EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
With respect to the establishment of the Nunavut Power Corporation, the Standing Committee recognizes the need for solid interdepartmental co-operation in ensuring a smooth establishment of the NPC, given the various players with roles and responsibilities.
Members will likely be seeking further detail on the 2000-2001 allocation of the Secretariat's $2.6 million budget.
The Law Review Commission (Maligarnit Qimirrujiit) is another body that has government-wide responsibilities and is funded through the Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affair's budget.
The Standing Committee looks forward to reviewing the work of the Commission over the coming year, as it fulfils its 2-year mandate.
Communications is another area that falls under the jurisdiction of the Department.
Members of the Standing Committee remain concerned that smaller communities are fully involved and informed of major government initiatives.
Effective communication and consultation is an important part of the Government's mandate, and Members take a strong interest in how this is carried out.
Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee has taken note of the department's role in providing government-wide services as audit, evaluation and statistics.
Members of the Standing Committee will likely seek further details on upcoming initiatives in these areas.
Finally, it is expected that the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Nunavut will present her first annual report during the next Session of the Legislative Assembly.
The Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs has the lead responsibility for ensuring government-wide compliance with the provisions of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Members of the Standing Committee take an interest in progress made in this area.
We will have to have a committee meeting this evening.
We have agreed that we would like to report progress right after the opening statements.
Sergeant-At-Arms if you would ask the Speaker to return please.
Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 13 and tabled documents 41 – 1(3), 61 – 1(3), 93 – 1(3), 95 – 1(3), 96 – 1(3) and 97 – 1(3) and would like to report that tabled document 95 – 1(3) and 96 – 1(3) are concluded. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the committee of the whole be concurred with.
I believe that is the Premier's first opportunity to second this motion so, I am glad that we have given him an opportunity to do so.
Apologies, nobody picked that up.
Third Reading of Bills. Item 22.
Meeting of regular caucus this evening at half past six.
Orders of the Day for Tuesday, May 2nd
Just before we close for the day I think the members will join me in wishing all the good people in Sanikiluaq speedy repairs to their power supply.
I am sure Mr. Picco and Mr. Anawak are doing as much as they can to make sure there is not too much discomfort realized.
According to the authority vested in me by Motion 3 – 1(3), this House stands adjourned until Tuesday May 2, at 10.00 a.m.
DAY 45
Tuesday, May 2, 2000
Pages 2114 - 2196
Opening Prayer 2114
Speaker's Ruling 1 2114
Speaker's Ruling 2 2117
Ministers’ Statements 2117
Members’ Statements 2118
Point of Order 2124
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 2125
Oral Questions 2127
Tabling of Documents 2145
Notices of Motions 2145
Motions 2146
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters.........................2150
Report of Committee of the Whole 2195
Orders of the day 2195
Tuesday May 2, 2000 2114
130 - 1(3): Minister Absent from the House (Okalik) 2117
131 - 1(3): Partial Power Re-Established in Sanikiluaq (Anawak) 2117
394 - 1(3): Youth and Healthy Communities (Alakannuark) 2118
395 - 1(3): Relocation of Graves in Amittuq (Irqituq) 2119
396 - 1(3): Passing of Teresa Irene Katak Ernerk (Puqiqnak) 2120
397 - 1(3): Arctic College Graduates (Iqaqrialu) 2121
398 - 1(3): Tribute to Passa Bruce (Thompson) 2121
399 - 1(3): Spring Time Activities (Picco) 2122
400 - 1(3): Rankin Inlet Dog Team Races (Anawak) 2122
401 - 1(3): Appreciation for Sessional Support (Kilabuk) 2123
402 - 1(3): Response to Minister Ng’s Member’s Statement - Out of Order (Tootoo) 2123
565 - 1(3): Costs Associated with Power Plant Fire (Barnabas) 2127
566 - 1(3): Financial Impact of Sanikiluaq Power Plant Fire (McLean) 2129
567 - 1(3): Response to Capital Commission Report (Tootoo) 2129
568 - 1(3): Timely Cancer Diagnoses (Iqaqrialu) 2130
