EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I would like to recognize people that are around here.
Cerhou Takkiruk from Gjoa Haven; Nuniak Panuksiak from Arviat; Daisy Dialla from Pangnirtung, Jana Qaksiq from Iqaluit; Deejay and Doreen Manuk from Arviat and also Susie Makpah, she is absent but she will be arriving from Arviat today.
She is also from the Education Association and for Arctic College.
I had made my statement in regards to that and the President will be arriving, but one of the governing board of directors, Leena Evic-Twerdin I also want to recognize her and David Willman.
The finance controller Dave Clark.
Lastly, Mr. Speaker I have never recognized any of my relatives here at the legislature since I became a member, so this is my first time to recognize my relative my sister Joanna Awa.
She is the secretary for Arctic Co-operatives Ltd and my brother who is the executive assistant to Donald Havioyak, Simon Awa.
I have two communities in the Nattilik riding.
From Taloyoak a person who has also been recognized by the Minister for Education, and she has been one of the main people working on the curriculum for Inuktitut, and I would also like to thank her.
Although Mr. Arvaluk made a mistake by saying she was from Repulse Bay, she is from Taloyoak.
Thank you for coming into the House.
Mr. Akesuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and congratulations Mr. Speaker.
(interpretation) The people I was going to recognize have already left the gallery but when it was the Sivuliuqtiit Management Training Program they were my fellow students from the training program and I wanted to recognize them.
I think it was back in 1998 that went to school with Paul Kowmageak, Shawn Ittinuar, Pauloosie Nuyalia, and I would like to recognize one of the pages, my daughter, Symy Akesuk.
I would like to recognize, although they have been recognized already, my relative from Taloyoak, Takagak, I would like to recognize her and welcome her to the legislature.
I don’t get very many opportunities to recognize some of my relatives here in the House.
Speaker: Recognition of visitors to the gallery.
Mr. Speaker I would like to recognize a constituent and a staff member up at Nunavut Arctic College, Mr. Dave Wilman.
I would like to also like to acknowledge Joanna Awa from Arctic Coop in the audience here all the way from Winnipeg.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): We are very pleased when people come to the gallery and observe the session and I would like to recognize Robert and Catherine Douchette who are here all the way form Halifax. They are sitting up there and are here to see their daughter Patricia and their son-in-law Anthony.
I would like to thank them for coming to observe the session.
Although the person was recognized, Mr. Kanaqsiiq was originally from Hall Beach.
That person went to Arviat to work on the Inuktitut curriculum.
The person sitting beside her is from Igloolik, Joanah Kasiuk.
My uncle’s daughter and I think she is taking the EDAP training program.
I’m not too sure whether she is here for training or workshop.
Before we go on to the next member I would like to take the opportunity to recognize one of my constituents Doreen Mannuck, daughter of Joe Mannuck, better known as the Joe, Doreen stand.
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and congratulations.
Mr. Speaker I think we have a bit of a celebrity in the audience.
This person is well known for her participation in the best selling CD of the Pangnirtung Music Festival, and her name is Rebecca Veevee.
So, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Rebecca Veevee to the Assembly.
Also, Lois Lesley from our Ottawa office was here earlier, Naulla Arnaquq, who is the ADM of Education and an Apex resident, Mr. Hugh Lloyd who was here earlier, and two other people.
First, Joanna Awa and James already introduced her but I would like to take this opportunity to talk about Joanna who was with CBC radio and bravely aired on CBC radio my recipe for seal flipper pie several years ago.
I would like to thank her for that and welcome her to the Assembly and Nuniak Nunasiaq from Hall Beach who is now living in Arviat and is a long time family friend.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Picco and welcome to the gallery.
Thank you Mr. Picco for that endorsement for flipper pie.
Mr. Barnabas: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would also like to recognize Naulla Arnaquq who I used to work with at the board of education and Daisy Dialla who is sitting beside her.
Speaker: Welcome to the gallery.
Moving on to item 6. Oral questions.
Question 312 – 1(3): Responsibility for Culture, Language, Elders & Youth
Mr. Speaker my question, in light of the press release that I read earlier and the announcement by the Honourable Member from Kugluktuk I would like to ask the Premier who will be taking on the responsibilities of the Department of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth.
Hon. Paul Okalik: Congratulations.
I will be assuming the responsibility for the Department until the session is over and we will then decide how to deal with the matter.
Question 313 – 1(3): Francophone School Size
A few days ago I asked this question of the Minister of Education.
He stated that in that school that is going to be built there were going to be about 35 students in the school.
The question that I have is how many classrooms are there going to be in that school.
Hon. James Arvaluk: Mr. Speaker, I am sorry I don’t look after the designs and things like that, I would ask the appropriate Minister for Public Works to answer that question.
Speaker: Minister of Public Works would you like the member to repeat the question.
