EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
At the same time, the Crown Agency Council, an independent board of directors of the corporation itself, and the senior administration staff of the corporation review those financial statements, and if there’s an issue that they’ve all of a sudden lost $15 million or something, they would be contacting me immediately, and the Minister of Finance would know, because we’d have to be able to react to that.
I can tell the member and the people of Nunavut that, that has not occurred, and indeed it is my understanding from the corporation that the projections they have made are pretty well on target.
Deputy Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Hon. Ed Picco.
The minister does make a good point that he is required by legislation to table an annual report and the financial statements of the corporation, and I must say he hasn’t received them yet.
They’re already five months late.
We need current information.
If the projections are on target, as is outlined in the General Rate Application of what they will need for this fiscal year, what’s the big deal about the minister providing that information?
It seems like you’d think you’d want the people to have current information, not year-old information, not financial statements that are going to be coming forward that, he’s talking about, are from last fiscal year.
We are looking at a situation right now where the URRC is looking at an application, and you’d think the government would want to ensure that they had current, accurate information to look at and evaluate.
I understand that there is a clause that allows the URRC to obtain that current information from the minister.
Will the minister be providing... . If he doesn’t want to provide it to us as the members of the assembly, or to the general public, will he make it available to the URRC so that they can properly evaluate and look at the current situation?
I’m going to pick up on two points.
Again, I appreciate the member asking questions in the House so that we can bring some clarity and understanding to what is occurring here.
Number one: the annual report of the corporation is five months late, as the member has said, because the Auditor General has not signed off on the statement.
I’m not going to come forward and table an annual statement of the corporation without having the Auditor General’s information there, because then the members would come back and say, “Where is that information?”
And they would be right to do that.
So, that’s the reason why the statements are five months late; you can’t do them until the Auditor General signs off, and we’re still waiting for them.
Mr. Speaker, on the information for the Utility Rate Review Council: the URRC has the right to request the current information from the corporation.
They will have that information.
Mr. Mercer and his team will have that information.
Any information that they request will be provided to them so that the URRC can do the evaluation on the request that has been brought forth by the power corporation.
I can assure the member and the people of Nunavut that that is indeed the case.
Question 093 – 2(2): Update on Nanisivik Mine Closure
On Wednesday, November 24, the Premier stated, and I’ll say it in English, (interpretation ends) “We could look at Nanisivik, for instance, where the environment is in such poor state that we can’t re-use the precious infrastructure in place because of what took place before” (interpretation) Mr. Speaker, hearing this, the residents of Arctic Bay and I wanted him to elaborate.
Deputy Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Barnabas. Hon. Paul Okalik.
We tried to look for ways as to how we could re-use the mine, but as they were doing the studies on the infrastructure we were told they were full of contaminants and we would put people at risk if we tried to use that infrastructure.
It would be ideal to use them again, but we can’t.
Maybe he can produce a report with regard to that so we can have a better understanding of the matter.
My constituents and I fail to understand how it can be dangerous; there are buildings that were built two years ago and that are very modern, more modern than the old ones we have, such as the matchbox houses.
We managed to move 11 units; they were retrofitted and they are still usable today.
We fail to understand what the danger is.
Deputy Speaker (interpretation): Premier Okalik.
From my understanding, the older units are hazardous.
If we do more studies, then we might find out that some units are re-usable.
If they are, then we are willing to give it a try.
But this is not completed; we are trying to do more research because we didn’t want to terminate in the middle of it.
We are trying to further the research in order to see if they are safe.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.  Deputy Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Peterson.
Question 094 – 2(2): Introduction of the Legislation on Child Advocate
I have been consistent in my unwavering support of child advocacy for three or four years.
I have already raised this issue a number of times in this House and elsewhere.
In June, I tabled a draft regarding the establishment of a children’s advocate in Nunavut, and I asked the Minister of Health and Social Services to take action on this initiative.
Since then, the minister and I have talked many times about the positive benefits of a children’s advocate for Nunavut.
The question for my friend, the minister, is: will the minister introduce legislation in this House in 2005 to create an independent childrens’ advocate for Nunavut, yes or no?
Deputy Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Peterson.
Yes, I support the member.
But we would need some assistance from the other departments.
If it was just the Department of Health and Social Services, I would have to get others to help us out.
Deputy Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Mr. Peterson.
I wasn’t sure or clear about the answer.
Did the minister say yes, she will introduce legislation in 2005?
Hon. Levinia Brown (interpretation): If I get the support of the other departments; I would have to find out from the other departments first, before I introduce legislation.
Deputy Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Ms. Brown.
