EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Branch not previously authorized, Directorate, Total Directorate, $90,000, does this committee agree?
Official Languages, Total Official Languages, $75,000, does this committee agree?
Cultural Heritage, Total Cultural Heritage, $80,0000, does this committee agree?
Page 18, any questions?
Branch not previously authorized, Community Programs, Total Community Programs, $36,000, does this committee agree?
Sports Nunavut, Total Sports Nunavut, $38,000, does this committee agree?
Recreation and Leisure, Total Recreation and Leisure, $49,000, does this committee agree?
Total Department, $368,000, does this committee agree?
Page 19, any questions?
Education, Operation and Maintenance, Branch not previously authorized, Directorate, Total Directorate, $33,000, does this committee agree?
Policy and Planning, Total Policy and Planning, $57,000, does this committee agree?
Corporate Service, Total Corporate Service, $89,000, does this committee agree?
Page 20, any questions?
Branch, Mr. Tootoo.
On that is another good synonym, I wish.
There’s $1,300,000 for a one-time bridge financing it’s called to address current deficit.
I am wondering if that’s just another synonym for bailouts.
But I am just wondering, it also states that it is also to assist them in implementing recommended improvements in management’s effectiveness and accountability.
In that quite finely crafted paragraph, I must say, is the minister aware of or can she tell us what the current deficit of the college is right now?
I will try and answer the question as it relates to the Nunavut Arctic College, but the minister is also here to speak to those details.
At one point, the deficit was about $1,600,000.
In June of 2004, the amount was about $1,600,000.
Perhaps the Minister of Education can respond to that question more effectively.
Could the member repeat his inquiry.
The minister is not paying attention.
Earlier, he was too busy consulting with one of his colleagues on another urgent matter, I am sure.
Mr. Chairman, my question was, I know that there is a $1,300,000 in here for Nunavut Arctic College for a one-time bridge financing and I mentioned that’s a nice synonym for a bailout to address their deficit and to assist them in implementing recommended improvements and management effectiveness and accountability.
My first question to the minister is: What is the college’s current deficit right now?
Minister of Education, Mr. Picco.
As I said earlier this week, this past week and I actually was in meetings with Mr. Bob Lennon, who is the chair with the board of governors of Arctic College to deal with some issues around the financing and funding of the college.
Last year on the deficit reduction exercise of the government, the college received a reduction of about $1,000,000 of their base budget.
They feel that this has had impacted negatively onto their budget and we had an opportunity to review that based on some of the current pressures and so on that the Minister of Finance has spoken about.
The $1,300,000 will be able to bring them into an equilibrium position on their budget and the board of governors will be meeting, over the next couple of weeks by teleconference, I believe, to approve the operating for that upcoming fiscal year.
Their current situation, I believe, Mr. Chairman, I don’t have the numbers on me with the deficit amount within the college, but I can get that information for the member for tomorrow.
I read a very interesting part of that paragraph and that’s, again, I commend the minister’s staff on the fine crafting of the phasing.
But it says: to assist in the implementing recommended improvements in management effectiveness and accountability.
I guess, how much of that $1,300,000 is going towards deficit and how much is going for improving management effectiveness and accountability?
I don’t have the breakdown of that figure here with me.
In terms of the wording of that, thanks for giving us credit, but that came from the Department of Education.
Mr. Chairman, I don’t have that breakdown in terms of how that $1,300,000, if it will be up to address the deficit or the implementation of the new management framework, but I can commit to providing that information to the member.
I am just wondering if the minister responsible is aware of what he needs that money for.
I believe that question was directed to Minister Picco.
As I said earlier, the college last year, you know, government-wide, we did have a reduction exercised and the college was no exception to that.
Previously, its budget was a little over $15,000,000.
They received the reduction of about $1,000,000.
This impacted on their bottom line.
The $1,300,000 that is found here within the budget, on top of what the Minister of Finance has explained, it goes towards some of the logistical, as well as the administrative concerns the college has.
The member may recall that as minister responsible for the college, when I was appointed, I asked for an external review of the college, its operations, and so on.
Some of the management issues that resulted came out of that report we are dealing.
