EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
The department’s new organizational structure, proposed 2013-14 main estimates, and proposed 2013-16 business plan reflect the transfer of certain functions and personnel from the Department of Human Resources, which is scheduled to be dissolved as of April 1, 2013.
The standing committee notes that the department’s proposed 2013-14 operations and maintenance budget of $82.77 million is 6.4 percent higher than the department’s restated 2012-13 main estimates.
The number of positions in the department has increased from 207.0 PYs in 2012-13 to 267.0 PYs in 2013-14.
Mr. Chairman, the Department of Finance provides support to the Financial Management Board.
A government-wide issue for which the Financial Management Board has overarching responsibility is the size of the public service.
The number of positions in the government has increased steadily in recent years.
The government’s proposed 2013-14 main estimates indicate that there are approximately 4,137 positions in the government’s departments and major Crown corporations and agencies.
However, the government’s most recent quarterly employment report indicates that there were 955 vacant positions across the government as of June 30, 2012.
It is important that the Financial Management Board be mindful of the need to control growth in the government at a time when departments and Crown agencies face significant challenges in filling their existing vacancies.
Every dollar that is allocated for the creation of new government positions is a dollar less that is available for other priorities, such as providing increased financial assistance for students to pursue post-secondary education or constructing new infrastructure in our communities, including health centres and schools.
Mr. Chairman, the Department of Finance also provides support to the government’s Public Agencies Council, which has a number of important oversight responsibilities in relation to the governance of Crown corporations and agencies.
The Minister of Finance serves as the Chairperson of the Public Agencies Council.
However, its 2010-11 and 2011-12 annual activities reports have not yet been tabled.
Ministerial letters of expectation to the GN’s five largest Crown corporations and agencies for the 2012-13 fiscal year were tabled in the Legislative Assembly on June 6, 2012.
Responses to the letters of expectation were tabled in the Legislative Assembly on November 5, 2012.
Last year, the standing committee held hearings on the 2012 Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut on Procurement of Goods and Services.
The standing committee again repeats its call for the Public Agencies Council to ensure that the annual contracting, leasing and procurement reports of all of the government’s Crown corporations and agencies are tabled in the Legislative Assembly in a timely manner.
The standing committee also looks forward to the government taking action concerning its recommendation that the Public Agencies Council provide clear direction to the Qulliq Energy Corporation concerning the application of the NNI Policy to the corporation’s contracting and procurement activities.
The standing committee applauds the government for having backdoor tabled its 2011-12 Public Accounts in December of 2012.
This marked the second time since the creation of Nunavut that the public accounts have been tabled in compliance with section 74 of the Financial Administration Act, which requires that they be tabled on or before December 31 following the end of the fiscal year.
The government’s most recent annual reports on departmental procurement activities indicate that the Department of Finance has awarded a significant number of contracts to external entities to assist in the preparation of the annual public accounts.
For example, the 2011-12 annual procurement report lists three contracts in this area with a total value of approximately $470,000.
The Department of Finance’s business plan indicates that one of its ongoing goals is to “Continue to expand a professional training regime to enhance the financial expertise of the territory at all levels.”
The standing committee supports initiatives to provide educational and training opportunities for GN employees, especially beneficiary employees, to pursue financial management and accounting courses that can lead to professional certification.
The department’s business plan indicates that “The 5-year Strengthening Financial Management project ends March 31, 2013.”
The standing committee encourages the minister to table a final report on this initiative in the Legislative Assembly.
Mr. Chairman, the Minister of Finance tabled the final report of the Nunavut Liquor Act Review Task Force in the Legislative Assembly on November 2, 2012.
The department’s business plan indicates that “a GN response is being developed” to the report of the task force and that one of the department’s priorities for 2013-14 is to “develop proposals to change the Liquor Act.”
The standing committee also encourages the ministers of Finance and Justice to pursue the idea of introducing civil forfeiture legislation to address the issue of assets acquired through the proceeds of crime, which includes bootlegging.
