EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Speaker, today I have the privilege of being able to recognize someone that during session usually never sees me and that is my constituency assistant, Susie Nakasuk.
Question 083 – 1(4): Impacts of Fuel Price Increase on Government
Mr. Speaker, I believe my question is directed to the Minister of Finance if not he can direct it to the appropriate minister.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of Finance how much the increase in petroleum products that was introduced on November 1st, will affect the government overall.
I do not have the answer before me but I believe I can try to have it if we get into Committee of the Whole during debate on the Supplementary Appropriation you will probably have by this afternoon.
I can appreciate the fact that the minister probably did not have that information readily available but I would like to know if you could also have it broken down by department and how much of an increase.
The effect of this increase how much it will cost the government for those products overall.
Speaker: Minister of Finance. Mr. Ng.
Mr. Speaker, I can not promise I will have that but if that information is readily available we will break it out.
I am right now more concerned with trying to provide the overall figure first of all.
It might require some time for a breakout but if it can not be provided today I will certainly provide that later.
Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Ng. Supplementary, Mr. Tootoo.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to ask if the minister could provide an analysis of the difference between the cost of what we would have faced by not raising the price as much as we have as compared to what it is going to cost us as a result of raising the price.
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Mr. Speaker, again I will try to provide that information.
Question 084 - 1(4): Status of Committee Motion on Petroleum Products
I will direct my question to the Minister of Petroleum Products.
The Committee of the Whole had made a motion to deal with this. What stage is that at right now.
Regarding the motions that were made, our staff and the finance department staff are presently reviewing the motions as to what possible options that we have.
I thank her for explaining that it is under review.
Will the minister advise us what the results will be even after the session.
Speaker: Oral questions. Mr. Nutarak.
Question 085 - 1(4): Compensation for Jurors
I will be directing my question to the Minister of Justice about jurors.
When there is a court session in the community they definitely have to appear when they are summoned and the fee that they receive is inadequate, especially for the people who are working.
Employees who go on a jury sometimes don't get paid and sometimes they lose more than double the amount that they are paid.
The jurors' fee tends to be different.
I wonder if the Minister of Justice can review this.
Speaker: Minister responsible for Justice.
As we all know, during the court session when people are summoned to be on a jury, this is very beneficial to the people because they can witness the proceedings first hand.
What the member is saying is also felt by others.
For the people summoned to appear or who are selected to appear on the jury they have to be excused by their employers.
I am not sure what the fee is but I realize that they lose money when they are on the jury.
Yes, I will be able to review this.
There used to be talk about, I believe there were 120 Acts that have to be reviewed.
There is the Law Reform Commission in place, so my question is, could they review this also.
The Acts that are being reviewed to see if Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit can be incorporated, they have not been mandated to deal with funding issues.
We as a department though can definitely find out more about the funding.
Question 086– 1(4): Use of Hotel Accommodations
Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of Sustainable Development about our Development Corporation.
In our communities we have problems such as, for example, in Taloyoak, the sports hunters that come up, and construction people who start in August until they complete their job, they could stay in the hotel but they find their own accommodations.
In our constituency the hotels are owned privately and they help the economy in the community by creating employment and keeping the money in the community.
We would like those people who find their own accommodation outside of the hotel to use the hotel so the money will stay in the community.
Nowadays there are a lot of transients going into communities and more hotels are being built.
We know that they are competing with each other which is healthy and nice to see.
We try to encourage the sports hunters to come to our communities.
They have the freedom to decide where they wish to stay, whether it is a hotel or in another licensed premise.
There is an increase in bed and breakfasts being built and once they have a license, it is up to the individual where they wish to stay.
Thank you minister for responding.
You said that as long as they have a license, yes the hotels have licenses in our community.
The bed and breakfasts in Taloyoak don't have a license and the problem that we see is even though they don't have a licence they build their own accommodations and don't even have insurance.
The reason I bring this up is because I want to know how this can be improved for the people that own the hotels in the communities.
I apologize I am not laughing at you, I rose too early before the light went on.
From what I understand, our staff and the people that I travel with, we make reservations in hotels with licences and I always encourage my staff and others to stay in local hotels.
As the member mentioned in one of his communities, there is no bed and breakfast place there, they are run by individuals who have no other employment or by couples.
The number is increasing especially in the tourist season.
So I will remind the other ministers and staff of his concern.
I think I understand the response that the other ministers will look into this too.
Yes, if that will be the case, thank you.