Does the minister support a strong, independent voice for the children of Nunavut: yes or no?
Yes, of course I support the children’s advocate, and also there’s a child protection act in the legislation.
I think it is part of what the member is asking.
Can the minister tell us when we can expect to see the establishment of an independent children’s advocate for Nunavut?
Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Peterson.
My department believes that the children should be protected.
There is also legislation in place at this time.
I know that the children should not be forgotten and they should have their rights protected.
There is already legislation in place.
I’m not really sure about how the department would feel about child advocacy legislation, so I cannot really answer his question at this time, because there is already legislation in place.
Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Hon. Levinia Brown.
Question 095 – 2(2): Plans for Alternative Energy Use
I would also like to address the Minister of Energy.
I think we have been talking about this; it’s a concern for us.
It’s a concern in regards to no funding available for Nunavut Power Corporation.
I just wondered if any plans have been put in place so that Inuit who live in the cold climate should not just be using diesel fuel.
I’m wondering if the minister can answer me whether there are any plans in place for an alternate energy source, rather than diesel.
Can the minister respond to me about whether there are any plans in the future for a cheaper and safer energy source in Nunavut.
Minister of Energy, Hon. Ed Picco.
I was moving too far to the left.
Very quickly, the member is correct.
There have been several initiatives undertaken by the Power Corporation since 2001, including work at looking at potential hydro sites in the Kivalliq region of Nunavut as well as some sites in other areas of Nunavut.
There is a fantastic example of work being undergone to increase the energy efficiency of the Power Corporation.
Minister Nault, when he was a minister of DIAND, came forth and I met with him, and he contributed over $100,000 at that time for a residual heat program.
So, the new hospital, for example, will be heated by the residual heat from the Power Corporation plant up on the hill.
One of the reasons why the hospital is being built where it is, is because it can use that residual heat.
There are other residual heat programs, like, for example, in Taloyoak.
Mr. Speaker, we’ve also looked at the opportunities for wind power.
Meeting with Environment Canada, Environment Canada put together a wind map that tells us what potential sites would be for actual wind power within Nunavut.
So, there is quite a bit of work that has occurred, and is occurring, on the energy file when we look at energy alternatives to diesel.
I know the other agencies, or federal government, may be considering other types of options for alternative energy, but what I’m really asking is: does this government have a plan that would provide incentives for people who may be interested in developing a type of technology that could work up here?
I’m not interested in the wind-power mills that were already created; they were not designed for the Arctic.
But I believe this source, wind power, we do have.
That is something that this government should be intimately interested in, and should make some plans or recommendations, even to the federal government.
I know for a fact that in the United States, the technology that they use does work, because it meets the environmental conditions of that country.
But up here, I know we need a little more, an improved technology, so that this can be created and possibly be considered for the long term.
So, I am asking the minister: will you establish a committee in your government or team up with some other planners to come up with alternative plans for the people of Nunavut?
Deputy Speaker: Thank you. Minister of Energy, Ed. Picco.
Last year, when I was the Minister of Energy, we, the Government of Nunavut and myself as minister, were the first jurisdiction in Canada to ratify, under the climate change program, with the federal government program, the Kyoto Accord legislation; we are the first ones to do that.
Subsequent to that we received the money from the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs on the reheat project.
At the same time, the Government of Nunavut has put together a Nunavut energy centre and we are working on that project right now.
The Nunavut energy centre... .
Minister Kilabuk spoke earlier about some of the incentive things that have occurred, for example, Joamie School being more energy efficient and some of the programs through Housing.
We are doing a whole Nunavut-wide strategy in the next few months; we will be coming forward with the Nunavut energy centre on housing, on efficient units, and one of them would be looking at wind power.
There has been a lot of work already done on wind power.
I actually had a meeting with Manitoba Hydro officials last year, with Minister Sale, to see if there were any economies of scale, because they were getting involved in wind turbines in a big way and could we piggy back on their coat tails?
The Manitoba Hydro people were very welcoming toward our suggestions and I will be following that up with the Minister of Energy.
I would suggest to you that in the next few months the people of Nunavut will see and hear of a lot of different programs within the government about energy efficiency as well as looking at other opportunities that may be more conductive to Nunavut, as the member has stated.
My last point, really, is that I think the Government of Nunavut and the Minister of Energy should be taking a lead role, not piggy-backing on someone’s coat somewhere.
We have some tremendous challenges up here: we have possibly the harshest environment, and we need to develop expertise.
I believe we have the will to succeed and that is the beginning.
So, I am asking the minister if he would he consider establishing a unit in his department that would seriously look at alternatives, to create incentives before the private sector is asked to carry the burden of investing in fuel and energy technology.