In March of 2010, the Legislative Assembly approved a motion calling on the Nunavut Liquor Commission to stop purchasing alcohol products originating in the European Union until such time as the issue of the EU’s ban on the import of seal products is resolved to Nunavut’s satisfaction.
The standing committee applauds the minister for having instructed the Nunavut Liquor Commission to respect the will of the House and encourages the minister to table in the Legislative Assembly a list of the products that the commission actually purchased during the 2012 resupply.
On November 5, 2012, the Minister of Finance tabled the annual government-wide report on grants and contributions made by all departments during the 2011-12 fiscal year.
The standing committee applauds the minister for tabling these important reports and looks forward to future years’ reports being tabled in an equally timely manner.
Between the 2004-05 and 2011-12 fiscal years, the government spent over $2.2 billion in grants and contributions.
The standing committee recommends that the minister, in his capacity as the chairperson of the Financial Management Board, consider the establishment of a government-wide framework for measuring and evaluating the results of the government’s grants and contributions expenditures.
On June 27, 2012, the three territorial Premiers issued a joint news release following the annual Northern Premiers’ Forum which stated in part that “Premiers called on the federal government to increase the deduction and index it against the cost of living in the territories.”
The standing committee encourages the minister to pursue further enhancements to this benefit with his federal counterpart.
Mr. Chairman, the department’s proposed 2013-14 main estimates include $9.05 million in funding for the Nunavut Electricity Subsidy Program.
On a government-wide basis, the GN plans to spend approximately $36.7 million on utility costs during the 2013-14 fiscal year.
The government’s current Public-Private Partnership Policy expires on March 31, 2013.
During the minister’s recent appearance before the standing committee, he indicated that no major changes to the P3 Policy were anticipated.
The standing committee urges the minister to table a copy of the government’s renewed P3 Policy during the upcoming spring 2013 sitting of the House.
On October 26, 2010, the Premier tabled in the Legislative Assembly a document titled “Refined Direction from Cabinet Retreat 2010.”
The standing committee notes that the proposed 2013-16 business plan for the Department of Community and Government Services indicates that “CGS continues to explore all opportunities for infrastructure funding – including Public-Private Partnerships (P3).
A P3 model was applied to the Iqaluit Airport project and a similar model is presently being investigated by CGS to address solid waste infrastructure for all communities.
Mr. Chairman, I would note that the concept of P3 approaches to hydroelectric development has also been discussed in recent years.
The standing committee recognizes the importance of ensuring that the government’s departments and Crown agencies have a coordinated approach to P3 initiatives and notes the role of the Department of Finance as a central agency in this regard.
The government raised $22,017,000 in payroll tax revenues during the 2011-12 fiscal year.
Amendments to the Tobacco Tax Act were passed by the Legislative Assembly in February 2012.
The government raised $13,860,000 in 2011-12 from tobacco taxes.
This is an issue that would benefit from evaluation by the Department of Finance and the Department of Health.
The Minister of Finance’s 2012 Budget Address stated in part that the government “will increase the tax on tobacco products to further support our campaign against their use.
We will raise the tax by 4 cents per cigarette, or $1 per pack of 25. The tax on loose tobacco will rise from 14 cents per gram to 20 cents per gram.
The standing committee urges the minister to table information in the Legislative Assembly concerning the actual amounts that have been allocated for smoking prevention and cessation programs.
The Department of Finance is responsible for administering the government’s Fuel Tax Rebate Program.
The 2010-11 annual report on the administration of this program was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on June 7, 2012.
The 2011-12 annual report has not yet been tabled.
Mr. Chairman, as I indicated at the beginning of my opening comments, the Department of Finance is assuming a number of functions and responsibilities that were previously exercised by the Department of Human Resources, which will be dissolved as of April 1, 2013.
Other functions are being transferred to the Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs.
The government tabled a separate status report on September 28, 2011 concerning its action [plan] to address the report of the Auditor General.
The standing committee stresses the importance of timely tabling in the Legislative Assembly of key departmental documents, including the government’s Public Service Annual Report and its quarterly Inuit employment reports.