The member for Sanikiluaq could probably perhaps ask the question so he could clarify which school he is talking about.
The question that I asked a few days ago was, when we met in Rankin Inlet the minister told us a school was going to be built and I would like to find out how many classrooms the school would contain.
I believe now that the Minister of Education is signalling that he will answer the question.
I am sorry I didn’t really understand the question.
I didn’t know it was the classrooms he was asking about.
The Francophone school that is going to be built in Iqaluit today we know that there could be thirty-five students going to be entering the school.
I could not tell you how many classrooms there will be at this time.
I know there will be thirty-five students.
The minister last year stated that I don’t have to have an interpreter from Sanikiluaq but I think the minister didn’t understand the question that I asked.
He should have understood the first question that I asked, but I guess he didn’t understand my second question.
The school that will be built how many classrooms will there be not how many students will enrol.
Speaker: Mr. Arvaluk, Minister for Education.
I am not sure about the design of the school and I don’t know exactly what the design will consist of and how many classrooms it will have.
It will be just answered by the people who deal with the design of the school.
The school in question will probably cost about 2 million dollars to build, with 35 students enrolling into that school.
For this reason, I would like to ask a question.
In the Nunavut Government we would like to have Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit being taught in the schools and we would like to use the Elders to teach the young people and to have them teach us before they die off.
That's the things that we always say that the people that have to take Inuktitut courses should be more assisted rather than others.
Hon. James Arvaluk (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, when I am told a school will be built and it will cost 5 million dollars, and I only have to put in 2 hundred thousand dollars to assist, I appreciate it because the Federal Government will be paying for it or helping to pay for it.
There are English, French and Innuinaqtut, and Inuktitut will be taught in the Nunavut region because the Federal Government is assisting us and we appreciate that and we will welcome the school to be built here and it will be paid for partly by the Federal Government.
I feel that we will be able to negotiate with the Federal Government if we cannot fill the school, the Francophone school, we will be able to use it for other teaching.
Many schools are being filled rapidly and it will probably be used by other students instead of just Francophones.
Speaker: Thank you Minister Arvaluk.
Question 314 – 1(3): Location of Heritage Centre
Mr. Tootoo: Thank you Mr. Chairman or Mr. Speaker, sorry.
Mr. Speaker, in reading yesterday's Hansard, the Minister of Finance was asked during Committee of the Whole where the Department of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth proposed heritage centres would be located.
The Minister of Finance said in his answer on page 45, and I quote " I don't believe this is for designated communities, it is based on their capital contribution policy for distribution to any place that merits".
However Mr. Speaker, the former Minister of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth said and I quote "that this is for material that is going to be shipped to Cambridge Bay so that it could be done, so that they could do some ordering ahead, it is the shipment of the material for the heritage centre once it is approved, the heritage centre will be part of the school in Cambridge Bay".
Mr. Speaker my question is very simple, has a decision been already made to allocate the 500 hundred thousand dollars to locate the heritage centre in Cambridge Bay.
Mr. Speaker as I indicated yesterday I wasn't aware of exactly what the Department of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth has and what they expect to fund under their programs.
So, I would say that obviously there has been some discussion and some evaluations undertaken within the Department that I am not aware of.
So, I would say right now that it appears that there is a contribution that may go towards the heritage centre project in Cambridge Bay from the comments of the former Minister.
Mr. Speaker I'm not sure on the process and maybe if the Minister of Finance can clarify it for me that any project and any budgets that are allocated and set out in the budget have to be approved by the Financial Management Board, Mr. Speaker.
So, I would like to ask if such a project had been approved by the Financial Management Board.
No specific project has been approved by the Financial Management Board.
As you know the Grant and Contributions that the member refers to that was discussed yesterday, the 500 thousand dollars for a heritage centre under Culture, Language, Elders & Youth is funding for the current upcoming fiscal year and it is still before this House.
It hasn't been approved for allocations or disbursements yet.
Mr. Speaker in the comments that were made yesterday it seems quite clear that it is indicated that those funds are allocated for our proposed project in Cambridge Bay, Mr. Speaker.
I guess I know, looking through the main estimates in Table 8-11, it shows the regional breakdowns of the capital of the Department of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth and shows that this money is allocated for headquarters and not to any particular region.
If, as the Minister indicated yesterday in his comments, there are funds allocated towards that region why don't the main estimates reflect that.
Mr. Speaker first of all to clarify, grants and contributions, it depends on where the distribution and where the decision making for the policies would take place.
In this case there would be existing grants and contribution programs approved, cabinet policies that the Department of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth would use to determine eligibility for any projects that would come under the, within the realm of jurisdiction for disbursement of funds that are approved by this House.
