EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
It is difficult to know exactly how many people are taking advantage of that, but with our arrangement with the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency for sharing of the information on their next report and on the annual information we receive from them, I will commit to identify exactly how many people are taking advantage of this opportunity.
Question 512 – 1(6): Assistance for Traditional Knowledge Study on Polar Bears
I would like the Minister for Sustainable Development for his responses.
I do have a question that I would like to direct to him in regards to Clyde River residents would like to do their own study on polar bears, separate from a study currently underway.
And since they want to do their own study on polar bears, we just want, well, the Clyde River residents would like to get assistance from your Department.
I was wondering if the Minister is going to look into that, how they will be working together with the community of Clyde River?
They wanted to do their own study using traditional knowledge on polar bears.
We really want to give them support.
Perhaps it was two years ago now in Gjoa Haven they did a study using traditional knowledge on polar bears, and they made a report after that.
I would like to tell my colleague that even though they do the traditional knowledge study, the results will be put together by scientists because we have to get the best ways to incorporate scientific and traditional knowledge.
That way can look at the previous practises in the studies.
I am very interested in his response.
I know that the polar bear biologist has done a study, but the community itself has never done any traditional knowledge study on polar bears.
They would like to know where the breeding areas are, where the polar bear breeding ground areas are?
I was wondering if your department is willing to assist the community financially too for the study?
I know that the various communities would like to take on the traditional knowledge studies on polar bears.
It is going to be too expensive to do all of the communities at the same time so perhaps each community will do their traditional knowledge study in a staggered method.
We have never done a study on the Foxe Basin and the Davis Straight for polar bears, and there are plans to do studies on those polar bears in those areas.
Once we start doing the study and after the study has been completed, the results will be very beneficial to use Inuit traditional knowledge.
I am in support of this project.
Question 513 – 1(6): Escort Policy for Patients Under the Age of 18
My question today will be for the Minister of Health and Social Services.
(Interpretation) Mr. Speaker, I went to Yellowknife for the weekend and I went to see the Hospital patients in the Boarding Home in Yellowknife.
The people that were staying in that Boarding Home, I had a concern that those young teenagers that are pregnant that are not the age of eighteen yet, that are pregnant, they are brought over there by themselves, and they are not adults yet.
They had raised this question up to me whether they should have their mothers, or their parents to escort them to this Hospital while they are going to have their babies in Yellowknife.
I would like to know if they have a policy that if a young person, or a young lady is not old enough to be by herself, and I was wondering if you could have a policy that they have an escort to bring them to the Hospital, while they are going to have a baby in the Hospital in Yellowknife?
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the things we did was we integrated the three health boards in the Nunavut Department of Health and Social Services, would review the escort policies that were in place and revise it, make a standardized escort policy for the people of Nunavut, across Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, I can make this policy available to the Member during the Session, and I will give him a copy of it.
Does that also address the concern that I have?
The ladies who are pregnant and under the age of 18, I just want to be more specific when I say the ladies who are under the age of 18 have an escort to outside Nunavut, for example, going to Yellowknife for their baby.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Member’s concern.
This issue has come up in the past, Mr. Speaker and the Member is correct.
If the person is under the age of 18, what we consider travelling minor, an escort to provide.
In this case, Mr. Speaker, I do not think it would be acceptable if we had a 15-year old girl who is having a baby to travel two thousand miles away from their home in Kugluktuk to not have someone with them.
So, Mr. Speaker, I agree with the Member and we can look into the specifics of the incident that he has brought up in the House.
I have another question for the Minister.
If the young person under the age of 18 is pregnant, is going to Yellowknife to have a baby, how would they know that they have a policy that they are supposed to have an escort to go to Yellowknife if you are under the age of 18?
Mr. Speaker, I would suggest to you that each individual is different.
It depends on the unique circumstances of each individual.
When a person is referred to a hospital from any community, whether it would be in Iqaluit or Kugluktuk, they are given the options of the escort by the referring doctor or nurse, and the policy will then explain at the point of contact in the community.
Mr. Speaker, so, at that time, it would be explained to the patient travelling and so on, what it is able to by the escort policy, who can have an escort and so on.
Mr. Speaker, what we have done is put a uniform policy in place across Nunavut.
In some cases, before the integration of the three health boards, we have seen two, three escorts with one patient, we have seen habitual escorts.
What we have tried to do is to tighten up the system and make sure it is equitable and fair for all Nunavummiut and that Mr. Speaker, that is what we have put in place.
For the contact point would be from the referring community and/or health center or for example, here in Iqaluit through the hospital.