The 2010-11 Public Service Annual Report was not tabled in the Legislative Assembly until June 5, 2012.
As of February 28, 2013, the 2011-12 Public Service Annual Report had not yet been tabled in the Legislative Assembly, even though the fiscal year ended almost 12 months ago.
As of February 28, 2013, the most recent quarterly Inuit employment report to be [available] on the government’s website was for June 2012.
The department’s proposed 2013-16 business plan indicates that one of its priorities for 2013-2014 is to “Implement changes to the Public Service Act.”
The standing committee looks forward to the legislation including provisions that address the issue of whistle-blower protection for employees who report wrongdoing in the workplace.
The standing committee notes that a Code of Values and Ethics for the Public Service has been posted to the government’s website.
The standing committee urges the minister to ensure that the next Public Service Annual Report contains detailed information concerning the enforcement of the code.
The department’s proposed 2013-16 business plan indicates that three of its priorities for 2013-14 are to “develop a government-wide Human Resources Strategy” in partnership with the Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs, “Implement long-term objectives of the Human Resources Action Plan to address concerns identified in the Auditor General’s 2010 report on human resources capacity,” and “Develop options for devolving staffing to departments.”
According to the government’s quarterly employment reports, a total of 977 beneficiaries were employed by the GN in June of 2002.
It is important for the government to develop aggressive, realistic, and achievable timetables for achieving full representativeness across all occupational categories in the government, which is commonly understood to mean a public service that is composed of 85 percent beneficiary employees. This is a significant challenge.
The government’s employment statistics from its June 2012 quarterly report, which is the most recent report to be available on the department’s website, indicates that there were a total of 4,160 positions across the government’s departments and Crown agencies. 3,205 of these positions were filled, of which 1,607 were filled by beneficiaries.
Mr. Chairman, the impact of the availability and affordability of staff housing on the recruitment and retention of employees has been an ongoing issue.
In 2008, the government announced a rollback of staff housing rents to [January] 2007 levels.
The standing committee encourages the department to continue to work with the Nunavut Housing Corporation on this issue and notes that one of the department’s priorities for 2013-14 is to “Finalize changes to the Staff Housing Policy.”
The standing committee urges the minister to table a copy of the revised policy in the Legislative Assembly at the earliest opportunity.
The standing committee also encourages the minister to clarify the respective roles and responsibilities of the Department of Finance and the Nunavut Housing Corporation regarding administration of the government’s Staff Housing Policy.
Mr. Chairman, the standing committee continues to strongly support the government’s Summer Student Employment Equity Program, which provides valuable work experience for Nunavut youth.
Approximately 1,800 students, 75 percent of whom were beneficiaries, have participated in this program since 2001.
In recognition of the fact that many of our territory’s smaller communities do not have a significant Government of Nunavut presence, the standing committee continues to urge the minister to consider such ideas as providing wage subsidies to municipalities and other employers to hire summer students in smaller communities that do not have a large Government of Nunavut presence.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Elliott. Oh, Mr. Rumbolt.
(interpretation ends) I admit it has been a long day. (interpretation) There is a motion on the floor to report progress and the motion is not debatable.
Prior to rising to make my report, if I can make a short statement since today has been a long day, we have completed quite a lot on our plate and we have made progress, which I am quite pleased with.
However, our staff, particularly the table officers sitting next to me, as well as the Sergeant-at-Arms, are the people I especially am grateful to since we have no pages. They have provided this service on top of their duties. As the Chair, they are indispensable to me, particularly today, so I thank them.
Speaker: Qujannamiik, Sergeant-at-Arms. We will move on in our orders of the day.
Just a reminder of meetings tomorrow: at half past nine, a meeting of the Management and Services Board in the Tuktu Boardroom and at eleven o’clock in the morning, a meeting of the Full Caucus in the Nanuq Boardroom.
As the Chair of the Committee of the Whole thanked the staff, I think there are a couple of groups of staff that he didn’t thank and I would like to say it was a long day and thank the interpreters and technical staff as well. It has been a long day for them as well.
