EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I look forward to getting the information.
I was wondering if the Minister or his staff has plans, it sounds like they’re developing a plan, if he will be consulting with the boards, the regional boards, staff members, with the community education councils, and with the staff in the schools that are the service delivery people, in consultation as far as how to take a look at developing this transition plan.
Minister of Education, Mr. Arvaluk?
Hon. James Arvaluk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
That would be the major part of the co-ordinator's job, is to consult with the regional boards, the communities, Hamlet councils, and other interested groups, and the regular members as to what would be the best business plan to develop and this naturally will take....we have a year... till July 2000, July 1, 2000.
I’m hopeful that it will be done sooner, but the consultation process will take place as soon as possible.
Mr. Speaker, I was wondering if the Minister also let his planner to plan a mechanism by which the people that we just talked about, the boards, the DEA's, and also the schools are aware of what process will be taking place in the next year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: Mr. Arvaluk?
Hon. James Arvaluk: Yes, Mr. Speaker.
Shall we move on?
Question 41 - 1 (2): Decentralized Positions for Hall Beach
Mr. Speaker, I’ve a question to the Minister of Finance regarding the jobs.
I believe there are seventy-two and a half PY's in my constituency.
My question is are we going to get those seventy-two and a half PY's in Hall Beach?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Irqittuq.
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Mr. Speaker, I’m not sure about the specifics of Hall Beach, but again in answering the question from Mr. O’Brien, it would be part of the whole decentralization review and the timing of implementation in respect to availability of housing, availability of office space and the timing for hiring.
I’m sure you responded to my question, Mr. Speaker, but I would like to know that... I would like to know whether decentralization should have started right from April 1, when Nunavut government came into being?
Speaker: Mr. Ng?
Mr. Speaker, obviously, if I could have hired all the people and had them in place by April 1, then that’s the ideal situation.
Having said that, we all recognize that it wasn't possible to do that.
As I indicated earlier in my response to Mr. O'Brien, there are headquarters functions that are critical in trying to get up and running and there's also the issue of the positions from the decentralized model.
We are trying to plan that out in as quickly a time fashions as possible so we can bring some certainty and closure to the issue.
I know members are concerned about that and the government is aware of that and we just want to try and make sure we are not rushing into things and paying the consequences of making moves without having them planned out.
Speaker (interpretation): Third question Mr. Irqittuq.
I understood your response.
With the finances allocated for the PY's, is there money available to move these people out to the communities under the decentralization plan?
Is there money already allocated in the budget to move those people out to the communities?
Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Ng.
Mr. Speaker as I had indicated there is some dollars for relocation within the budget of Human Resources, but there isn't enough to establish 100 per cent of the positions based on those decentralized, because it was always recognized that it wouldn't be possible to do everything within the first year of operation and it would have to be a phased in process over a number of years.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Ng. Oral questions, Mr. McLean.
Question 42 - 1 (2): Regular Members Input to Decentralization Review
My question is to the Acting Premier regarding decentralization and his comments, saying that the departments of Executive, Intergovernmental Affairs, and Cabinet are working on rearranging the model.
As we know, decentralization affects 10 communities and as regular members are we going to have any input into this little quirk, or is it going to be dumped on us in our retreat in Baker Lake?
Speaker: Two questions.
Mr. Speaker, first of all, we are not planning on dumping anything on anybody in Baker Lake.
I think what we are doing now is trying to take an assessment on what is out there and what is available and trying to outline some of the problems.
As I had indicated and I used the Gjoa Haven example of the liquor warehouse and the Legal Registries in Kugluktuk, and lay out some options that might be put forward for members to consider in the overall scheme of trying to implement decentralization.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Third question, Mr. McLean.
Mr. McLean: So the Acting Premier, is he committed to advising the rest of the people that are effected by decentralization what decisions are going to be moved, so we don't go into Baker Lake on the retreat, and no surprises.
Minister of Finance Mr. Ng.
Mr. Speaker, most definitely, there is no plan to be rearranging anything at this stage, just assessing what is out there and realistically what can be done right now.
That is the main basis of what we are trying to assess.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Ng. Oral questions, Mr. Nutarak.
Question 43 - 1 (2): Infrastructure and Decentralization in Pond Inlet
My question is to Mr. Anawak, Minister of Community Government, Housing & Transportation.
Regarding staff housing, the infrastructure that is being built in anticipation of decentralization in Pond Inlet is slated to be built this year.
I wonder if that is going to go ahead?
Minister of Community Government, Housing & Transportation.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): I am sorry, would you ask him to repeat his question please?
Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Nutarak, would you rephrase your question please?
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): There is supposed to be infrastructure built this summer in Pond Inlet but there may be a delay because of the land availability there, or quality of it.
So my question is, are the plans going ahead to build the infrastructure or are those going to be delayed.
