EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Looking at staff housing units that have remained vacant for a very long time, such as the ones in Pond Inlet, I will continue to talk about them until something changes.
You said that you can look into this. There are staff housing units that have never been lived in because of government positions that have never filled.
Where are you today in your review on this?
I thank the member for the good question. I understand it.
I will try and provide a short answer, but what he is talking about is a big issue. As he was saying, using staff housing as an example, the number one and number two priorities, whether it’s a nurse or a doctor, those are one of the top priorities when we’re considering staff housing.
For the second part of your question on what we have done with vacant staff units, apparently they are always vacant.
Yes, there are vacant units in the communities. There are more in some communities and less in others, but there’s nothing we can do about the units that are vacant. There are outside departments like CG&S or the municipal governments and they have their responsibilities too, so there’s nothing we can really do about that.
I’ll ask this question.
I know that this is not only the case in Pond Inlet. Pond Inlet is not the only community with this problem. I have heard that there are other communities with the same problem.
I just want to ask that when there are cases like that, you will review them.
With respect to the units that have never had tenants, are you looking into that now?
I’ll ask it that way.
We can say yes, we are doing something about that now. We are looking into it now since the question was asked last year and in the past months. There have been a lot of questions on that.
We also wanted to look into what we have done to date in many of the communities. I know that it’s not only in Pond Inlet. There are vacant units in the Baffin, Kivalliq, or Kitikmeot.
I cannot answer that personally right now.
Where are we to date? I can respond that we can’t go forward with some of them because we have to wait on other departments in some cases.
Perhaps Ms. Kimball can respond as to exactly where we stand today, maybe for further clarification. I can’t say that this is where we stand in this community or that community.
I can’t answer that. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
Mr. Enook (interpretation): Thank you. I also thank the minister.
You don’t necessarily have to say it in detail; I just wanted to ask if you’re looking into it. Thank you for your response.
I will change my line of questioning and ask a completely different question.
We all know that Nunavut has a serious housing shortage. If there were additional funds and if we could have additional cost savings, we could build more houses, especially public housing.
We know that the operations and maintenance of each unit is at around $26,000 annually for water, fuel, and keeping it running.
We all know that for many of them, we don’t pay anywhere near that amount.
How did you set that amount on how to educate tenants, how to better care for the units, how to save energy or other things?
If we don’t spend as much money on operations and maintenance, do you have set programs that we as tenants can actually see to know how much it costs to operate that unit? This is where we can realize savings.
Perhaps if we work together, the tenants can realize how much money it costs to operate that unit. If I take care of this unit better, then there can be money for construction.
If we work better together as Nunavummiut, there can be a little bit more money to build houses.
Do you do such things to keep the tenants informed or make the tenants aware of this?
Yes, this is something that’s of importance to us. We have to pay for the operations and maintenance of public housing.
We use different programs. For example, this year, we put together a calendar outlining cost-saving measures that can be used by the homeowners.
The tenants have to realize that there are costs involved every month to operate and maintain a house. It could either be a homeowner or a tenant.
Another example that we’re currently working on is a how-to video. We have also created a website outlining how to be energy-efficient in operating a home.
We are working with the local housing organizations about energy efficiency awareness programs, the costs of building a house, and we’re using different options in the awareness campaign.
Nunavut Housing Corporation. L-3. Following the list of names, Mr. Keyootak.
Firstly, I went to Clyde River last spring with officials from the Nunavut Housing Corporation. We had meetings with the public and the local housing organization. My question is: what came out of the tour that the Nunavut Housing Corporation did last spring?
I would like to thank the member for attending our community visit in Clyde River. They went to have meetings with the residents.
Mr. Chairman, we are still working on some of the problems that were identified by the people we met with there. I think it was about three weeks where you and some of the people participated.
I am still waiting for the report of that tour we did. There were also some issues that had to be dealt with by external entities.
I think it was two days ago that we had a conversation about our trip.
