EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
This exercise will ensure that our efforts and expenditures are consistent with our goals in the Bathurst Mandate and the needs of Nunavummiut.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Ng. The Chairman of the Standing Committee on Government and Operations and Services, Mr. Tootoo.
Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Services has carefully reviewed the budget estimates and business plan of the Department of Finance and Administration for the upcoming fiscal year.
As Chairman of the Standing Committee I am pleased to be able to provide the Committee's opening comments as we begin the review of the Department’s 2001-2002 budget.
The committee notes that the department's budget for the 2001-2002 fiscal year is approximately 38 million dollars.
This is an increase of over 8 million dollars from the department's original 2000-2001 main estimates.
The majority of the spending increase appears to be due to the cost of office leases for Government of Nunavut departments.
The committee will be seeking clarification from the minister as to whether further lease costs are likely to be incurred in future years or whether the total amount of leases has stabilized at this spending level.
Another area of major expenditure is information technology.
The committee notes that the department’s total IT spending in the first three fiscal years of Nunavut's existence is approximately 19.8 million dollars.
When added to the IT spending of the Department of Public Works over the first three fiscal years of this government, the grand total is over 57 million dollars.
The committee notes that the Department of Finance and Administration's 2001-2002 spending in the informatics planning and system development branch is 4.6 million dollars, which is down from the amount of 8.1 million in the revised 2000-2001 estimates.
The committee will also be interested in seeking clarification as to whether spending is being stabilized in this area and what measures the department will be introducing to ensure that costs do not spiral out of control in this area.
Mr. Chairman, the committee recognizes the leadership role that Finance and Administration plays as a Government of Nunavut central agency.
In reviewing the department's business plan, the committee noted a number of initiatives that have the potential to have a significant impact on GN-wide operations.
Updating the Financial Administration Act;
Expanding the use of internal and forensic audits;
Implementing a long-range plan for Information Technology for the government;
Negotiating a devolution agreement with the federal government;
Managing the government's multi-year capital planning process;
Co-ordinating, with Executive & Intergovernmental Affairs, the business planning process for Government of Nunavut departments;
Preparing the public accounts;
Reviewing the subsidy programs for various utility services, including electricity and fuel; and
Strengthening the government's budget development process.
Mr. Chairman, these initiatives touch on a number of themes and concerns that the committee has raised with the minister.
The committee has consistently advocated that the government present information is as transparent a manner as possible.
For example, while members have been pleased to see the level of detail improve in the estimates documents, there is more that can be done in the area of publicly reporting such actual expenditures as contracts above a certain minimum amount.
The committee noted with approval that this year has seen the Government of Nunavut's estimates and business plan being made available on-line for the first time.
Members continue to support measures like this to make government documents and financial information available to the public.
The committee has also raised concerns about the level of co-operation and co-ordination at the centre of government on such broad initiatives as program review.
Other committees have also noted for example, the overlap in roles and responsibilities related to the reviews of utility and subsidy issues.
Over the coming years the standing committee will be strongly interested in monitoring and commenting upon the progress of the government program review exercise, which members understand that the department will be working with executive and intergovernmental affairs to co-ordinate.
Mr. Chairman, the committee continues to be concerned that the decentralization of the Baffin regional offices to Igloolik takes place on schedule and that the department make every effort to maximize employment opportunities for local residents.
Finally, although the department has no planned capital spending in 2001-2002, the committee notes that the Government of Nunavut's Five Year Capital Plan provides 777 thousand dollars in 2002-2003 for currently unidentified projects for the government’s central agencies.
I anticipate that individual members will raise their own comments and concerns on the department’s 2001-2002 main estimates.
The minister already made his opening comments.
The minister can now go to the witness table.
On Monday's it's usually kind of hard mentally and physically, it never fails, Monday is always a hard day.
I would like to move to report progress.
We'll start bright and early tomorrow morning.
Mr. Speaker, if you are here or watching, you can come now.
Going back to the Orders of the Day. Item 20.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering bill 4 and bill 1.
I would like to report that bill 4 is ready for third reading and bill 1 is still under consideration and would like to report progress.
Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 27, 2001:
The House stands adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday, March 27, 2001, 10:00 a.m.
>>House adjourned at 6:12 p.m.