There are some people that are pregnant that are going to the hospital in Yellowknife that are staying in the boarding home.
A lot of these young people have not been informed about having an escort, because they weren’t informed of it, if they were going to be escorted from their families to go and have a baby in Yellowknife.
Maybe the nurses are aware of that policy that these young people are supposed to have escorts.
Young people should be escorted to Yellowknife, if they’re under the age of 18.
Mr. Speaker, when I said earlier it depends on the cases, for example, Mr. Speaker, we have instances where people have travelled, for example, from the members community to Yellowknife and or Edmonton.
They may have a sister or brother, aunt, uncle, someone in Yellowknife and they didn’t want an escort to be with them for the four or five weeks that was involved in Yellowknife or Edmonton.
It is up to the discretion of the patient.
Yes, that’s right, Mr. Havioyak.
We review that to see what is in place under the travel policy and the escort policy.
But I would agree with the member Mr. Speaker, when you have children having children, we have 14, 15 year old kids who are having children, then in those cases, Mr. Speaker, we should ensure that there are escorts available.
If the member is aware of a situation like he’s just described in Yellowknife, where there wasn’t an escort in Yellowknife for someone who was under that age, then, Mr. Speaker, that is something that we would look into.
I will, Mr. Speaker, make the escort policy available to the member for his own perusal.
Question 514 – 1(6): Long Term Service Awards
I tried to wear different attire and this morning I put this on, traditional clothing, and I didn’t realize my colleague beside me was also going to put on traditional clothing.
I always try to use unique attire.
Mr. Speaker, at times we ask difficult questions and I’m going to ask an easy question this time.
In his Minister’s statement, he awarded long time service awards, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 years of continuous years of service.
He recognized our clerk for 30 years service.
Maybe the Minister for Human Resources will not be able to recognize him after he has 31 years of service.
In the upcoming year, in June, I think it’s going to be in June that he’ll have been in the service for 32 years.
These long service awards are given out every five years.
If I had worked for 90 years, would I be given recognition?
Where did you get this 5, 10, 15, 25 year intervals?
It is evident that if you work for that many years, we give out long time service awards every five years.
This service award will continue on and it started in order to encourage the staff and to let them know that they are not being neglected and to keep the staff happier every time we recognize their services.
That way we let them know that they are not being neglected.
This five year interval was inherited from Government of the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): If I was a staff, if I had worked for 22 years and if I was recognized for that, I would say that individual would not be telling the truth if I did not work that long.
Yes, at times, in some years, it is unfortunate that some individuals are missed out from the long service award, but every five years, we try to recognize the individuals with long service.
If they work continuously for 32 years, we will not be able to give them a long service award recognition until they have worked for 35 continuous years.
Question 515 – 1(6): Studies or Plans to Keep the Environment Clean
My question is directed to the Minister of Sustainable Development regarding my Member’s Statement.
We will always depend on wildlife for sustenance and we know there is some contamination from different sources like mining and from the old DEW line sites.
What studies are planned to ensure that the land, seas, and waters of Nunavut are kept clean?
Our wildlife officers in the communities are always trying to keep updated regarding complaints about differences in the wildlife, whether it is from contaminated DEW line sites and the clean up of these sites are in the works.
If we know our wildlife is being affected from these contaminants, we have to know about it and ensure our residents know about what they are eating in these animals.
And through the wildlife officers, we do regular checks.
I had stated before when one of the Members was asking about the study, there is a study for environmental effects and the types of diseases that these animals get and there is a report out there and people can use them for reference and we have these checkpoints where we can ensure that hunters report these types of sightings.
As an example, these DEW line sites have been abandoned for many years.
What is being done to ensure that these DEW line sites are cleaned up in a more timely manner?
These old DEW line sites have been abandoned for many years and we do not seem to see any sort of environmental impacts on the wildlife.
However, if there was a direct impact on the animals from these contaminants from the wildlife sites.
Some of these DEW line sites may be more contaminated than others and that is when we would see more wildlife being affected, whether through seepage or through grounds and we are trying to keep up to date as to which communities do have these contaminated sites.
I had an earlier question regarding the caribou, for example.
They never seem to have any diseases in the old days and they did not have those little white spots in the meat and for instance, they have brucellosis in the knee joints and we have never seen those in the old days.
So, that is why I am asking these questions.
Why are there more recurring diseases showing up in these animals?
And, the evidence of more cases and that is why I was asking this question.
As I stated earlier, our wildlife officers can be contacted and report diseased animals from these caribou or any wildlife that is diseased.
And we as hunters, report those types of incidents to our wildlife officers and that is how we have a checkpoint and that is where you can go to for information.