I told my colleague that if it is required, I would go visit those two communities of his.
The people of Clyde River were very concerned, and I believe that it’s important to deal with them and to rectify those problems.
I don’t think it’s only in that community; we also have the same case in my community of Qikiqtarjuaq.
It was a problem when the manager cut some of his staff and brought in outsiders to replace them.
Again, the people who came in from the south got into public housing right away even though there was a long list of people waiting to get public housing.
That created a problem. What is happening with that? That is my question, Mr. Chairman.
I would like to remind the members that we are dealing with capital estimates.
I’ll leave it up to you to respond, Mr. Kuksuk.
I know exactly where you are coming from, but as I indicated earlier, there was a meeting between the Nunavut Housing Corporation and the member.
We’re taking action on issues that were identified during that tour.
We will produce that report as soon as possible, including the action items that we’re taking.
I would like to ask a question outside of the capital estimates. I would like to welcome you.
On October 29, 2014, the housing corporation produced the allocation of housing for 2015-16, and it also indicated that it was Kimmirut, Hall Beach, and Whale Cove that would be allocated staff housing.
Is the construction of new staff houses up to date or are they on time?
I hope that was understandable. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
That question was asked already, but if you would like to respond, Mr. Kuksuk.
In regard to the staff housing and which community they will be allocated to… .
I lost my paper.
I indicated earlier that for 2016-17, of the 83 units, 40 are allocated for public housing and 43 are allocated for staff housing.
Thank you very much for that response.
With public housing, we have a long list of people waiting for houses. Some people wait for years; five or six years before they can access a house.
I like your plans, but I’m sure that we can’t implement them tomorrow.
I would like to the urge the Nunavut Housing Corporation to identify who should be first and to make sure that it’s implemented as soon as possible.
We work closely with local housing organizations. They have the staff and they know what the priorities are in their communities.
We also have the regional offices and with the communities, the regional offices work closely together when it comes to prioritizing the needs of the communities.
I just want to go back to homeownership again.
I’m a big believer in homeownership. I’ll ask the minister to just clarify whether I’m right.
The only way for a person in Nunavut to get assistance to get their own house right now, other than the tenant-to-own, is the NDAP.
It’s not the only program. There is interim financing and NDAP that are being used currently.
I’ll narrow down my question a bit more and clarify it some more.
Does the housing corporation have a program where a resident of Nunavut can get their own house like the access was, the HAP was and the MAP, or whatever it was called, or can they only get financial help? Do they have a program where someone can get an actual structure from the Nunavut Housing Corporation?
No, but (interpretation ends) as part of our Blueprint for Action on Housing, (interpretation) they will have other options and they will also be included in the review. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
Can the minister give us a date on when that program might be coming out? If he’s looking at options, obviously they’re working on it. Does he have a timeframe on it?
As I indicated earlier, the blueprint for action will include different options, (interpretation ends) including Mr. Savikataaq’s question.
In the fall/winter 2016, we expect (interpretation ends) the report to be completed on the blueprint for action. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
The reason I’m going after this so much is I believe the bulk of homeownership assistance to acquire a house is through NDAP right now at the present time.
I’m looking at one of your documents, 2014-15 Homeownership Program Activity and in that, 65 percent of the NDAP money goes to Iqaluit and I believe it should be a Nunavut-wide program.
I mean it is a Nunavut-wide program, but obviously this program is targeting Iqaluit because that’s where the bulk of the funding is going.
I think that you have to give people in smaller communities a chance on ways to acquire their own houses too because as I stated many times, public housing is just not sustainable.
We’ve got to get people into their own houses and take ownership.
We’ve got to come up with something better than 65 percent of the funding going to Iqaluit.
That was just comment, but if the minister would like to comment on that.
I take that as a comment, but if the minister wants to respond to the comment, Mr. Kuksuk.
Thank you for the comment, but I would also like to comment on that so that the members know that we look at every application, whether it’s from Iqaluit, Arviat, Whale Cove, or Chesterfield Inlet, from every Nunavut community.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) Mr. Savikataaq, questions, please. Mr. Savikataaq.