I would agree, and I would commit to the member to follow through on some of the things I have talked about already under the Nunavut energy centre program idea.
I think the member has been out of the point.
Everyone talks about winds and the member talks about the untried technology.
For example, in other jurisdictions where they have windmills on a wind farm, there are 100 or 80 or 60 wind turbines.
When the power is generated from those turbines, it is fed into a grid, five or six communities connected.
In our case, all of our communities are single communities.
So, if you had 50 wind turbines going, you still need your diesel generators.
There’s an issue with technology where the power sometimes fluctuates and the generators come on and off.
There’s an issue around how the power is regulated.
So, in many cases, in smaller jurisdictions like ours when you only have one community on a grid, there is an issue with the turbines.
That’s one of the issues that has occurred and that’s why in some communities in Nunavut we see abandoned wind mills that are no longer working.
So, I will commit to the member that when we return to the House in February there will be an update on the Nunavut energy centre as well as initiatives and programs that we would hope to be able to bring about.
Again, I agree with the member.
Right now, we are spending, I believe, almost 60 million litres of fuel a year to generate electricity in Nunavut.
We have an awful addiction.
The Government of Nunavut and the people of Nunavut are addicted to oil, and that’s an awful addiction to have.
We need to be able to alleviate that addiction and with the member’s help, maybe we can move in the right direction.
Question 096 – 2(2): Update on the Gun Registration
I would like to address the Premier.
There is a lot of dissatisfaction in the Kivalliq region in regards to gun registration, even though this is not the responsibility of the Nunavut Government.
I know, however, that there is not going to be a resolution of that if we fall silent on the issue.
The gun registration law is very strong and is getting stronger.
We cannot obtain ammunition anymore for the hunters for Nunavut.
Iqaluit had a gun registration office quite some time ago, and I’m not sure if it is still in existence now.
It was better to have it.
I would just like to ask the Premier if he can update us on what the situation is with the gun registration issue.
Has the Nunavut Government tried to assist the federal government in regards to the concerns of Nunavummiut about gun registration or gun acquisition?
I would like to get an update from the Premier on whether he has any new information.
Deputy Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Alagalak.
What we are doing is waiting for Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated.
Our government has been working on the gun registration matter because it infringes upon the rights of Inuit hunters, because we don’t need licenses to hunt.
The Supreme Court of Canada has said that they will not apply it to Inuit at this time; that’s the way the supreme court is treating this, that Inuit do not have to follow the law.
We are still in the supreme court stage, that the people of Nunavut will not be included in the gun registration program.
There’s not much that we can do, because with it being federal legislation what we are trying to do is go through the supreme court to get it resolved.
Deputy Speaker (Interpretation): Thank you, Hon. Paul Okalik.
It’s extremely hard to change the ruling that was made, but my question is: are you going to be reopening the office that was set up here in Iqaluit?
Or is if it is going to remain closed, can the Nunavut government do anything to get it open again?
It’s a matter out of our jurisdiction.
That office was set up by the federal government.
I can look into the issue and see what plans they have, whether they are going to be reopening or keeping the office closed.
I’ll look into the matter and see what their plans are and respond to the member.
Deputy Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Hon. Paul Okalik.
Mr. Alagalak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Premier, for your response.
I would like the members of this House to know that there are a lot of people in Nunavut who don’t have their guns registered; they are using other people’s registration cards to access ammunition and rifles.
Deputy Speaker: Mr. Tootoo.
Question 097 – 2(2): Signed Declaration by the Architect
I would love to ask the Minister of Energy another question, but I want him to conserve his energy for the hockey game on Sunday night.
I will direct my question to the Minister Responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Earlier today the minister replied to an oral question, and I must commend the minister and his staff for a finely crafted response here.
He said that the architect had withdrawn certification of the building until such time as it’s “considerable deficiencies... .” And he also states that there was destructive testing going on there, that sounds interesting, affecting items one and three of the signed declaration.
I would assume that that signed declaration is the architect’s signed declaration.
I am just wondering if the minister can elaborate on exactly what those deficiencies were.
It was the certificate of the architect.
The items that are referred to in that lettered response are: item one is with the exterior building envelop, which includes the roofing assembly, exterior wall cladding, doors and windows, caulking and sealants which need to be water resistant.
As required by the construction documents, all have to be completed in general conformity with the construction documents.
Also number three, Mr. Speaker, is, note, except as otherwise specified in the regulations, concealed deficiencies of the common elements excluding interior structural walls and columns in a unit, completed drywall, including taping and sanding, plaster, or other final coverage.