I would say to you, Mr. Chairman, the largest amount of the deficit is because of the funding situation of the college and it’s based on, this will actually restore it.
And, like I said, when I met with the chair of the board of governors over this past weekend here in Iqaluit, we discussed this and, like I said, they would be bringing forward to me a balanced budget and indicating where they would be able to make adjustments within the budget without cutting programs, without closing down the center to bring that deficit that they had underlined and in control.
So I hope that helps clarify where that $1,300,000 is going.
Not at all, but good try, Mr. Minister.
Would the minister be willing or commit to providing that information by tomorrow of exactly where that money is going?
I thought it was pretty clear.
As I indicated, the largest amount of the deficit is a result of the deficit exercise that the government went through as a whole.
I believe I will endeavor to make that information known to the member tomorrow.
So, I will try to do that because it’s now 5:45 and most of the government offices are closed, and so we start at 10:00 tomorrow morning and I will need to be able to get some of the staff to be able to work on that between now and 10:00 tomorrow morning.
So, I think we will be able to provide a breakdown, but I should have it sometime tomorrow.
That list has to be out there somewhere.
They didn’t come up with that number out of the area, I guess, the Minister of Finance referred to earlier.
So, I don’t think it would be too much of a problem for the minister to come up with that.
Mr. Chairman, the Auditor General discussed the Nunavut Arctic College’s financial management problems in their 2002 report and I am sure that the minister is aware of, and I guess, reflecting that that there were some serious concerns raised by the Auditor General in there and wording in here of recommended improvements in management effectiveness and accountability.
I don’t know if the Minister of Finance, I don’t expect her to have this, but the minister responsible could probably tell us what they have done to date to implement those recommendations that were made by the Auditor General to improve their management over there.
All of the recommendations by the Auditor General are taken serious by the government and the crown agencies of the government, the college is no different.
Some of the recommendations recommended by the Auditor General included areas around the fiscal management and control of the corporation itself and I say corporation meaning the incorporated body of the college.
The corporation of the college moved very quickly to hire additional staff to look at the financial needs.
For example, Mr. Chairman, the corporation hired an additional bursar position about a year and a half ago.
That position is in place very, very well and the knowledgeable person within the fiscal framework of the college and has made some real smooth transition programming and planning on the financial aspects of the college.
There had been other things brought forward by the board of governors as per the Auditor General’s recommendations to strengthen the financial management and accounting system.
There have been other issues raised for example on the fiscal year-end of the college and how that impacts on the government’s statements, as well as how that fiscal year-end affects the operations of the Government of Nunavut under annual reporting structures.
So, that has been reviewed.
So, there have been several things put forward.
I guess the main one would be the additional staffing and indeed, having a full-time bursary position hired who is based in Arviat.
Income Support, Total Income Support, $47,000, does this committee agree?
Adult Learning and Post-Secondary Education, Total Adult Learning and Post-Secondary Education, $2,220,000, does this committee agree?
Page 21, any questions?
Career and Early Childhood Service, Total Career and Early Childhood Service, $275,000, does this committee agree?
Curriculum and School Service, Total Curriculum and School Service, $203,000, does this committee agree?
Page 22, any questions?
Branch not authorized, Mr. Peterson.
For the minister, there’s a note saying that $1,900,000 additional resources required due to increased enrolments and partial implementation of the revised funding formula.
Is that a one-time funding increase or an increase to the base budget of the department?
This is a one-time increase in the supplementary bills that we are looking at addressing the bases for the next term.
Is the minister saying that’s the renewed formula funding where they call it, school funding formula is that what you referred to?
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq: Mr. Chairman, I am going to ask the Minister of Education to explain the school funding formula to Mr. Peterson.
One of the commitments we made early on was to review the funding formula and I believe all the members would agree that the current funding formula that is in place was put in place in 1995-96 from the Government of the Northwest Territories.
It was a revamped in 1998 and has not kept up with the immediate needs for our schools.
So, for example, when the formula was put in place, it didn’t include new technological advances for example of computers, internets, and wire services.
It left the principal within the administration mix of the school.
It didn’t compensate for the special needs issues that we see right now in our schools.
The funding formula was based on enrolments of the previous year.