Tuesday March 27, 2001
Pages 1119 - 1218
Tuesday March 27, 2001 4
054 – 1(5): Signing of Audited Financial Statements (Ng) 4
156 – 1(5): Loss of Inuktitut Language (Arvaluk) 4
190 – 1(5): Use of Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtuun (Arvaluk) 4
191 – 1(5): Elders in Courts (Nutarak) 4
192 - 1(5): Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Funding (Iqaqrialu) 4
193 – 1(5): Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Co-ordinator Appointment (Williams) 4
194 - 1(5): Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Co-ordinator Appointment Process (Irqittuq) 4
195 - 1(5): Translation of Federal Government Documents (Havioyak) 4
196 - 1(5): Bridging Gap Between Elders and Youth (McLean) 4
197 – 1(5): Payment for Grave Workers (Irqittuq) 4
198 – 1(5): Elders’ Meeting Agenda (Iqaqrialu) 4
019 – 1(5): Nunavut Public Housing Rent Scale Review (Thompson) 4
Bill 4 – An Act to Amend the Interpretation Act, Time Zones – Third Reading (Okalik) 4
Tuesday March 27, 2001  Nunavut Hansard
Honourable Olayuk Akesuk, Honourable Jack Anawak, Mr. James Arvaluk, Mr. Donald Havioyak, Mr. David Iqaqrialu, Mr. Enoki Irqittuq, Honourable Peter Kattuk, Honourable Peter Kilabuk, Mr. Glenn McLean, Honourable Kelvin Ng, Mr. Jobie Nutarak, Honourable Paul Okalik, Honourable Ed Picco, Honourable Manitok Thompson, Mr. Uriash Puqiqnak, Mr. Hunter Tootoo, Ms. Rebekah Williams.
Deputy Speaker (Mr. Puqiqnak) (interpretation): I will ask Mr. Iqaqrialu to say the opening prayer.
Speaker (interpretation): Good morning, Mr. Premier, Members of the Legislative Assembly, interpreters.
Minister’s Statement 054 – 1(5): Signing of Audited Financial Statements
Mr. Speaker, yesterday in this Assembly, I was happy to participate, along with the Auditor General of Canada in the historic signing of the first Audited Financial Statements for the first year of operations of our government.
Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General's first opinion on Nunavut's consolidated financial statements is 'clean'.
That is to say, the Auditor General is satisfied that the Government's financial statements are materially in accordance with accounting standards used for Canadian governments.
Mr. Desautels is satisfied that there are no significant instances where the Government's operations have not been in accordance with its financial authorities.
The 1999/2000 Audited Consolidated Financial Statements will be tabled in the Legislative Assembly once they are translated into Inuktitut.
The Government of Nunavut understands that, as is done for his work in the other territories, the Auditor General will also prepare a report that will be tabled in the Nunavut Legislative Assembly.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Desautels for his commitment to ensuring that the financial management of the Government of Nunavut gets off to a good start.
This commitment is very much appreciated by our government.
Mr. Desautels came to Nunavut in his last week of a ten-year term as Auditor General to see this through and we wish him well in his retirement.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Ng. Ministers’ Statements.
Member for Nanulik. Mr. Arvaluk.
Member’s Statement 156 – 1(5): Loss of Inuktitut Language
We are proud of the Inuit language and we hope that we use it.
Of course in Nunavut and in the rest of Canada, when a language is not used anymore you start losing that culture.
There was a time when our language was not being used here in Nunavut and we realize today that some of the language is no longer being used.
When we look back at the usage of our language there has been dissolution of our language.
As a government and as Members of the Legislative Assembly, we have to make sure that our Inuktitut language is healthy, and that includes the Inuinnaqtuun language.
We hope that we can retain our Inuktitut language and therefore we have to learn the meanings of our Inuktitut terminology and we have to start using it again.
This will retain and promote our traditional Inuktitut terminology, whether it is the Department of Education or any other government department we have to make sure that we promote our language and do not neglect it.
We hope that each government department promotes and protects our language, and I will be asking questions about this when question period begins.
Question 190 – 1(5): Use of Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtuun
My question is about local governments and other government funded organizations and businesses in the communities.
My question is, does the minister’s department ask these groups to use the Inuktitut language.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister for Culture, Language, Elders & Youth.
That is an excellent question posed by the member.
Our department funds proposals that are made by the elders and the youth, but to date we have not given direction to the departments or the organizations that we fund to use any particular language.
Are you going to be writing, or have you written a letter to the local governments or organizations to promote the usage of Inuktitut.
Especially for correspondence and press releases or publications.
What the member says is very true.
The Inuit language and culture has been in use for thousands of years.
It is our hope that the language is used out in the communities.
In response to your question about whether we are going to be writing a letter to the community governments, I will consider it.
The minister has taken it as notice.
Mr. Arvaluk, I will allow you one more question.
I thought the minister said that he would be writing a letter to the communities.
Mr. Speaker, I have noticed, especially here in Iqaluit, which is the capital of Nunavut, that publications that will be going out to the communities are hardly ever written in Inuktitut.
