EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
The young people that are working there are not in the health department offices.
I would like to know the reason why the request for quotes was not dated.
The contract for Sanikiluaq was given to Kivalliq Air.
It opened April 1.
I would like to get more information on this so that it wouldn’t be so confusing anymore.
I am saying that the request for quotes becomes legal.
They definitely have to be fairly evaluated, and there should not be any conflict of interest.
Before they were evaluated in April they cancelled the request for a proposal.
I would like to know the reason why it is like this.
Hon. Levinia Brown (interpretation): We will do a complete report on the department so that everyone will understand.
Chairperson(interpretation): Thank you, Honourable Levinia Brown.
Thank you, Mr. Curley.
Page H-5. Mr. Barnabas.
I would like to ask a question regarding telehealth.
One of my communities, Arctic Bay, has used telehealth.
First of all, I would like to know what is the status on telehealth in Nunavut.
Regarding telehealth, I will give it to my assistant deputy minister, Victor Tootoo, for him to explain this.
Chairperson: Thank you, Hon. Levinia Brown.
The telehealth current status in Nunavut: we have 15 of our communities that are connected to the telehealth network.
It’s a very effective tool, and it is welcomed by most of the people in Nunavut.
There have been no patients or clients who have tried using the telehealth system who were unhappy with it or didn’t want to use it.
I think that’s a very important factor.
Currently, the department has plans and has received some funding from the federal government to add an additional seven communities to our telehealth network.
Plans are underway, although funding has not been received for us to address the remaining three communities.
We’ve become the first and only jurisdiction in Canada to have every single one of our communities connected via the telehealth network.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Tootoo. Mr. Barnabas.
Mr. Barnabas: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
What things are being considered for getting the maximum usage from the telehealth technology?
Again, I would like to have good answers; I will give it to my assistant deputy minister once again.
The network itself is not a network that we can use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Currently, we are paying for line costs and connection fees in order for us to use the network.
We have discussed with our partners in this program, Articom, Northwestel, Tanburgh, Health Canada Information Way and Health Canada, the federal government, to address the infrastructure needs that are required in order for us to have a network that is dedicated to us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for communities in Nunavut.
With the current system, we can have only five sites on at any one time.
The utilization rates are just starting to pick up as the 15 sites were only added this last year. There were fewer sites before then.
The kinds of activity that are seen on the network today are clinical, with physicians discussing with patients their healthcare needs.
Education - that’s a huge component in order for us to retain and recruit qualified healthcare professionals. We provide education to them in their isolated communities within Nunavut through the telehealth network with professionals here in Iqaluit and other areas across Canada.
Visitation is the last one we talk about, but it is certainly not the least important.
We have, in a number of cases, had family visits over the telehealth network, which are over and above what is paid for in terms of face-to-face visits for people in care, for children in care, for families that are in hospitals in southern Canada.
The department has met on a number of occasions with the past Department of Public Works and Services and currently the Department of Community and Government Services in order for us to determine what the other government departments’ requirements are for access to the network.
We continue to develop that; the main departments that have come forth thus far are the Department of Justice and Department of Education who have expressed a need to use the network for their different purposes.
And we continue those working group arrangements; in fact, I believe we have one next week. And those are the kinds of things that we’re discussing in order to ensure that we can get maximum utilization out of the network. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Barnabas: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I know you are representing Kugluktuk.
I am not trying to take your place.
Can the minister tell me: the staff in Kugluktuk for the medical affairs office, what is the status today?
I will get my deputy, Bernie, to answer that question.
I think what we were talking about is the professional practice unit.
The role of the professional practice unit is the licensing of professionals and to look at risk management issues that could arise in any of our health centres.
Right now, I believe we are sitting at around nine people at the professional practice unit, and there are a number of vacancies which we have had difficulty recruiting.
That remains open at this point in time.
This is going to be my last question. (interpretation ends.)
Contract Services under Directorate has historically increased in the revised main estimates.
What steps has the department taken to ensure that the proposed budget will be adequate for the upcoming fiscal year?
Chairperson: Thank you, Mr. Barnabas.
In regard to his question on the year 2004-05, for example, for housing patients and for different hospitals and treatment centres there are quite a lot of costs involved.
There are also communications and the current status of our licenses, those are some of the contract services that go through our department.
I think that you didn’t get my question.
My question is in regard to the health departments at the regional level.
Are we going to have enough financial resources in order to operate and maintain these facilities?
We try and budget accurately for all our operations and maintenance for the facilities that we have and for patient treatment.
For the staff of our department, we are trying to keep our estimates as accurate as possible to the actual costs.
Chairperson: Page 5.
