EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I would like to clarify that the Nunavut Development Corporation, not DSD, is responsible for the Nunavut Development Corporation but the HTOs are the ones that organise the inspections and it’s the HTO that is responsible for knowing whether they are going to be inspected or not.
It’s not the department nor is it the Nunavut Development Corporation that’s responsible for that.
My friend from Gjoa Haven was saying that this abattoir did not pass the federal inspection.
Perhaps, if I can ask, what did not pass the federal inspection and what happened with the musk ox hunt?
I can clarify the matter to the member as to why they did not pass the federal inspection.
It’s because they have to be clean and up to code, and follow the federal code for inspection.
If they have a lack of water, it could be one of the reasons because we have to clean the meat.
There are various codes that they have to follow and these are federal codes.  It was mainly due to cleanliness of processing plant so we’ve got various codes that we have to abide by when we are talking about the inspection failure.
However the money is being invested or budgeted by DSD to the development corporation.
The development corporation had to make sure that any sponsored organization for economic development like the HTO in Cambridge Bay is assisted so that the money is not wasted.
The money is not spent for nothing.
In order to get things ready you have to spend money.
A lot of it, I think, comes from DSD indirectly.
Can I ask the minister than that indeed the development corporation help the HTO to make sure that they pass the federal inspection?
Because we come to expect what kind of inspection will take place to make sure they pass the cleanliness and sanitary and etc, etc.
Doesn’t the development corporation know?
If so how can they help the HTO to make sure that they follow all these things before the federal inspectors come in?
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation): Yes, the HTO wanted to work on this themselves.
The local hunters and trappers organization wanted to work by themselves so that is how it has been.
Mr. Arvaluk: I have two more questions.
However I’ll ask my final supplementary I guess.
Mr. Speaker I hope the DSD or the Nunavut Development Corporation did not spent a cent in this endeavour if they wanted to do it alone, to pass the federal inspection.
If DSD or the development corporation spent some money for the preparation for the abattoir than they have a responsibility to make sure the HTO follow everything in order to get that passed.
My question, Mr. Speaker, was not one cent was spent by DSD or the development corporation in this endeavour?
I am sure we have assisted them financially prior to the federal inspection.
I am sure we have assisted them and the HTO requested that they wanted to work on themselves and we believe in them and we respected them.
So therefore we let them work on their own, that is how it was.
Question 053 – 1(6): How Many Outpost Camps Are Utilized For Correctional Facilities
I will direct my question to the Minister responsible for Justice.
I would like to find out today, if possible, just how many outpost camps you utilize for incarcerating both the adult inmates and young offenders.
Speaker: Minster responsible for Justice. Premier Okalik.
At this time there are only a few camps utilized, according to my knowledge on the issue.
I can’t tell you how many outpost camps we presently use, but I can get back to you.
We would like to see more of these camps established. We would also like support from our fellow elected members in trying to bring the facilities to their communities.
If there are so few of them, perhaps it would be easy to count them. I don’t think that this requires a whole lot of research.
I would like to ask again, what is the Department of Justice doing to bring up the total number of the utilization of these outpost camps?
Yes, we are supportive of these facilities and we would like to see more established.
I don’t count the camps to see how many there are. I simply provide support to those people who wish to set them up. I do not closely watch how many there are.
It is not my job. It is my job however, to support each resident and community who want to set these camps up and how we can simplify the process of establishing these facilities.
That is why I can’t reply to her at this time but I will respond to her on the numbers when I have them.
Just another question.
What has been done up to date to increase the number of the few facilities that we do have?
Yes, we support them financially in their operations.
From the draft budget that we saw, we will be creating a position that will administer this process of utilizing outpost camps within Justice.
I have heard that there will be a new employee dealing with this issue.
What has been done to date? Will the planning be initiated, only when the employee is in place?
Yes, to date we have lent our support to those communities and individuals wishing to undertake this type of camp.
We also asked for support when we are dealing with outpost camps taking in inmates. Once a problem arose, then we looked at ways to deal with the present operations of the outpost camps.
They asked us for assistance in creating a new position that will administer these multi-use outpost camps.
The budget that has been brought forward today will be utilized for that employee. We are continually looking for improvements for assisting our fellow Inuit. Once the budget is approved today, this will go towards alleviating this particular issue.
Question 054 – 1(6): Tax Cuts
Mr. Speaker, I was very glad to hear today’s budget.
I think that will benefit Nunavut as a whole.
The big issue that I would like to ask today to the Minister of Finance is there was tax cuts to where it helps and it is needed, the lower income, the middle income families.
