EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Can they also apply for funding from there because they hire many Inuit beneficiaries and also purchase Inuit carvings.
Are the co-ops eligible to apply for funding?
Speaker (interpretation): The Minister of Economic Development and Transportation, Mr. Simailak.
Happy birthday, Peter.
The Nunavut Development Corporation… . They are part of nine business owners who own the Development Corporation.
In the other communities, they can partner with the smaller businesses in the communities, but the community businesses have to apply for funding.
They can apply for funding from the Nunavut Development Corporation.
To apply for funding from other entities and with the Nunavut Development Corporation, they can partner with each other, but there are other sets of funding outside Nunavut Development Corporation.
The co-ops have heard about these programs from Nunavut government programs, but they complain that there is not enough support given to the co-op for opportunities in my constituency.
Those are our constituents, the co-op members.
The government does not provide support or benefits to co-ops.
Do I understand correctly that the co-ops can apply for funding through the government programs?
Yes, you have a community economic development officer in your community.
That officer, I’m sure, knows what kinds of assistance or funding is available through applications for the co-ops.
If the co-ops can write a letter, I will ask my officials to look into that, to look into how they be provided with some assistance.
That is a very good answer, so I don’t have any more comments to make, but I do want to thank him for his response.
Question 183 – 2(1): Hiring Practices – Summer Student Program
I’d like to direct this question to the Minister of Human Resources.
As we all know, students will be looking for jobs in the summer.
This is about the summer student program.
We all know that students who are very lucky to get the jobs are the ones who have relatives and also families who work in the department.
The students who don’t get jobs are the ones who don’t have relatives.
We should really think of the others, too.
I’d like to know what the minister is going to do with the hiring of students.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): I am sorry again, but I did not get your question.
I cannot provide you with an adequate response, so please ask your question again.
Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Evyagotailak.
What is the minister going to do with hiring, because most of the students who don’t get the jobs are not related to the people working in the department.
What are you going to do, as the minister, about the hiring?
We have a policy or guidelines for summer students, and we follow the guidelines.
The regional departments are responsible for their own regions.
For example, if they are going to hire a summer student, the regional headquarters are responsible, while the Department of Human Resources is responsible for the inventory numbers.
That’s how we have set up the casual employment for summer students.
Yes, there is no doubt of this because every summer we see the same students working in the department.
I’d like to see different students work also and not only favour students in departments where families hire their relatives.
I hope that you can tell the departments not to exercise any favouritism on the hiring of the students because other students don’t even get a chance to get the summer jobs.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yes, I not only hear what you have said, but I am going to ask my officials to look into this and be sensitive to it.
Question 184 – 2(1): Graduation Ceremony Dates
Starting today, there are more and more students graduating from high school, and we are going to see that in the next month or so.
In Rankin Inlet, there was going to be a graduation ceremony on August 20, and I think I know the reason why, but each community has its own dates.
Is it possible to have the graduation ceremonies about the same time all over Nunavut?
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. he graduation dates or the dates of the ceremony itself, the physical ceremony, is dependent on each high school, in this case, upon reflection by the staff and students.
Those dates are not arbitrary but picked in accordance with the wishes of the students and faculty.
It may be contingent, for example, on issues regarding the date upon which results of an exam may be known and so on.
It depends on the school, but it is something, Mr. Speaker, that we could follow up.
It would not be appropriate if the Department of Education sent out a request that each school in Nunavut should have graduation in the same week or on the same date.
Having flexible dates allows people to be able to attend different types of events.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Thank you. I understand exactly where the minister is coming from, and I was anticipating that it would be that type of a response.
I think their graduation day is so late because of the Alberta curriculum. I think the Alberta curriculum has something to do with it.
In Alberta, they graduate in the spring, and some of the high schools follow the Alberta curriculum.
I think that is the reason why it takes so long for the results to come in and, because of the lateness of the results, they have to delay the whole process.
I think the minister has the discretion of setting the standards.
Specifically on graduations, what normally occurs is that the exams are written.
In many cases, even though the exams are written, the marks may not be forwarded to the students, but the students still go through the official graduation ceremony.
In cases where public exams are written, those results may not be known until July or August, but usually if the graduation ceremony is held in June, for example, Mr. Speaker, those students can attend the ceremony with their classmates.
What occurs in August, for example, Mr. Speaker, when the results come back and particular students were not successful, then they would not be at the graduation ceremony as a participant.
That is something we need to iron out.
That is not unique to Nunavut, Mr. Speaker, but something occurring in most jurisdictions that I am aware of.
Question 185 – 2(1): Income Support Training
I have a question to the Minister of Education.
Just this past winter, the income support workers in the communities completed their training, but in one of my communities, Grise Fiord, there was one individual who wasn’t accepted into the program because of the high costs of transportation and so on.