Health and Social Services. Branch Summary.
Total, Operations and Maintenance. $17,869,000.
Chairperson: Page 7.
Mr. Netser (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) My question is to the health minister regarding the dental program for our communities.
(interpretation) We used to have a dental therapist in Coral Harbour, but we haven’t had one for a number of years.
There has been a large increase in the number of children.
My question to the minister is if she will be reinstating the dental therapy program in Nunavut communities. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Netser.
On this issue, we have to look at how much the program would cost.
I’ll direct this question to the deputy minister.
The current program that we have is funded under the NIHB agreement, and that agreement is under negotiations as we speak.
The challenge that we have with the whole dental therapy area is there is only one school in Canada, situated in Saskatchewan. We have not been successful; I think we have about seven vacancies currently in recruiting dental therapists to fill both positions.
We are looking at the possibility of using some of our current graduates from CHR and developing, hopefully with cooperation from Health Canada, and we’ve had several meetings on that, our CHRs, our community health representatives, developing a dental assistant course that would allow us to fill these vacancies and provide some of the support services that are required to provide the service that is required in some of the regions currently.
It is an area of great concern for the department.
I believe that we have about 700 kids and adults on the waiting list for surgery.
It is an area where in the rest of Canada you just don’t see that kind of problem.
It is an area that we want to refocus our attention of prevention on over the next five to ten years, because we believe that we could probably eliminate or reduce that particular problem in Nunavut quite significantly.
But at this time the recruitment of these professionals is, first of all, very difficult. There is only one school in Canada.
So we will be looking at alternatives to address that particular issue.
I think one of the possible solutions that we might have is to… we hear that some of the water reservoirs that we have in Nunavut are added to with fluoride and of those communities, I hear that they have better teeth, or better dental care, or better teeth than the have-not communities.
Is that a fact, Mr. Chairman?
Chairperson: Thank you, Mr. Netser.
I know that this has been discussed, but I don’t know whether adding fluoride to the drinking water is better for the teeth, or not.
There are some people who like the addition to the water, and there are some who don’t.
I’ll direct this question to my deputy.
I must admit that I don’t have a good answer to that.
But I will come back with an answer through our minister by contacting our chief medical officer of health, who is very familiar with this issue, and we’ll get back to the member. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Netser: I forgot to turn this off.
With this reorganizing of the government departments there is the division of, it is called, Advocacy for Initiatives, for people with disabilities.
It was a transfer from the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
So, I was wondering, where is the base for that advocacy office, and where would it be located?
Hon. Levinia Brown: So far we have hired an executive director for the Status of Women Council, and that position is stationed here in Iqaluit.
As for people with disabilities, we are focussing in those areas because that is something new that has been added on to my portfolio.
Maybe my assistant deputy minister could answer further to that.
Mr. Blais: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
The transfer of services of the Status of Women, basically there was one PY, or one person attached to that portfolio, and that person was not accounting and has been transferred over to health and social services headquarters.
So at this point in time, it is a position that is based here.
The people-with-disabilities portfolio basically represented no transfer of staff, it was zero positions.
So it is basically a portfolio but without any staffing.
Could the deputy minister clarify again; a portfolio without staff, what does that mean?
Just for, I will need it as process.
If it is possible, I would like to redirect this question to the deputy minister.
Chairperson: “Koana, Uqutit,” Madam Minister.
It means that the overall responsibility for people with disabilities is the responsibility of the health and social services department.
We were transferred $90,000 of resources which have been used, historically, to provide to plans of communities or funding for specific projects.
But at this point in time, it is not an area that has evolved as compared to other provinces and territories.
It has no staffing attached to it, other than a $90,000 sum.
We are still responsible for any development of programs in the future.
For example, currently we are looking at using the $90,000 to conduct a survey to determine, once and for all, how many people with disabilities there are in Nunavut.
So that will be the kind of thing that we will be able to achieve with that.
Hopefully, that gives you a good sense, at this point, of what that portfolio entails.
I am glad the deputy minister mentioned that, because in my riding there are a lot of people with disabilities.
I was leading on to my next question: what priority exists in your department regarding where to assist these kinds of folks, because they are important parts for our communities, and so I am glad to hear that.
Which will lead into my next question; I brought this up during our regular members’ caucus.
I have been advocating for our child advocacy legislation for several years.
So, I am wondering if you could comment, Madam Minister, on whether your department would entertain or put forward legislation on child advocacy in this session.
I will direct that question to my right; my deputy minister would like to answer your question.
Chairperson: Thank you. Mr. Blais.
Mr Blais: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I think that is an excellent question and again an area that the department is very concerned about, not only for children but also for status of women, and other areas as well.