So, for example, October 1, 2003 would be the enrolment numbers that you would be going on right now in 2004 and it would not be able to compensate and reflect that increase from year to year.
One of the commitments I made when I became the Minister of Education was to review the funding formula.
We have done a partial review of that and the $1,100,000 that you see here is indicative of that first increase.
Because of the funding enrolment pressures that we see right now, and as the minister said later in February again, we would hope to be in a position where we could look at that base so that our schools have the resources that we need and we need to be able to do that under the formula.
I will give just one very quick example of the school funding formula.
The school funding formula is in use right now and Mr. Barnabas was talking about it earlier.
Mr. Barnabas pointed out some of the issues around school counselors.
It’s pretty sad to say, for example, in the Kitikmeot I think there is only one school in all the Kitikmeot that has a community school counselor.
However, in the Baffin most schools have a community counselor because it’s in the budget.
The counselors of the three different divisional boards of education, the three different board of education decided on which way they would spend their money on their prioritization.
So, that’s one of the issues around the school funding formula.
We should have the school funding formula and be able to compare each school in each community and they should have the same resources.
Today, that’s not the case and that’s the reason for the slight adjustment that you see now, and hopefully, we will be able to bring something forward in the coming days.
I appreciate the minister’s explanation.
In Cambridge Bay, we have been looking, for many, many years, for a school counselor in the high school, we do have one in the elementary school.
There is a great need in Cambridge Bay for a high school counselor.
Could the Minister of Finance or the Minister of Education tell us which communities and which grade levels are experiencing the largest increase in enrolment?
We see an increase right now of over 5 to 7% percent enrolments across Nunavut.
Some communities, of course, have higher pressure within it.
Arviat is a good example, Gjoa Haven has some huge issues right there, and Mr. Chairman, Iqaluit has some real issues with forced enrolment and all my members that were there in October of 2003 and comparing that to October 1, 2004.
So, we realized that again, that’s part of the issue that we would hopefully be able to deal with in February when we have an opportunity to crunch those numbers and when we would look at the new school funding formula.
I would not expect the minister to have all the details at his fingertips on the communities’ enrolments.
Perhaps he could bring that information for Mr. Tootoo tomorrow to share that information with us as well.
Could the minister indicate when will the new funding formula be fully implemented?
It talks about partial implementation, but when will it be fully implemented?
Like I said, right now, the school funding formula, as we said earlier is very complex because it’s a hybrid.
It has metamorphosed itself from the genesis of the formula in 1995-96 to the point to where we are today.
So, Mr. Chairman, while we would be able to say that we are still working on it and I would hope to be in a position to have that new formula in place for that fiscal year of April 1, 2005, but that means there is a lot of financial analysis as well as logistics and administrative issues that need to be dealt with within the formula.
So, that would be my timeframe.
Could the minister be more definitive about when we might expect to see him table the funding formula in the House?
Hon. Ed Picco: Mr. Chairman, when I met with my senior staff, when I first appointed as the Minister of Education, and the first question was: Can you explain the school funding formula?
I know that Mr. Tootoo, over the last few years, has been asking questions on that, and very few people can, and the reason for that is because the metamorphosis that has taken place on that file from the genesis back in 1995-96.
It has been bastardized to the point where it’s really hard to do an analytical review of it.
So, as I said before, Mr. Chairman, and I would maintain that I would hope to be in a position and I would anticipate the members and the Minister of Finance to be able to bring forward that new funding formula for the school, for our students, for our children by April 2005.
I would hope to be in a position to do that.
Just to follow up on the Minister of Education’s comments on this hybrid thing that he is working on, how does he plan on, he said he met with his senior staff to come up with it.
Is it just his senior staff and himself that are going to work on this or is he planning on consulting.
I know, for example, Mr. Chairman, that the Minister is in receipt of a letter from the district education authority here in Iqaluit raising a number of issues and concerns with relation to the formula.
Also, Mr. Chairman, during the public hearings on the old Education Act or the Education Act that wasn’t, I guess you might want to say, there were a number of recommendations that were made in there in those consultations as well.
Is the minister going to take those recommendations into account in developing the new formula.