Can the minister give me a ballpark price of how much money this is going to put into the pockets of Nunavut?
Five million, six million or eight million?
Speaker: Thank you, Mr. McLean. Minister Ng.
It is our projection that we will be looking at just over 7 million dollars.
It’s nice to see that the Finance Minister and Government of Nunavut is going to put an additional 7 million dollars in the pockets of Nunavummiut and I applaud the minister for that.
The other question that I’d like to ask him today, and before I go on, I think the lower income earners in Nunavut need a break.
So it’s nice to see that.
My second question, part of the question is, corporate taxes will be the lowest in Canada.
Does the minister hope that by doing this, that he’ll attract companies that have their bases other that operate in Nunavut outside of Nunavut, hopefully operate inside of Nunavut and pay more personal taxes here also?
Mr. Speaker, that certainly creates the incentive for businesses that may not be using Nunavut as their tax corporate headquarters right now, to consider allocating specific portions or as much as possible, in Nunavut.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker and of course with that, occupancy in the corporate tax revenue.
That’s good to hear also.
Does the Minister of Finance or his cabinet colleagues have any kind of plans to talk to these corporation that are outside of Nunavut now and are operating in Nunavut some kind of incentive, extra incentive, or meetings to tell them how good it will be to operate in Nunavut with the current corporate tax structure along with the personal income tax structure because I’m sure that there’s a lot more people that are living in the NWT and in southern Canada that would probably like to come up here and work in this tax regime.
I am certain my colleagues, and I would hope members of this Assembly and everybody that’s aware of this situation, would be promoting it.
In every opportunity, in every avenue that becomes available.
Question 055 – 1(6): Social Issues in the Budget
This is a question to the Minister of Health.
I like the statement made today, it states that for social issues there will be 1 million dollars, also for alcohol treatment 2.2 million dollars that is going to Nunavut according to this statement.
I would like the minister to confirm this.
Mr. Speaker, in a broad sense the Minister of Finance announced during the budget speech, which was a very good budget speech, I believe.
Mr. Speaker, some of the strategies that we are bring forward in the new funding that we have available to us as part of what the member asked about is the Mental Health Strategy, 2.2 million dollars which focus on family violence issues, Mr. Speaker, including possible increases to funding of different organizational groups that run these types of programs.
As well Mr. Speaker, maybe the opportunity for limited detox in Nunavut and several other initiatives Mr. Speaker, which will be brought forward by the department during discussion on the Main Estimates.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Looking at the budget for Nunavummiut, who will be responsible for spending it?
Under the health department, which communities are we talking about?
Which communities are we going to be helping?
Mr. Speaker, I believe that the protocol on the budget address is that the Minister of Finance in broad strokes, outlines the plan to the government and then as the departments come forward, we explain the details of the budget.
However, in saying that Mr. Speaker, the member is correct that every community in Nunavut, the 26 communities in Nunavut are affected by the 26% increase over the last year in the funding for the Department of Health and Social Services including Brighter Futures and Community Wellness Programs which are run in every community in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, I would be very pleased to discuss this at some length during the budget debate.
Just in reference to your comment, I should remind the ministers and members that the budget has not yet come before the House.
So there is an option to direct detailed questions to the minister.
We’d rather that we tried to stay away from details until it does come before the House, but it is an option.
Question 056 – 1(6): Possible Children’s Group Home in Kugluktuk
This is a question directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services.
I have raised this issue a number of times in the House, most recently last November.
My question is in regards to the children who had problems and were placed in group homes.
I asked him whether he and his officials were working on the issue of a group home in the community of Kugluktuk.
At times, the young people who have problems and are placed in group homes some times are sent away as well.
At the time, the minister had indicated that he was working on it and I was wondering if I could get an update on that.
Mr. Speaker, the member is correct; in November the member had brought forward the opportunity where the Hamlet of Kugluktuk during my visit there before Christmas, had identified a possible building that could be used, potentially, for a group home.
Mr. Speaker, at that time, there were not the financial resources to run that type of program.
Mr. Speaker, as of today, we are investing money as the members know, over 6 hundred thousand dollars new money, into the facility in Chesterfield Inlet, and we’re also, Mr. Speaker, evaluating what opportunity there is as a department to see if we can see what resources are there for some other facility.
I should also add Mr. Speaker, there is a situation in Baker Lake where we’ve gone forward with a geriatric care facility.
We’re also looking at the situation in Kugluktuk.
