EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I think, for clarity, the review that we’re doing has three parts to it. NTI is responsible for identifying Inuit companies. They are giving some thought to how they might improve that.
As a department, we are looking very carefully at how we can improve the implementation of NNI. The procurement departments, the Crown agencies and CGS more specifically, are looking at procurement and how they can improve their system. A large part of that is ensuring that NNI is applied properly and across all departments and agencies.
Yes, Mr. Chairman, I may be confused, but I am quite focused. When the sections in Article 24, I believe it is 24.34, mandates the GN to implement the policy.
That policy is NNI.
So where would Article 24 fit in with the mandate of the minister when dealing with the NNI Policy?
Hon. Peter Taptuna: Thank you, Chairman.
I appreciate the question from the committee member.
Mr. Chairman, the NNI Secretariat, which is under the Department of Economic Development, monitors and implements the government policy, NNI.
NNI is related to, of course, Article 24 within the land claims.
Once procurement has taken place, the secretariat is responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the provisions provided under the NNI Policy.
I just have a few quick questions based on the minister’s opening comments and I do believe they are related to K-4. On page 4 of the ministers opening comments, he talked about an additional $888,000 going towards the Country Food Distribution Program. He indicated that they have received 19 proposals and that funding has been allocated to 12 communities.
Can the minister update us on which communities received funding under this program?
I can certainly name out the communities, of course: Kugluktuk, Taloyoak, Arviat, Chesterfield Inlet, Coral Harbour, Rankin Inlet, Repulse Bay, Whale Cove, Arctic Bay, Cape Dorset, Grise Fiord, Igloolik, Pangnirtung, Pond Inlet, and Qikiqtarjuaq.
He said there were 12 communities that received project funding, but he just named out 16 communities. I wonder if he can clarify which communities actually got the funding.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Rumbolt. (interpretation ends) Clarification please, Minister Taptuna.
Hon. Peter Taptuna: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The updated community list has improved the number of communities that were approved for funding.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister Taptuna, for the clarification. Mr. Rumbolt.
Of the communities that are not approved, are there reasons they are not approved? Is it the lack of funding or are they just waiting for the process to continue?
The proposals from the communities have exceeded the budget already, the $1.8 million that we had allocated for this specific program.
We have an excess of $3,375,000 already in proposals.
There is a want and a need out there, but with such a small budget allocated to this program, that is why some of the communities have been left out of the allocation of this funding that has just ran out.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Taptuna. We are on page K-4. Economic Development and Transportation.
Branch Summary. Corporate Management. Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $13,911,000.
Chairman (interpretation): I apologize. (interpretation ends) Mr. Elliott, did you have your hand up?
Unfortunately, I don’t see very well without my glasses, yet I don’t read very well with them on.
Mr. Elliott, did you have your hand up? I will allow Mr. Elliott. (interpretation) Go ahead.
I want to ask some questions around the Poverty Reduction Strategy and what the minister’s department is doing. During the ministerial appearance of the Minister of EIA, I had asked questions about the Interdepartmental Nutrition North Canada Subsidy Program Monitoring Committee. I guess it had been in operation for close to a year and then now it has been transferred to the Department of ED&T.
I was wondering: what has been happening with that committee?
If you will allow me to have my deputy minister respond to that in detail.
There was a committee formed several years ago and it began collecting food prices in 2011, but the quality of the data they received, the detail was not really good enough to analyze Nutrition North Canada. The members, over a period of time, continued to meet and work on implementation as part of their regular departmental work.
More recently, last fall, our department, the Anti-Poverty Secretariat, in cooperation with the Nunavut Bureau of Statistics, have started developing a pilot food price survey. This survey will gather data on food prices and the cost of living in Nunavut. They will be going out to 10 communities with a food basket style research document.
We feel we have the people in place at the community level to ensure that they do get good data, which will be collected and shared. In addition to that, that information will be provided to the committee responsible for monitoring Nutrition North.
So that is an update of where that program is at and what we are doing with it in cooperation with EIA, specifically the stats bureau.
Mr. Elliott: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you of that answer. I don’t know why I wouldn’t have been able to get that answer from people from EIA when they were here.
You would think that the statistics bureau still exists, so I would have been able to get that information.
In terms of 2011, you had said that the information collected was not quality information.
At one point, it was saying that there were 10 communities where there were going to be volunteers. I had made the suggestion of a possibility of having our GLOs do it. Again, I wouldn’t want to have another year or two go by and find out that the quality of information collected was not sufficient enough to be able to give the information to Nutrition North Canada as well as the Nutrition North Canada Advisory Board.