Question 516 – 1(6): Power Bill Payment Solutions
Further to my question to the Minister of Power Corporation and Health Minister that I asked him yesterday regarding the next session in June in Baker Lake on whether he would table the Power Corporation payment solutions that he promised us.
And further to that, Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if he can have a response for me today.
Mr. Speaker, what I said I would do is review the way the payments are being made by the Power Corporation and the recommendations that would be made from that review.
I would be able to bring those forward into the session in Baker Lake and I would be prepared to do that in cooperation with the corporation and the payment agents and make sure that the Member has the chance that they would be efficient.
And when we are in Baker Lake, invite the Members to actually go and visit the headquarters and see how the payments are done, how, when the Member goes in to Hall Beach to pay, how that billing or payment is put onto the individual account so that they, Mr. Speaker, can be credited.
So, I could commit to doing that.
The power corporation have a board of directors responsible for dealing with these concerns.
Is the Minister saying that he has to get the permission of that board in order to do that?
Mr. Speaker, no, I was referring to the Member’s question and reviewing, what we said yesterday in Hansard and again, his question of today.
What I said was that there is, the Member has raised a legitimate point.
There is a concern that when you go to payment agent on behalf and for the power corporation, that when you pay your bill at the payment agency, that maybe it is not being credited into your account in a good time frame, on time and then on top of that I said that I would be more than happy and willing to bring the members to the Power Corporation office in Baker Lake and look at the payments are received and so on.
So those are some of the things that we could put in place, and that’s what the review itself would entail.
When I first asked him the question he responded that yes, we’ll fix it, but then now, upon further questioning now he is saying that he’ll check with the Power Corporation and then meet with them and then they’re going to look at solutions.
Is that so Mr. Speaker?
Mr. Speaker, I just want to clarify, I’ve even read through the question, what I said was, just for clarification purposes again Mr. Speaker, I said that we acknowledge that there is a concern, a delay, there is a concern that when people pay their power bills that the credit they paid on Monday, it may not be credited until Friday on their bills, they pay on the 14th of May and may not have been credited until the 19th of May.
I acknowledge that there may be a concern, so in cooperation with the Power Corporation, we need to be able to sit down with then and say how do we work this, hoe can people when they pay on Monday, that we have Northern, if that is the payment agent or whoever, fax it to the Baker Lake office and have it put onto the account.
How do we expedite that process.
That is the review that I'm talking about.
I committed to the member that when the House sits again in Baker Lake, and that’s our next sitting, that I will be able to bring those recommendations, that review forward to the members.
And Mr. Speaker, I’ve also committed again, I’ve read it here in Hansard, that we would do that process for the sitting in Baker Lake and actually have the members come to the headquarters of the Power Corporation in Baker Lake, where the accounts receivable and the accounts payable and the billing are done.
Then everyone would be able to see what the process is.
There are different processes.
For example, if I go online, as the member has talked about, a computer, I can phone it in, I can pay by cheque at the Northern store or I can pay in cash at the Northern store, at some point those credits have to go onto the account and that is what we have asked for.
I appreciate the member and his question again.
I hope now Mr. Speaker, again, that this is that answer that he his looking for.
I don’t think it’s the last one.
Mr. Speaker, I'm not asking him about being able to get a tour in Baker Lake.
I'm not asking if there are many people that pay, what I am asking is what solutions that he says he will work on is what I want to see in Baker Lake.
Can I expect those at the next session?
Mr. Speaker, I’ll try again.
Mr. Speaker, and the member is correct, when you go in you pay your bill, that’s right the member is correct.
When you go in to pay your bill there are different ways of those accounts being credited.
I’ve suggested to you that we know for example, in one community where you were in, the member went into pay their bill on a Monday and Northern had not faxed that information to the Power Corporation until Friday.
Because the bills are made on the 17th, it was not faxed until the 22nd.
That means the next cycle for the bill, six weeks later when the bill is here, it was not credited because it was credited after the date the bill was issued.
So, the point I am trying to say again, Mr. Speaker, and again and again is, Mr. Speaker, I will talk to the Power Corporation to see if there is a way that when someone pays their bill, if we can be more expeditious in sending the credit to the Power Corporation and then it could be indexed, data entered into the bill for the consumer.
At the same time, Mr. Speaker, I am suggesting to the Member that when the sitting is in Baker Lake, that all Members will have an opportunity to go into the building and see how it is actually done.
Here in the House, it seems like sometimes it is a simple process.
But we have to remember that there are literally thousands of bills being issued and thousands of those payments being received all across Nunavut and someone has to sit on a desk and file them, that is right, Mr. Speaker.