The short answer Mr. Speaker, is that we don’t have the money available to the point where we’re able to disperse, but need more follow up as a department to see what the potential possibilities are for that type of facility in the Kitikmeot region.
Speaker: Supplementary, Mr. Havioyak.
I would like to as well do a follow up question in terms of when or how would we find out when this facility would be in place in Kugluktuk.
Mr. Speaker, I’ve had the opportunity in several occasions in the last several weeks to discuss this issue with the member.
And Mr. Speaker I would hope to come back to the member before the end of this session with a proposed possible timeframe as well, Mr. Speaker, some of the logistics and as well as the financial and administrative question that the member have brought forward.
Question 057 – 1(6): Student Financial Assistance – Summer Students
I got probably another ton of questions directed to the Finance Minister we’ll have to wait till tomorrow, I guess.
I know he is anticipating them with great joy.
Mr. Speaker according to the documents provided to the members by Department of Education giving a breakdown that were sponsored by FANS last year.
Under the diploma program there was a most number of students was 28 in the management studies program.
In the budget address we heard talk of doubling funding available for summer students.
I’d like to ask the Minister of Education if any of those students that are in the management studies program are in first year, I understand that this is a 2-3 year program, if we are going back to school next year.
Will they be eligible and be able to obtain and get priority for employment within the government?
For the summer student employment, the Finance Minister said that this will be increased, doubling the previous amount.
There was simply not enough funding there last year.
We are increasing it.
And in high school we will be able to assist some of the students that will be returning to high school.
It is depending on how many will be going to high school.
Is the minister indicating that all the funding there for student summer student employment is going to high school students and not to post secondary students, like those taking management studies program in Nunavut.
What we are going to do is when we have our discussion during the budget session, we will be talking to the members about summer employment for those students.
If it is ok with the member I would like to wait until we do our budget of our department.
Mr. Speaker all I am looking for is a commitment that any student in Nunavut that is applying for a job here in Nunavut with the government whether they are in high school or post secondary education especially in this case management studies.
We hear the Finance Minister is saying we need these kinds of people in the finance area and that is who these people are.
And I am sure you know it sounds like we are starving for those kinds of people.
Won’t the minister commit that these students will get priority under the summer student program to apply for jobs for Government of Nunavut?
This program is geared towards students.
We will keep it a priority for students to have summer employment.
Mr. Speaker, to coin the phrase that my colleague always says, it’s no secret that students in post secondary education on student financial assistance don’t get a whole lot of money to survive. I know of one student that was only getting 11 hundred dollars a month to survive for the whole month.
Students going to high school, unfortunately for the parents are usually still living at home and depend on their parents for support.
These students going to college and we hear of students that have quit and gone home because they can’t afford to stay in school.
Will they not be given priority to government jobs under this program?
It depends on the goals set out by the student that is in school as to which field of work that individual is looking to as a career.
But having said that, we want to ensure that priority be given to summer students and this is not looking at if the student is currently enrolled in further their education outside of the regular school system, such as the Arctic College.
This is to build experience in our youth to try and help them better prepare for their future with their jobs.
Question 058 – 1(6): Nunavut Arctic College Core Funds
Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister responsible for Education.
I understand that the Nunavut Arctic College has a number of core programs that it funds.
Can he indicate what those programs are?
I’ll take that question as notice and provide the member with list of the programs.
Question 059 – 1(6): Any Plans to Provide Pensions for Elders
I tried to understand every bit of the budget address this afternoon.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask a question to the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
The title of that department is very long, perhaps we could get a shorter name for that department.
There is no money set aside at all in his department set aside for elder’s pensions.
They get an elder’s pension from the Federal Government and they also get a small pension from NTI which is about $100 a month.
Although those are the pensions for those elders, they usually don’t have enough money per month because they end up needing income support.
My question to the minister is, is the government prepared or do they have any plans in place to provide a small pension from the minister’s department?
Perhaps with the long name of my department, we should have bigger funding.
I certainly understand what the member is trying to say.
The Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth can look further into this matter, however, at this time, there is no funding provided directly for those items, for example the monies that the elders receive on a monthly basis.
We have made progress on programs relating to elders.
We as a government would have to improve that and I would have to speak with the Cabinet to try and provide some answer to the member's question.
The Minister of Finance stated in Cambridge Bay that the programs at the government would be reviewed and in the program review is there anything written on how the elders could be assisted more in ways of getting a pension.
Perhaps fix it up for a 10 year period.
At this time the government employees gets in the workplace.
Once they reach a certain age to get pension.
Is this under a program review?
