EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I rise today to inform the House about an important initiative that was started earlier this year in the Kitikmeot by the Kitikmeot Law Centre.
As everyone in Nunavut should know by now, substance abuse and domestic violence are inextricably linked. The damage that substance abuse wreaks on our families and our communities is very severe.
There is seldom a day that goes by in Nunavut where one of our loved ones or a friend doesn’t become a victim of violence. The media reports and studies on this issue are shocking. A recent report by Statistics Canada, Victimization and Offending in Canada’s Territories, reveals a number of disturbing facts about the situation here at home.
Mr. Speaker, the Kitikmeot Law Centre traveled to all the communities in the region to speak to the grade six classes about domestic violence. Rather than talk to adults, they talked with the kids. Some of the questions they asked the kids were:
How does violence make you feel?
What do you think causes domestic violence?
We should listen to the kids because many of them are witnessing first hand what is happening in our communities.
In response to the question; how does make you feel?
, the kids replied with such answers as; mad, scared, alone, discouraged, heart going fast, worried about parents getting hurt, you wish you could sleep somewhere else, and many others.
In response to the question; what do you think causes domestic violence? They replied with answers such as: alcohol, drugs, fighting over alcohol, jealousy, addictions, no respect, and anger, to name only some of the comments.
In response to the question: what is the solution?
They replied with these answers: cry hard so they stop, tell parents how it makes you feel when they are sober, no drugs or alcohol, tell people that you care for them, get counselling.
These were only some of their solutions. The “Kitikmeot Kids Speak,” is an important initiative that was welcomed in all the Kitikmeot communities because it lets children open up and talk about a serious issue rather than hiding it. A poster called Domestic Violence Sucks was created by Suzie Powers of Kugluktuk and it won first prize and now runs on the local co-op television channel in Cambridge Bay.
Mr. Speaker, I would like the House to join me in congratulating the Kitikmeot Law Centre on their initiative and also to join me in thanking the Kitikmeot grade six students for opening up and sharing their innermost fears and hopes with all Nunavummiut.
Member’s Statement 335 – 2(3): Wildlife Migration (Kattuk)
I would like to inform the Members of the House...like the Inuit people say that the wildlife moves around; the people that study animals don’t think so.
The Inuit people believe that the wildlife migrates and moves around all over the place.
I’ll use this as an example: there were 10 seals that were radio-collared. The smallest one was radio-collared in the beginning of September.
Apparently one was from the Arviat area, and went around Coral Harbour, and it’s now in Sanikiluaq.
So Inuit say wildlife moves around, and it should be a good example for biologists that the animals don’t stay in one area.
That is a good example that I have from Arviat to Sanikiluaq.
I wanted to inform the members of that.
I have no more names for Members.
Member’s Statement 336 – 2(3): Nunavut Territorial Government (Arvaluk)
Today we hear people talking that ever since we had the Nunavut Government; everything is hard to come by.
I just wanted to remember at the time the federal government was in the communities when we were children.
The Inuit people could not vote their own government.
They also lived in matchbox houses and then for their bathroom they had used honey buckets.
The Inuit people could not vote, they didn’t have any airstrips, and they could not use money to buy things in the store. Their children, Mr. Speaker, could not go to school in their own home community; they had to bring them to another area to go to school, even at the age of six.
Mr. Speaker, the people that wanted to go out to earn money could not do that because this was being held by the people of the Hudson’s Bay Company.
I would like to remind the people of Nunavut that I would like to thank the leaders that were there at the time, I would also like to tell them that we have our own government now, and to tell those leaders at that time to thank them for working very hard for the Inuit people to be part of Canada, to have their own government and look after themselves.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Arvaluk. We also thank them.
On behalf of the members in the House, I want to take this opportunity to introduce the MYATT participants and the youth from Nunavut.
As I call your names out, if you can stand up so that they know who I’m referring to.
I’m going to start off with my constituents: Delphine Petooloot and Charlie Qayutinuak.
Tina Anawak of Cambridge Bay and Santana Driscoll of Cambridge Bay as well.
Two from Kugaaruk; Gwen Karlik and Donna Rodnunsky.
Two from Kugluktuk; Nicole Nivingolak and Janet Kadlun.
(interpretation) From Arviat; Lazarus Illaungiayok.
(interpretation ends) From Baker Lake; Siobhan Iksiktaaryuk, she’s not here.
(interpretation) From Iqaluit; Sileema Angoyuak and Nolan Idlout and Bjorn Simonsen
(interpretation ends) Two individuals I’m going to mention that went home today.
Samantha Pudlat and Oqittu Qimirpik from Cape Dorset.
From Kimmirut is Aalaa Michael.
Resolute Bay; Moses Aronsen.