Since April of 2004, I’ve had an opportunity to meet with every district education authority chair in Nunavut.
I’ve had consultative meetings in the Kitikmeot, in Kugluktuk.
I’ve met with the Kivalliq chairs in Baker Lake this past summer and indeed in September, I met with all the Baffin chairs, including the chair from the Iqaluit District Education Authority.  I’ve also at the same time, Mr. Chairman, have visited I believe 12 or 14 communities included meeting with DEA’s, principals and teachers.
At the same time, I’ve held consultative meetings with our senior staff as well as our regional staff.
All of these meetings Mr. Chairman, point out the same thing, Mr. Chairman, that there is a concern with the current funding formula, that it doesn’t seem to be meeting the needs and we’ve already talked about that.
So, the recommendations that we have heard from the DEA’s as well as my own advisory council to the Minister of Education that we have set up was again to review the formula to funding our schools.
That input is also included in the funding formula that we’re trying to put into place.
That formula will actually reflect the needs of the class rooms, the needs of the teachers and the needs of the students.
It is complex and that’s why I’m saying that there was a hybrid, not the new formula.
So, I hope that helps to answer the member’s question.
I guess in relating to that process, one of the things that failed in the past was the fact that they had these consultation meetings, but once they come up with something, people weren’t given the opportunity to have a look at it and get some feedback on it.
Is that mistake made in the past, that the minister and the department have learned from and are going to change in the future.
Chairman: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Tootoo.
Total School operations, $1 million 930 thousand.
Chairman: Thank you. Total department, $4 million 854 thousand.
Page 23, Health and Social Services, operations and maintenance.
Okay, as the chairman, there is a tie and as the chairman, we’ll break until tomorrow.
I’ll report progress.
Sorry. I’m getting ahead of myself.
I would like to thank the Minister and her officials.
Does the Minister have any closing remarks.
Oh, you’re not finished.
Sorry about that Madame Minister.
Item 20, Report of Committee of the Whole, Mr. Evyagotailak.
Your committee has been considering Bill 1 and Bill 2 and would like to report that Bill 1 is ready for third reading.
All those in favor.
Going back to the orders of the day, item 21, third reading of bills.
Bill 4 – Appropriation (Capital) Act 2005-2006 – Third Reading
I move, seconded by the Honorable Member for South Baffin that Bill 4, Appropriation Capital Act 2005-06 be read for the third time.
Speaker (interpretation): There is a motion.
I’m sorry. I’m ahead of myself.
Bill 4 has had third reading.
Bill 5 – An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act – Third Reading
I move seconded by the Honorable Member for Netsilik that Bill 5, an Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act be read for the third time.
All in favor.
The motion is carried and Bill 5 has had third reading.
Bill 6 – Electronic Commerce Act – Third Reading
I move, seconded by the Honorable Member for Baker Lake that Bill 6, Electronic Commerce Act be read for the third time.
All those in favor. All those opposed.
Bill 7 – An Act to Amend the Evidence Act – Third Reading
I move, seconded by the Honorable Member for South Baffin, that Bill 7, an Act to Amend the Evidence Act be read for the third time.
Bill 7 has had third reading.
Item 22, orders of the day.
Orders for the day for Wednesday, December 1.
This House stands adjourned until Wednesday, December 1, 2004 at 10:00 a.m.