Is that the case, Mr. Speaker?
Ongoing training occurs with the income support workers in our communities in Nunavut by region.
I am not aware of specific incidents where income support workers were told they were not able to attend a training session because of the cost difficulties.
I appreciate the member bringing this issue forward.
I will have to follow that up because I am not aware of one person being turned away from the training session.
The government officials should not be doing that to the people out there, and I don’t think that the high costs of transportation and everything else should be factored in.
We have to treat everybody equally, especially the individuals from the decentralized communities.
What type of action would you take if there is such an incident?
Speaker (interpretation): The Minister of Education. Mr. Picco.
It depends on what program or what training was offered them.
I am not sure what the course was.
Was it an optional program, for example? Does the person have an option to go or not go?
How many people attended?
Had this person already taken the course being offered, and that is why it did not occur, those types of issues.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, I agree with the member that someone should not be prohibited from taking a training program in the Department of Education under income support, if they are an income support worker, because they happen to be living farther away than other employees.
That would not be acceptable.
I am not aware of the particulars of this case, but, as I said to the member, I appreciate him raising the issue in the House.
Speaker (interpretation): Your second supplementary.
There are incidences that happen, especially in the smaller communities, and especially Sanikiluaq and Grise Fiord, because they are in extreme locations.
What is going to be happening if such a thing occurred? Would this individual be given the opportunity to attend that training program?
When training sessions are planned, there is a budget put into place by the department, and training sessions could be for renewable resource officers, for income support workers, for nurses, or whatever that training program is for. A budget is set up, people who need that training are usually brought into a central community, and the training is delivered.
I am not aware of anything within the Department of Education where someone who has had an opportunity to take training was told they could not because they lived too far away, or because they were from an isolated community and it cost too much to send them.
I am suggesting to the member that, if he has information in that regard, I would be more than happy to entertain it and then review it to see what has occurred.
It is not the policy of the Government of Nunavut to exclude employees from a training program because they’re more isolated or further away from a central location.
Again, each case is dependent on the case itself, and there may be a number of factors, as I said earlier. Had the person already taken the training? Do they need that training?
Maybe those are the reasons.
I have attended workshops and training programs.
I am well aware that after you have completed a program or get certified, your wages get raised.
What’s going to be happening with these individuals’ wages? Are they going to stay the same, or are they going to be increased?
Again, I would suggest, too, that there are different types of training you can take.
First of all, you can take academic training that enhances your step or pay level on a grid, and therefore your pay will go up.
The training, if I understand what the member is speaking about, may be just professional development training within the job context, so they are actually doing their job better.
I would not assume that their pay would increase because they have taken requisite training to do their job.
Again, I’m not aware of the case in particular, and I would appreciate the member providing that information to me, and the department would review it, because we take the member’s concern seriously.
Going back to the oarders of the day, Item 7.
Item 8. Returns to written questions, Mr. Clerk.
Mr. Clerk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the return to written question 4-2(1) and written question 5-2(1) on behalf of the Minister of Health and Social Services and the return to written question 6-2(1) on behalf of the Minister of Energy. Thank you.
Return to Written Question 004 – 2(1): Kitikmeot Health Centre
Once the Cambridge Bay health facility is operational, what specific services will be offered and provided by this facility?
Continuation of current care of Public Health and disease surveillance
Regular Clinical appointments.
Rehabilitation Services
Diagnostic Services
Laboratory Service
In Patient
Palliative Care  Mental Health Service
Special Neonatal Observation  Psychiatric Patient observation room
Special Procedures room to perform complicated diagnostic tests
Audiometry
Specialty Physician Services.
Nutritional Services
What staffing requirements will there be in order to be able to offer these services?
How many nursing staff will be required?
Nineteen including community health nurses
How many physicians will be required?
Six on site, plus specialist visits
How many support staff will be required?
Eleven point five
How many clerical staff will be required?
How many interpreter-translator staff will be required?
What recruiting strategies will be employed to fill these staff positions?
The department has implemented a steering committee to review, identify and implement long term retention and recruitment initiatives.
What accommodation arrangements are being made to house individuals hired to fill these staff positions?
We have potentially seven - ten units as of September 2004 depending on the sales of the condominium units an GN staff move out of GN housing.
Should none of the units sell, they will be turned into dedicated staff housing for the new Health Facility.
Ten more housing units will be coming on line April 2005. *There are no other capital planning dollars allocated through the Housing Corporation for forced growth housing needs.
When will the construction on the Kitikmeot health centre in Cambridge Bay be completed?
When will the Kitikmeot health centre in Cambridge Bay be operational?
Program implementation will begin in December 2004.
