EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Has this study been completed on dust suppression with no alternatives available?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister for Community and Government Services, Mr. Savikataaq.
We are open to any suggestions in our department because new things are coming up in the world.
I’m sure that some time in the future, a new product could come out.
Our department is open to any new suggestions.
We would like to try different products, but at this time, calcium chloride is being used and it’s the best suppressant.
If we find out there is a better product, we would use it.
However, at this time, there isn’t a better suppressant for the dust.
If a new dust suppressant is produced, then we would try it.
I also thank the minister for explaining this using my language.
I will expect that shortly, but you are the minister for this department and I see your capabilities.
Mr. Speaker, with respect to Arctic Bay, I now ask the minister this question: did you conduct a study in Arctic Bay on which substance or rock is best able to suppress dust?
There is a black gravel layer laid on the road in our community and after a while, it becomes really hard and shiny with no dust emitted. However, when we get bad weather, such as rain, the road surface does degenerate.
This black gravel used in our community would seem appropriate by adding another substance to suppress dust, at least in my layman’s eyes.
I wonder if this black gravel I am referring to, that is used as the top layer on our roads, has been studied as to its properties.
Can the minister provide an answer to this question for my information?
In Arctic Bay, I don’t know the rock that is black, so I’ll look into what the community is using and get back to the member.
At this time, I cannot respond to the member’s question because I don’t know what the black rock or substance is.
Question 169 – 4(3): Diagnosing Cancer (Angnakak)
Mr. Speaker, it is always very sad and disheartening when a friend, family member, or fellow Nunavummiutaq suddenly passes away from cancer, leaving those left behind wondering why the disease hadn’t been diagnosed at an earlier stage where maybe something could have been done.
Can the minister provide an update on what specific kinds of cancer screening and detection programs are currently in place for Nunavut?
Yes, we are committed to cancer screening and we continue to work on it.
We are constantly keeping an eye on what is happening outside the territory and what detection equipment is available.
Based on my knowledge, with respect to (interpretation ends) colon cancer (interpretation) in English, as I don’t have the equivalent Inuktitut terminology, continues to be among the highest rates in Nunavut.
This is truly regrettable.
Diagnostic tools for lung cancer have still not been found for early detection.
Lung cancer rates are also one of the highest incidents of cancer thanks to cigarette smoking.
There’s no question we would acquire these tools for cancer detection as soon as we learn of them. That is the current status on the two forms of cancer as far as I know.
It’s disheartening, really, when you say that you have tried so hard, yet we don’t seem to be going too far with helping those that perhaps could have been treated.
I recognize that cancer can afflict us in many different ways and this is partly why it so difficult, I think, to detect.
However, one hears of cases where individuals visit health centres or the hospital many times over because of an ongoing pain or complaint, only to be told it is nothing to worry about and then they’re sent home.
It is only after many repeated visits that it is finally discovered that they have a condition which is now so far advanced that their hope of living much longer is severely limited.
Can the minister clarify what diagnostic procedures are followed when a patient consistently returns with an ongoing complaint?
Yes, that’s why we are starting to deal with this issue. We have submitted our request for positions that will conduct these tests, as well as the review of all diagnostic procedures and regulations to ensure that they are compliant in that regard.
That is why we will be opening up an office that will conduct these studies to ensure that patients are being looked after properly.
It is obvious that the past practices we followed were unfortunately inadequate. Nonetheless, we want to move forward and incorporate new technology to have proper diagnoses and health care. This is something we are obviously trying to improve and will focus on once the winter session is over.
I do appreciate that every individual’s case is different and that our health professionals are doing the best they can to provide good and effective health care.
However, even experts at our health centres and hospital need good guidance and direction in terms of having an effective cancer detection strategy to follow.
Will the minister commit to bringing forward a Nunavut-wide cancer screening and detection policy in the near future and, if so, when does he anticipate it will be ready?
The staff at the community level is being trained continually on cancer screening.
Once I am able to table a report on this, I will do so.
I know that this is very important to all Nunavummiut.
Question 170 – 4(3): Preparing for Wastewater and Sewage Removal Emergencies (Mapsalak)
Mr. Speaker, earlier this winter, in Coral Harbour, the sewage truck broke down and they were unable to provide any sewage services for quite a while. When the sewage truck broke down, it caused some challenges for the community.
Mr. Speaker, this issue of service trucks is very important and we are aware that every hamlet oversees this aspect of municipal governance.
Although that is the case, hamlets singularly cannot fund replacements. Further, the water and sewage trucks providing service, including the road maintenance equipment as well as snow removal equipment, age rapidly and are in constant use throughout the year, particularly the water and sewage trucks.