So, items one and three are where the deficiencies were found.
If one reads between the lines, it looks like there are some serious fire regulation deficiencies in there.
My question, I guess, is: was this something that was inspected, or was there a requirement for it to be inspected by the fire marshal, to be signed off prior to completion?
When the personnel is available, with the workload that they have, depending on the advancement of the construction.
So, in answer to his question: yes, normally, the fire marshal would part of the inspections.
The minister had indicated “normally”.
Is he saying that the fire marshal did not sign off on this project or did he sign off on the project?
Deputy Speaker (interpretation): Minister Kilabuk.
For the members’ benefit I also want to add that the project started without having submitted plans to the office of the fire marshal; however, those plans were received by the fire marshal later on.
Nevertheless, when these deficiencies were found it was the architect that decertified, as I had indicated earlier, with the deficiencies that were found in the condominiums.
Deputy Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Tootoo.
The minister didn’t answer my question.
I was just wondering if there was an inspection form signed off by the fire marshal on the project, which I understand is something that is required.
So, did the fire marshal sign off on this project that it was certified to be alright or not?
I apologize to my colleague for not being clear on my response, but at the time the fire marshal received the plans, after reviewing and having some changes made to them, the plans proceeded with the request of changes from the fire marshal’s office.
Your last supplementary, Mr. Tootoo.
So, the minister is saying that the fire marshal never really even inspected the building to see whether it was actually done as it was supposed to.
For whatever reason that happened, it is surprising.
I would like to just ask the minister: after discovering this, how much has that RFP that I referred to cost the corporation or the government, to do these renovations?
I was afraid that I may not have some figures to share with my colleague, but in August 2004, the Nunavut Housing Corporation issued an RFP to correct the deficiencies of the Parkdale.
In September 2004 of this year, a time and material contract was awarded to Baffin Building Systems for an estimated $750,000 in remedial construction work.
Deputy Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Item 6.
Question 098 – 2(2): Bilingual Workers at the Elders' Facility
The government has a goal to hire Inuit and to use the Inuktitut language as the working language of the government.
I will direct my question to the Minister of Human Resources.
When you are hiring staff for the 24-hour care facilities, why is it a requirement that they speak English?
Deputy Speaker (interpretation): Minister Tapardjuk.
I didn’t quite get his question.
But when it comes to the 24-hour care facilities, I would like to say, in regard to the comments that I made yesterday, that the Department of Human Resources is using Article 23 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.
Individuals who will be working for the Government of Nunavut for whatever position, usually are required to have skills or experience that are over and above the position that they are applying for.
We are currently reviewing this area, and in November 2004, we will be tabling a report identifying the changes that we’re going to be proposing.
At the current time, we are looking at how we can increase the number of Inuit employees within the government.
Mr. Speaker, if I could ask the member to reiterate which 24-hour care facility he was talking about.
I was talking about the 24-hour care facilities for the elders.
One of the requirements was for staff to be bilingual.
Why is that a requirement?
There are capable people who don’t speak English who can work in the facilities.
Why is it that there are the nurses and other health professionals that are not required to speak Inuktitut and we provide them interpreters?
Deputy Speaker (interpretation): Hon. Louis Tapardjuk.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Regarding these 24-hour care facilities, I’m not exactly sure why, but these facilities are usually manned by nurses and health professionals.
It is very true that for manual labourers and other positions it is starting to be evident that they should be bilingual.
I can tell the House that we are currently reviewing the policies, and I can tell the House that the Minister of Health and Social Services and I are working together as departments to make changes to these policies.
And, I can tell the House that it is incumbent upon Nunavut to make changes to make sure that we’re not looking for over-qualifications in particular positions.
That is a problem in many communities.
We will be reviewing this whole area.
Of course the health centres have interpreters, and we’ll factor everything in when we will be making recommendations for the changes.
We think that we will fix this problem.
But at this present time, today, I can’t tell you that we are not going to see any changes at here today on Friday.
Mr. Barnabas (interpretation): At the present time, what is going to happen to the people who like to apply for those positions?
If you’re not bilingual, then you don’t qualify for the positions even though you are competent and able to fill those positions.
Deputy Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Tapardjuk.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): I would urge people to apply for those positions even though they don’t speak English.
I would urge the people of Nunavut to apply for those positions that they feel they are competent enough to fill.
We’ll try to make all those changes.
This is a goal we have set as a government.
And we are following Article 23 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement; the Nunavut government has agreed to implement that policy.
So, once again I would like to urge those members or those people to apply for those positions.
I’m sure that we’ll be informed if this type of problem comes up again.