I don’t know any other way of saying it other than the fact that every year that we take to try and collect to show that a program is not working, that is a federal government program, that is a year wasted where all of our constituents are continuing to pay higher food [prices]. I find it frustrating when I ask questions and I can’t get answers because it’s frustrating enough already dealing with a program that’s being brought on by the federal government and affecting people in all of our communities across the territory.
I will try again with the Department of ED&T. As we are being told, all governments work collaboratively together and they don’t work in silos, there are quality of life committees, interagency committees, and DM committees that work together. If this is really happening, is there a possibility of talking to EIA and saying that this is something that our GLOs could work towards?
I’m not saying, “Don’t have the 10 communities that were going to be looked at,” but if you have 16, as what we were told, there are 16 GLOs out there already who were hired and doing good work in our communities, and then if we add nine more, then we can have all 25 different communities covered.
Each community, and my understanding of three communities in the High Arctic, each one is affected differently by the Nutrition North Canada Program. Arctic Bay has two stores, so you have more choice and more variety. Maybe if food sat in different locations, by the time it gets to the Co-op, it might be fresher than getting it to the Northern Store.
There is a unique situation there for Arctic Bay.
Resolute Bay is a smaller community. It only has one store that is serviced by the community. There is not a lot of disposable income to be able to buy a year’s worth of food on sealift.
So they’re bound by the Nutrition North Canada Program as well.
And then you’ve got Grise Fiord that’s at the end of the transportation chain where it’s stopping four or five times. You’ve got your goods stopping four or five times. Depending on weather, like what happened with this blizzard just the other day, I hear people here in Iqaluit saying, “Flights and people moving and freight is going to be backed up for two weeks.”
That’s what people were saying. Each time you go further away from the hub, it gets further and further away and things get delivered.
Just talking to some of the other members over in Arviat and Rankin Inlet, you had access to the Food Mail Program out of Winnipeg and a lot of the suppliers that were involved in that program. In essence, Nutrition North Canada cut off that option for people in the communities.
If you go over to the Kitikmeot, there is a problem as well over there with the Arctic Co-op store in Yellowknife. The Arctic Co-op did not buy into the Nutrition North Canada Program citing paperwork was too onerous, and the same problem happened with SunSpun out of Yellowknife as well. So you have Kugaaruk and the Kitikmeot community of Cambridge Bay being affected as well.
Again, I think if we could get really good data from all 25 communities, then maybe we would have. It seems like, to show the federal government what we’re trying to say, sometimes they don’t always listen to our words. They want to see the data.
They want to see the numbers. This might be a way of actually proving and showing to the federal government that changes need to be made to the Nutrition North Canada Program.
So I guess my question to the minister would be: could he seriously take a look at the suggestion of talking with the Department of EIA and having the GLOs become part of this program? It sounds like, out of Pangnirtung, the Nunavut statistics, which is EIA’s department, is already involved. Maybe get everyone together and have one big, happy meeting and come up with hitting all 25 communities.
With your permission, I’m going to have my deputy minister respond to that in detail.
Chairman: Thank you for that show of respect.
Your concern, I think, is being addressed.
I am happy to say that the head of the statistics bureau in Pangnirtung is a very experienced individual. He came to us from Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories and he did this type of work over there. So he is very experienced in terms of a food basket type of price survey.
Our secretariat has a staff person in Pangnirtung working in the same office. She is very experienced in food and food security type of work in her past. So we have two highly qualified individuals who are linking together the secretariat and it’s going to go well.
The GLOs are clearly part of the communications at the community level. I mentioned that they are doing 10 communities. That is a pilot project.
When they work out the bugs, their intention is to go to all 25 communities. We have been working on this for approximately five months.
We’re ready to launch the first one before March is over, and it will then continue out from there on a monthly basis. When it’s working well, it will expand to the other 15 communities.
I hope that reassures you that it will be done professionally and with true enthusiasm.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Long. (interpretation ends) I see you Mr. Elliott.
I figured I would help you out.
I guess the other suggestion would be in terms of with all that information being gathered and if you’re going to use the Government of Canada’s food basket, this is a suggestion towards the new family services, if you could share that information with them because they are reviewing, as far as we have been told in their business plan, income assistance. If we could find out for sure what a family of four survives on in terms of the Government of Canada’s food basket, it might actually help us to come up with an accurate figure as to more than an income assistance recipient should receive on a monthly basis.
Could the minister commit to speaking with the minister in waiting for family services?
Yes, we do the best we can and certainly we will take advice, recommendations, and suggestions, and we are looking at all options.
On page 157 of the business plan, one of the 2012-13 priorities, the third priority up, the bullet said, “Continue working with partners to integrate renewable energy into Nunavut’s energy regime pursuant to Ikummatiit.”