Mr. Speaker, with that being the case, the officials are aware that hamlets cannot fund the replacement vehicles alone and the equipment is usually very expensive with no cheap alternatives. They are used non-stop daily in the communities.
With that being the case, how often does the department conduct reviews on the age of the equipment, and do they notify communities about the useful lifecycle of the equipment? How does this process work?
Hon. Joe Savikataaq (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also thank the member for that question.
With respect to water and sewage trucks, it stems from the (interpretation ends) water sewage funding reserve (interpretation) that I unfortunately cannot translate into Inuktitut and I don’t know the terminology.
The hamlets are funded for the water and sewage trucks to replace the equipment, but the hamlets have the sole discretion to determine which trucks to replace as they manage their (interpretation ends) reserve funds (interpretation) to purchase water and sewage trucks.
If the fund can support the purchase, the hamlet can determine when to purchase their replacement equipment.
The CGS department doesn’t notify the hamlets to indicate that a particular truck is past its useful life and needs replacement.
The hamlets are independent in that regard, but as we all know, machines break down.
Perhaps if the water truck was a new purchase but it broke down and the cost to repair it was too expensive, they would purchase a new truck.
The hamlets have the sole discretion in that regard, but CGS maintains an open door policy to assist the hamlets.
If a hamlet requests assistance on a matter, then our doors are always open.
Further, when the Coral Harbour sewage truck broke down, yes, our department was able to assist the hamlet to repair the truck.
The water and sewage trucks are major purchases and it is impossible to ship up vehicles that size on airplanes, I believe, so they can only replace them in the summer sealift.
Nonetheless, if the parts to repair the trucks are not too unwieldy, then we can ship up those parts via air cargo.
The hamlets do run this fund themselves.
Indeed, we are all aware that the hamlets manage those funds and they have to pay for these purchases themselves.
Even though that is the situation, in cases where the hamlet no longer has any discretionary funds to purchase parts or vehicles, they are subject to difficulties in trying to maintain their fleet.
When hamlets are in that situation, the vehicles are quite costly and the purchase price can be exorbitant.
When hamlets are forced to pay for these purchases on their own, they can only use the water and sewage rates paid by residents for provision of services.
If the hamlet was unable to fully purchase a vehicle due to the lack of funds, the hamlet would have no choice but to increase their rates, as that is the only way to raise funds to purchase vehicles.
What is the minister’s response, if any, whether hamlets can access funds they are not rolling over and what would be the limit the department can assist the communities with?
Yes, the hamlet does get funds under the (interpretation ends) water and sewage program (interpretation) through that fund which deposits payments for the purchases of water, whether individuals or the government who pay the hamlet to provide water and sewage services.
The hamlet, in conjunction with CGS, works together to set the water and sewage rates and these rates cannot be too expensive or too low.
Further, within the setting of the rates, they also have to include a portion set aside for their (interpretation ends) mobile equipment reserve fund (interpretation) and this is for the purchase of these vehicles.
The set ratio is deposited into this reserve fund to allow for purchases of water and sewage vehicles.
Yes, the hamlets have to review the rates to determine if the water rates are too low and, if so, they can increase the rates after studying the parameters.
Through CGS, the government works with the hamlets to ensure they don’t end up in a deficit situation.
The water rate and the water trucks depend on that. If the rate is too high and the hamlet doesn’t have the necessary funds, they would look at lowering the rate.
I’m sorry, I was wrong there. It would be increased if their funds are inadequate.
Some hamlets are in that situation.
Our mandate is to support hamlets and to ensure they don’t end up with deficits, to operate smoothly.
Yes, the water rates are the responsibility of the hamlets, but that’s in conjunction with CGS.
Hopefully, my response was understandable to the member.
Yes, we know that to be the case.
Now, in situations where a hamlet has no options or resources available, they undergo difficult challenges trying to meet the needs of the community without having too high a rate.
Obviously, many Nunavummiut have private homes and they have to pay for water and sewage services.
The hamlets have to walk a fine line between raising the rates too high and enough to cover the expenses.
With that being the case, can the minister identify, in cases where the hamlets have too low a rate, whether they can consider (interpretation ends) water and sewer subsidies?
(interpretation) I have no corresponding Inuktitut terminology for that wordage, but I believe the minister gets what I’m trying to say here.
Can the rates be increased that assist the local governments?
Can this issue be reviewed further?
Yes, at this time, we are reviewing that issue as there are currently two issues under review. The (interpretation ends) water and sewage program (interpretation) related to water and sewage services and rates are being reviewed. The second part is the amount of funding that hamlets receive.
These two items are currently under review. The (interpretation ends) water subsidy program (interpretation) is also part of this review and we were informed that the review will be completed by the end of March. At this time, the funds allocated for hamlets are all under review.