So with that, this House stands adjourned until Wednesday, March 13, at 1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Pages 3991 – 4076
Opening Prayer 3991
Ministers’ Statements 3991
Members’ Statements 3993
Oral Questions 3999
Returns to Written Questions 4016
Petitions 4016
Tabling of Documents 4017
Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills 4018
First Reading of Bills 4019
Second Reading of Bills 4019
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 4020
Report of the Committee of the Whole 4075
Orders of the Day 4075
Wednesday, March 13, 2013 3991
258 – 3(3): Update, Nunavut Carving Stone Deposit Evaluation Program (Taptuna) 3991
259 – 3(3): GN Partnership with Nunavut Tunngavik (Aariak) 3992
260 – 3(3): Baffinland Iron Mine Corporation’s Mary River Project Update (Taptuna) 3993
431 – 3(3): Baker Lake Interagency Group (Aupaluktuq) 3993
432 – 3(3): Incorporation of Inuit Societal Values into Institutional Structures (Tapardjuk) 3994
433 – 3(3): Support for Small Business (Ningark) 3996
434 – 3(3): Red Pedersen – Kugluktuk Recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (Taptuna) 3997
435 – 3(3): Application Process for Social Insurance Numbers (Elliott) 3998
436 – 3(3): Dr. Leia Cunningham Wins Business on the Rise – 2012 Frozen Globe Awards (Aariak) 3999
559 – 3(3): Probation Services in Nunavut (Rumbolt) 3999
560 – 3(3): Crime Prevention in Nunavut (Aupaluktuq) 4001
561 – 3(3): Process for Incorporation of Inuit Societal Values in Government of Nunavut Decision-Making (Tapardjuk) 4003
562 – 3(3): Search and Rescue in Nunavut (Oshutapik) 4005
563 – 3(3): Support for Small Business (Ningark) 4007
564 – 3(3): Cape Dorset Health Centre Replacement (Schell) 4009
565 – 3(3): Article 24 of NLCA Binding on QEC (Curley) 4011
566 – 3(3): Environmental Protection in the High Arctic (Elliott) 4012
567 – 3(3): Standardized Inuit Language Terminology for Names of Departments (Tapardjuk) 4014
Return to Written Question 026 – 3(3): Government of Nunavut Responses to Resolutions Adopted at the 2012 Annual General Meeting of the Nunavut Association of Municipalities (Aariak) 4016
Return to Written Question 023 – 3(3): Annual Fuel Purchases by the Government of Nunavut (Kusugak) 4016
004 – 3(3): Public Housing Rent Scale (Ningeongan) 4016
327 – 3(3): Report on Symposium in Northern and Remote Canada, September 19-20, 2012 in Whitehorse, Yukon (Shewchuk) 4017
328 – 3(3): Correspondence from the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq Concerning Social Insurance Numbers (Elliott) 4017
329 – 3(3): Photographs of Jet A-1 Fuel Drums in Grise Fiord (Elliott) 4017
330 – 3(3): Public Service Annual Report for 2011-2012 (Ell) 4017
331 – 3(3): Towards a Representative Public Service Statistics as of September 30, 2012 (Ell) 4017
332 – 3(3): Précis of Proceedings of the Inuit Elders’ Summit on Arctic Sovereignty (Curley) 4018
333 – 3(3): Speech for the 16th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Curley) 4018
334 – 3(3): Office of the Fire Marshal’s 2012 Annual Report (Kusugak) 4018
335 – 3(3): Government of Nunavut’s Response to the 2011-2012 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (Aariak) 4018
Bill 50 – An Act to Amend the Nunavut Elections Act – Notice 4018
Bill 50 – An Act to Amend the Nunavut Elections Act – First Reading 4019
Bill 50 – An Act to Amend the Nunavut Elections Act – Second Reading 4019
Bill 49 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2013-2014 – Finance – Consideration in Committee 4020
Bill 49 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2013-2014 – Economic Development and Transportation – Consideration in Committee 4048
Before we proceed with today’s sitting, I would like to ask Mr. Ningeongan to lead us off in a prayer, please.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Ningeongan. (interpretation ends) We will move on in our orders of the day.