From Pangnirtung; Roselynn Akulukjuk and Natasha Nakashuk.
Pond Inlet; Joyce Angnetsiak, and Alison Kopalie from Qikiqtarjuaq.
And I’d like to also say the names the facilitators are Rowena Rodriguez, youth facilitator and Aveliegh Gateman who are not here.
And Jonathan Cruz as well as Christina Lamothe and a Taloyoak teacher, George Hill.
And everyone welcome to the Gallery.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you and welcome to the Gallery.
I didn’t realize the Minister was going to welcome everybody.
It is not very often I welcome young people to the House from Cambridge Bay, so I would like to take the opportunity to do that today. Welcome Tina Anawak, Santana Driscoll, and I think her nickname is Santana. Welcome to the Gallery and welcome to Iqaluit.
I rarely recognize anybody from Kugluktuk.
They were recognized earlier and I would like to recognize Janet Kuniqtana Kadluk, Nicole Nivingolak. Both are from Kugluktuk and welcome to the Gallery.
Member for Quttiqtuq, Mr. Barnabas.
I also like to recognize Moses Aronsen.
His parents really help the community by hunting and being on committees in the community and I know Moses quite well and he helps a lot and volunteers a lot in the schools.
Welcome to the Gallery. Colleagues, only one member usually recognizes a person, but we are not going with that every day; we are making an exception.
Mr. Alagalak from Arviat.
I believe that is Illungaiyok’s grandchild. He lives in Arviat and goes out hunting and I call him umingmak because we went musk ox hunting one time.
If you can, come and visit my office.
I know I recognized our pages yesterday, but one of the pages’ mother’s Julia Tautuajuk is here.
Question 379 – 2(3): Assistance for Business Community (Tootoo)
Mr. Tootoo: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for Economic Development. Last week he was saying he was missing standing up and answering questions.
So I will give him his chance to make up for lost time.
Mr. Speaker, one of the things that I have been talking about this week with the minister with questions is dealing with the role that Nunavut Business Credit Corporation and other organizations like in the Kivalliq, the Keewatin Business Development Centre, play in developing the economy and helping small businesses develop in Nunavut.
And we all know, as I said yesterday, these types of organizations generally are a lender of last resort when individuals can’t get financing from other sources that’s where the government comes in and helps us through their contributions to these organizations.
And we also know it’s unfortunate that sometimes businesses do fail for whatever reason but they fail, someone moves from one community to another. When things like that happen, when a business is in trouble, does the department through these organizations, the government through these organizations look for avenues in which to resolve these matters so that, say, if someone’s moving, if there’s an opportunity for someone else to take over that’s interested in taking over the business, taking over the loan and that to continue that business in the community rather than a business folding and the loan going into default, is that something that they do?
The corporation, we try and assist them as to how it would succeed. They have Keewatin Business Development Centre or Baffin Business Development Centre; those are different corporations that assist the businesses in the community, and we are committed to helping those businesses, for instance, if the owners are moving to a different community.
I missed the very last part of that answer but given it sounds like the minister is saying that they do try and look to assist individuals and keep businesses going in the communities.
In the unfortunate event that that doesn’t happen and a loan goes into default for the reason of a business failing for whatever reason, what type of approaches does the government use in looking on how…I wonder how they’re going to pursue a matter like that in the event where someone has gone in default of the loan?
There is an agreement in place where if they want our assistance and we have to look at this very seriously and work closely with them because we don’t want to see failed businesses because it’s very very difficult to try and start a business.
We try and look for some ways how to assist them, Keewatin Business Development Centre as I mentioned, but for our department, we try and look at ways how best we can assist those businesses that are getting into deeper debt because we don’t want to see our businesses fail in Nunavut.
I think that was a response to my first question.
My first supplementary question was dealing with what avenues, or what kind of criteria that they use if a loan does go on default and what action that they’ll take in any particular case.
I don’t have what we go through. I’ll take the question as notice.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Akesuk. (interpretation ends) The question is being taken as notice. (interpretation) Oral Questions.
Question 380 – 2(3): Government of Nunavut Hiring Freeze (Peterson)
My question today is for the Minister of Finance. Almost two years ago I asked the minister why the Government of Nunavut would have to impose a hiring freeze to address financial problems.
Last week the minister announced that all government departments have been asked to identify and freeze all currently vacant positions that do not negatively impact the delivery of necessary programs and services.
I took a look this morning at the current job vacancies of the Government of Nunavut’s website and saw that there were over a couple of dozen positions advertised.
My question for the minister is: can he inform the House if this hiring freeze is now in place as of today?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Peterson. Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Simailak.
No we have not put a freeze on jobs. We’re still waiting from the departments so they can identify as to which positions should be frozen.
I thank the minister for that information. In the same statement the minister announced, he referred to necessary programs and services.