569 - 1(3): Early Cancer Diagnoses (Irqittuq) 2133
570 – 1(3): CHR Smoking Cessation Work (Nutarak) 2136
571 – 1(3): Final Say on Disease Diagnosis (Banabas) 2137
572 – 1(3): Tender for Arena (Akesuk) 2139
573 – 1(3): Importance of Private Sector (McLean) 2140
574 – 1(3): Treatment of Seasonal Diseases (Alakannuark) 2141
575 – 1(3): Improved Budget Consultations (Akasuk) 2142
576 – 1(3): Implementation of Budget Consultation Results (Iqaqrialu) 2143
577 – 1(3): DEA Staffing Process (Barnabas) 2144
101 – 1(3): Culture, Language, Elders & Youth Business Plan (Okalik) 2145
102 – 1(3): Nunavut Tourism Business Plan (Kilabuk) 2145
28 – 1(3): Extended Adjournment (McLean) 2146  Tuesday May 2, 2000
Tuesday May 2, 2000
Mr. Ovide Alakannuark, Mr. Olayuk Akesuk, Honourable James Arvaluk, Honourable Jack Anawak, Mr. Levi Barnabas, Mr. David Iqaqrialu, Mr. Enoki Irqittuq, Honourable Peter Kilabuk, Mr. Glenn McLean, Honourable Kelvin Ng, Mr. Jobie Nutarak, Honourable Kevin O'Brien, Honourable Paul Okalik, Honourable Ed Picco, Mr. Uriash Puqiqnak, Honourable Manitok Thompson, Mr. Hunter Tootoo.
Speaker (Hon. Kevin O’Brien): I would like to ask Mr. Irqittuq to say the opening prayer.
Speaker: Good morning members, Mr. Premier.
Before we get to the Orders of the Day I have two rulings that I want to make today in reference to two Points of Order that were raised on the 19th.
I will have some general comments before we get to the actual ruling.
Speaker's Ruling 1
On the Member for Iqaluit Centre's Point of Order
Members, I have reviewed the rules of this Legislature, precedents from the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, Beauchesne’s parliamentary rules and forms standing order 18 of the house of commons and the most recent edition of the Federal House of Commons procedure and practice. Before giving my ruling I would like to make some introductory comments and I would like to ask the members to try and be serious while these comments are being read.
As the members are well aware, a point of order as defined in section 2(g) of the rules of this Legislative Assembly “means any departure from any written or unwritten rule or custom of this assembly or of parliamentary tradition”.
Beauchesne’s at citation 317 informs us that “points of order are questions raised with a view of calling attention to any departure from the standing orders or the customary modes of proceeding in debate or in the conduct of legislative business”.
The member for Iqaluit Centre’s point of order in effect questions whether or not the words used by the member for Cambridge Bay deviates from the accepted mode of debate in this Assembly.
What must be pointed out with this point of order, is that the context is very important in deciding what has taken place.
Once again to quote from Beauchesne’s at citation 486(1) “it is impossible to lay down any specific rules in regard to injurious reflections uttered in debate against particular members, or to declare beforehand what expressions are or are not contrary to order; much depends upon the tone and manner and intention of the person speaking...”
And further at citation 486(2) “an expression which is deemed to be unparliamentary today does not necessarily have to be deemed unparliamentary next week.”
I refer to these citations to show that the decision on whether or not the member has a point of order of this type is not a mechanical checking off of a particular word or phrase to see if it is on a prohibited list, nor does the ruling on one day establish an unbreakable precedent for all time.
It is dependent on more general principles than a list of forbidden words.
However, since context is important in deciding the issue, it also means that timeliness in bringing a point of order is important and as a general rule, they should be raised promptly when they occur.
I believe that it is also useful to indicate that once a point of order has been raised, the matter is within the hands of the Speaker for resolution.
Therefore, it would be improper for members unless asked by the speaker to debate the matter, or to make references to the point of order while addressing the Assembly in any other fashion.
The matter should not be referred to until the Speaker has made his ruling and once the ruling has been made the matter is considered closed.
As a final matter before turning to the point of order before me, I think it worthwhile to reflect on the reasons for having a parliamentary tradition of debate that attempts to keep matters from becoming too personal.