Will the minister make sure that any correspondence or publications that are coming from the Nunavut Government and going to the local governments are written in Inuktitut.
I have already told the member I would take his original question as notice.
You mentioned the community of Iqaluit when they are sending correspondence, letters or publications to the communities, I will review your question as to whether we will put together a policy on corresponding with the communities.
Speaker (interpretation): The minister has said that he will take this as notice and he will be responding at a later date.
Question 191 – 1(5): Elders in Courts
We use the elders to learn about reading the weather and the way the land is.
They usually go and listen to people that are going to court in their communities.
I just wondered if the elders could perhaps get some kind of recognition when they attend court.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister for Culture, Language, Elders and Youth. Mr. Kattuk.
The question by the member is not directed at my department.
Perhaps it would be better if it were directed to the Minister of Justice.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. I will ask Mr. Nutarak, Member for Tunnuniq, to clarify his question.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): The reason why I am asking this question is the Minister is for Culture, Language, Elders and Youth not the other member for the Department of Justice.
It should not be directed to the Minister of Justice.
The only reason why I am asking the minister is because he deals with Elders, Language and Culture.
The question by the member, perhaps I could answer it this way.
The departments of the Government of Nunavut are all responsible to use Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
It doesn't matter which department you are in, all the departments deal with Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit now and in the future.
It is the responsibility of all government departments to follow Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit in their departments.
Regardless of whether it is the Justice Department, whether it is Health and Social Services or any other department.
For example, if you follow the policies of the Department of Education.
If you take training in environmental issues then you can get some kind of recognition or achievement certificate or something.
But today there is no recognition or achievement certificate unless you have taken some courses.
The Inuit have not taken any formal education and they have not been given an achievement certificate of any kind.
I just wondered if that Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth would be recognizing elders by giving them an achievement award.
In response to the question by the member, the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth provides funding to the communities when the entities apply for funding.
So we provide funding to the entities or individuals that apply.
But in spite of that we do now have a new committee to deal with applications. I am sure we will be looking into how we can use culture and promote culture in Nunavut because our department is responsible to do that.
I am sure we will have more work to do in the future.
At this time I don't have any plans to tell the communities what to do.
I just want to make sure that the elders are recognized for their achievements. I wonder if the minister can consider giving an achievement certificate to the elders and if he can put it in the policies before he recognizes them.
I know that the elders are very knowledgeable, especially in regards to Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit such as reading the weather and the dangers and things on the land.
I have been thinking to myself about how we can give them some kind of qualification or an achievement certificate.
All the things that we use today are things that we have always asked our elders and then they give us our knowledge.
Question 192 - 1(5): Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Funding
This is a question to the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
Today the language that we use is Inuktitut.
Looking at the money that has been allocated to the Culture, Language, Elders and Youth department and that it is the responsibility of this department to make sure Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and Inuit language is promoted, is he going to be doing more vigorous work to promote the languages.
In response to the question by the member, there is a committee that is in existence to deal with the question of the member but they have not reported any recommendations back to me.
They will be reporting back to me in this regard and I am pretty sure the committee will be doing the work.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Supplementary.
Yes, I understand his response.
My other question is in his department, in regards to the department’s responsibility.
We have to use the interpreters all the time when we have our session.
That is the only way we can run as a government is through using our interpreters.
The question asked by the Member for Tunnuniq about giving achievement qualification papers for Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, I just wondered if the department could give an achievement or qualification certificate to people that know the Inuktitut language.
Yes, we can look into it.
Hearing this, if you are just going to be reviewing this it will not go ahead.
I was wondering if you would actually act on it instead of just reviewing it.
If you just review it, it will not go anywhere.
If you act upon it after doing your review, I would like the minister to just commit to acting on it.
After reviewing it that is the only time I can make a decision as to what I should do.
So therefore, I will have to review it.
That’s the only response I can give you.
He will look into it, according to my understanding he has taken it as notice.
Members for Quttiktuq.
Question 193 – 1(5): Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Co-ordinator Appointment
The other day during his opening comments it states, that for this committee the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Tunngaviksaliuqtiit Task Force, a co-ordinator has been identified and the individual will be appointed.
I would like to ask the minister why we have to appoint this individual, why wasn’t it a job opportunity for everyone to apply for.
Minister Kattuk.  Hon. Peter Kattuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
In response to the member’s question, I don’t have the details in front of me so I will get the response to you today if not tomorrow.
Speaker (interpretation): Your response will be given to you, so it is taken as notice.
I was going to ask a supplementary to my question.
I don’t think the minister will need to respond. (interpretation ends) The minister said, my department is also continuing to support the importance of the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Tunngaviksaliuqtiit Task Force.