The status was, “While there are no tangible results to report to-date, the Energy Secretariat has continued to seek partners and projects with a view...” If you flip over onto page 158 and if there are no tangible outcomes coming from that report, why are you going to continue to provide leadership and oversight of implementing it?
Of course, as the member has indicated, there are no real tangible things within the Energy Secretariat, but we do have a responsibility of eventually building up capacity and coming up with some strategy to find alternative ways of getting away from the diesel power generation that we use nowadays.
Are there any examples or suggestions of how the department will move forward on this particular priority?
Hon. Peter Taptuna: When the department inherits the Energy Secretariat, there is the Ikummatiit Strategy that we will review and try and modify and update to a standard of how things have changed from the past.
We will use that strategy to deal with the jumpstart on developing and coming up with some ways of trying to improve that.
This is on page 158 of the business plan. One of the priorities for 2013-14 is to “Review the Country Food Distribution Program...” I was wondering if the minister could provide an update as to how successful that program has been to date.
Country food distribution is ongoing. Mr. Chairman, as I indicated earlier, there are some communities that have taken advantage of the program and we are seeking ways to improve it. Therefore, Mr. Chairman, a lot of communities have taken advantage of that.
Mr. Elliott: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Also on page 158 of the department’s business plan, one of the 2013-14 priorities is to “Perform a Nunavut energy end-use demand study and survey.” What does that mean?
With your permission, I will have Deputy Minister Long respond to that in detail.
The end use survey is analyzing the home use and business use of power.
So we haven’t developed the full terms of how we will do this, the process, but this is the goal for the Energy Secretariat to come up with a process for analyzing that. Once we’re staffed up in that section, we will have the professional capacity to do that.
Minister Taptuna, we already approved K-4 that we’re going to leave.
Please note that while I am reading, I am using reading glasses. So if you want to be seen, raise your hand.
We will go to page K-5. Branch Summary. Economic Development and Transportation.
Economic Development. Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $22,267,000.
Mr Aupaluktuq.
In reflection on the minister’s opening comments in regard to Nunavut Tourism, I would like to ask the minister and his officials as well that your department’s draft of the 2013-16 business plan provides an adequate one, one of its 2012-13 priorities, which was and I quote, “Complete the comprehensive Tourism Strategy with costed implementation plan and commence implementation, including development of tourism policies and programs.” The status indicates that “The comprehensive Tourism Strategy with costed implementation plan is scheduled for completion within the 2012-13 fiscal year.
The commencement of implementation, including development of tourism policies and programs will carry over to 2013-14.”
When will the comprehensive Tourism Strategy be completed and what changes are anticipated for tourism policies and programs?
I appreciate that question from Mr. Aupaluktuq.
Mr. Chairman, the strategy is currently receiving its final review and I am quite confident that we’re going to be able to table it in the spring sitting.
Mr. Chairman, if I can have my deputy minister respond to the second part of Mr. Aupaluktuq’s question on the exact changes that may be within the new strategy.
We call the strategy the Tourism Strategy for Nunavut. It is broadly based and involves two departments. It involves several federal government departments like Parks Canada and CanNor.
It involves Nunavut Tourism. So it is not just a Government of Nunavut strategy.
Within that strategy, we have looked at a number of priority areas.
Because we have worked together collaboratively with an advisory group representing these other agencies, it has an action plan that includes actions that all of these agencies have committed to become involved in.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the strategy in front of me. It is not so much policy changes as a positive direction, working collaboratively, so that the money that everyone has to invest in tourism is used very efficiently and that we’re not duplicating effort.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Long. Mr. Aupaluktuq.
In the business plan on page 158, under Tourism and Cultural Industries, a line states, “to develop strong and sustainable and cultural sectors throughout Nunavut.” On page 159, Mr. Chairman, the first bullet, if I may quote, is, “To provide quality advice and support to the Minister concerning tourism, arts and crafts, film, and performing arts.” The second bullet reads, “To develop, lead and coordinate implementation of programs and strategies aimed at developing Nunavut’s tourism sector and cultural industries.”
Some of the programs that they have identified are the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association, Nunavut Film, Television, and New Media Program, Tourism Development Program, and Community Tourism & Cultural Industries Program. Then on page 159, it identifies the priorities of 2012-13.
Mr. Chairman, where my question is leading is on page 160.
It states “Develop recommendations for revisions to the Travel and Tourism Act.” It’s considering possible revisions to the Travel and Tourism Act after completing the Tourism Strategy. When does the department expect to complete the Tourism Strategy and what revisions do they expect to see or add?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Aupaluktuq. Minister Taptuna.