Reasonable people may differ and at the heart of the parliamentary system is vigorous debate between persons of different opinions on issues. Since emotions can naturally become heated in such a context, traditions have been established that attempt to confine the debate to the issues and keep it from falling into personal invective.
The debate should be about the issues and not the Honourable Members who bring the issues to this Assembly.
Hence rules are therefore set as guidelines for what is acceptable and what is not acceptable in that they keep the debate centred on the issues and not the personalities of the members.
In keeping with those principles it has become part of the parliamentary tradition in Canada arising out of standing order 18 of the Federal House of Commons that, and here I quote from the House of Commons Procedure and Practice, edition 2000 at page 522, “remarks directed specifically at another member which questions that member’s integrity, honesty or character are not in order.”
As well, Beauchesne’s and our rule 23(i) make it unparliamentary to impute false or hidden motives to another member.
In dealing with the point of order of the member for Iqaluit Centre, the question that therefore must be decided is, were the following words spoken by the Member for Cambridge Bay, and I quote “Mr. Speaker, I say shame on the member for misrepresenting the cost of the Killiniq high school project for his own political means.”
End of quote.
The fact that they questioned the honesty and integrity of the Member for Iqaluit Centre and as well did they impute a false motive to that member.
It is my ruling, that from the context of the debate that the answer is in the affirmative to both of these questions.
The Member for Iqaluit Centre was questioning the budget of the Cambridge Bay School and how certain figures were calculated.
I take this to be consistent with his duties as a regular member.
The Member for Cambridge Bay clearly states that the Member for Iqaluit Centre is misrepresenting the figures.
Now misrepresentation can be deliberate or unintentional.
But what it cannot be is unintentional but for a purpose.
The Member for Cambridge Bay gives a purpose for the misrepresentation, namely “for his own political means.”
Therefore it is clear from the context of the whole sentence spoken that the idea the Member for Cambridge Bay is communicating is that the Member for Iqaluit Centre is deliberately misrepresenting the figures.
In my opinion this questions the honesty and integrity of the Member for Iqaluit Centre and is therefore unparliamentary.
As well, the words spoken contain an imputation of false motive to the Member for Iqaluit Centre.
For these reasons I would therefore ask the member for Cambridge Bay to retract his remarks made to the Member for Iqaluit Centre.
However, I do not feel that the words spoken were so unparliamentary as to require or demand an apology.
At this point I would ask the Member for Cambridge Bay if he wishes to comment.
I refer my comments, Mr. Ng, to whether or not you are in agreement to withdraw your remarks that were made.
I accept your ruling and withdraw my comments as suggested.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. I think before we go to the next point of order, I think it is important members, and I can speak fairly freely on this because I remember in the last assembly I was asked to make an apology and retract remarks, and at times it is difficult to do so but we are looking at the business of the House and why we are here.
That we are elected as honourable members we have to do what is right and what is in the best interest of the House and also for the people that elected us.
I also, in the past, had I believe the former Premier got up and apologised for remarks that he made to me in the heat of debate.
Most times these comments are made not deliberately, it is in the heat of debate and I think we have to take them as such.
I think we have to caution each of us in being very careful in our choice of words.
I think more importantly in the tone and the body language that we use to convey your message.
Once again, I thank Mr. Ng for withdrawing his remarks.
The second ruling is in reference to a point of order that was raised on the 19th of April by Mr. Ng I believe.
We will forego the preamble and I will just get right to the heart of the matter.
Speaker's Ruling 2
On the Member for Cambridge Bay's Point of Order
I have reviewed the provisional rules and the Hansard from April 19th.
Having done so I am unable to conclude that any parliamentary rules or conventions have been violated.
I note that the Member for Cambridge Bay took the opportunity to clarify the means by which he had determined the budget figures for the Killiniq high school project, clearly indicating that he had referenced documents which had been tabled in this house.
In conclusion, I find that there is no point of order.
I believe comments made by the member were just more of a point of clarification.
That concludes the Points of Order and the decisions made by the Speaker’s Office.
We will now go back to Orders of the Day.