The reason I brought this up is that my constituents who own smaller businesses such as hotels, have not been successful and the small businesses are not succeeding. I was asking the Department of Sustainable Development to review this so that there will be more success.
We see quite a number of businesses that do not succeed.
So that is one of the reasons why I said it.
That was mainly a comment not a question.
Question 087 - 1(4): Transfer of Social Services to Hamlet
I did not think it was going to be my turn.
To the Minister of Health & Social Services, it also slightly touches Community Government in regards to empowerment of the hamlet council.
If the hamlet wishes to take over the social services would the minister have to approve.
If the community wishes to be able to have social services, would that be possible.
Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity to be in Pond Inlet and meet with the mayor and council and we had some discussion on the transfer of social worker positions and a supervisory position which is not filled right now to the Hamlet.
Similar to what has been done in Cape Dorset.
Mr. Speaker, under the current government, my understanding and I got a copy of the letter from the mayor Mr. Haulli.
I actually read it yesterday.
He points out that the arrangements have to be made through community government and we have to make sure we have a policy with decentralization of services and we have been working with the Department of CGT through Health & Social Services to look at the possible transfer.
There are other logistics that have to worked out Mr. Speaker, including salaries, housing opportunities and so on.
So we have received a letter from the mayor.
We are looking at it.
We also have to work with CGT which has responsibility for community empowerment.
I would like to thank the Minister of Health & Social Services.
I think it was last year you had a meeting with the Hamlet Council and I can recall that.
To date there has been no response from your department to the hamlet council and that is the main reason why I asked this particular question.
The letter that you received from the Mayor of the Hamlet, when are you going to be responding to that particular letter.
Mr. Speaker, the member jogged my memory there.
I remember having a public meeting early last spring in Pond when we were in the old community hall and it was quite cold and then I also met with the Mayor and Council and the member again when the cabinet was up there I believe in June.
The member is correct, the letter has arrived and I just saw it yesterday.
We will be responding to the Mayor, we are looking at the issue of the transfer of positions.
I can't confirm when that will occur, if it will occur, until we have more discussions with Community Government & Transportation who has the mandate for community empowerment and make sure that we have not only the logistic, but also the administrative work done before any type of transfer takes place.
But there are also other issues, like I said earlier Mr. Speaker, around housing and so on.
So I would hope to respond to the Mayor's letter very shortly.
Question 088 – 1(4): Tourism Plans
I will be directing my question to the Minister of Sustainable Development about tourism in Nunavut.
What plans do you have with tourism in Nunavut and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit or do you have any plans at all.
I am very pleased to respond to the member's question.
We are very proud of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, there are a lot of people interested in learning more about Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
With the increasing number of tourists coming into Nunavut, there is more and more curiosity about Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
Also looking at the parks for example, where the tourists go we would like to integrate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and Inuit traditions and culture there.
Those are the main attractions that bring tourists to Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, I like the response that the minister gave me.
However, what I would like to know from the minister is whether he has people who know about Inuit culture and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit that work for him in his department.
I am very pleased once again to respond to the member as the Minister of Sustainable Development.
There are very well versed Inuktitut speaking people that work for our department in the higher arctic.
Those are long time employees that know about Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and where it should be integrated into these parks and tourism and so on.
They are part of the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit working group and they not only work towards tourism but for the whole department.
Question 089 – 1(4): Chesterfield Inlet Gravel Shortage
As I said earlier in my member's statement I said that there was not much gravel in Chesterfield Inlet and I directed that question to the Minister of Community Government & Transportation.
The minister said that he would respond to my question prior to end of this session.
It is about the airport and the gravel.
Could I get a response please.
First of all, about the lack of gravel in Chesterfield Inlet, when I was talking to the people there we checked out the airstrip and there had been quite a lot of work done at that time.
In the spring when there is gravel, they do maintenance work, but what we are looking at now because of a lack of gravel in the community, we have not resolved the upgrading of that airstrip.
The maintenance worker works on the airstrip in the spring and we are going to be making a decision on how we can resolve this particular problem of that community.
We both understand that there is hardly any gravel.
I understand from what the minister said that he is looking at a longer term plan for the airstrip in Chesterfield Inlet.
So is your department is looking at a long term plan for the maintenance or upgrading of this airstrip.
Yes. Because of the lack of gravel it costs a lot more to maintain any airstrip if you have to go far to get the gravel for upgrading the airport.
When I was there the Mayor took me to see the airstrip and where they get their gravel.
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Mr. Minister for working on plans for where they can obtain gravel.