Question 171 – 4(3): Tax Policy (Mikkungwak)
Mr. Mikkungwak (interpretation): Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) My questions are for the Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, I have now had the opportunity to review the government’s annual set of Fiscal and Economic Indicators which accompanied yesterday’s Budget Address.
One thing that jumped out at me was the section concerning income inequality in Nunavut.
The document which the minister presented yesterday states that, and I quote, “…the top 10% of income earners in Nunavut reported earning close to $121,341 each…in comparison, the lowest-earning 10% of tax filers reported total incomes of less than $2,435 each.”
Can the minister describe how his department’s current review of the tax system in Nunavut is considering the issue of income inequality?
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Nunavut only controls salaries for Government of Nunavut employees. That’s usually through negotiations with the respective unions.
They’re negotiated salaries that way. The private sector sets their wages with their employees and non-government organizations set their wages. The taxes that are paid are collected by the Government of Canada.
They set their federal taxes. We set our territorial taxes. We’re not contemplating any new taxes for Nunavut that I’m aware of.
Mr. Mikkungwak: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this week, the minister informed the House that he had recently written a letter to the federal Minister of Finance concerning the issue of the Northern Residents Deduction that Nunavut tax filers are eligible to claim. Will the minister commit to tabling a copy of his letter in the Legislative Assembly before the end of our current winter sitting?
I thank Mr. Mikkungwak for that question. As he knows, I don’t like to make commitments.
I won’t make a commitment, but I will table the letter.
I look forward to that document.
The government’s annual set of Fiscal and Economic Indicators which accompanied yesterday’s Budget Address indicates that, and I quote, “mining firms themselves do not pay much income tax in the short term, as Canadian law provides significant flexibility in terms of when and where mining companies pay taxes.”
When I raised this issue with the minister during our sitting of October 26, 2015, he indicated that he did not have figures available at that time concerning how much corporate tax revenue has been raised by the Government of Nunavut from mining companies over the past five years.
When will the minister be in a position to share this information with the House?
I’m not sure I can table that kind of confidential information.
There are only a few companies operating in Nunavut and I don’t know if that would possibly breach some confidentiality issue.
Mr. Speaker, as Mr. Mikkungwak knows, for most mining companies, their corporate offices are located elsewhere in Canada or possibly other countries.
They usually pay their corporate taxes in those jurisdictions.
The benefit to Nunavut, however, is if those companies become operational in Nunavut, there are significant employment created and contracts and subcontracts.
There are employment opportunities for Nunavummiut, and then, of course, the employees pay personal taxes and payroll taxes, so we benefit significantly through that way.
Question 172 – 4(3): Activities of the Qulliq Energy Corporation (Joanasie)
Mr. Joanasie (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) My questions are for the new Minister responsible for the Qulliq Energy Corporation since the minister I have asked on Qulliq.
During my recent community meetings in Kimmirut and Cape Dorset, a number of my constituents raised the issue of alternative energy, including wind power and tidal power.
In November of last year, Qulliq issued a request for proposals to develop a feasibility study for potential wind energy in Nunavut.
This RFP also included a copy of an evaluation concerning wind power in Cape Dorset, which concluded that “an in-depth feasibility study would be the next phase in developing a wind turbine or wind-diesel project” for the community.
Mr. Speaker, the draft report from the RFP was due to have been presented to QEC on Tuesday of last week.
Can the minister indicate what direction the wind is blowing, so to speak, with respect to QEC’s role in developing wind turbine or wind-diesel projects in Cape Dorset and Kimmirut?
As I’m sure everyone is aware, alternative energy has been a large focus of mine personally across the last couple of years. Bringing attention to any alternative energy projects, to me, is a very important step in Nunavut’s affordability of energy going forward.
That being said, with the wind feasibility study that was being done for wind turbines, it’s a territory-wide study.
As the member stated, it closed last week and we have to wait until such time as the results come back.
Right now, the consultants are developing the modelling with the final results and identifying which communities would be best suited to explore wind energy options to offset some of the fossil fuel costs that we have and continued costs that are incurred through the territory’s fuel resupply.
The Government of Nunavut’s Energy Secretariat has published information concerning tidal energy in Nunavut which indicates that “The cumulative mean potential tidal energy of Nunavut is estimated to be [the] highest in Canada.”
Can the minister describe how the Qulliq Energy Corporation is working with its partners in the area of tidal energy development?
Minister responsible for the Qulliq Energy Corporation, Mr. Hickes.
When we speak about tidal energy, a lot like hydro energy, it’s a very cost-intensive capital cost.