There may be some problems that will not allow the construction to go ahead because the land fill site has not been restored.
I don't know what the plans are to restore the land that is near where the infrastructure is happening this summer.
I want a clarification of what the plans are.
Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Anawak, that was a question directed to you.
Mr. Speaker as the Acting Premier I should take that because the question has to do with the broader financing, and quite frankly, with Nunavut Construction company.
Given the agreement that they have established with DIAND for constructing the office space and the housing for turnover to the Nunavut Government as it stands now that agreement is still in place.
The Nunavut  Construction company with the federal government is developing that same infrastructure.
We have no participation in that except for when it is finalized we assume responsibility for those lease payments.
But if the Honourable member has some concerns about the timing on that, we will certainly find out what is going on with the planned infrastructure in his community.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Maybe I should be directing this to the Minister of Public Works.
I wonder if the old land fill site is going to be restored and if it is going to be restored this coming summer.
I would just like to inform everybody that you are supposed to be directing the same line of questioning to the same Minister and if you have other questions that you should take these one by one. (interpretation ends).
I will ask Ms. Thompson to answer, because that was where Mr. Nutarak directed it.
Ms. Thompson, Minister of Public Works, Telecommunications & Technical Services.
From what I understand from my department, regarding the land fill site in Pond Inlet, there have been funds set aside to restore the land, but I will find out exactly what the funds are to be used for and I will look into the plans further and get back to the member.
I know that there have been some funds set aside for the land fill site in Pond Inlet.
Question 44 - 1 (2): Rent Scale and Public Housing
I will direct this question to the Minister of Housing.
My question is that the public housing units and those people who rent them, the price of rent keeps going higher.
I wonder if the rent scale is going to be reconsidered in the near future?
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): We have not had an opportunity to look at that yet, but on his concern, that will be one of the topics that we'll be covering when we have discussions on housing.
The lowest rent is 32 dollars and, once a person becomes employed, their rent goes way higher than that.
So, I'm not sure if this is the question that he's asking about, but that's one of the issues we'll be addressing during our meetings about rent scales.
We have heard in the past that, once a person becomes a wage earner, their rents go way up and, I think, they start paying 30% of their wages.
So, we'll be looking at this in the near future.
Second question, Mr. Alakannuark.
Mr. Alakannuark: Thank you Mr. Speaker.
This is a supplementary question to the same Minister of housing.
The rental units in the communities are becoming scarce and, we have a population growth that is growing who are demanding their own housing.
So, the occupancy rate per unit is very high and there's been overcrowding, and that causes problems.
So, now, is it being considered that there be more public housing built in communities?
Speaker: Community Government, Housing & Transportation Minister, Anawak.
I just returned from Ottawa recently from a meeting about public housing. I met with the Minister of CMHC, and we'll be meeting again in the near future to address the shortage of housing and overcrowding because it has been a major concern in our area and in our country.
We would like to see the communities be self-sufficient.
I'm not saying that this is what we'll do in the future but, I had a meeting earlier today with the people from Taloyoak who want to work on a program to enable the people to own their own homes.
That's what they want to do in their Hamlet.
We would like to see more communities taking the initiative to provide homeownership or make more it more accessible to be a homeowner in the communities.
That's what the residents of Taloyoak are doing right now and we would like to see more of that in the communities.
I do understand, however, what his question is but I'm not sure if we will be obtaining more funds for us to address this issue.
Our colleagues in Ottawa are well aware of this problem, too.
Question 45 - 1 (2): Nursing Shortage
This is directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services.
In some communities, especially in the smaller communities, they have one nurse in their health centres that work 24 hours a day.
They are only human, and they should be taking rest breaks.
How are these nurses going to be replaced so that they can take their break in communities?
Also, in some communities, even though they may have more than one nurse, they are still short staffed in their health centres, and the nurses are expected to work 24 hours a day.
Do you have a program whereby these people can be relieved from time to time?
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you Mr. Speaker, and thank you Mr. Iqaqrialu.
It was a good question.
The concern right now, Mr. Speaker, is not unique just to Nunavut.
Indeed, it seems to be a national problem, and that is the availability of nurses and professional nursing staff.
In the cases in communities where we have only one or two nurses, and they're working 12 and 14 hours a day, I have been in smaller communities, in Igloolik and Kimmirut, and I have seen first hand that concern.
What we want to try and do, from the departments point of view, is to put in place a recruitment and retention program, which we're working on right now.
So that we'll have a pool of nurses that will be available at the community level.
What we're doing at the department, Mr. Speaker, is trying to get to the point where we have a number of nurses in these communities that will actually fill the void that is there right now.
For example, in the communities where we have two nurses that are working 12 hour shifts, that is not acceptable.
The Members of the House realize that.