However, the people of Chesterfield Inlet know exactly where they can obtain good gravel.
If they are going to rebuild the road to that gravel pit, they will be passing by lakes and so on which will not be good for camping grounds and picnic areas and so on.
So I would like to ask the minister if they are going to be making plans to find a better gravel pit.
Does that mean you will be putting in more money.
I apologize I didn't hear the end of your question.
Yes, we do know that the people of Chesterfield Inlet know where the good gravel is because they showed me where it is.
What I said was that we are going to be looking for funds so that we can have access to that proposed gravel pit and it is going to be more cost effective in the long run for both accessing the gravel pit and the maintenance of the airstrip.
We are going to keep an eye on it.
Referring back to your first question, the airport is used very much by that community and we are going to keep an eye on it so that we don't make it a safety concern for aircraft and so on.
Final supplementary. Mr. Arvaluk.
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): Already.
When you are looking for additional funds so that you could access the proposed gravel pit I am sure that it is going to be very well planned by your department and I am pretty confident that you will make a very good plan.
Are we looking at a one year funding program or multiple year funding to access this gravel pit.
Accessibility to gravel is very important to the communities.
We are working on finding a solution for the community of Chesterfield Inlet.
We are going to work very hard within my department but we do know that there will have to be some funds from the Federal government.
We are having discussions with the Federal Government so that we can access additional funds for infrastructure, airstrips and so on.
We will be working on the Chesterfield Inlet problem through the Department of Community Government & Transportation because we feel it is important to have well maintained airstrips and that is hard to do when you do not have access to good gravel.
Question 090 - 1(4): Nunavut Housing Corporation RFPs
Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, earlier she gave a response regarding a question I asked on an expression of interest that they established.
I thanked her for providing that response.
In there Mr. Speaker, she indicated that a request for proposals was sent out to those people who indicated that they were interested.
I would like to ask the minister if she could inform us when those were sent out and when the closing date was.
Minister responsible for Housing, Minister Thompson.
Hon. Manitok Thompson: I am sorry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I believe that the deadline for submissions was September 8, 2000.
That is the only information that I have regarding the date.
I do not know what exact date they were advertized in the paper.
I could get that information.
But the deadline for submissions was September 8.
Mr. Speaker, in light of the fact it is almost a month now since it closed, I would like to ask the minister how close or has her staff, the department determined any number of units.
I know in the budget the minister indicated that they are hoping to achieve the leasing of 40 units.
I am just wondering if that is going to be possible within the budget amount. The amount that was budgeted.
We will be within budget.
But I do not know whether there will be 40 units.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad to hear the minister state that they are planning on being within budget for this amount.
I am wondering if the minister could, at the appropriate time, either through a press release or a letter to the members, inform us how many units they will be able to achieve under the budgeted amount.
As soon as we get the final figures I will be sending a letter to all the members.
Mr. Tootoo. Final supplementary.
Mr. Tootoo: Already.
Mr. Speaker, I am just wondering if the minister could indicate what type of time frame we are looking at in terms of when they will have their numbers considering it has been a month already since the proposals were received.
We will try to do it as soon as possible, hopefully within the month or a little bit after that.
We are just finalizing everything, I know that.
Question 091– 1(4): Support for Small Businesses
Mr. Speaker, a short while ago I was asking my questions and I would like to thank you for giving me another opportunity to ask more. I did not complete my question to the Department of Sustainable Development.
As I said earlier, the local businesses are not getting enough business and I would like to ask the minister how we could help these small businesses become more economically viable and who they could ask for support.
Just last week if you all recall, I made a statement to the House and gave an overview of what programs are available through our department to small businesses in Nunavut.
In our department and under our mandate we have support programs that can be accessed by small businesses that need support.
We have the Small Business Development Fund, that could be accessed.
The economic development portion can also be accessed by these businesses.
I thank the Minister of Sustainable Development for responding to my question.
However, even though that is the case Mr. Speaker, in my community I know of small businesses that try to access program funding from departments and agencies and so on but there are a lot of them that have been denied even when they make proposals to your department.
For example, using my community, the Hamlet has an Economic Development Department now, are we going to be giving that responsibility to the Hamlet Council or are you going to keep it within your department.
There are quite a few steps that you have to go through if you are going to make a proposal to our department.
Just because you make a proposal doesn't mean that you are automatically accepted. There are a lot of steps that you have to go through.
We are trying to help the economic development portion that is under the umbrella of the Hamlet Councils.
