EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
When we pay for a ticket, we will pay for the ticket the same amount, if we pay three weeks in advance or 24-hours in advance.
However, Mr. Speaker, when the Member goes to the airport, if the airline had oversold that plane, the Member will be left behind and so will the hospital patients and that is the issue that we have brought forward.
The Member is correct and he has raised that issue that is in some cases the flights are oversold and the people are left behind, including sometimes Members from the Assembly when they are trying to get back to their community or hospital patients and that is a different issue.
It deals with the issue of the loads that the planes are carrying.
Yes, his response, I really do not believe his response, I just do not see it happening.
You would think that First Air flights are always full to Hall Beach and Igloolik from here.
So, you would think that the medical patients will, a lot of times only make it if the flight is not overbooked.
I am wondering if those medical patients are the last priority on those flights from my experience.
So, Mr. Speaker, I will try and get the numbers as to how many numbers within the year, how many patients have been left behind trying to go back to Hall Beach and Igloolik.
So, Mr. Speaker, probably because the fares are negotiated, and it seems to be the case from first hand observation, is that why they are less of a priority?
Mr. Speaker, again, the fare has been negotiated to give the Government a better price because we are a volume user of the airlines, meaning we sent lots of people on the planes and by getting a discount, we can save the Government money.
That should not reflect the patient’s ability to get on the plane.
So, if the Member knows for example, it was on Tuesday that the five patients were left behind, and then we would look into that right away and find out why because they should not be bumped because they are hospital patients.
The fare schedule that we have negotiated with First Air, is not based on a priority standard, it is based on the seats that are available and our patients should not be bumped.
So, if the Member knows when this has occurred and if you give that information to me, then I can follow up with the airline.
Question 718 – 1(6): Funding Instruction for Disabled Students
Mr. Netser (interpretation): Qujannamiik, Mr. Speaker.
My question today is to the Minister of Education.
In Chesterfield Inlet, the school provides an education program for disabled children and I received correspondence stating that there is no funding for the instruction of disabled children.
I would like to ask the Minister if there is any funding provided for disabled students.
Students, yes, we do take them into account using the teacher-pupil ratio.
We count the number of students; we do not identify which are physically or mentally challenged.
In regards to the Member’s question, Chesterfield Inlet education council is very concerned about this as well as myself as the Minister of Education.
Mr. Speaker, in Rankin Inlet, the people have stated that there is a facility for disabled people.
They have to attend school and there are also individuals from Chesterfield Inlet who need to go to school as well.
There is no funding available to train or get additional instructors because we use a per capita formula when we provide or allocate funding for those.
We do not take into consideration whether they are disabled or not, we simply use the student teacher ratio to calculate allocation of funding for schools.
I was told by resource people in 2002, the Department did a funding formula review and what specifically is being done to implement its recommendations?
As I was not the Minister at that time, I know there was a review on income support where we knew that we needed $10 million dollars more for income support.
That was under the Education review.
Mr. Speaker, when I became the Minister I had asked for input from all the teachers in Nunavut asking them to complete the survey and this is one of the comments that will be coming forward, I am sure, from the teachers, that we need to start looking at finding money to assist the students who have disabilities or special needs in our classrooms because as I have said before, we count the heads, but we do not count the needs of the students when we are allocating funds to the schools.
Mr. Speaker, I could not say anything more on the review that was done because I was not the Minister at the time and I am not really familiar with that, but I am doing something about getting some input from the teachers and the District Education Authorities and the stakeholders out there to give me some future direction on the education of Nunavut.
Question 719 – 1(6): Proper Examinations for Patients in the Communities
Patients who go into the nursing stations to be examined are seen by a nurse.
Each individual nurse’s attitude varies at times, some of the nurses perform proper examination of their patients and some nurses do not bother to properly examine the patients who go into the health centres, especially the small children.
Can you make sure that the nurses in the communities conduct proper examinations?
Do you check on the nurses to ensure that they perform proper examinations on their patients?
Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity to catch part of that question when I was coming through, and Mr. Speaker, the Member has raised the issue in his Member’s Statement earlier as well as in the House before with concerns with the way nurses, medical professionals in general in the Department of Health and Social Services on how they have made diagnosis and so on and how they work with the patients.
Mr. Speaker, we have set up a best practises unit in Kugluktuk.
In there Mr. Speaker, we have an Assistant Deputy Minister who does review as well as an analysis on concerns, complaints being brought forward by communities with regards to the best practises of the Department of Health and Social Services.
If the Member is aware of a specific case than that is something that we can bring forward confidentially and be able to review with the Member or with communities in general.