What we have looked at currently, because we are such a small territory, and the population is not such a large population, we are hopeful to come forth to cabinet, in the very near future, where we have identified the need for what I call a client representative, a person who would be responsible and accountable to the deputy minister directly to deal with issues having to do with children, women, and other patients or families who may have complaints or issues they are feel are not being addressed.
In essence, I am trying to answer the question somewhat differently, but our view is that because of our limited size we need to create a position that would address all Nunavummiut.
This is the direction that we currently are leaning in.
With all due respect to the deputy minister, the population statistics of Nunavut: there are 28,000 people and 50 percent of them are under the age of 22.
It’s a very large population group, that. I think, and perhaps all of my colleagues agree, that they need a representative devoted just to them and their issues, and not lumped in with adults who have in all groups to represent them.
So that is my comment on that.
I’m wondering, Mr. Chairman, if the minister might give us an update on the kind of activities and initiatives that they are going to be implementing to address issues relating to family violence in Nunavut.
Chairperson: Thank you Mr. Peterson.
The Qulliit women’s council wrote a report on the issue of violence, and from there they will take a direction on what we are going to be doing on these types of initiatives by the government.
That is a very good question and its something that has to be dealt with in Nunavut.
And for your information, this was one specific portfolio that I requested to have under my department because of its importance.
I would also like the deputy minister to supplement my response.
This is an area where I think a lot of work is being done by the various government departments, mostly the departments that represent the social components: CLEY, health and social services, justice, and education.
We have three senior-level DM committees that are looking at that.
We have the Nunavut’s Promise for Child and Youth, which is a secretariat that’s looking at issues dealing with children.
Hopefully, in the foreseeable future we will be bringing forth information on some of the activities of that group.
The other one is the violence against women committee, which is another high-level deputy minister committee.
We have spent a fair amount of time looking at trying to gather enough statistics, because one of the challenges that we face in Nunavut, not only in my department, but in other things we are looking at, is that there are very limited amount of statistics to assess the scope, or the size of the challenge, but also to determine where we should focus resources and our energy.
We are undertaking a number of initiatives to help address that.
The committee has also identified a series of activities in that regard in terms of the violence against women portfolio.
So, we are developing an action plan, and hopefully we’ll be able to present that in the foreseeable future here as well.
The third piece of that is the senior officials’ suicide committee, which is very active. We have requested from each department what I call the three-point plan. I co-chair that committee as well, and I’m on the other two.
We have asked each department to identify three specific objectives - we didn’t ask for 10 or 15 - three things that we could do that we think would have an impact on reducing suicide over a period of time.
This is the first time that we’ve ever had such a committee.
This represents all the departments in government.
Currently, we are reviewing those three-point plans and we hope to bring a document to cabinet on that issue, again, in the foreseeable future.
Once we’ve done our review, hopefully a report will be forthcoming to you as well.
Mr. Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I’m glad you mentioned suicide.
It’s an important issue to us here in Nunavut.
There is a formation of a suicide prevention council, is that the same as your senior level or is that separate? Are you providing resources to that council to do the work in the next year?
In regard to my colleague’s question, this suicide prevention of Nunavut is separate from what we’re talking about.
I’m wondering if, well, obviously there is a council formed, so they’re going to need some resources from somewhere.
I’m wondering if your department is going to provide those resources to the council that is doing that important work.
I will have my deputy minister respond to that question.
My department is doing a number of things to support the council.
One of them is that we’ve recently allowed one of our directors of policy to be seconded on an interim basis as the interim executive director for the council to help set up the structure and the whole process that’s required to move it forward.
So, that’s one of the contributions that we’ve made and continue to make.
The second piece of that is that we’ve had a number of meetings, including this morning, with the president of the council.
We are looking at a contribution of about $220,000 through the Brighter Futures funding, which is a vote for funding.
We’re basically in the final stages of achieving that.
We’re also helping the council look at other sources of revenue as well. We’re looking at the possibility of secondments to support the council as it moves forward in the future.
So those are currently the activities that we have, I would say, put in place.
I’m wondering, just to switch a bit here, about social workers.
Could the minister describe the different levels of social workers we have in our communities and the specific, not too detailed, kinds of duties they do?
Some work with children, some work with women, some work with men.
There are levels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5… 10 - I don’t know - there are different levels and qualifications.
I’m wondering if the minister or one of her assistants there could outline what a social worker does in the communities for us. Thanks.
Yes, it is true that it varies.
There are different levels of social workers. They go all the way up to level four, and each level has different training requirements.
I cannot go into detail for that, so, I am going to ask my deputy minister.