Return to Written Question 005 – 2(1): Kitikmeot Health Centre
What are the results of the GN’s Request for Proposals (RFP) issued on February 23, 2004 for design services for the medical boarding home in Cambridge Bay?
Results of GN RFP: The response to the publicly advertised RFP was good and resulted in a contract with an Architectural firm for the design.
Three proposals were received: Calnitsky Associates Architects (Winnipeg), David Wong Architect Ltd.
(Edmonton) and PSAV Architects Ltd.
(Yellowknife).
PSAV designed the new Health Facility in Cambridge Bay.
Has the contract for this RFP been awarded?
What entity received the contracts for this RFP?
PSAV.
What is the value of the contract?
$156,100.
14 beds.
When will construction of the medical boarding home Cambridge Bay be completed?
October, 2004.
It will be available for operation in October, 2004.
Return to Written Question 006 – 2(1): Qulliq Energy Corporation
As of May 13, 2004, who are the members of the board of directors of the Qulliq Energy Corporation?
The Nunavut Power Utilities Act as amended by the Qulliq Energy Corporation Act stipulates the Board will be not less than six and not more than 10 directors.
Presently there are eight directors.
The directors are:
Simon Merkosak – Chairman
Dennis Lyall
Ryan St. John
Ross Mrazek
Jimmy Kilabuk
Anne Crawford
The Board of Directors of Qulliq Energy Corporation did not meet with the Government of Nunavut’s Crown Agency Council between January 1, 2003 and May 13, 2004.
On May 29, 2003, the Minister directed the Corporation to:
freeze power rates until April 1, 2004
provide accurate and verifiable financial information on a quarterly basis
freeze all discretionary capital and operating commitments and expenditures
develop a General Rate Application proposal for Cabinet consideration
ensure the financial health and independence of the utility
research and implement measures for energy conservation and reducing dependence on diesel fuel generation
maximize efficiencies in the deliveries of services
develop an employee pay and benefits package consistent with the GN
develop and implement an public communication and education plan
As of May 1, 2004, how much has the Government of Nunavut spent in relation to the pending transfer of the functions and personnel of the Petroleum Products Division of the Department of Community and Government Services to the Qulliq Energy Corporation’s subsidiary known as the Qulliq Fuel Corporation in each of the following areas:
Settlements and other compensation for employees;
Office renovations, equipment purchase and other capital expenditures;
QEC constructed a computer server room in the PPD office in Rankin Inlet and installed communication cable between the NPC regional office and the PPD office.
Legal services costs;
Consulting services;
Administrative costs; and
Other expenses?
$4,672.25: travel to transition committee meeting.
Additional trips to Iqaluit coincided with PW and S business and came out of the PW and S budget.
What specific factors account for the deferral until April 1, 2005, of the functions and personnel of the Petroleum Products Division of the Department of Community and Government Services to the Qulliq Energy Corporation’s subsidiary known as the Qulliq Fuel Corporation?
The general rate review to determine the level of fuel prices that would enable the QFC to operate at a profit, repay debt and obtain an acceptable return on investment was not complete.
From this review, the government will decide on the extent to which fuel prices increases will be passed on the public and how much will be met through a subsidy.
Prepare legislation to establish the QFC as a subsidiary of the QEC.
Detailed financial plans for the QEC and each of its subsidiaries to determine the potential impact on fuel and electricity prices and the subsidy provided by the GN were not complete.
The budgetary implications of the transfer of assets and operations from GN departments and agencies.
The agreement between the GN and the QEC on how the working capital and fixed assets were to be transferred was not finalized.
This will require consultation with the Auditor General’s office.
As of April 1, 2004, how many persons, broken down by community and position, are employed by the Petroleum Products Division of the Department of Community and Government Services on a full- and part-time basis?
There are presently 26 persons in total, 16 at PPD Headquarters, Rankin Inlet, 3 at the Kivalliq Regional Office, Rankin Inlet, 3 at the Kitikmeot Regional Office, Cambridge Bay and 4 at the Baffin Regional Office, Pond Inlet.
All of these persons have full-time positions.
It is anticipated that the same level of staff will be employed by the Qulliq Fuel Corporation as are employed by the Petroleum Products Division.
From April 1, 2004, to April 1, 2005, what expenditures are planned by the Government of Nunavut in relation to the transfer of functions and personnel of the Petroleum Products Division of the Department of Community and Government Services to the Qulliq Energy Corporation’s subsidiary known as the Qulliq Fuel Corporation in each of the following areas:
A total of $500,000 has been identified in the CGS budget related to the PPD transfer to QEC.
That is intended to fund environmental site assessments related to liability issues, computer hardware and software, and legal fees associated with the transfer.
A contribution agreement is currently being negotiated for the use of these funds.