Minister’s Statement 258 – 3(3): Update, Nunavut Carving Stone Deposit Evaluation Program (Taptuna)
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the Nunavut Carving Stone Deposit Evaluation Program and to provide some highlights from the first three years of this four-year project.
Mr. Speaker, carving stone is culturally and economically important for Nunavut’s arts sector, and this work is crucial to ensuring a reliable supply of this resource.
Our government geologists have worked in cooperation with Nunavut carvers to identify and evaluate carving stone occurrences brought forward by local carvers or that were revealed in past geological studies.
These sites are evaluated for their accessibility and for the quantity and quality of the stone.
As of December, all 25 communities in Nunavut have been consulted. Field visits have been conducted in the Kivalliq and the Qikiqtaaluk regions. The five communities of the Kitikmeot plus Sanikiluaq will have field evaluation programs next summer.
To date, the program has identified significant carving stone resources in the Kivalliq region near Baker Lake, Coral Harbour, Rankin Inlet, and Repulse Bay.
In the Qikiqtaaluk region, new resources are accessible to Arctic Bay, Cape Dorset, Clyde River, Hall Beach, Igloolik, Kimmirut, Pangnirtung, and Pond Inlet.
A previously unknown major deposit on the Hall Peninsula was discovered through the Canada-Nunavut Geoscience Office mapping work and will be further evaluated this summer.
This deposit is close to Iqaluit and could prove to be an important source of stone for the local carving community.
Since the program began, the number of significant deposits of carving stone resources has doubled to 18 major exploitable sites. Knowing where the deposits lie is just the beginning.
We will work with our partners in the regions to find ways to make these resources available to everyone who earns their livelihood by carving.
Speaker: Thank you, Minister Taptuna. Item 2.
Minister’s Statement 259 – 3(3): GN Partnership with Nunavut Tunngavik (Aariak)
Hon. Eva Aariak (interpretation): Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker. 2013 will mark the 20th anniversary of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.
It is a time to celebrate our achievements as well as the important relationship between the Government of Nunavut and Nunavut Tunngavik in building a better future for our people.
From the time Nunavut was created, we have worked in partnership with NTI, most recently through the Aajiiqatigiinniq agreement.
I look forward to continuing my collaboration with Cathy Towtongie on the priorities we share and would like to congratulate her on her re-election.
NTI promotes building Inuit values into a stronger education system.
In the latest Report on the State of Inuit Culture and Society, NTI offers new ideas that will inform debate on our Nunavut Education Act (interpretation ends) if and when the Legislative Assembly directs the statutory review of the provisions and operation of the Act.
(interpretation) Nunavut Tunngavik is also our partner in building Nunavut and reclaiming our self-reliance.
The signing of our land claims in 1993 and the creation of the territory and its government in 1999 marked the first and second stages of this effort.
A third chapter is only just beginning as Nunavut Tunngavik joins us at the table in negotiating devolution.
At the same time, in the implementation of Article 32 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, (interpretation ends) we are looking for NTI to participate in the development of social and cultural policies and programs.
On matters such as housing, for instance, we agree with NTI that creative solutions are needed to end Nunavut’s housing shortage.
Mr. Speaker, as we look forward to the next 20 years, the partnership between government and NTI will be as important as ever as we face the challenges of building our economy to meet the needs of a growing population. It is through our collaboration that the dream of Nunavut will be fulfilled. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister’s Statement 260 – 3(3): Baffinland Iron Mine Corporation’s Mary River Project Update (Taptuna)
I would like to provide members with an update on the status of the Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation’s Mary River Iron Ore Project.
Since 2009, the Government of Nunavut has been actively working with the Nunavut Impact Review Board, Baffinland, our communities, and other stakeholders to develop a Mary River project that will provide economic opportunities while, at the same time, minimizing negative impacts on the environment.
As we all know, the project has been given the green light. The Nunavut Impact Review Board has issued a project certificate that reflects many of the recommendations made by the Government of Nunavut.