We have identified an appropriate candidate for the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit co-ordinator position and we are currently working to appoint the individual.
My question is, was this job advertised to the public, and why is it that they are appointing somebody.
I apologize, the minister said that he would take your question as notice.
I am sorry for not noting that.
Yes, she asked if we advertised this, and we are trying to get this co-ordinator according to the rules we have in our department.
Perhaps I would like to ask again.
Did you advertise this out to the public.
This job opportunity.
In response to your question, when she first asked it I responded by saying I will get back to you with the information.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Ms. Williams.
My question is was this job advertised. Was this advertised to the public.
Speaker (interpretation): That was your final supplementary.
I would like to ask the minister did you take the question as notice.
When I first responded that is what I said.
But at this time I now have the information.
It was done properly according to the rules we have.
Going back to Item 6 on our Orders of the Day.
Question 194 - 1(5): Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Co-ordinator Appointment Process
Mr. Speaker, I was going to ask a different question in regards to the response that the minister was giving.
I could not understand his response.
The members here were asking if this position was advertised and he said they followed the proper procedure.
My question is Mr. Speaker, what kind of procedures do you follow.
What procedures.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Minister responsible for Culture, Language, Elders and Youth. Mr. Kattuk.
When the member asked me the question I responded by saying that we followed the procedure for advertising positions.
This was done at the community level.
He responded by saying that this was done following the procedures they have.
Is his response that this position was advertised.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Minister Kattuk.
Question 195 - 1(5): Translation of Federal Government Documents
This question is for the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth. (interpretation) The other day we discussed documents that were translated into Inuinnaqtun.
A lot of the work has not been completed into Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtut.
Speaking of Inuinnaqtut, these documents need to be translated, especially by the federal government.
When he sees these documents, how does he deal with them when they are not translated into Inuinnaqtut or Inuktitut.
People in Kugluktuk should be able to read these documents when they come from Ottawa.
How does he deal with them.
The member is probably aware that in January I was visiting his constituency and we met with the leaders there.
This question was raised then and I told them I would like to see a letter requesting documents to be translated into Inuktitut.
When documents come in from the federal government, I know that it is a concern in Kugluktuk when the documents aren’t translated.
However, I haven’t received a letter from the community asking for the documents to be translated.
I am glad that he is aware.
My question is, if you see information that people should be aware of, whether it is from the federal government or wherever, when they are not translated, how do you deal with it.
How will you rectify this if the federal government doesn’t translate those documents. How are you going to co-ordinate this with the federal government, so that they are aware that Inuit need this information, the people in Kugluktuk.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Havioyak. Before I go on to the minister, there is still 30 minutes for oral questions.
Just to inform the members. Minister Kattuk.
I responded to his question.
I know this is a big responsibility.
Once I have received the letter from the community, I will see if I can work on this with our MP for Nunavut in Ottawa, I will look into it further.
Maybe I am not saying it very clearly.
For instance, this is part of the thought, not only government but airlines, different airlines are utilized throughout Nunavut.
Once they take off, there is a language that is utilized in the aircraft.
The minister must be aware because he's gone to Kugluktuk.
The message comes across in Inuktitut not in Inuinnaqtut.
How is he dealing with this so that it is rectified in our community of Kugluktuk.
His questions are more directed to the Federal government.
So I cannot respond to his question.
We are in Nunavut.
The ministers are here.
They should be assisting us when we have concerns within Nunavut.
They should make Ottawa aware.
We in Nunavut are not very happy about what goes on in Nunavut at times.
Will you be getting together with people in Ottawa so that our concerns in Nunavut can be made clear.
Question 196 - 1(5): Bridging Gap Between Elders and Youth
Uqaqti, my question today is to the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
Uqaqti over the Christmas period I had the privilege of having supper with the elders.
One of the questions that was brought up by a few of the elders was, now that Nunavut has been established what is the Government of Nunavut going to do to bridge the distance between elders and youth and bring them together in Nunavut.
That is my question today to the minister. How does his department see bridging that gap between the elders and youth today.
Speaker (interpretation): Ma'na.
Minister for Culture, Language, Elders and Youth. Mr. Kattuk.
Hon. Peter Kattuk: That is a good question.
I think all of us, all the communities want to bridge the gap between elders and youth in the communities.
I think working together in communities is a very positive way of doing things.
I want as the Minister responsible for Elders and Youth to get the communities to work together but I think sometimes the funds that we receive are not enough. But we try to use it as best as possible to help the elders and youth in communities.
So I think what I am saying is that we will try our best to help the communities get the elders and youth together.
Uqaqti, that’s a good answer.