EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
We would hope to be in a position in the next several weeks to have the position filled. In the meantime, if there is an inconvenience in the town, we are covering off the distribution of income support with other staff that we bring in.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister Picco, Mr. Mapsalak.
Then do I understand correctly that this position is not presently open?
I’ll have to follow-up with the regional director, but it is my understanding that we’re on the process right now of doing that hiring. That’s the information that I have right now.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Picco. (interpretation ends) Members, Mr. Curley is at his seat. I will now interrupt our proceeding as I have a statement to make.
Yesterday, during the proceedings of the Committee of the Whole, the Member for Rankin Inlet North made a comment which was ruled unparliamentary. When asked to apologize for the comment, the member refused to do so.
In order to ensure that I heard the member’s comments correctly, I have reviewed both the Hansard Blues and the audio recording from yesterday’s proceedings in relation to this matter and I have confirmed that the comment which was uttered was:
“Actually, this Assembly is a bit of a joke, too.”
This comment clearly contravenes Rule 23(l) which provides that a member shall be called to order if he speaks disrespectfully of the Assembly.
I will provide the Member for Rankin Inlet North with a further opportunity to retract the comment and apologize.
If he does not do so, I will adjourn the proceedings of the Committee of the Whole and request the Speaker to attend so that I can report the matter to him.
The Speaker will then deal with the matter as he sees fit.
Mr. Curley, will you retract your comments and apologize?
Mr. Curley: If I can change my wording on my statement, it’s humorous, because I consider joking and humorous to be same, can I amend it to say that this Assembly is humorous?
Mr. Curley: Then I withdraw that statement and I will continue only to exercise my privilege as a member. Thank you.
Chairman: Mr. Curley, are you saying that you’re apologizing? Mr. Curley.
Mr. Curley: Yes, that’s what it means.
In exercising my privilege, I will, yes.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Curley. (interpretation ends) We will let the record show that you have apologized, Mr. Curley.
We will now proceed with the business before the committee.
I welcome the minister and his officials to Committee of the Whole.
Mr. Chairman, this area on G-7 on Income Support deals with mostly the policy and stuff for income support. I noted in the department’s business plan that they indicated that approximately 44 percent of Nunavut’s households are on income support full-time.
I guess my question to the minister or his officials is: with the steadily increasing demand on income support services, how does the department plan to address the ongoing sustainability of the program?
Hon. Ed. Picco: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the member for the question.
First of all, I think the number of 44 percent means that at any given time, 44 percent of Nunavummiut have an uptake on the Income Support Program.
The reason why we’re seeing an increase, of course, one of the major reasons is the demographic breakdown of our territory.
We know that almost 60 percent of our population is under the age of 25.
So when we have more and more people hitting the eligibility sequence of being 18 years old, then they can apply for income support as per the case lot.
As an example, right now, if my kids are all under the age of 18 and my family is on income support, then that’s one case lot for the family.
However, even though my daughter and my son are living with me and now they’re 18, they’re eligible for income support and they become new onto the case lot.
So that’s one of the reasons why we’re seeing the case lot increase.
At the same time, we’re seeing a cost increase because of the high cost of living.
We have increased the amounts of income support by 15 percent over the last couple of years and in previous budgets in this Assembly.
As the member has indicated, as our population continues to hit that 18 mark, which is because we have just said that 60 percent of our population is under the age of 25, we will have more uptake on the program.
The only way and the best way to relieve pressure on the Income Support Program is to provide employment opportunities because if you’re employed, 90 percent of the time, then you wouldn’t be having a draw down on income support.
We’re seeing that economic activity occur throughout Nunavut, especially when we see the opportunities in the mining industry as an example, which is creating more employment in the communities.
As the minister pointed out, income support services are being accessed more and more by younger, single households across the territory, aside from every year that someone gets older and we all know the demographics of our population on that, is there anything else that they have identified as contributing to that trend?
And, other than hoping for those people to go out and get employment in the up-and-coming mining areas and other areas, is there anything else that the department is doing to address that issue?
Within the Department of Education, we have several types of opportunities under skills programs and so on that the member is aware of to be able to provide training and other skills development opportunities so that people would have those portable skills and be able to move away from the Income Support System.
The Income Support System itself continues to increase because of 1) there are more applicants on the program, which we just explained it’s probably the biggest reason for that.
The other increases that we see, for example, in the shelter costs for a family, if the oil price goes up and it’s covered under Income Support, then that would be another increase.
