EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I was reading the Auditor General’s report again and I noted that there are quite a few comments in the report: as of January 2004, the Business Credit Corporation had only three employees.
I am wondering…. Three employees based in Cape Dorset. We have 25 communities across Nunavut, 2 million square kilometres.
How do the three employees based in one town, in Cape Dorset, deliver the programs from the Business Credit Corporation?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister responsible for economic development, Mr. Simailak.
Yes, we have three employees in that credit corporation, but we have a vacant position for the senior level position.
Twice, we have advertised and there were some applicants, but when they found out the amount of salary they will be receiving, they declined the position.
Yes, we’re still searching.
We are trying to give support to the communities. There is a board of directors at the Business Corporation and together with the board, we are trying to give support to the communities.
I’m wondering, if a client applies for a loan — let’s say in Cambridge Bay, for a million dollars — does the minister’s staff go to Cambridge Bay, sit down with the client to review the proposal, or ask for more information, or all that sort of stuff that goes with processing a loan, before they take it to the loan board for approval?
I apologize, I don’t know if the staff literally visits the communities to process the applications for loans.
But our staff, at the community level or in the regional centres, is available to give assistance and support in the communities when they apply.
The CEDOs are also available to give support to applicants, so we try to find all sorts of assistance and support at the local level.
Speaker (interpretation): Second supplementary, Mr. Peterson.
The loan board has been in existence for five years and the Auditor General’s report said there were 51 loans for the first few years.
It is probably on 60 now, I hope, but that would mean an average of 10 loans or less per year processed.
I recall that the Minister of Finance said that economic development will be a very key part of developing our economy for the next five years.
So, I’m wondering if the minister could tell us if the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation could be proactive in delivering loan programs and perhaps increase the loan-loss ratio, in taking on the higher risk loans that we will need to give out to developers in Nunavut.
Hon. David Simailak (interpretation): Yes, we are willing to give support to applicants in the communities.
Nunavut Business Credit Corporation is the last resort if you want to get a loan or if you want to start your own business.
As an individual, you should try to get a loan from the financial institutions whereas the Nunavut Business Corporation is the last resort that you can go to.
So, the applicant should go to the financial institutions such as the banks, and if they are declined, then they go to the Nunavut Credit Corporation as a last resort.
The Business Credit Corporation was sent to give support to those individuals that applied for funding from the financial institutions but were declined.
I appreciate that information from the minister.
I’m wondering if the minister could table some information and show us the number of applicants, rejections, referrals, and the average length of time it takes for the Business Credit Corporation to process an application — from a client offering approaches to the Business Corporation until it is an approved document and the monies are released to the loan applicant.
I will direct my staff to do so.
Question 084 – 2(1): Rankin Inlet Health Facility Contract (Tootoo)
My question is for the Premier. I know that the Premier, and myself, and other members will remember last year how flabbergasted I was, and the members of the construction industry were, when they found that cabinet had overturned a recommendation by public works and services, at the time, on the issuing of the contract for the health facility in Rankin Inlet.
Yesterday it was mentioned in this House by the Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services that another contract was handed out as directed by cabinet.
I would like to ask the Premier why that went to cabinet.
Speaker (interpretation): Intergovernmental Minister, Mr. Premier.
You may recall that just a few minutes ago that this particular question was taken as notice by one of my colleagues.
Speaker (interpretation): There was a notice taken earlier.
It is my understanding the question that was taken as notice was to the chairperson of the FMB, asking if the different things were taken into consideration on that contract — if they looked at it.
My question to the Premier was why it even went there in the first place.
Speaker (interpretation): I will respond to you later after we review the orders of the day.
I will review the Hansard before I make a ruling.
Question 085 – 2(1): Medical Contracts and Medical-Travel Contracts (Curley)
I would like to direct this question to the Premier.
We know that the medical contracts and the medical-travel contracts were being reviewed by the staff at the health department.
Apparently they had an individual who was a pilot, and I believe that there is a conflict of interest in there.
Mr. Premier, did you ever have correspondence related to this, or do you know about this incident?
I have no recollection of getting any correspondence on this issue.
I have another question on whether you ever received any correspondence on this issue.
What would you have done if you had received such correspondence?
This is a hypothetical question, and I have a right not to respond to that question.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): So, I understand that the Premier has no knowledge of this incident and never had a meeting with the Minister of Health and Social Services in the fall when all this was going on.