Now, the Member brings up a valid point in that the Department of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth, I'll use C.L.E.Y., the Department of C.L.E.Y. may have, in anticipation of the budget process that's taking place here, may have, subject to final approval by this House, tentatively identified and ear-marked some funds for applications that might have come into their department and are awaiting the final disposition of our main estimates prior to disbursement of those funds Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Mr. Tootoo, final supplementary.
I guess, Mr. Speaker, the Minister explained his explanation of the process but it still would indicate that there was an anticipated expenditure in a specific region.
Mr. Speaker I have been wondering why the main estimates show those dollars being allocated to headquarters and not being allocated to a community, to regions, as apparently you know, some things are already being done, whether it's in anticipation of the budget being approved or not.
If it's in there Mr. Speaker, I believe it would have been shown in the regional breakdown.
I ask again the Finance Minister why it wasn't.
Mr. Speaker, again I will say because the grants and contributions policies are administered by the headquarters of C.L.E.Y. and it may not necessarily have been that those funds have been finalized to date.
There is no regional distribution as a result of that.
Question 315 – 1(3): Smaller Communities’ Access to Banks
Mr. Speaker, when Nunavut Government came into effect and when we first started as Members we were discussing whether we would be more accessible to the people of Nunavummiut and we have raised questions about it.
Particularly the smaller communities, the communities that do not have access to banking facilities.
I remember when I asked a question, the Minister made a reply to me and stated that the Royal Bank, working with the Government of Nunavut, would try and provide some services for people in the smaller communities and he made that reply to me.
Mr. Speaker however, at this point in time we have not seen any available services pertaining to banking in smaller communities.
I represent two communities.
They are small communities who do not have any access to banking.
We can do some banking in Cambridge Bay and in larger centres.
I want to ask the Minister of Finance whether he has made any plans for banking facilities in the smaller communities, so the people can have better access to them.
Speaker: Minister of Finance Mr. Ng.
Mr. Speaker, I regret to advise the Member that I have yet to follow up on that important issue that he is articulating on behalf of his communities.
I do know as I have indicated in the past that the Royal Bank who is the Government of Nunavut banker on record was looking at what options could be available, but I will commit to finding out exactly if there have been any developments in that area, Mr. Speaker.
I want the Minister to understand me, I know he understands where I'm coming from but this is a major concern.
Especially in the smaller communities where government employees as well who make their money as employees and who have jobs and they don't have any kind of banking access in the smaller communities.
Perhaps I would like to ask the Minister if he can ask some kind of banking officials if they can go into the smaller communities to explain how they can set up banking facilities even if they are very small.
I'm wondering if the Minister can allocate some money to assist the communities so that the banking officials of these big banks can go into smaller communities to explain to people how to access them.
Mr. Speaker, I recognize the importance of the issue the honourable member brings up.
I would be a bit reluctant at this point to subsidise any bank in respect of some of the possible costs of trying to provide some service.
Having said that, I am told that the Royal Bank does do regional tours of communities to outline what services they have to offer.
If the Member has any specific types of services that he would like, and I can raise that with him after Mr. Speaker, I mean specific types of services he might want for his constituents to get a better understanding of what can and can't be done.
Like I said, we will follow up with the Royal Bank officials and others to see what possibilities there are.
Question 316 – 1(3): Grise Fiord School Renovations
Mr. Speaker, my question will be directed to the Minister of Education.
Mr. Speaker, last year in the community that I represent, Quttiktuq, Grise Fiord, was to renovate the school and expand it, but the last sealift, no materials came in and funds were still there.
(interpretation) I want the Minister of Education to see if he will proceed with the materials being shipped to my community.
I think they had done all the planning for the shipment.
However, they decided not to proceed with this, so I am wondering if the Minister can state whether they will be doing it this year.
Mr. Speaker, yes, we want this to go ahead.
However, we cannot do anything until the members of the House approve the budget.
We don't know whether we can have the okay by the members.
However this will still be planned but of course we don't know what the weather will be like in the fall. Yes, we would like this to go ahead though.
Speaker: Supplementary, Mr. Barnabas.
I did not quite get what the Minister said Mr. Speaker.
We had all the funding available for the shipment for the school, I thought they were ready to go ahead with it, I'm just wondering where all the money went that was approved last year.
Because I was told that the project would go ahead in the next fiscal year, so I'm just wondering what the Minister is saying about the money.
I will be making a speech about our Department's funds for our three year business plan, I will be making a statement about the funding, perhaps tomorrow or the next day and I will return to this further.
However, like I said, I can make the information available as to where the funds went and I will be reviewing this as well.
If the m ember wants an immediate response to his question, I could take his question as notice and reply to him later in the afternoon or tomorrow.
I know this is an urgent matter and I do not want to make any promises to the Member at this time before the budget is approved.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Arvaluk the question is taken as notice.