When we see electrical costs, it’s another example that the family is paying that, and then shelter costs, if rents, and so on, are increasing in different market places, then those costs can be factored, as the member indicated, by individuals who might have a job but would fall below that threshold and would actually be eligible for some form of income support to help them on the shelter costs. So that’s another pressure point that we’re dealing with.
We also have an LMDA, or Labour Market Development Agreement, in place and we’re hoping to negotiate a new LMDA.
That work is continuing with our federal partner and then again, that gives us money toward self-employment programs and extra training to be able to help Nunavummiut be able to make a transition from income support to work.
The bottom line is there have to be jobs available for Nunavummiut to take. So when you’re looking at smaller communities, those jobs are in short supply in many cases.
I’m sure the minister will correct me if I’m wrong, but I think what I heard yesterday is he had indicated that they have 131 more cases of individuals on income support than they did last year.
Is that for this current fiscal year?
The member is correct. That was the projection that we talked about yesterday; we projected 131 and we’re pretty close to that. When we look at 2007-08, we’re also looking at an increase and that is the fiscal year going forward on April 1, 2008.
Minister Tootoo.
Can the minister indicate what they’re projecting for an increase for 2008-09?
We’re looking at an increase of about 121 more. Again, a lot of this has to deal with, as we said earlier, the demographics of Nunavut.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Picco. Mr. Tootoo.
Mr. Chairman, since September 2006, the department has been implementing a new automated Income Support Case Management System.
I’m just wondering if the minister could give us an indication of how this is progressing and if it has resulted in time or cost savings for the department.
That’s one of the exciting things in the Income Support Program area is trying to be able to provide the machinery or mechanism to automate and integrate our Income Support Program, the cheques being cut in the amount, and so on.
The rollout will continue. Right now, we’re still involved in some of the administrative work with it. This summer, there are two communities - Iqaluit and Pangnirtung - where we will be rolling it out, so it’s not out across the territory yet.
Can the minister give us an indication of when they anticipate of having that system fully operational throughout the territory?
Hon. Ed. Picco: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As we roll the program out, we have to work out some of the kinks along the way, as it were. We expect to be in a position within the next 12 to 14 months to have it in place across the territory.
Chairman (Mr. Evyagotailak): Thank you, Minister.
Can the minister give us an indication if they have hired any new positions that have been assigned to operating this new system, or is it just a retraining of existing staff to do that?
We had a contract in place for the development of the system; the system has been developed. All the work on the rollout and so on is being done in-house.
I think this kind of question is tied into questions that my colleague from Repulse Bay was asking a little bit.
I’m just wondering if the minister could give an indication, as he had indicated some communities are contracted to deliver Income Support Programs, of the status of contracts with communities, like how many communities deliver that program for the department and how many communities the department delivers it themselves.
Seven communities.
Is it seven communities that do it, or seven communities that they deliver the services in?
I would just like to get a clarification; I’m pretty sure I know what he meant but I want to get it clarified on the record.
It’s the seven communities that deliver the service.
As my colleague pointed out, the community of Repulse Bay turned it back over to the department, but in all the other communities other than those seven, and I guess Repulse Bay that doesn’t have an income support worker yet, does the department have income support workers in all the other communities?
In the seven communities where the hamlets are doing it, that is the case. In the other communities in Nunavut, those positions are staffed.
So in all the other communities then, the minister is saying that they have staffed positions. Is that correct?
Out of 25 communities, we have the contracts in seven. There are two currently that are funded for positions but are not staffed - Repulse Bay and Kimmirut - and the rest are staffed.
Can the minister indicate how long those two communities have been without a social worker in their community?
These are income support positions and that’s what they deal with; just the Income Support Program. I don’t have the timeframe of how long they have been vacant with me.
Can the minister commit to providing us with that information?
In some cases, we would put a casual position in until we actually fill the position with a full-time income support worker. I believe that’s the case right now with Kimmirut.
Again, if we don’t have the income support worker in place, then we would bring someone in to deliver the program.
Just going to the comments the minister responded to my colleague from Repulse Bay earlier, I think he said that it was quite some time ago that the contract was handed back from the hamlet, but I’m not sure if he indicated whether or not he knew how long ago that was.
Maybe if I could just get a clarification if he’s aware of how long ago that the department was notified by the hamlet that they didn’t want to continue that contract.
In most cases, the Government of the Northwest Territories devolved those programs and positions to hamlets.
Over the years, as we said earlier, it is kind of an onerous program to run in the communities, we’ve had more communities that have given up contribution agreements to deal with it.