As people we walk into health centres to be examined.
Although the Minister stated that they perform evaluations of the nurses and to make sure that they’re doing the job that they’re supposed to be doing; I'm not saying that they do not do their job improperly, but what I am saying is how can we make sure that the nurses perform proper check ups on the patients who walk in.
Mr. Speaker, It’s been said many times that medical science is not an exact science.
What occurs Mr. Speaker, lets say the Member goes to a health centre with a headache, Mr. Speaker, the nurses may ask how long the person has had that pain in their head, are there any other extenuating circumstances, did they fall down and hit their head, so on and so forth, then they prescribe Tylenol.
If three days later the person still has a headache, it may be something else.
This is how most medical professionals make diagnosis, they take the best case scenario, they take best practise that is available and they make that diagnosis.
Sometimes those diagnosis are incorrect, like any other field of study or walk of life, you need to be able to follow them up.
What I can say Mr. Speaker, is that every nurse who works in Nunavut, who works in a communities, who works with the hospital here for example in Iqaluit, they are trained, they have gone to school, they are licensed and they try to do the best job that the Member says that they can.
They work long hours and they are dedicated.
What I can say Mr. Speaker, is that for patients who feel that are not being well served by a particular medical professional, then there are avenues that we just talked about where they can make those issues known, at the local level through the community health committee, through the MLA, the hamlet or Mr. Speaker, through our office than we can review that.
I think the Member has made a good point, that a lot of people are unsure how to bring those concerns forward a the local level and I think by asking questions in the House like this are helping people find out those ways to access and to advocate on behalf and for the patients.
Question 720 – 1(6): Water Problems at the Kugluktuk Water Treatment Plant
It is getting pretty cold in here.
I have short question to the Minister of Community Government and Transportation.
Yesterday I had mentioned in the House that we had a lot of water problems in our community with the water plant.
I would like to see that water treatment plant be fixed.
It’s an ongoing problem in our community and I would like to see the Minister commit himself to finally fix the water problem in our community.
Maybe the Minister should have it permanently fixed in the future so that this ongoing problem does not occur.
I apologise that Kugluktuk has had problems for quite some time in regards to their water.
There are times when there is salt and sand in the water and this has been an ongoing problem in the community of Kugluktuk.
If I understand the Member’s question, we have plans to rectify the problem.
For the 2004/2005 budget we have set aside some funding to resolve this problem and we would like to see them maintain their water treatment plant so that it will not be a continuing problem.
Thank you, Minister for answering some of my questions.
Yesterday I had mentioned that the water pumping station should be moved somewhere else where the tide does not come into it.
Perhaps it should be moved further upstream where the tide cannot reach it.
The pumping station should be moved further inland.
The hamlet had suggested to the Minister to move the pumping station further upstream.
The problem with Kugluktuk, which the Member has stated, to date it’s been quite a problem with the salt getting into the drinking water because of drainage.
In regards to the salt problem in their drinking water, just last November our staff and the officials from Public Works and Services did an emergency repair job in regards to this issue.
Perhaps installing another pumping station that is further up the river is a possible solution to this issue to make sure that there are no further emergencies.
I am glad to see that the Minister is looking into the problem.
I have another supplementary question I want to ask the Minister and possibly in part, the hamlet and maybe Government of Nunavut working together to try and solve the problem of having this problem in Kugluktuk.
I want to ask the Minister if you are working with the Hamlet of Kugluktuk and Public Works to work in to solve this problem in Kugluktuk?
Yes, we have consulted with the Municipal Council and we have been updating them as this is progressing so that there will not be any concerns for the community.
I will remind my officials to contact or to keep updating the Municipality of Kugluktuk.
Thank you, Minister for answering my question regarding this one.
Has the Minister asked for the money from the federal infrastructure program to find long term solutions to Kugluktuk’s seasonal water problem?
The funding arrangements with the Federal Government sure has been welcome news to this Government and we also look forward to further discussions with the Federal Government, in finding not only arrangements as to how we will distribute the funding that we have secured at this time, but also, Mr. Speaker, we will definitely continue to pursue and in approaching the Federal Government to also find other sources of funding to help meet the needs of water and sewage problems here in Nunavut.
Question 721 – 1(6): Update on Qikiqtarjuaq Shoreline Erosion
Just before the Question Period is over, thank you for allowing me to ask a question.
I would like to ask the Minister for Community Government and Transportation.
In my community of Qikiqtarjuaq, we wanted a study on the shoreline of the community done because of the erosion that is happening.