I’ll go on to the next question.
On the budgets you get for staff housing, do you normally spend the whole budget?
If you spend the whole budget on your staff housing normally, in your document here, you have a buyback program and it states that you can buyback program from the GN employees and you can buy a house if there’s not sufficient private sector housing for leasing a staff unit in that community. You have also had buyback and purchase programs for the last three years consistently.
Where is that money coming from if the staff housing budget is completely used up every year?
I don’t have that much detailed information that I can respond to his question. If you don’t mind, I will get Ms. Kimball to answer that question.
NHC is able to carryover its budgets, so we do put contingency factors into all of our construction budgets.
The GN does offer the GN’s buyback program as part of the staff housing program for the GN. The amounts that we are talking about are generally very small. Looking back in 2012-13, we had one purchase for $125,000 and another purchase for $188,000. We’re able to get good value for the money with these units compared to the cost of construction.
We have managed to do this within our budget based on savings that we have generated through doing larger multiplexes and through savings by being able to reduce the contingency that we have been experiencing with our contractors.
When we were doing Nunavut Housing Trust, we were up to a 12 percent contingency factor. We’re down operating well below a 3 percent contingency factor.
By having generated those savings in our construction program, we were able to acquire these units.
Last question because it’s getting late, if the money is not used for buying staff housing, is this money lapsed?
I’m not familiar with the accounting practices of the housing corporation.
Obviously, you have money left over every year, it sounds like.
Does this contingency plan just keep piling up?
In response, if I understood the question correctly, if we had to carry our funding to the new fiscal year, it just rolls over to the next year.
I hope that’s clear. (interpretation ends) It rolls over to the following year.
Chairman: Thank you. Following the list of names, Mr. Enook.
Mr. Enook (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I probably have just one question.
I am very pleased about the proposed warehousing you will be working on in all communities, starting with Baker Lake.
I had hoped that it would be faster, but due to lack of funding, it takes longer.
The Department of Community and Government Services usually says that they collect the priorities of the communities and there is a committee made up of the hamlet council, CGS, and other representatives. I am not sure where they’re from, but there are also representatives from NAM. I believe those are the committee members that provide recommendations to the minister on the priorities.
How did the Nunavut Housing Corporation determine that the first new warehouse should be built in Baker Lake?
Who makes the decision as to where to build the warehouses? Who decides which community gets a warehouse after Baker Lake, such as Pond Inlet or other communities?
As I stated before, last fall when we appeared before the standing committee meeting, after looking at all the communities and after doing a comprehensive review of the housing inventory, some of the housing stock is getting really old and a majority of the units are aging.
We wanted to start planning on warehousing.
The funding for the first new warehouse would be in Baker Lake.
The size of the warehouse in Baker Lake and the figure is just an estimate. In the smaller communities, the budget would be smaller.
I hope I’m understandable. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
Although I said I was going to ask one question, I’m still trying to ask one question.
You didn’t respond to my question.
How did you determine the first new warehouse should be built in Baker Lake? Who decides which community will be allocated a new warehouse after Baker Lake, such as Pond Inlet or other communities?
Who makes that decision and how is that set up as to where the warehouses will be built?
Briefly, as I had stated before, we’re looking at the age of the warehouse and looking at the inventory or the aging facilities of LHOs.
I can say as to who makes that decision, do we have a committee within the Nunavut Housing Corporation?
I’m sure there’s somebody responsible for that, but I’m sure Ms. Kimball knows.
I’ll ask her to respond as to who determines that. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
For the first warehouse facility, this is the first time we’re doing this in quite a long time. We had each of the districts work with each of the LHOs and rank the LHOs within their community.
That was provided with some supporting documents in terms of the age of the warehouse, how many units have we added since the units were originally created, so how much was the growth of what they’re supporting.