As it is anticipated that the current staff and physical offices will be transferred, no funds have been allocated for relocation, severance, recruitment or office renovation.
Speaker (interpretation): Item 9, Replies to Opening Address; Item 10, Petitions; Item 11, Reports of Standing and Special Committees; Item 12, Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills; Item 13, Tabling of documents, Mr. Picco.
Item 9: Tabling of Documents
Tabled Document 029 – 2(1): Response to Petition 2 – 2(1) – Training Courses for Taloyoak (Picco)
I’m pleased to table the response to petition 2-2(1) Training Courses for Taloyoak.
This is in response to the petition for more training courses, tabled by the Member for Natsiliq.
Nunavut Arctic College’s adult educator conducted a community- needs assessment by consulting with key stakeholders in the community over the past few weeks.
The college will be working proactively with various partners and funding agencies to deliver programs identified in the report in the community of Taloyoak and other communities in the Kitikmeot region.
Tabling of documents, Mr. Curley.
Tabled Document 030 – 2(1): Kivalliq Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting Resolutions 2004 (Curley)
I would like to table a document, the Kivalliq Chamber of Commerce Annual Report from their March annual general meeting.
Speaker (interpretation): Item 14.
Bill 2 – Appropriations (O&M) Act, 2004-2005, with Mr. Netser in the chair.
We’ll take a 10-minute break and resume at 1:30 after lunch.
Sergeant- at- arms.
>>House recessed at 11:28 and resumed at 11:39
In the Committee of the Whole, we have Bill 2 to deal with, you all know it now.
Mr. Akesuk, please proceed with your opening comments.
Before proceeding with my opening comments, I would like to talk about the main estimates and total for the Department of Environment, which is a total of $16,168,000.
(Interpretation ends.) The Department of Environment was given the lead responsibility for the protection, promotion, enhancement, and sustainable use of Nunavut’s environment and renewable resources.
Our department is responsible for a wide range of regulatory and program functions, including a number of the legal and statutory obligations of the Government of Nunavut.
In order to achieve this, we have structured the program delivery component of the department to concentrate on four areas:
Wildlife Management
Environmental Protection,
Fisheries and Sealing, and
Parks and Conservation Areas
One of the major challenges facing my department in 2004-05 will be to deliver on our existing mandatory management, regulatory, and land claim responsibilities and obligations, and yet still provide needed support to Nunavut harvesters.
In order to ensure that the funding we have provides real benefits to Nunavummiut, our main estimates and business plan for 2004-05 focus on two key areas:
Delivering on our mandatory obligations and responsibilities
Supporting partnerships within strategic areas of our operations
Obligations and Responsibilities:
The Department of Environment has a number of specific obligations and areas of responsibility under the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement that are directly related to the management of Nunavut’s resources.
Among other things, this includes ongoing responsibility for the co- management of all wildlife in Nunavut, land use planning, environmental regulatory functions, and responsibility for the implementation of the Territorial Parks Inuit Impact and Benefits Agreement.
As you can see, a significant portion of our overall budget goes to ensuring that we meet those obligations.
Focus on Partnerships:
Where possible, by partnering with other organizations and institutions, the department will maximize the impact of our dollars to increase or supplement our internal capacity.
For example, all funding provided under our Fisheries Development and Diversification Program is on a cost- shared basis, which increases the funds available to support the development of Nunavut’s emerging fishing industry.
Last year, a total of $350,000 in funding was available through this program, and we were successful in leveraging more than twice that amount from other sources, which was injected directly into the development and diversification of Nunavut’s fishing industry.
We will continue to fund this program at the same level in 2004-05.
Another example is the creation of the Nunavut Energy Centre.
The department is working in partnership with Qulliq Energy Corporation, NTI, and other stakeholders to establish a hands-on vehicle for reducing Nunavut’s energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as developing local alternative energy technologies.
A relatively small investment on the part of the department will support the development of this much-needed enterprise and help us deliver on our climate change commitments.
Throughout our budgeting and planning for 2004-05, in all cases we have attempted to support partnerships as the most efficient and cost-effective approach to getting things done.
Mr. Chairman, the Department of Environment is committed to fiscal responsibility and will do our best to work within existing fiscal restraints, but I do want to let you know that we will require ongoing supplementary funding linked directly to the creation of the new Department of Environment.
Without this support, significant operational decisions regarding program delivery and support will have to be made.
Closing Remarks:
In closing, Mr. Chairman, I’d like to point out that the Department of Environment’s 2004-05 main estimates and business plan are based on a considered and well-focused strategy that clearly supports the obligations and priorities of the Government of Nunavut as well as the needs of Nunavummiut.
I am confident that my department will provide Nunavummiut with the highest standard of performance and accountability.