My question for the minister is: can he clarify for the House the process for defining what a necessary program or service is, and will the line departments be able to make the decisions, or will the Department of Finance or Human Resources make it for them?
They are looking at which positions should be opened, like for the Department of Health or for emergencies.
Those kinds of positions are essential services. We have asked them not to put a freeze on them.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Minister. Your second supplementary, Mr. Peterson.
When the minister does make the freeze official can he tell the House if he envisions it as being an indefinite freeze, or will it be lifted at the beginning of the next fiscal year, April 1, 2007?
At this time we are looking at the new year close to March 31 or we will be looking at it in February or March and see what the government is going to be like fiscally. Then we’ll decide how long the hiring freeze is going to be.
Since the hiring freeze goes into effect it’ll affect the Government of Nunavut employees and they’re covered by the Nunavut Employees Union. I thought I better ask this question to the minister.The minister is well aware that the collective agreement between the Government of Nunavut and Nunavut Employees Union expires in September.
I wonder if the minister can update us today on the status of the collective bargaining between the Government of Nunavut and Nunavut Employees Union, and give members a sense of how far apart the Government of Nunavut is from the Nunavut Employees Union on their initial bargaining positions.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Peterson. Mr. Simailak.
This is a responsibility of a totally different department, so I can’t really answer your question.
Question 381 – 2(3): Crisis Shelters in Nunavut (Evyagotailak)
The crisis shelter in Kugluktuk has experienced a number of difficulties in keeping its doors open.
Recently the Hamlet of Kugluktuk received some funding to get the crisis shelter operating again, but the amount was only enough for a few months.
I have heard that shelters in Cambridge Bay and Iqaluit have approached outside parties for help. Not every crisis shelter has the staff or the ability to do this.
Can the minister provide an update on exactly how many crisis shelters are currently operating in Nunavut, and in which communities?
The crisis shelters in Nunavut; there is one in Cambridge Bay, Taloyoak, Iqaluit, and Rankin Inlet.
Can the minister update this House on what support her department can provide to help communities access outside funding or support to operate a crisis shelter, or even safe homes?
Next week, we’ll be releasing a report from the Violence Against Women Symposium, which will also outline a number of recommendations that are going forward for us to try and address violence in general in the north.
Currently the department provides over $1 million in funding to support those facilities that are in place.
We are trying to look at other means to try and get assistance from organizations like the YWCA, or through the mining companies, and try and address ways of addressing violence in our communities.
One of the items that I had discussions with some community providers is to look to Inuit organizations, through the IIBA process and to act as interveners in those proposals and receive some assistance from the mining sector to address some of the violence that is resulting from people having more money and access to liquor and so on, as part of the social envelope.
That’s one of the discussions we had taking place, but as it is right now; there is no formal process around that.
Internally, we are trying to address violence, not just in providing a building to give a safe place for women to go to, but also around the whole issue of counselling for people that need assistance in addressing their tempers.
So those are the kinds of initiatives under way, and still in place, but the issue of our current statistics is alarming, and we are going forward with various recommendations resulting from the symposium that was held in Iqaluit in January.
Your second supplementary, Mr. Evyagotailak.
It’s just that a lot of our constituents go through a lot in the communities and it’s very hard to try and help them especially when there’s hardly any money to help them out.
Can the minister update this House on what other options her department is considering to address the funding crisis faced by shelters across Nunavut?
Before I allow the minister, I have to correct myself. That was your second supplementary, Mr. Evyagotailak.
I mentioned in my response earlier that the Government of Nunavut is going forward with the recommendations that came as a result of our consultations back in January with a number of Nunavummiut.
I believe over a hundred people participated in that conference.
There are number of recommendations coming out of that symposium that we will be releasing in the House next week that will outline some of the initiatives that this government is trying to work in partnership with communities, as well as Inuit organizations in addressing violence.
This current system that we have in place, or their current facilities, we provide a total of 39 beds for women experiencing violence and that is also for children.
We are trying to address the situation around finances, and I think it’s no secret that this government is in some, experiencing some challenges around that so we will continue to try and do that.
One of the areas that we are exploring is the issue around safe homes, so these are ongoing initiatives.
Next week we will be able to speak to the specific recommendations that are coming out of that symposium.
As it is right now, we have those facilities open and we provide funding internally.
Right now, we don’t have any funding from outside agencies other than the government to keep those operational.
Your final supplementary, Mr. Evyagotailak.
Mr. Evyagotailak: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and again I thank the minister.
The statistics on spousal violence in Nunavut shows that this is a bigger problem here than anywhere else in Canada.
Would the minister commit to allocating significant resources to keep our crisis centres open and offering programs to reduce violence in our territory?
The statistics in Nunavut are alarming, we know that.