But, after saying that, Mr. Speaker, the concern is to actually get nurses, get them up and to have them trained, hopefully, locally, will be one area to look at, alleviating that problem.
Of course, we don't have that right now available to us.
So, one of the things that we're hoping to announce over the next few weeks is the nursing program at the college, so we can hire them and have locally trained nurses.
Until that day, Mr. Speaker, we have to wait and see what we put in place for a recruitment and retention program for the current nursing staff that we have and, hopefully, get the number of nurses we have at the community level up to respectable levels.
Speaker: Thank you.
I think this is a major concern and I think this has become a crisis.
I know that if you decide to address it quickly and treat it as a first priority, I think that you can do something about that.
I would like to see you deal with this, as soon as possible.
Especially in the area of nursing shortages, so that people can take comfort that if they should get ill, they will be taken care of.
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you Mr. Speaker. Yes, Mr. Speaker, indeed, my department and the government take the issue of shortage of nurses very serious.
As I said before, it's not just unique to Nunavut.
Indeed, we just heard a couple of weeks ago that Mr. Harris of Ontario was putting about 250 million dollars back into the health care system and hiring 10,000 nurses.
We've got to look at recruiting nurses from the same jurisdictions that Ontario, Alberta, British Colombia, and other southern provinces are looking at the same pool of people that are available.
We have to look at, on the recruitment and retention side, what we need to put in place to maintain and retain the nurses that we have working for us.
Indeed, many of the centres right now have what we call the nightingale nurses where they come up on contract, and they work for 3 months, and they go back to south.
That's not providing the continuity we want to see in our communities.
So, I agree with the member.
We are working on the recruitment and retention program right now, and I'm hoping that over the next several weeks, as we develop that program, we'll be able to bring it forth to the Standing Committee on Health of this House, discuss it with them and take consideration at that time.
I'm talking about the area of Nunavut.
Specifically, I'm not concerned about the rest of Canada or southern Canada.
Rather, I'm talking about Nunavut specific issues.
Are you also involved in recruiting nurses for areas other than Nunavut?
I'm concerned about filling the positions in Nunavut.
Speaker: Thank you Iqaqrialu.
Minister of Health Mr. Picco.
Thank you Mr. Iqaqrialu.
I've known Mr. Iqaqrialu for a long time, and I know that he's asking that question very seriously.
I would like to say to Mr. Iqaqrialu, and the members of this House, and the audience here and those watching on T.V., what we're trying to say is that the nurses that we're trying to hire here in Nunavut, we have to compete against the same pool that Ontario is trying to hire.
Nurses just don't come out of the ground.
They have to be trained. There's X-number of nurses available, and we're competing against other jurisdictions. When we're competing against other jurisdictions, to get nurses to come to the north, we have to be able to offer them a good benefits package.
We want to offer them good working conditions. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, those are all the things that we're looking at in the retention and recruitment program. Later this week, or early next week, when my budget comes up for the Department of Health, we'll be able to elaborate on some of the ideas that we have in actually hiring and retaining the nurses that we have at the community level.
Mr. Speaker, I want reiterate that I live here, my wife, my children, my in-laws, my relatives, my friends, we all use the same services that you do.
I take this role very seriously, and I'm trying to look from the departmental perspective, what we can do to maintain quality and the standard of health care that we deserve here in Nunavut, and that's second to none in Canada.
That's what I meant by saying that we're trying to recruit nationally.
We have to compete against those other jurisdictions.
And it's not easy.
One of the reasons why we're looking at health boards, and elimination of health boards, is to be able to take a Nunavut perspective.
So, we should be hiring nurses for Nunavut, not for specific regions of our home.
Last and final question. Mr. Iqaqrialu.
My final question.
If we're just going to be recruiting from outside of Nunavut, I don't think that that is acceptable.
But, for the Nunavut residents, I think that we can also train health care professionals for Nunavut specific jobs.
I think by providing educational opportunities and training opportunities in Nunavut that would stop a lot of recruiting that's happening right now in southern Canada.
Nunavut nurses can learn to be nurses in Nunavut.
I think that would solve a lot of our problems.
Perhaps education programs, or program funds should be identified by your department so we don't have to keep looking outside of Nunavut to hire these people.
Speaker: Minister of Health, Mr. Picco.
Hon. Ed Picco: Mr. Speaker. I agree with the Member.
Earlier today, I made a statement where we had nine X-ray Technologist graduates here at Nunavut Arctic College for the first time in Nunavut.
I think we should be very pleased and happy about that.
We have already seen the successful completion of several of our residents trained as Community Health Representatives, CHR's.
Mr. Speaker, we've had an entrance program two years running now for the nursing program.
At the end of that program over the next several months and years, we'll have trained nurses here in Nunavut.
That's what I was talking about when I said, we have to train people here in Nunavut.