At this time while we are doing a program review, I regret that I can’t answer the members question right away.
I have a new Deputy Minister and new Assistant Deputy Minister.
While we are doing a program review of our department trying to determine what priorities we will have, I regret that I am not able to answer the members question at this time.
But as a government we realize that there should be more help for those elders in regards to their pension.
But I will try to find out more in regards to his question and will get back to the member.
Do I understand the minister to say we have not thought of it before as a government to see whether we can help the elders?
Although this is being done by NTI but as the Government of Nunavut, it has not been examined and we have not thought about it.
Is that what I understand the Minister to say they will consideration this issue further to see how best they can help the elders a little bit more on their pension.
You have to realize the Government of Nunavut gets their funding from the Federal Government and the money we receive for programs can only be stretched so far.
NTI receives their funding from Federal Government as well to help out the Inuit.
They provide NTI for funding for people that are 65 years and over.
What I am saying Mr. Speaker is that as a department we will look into it and to find out and see how much money it would take to provide a small pension to help out the elders and as a cabinet we would have to look at the request and we would have to work with the cabinet and then work with the members as a whole.
We are all aware that our elders will not openly just ask for extra assistance.
We have a pension for our government employees and housing and as a government we often inform our people that we will try to assist them.
And we often visit the communities as Members of the Legislative Assembly and there are a lot of people in the communities that are trying to keep up with payments or bills.
Will you look into to seeing how much NTI spends for elders’ pensions annually?
For individuals that are 65 years of age and older, will you look into seeing whether we could provide pension for our elders with the GN?
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): Yes, I am aware that we could look into how much NTI spends annually and we are aware that individuals 65 and over receive a pension through that organization and we have a lot people who work within Statistics Canada that can identify how many elders live in Nunavut.
So this is something we could look into as to how many individuals would need assistance if we were to provide pension for elders.
Question 060 – 1(6): Total Budget of Akitsiraq Law School
Mr. Speaker, my question today is to the Minister of Justice regarding the Akitsiraq Law School in the budget and I know I’m not supposed to ask questions on the budget.
There was 688 thousand dollars from three department go towards the Law School.
What’s the total budget on that Law School a year?
I believe its 688 thousand dollars as the Minister of Finance stated.
If I’m incorrect I’ll review it first.
The Law School is a great thing and like I say, we will see some lawyers come of that in the next three years.
What does a student going to that law school receive from the government in grants and contributions and loans and whatever they are per year, per student?
I don’t have all that detailed information with me.
The Minister of Human Resources is managing that component of the Law School but from my understanding they’re off school right now but they’re working for the sponsors.
So, each sponsor is entitled to their services, when they’re not in school.
They’re paid a basic salary throughout their school year and while they’re working and they’re provided with housing by the sponsors as well which include GN. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
If the Minister of Human Resources is overseeing it, can the Minister of Justice provide to this House the total cost of the Law School from the Government of Nunavut which is 688 thousand dollars plus how much the sponsors are giving, plus if there’s a housing subsidy, plus how much per student gets per month on a monthly basis and things like that.
Would he make that available to this house, if at all possible?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Yes Mr. Speaker, thank you.
Question 061 – 1(6): Minister to Visit Kugluktuk Re: Mining
I just want to come back to the topic that I had earlier.
Are you coming into Kugluktuk in the summer time to take a look at the project there regarding the mining sector?
Yes Mr. Speaker, it’s something I could look into and I’ll look through my calendar to see when I would be able to visit that community.
I’ll check my calendar to see which days I could be in that community.
I’ll expect you in Kugluktuk and I want to ask the Minister of Education.
(interpretation ends) I’m sorry; I would like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for Sustainable Development.
Will you be coming this summer to Kugluktuk?
Speaker: Mr. Havioyak, please clarify your question.
Mr. Havioyak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m inviting two ministers to my community.
So you also mentioned that you’d be looking at your schedule and I guess I’m asking you to meet with the Minister of Education also, to invite him to see what’s in the community and also in the mining sector.
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk: Thank you. Yes, I will talk with my colleague, the Minister of Education and check to see what his schedule is like and hopefully we’ll have the space to go together, to Kugluktuk.
Mr. Havioyak (interpretation): Thank you. Maybe I didn’t hear you clearly, are you coming in the summer time?
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation): I will review my calendar.
I haven’t said when we would be going there but once I review the calendar we’ll make the attempt to go over.
Question 062 – 1(6): Management Studies Program Offered Again This Year
Mr. Speaker, another question for the Minister of Education.