Question 317 – 1(3): Kimmirut Airstrip
Through the budget speech made by the Minister of Finance we were talking about the Kimmirut airstrip and we have heard that this is an urgent matter as well and it has to be dealt with as soon as possible.
I want to ask the Minister what his plans are for this airstrip in Kimmirut.
Minister of Community Government & Transportation, Mr. Anawak.
Regarding the Kimmirut airstrip, we will be receiving contributions from the Federal Government.
I have been talking with the Federal Minster of Transportation regarding this matter and once I have completed consultation with him, I will be able to provide the Member as to what role they will have with the Kimmirut airport.
This is one of the urgent things that I will have to deal with.
Question 318 – 1(3): Cost of Living in Nunavut
Although I asked this question previously to the Minister of Finance, my questions is, I know the cost of living is increasing annually and I was wondering if you can review the cost of living in Nunavut.
When we first started this session I stated that we will be working on transportation and we have initiated the review.
We are going to be reviewing the transportation issues and we will be reviewing how the goods and services are delivered up here.
We will also be looking at the freight costs.
So, we will be reviewing all this.
The reason why I am asking this question is that the cost of living is increasing at a rapid rate especially our daily necessities for our children.
I know that parents are going through hard times and they can’t afford to buy their daily necessities.
I was wondering when you would be reviewing that.
As I have stated before this review will go ahead with Mike Ferris as their leader.
Also, as I have stated before, we will be working with the other jurisdictions during the review process and this review process will be a good start.
Question 319 – 1(3): Clyde River Social Worker
I didn't get an opportunity to congratulate you on being selected for Mr. Speaker although I'll regret and I'll miss you on this side of the chamber.
Mr. Speaker, I will be asking my question to the Minister of Health and Social Services.
As he was asked yesterday, for a long time in Kimmirut they weren't able to get a social worker, it's the same case for my community too.
The position was open for a very long time, I was wondering at that time if we had hired a person locally that person would have learned the system and the ropes of being a social worker for the whole duration while waiting for the position to be filled.
While we were waiting for someone to apply, while we were waiting to hire someone as a social worker we could have taught a local person to become a social worker.
Mr. Speaker the position for social worker in Clyde River has been vacant for quite some time.
There may be an opportunity for one of the people to apply for the position in Kimmirut and indeed in Clyde River.
At the same time, Mr. Speaker the department is moving aggressively to advertise and re-advertise for the positions.
So that we can get a full complement of Social workers not only in Clyde River but in many in of our communities where we don't have one at the present time.
I know we have students that are taking that kind of program.
If the students don't want to move to another community. I'm sure we won't be able to hire them locally.
If the students want did not want to go to another community to become a social worker, I'm sure it will take a very long time to hire another person.
So, I was wondering if we can make room to fill these positions although no person is interested in moving to the community.
Would it be possible to resolve this.
Hon. Ed Picco: Mr. Speaker it goes without saying the role of a social worker in our communities is very important as the member knows last week that we celebrated social work week.
Indeed, I met up with the head of the Northern Social Workers Association who represent the Northwest Territories and the Yukon, and there is a shortage Mr. Speaker of social workers.
That's why Arctic College has moved aggressively to train people.
There is also a program in Cambridge Bay that graduated social workers.
I'm not trying to say Mr. Speaker, that I agree with the member that it not acceptable to have a social worker in place.
We are trying to advertise and if there is someone locally who can do the job. Then Mr. Speaker we would have hired them but we just don’t want to put them in the job for the sake of filling the job.
We want to be able to put someone in the job that will do the job and be a benefit and service to the people not only in Clyde River but also in other communities where we don't have social workers.
I understand your response.
It was very interesting to hear.
However, I would like to supplement my question by asking whose regulations have you followed during this process.
Whose rules are you following or abiding by with this process.
Speaker: Hon. Ed Picco,
Mr. Speaker as the member knows at the present time the Health Boards are still in operation and the three regional Health Boards have been trying to hire the staff.
Not only the social workers but also the CHRs, the nurses and so on.
They follow the guidelines in hiring the principles and policies, outlined by the Government of Nunavut in the personnel manual.
So there are guidelines in there that are followed.
For the job description of the social worker that the member I believe is talking about, that’s also put in place by the Regional Health Boards.
That’s what they are trying to follow.
We want to be able to find qualified people to do the job.
Mr. Speaker, we do have two social work diploma programs on-going.
They are two-year programs.
One is in Cambridge Bay and one is in Igloolik.
The opportunity Mr. Speaker is to start another program to start training people here in the Baffin.
Maybe South Baffin or around Clyde River.
So, we can actually get other trained people into those positions.
However, Mr. Speaker, let me make it clear.
We had been moving aggressively to try to recruit social workers but we have had no luck and just as recently as early this week, when the member for Kimmirut brought up the concern of the social worker in Kimmirut.