Minister’s Statement 130 - 1(3): Minister Absent from the House
Mr Speaker, I wish to advise members that the Honourable Peter Kattuk will not be here today Tuesday May 2, 2000 to attend to the emergency in Sanikiluaq.
Ministers’ Statements. Mr Anawak.
Minister’s Statement 131 - 1(3): Partial Power Re-Established in Sanikiluaq
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, I rise to update members and the Nunavut people as to the status in Sanikiluaq.
I am pleased to inform the House that with the arrival of a first generator, basic power has been restored to residential units in Sanikiluaq at the present time.
A second generator will be up and running by later this evening, thus restoring full power to the community.
This power installation will be capable of meeting the community’s full power needs until a permanent power station is built to replace the one lost to the fire.
Nunavut Emergency Services will continue to monitor the situation until the Mayor of Sanikiluaq declares the local state of emergency to be over.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to express my tremendous admiration and thanks to the community and to my staff, who are working closely together to support the effort to re-establish full power in Sanikiluaq.
I would also like to recognise, through the Honourable Ed Picco, the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation, the great effort that was put in by staff at NTPC.
Many of these people were jolted out of bed in the very early hours of yesterday morning and have been working tirelessly to resolve this crisis.
The Department of Community Government and Transportation will continue to work with the Hamlet of Sanikiluaq and NTPC until the crisis is over and the state of emergency is lifted.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank the Department of Education for working with the District Education Authority to have an emergency shelter for the people that are in poor health.
Member’s Statement 394 - 1(3): Youth and Healthy Communities
I rise today at a time when the weather is very nice outside with the sunshine and it makes you want to go out fishing but we have a job to complete in this House.
It is very good to look to the future instead of going backwards all the time but even though we have to look at the past to recollect what we have done so far as members of the Legislative Assembly.
We all know that we are working for the people of Nunavut and we all have to work for the elders and the youth in our communities.
We as the people of Nunavut live in peace without war and it is very good for us and we would like to continue this way in the future.
Our tradition and cultures, we have to keep.
We have to learn from the elders that will no longer be with us so we have to teach our young people the Inuit way of life.
If we do not teach them now they will not have the two cultures and we cannot allow them to lose their Inuit identity and we also have to live well and have a healthy lifestyle.
I believe those are very important aspects of teaching young people the Inuit culture of the past and the hardships they endured while being part of a healthy community.
I would like to get unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Please proceed Mr. Alakannuark.
In order to have a healthy lifestyle they worked hard so that the future generations would be well prepared for survival.
It is a very well because it is up to us to help our young people so that they will make healthy choices in their adult years.
We have to teach them properly so they can survive and if they are taught in both Inuktitut and English they will be more capable in their adult years.
They will think more of their lifestyle and they will have goals and we the elders did the same thing as young people.
We have to be thankful to our grandparents and the elders for teaching the survival skills.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for giving me the opportunity and I would also like to thank my colleagues.
Member’s Statement 395 - 1(3): Relocation of Graves in Amittuq
I have been asking questions repeatedly to Mr. Anawak about the graves that were relocated in my constituency.
I do not believe that the story has been told at the House about what had happened during the relocation of the graves.
In 1967/68, I believe it was in the months of May and June that the graves were dug up to be relocated.
The people worked for approximately 2 weeks to 3 weeks with the weekends off.
The people who dug up the graves had a very hard time because they were digging up graves that were very old and some were recent adult graves and children's graves.
The old coffins, when they were dug up, had children that had been wrapped in newspapers or cardboard.
They had disintegrated to the point where they fell apart when you dug them up.
That was especially with the children's graves.
Mr. Speaker, with the old graves again there were some that were in coffins but because of the age of the coffins the wood was rotten and disintegrated.
They were frozen on to the permafrost and they had to be rebuilt and they had to rebuild new ones because of course, our land has permafrost.
Mr. Irqittuq (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker and my colleagues for giving me the opportunity to conclude my statement.
Since our land has permafrost only the top thaws and freezes on a continual basis.
In my community there is straight gravel quite a ways down.
The graves that were old and because they were in permafrost they were preserved.
When they were dug up there were still body fluids even in the old bodies that were very disintegrated.