>>House adjourned at 18:18  Nunavut Canada
Wednesday December 1, 2004
Pages 633 – 733
Opening Prayer 633
Ministers’ Statements 633  Members’ Statements 635
Returns to Oral Questions 643
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 647
Oral Questions 650
Returns to Written Questions 670
Tabled Documents 670
Notices of Motions 672
Report of the Committee of the Whole 731
Third Reading of Bills 731
Assent 732
Orders of the Day 733
Wednesday December 1, 2004 633
043 – 2(2): Using Surveillance to Increase School Safety (Picco) 633
044 – 2(2): World AIDS Day 2004 (Brown) 634
045 – 2(2): Status of Inuit Employment – Government of Nunavut (Tapardjuk) 635
081 – 2(2): General Rate Application Increase (Tootoo) 635
082 – 2(2): Southampton Island Caribou Harvest. (Netser) 636
083 – 2(2): Last Day of Sitting – Constituency Meeting (Mapsalak) 637
084 – 2(2): Happy Christmas Holidays (Barnabas) 638
085 – 2(2): Government of Nunavut Operations (Tapardjuk) 638
086 – 2(2): Youth Empowerment Workshop in Kugluktuk (Evyagotailak) 640
087 – 2(2): Holiday Season Wishes (Alagalak) 640
088 – 2(2): Happy Holiday Wishes (Kattuk) 641
089 – 2(2): Merry Christmas Wishes (Arreak) 642
090 – 2(2): Best Holiday Season (Picco) 642
Return to OQ 079 – 2(2): Number of Probation Officers in the Communities (Okalik) 643
Return to OQ 084 – 2(2): Government Hiring Practices (Tapardjuk) 644
Return to OQ 022 – 2(2): Renewing Eye Doctors' Contract (Brown) 645
Return to OQ 102 – 2(2): Clarification of Newspaper Article (Tapardjuk) 645
124 – 2(2): Proposed General Rate Application (Barnabas) 650
125 – 2(2): Providing Accurate Information (Tootoo) 654
126 – 2(2): Agri-Food Fund (Netser) 658
127 – 2(2): 10% Elimination of Tax (Peterson) 659
128 – 2(2): Economic Impact Study (Tootoo) 662
129 – 2(2): Support an Independent Child Advocate (Peterson) 663
130 – 2(2): Assistance from the Federal Government (Kattuk) 667
Return to WQ 009 – 2(1): Administration of the Liquor Act and Other Matters (Clerk) 670
Return to WQ 015 – 2(1): Overtime Costs Incurred by Government of Nunavut Crown Corporations (Clerk) 670
051 – 2(2): 24-Hour Elders' Facility (Barnabas) 670
052 – 2(2): Return to OQ 084 – 2(2): Government Hiring Practices (Tootoo) 671
053 – 2(2): Return to OQ 102 – 2(2): Explanation of Newspaper Article (Tootoo) 671
054 – 2(2): Transportation of Dangerous Goods Annual Report 2003/04 (Simailak) 671
055 – 2(2): Disclosure of Contracts – Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (Tootoo) 671
056 – 2(2): Online Information on Government of Canada Contracts for Goods & Services Over $10,000 (Tootoo) 671
057 – 2(2): Who Controls Canada's Arctic (Peterson) 672
005 – 2(2): Referral of Tabled Document 052 – 2(2) to the Committee of the Whole – Notice (Tootoo) 672
006 – 2(2): Request for Comprehensive Audit of QEC and its Subsidiaries – Notice (Tootoo) 672
Bill 1 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) Act, No. 4 2003-2004 – Third Reading 731
Bill 2 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) Act, No. 2 2004-2005 – Third Reading 731
Bill 3 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 2, 2004-2005 – Third Reading 731
Bill 1 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) Act, No. 4 2003-04 – Assent 732
Bill 2 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) Act, No. 2, 2004-05 – Assent 732
Bill 3 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 2, 2004-05 – Assent 732
Bill 4 – Appropriation (Capital) Act 2005-2006 – Assent 732
Bill 5 – An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act – Assent 732
Bill 6 – Electronic Commerce Act – Assent 732
Bill 7 – An Act to Amend the Evidence Act – Assent 732
Wednesday, December 1, 2004
Speaker (interpretation): Before we move on to the orders of the day, I would like to welcome the Premier, ministers, and members.
I would like to ask Mr. Simailak to say the opening prayer.
Speaker (interpretation): To the orders of the day.
Minister’s Statement 043 – 2(2): Using Surveillance to Increase School Safety
I would like to advise members today of the steps taken by the Department of Education to enhance the safety and security of our schools, our students, and staff.
The last Assembly gave their support to take the initiatives required to protect school buildings from vandalism and worse.
Phase I of the project is now complete.
All five schools in Iqaluit have been equipped with cameras.
Phase II is currently in progress; tenders are invited for the installation of cameras in schools in the Kivalliq region.
This will be followed by Phase III, where seven schools in the Kitikmeot region will benefit from the same system.