We have had presentations provided to the board and to senior engineering within the Qulliq Energy Corporation itself, including myself.
Previous to even being a minister, I have met with the proponents of the tidal energy projects to be offered here in Nunavut.
At this time, it is something that we’re seriously taking a look at, although the cost to be incurred from a capital standpoint is something that this territory and Qulliq Energy individually just can’t undertake at this time.
I’m open to any and all opportunities to explore sizeable infrastructure projects such as tidal and hydro development.
Going forward, if the money can be found and the technology can be proven, it’s something that I’m sure myself and my cabinet colleagues will all take a serious look at.
We all recognize that while the development of alternative energy sources is an important goal, we cannot ignore the immediate need to ensure that our current power plants are adequate.
I would like to ask the minister: can he provide an update to this House today on the replacement of the Cape Dorset power plant?
I was anticipating that question from the member. It has been a frequent question that he has had to ask over the last couple of years.
There has been a lot of discussion around the location of the plant in Cape Dorset and as recently as last September-October, the hamlet had changed again the location of the site proposed for the construction of the power plant in Cape Dorset.
I am happy to announce to the member that the site has been finalized in a general way. There is a patch of land that has been allocated to Qulliq Energy.
The geotechnical study has just been completed last week. The report was submitted to Qulliq Energy and our engineering and finance departments are going over the design plans to identify the exact footprint so that we can negotiate the land lease for the established site location with the Hamlet of Cape Dorset and initiate construction as soon as possible.
With the site instability, I guess it has delayed the project, as I am sure the member is aware, but I can assure the member that we will get started on construction at the very earliest opportunity.
Oral Questions. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Member for Rankin Inlet North and Chesterfield Inlet, Mr. Tom Sammurtok.
Question 173 – 4(3): Activities of the Nunavut Housing Corporation (Sammurtok, T)
My questions are also for the new Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
(interpretation ends) Last week, the Senate of Canada’s Standing Committee on Aboriginal Peoples announced that it will undertake a major examination of housing issues in Nunavut, Nunavik, Nunatsiavut, and the Northwest Territories.
The deputy chair of this committee is our own Nunavut Senator.
I believe that the committee’s work has the potential of raising awareness in Ottawa of the need for new federal investments in housing in Nunavut.
Can the minister confirm when he will be appearing before the Senate committee to present Nunavut’s case for new housing investments?
As I’m sure we are all aware, the housing situation across the territory of Nunavut is a very serious issue going forward with a shortfall of over 3,000 units and getting worse every year. With the federal ask from the territory itself, we are looking at some stabilized funding to assist us with the long-term plan to deal with that issue.
That being said, specific to the Senate committee, I haven’t personally been invited at this moment.
It is something I have spoken to Senator Patterson about and I am exploring the timing to see if and when that would be a possibility of me appearing before that Senate committee.
Mr. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) An ongoing issue of concern to my constituents is the adequacy of funding available through the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s homeownership programs.
Can the new minister indicate what direction he has given to his officials regarding homeownership programs?
Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Hickes.
With regard to the homeownership programs, I think the member is specifically asking about the down-payment assistance program.
That budget hasn’t been taxed fully in the past, so I’m not looking at making any immediate changes to it. Something that this government and the Nunavut Housing Corporation dramatically support is increased homeownership across the territory where feasible, not just infrastructure-wise but financially for our residents.
We need to make sure that those who participate in homeownership programs can afford to maintain the home and continue living in a fiscally responsible manner.
If those programs do get taxed to a point where demand is exceeding the funding requirements, it is definitely something I would take a look at.
Mr. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) In addition to having a new minister, the Nunavut Housing Corporation also has a new president, whose appointment was announced on November 27 of last year.
Let me be clear: I am not questioning the choice of appointment, but I do want to confirm the process that was undertaken.
As the minister is aware, section 6 of the Nunavut Housing Corporation Act provides that the president is to be appointed by the minister on the recommendation of the board of directors.
Can the minister describe what role he and the board of directors played in making this decision?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation, Mr. Hickes.
I thank the member for that question. It’s very similar to the one I got with regard to Qulliq Energy yesterday or the day before.
Like I mentioned with regard to Qulliq Energy, it’s a similar process with the Nunavut Housing Corporation. Candidates are screened and vetted through the Premier’s Office, as it is very similar to a deputy minister position.
That candidate is put forward to me and the board and the board goes through the process of making the recommendation to me.
At that point, I decide whether or not to put the individual into the position.
I know you’re not asking from a personal matter, but I have to say on the record that I have been very impressed with Mr. Audla’s performance to date.
He has been an exceptional leader to start off his term as president of the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Question 174 – 4(3): Activities of the Nunavut Housing Corporation (Enook)