I don’t have the dates of the one in Repulse Bay but I know it was quite some time ago.
Can the minister indicate when they first started advertising for an income support worker in that community?
I can provide that information to the committee.
I thank the minister for that and look forward to it.
Mr. Chairman, as the minister indicated, they recently increased the amount of the Senior Citizens Benefit from $135 to $175. However, I note in the business plan here, the breakdown of the entire program has not received an increase in funding from the previous year.
I’m just wondering if he could explain that.
Before I recognize Minister Picco, I have no quorum, so I’m going to chime this House.
>>Committee recessed at 13:38 and resumed at 13:40
The amount for the senior supplementary benefit, I think, and as the members have indicated in the House, has been a good news story. It’s increased from $135 to $175 a month and we’re funding that within the Department of Education.
We’re doing an internal process for that where we fund that within the current funding arrangement that we have within the department with the dollar values that are available.
I know it doesn’t show it in here, but can the minister indicate where they plan on taking that funding from within the department and how much?
Hon. Ed. Picco: It’s relatively a small amount because of the number of people with an uptake on the program. For 2006-07, we had 584 seniors who received the monthly Senior Citizens Supplementary Benefit.
When you’re looking at the increase of $40 multiplied by 600 or 700 people, it’s actually a small margin.
So when we review our budget on a regular basis, we’re able to have areas to move the money around within our O&M budget, and that’s the case with the Senior Citizens Supplementary Benefit.
Just a question then, I think they have $1,000,012 in the budget for the Senior Citizens Supplementary Benefit and the minister, as he indicated, already knows that it’s going to be more than that, that they’re going to take it from somewhere else.
I’m just wondering why they didn’t put that amount in there, whatever it’s going to be.
Part of this is the announcement I did in the House when we informed the members that, in the past, we were paying for the administration of the program with our partners in the Northwest Territories.
The cost savings for us now, beginning on April 1, 2008 in the new fiscal year, would be over $85,000. So those savings are put back into the increases that we just talked about.
If I understood the minister correctly, then the cost of administering the program, when it was being administered through the Northwest Territories, was included in that $1 million amount. Is that correct?
Hon. Ed. Picco: Yes, that’s correct.
I know in the past years, Members of this Assembly recommended that the social assistance regulations be reviewed. In some cases, it appears that the benefit amounts calculated for some communities are not adequate.
One of my colleagues pointed that out yesterday for the clients in their communities.
In other cases, it appears that some clients are too easily abusing the benefits that they do receive.
If you look, for example, at some clients, and it’s been raised here in the House before, will buy cigarettes with their vouchers and then sell the cigarettes for cash on the street.
I’m just wondering if the department has any plans to review the regulations to address some of those issues in the upcoming fiscal year.
There have been a lot of issues raised in the House with income support, especially when we look at how the money is spent and so on. Under the Income Support Program, if anyone is aware of abuses of the system, then they should contact the income support worker in the community and let us know so that we can follow it up.
We contemplate being able to begin a serious internal review of the program in the next six to eight months. Right now, the majority of the resources of the department are entailed in the Education Act. So I would suggest to you that after we’re completed working on that Act, we would be able to be in a position to do more on the Income Support Program.
We’re on (interpretation ends) Income Support. Branch Summary.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $2,257,000. Does the committee agree?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) We will go to G-8.
The minister had tabled the Nunavut Arctic College Adult Learning Strategy over a year ago on November 28, 2006.
What specific recommendations of the Nunavut Adult Learning Strategy have been implemented to date and which one will be addressed as a priority during the upcoming fiscal year?
At this time, when we’re dealing with the Adult Learning and Post-Secondary Services, I would like to thank Ms. Sandy Teiman from Income Support for joining us at the table and ask the committee to allow Mr. Dan Vandermeulen, the President of the Nunavut Arctic College, to join us at the witness table.
Does the committee agree to bring in Minister Picco’s official?
Chairman (interpretation): Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witness in. Thank you, Sandy Teiman, for being here.
(interpretation ends) Welcome, Mr. Vandermeulen.
On my immediate right is Mr. Dan Vandermeulen, the President of Nunavut Arctic College.
Mr. Chairman, just quickly on the member’s question on the Adult Learning Strategy, the Adult Learning Strategy, as the members know, has been tabled in the House and it’s a public document. We have been getting a lot of feedback and very positive feedback on it. The learning strategy has terms of reference in it and so on.
Right now, we’re working on an implementation strategy for the Adult Learning Strategy. We have begun with a draft terms of reference for the Implementation Panel, and we also have a Management Committee completed and is now in review with NTA.