The federal government released a report which took three territories to lobby over four years through the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers’ Meetings to have Stats Canada record aboriginal women in their statistics around violence.
That report was released in St. John in October.
As a result the federal government announced initiatives for First Nations Aboriginal Women that excluded Inuit.
That was a concern that we had expressed to our colleagues as well as the other two Premiers when they had met here.
We are trying to continue to address those types of issues.
Within the department itself, as it is right now, we are working in the new year main estimates in the next few months. We can look into that. As it is right now, it is a bit difficult.
We are under a financial crunch so we will continue to try and address some of those initiatives and perhaps also work with other agencies, such as our Land Claims groups.
Perhaps the Inuit organizations that are negotiating IIBAs will also contribute to supporting shelters in the community or services to victims or the abusers.
Before we proceed, please make sure that your questions and responses are as brief as possible and to the point.
Question 382 – 2(3): Medical Travel and Emergency Services (Mapsalak)
In my Members’ Statement I indicated that we had a concern about medical travel and emergency services.
I know that it has to be a service that has to be provided, but we are concerned about the scheduled flights and the interruption of those scheduled flights in order to accommodate medical travel.
I would like to ask the minister if there’s any agreement in place between the medical services providers and the government about medical travel and how they should be used.
Speaker (interpretation): The question is directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services. Minister Aglukkaq.
The contracts that we have in place with the airline companies are strictly for providing medivac contracts. In that contract we don’t have anything around scheduled flights; scheduled flights are the private sector piece, so the agreements that we have with the airlines are strictly around medical travel or medivacs. (interpretation) I hope he understands.
I apologize. I directed that question to the Minister of Health and Social Services and I didn’t say that in my first question.
When there’s a contract and an agreement between the Department of Health and Social Services and the air carriers do the aircraft have to be medically equipped for patients, if you understand my question?
If I understand the member’s question correctly, the question is around whether an aircraft that is being used for medivacs is equipped with medical equipment.
That’s the question. From what I understand, that is a requirement. I could be wrong with this, but it also depends on the type of care that will be provided.
Say if it’s an infant that requires an incubator then we have to put an incubator into the aircraft, and so on.
So in terms of how that is organized, I’m not sure of that process, but normally medivacs would require not only meds, nurses, or doctors, but some equipment as well.
Mr. Mapsalak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, as well as the minister.
Then do I understand correctly, that this medical airplane equipment even though there’s hardly medical equipment on the plane then it’s okay for the airline to be contracted.
The reason why I am asking this question is that the airlines that are used for scheduled flights was recently used for a medivac.
We were quite concerned about the issue of having to have medical equipment required on the plane.
So, therefore, do I understand that a plane that doesn’t have medical equipment on it can still be used for a medivac?
As a follow up to the member’s statement earlier, I have asked the staff to look into that particular situation.
I’m not aware of what resulted in a scheduled aircraft being used for the medivac.
I heard about it today as well as from Mr. Alagalak. I’m following up on that particular situation. I don’t know the background behind that.
Again, to clarify for the member; when aircraft are being used for medevacs, there are medical flight nurses on every flight with the appropriate equipment, and depending on how serious the situation is other special equipment is put on board such as an incubator or oxygen tanks and so on, based on what the patient needs are.
What the standard equipment is on each aircraft, I don’t know what those are, but I can provide the member with that information.
Yes, I want to see medical airline providers have proper services for Inuit. That is why I’m asking those questions.
I would like to thank the minister for stating that she will look into this.
After she looks into that, I would like the minister to let me know even, not just during the session, but sometime soon in the future, if she could get back to me.
I will provide that information as soon as I hear back from my staff in Rankin Inlet as to what happened there. As soon as I have it, I will provide it to the members.
Question 383 – 2(3): Applications for Territorial Drivers Licence (Kattuk)
Currently, although I know about it, I do want to ask questions in regard to this. Currently we’re experiencing problems in Sanikiluaq about driver’s licenses, especially outside of Iqaluit.
In Sanikiluaq, if a person wants to apply for a driver’s license, they have to fill out a form, and send it to Iqaluit for processing.
That’s how the procedure is.
Can the minister tell me what his department is doing to make this process more efficient and easier for my constituents?
Currently we are now reviewing and renewing the applications for driver’s licenses in Nunavut. In 2008 we will be coming up with a new driver’s license.
We will also be reviewing how we can make it easier for the communities to process their driver’s licenses more efficiently. And also, we will make our driver’s licenses safer, and all the smaller communities will have to send their applications to Iqaluit for processing, whether it is Iqaluit or Rankin Inlet, or to Cambridge Bay. We will also look at reviewing that process to make sure that it will be more efficient for Nunavummiut.
So we will also review that part and we will review all drivers’ licenses for the future.