We had all three districts submit that and then what we did is we worked at the executive level of NHC reviewed all of that and determined that Baker Lake was in the worst condition. We presented to our board of directors and our board of directors approved moving forward as the first step with Baker Lake.
We’re developing a more comprehensive way of analyzing the remaining 24 communities to prioritize going forward.
Total Capital Expenditures. $38,060,000.
Move on to page L-2.
Department Summary. Nunavut Housing Corporation. Mission.
Detail of Expenditures. Total Capital Expenditures. $38,060,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) Are we agreed that NHC is concluded?
Mr. Minister, do you have a brief closing comment? Mr. Kuksuk.
Hon. George Kuksuk: No, (interpretation) I’m fine. Thank you. I just want to say “thank you” for your good questions and I expect to work closely with you.
I would also like to thank my officials that waited here. Although there are some issues that we can’t respond to at this time, I’m sure we will be able to respond to them at a later date. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much, Mr. Minister, for your closing comments.
(interpretation ends) As per Rule 6(1), I will now recognize the clock and report to the Speaker.
Mr. Mikkungwak: Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 3 and the capital estimates, and would like to report progress. Also, Mr. Speaker, I move that the Report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.
Mr. Alex Sammurtok. (interpretation ends) The motion is in order.
Deputy Clerk (Ms. Tupik): Meeting announcement for tomorrow at ten o’clock, the Standing Committee on Rules in the Tuktu Committee Room.
Speaker: Thank you, Ms. Deputy Clerk.
This House stands adjourned until Tuesday, October 27, at 1:30.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Pages 257 – 311
Opening Prayer 257
Ministers’ Statements 257
Oral Questions 265
Reports of Standing and Special Committees on Bills and Other Matters* 280
Tabling of Documents 281
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 281
Tuesday, October 27, 2015 257
017 – 4(3): EU Seal Hunting Ban Exemption (Mike) 257
018 – 4(3): Nunavut Students Participate in the Student Vote Program (Quassa) 258
019 – 4(3): Nunavut Arctic College Releases New Dictionary (Quassa) 258
054 – 4(3): 2015 High School Graduates from Constituency (Mapsalak) 259
055 – 4(3): Office Space Deficit in Sanikiluaq (Rumbolt) 260
056 – 4(3): Suicide Crisis in Nunavut (Joanasie) 261
057 – 4(3): QIA’s 40th Anniversary (Mike) 262
058 – 4(3): Appreciation for Compassion Following Summer Tragedy (Enook) 262
059 – 4(3): The Netsilik Series (Ugyuk) 264
060 – 4(3): Appreciation of Nephew and Mr. Mapsalak (Okalik) 264
Return to Oral Question 016 – 4(3): Decentralized Positions in Pond Inlet (Ell-Kanayuk) 265
064 – 4(3): Motor Vehicles (Mikkungwak) 265
065 – 4(3): Baffin Island Caribou Survey (Enook) 267
066 – 4(3): Local Housing Organization’s Operations (Mapsalak) 268
067 – 4(3): Western Hudson Bay’s Polar Bear Harvest (Savikataaq) 269
068 – 4(3): Office Space Deficit in Sanikiluaq (Rumbolt) 270
069 – 4(3): Land Availability for Housing in Iqaluit (Hickes) 272
070 – 4(3): Breakfast Programs for Nunavut’s School Children (Angnakak) 274
071 – 4(3): Counselling Services for Grise Fiord (Shooyook) 275
072 – 4(3): Suicide Crisis in Nunavut (Joanasie) 276
073 – 4(3): Status of New Building Canada Fund (Sammurtok, A) 278
074 – 4(3): Local Housing Organization’s Operations (Mapsalak) 279
Committee Report 001 – 4(3): Bill 4, Write-off of Assets Act (Savikataaq) 280
Committee Report 002 – 4(3): Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Safety Act (Savikataaq) 280
019 – 4(3): Schedule for the Student Loan Fund March 31, 2014 (Ugyuk) 281
020 – 4(3): Schedule for the Student Loan Fund March 31, 2015 (Ugyuk) 281
Bill 03 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2016-2017 – Community and Government Services – Consideration in Committee 281
Going to the first item in the orders of the day.