They put it into the file.
Anyway, Mr. Speaker, again, I hope that, again, I hope that answers the question.
Question 517 – 1(6): Income Tax Volunteers to Visit Communities
He made a Ministers’ Statement on March the 19th, we welcomed his statement at that time about the people, the volunteer income tax people that will be helping out the unfortunate people who do not know how to fill their own income tax.
We may be finished our session in a couple of days, if the Minister can say whether the smaller communities will be visited by those volunteers.
Mr. Speaker, as I had indicated, I do not believe that individuals would go into the communities.
The volunteer of space programming for individuals that are already in the community, that would be able to provide that assistance, but I will have the list of all the communities where there are volunteers that are staffed in Nunavut.
As you know, the Department of Finance will be in before Committee of the Whole.
The Members’ Statement that the Minister made was directed to the Nunavut people in the regions of Rankin Inlet, Cambridge Bay and Iqaluit, but he also stated that those volunteers would be helping out the people of Nunavut.
Therefore they should be able to travel to the smaller communities as well and I wonder if the Minister is committed to having them travel to the smaller communities.
Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, it is a newer program.
I am not sure this year is a significant expansion from the perspective of more volunteers, more conservative efforts from Canada Customs and Revenue Agencies.
Also, we will continue to look at trying to expand the program, but it is not decided to have volunteers, from my understanding, fly into the communities, but we will look and see what options are available because we have to remember that these individuals are doing this on their own time in trying to assist individuals to prepare their income tax returns.
I wonder why the Minister stated that this was an effort to help all the people of Nunavut.
If you look at what the Minister stated, and I will quote in English, “Mr. Speaker, I will inform the Legislative Assembly of participation rates of Nunavummiut taxpayers.”
That was the statement the Minister made; it was not directed just for the three communities, but for all of Nunavut.
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, there are volunteers in the other communities outside of the larger centres.
I do not have the specific names of the individuals or those communities, I will provide that this afternoon, but it is a program that is expanding and the awareness of it is growing.
Having said that we are trying to promote it, and we know that it is a benefit.
It is a matter of trying continuing to expand on a regular basis and support it, and that is what we are doing, Mr. Speaker.
I would encourage the Minister to expand it as soon as possible.
As you know people are filing their Income Tax returns.
Of course I would like to make sure that the Minister knows that he indicated that many Nunavummiut are losing out tax credits that they deserve because they have been unable to get their Income Tax returns because of economic resistance or other barriers.
(interpretation) For that reason, Mr. Speaker, I would like to like the Minister to be able to follow through with the statement that he made and include all of the people of Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, the backbone of the whole program is the community volunteers.
I stress that word again, volunteers, individuals that are willing to put their own time into it, are either trained by the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency staff and they provide the services in their communities.
Two years ago there was not this program at all.
It has come a long ways from the initiation where there was not anybody and now there are designated individuals willing to offer their services.
Having said that, Mr. Speaker, I know that there is in every community there are people who are willing to provide assistance.
It is just a matter of identifying them and having them trained adequately by Canada Customs and Revenue Agency staff.
We will continue to work towards expanding that program so that one day that hopefully there is someone in every community that is able to do that.
Question 518 – 1(6): Language Barriers Filling GN Positions
Mr. Speaker, my question today is to the Minister of Human Resources.
The latest Government of Nunavut employment statistics released in December, 2002, indicated a total of 2,861 Government of Nunavut positions, including 510 vacancies, and most vacancies are in Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet.
The Minister has indicated that approximately 800 job descriptions will be reviewed.
Can the Minister describe how language skills will be taken into consideration in the revised job descriptions?
I think that it was last week when I was sitting at the Witness Table, that I talked about the language of an individual and the language bonus that they receive.
Yes, this will be part of the review.
Can the Minister describe what processes will be put in place to ensure that unilingual Inuktitut speakers will be able to go through the employment process, including interviews, in their mother tongues and will it be fair?
In part of our review I will be able to respond to the Member’s question.
Right now at the present time the individual is able to respond with their mother tongue, as well as French, during a job interview.
They can request that beforehand.
Can the Minister describe what criteria briefly, are considered to be artificial barriers in job descriptions?
This has been the request of the members but what we’re looking at is things such as experience that they have had and in the smaller communities, there are not many people that are qualified or have any experience in that type of a job.
Those are some of the barriers that we have encountered and some people don’t have much in the way of management skills, and their experiences in the job that they have held.
Mr. Speaker, experience is the one that I can think of at the present time and management skills and we follow the Government of the Northwest Territories policies and that’s what we’re looking at right now.