You never had a meeting with the Minister of Health and Social Services? Thank you.
I have meetings with the cabinet members on an individual basis or collectively and we talk about all sorts of issues, but I have no recollection of being informed by the minister about this subject.
Speaker (interpretation): Your last supplementary, Mr. Curley.
We are very proud of the authority that has been vested in this House.
We do have to be an open government.
From what I understand, you never discussed this issue with the minister, but I do know that the Department of Justice is under your department and the justice department was involved in it. And you have no recollection? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Under the law, cabinet members have to declare conflict of interest, if there is such.
If any member of the cabinet has a conflict of interest, they have to inform me, not only in the House, but they keep the former members and this cabinet to declare conflict of interest, if there is any.
Maybe I didn’t answer his question.
Question 086 – 2(1): Policy on Income Support (Kattuk)
It is in regards to income support.
In my riding, there are some individuals who are concerned about income support.
There was one individual who was on medical travel; this individual had broken a leg when he was escorting his father and had to be hospitalized.
When he returned, he was no longer eligible for income support and there were deductions from the amount that he was receiving on a monthly basis.
What kind of policy do you have in regards to the income support amount that is allocated or received by an individual? Thank you.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Health and Social Services, Hon. Levinia Brown. Hon. Ed Picco.
First of all, I appreciate the question from the member.
One of the things I’ve already announced on the point: I’m hoping to bring forth quite a few changes to the income support program this fall, and it’s something that we are working on.
Basic eligibility requirements of the income support program depend on each person who is applying. Basically, all residents who are over 18 years of age may apply for support.
They can make the application, go to the income support worker, then that worker determines — based on the situation of the individual — if they’re eligible, number one, and number two, what are the benefits that the person can assume.
In the case where the person had broken their leg, he was sent out. I’m not aware of the particulars of that case itself, but I can say all individuals who are receiving income support do have the opportunity to appeal any decision. Indeed, over the last several weeks there has been training going on with the Income Support Appeals Board, and that may be an opportunity or avenue that the constituent that the member is talking about may choose to take.
Speaker (interpretation): Supplementary. Mr. Kattuk.
The only question that I posed to the minister was in regards to people who rent and who are hospitalized out of their community. And because they were outside of town there has to be a reduction in the amount that they received for that month.
The only reason why there was a deduction was because this individual was out of town for medical reasons.
As I had said earlier, the income support worker will look at the situation on hand.
For example, if I am on income support and then I go to Ottawa for four weeks or three weeks for medical travel, I am not residing in my community. Therefore ended up, I would not be receiving income support — I would be in the south.
There have been exceptions. There are opportunities within the system itself where income support is still paid.
In the case, I believe the member was talking about, the person was a member of the family and probably the amount that the family received was cut because that occupant or member of the family was not a resident in the community and was out for medical reasons.
Again, the regulations or rules of the income support program are quite clear, and the constituent in this case has the opportunity to appeal the amounts that are received.
To understand, then if I went to a hospital for three weeks, the income support that I am eligible for would be cut or decreased.
What I was trying to say is it depends on each individual case.
If I choose to leave the community, for example, for whatever reason, I still would not be receiving income support because the income support is based on living in a particular community, based on my current status of employment or unemployment, and so on.
Those are the factors that are involved.
In the case where a person is sent to a hospital and then not living in the community or actually has been sent out, if it was three days or four weeks or whatever, then those cases are taken into account by the income support worker. At that time, based on that situation, the constituent has an opportunity to actually appeal the decisions that has occurred; each case is judged under the rules and regulations that are in place, based on the case that is before the income support worker.
Each case is based on the independent review of the status or position of the person receiving the income support.
Speaker (interpretation): Last supplementary.
Can the minister provide me with the policies of income support? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I can provide the member with the income support guidelines, eligibility requirements, and so on. And what I will do is have them tabled in the House so that all members will have an opportunity to have them.
At that time, they would be translated.
Question 087 – 2(1): $175,000 Overpayment for Sivumut Building (Peterson)
The other day, I asked questions to the Minister of Finance for some information on a decision made to pay about $175,000 on the Sivumut Building, and the minister said she would look into it.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Finance, Ms.Aglukkaq.
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t have that information available.
I would have thought that information would have been readily available with the staff that she has at her disposal to dig that up.
I read a quote in the Auditor General’s report that the “…the Legislative Assembly notes that we observe that the Government was having difficultly filing important information in a way that allows the staff to retrieve the information readily.”