What is the status of that study that I requested, or is that the responsibility of Fisheries and Oceans?
If the Minister can give me a response,thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I stated in this House that the docking facilities and the other facilities that are used for boats in the community of Qikiqtarjuaq were not completed.
But here today, I could say I think that there has been a few communities that have not, had their studies completed as yet as well as the community of Qikiqtarjuaq has not, the study has not been completed, so I cannot really answer his question at this time.
I already know about the planning stages of that concern that I have.
But I am asking a question about the shore line that is eroding.
It’s starting to come close to the houses because of erosion and we wanted a study done on that and I just wanted to know what the status of that is at this time.
I apologise to the Member for misunderstanding his question.
I though he was talking about docking facilities, but I know now that he is talking about the erosion of the shore line.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to assure the Member that in the next couple of days, before the end of the session, I will be working with him and my staff in regards to his question.
I do not have a response for him at this time.
I have to look at my paperwork and I can sit down with the Member and my staff and talk to him about that.
Question 722 – 1(6): Tanning Facility for Nunavut
Mr. Speaker, this morning during my Member’s Statement about traditional clothing that is used here in the winter time here in the north; we are not properly dressed and that is why we are feeling cold this morning.
I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Sustainable Development about the traditional clothing that comes from the northern wildlife.
Because they’re not really visible at this time I would like to ask the Minister of Sustainable Development, Mr. Speaker, if there is a tanning facility in the north.
We could utilize it to tan seal skins and other hides.
I would like to ask the Minister if he could tell me if there is a facility in Nunavut that provides tanning and traditional clothing centre here in Nunavut.
There is such a facility here in Nunavut.
There has been a lot going in regards to seal skin clothing products, as well as here in Iqaluit and Arviat.
Perhaps if he was wearing a seal skin vest he wouldn’t be that cold.
In regards to his question, we would like to promote such facilities for tanning and making traditional clothing and for the people of Nunavut to be able to use more of those traditional clothing, we would like to promote that.
It would be very beneficial for the people of Nunavut.
We could be providing more employment opportunities for the women out there in Nunavut if there were more facilities promoted.
Mr. Speaker, he stated that there is one here in Iqaluit and in Arviat.
Sometimes the clothing in the retail stores are very expensive such as boots that are manufactured.
When you use those while hunting, they are not very warm, and there are also some people out there who I went out hunting with who are young people and some adults who do not know how to prepare skins.
It seems like when you are wearing manufactured clothing, they feel a lot colder when you are not wearing the traditional clothing.
I would like to ask the Minister using my communities as examples, Taloyoak and Gjoa Haven, there are no facilities in those communities for skin preparation and clothing, sewing clothing, traditional clothing.
Can you not interrupt me while I am asking a question?
I would like to ask the Minister of Sustainable Development if there are been any plans in place to provide those facilities in some communities for skin preparation and making traditional clothing?
To my knowledge, in the community of Cape Dorset the women used to be provided with some funding to make traditional clothing such as kamiks and caribou parkas and other items, as well as skin preparation that was taught quite a few years ago.
We will look at how we can further look into this matter.
There is also a sewing center in Taloyoak called Taluq.
We can work with them to see what kinds of expansion that we can provide for them.
There are many economic opportunities here in Nunavut and we have to look at creating more economic development opportunities such as what the Member is mentioning.
The Government cannot do this alone; there are bodies out there that we can partner with to try and foster economic development in the communities.
We have talked about using some communities where we can have in place those facilities that can create employment and at the same time, provide assistance to the clothing industry so the Inuit traditional clothing can be promoted.
I would like to commend the Minister for wanting to promote traditional clothing and skin preparation in the communities because in the north, in the arctic, it is very cold and clothing that is best suited to our environment is traditional clothing.
We expect that the women in the north and the young people in the north have to be taught the traditional ways of doing things such as making and preparing skins for clothing.
The Women’s Auxiliary, as well, could be provided with some funding to make traditional clothing and prepare skins.
My last question, Mr. Speaker, is when the Minister was talking about economic development and business development in the north under his Ministers’ Statement, I understood him to say that there would be more traditional clothing and skin preparation centers created in communities.
We can look into those suggestions made by the Member and start creating those kinds of facilities.
I would like to assure the Member that we will do our best to try and create some economic development opportunities in the communities for the benefit of the people.
We could perhaps work with community initiatives to provide some funding to build those kinds of facilities for the people of Nunavut and the communities.
As the Minister for the Department of Sustainable Development I can assure you that there is funding that can be acquired by the community groups to do those things.