Mr. Peterson: Sorry, Mr. Chairman, but the minister has asked her deputy minister to explain.
Sorry, I was talking to Mr. Blais.
I must say that I cannot really answer that question at this point in time.
I am not as familiar, having been here only 10 months, with all of the functions and responsibilities of all the different levels of workers that we do have, but I would commit to hopefully finding that answer for you.
Mr. Peterson: Perhaps I could provide some clarity: I am wondering what qualifications would a person require to become a social worker, and with those qualifications… Could they be obtained in Nunavut, or would they have to go down south to university and then come back and be hired up here? Would it require a bachelor of psychology or social worker’s degree, or could you get a certificate from Nunavut Arctic College?
I remember when I took part in the social worker program back in Fort Smith.
Nunavut Arctic College was responsible for the training program, but I cannot tell you what levels there are and I do not want to guess, so I am going to give the response to my deputy minister.
As far as I know, currently a social worker-1 and -2 can be attained, that level can be attained here in Nunavut.
Beyond that, my understanding is that you still require a university degree to reach that professional status, if you are a -3 and -4.
But again, as part of building forward, we are looking at an education and training strategy to see if something could be done differently here in Nunavut, not only for social workers, but for other disciplines such as the rehabilitation field.
But at this point in time, I think the only level that a social worker can attain is a level CSW-1 and CSW-2.
I think in 2001, or maybe it was 2002, there was a graduating class in Cambridge Bay that graduated with social workers’ certificates.
I know one, and he has told me of a couple of others who are having a difficult time getting… You know, they want to work as social workers and they are in their communities; they would like to work as social workers and help their fellow citizens; they are having a very difficult time getting their jobs.
I know it is a problem passing their interviews, or there is a problem with their qualifications, but it seems to me that if it is Nunavut Arctic College training people, these social workers level-1 and -2, then we should make every effort to try and hire those people, whether it is in their home communities or elsewhere in Nunavut.
Perhaps you can look into that and talk to your colleagues at human resources to see how that could be done. It seems like a lot of money invested in training. If we do not train them, then we have to bring people in from down south, and it is very hard on the communities when there are no social workers.
I agree wholeheartedly with my colleague, because we need Inuit social workers in the communities, and we need more Inuit in the social work-training field.
I agree with your statement.
There are levels of community social workers and I know that CSW-3s are required at the local level and also CSW-4s.
We have to follow the levels.
As the deputy stated, they have to go down south to go further in their training for psychology if they want to become a psychologist.
I would like to thank the member for asking those good questions.
We will be dealing with this department for this week so I’d like to report progress.
Chairman: We have a motion on the floor to report progress and the motion is not debatable.
I will report progress.
Thank you, Madam Minister and your witnesses.
Chairperson (Mr. Evyagotailak)(interpretation): The committee has been considering Bill 2 and the main estimates, and I would like to report progress.
Who is the seconder?
Just a reminder for tomorrow, all members are welcome to attend a presentation from the Workers’ Compensation Board of the NWT and Nunavut.
It takes place tomorrow at ten o’clock in the Nanuq Boardroom and it will be chaired by the Minister responsible for the Workers’ Compensation Board.
Orders of the Day for Thursday, May 20, 2004:
Speaker (interpretation): The House stands adjourned until Thursday, May 20, at 1:30.
>>House adjourned at 18:02  Nunavut Canada
Thursday May 20, 2004
Pages 282 – 327
Opening Prayer 282
Ministers’ Statements 282
Members’ Statements 283
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 289
Oral Questions 292
Tabling of Documents 301
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 301
Report of the Committee of the Whole 326
Orders of the Day 326
Thursday May 20, 2004 282
014 – 2(1): Department Reorganization (Kilabuk) 282
015 – 2(1): Increase to the Income Support Food Scale (Picco) 283
071 – 2(1): Member Questions Procedural Matter in the House (Okalik) 283
072 – 2(1): Kugluktuk Search and Rescue (Evyagotailak) 284
073 – 2(1): Resolve Issue of Former Speaker (Alagalak) 284
074 – 2(1): Technical and Trade School Initiative in Kitikmeot (Peterson) 285
075 – 2(1): Aging Health Centre in Arctic Bay (Barnabas) 286
076 – 2(1): Recognition of Constituents (Brown) 287
077 – 2(1): Tribute to Community Volunteers (Tootoo) 287
078 – 2(1): Upcoming Nunavut Arts Festival in Rankin Inlet (Curley) 288
079 – 2(1): Annual Toonik Tyme Celebration (Picco) 288
073 – 2(1): Allocation of School Funding (Tootoo) 292
074 – 2(1): Investigation of Abduction (Curley) 295