Are there documents somewhere that would answer those key questions, but the government just cannot find them?
We have no way of knowing.
I am wondering if the minister would provide that information for me, say on Tuesday of next week.
I’m not saying the information is not available.
I’m just saying I don’t have it with me.
It is maybe with the Department of Finance or Public Works at this point.
I don’t have it in my office or the House to present to the member. I will present that information to the House as soon as I receive it.
As well, in the Auditor General’s report there are a number of responses from the government that are outlined for each recommendation that provide some information as to what the government is doing.
You know, there is a report component that outlines some of her concerns, but if you look to the back or to the end of each chapter recommendations, they are done in a Government of Nunavut response in each of those sections.
So, you need to look at the entire report.
Mr. Peterson: Yes, Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
In fact, I have looked at the entire report.
If you look at it, it is all marked up.
You can’t read this for two hours.
You have to read it over a week.
And I’ll probably continue to read it.
Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General is coming to Iqaluit, I think on June 17, to a public meeting. I am hoping that a lot of this information act that she says missing in here is available for some of us to read before the Auditor General appears before us.
We’re going to be asking for this information, and I’m sure the staff in the various departments that are talked about in here will be summoned before us to answer some questions.
In terms of process, when the Auditor General reviews a report to table in the House it is in my interest to report to the committee.
Committee has a chance to go through that information in detail, where departments are also invited to provide information. So, that opportunity will be there.
I don’t have all the specific information related to every point raised in the Auditor General’s report in front of me, which is why when the report is tabled it is referred to the committee — to allow that need for members to question the department, in detail, on all points outlined in her report.
Speaker (interpretation): Final supplementary, Mr. Peterson.
I’m sure that the minister is aware, especially since she just presented her budget speech, that with a huge funding problem in Nunavut — any time you see $175,000 overpaid for a property, or a building, or contract, or anything else — the public has a great interest. I asked for this specific information: I’d like to know who authorized, who put their signature on a piece of paper that gives the owner of the building another $175,000. I’m sure everybody wants to know, and it’s information we should have.
I think it should be presented as soon as possible.
The member is absolutely correct.
We should be concerned about any waste in funding from government.
I will look into that and I do want to know, myself as well, who authorized and who signed it.
So, once I have that information I will present it and deal with this budget matter.
Question 088 – 2(1): Employment Plans for Small Communities (Netser)
Today I would like to ask the minister of CLEY a question.
We are all aware, and it’s been stated in the communities, smaller communities will have better support from the GN in regards to employment.
What is the minister doing to provide employment for communities in the Baffin, Kivalliq, and Kitikmeot?
Speaker (interpretation): Hon. Louis Tapardjuk.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, I’m sorry I didn’t really understand. If he could rephrase his question, Mr. Speaker.
I apologize for not making myself clear on the question.
There are a lot of adults who are not doing anything in their communities. The Department of Justice has an advisor, Mr. Ukalianuk…. Has there been any consideration that there should be similar employment for elders in the communities from the Baffin, Kivalliq, and Kitikmeot?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Human Resources, Hon. Louis Tapardjuk.
Yes, I understand the question now.
Yes, it is an envious thing when some of the ministers have an advisor who is an elder.
What we are doing is considering hiring elders who are unilingual in Inuktitut for advising some departments, to advise us in our offices and give us some support to advance the use of Inuktitut in our offices.
We are looking at this at this time. We have not made a final decision on what we are going to do. What we would like is to have the assistance of Tuttarviit, which is the committee for Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
We would have to get some information from them and get some advice from them as to the best way to use advisors that are unilingual.
They will be meeting next in Iqaluit and we will consult them.
I cannot say at this time whether this is happening right now.
Speaker (interpretation): Supplementary question, Mr. Netser.
Mr. Netser (interpretation): Has there been any consideration of using young people in this type of thing?
Speaker: Hon. Louis Tapardjuk.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): There has been a plan put in place in Nunavut as to how we can utilize young people.
It is called the Youth Strategy.
The Department of CLEY has programs in place to utilize young people. We want to find out how we can have their assistance to benefit Nunavut.
This plan was put in place. We are going to plan how we are going to use our elders and that has been done.
There is a Youth Strategy, and we have already had that in place.
Question 089 – 2(1): Contract Award Process (Ruled out of order) (Tootoo)
My question, again, is for the Premier.