My next question is: what progress has been achieved to date on establishing the Nunavut Trade Show and when will it accept its first students?
The Nunavut Trade School development project continues. We have almost completed now the new student residence for the students in Rankin Inlet, construction in earnest will begin this construction season, and we would hope to be in a position to see the new students at the college in about two years from that date.
I meant to say the Nunavut Trade School.
My third question is; your business plan noted that there have been some changes to the apprenticeship programs: can you describe those changes and how they will improve opportunities for Nunavut trades students?
We have seen our apprentices, as we have stated here in the House a couple of times now, increase considerably over the last couple of years.
We have also reconstituted and have in place the Nunavut Apprenticeship Training Board. Work with the Nunavut Housing Trust is also continuing where we’re actually training new apprentices on the various construction projects for new housing with the Nunavut Housing Corporation, and that’s ongoing.
I thank the minister for answering questions.
Last year, the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Accountability met with the Auditor General of Canada to discuss the report on the review of the Financial Assistance for Nunavut Students program.
One question raised at that time was whether students at the new Nunavut Trade School and the Nunavut Cultural School would be eligible for FANS.
Will they, yes or no?
The Nunavut FANS program dictates the eligibility requirements for FANS.
It is our understanding and my understanding that the programs run through the new Cultural School, and indeed, the trade school will be FANS eligible, again, within the criteria of the FANS program.
As an example, if someone goes to the trade school for a six-week program, they may not be eligible for the FANS program.
However, if the person is going to the trade school for a longer period of time, like other programs that they attend at the Nunavut Arctic College for 12 months, or 18 months, or 24 months, then they are eligible for the program.
Again, because the facilities haven’t opened yet and we have to look at some of the core course materials and classes that will be actually delivered in those programs, in those schools, it’s very difficult to say which ones would be qualified for FANS.
Right now, it is our understanding that because the program will be based on certificate and diploma programs from both institutions, then they would be FANS eligible.
The business plan of the Department of Economic Development and Transportation indicates that they will be working with the Department of Education in the development of a mine training centre in Nunavut.
The draft main estimates for ED&T include $200,000 in funding for the Nunavut Mine Training Fund.
Can you describe your department’s involvement with this mine training initiative and how it will be different from trades training initiatives currently underway?
This is one of the exciting things that are occurring right now in Nunavut. When we look at the Trades Access program that will be delivered throughout Nunavut in our community learning centres, the Trades Access program is not dependant on just the construction of a new trades training facility and it’s 24 weeks in length, so we can deliver that program throughout Nunavut in our CLCs.
The 14-week version of the Trades Access program is being developed in conjunction with our high schools for delivery to our high school students. So the monies involved, that the member has stated, are correct and that training process is continuing throughout Nunavut.
Your business plan states that the development of the Mature High School Graduation Options will be supported by the department and the Nunavut Community Skills Inventory System.
Can you describe what progress has been achieved on those programs and how they are integrated together?
Part of what the member had asked me earlier concerning the Adult Learning Strategy and one of the components of the Adult Learning Strategy was the Mature High School Graduation Diploma and the Nunavut Skills Inventory Program.
The NCSIS program, as the members know, has won a Silver Award for Innovation nationally and that program is being run across Nunavut in different communities.
Basically, what the program does is match the individuals in the community either with an inventory or a database of individuals in the community and you’re able to match whatever the vocational or academic background of that individual in a computer database.
When an employer, for example, goes to a community and says, “I need a heavy equipment operator,” we could check the Nunavut Skills Inventory and be able to give them an idea of how many people are available in a given community and what their current employment status is, and so on.
On the Nunavut Mature High School Graduation Diploma, that will link with the GED, or the Grade Equivalent Diploma, that’s recognized nationally.
Thank you again, Minister.
My second last question: what contribution has the department made to the community-based training component on the Nunavut Housing Trust Strategy? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The interest earned on the Nunavut Housing Trust Strategy monies that have been deposited and are put in place by our federal partner through that contribution agreement, we have been accessing those monies to provide some of the training that we have talked about. That training, again, is delivered through the community learning centres.
Mr. Evyagotailak: My last question.
On page G-12 of your business plan, it states that one of the critical issues facing your department is “to provide training and education opportunities for unilingual Inuit adults over the age of 55.”
How specifically will your department be targeting this sector of the population and what type of pre-employment training will they be focused on?
They may be a small demographic part of our population but the over 55 unilingual persons in Nunavut are a very important of Nunavut and the fabric of Nunavut.