We have set up a training program so that the Economic Development Officers will be under the Hamlet Councils and the forms have been made simpler by our department.
I believe that this will make it a little bit easier to the people that are going to be making proposals for funding through our department.
We would like them to set up work plans and we want them to have support when they are filling out their forms and developing their proposals.
Some times the proposal goes back and forth because they require additional information and at times that will be one of the reasons why the person making the proposals makes the decision not to try again.
So I would like the people out there to keep trying with their proposals.
Question 092 – 1(4): Deadlines for CLEY Funding Applications
I would like to direct a question to the Minister for Culture, Language, Elders & Youth. (interpretation ends) About your grants and contribution programs and services.
Sorry I don't have the dates here but I just wanted to mention to you that you have some deadlines as to when you receive your applications for any of the grants and contributions that Nunavummiut can apply for.
Using my community as an example as to where they find the deadlines or how long the period is open for these applications.
At times some applicants, individuals or groups submit an application and find out later that they are tabled for the following year because of lack of grants and contributions available to them or there is some information missing.
But the main thing that they are concerned about is, has the minister reviewed this deadline that you have for these grants and contributions.
Can you commit to us that you will review this policy that you have in place for the deadlines for applications.
Koanna Uqaqti.
In regard to the question asked by the member. Last year there was a deadline of May 19, 2000.
Sometimes applicants as you said for grants and contributions do not provide the appropriate information and it can be grounds for rejection of the application.
But the deadline was May 19, 2000 and as for the request to have the policy reviewed I cannot give you detailed information as to what has been planned or what ground work has been laid down, but I will check into this for you Mr. Havioyak.
The one that I was just talking about.
I think the minister should be reviewing that policy because it is directed to young people and elders.
The minister mentioned that there is a deadline of May.
Sometimes in the winter when people want to try out different things they are not noticed or recognized.
If one person or a group of elders or youth are trying to access funding they are trying when there is no funding available and they give up.
May 19, as he mentioned was the deadline.
There should be no deadline, that should be tried so that people in the winter, spring, summer, can put in proposals.
Youth or elder groups could then try for these proposals.
I would like to see this so it would be better aimed at all people.
Perhaps if I rephrased my response.
The elders' societies and youth councils in communities have to be encouraged to apply for this funding. Sometimes you have to push them.
The grants and contributions available, as you are aware, we don't have an awful lot of money available for all of Nunavut.
We can not always supply sufficient funds for everyone.
As to your first question regarding the application process and deadlines, that will be at the beginning of February.
They will be open for applications to be received in early February.
Just a reminder to the members on both sides of the House, not to turn questions into statements.
Try to be concise and precise.
The same for the ministers as well, they should try to get their answers out as quickly as possible.
Mr. Havioyak (interpretation): I didn't get an answer I don't think.
However, I would like to encourage a review so that it is more directed to all the people in Nunavut.
Speaker: I didn't hear a question there but Mr. Kattuk would you like to address the comments or concerns of Mr. Havioyak.
I cannot give a detailed answer at this time but I will check into the information that Mr. Havioyak is requesting.
On the list we have Mr. McLean, Mr. Iqaqrialu, Mr. Nutarak.
Question 093– 1(4): PPD / Nunavut Power Corporation Amalgamation
I will try to keep my preamble short but it is a difficult question today.
My question today is directed to the Premier.
Uqaqti, I want to acknowledge the great work of the Minister of the Power Corporation in keeping our power rates down with an increase of 20% in the fuel costs.
I wonder if the Premier would commit to direct his government to doing a study on Petroleum Products Division and according to the Ikuma Report one of the recommendations was for the PPD to be combined with the Power Corporation for cost savings.
My question today is, would the Premier commit to doing a study on PPD moving over to the Nunavut Power Corporation to see what cost benefits would be achieved.
Right now we are reviewing the Public Utilities Board and what role it will have.
So I think one of the considerations is to combine all of the utilities and other bodies in place right now.
So I will get back to the member on further details as to if there are any further studies being considered for Petroleum Products.
Question 094 – 1(4): Use of Smoking Cessation Funding
I want to direct my question to the Minister of Health & Social Services.
Last year two million dollars was allocated towards an anti-tobacco campaign.
Could he provide us with a report as to how the funds have been used in promoting this campaign.
Mr. Speaker, in an earlier question I believe last week in the House by Mr. Nutarak, we did commit to providing that information.
I signed off the draft letter I believe it was yesterday so that information will be provided to the member.
I didn't get a full response.
I would like a full response.