Minister’s Statement 017 – 4(3): EU Seal Hunting Ban Exemption (Mike)
Good day, Nunavummiut as well as my family and residents of Pangnirtung.
Mr. Speaker, I’ll be making an announcement on the European Union seal hunting ban exemption.
Mr. Speaker, in July of this year, the European Union formally approved the Government of Nunavut’s application to become a recognized body under the indigenous communities’ exemption of the European Union seal regime.
(interpretation ends) This means that the Government of Nunavut will be able to certify that sealskins were harvested according to the rules of the exemption, and this will allow Nunavut harvesters to once again sell their sealskins and sealskin products in the European market.
(interpretation) Shortly after our application was approved, the European Union changed the rules relating to this exemption.
I am pleased to say that thanks to some hard work, we have been able to meet these new rules and retain our exemption.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, this is an important step towards the recognition of sealing as a way of life for Inuit and my department will continue to work to ensure that Nunavut communities benefit in a tangible way from this positive development by continuing to promote the recovery of international seal markets.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, this welcome news is the result of close cooperation between my department, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and other sealing stakeholders, and I would like to conclude by expressing my gratitude to all those involved in helping to achieve this important recognition for Nunavut’s sealing industry.
Minister’s Statement 018 – 4(3): Nunavut Students Participate in the Student Vote Program (Quassa)
Good day to my fellow community residents, my colleagues, and the people of Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak to my fellow members about an excellent learning opportunity that was available to Nunavut students because of the federal election.
Many schools held mock elections to help students learn about the election process.
High school students from Netsilik School in Taloyoak and John Arnalukjuak School in Arviat took part in the Student Vote program.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, Student Vote is a national program delivered by Elections Canada and CIVIX, Canada’s leading civic education organization that works to build the skills and habits of citizenship among young Canadians.
(interpretation) In the Student Vote program, Netsilik School and John Arnalukjuak School held elections parallel to the 2015 federal election.
Students learned about the electoral process, engaged in the campaign, and cast ballots for the official Nunavut candidates.
Student voting results were not released until the federal election was over.
Mr. Speaker, both schools received educational resources, posters, riding maps, ballots, and ballot boxes free of charge.
Students researched the different party platforms online and discussed the issues the candidates were focusing on.
(interpretation ends) Students in grades 10 through 12 at Netsilik School drafted questions they wanted to be answered by the Nunavut candidates.
Their questions focused on housing, food security, employment, and infrastructure.
They submitted their questions to CBC North and some of these questions were asked at the Nunavut all-candidates debate in Iqaluit on Tuesday, October 13.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that Nunavut youth were able to engage in the political process.
Their engagement is important because they are our future leaders.
I ask members to congratulate the students at these two high schools.
Ministers’ Statements. (interpretation ends) The Hon. [Minister] responsible for Nunavut Arctic College, Mr. Quassa.
Minister’s Statement 019 – 4(3): Nunavut Arctic College Releases New Dictionary (Quassa)
It is with excitement that I announce the release of Nunavut Arctic College’s latest publication, Utkuhiksalingmiut Uqauhiitigut Uqauhiliurut, Dictionary of Utkuhiksalingmiut Inuktitut Postbase Suffixes.
This book was authored by Dr. Jean Briggs of Memorial University, along with linguists Dr. Alana Johns of University of Toronto, and Conor Cook of Inuit Uqausinginnik Taiguusiliuqtiit.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, beginning in 1963, at Chantrey Inlet, in an effort to learn the Utkuhiksalingmiut dialect, Dr. Briggs began recording all the words she heard spoken around her as she lived as the adopted daughter of a camp family.
Many linguists took great interest in Dr. Briggs’ work as the central arctic dialect she was recording was largely unknown to the world.