If I understand the member’s question correctly, I did state that I am hoping to table the Tourism Strategy in the spring sitting.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Taptuna. Mr. Aupaluktuq.
Mr. Aupaluktuq: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the response as well. I’m sure the people from Nunavut Tourism as well as all the other businesses, such as the Jessie Oonark Centre, or the other arts programs are looking forward to that.
With respect to that, on page 160, the second bullet indicates that there is an “Update and write new artists biographies” to post as Authentic Nunavut.
Can the minister or his officials explain and educate me as well as the listening public as to what this program is?
With your permission, I’ll have my deputy to respond to that in detail.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. Mr. Long.
Some of the biographies project has been done in several communities and actually put into books. One, I believe, is Cape Dorset and another one is Kimmirut and Arctic Bay, I think.
We’re also thinking about making the artist biographies a live database that can be accessed by galleries and sales agencies in the south. The people buying high-end art are very interested in knowing something about the artist.
This resource would allow the gallery to access this on their computer, print out a copy, and give it to the purchaser at the time of purchase. This strengthens the image of individual artists as they build their career through good art and individual shows.
This is something that, up until, I believe, 1990, was done by INAC, and then they dropped that program and it hasn’t really been picked up since, so we feel it is important. We have heard from a number of gallery owners that they would find that very exciting and positive. So that is the purpose.
It will enhance the image of individual artists and improve the saleability of their products. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Again on page 160, the third bullet, on the status, it indicates what my colleagues very respectfully always talk about, implementing the Inuit language.
With the Government of Nunavut’s proposed language implementation plan, it “includes increased support for film productions in the Inuit Language.” As we are all aware, there’s a lot of recognition in the last little while for Inuit-produced movies and northern specific.
If I may, from the same line of the status in the third bullet, there it states that “The department is reviewing the scope of contribution policies to clarify support for Inuit Language publications.” Can the minister or his officials clarify what the policies are “to clarify support”?
I appreciate the question from the committee member. Mr. Chairman, that’s why it’s one of our priorities, that we want to see what’s within the policy that we can change and then to fit into that type of criteria.
I may be jumping ahead, but under the same category on page 160, one of your priorities for 2013-14 is to “Publish a handbook describing support available for the production, publishing and distribution of publications, film and online content.” Can the minister update or inform my colleagues and me what the strategy is for this and when they expect to see the results published or tabled in the House?
With your permission, I would like Deputy Minister Long to respond to that in detail.
Mr. Long: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The delivery of services to film and art-related type industries is that we have our Tourism and Cultural Industries Division, but the program delivery is essentially done through Nunavut Film. They deliver a number of grants on our behalf.
The total budget, I believe, is around $700,000.
We work collaboratively with them. The program has been in place for five or six years. It’s time to review and the handbook will be done by Nunavut Film with support from our department and the TCI division.
We’re on page K-5. Branch Summary. Mr. Elliott.
I wanted to ask some questions. In terms of economic development, I think mining fits under this.
There has been a lot of media coverage. The Northwest Territories & Nunavut Chamber of Mines talks about the gross domestic product in Nunavut being one of the highest. Do you have a dollar value of how many millions of dollars have been invested in Nunavut for mining this year?
It has been a long day and I appreciate our technical crew. Minister Taptuna.
At this time, I don’t have the exact figure in front of me and I don’t want to assume a figure, so I’ll have to take that question and respond back to the committee member.
I know the interpreter/translators are finding the later we go, my words don’t come out the same. It must be hard on the other side as well.
If the minister could grab a pen and paper to add to his list of other things that he can get back to us on. From the questions, I was hoping to find out a dollar figure.
The second dollar figure I was hoping to find out… . It goes to some of the comments that Mr. Curley made.
If it’s $100 million that went to mining exploration in the territory, and I just picked that number out of the sky, so it’s not a real number, as the minister indicated, it looks good on paper, saying that there is a lot of money coming to the territory.
My next question would be: how much of that money that is allocated and put towards mining actually stays in the territory? How much goes for wages and actually stays with businesses? I can picture them using airlines and staying in hotels.
A lot of times, they show up and they stay out on the land and build camps. They have their own mining camp where the money doesn’t really stay in the territory. To the rest of Canada, it looks like things are going well and lots of money is coming to our territory, yet, in reality, that money is going back to the south to the companies.
At the same time, I’m wondering if there would be a figure of Inuit employment in terms of are they following that type.
Those were specifically what I was hoping to get. Maybe the minister could report back to us when he has that information.
Specifically for another question on page 163 of the department’s business plan, one of the priorities for 2013-14 is to “Complete negotiations with Baffinland for the Mary River project” and “Continue Development Partnership Agreement negotiations…” I would like to concentrate specifically on the Mary River project.