In some of the issues we were talking about earlier and as was indicated yesterday by one of the officials of the government regarding the direction given by cabinet on the awarding of a certain contract….
I would like to ask the minister or the Premier if that direction given by cabinet was contrary to the recommendations provided by the sponsoring department.
Speaker (interpretation): The minister has stated that he will take this question as notice.
Therefore I will not allow the question to go through.
A point of order. The question I asked, if the direction was different than what the department was given, has nothing to do with why it went to cabinet in the first place which was the question that was taken as notice earlier.
Also, the other question that was taken as notice was whether certain information was reviewed.
My question is strictly about if the direction was different or not, and that’s all.
I don’t see how that has to do with any of the questions that were taken as notice earlier.
Speaker (interpretation): Members, when there is a point of order, I will try and give you my direction for the point of order that’s been given.
I will give my ruling on a later date.
Question 090 – 2(1): Formula Funding and School Enrolments (Barnabas)
My question is directed to the minister responsible for education.
I know about the formula funding issue.
I would like to ask about that.
And I also know that in October they do school enrollments.
In my constituency, when I looked into this concern that was raised by an individual, I was told that schools in Nunavut are having a shortage of teachers and their funding for teachers has been cut back.
At the same time, the number of students is increasing in the classrooms.
They are not utilizing the formula funding in my constituency properly.
So what is the status of it, Mr. Speaker?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister responsible for education.
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Mr. Schoolman.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, I’d be very careful of Mr. Tootoo whispering sweet nothings to my ear next fall.
Very quickly, the school funding formula, as I said earlier this week, is under review.
The formula that is in place, for some historic perspective on it, goes back to about 1992 from the government of the Northwest Territories.
It was brought forward into Nunavut and that is one of the reasons why I have asked the Department of Education to review the way the formula is in place.
Right now, the formula is based on the full-time equivalent and on the number of students that are in a given school.
So, for example, if there were 200 students in a given school then the full-time equivalent to that school may be 14. That is one of the issues that we are dealing with because the school funding formula does not take into account, for example, children with special needs if they acquired more than one, or two, or three.
But it does not take in some of the issues around what grades in the school might have more students and so on.
So, the PTR sometimes is not reflected in that formula and that is the reason why we are trying to move forward on reviewing it.
In particular, to the member, I have received a letter from a constituent of the member on the issue with Arctic Bay.
I do not want to, in this House, raise that particular issue because there are personal issues around that.
I would say to the member that I do have his letter. I received a letter from the constituent that I am working on and I would hope to have something for him next week.
But, it is not appropriate to bring that kind of information forward and I know the member realizes that.
I will answer some questions, particularly on the funding formula where it pertains to the school.
I am talking about formula funding.
The district education authority’s staff do not seem to be included in the formula funding and those are very important staff.
For example, if she is a woman she needs maternity leave, she is required to have VTAs, and those are other things that we have got to look at. These individuals are the ones that look for substitute teachers when the teachers are not available to go to school.
Why are they not included in the formula funding?
As I said earlier, the formula that is in place right now is a formula based on the total enrollment at a given school, based on the needs that are at that school on the enrollment.
That is why as a minister coming into this department that I have asked for a review of the funding formula to be brought forward.
Each individual district education authority will have different responsibilities.
For example, a district education authority in Rankin Inlet with more schools, more students, and so on would probably need more money in administrative costs because they have a bigger caseload to follow than, for example, a smaller community.
And those are the reasons why the money budgeted for individual district education authorities may be more or less, depending on the situation of the district education authority.
Yes, I know that you will be reviewing the formula funding.
Will you also be considering those district education authority secretaries?
That is a different issue, the administrative side of the district education authority.
For example, if the district education authority wants to pay out a VTA based on whatever salary they had there with the independent employer, then they have the opportunity, within a budget that they have, to pay out wages based on that amount.
What I can say to the member is that part of the review of the school funding formula will include a review of the way district education authorities are actually funded themselves, to look at some of the administrative processes that the member is talking about.
Speaker (interpretation): Your last supplementary question.
As I stated earlier, the school enrollments are done in October, and they do their financing based on the school enrollments.
What are you going to do about the communities that have too high a teacher-pupil ratio?
I do not think this teacher-pupil ratio is 25.
What would happen to the ones that have too many students? Will they be given additional teachers?
The idea would be that the formula should be more reflective of what is happening in our schools today.
That’s not the case based on the timeline the member’s talked about, for example the October enrollment.