The men in my community, who were told that they had to relocate the graves because they wanted to build houses in the location of the grave site, were told during the removal of the graves that they would be paid a large sum of money.
I do not know how much that was in those days because of the unusual task that they were given, they were told that they would be paid a substantial amount of money.
The graves were relocated to another location by dogteam because there were not vehicles or roads built at that time.
Of course because they had to be transported by dogteam they were put into a kamotik if the graves were small.
When they went to the new location they would be put back into the ground.
After the task was done they still had to use the same kamotiks to go hunting and transport their catch even though there were still stains on them
The men who dug up the graves at that time are Simonie Qainnik, Issaac Nangmalik, John Aulla, John Anuguk, Moses Aliannuk, Sam Amaglak and finally angugatiak who is now deceased.
They relocated approximately 25 to 35 graves.
Member’s Statement 396 - 1(3): Passing of Teresa Irene Katak Ernerk
Mr. Puqiqnak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about Commissioner Irniq and his family, and to thankfully acknowledge on his behalf the many people who have been at their side after their loss.
Mr. Speaker, their daughter Teresa Irene Katak Ernerk passed away in Ontario on April 21, 2000.
Teresa was a very young person at 27 years old and although we had wanted to see her progress through life this is now not possible, Ajurnamat, which means it can not be helped.
She was buried on April 28.
She is survived by her father, her mother and relatives living in Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet, Gjoa Haven and also in Ontario.
We send our condolences to all the family members. Peace will come among the family again.
Once again I would like to say thank you to all the people who were with the Commissioner and the relatives after the loss of their daughter.
Just before we proceed, Mr. Irniq our Commissioner and our honourable friend is here in the House today.
Peter our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at your time of loss.
It must be very difficult to lose a loved one much less a daughter.
Member’s Statement 397 - 1(3): Arctic College Graduates
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to congratulate the graduates that graduated from Nunavut Arctic College.
The first group is from Management Studies, Moses Idlout, Mathew Iqaqrialu, Kevin Killiktee, Bennie Kunilusie, Isaac Paniqtuq, Jay Palluq, Petuelie Palluq, Saila Palluq, Donny Paniloo.
The next group included Lissie Ashevak, Joesasie Panipak, Adamee Paniaq, Joanna Qirnaq and in the upgrading courses Mimi Natanaie, Pipa Palluq and Qajaaq.
For Child Care certification, Barbara Paniaq, Dana Paniloo, Susan Arreak, Niomie Idlout, Norman Iqalurjuaq, Alie Jaypooty.
I would like to congratulate those graduates and to encourage the people of Nunavut to continue their education to have better job opportunities and to be managers and leaders of Nunavut for the future.
Speaker: Congratulation and welcome to the Chamber, future leaders of Nunavut, even to our young group over here.
Member’s Statement 398 - 1(3): Tribute to Pasha Bruce
Hon. Manitok Thompson (interpretation): Good morning. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I had my hand up quite a while, I guess you did not see me.
I would like to thank my sister-in-law Pasha Bruce who is the wife of my brother Louis Bruce from Coral Harbour.
Pasha Bruce is my only sister-in-law and she is originally from Salluit, Quebec.
Her father died when she was very young and her mother Tapia Saviarjuk died a few years later.
She does not have any relatives in Coral Harbour.
I would like to thank her relatives from Salluit for travelling recently to visit Pasha in Coral Harbour.
Salluit and Sadliq sound similar but are totally different.
I would also Mr. Speaker, say hello to the people of Sadliq and the people of Northern Quebec especially to Maggie Gordon who accompanied them to visit Northern Quebec.
She thought I was Leonie Duffy but I am not Leonie Duffy, she is my older sister.
It was very nice of her relatives to visit her in Coral Harbour.
During the fishing derby I would like to have an opportunity this week to have some tea with her.
Member’s Statement 399 - 1(3): Spring Time Activities
Good morning. I would like to congratulate my sister-in-law Joelie Arnakak for graduating in the weekend.
Mr. Speaker, nothing beats spring time in Nunavut.
This past weekend here in Iqaluit and all over Nunavut our residents enjoyed the spring weather and the great outdoors.