In Taloyoak there is a well know company called Taluk Designs.
In Gjoa Haven there is a group called Qammat; it is a women’s group.
I would like to ask the Minister whether there is an application form, for instance, if Taluk Designs were to teach a course in skin preparation is there an application process for funding for such programs.
Yes, funding is available and there are applications available.
There is an opportunity for his communities as well; either the hamlets or the Community Development Officers can help out in that process.
Question 723 – 1(6): NNI Policy Adjustment
It’s been a long morning, but it has been productive.
Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Premier in regards to the news release on the NNI policy.
Mr. Speaker, my first question to the Premier is, they changed the adjustments for Inuit firms from three percent to 7 percent and I think that is going to go a long way to help foster development in Inuit businesses and northern businesses in Nunavut.
The adjustment will be changed from seven percent for Inuit firms; I commend the Government on that.
Seven percent for local firms, I commend the Government on that and seven percent for Nunavut firms.
When is this policy supposed to take effect?
I thank the Member for advising us about the press release.
I know that the Minister responsible, Mr. Kattuk has been wanting to make this announcement in this House but unfortunately we could not accommodate that.
I thank the Member for bringing this information to the House.
Yes, this policy has been developed by many people; NTI has been very helpful, and the employees of NTI as well as ourselves and the people who took part in the hearings.
I want to thank them for their contributions in the hearings and as for the implementation date, we are looking at April 1 like any year in terms of starting the new policy.
I would like to thank the Premier for, that information and I am sure a lot of Inuit firms and small local firms will be very happy with the percentage increases to the businesses and to the Government and I am hoping that the Premier will make sure that all of the companies out there know that.
My next question is in regards to the NNI Policy which is tied into this news release.
There was talk of an Appeals Committee being set up.
Can he tell me when the Appeals Committee will be set up?
I understand that the appeals process is separate from the policy that had been worked on throughout this period and it should be implemented earlier because there are outstanding appeals and we just have to identify individuals to serve on the appeals process.
On that Appeals Board, I think I am happy about the Government having it formed and set up.
But my question on that Appeals Board is, if a contract is tendered out and you have four bidders and you have got two bidders that are very close and two that are not very close and one of the unsuccessful bidders is not awarded the contract and the other individuals decide that he is going to appeal to the decision of the contract, will this hold up the actual contract?
From what I understand, no.
Question 724 – 1(6): Traditional Adult Learning Centre
Earlier in my Statement, I am asking if the Department of Education is considering or planning hunter/sewing/language courses in the adult learning stream.
The strategy that I announced this morning is for adult learning and to ensure that they are learning different sectors, for instance, in the mining industry, in the fisheries industry, in the tourism industry and to ensure that we prepare adults in learning to take on those job opportunities which very rarely are taken on by Inuit.
So, Mr. Speaker, in this strategy, it states that there will be a language learning course either in English or Inuktitut to ensure that we train people in the area of languages and to learn and, learn how to write and speak in Inuktitut and English and to learn how to write properly.
It is in the strategy and as well, for our sewing courses we have heard, in some communities, that there is more of a call for sewing and skin preparation courses.
So, we will be considering those and we have, there has been request for more courses especially, Mr. Speaker, there was a call from Inuit that Inuit need to take on more jobs and that the adult learning process is sometimes impeded because it is not set up properly.
The adult learning strategies that are outside the mainstream schools, there are plans in place for them.
That is very encouraging to hear, but I would also like to emphasize the importance of this matter a bit.
The communities that I represent are quite cold.
We know that if we all learn how to speak in English and if all learned how to build a house, although there are jobs available, they will not always be filled, some people like to live the traditional life through hunting or sewing.
And so, because economy is not the only concern, I am wondering if the Minister can commit whether there is actually a strategy in place for these more traditional sewing and hunting courses and Inuktitut language courses.
Yes, it is encouraging to hear the Member is pursuing this matter.
There are many people out there who are losing the sewing and traditional hunting practises.
Mr. Speaker, this is an area that we should work on more; we should set up an Inuktitut lifestyle school and we can probably use it to teach more people out there in the traditional culture activities.
The Inuit Organizations, whether it be NTI and other organizations, we have worked with them on this strategy and those issues were brought up and Mr. Speaker, I can say that there is funding for adult learning centers in Nunavut and so, it is upon their discretion whether they want to teach certain courses, for instance, qamutik making or traditional tools building.
Because there are many issues out there, Mr. Speaker, I do agree, we should really work on this and really make an effort to ensure that we do not lose our tradition as Inuit and our youth have to be reminded of our ways.