That's how we will be able to, hopefully, supply a market for local talent.
That's the way the department is looking at it, and that's what we're trying to bring forth.
And, again, later next week when we have the chance to look at the health budget, we'll be able to look in more detail at some of the plans and processes that I would like to bring forth as a Minister in this Department of Health.
I will now ask members that haven't asked questions, yet, to ask questions. I know I have your name Mr. O'Brien, but I'll allow Mr. Akesuk to ask questions.
Mr. Akesuk. Oral questions.
Question 46 - 1 (2): Arctic College Nursing Training Program
Maybe this is directed to the Minister of Education.
At one time, at the Arctic College, there was a program that was getting underway at to train nurses.
I wonder if the program is going to be reinstated and for that to be able to go ahead in this coming semester.
Minister of Education James Arvaluk.
This is being considered at this time because the health care students were unable to continue on with their courses.
Once I'm able to answer your question, and how the program is going to be designed and what the decision is about going ahead for this program, I'll be able to answer that.
Question 47 - 1 (2): Rehabilitation Programs for Inmates
My question is directed to the Minister of Justice, Mr. Anawak.
At the Baffin Correctional Centre, here in Iqaluit, I think that the Department of Justice refers to it as a warehouse, where you put away people.
The people who are inmates of that facility are not provided with any rehabilitative programs.
I wonder, Mr. Speaker, if the Minister has a plan, or his department has plans to establish programs that are geared towards treatment of the inmates and to change the attitude of the facility from being the warehouse for people, so that there are rehabilitative programs for the inmates.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): Yes, thank you.
We don't want to put our people away to warehouses, especially our people.
I have had meetings with the officials in the Department of Justice, specifically in the area of correctional facilities, including the one in Iqaluit, and the YCC in Yellowknife.
We also have inmates who are in penitentiaries in southern Canada, and, following their time in these facilities, they have to return to their communities and they will be coming through the correctional centre, here in Iqaluit, on their way home.
What we would like to do is establish programs for them to return to communities. That's exactly what we want to do.
We want to establish facilities that are more directed to the lifestyles of the geographical area that they come from.
For example, we're looking at young people who may be able to take programs where they can go on an out on the land training program.
We are looking at these current programs in preparation to return them to local communities.
Speaker: Thank you Minister Jack Anawak.
Question 48 - 1 (2): Consulting Contract, Department of Health
My question is to the Minister responsible for Health, Mr. Picco.
Mr. Speaker, I believe the Minister indicated a few weeks ago at one of our Committee meetings that he was in the process of hiring a consultant to assist with some new models that would relate to the Health Department, or health boards, I wonder if he could elaborate on the actual contract itself - the terms of reference - and actually who was doing this work?
Speaker: Two questions for Mr. Picco.
What we spoke about in the Committee, and what we said subsequently was that, under the Department of Health, we want to put an organizational plan in place.
And, again, using a process with the Standing Committee of Health in the Legislative Assembly, and with the current health boards that we have in place until March 31st, the year 2000, is to look at the process where we will have a plan after March 31st for the delivery of Health and Social Services in the three regions that we have right now in Nunavut.
The contract for that work to be developed over the next several weeks will be in conjunction with the Department of Education.
I am not aware that the contract has been let - right now per se and, indeed, I don't know if you're allowed to actually table, for example, a contract to an individual, whatever.
The terms of reference of the contract, once put in place, I could commit to table that in the House if that's what the Member's requesting.
Second question, Mr. O'Brien.
Mr. Speaker, I was under the impression that the contract was actually let, and that the person was in place.
Just for clarification purposes, is the Minister saying that is not the case?
Minister of Health, Mr. Picco.
Mr. Speaker, I'm not aware if an actual contract has been let or if an individual is actually in place working.
So I will take that question as Notice.
The question was taken as notice.
Question 49 - 1 (2): New Staff Housing Units
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Public Works, Telecommunications and Technical Services.
The question deals with staff housing.
I would like to ask the Minister if she knows, because I noticed the units that are being used for staff housing in Noble house are occupied, I am wondering if she can indicate to the House when the Urbco units up on top of the hill on the road to Apex, when they will be available for use.
Minister of Public Works, Telecommunications & Technical Services, Ms. Thompson.
Hon. Manitok Thompson: Thank you Mr. Speaker.
I don't have the details in front of me so I will have to take that as notice, or the member can ask the question when the department is with me during my budget.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you Ms. Thompson the question is taken as notice.
I am sorry, Mr. Puqiqnak, the question hour is over, you will be able to ask your question tomorrow.
Back to the Orders of the Day.
Item 7, Written Questions.
Item 9, Replies to Opening Address.
Orders of the Day, item 11, Petitions.
Item 11: Petitions
Petition 1 - 1 (2): Keewatin Regional Health & Services