that we’ve been operating the last four or five years under an old contract with Nav Canada.
I understand the negotiations are currently underway.
So, I wonder if the minister could update the House on the progress of negotiations with Nav Canada.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister Simailak, Minister of Economic Development.
We are in talks right now with Nav Canada.
That is all I can answer right now, that we are looking at this.
Can the minister tell the House if the Government of Nunavut is seeking more than the $4.6 million annually that Nav Canada has been offering to our current operations?
Hon. David Simailak (interpretation): I’m sorry I did not quite understand you.
Can you repeat your question, Mr. Peterson?
Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Peterson.
Nav Canada has been telling the Government of Nunavut it is only offering $4.6 million annually for the last four to five years, take-it-or-leave-it.
So, I am wondering if the minister could tell the House here if the government is going to be seeking more than the $4.6 million from Nav Canada.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Transportation, Honourable David Simailak.
I cannot tell you how much is money is involved here since we are still in talks on this issue.
Can the minister tell us if he’ll commit to including the Nunavut Association of Municipalities and SAOs with front-line experience on the Government of Nunavut negotiating team?
Speaker (interpretation): Honourable David Simailak.
Hon. David Simailak (interpretation): In Pangnirtung we talked about this, and we will be talking with the hamlets on this issue.
Speaker (interpretation): Your final supplementary, Mr. Peterson.
Those hamlets over the last four or five years have had a very difficult time with the operation of the CARS stations.
I’m not sure how many have given up their operations. Could the minister update the House today on how many hamlets are operating CARS stations in Nunavut?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Economic Development and Transportation, Honourable David Simailak.
Hon. David Simailak (interpretation): Right now, Mr. Speaker, Qikiqtarjuaq and Pangnirtung do not want to be part of that.
Also, Cape Dorset and Nanisivik are outside of the hamlet contracts.
Question 028 – 2(1): Homeowner Program Regulations and Policies (Barnabas)
I would like to do some follow up: Mr. Tootoo asked Mr. Netser a question on Wednesday, on energy, that there are problems, that there are many bills to pay.
I am asking the Minister of the Housing Corporation: what kind of regulations are there, and what kind of insurance do you need to be part of this program?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Housing, Honourable Peter Kilabuk.
If they do not have insurance, especially in the smaller communities, it is going to be very difficult to be eligible for the program.
Yes, we do have a regulatory policy to make sure that they have insurance, and if they don’t, they cannot be a part of this program.
Inuit are just learning about how the program runs, because the Inuit did not have any knowledge of this at all. Are you going to make sure to let the communities know about these policies or regulations?
Speaker (interpretation): The Minister of Housing.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): The staff is looking into this right now.
As soon as I became the Minister of Housing… We would like to notify the communities on the policies and regulations that have to be followed so that they can have better knowledge.
We will have training sessions in the communities about home ownership programs.
Everyone in the community will be included when we have training sessions.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. We are in the darkness for up to three months in the wintertime in the High Arctic.
Will the minister work with community and government services and the Nunavut Power Corporation for the subsidy of utilities, for a lot of people pay different rates?
Will these be looked at?
To your question, it seems that it is very difficult to answer that one, since the budget did not change.
My colleagues, I will let you know about that question and I will speak to other ministers on this issue.
Question 029 – 2(1): Funding for Sewage Lagoon (Evyagotailak)
I have two questions directed to the Minister of Community and Government Services in regard to the funding which was already allocated for the sewage lagoon.
Will that funding which was allocated be returned for that purpose?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Community and Government Services, Minister Kilabuk.
Unfortunately, I do not have that information in front of me.
However, the process that we follow annually is that if the money is going to be lapsed then the department has to go back to the Financial Management Board to seek approval to continue that project, or to put in other funding requirements for that community.
I will commit to providing further information to my colleagues on this matter.
Another supplementary in regard to the sewage lagoon; I would like to ask the minister: this would be worked on this summer?
And thank you for your excellent question.
I apologize, Mr. Speaker, since I do not have my files with me right now.
So, the member can come and see me on that issue outside of this meeting.
Question 030 – 2(1): Plans to Build a Boarding Home in Rankin Inlet (Curley)
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Thank you.
The minister is well aware, and I would like to thank the minister for building a new health centre in Rankin Inlet, the people of the Keewatin are looking forward to going for medical services somewhere closer. There will have to be staff housing available, but at this time, we do not have a boarding home in Rankin Inlet. Usually, the people passing through Rankin Inlet have to billet somewhere, and during bad weather if they cannot meet the scheduled flight, they have to look for somewhere to sleep.
With the new health centre built in Rankin Inlet, where are these people going to stay?
And with that, I would like to ask the minister if she has any plans to build a boarding home prior to the construction of the health centre.
When will it be built?
Because of course, Inuit do not want to stay in a hotel when they are in Rankin Inlet and because of that, could the minister inform us what kind of plans she will have for the patients staying over in Rankin Inlet?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Brown.
I am very pleased that you have brought the subject up, Mr. Curley.
With regard to the health centre, it will be opening up this fall and we have made plans to house the patients.
I hear that there will be 20 units built, but we do not have a boarding home at this time.
We will probably have to work with the Rankin Inlet Hamlet and the Department of Health so we can have a facility available for the patients.
From what I know, the patients will be billeted, if they would like, or they could be put up in the hotel.
We will be looking for solutions to this matter in regard to the patients that will be over-nighting or staying in Rankin Inlet.
We need a proper facility for the patients and I would like to thank you for bringing this matter up in the House.
Question 031 – 2(1): Issue on Shortage of Housing (Netser)
This is a supplement to the question that I brought up earlier and I apologize.
I would like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation.