EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
For some members that might not know Cambridge Bay very well, or if this is your first visit to Cambridge Bay, I will be talking about this community for a bit.
In 1956 the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs started to transfer programs to Cambridge Bay.
The ship would arrive from Vancouver back in the 1950’s during the summertime and they would go to Banks Island and they would freight the material to build the houses.
Back in the 1950’s they finally constructed a house, it was five hundred square feet.
So that building was called 512, it was accommodations and it was also used as the office of Indian and Northern Services.
The federal government appointed the director and in the Kitikmeot they named him in Inuktitut.
His name was “Itimaaq” and he was hired as an administrator.
His name was in Inuktitut was Itimaaq because every time he saw an Inuk person he would walk and wave to the people with his palm.
So the first thing any people would see was the palm of his hand so every time they saw the individual he waved and Inuit people called him Itimaaq.
His name in qallunaqtitut was James Bond.
Mr. Speaker, the first school was constructed back in 1957 in Cambridge Bay but just before completion it burned down and was gone.
In 1958 they constructed another school and once the school was completed thirteen students were enrolled at that school for the first year in 1958.
With that history, to me it seems like Cambridge Bay has been used as a headquarters for quite some time and now, even though the Nunavut Government has done some decentralization to Kugluktuk and Uqsuqtuq, Ikaluktutiak is still the regional headquarters of our region.
I'm sure that Kitikmeot will use Cambridge Bay as their headquarters for quite some time.
In Ikaluktutiak back in 57-58, the people who lived here lived out in the hinterland and they died of starvation.
Mr. Speaker, I would like unanimous consent to complete my statement.
Just before we entertain that request, just a reminder to members that even though we're in a different region we still have the same rules of the Assembly we have in Iqaluit.
Rules that were adopted and agreed to by members, they are your rules and there's normally 2-1/2 minutes for comments and statements.
Just to keep the proceedings flowing in an efficient manner, I would ask the members to keep to that.
I know you don't have clocks in front of you like you do in the chamber in Iqaluit but the clerk will be signalling you with his time clock, just to let you know if your time is up.
So members please keep your comments within the time frame.
The member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement.
I'm just about to conclude my statement and yes I will be more careful next time.
Mr. Speaker, Cambridge Bay back in 1957 when Ikaluktutiak was the regional centre, there was starvation when I was a child and James Bond was the administrator.
For those of us who were living out on the land the plane would come and help us out.
There was a settlement already in Ikaluktutiak and Ikaluktutiak was already the government centre and when we were living out in our land camps they were already giving us support in the Kitikmeot region.
Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to elaborate on this as a member for the Kitikmeot.
Member's Statement 180 – 1(5): Gratitude to Cambridge Bay
Mr. Havioyak (interpretation): Thank you, I just wanted to say a few short words.
I just wanted to thank the people of Cambridge Bay for inviting us over here, for feeding us, making us feel at home.
I'm very happy to be here today.
Even though I have come here quite often I'm very happy to see my relatives here.
I just wanted to say a few words.
My father originally is from here, before he moved to Kugluktuk in the early 1950's.
He moved to Kugluktuk and when I was small, when I moved to Kugluktuk I never thought that I would be coming here to meet with each one of you here.
I am here in my father's homeland.
My mother is from Kugluktuk and they met while traveling on the land and they called themselves Babelamiut.
I want to let you people know that my father is originally from Cambridge Bay and I thank you for making me feel at home here.
Whatever concerns you have I will surely bring them up and I thank you very much.
Member's Statement 181 – 1(5): Nunavut Needs and GN Program Funding
First of all I would like to say that I sympathize with Ikaluktutiak residents because of the tragedy a few weeks ago and I know that you are still going through hardship, especially the members of the family.
When we arrived here the reception was very good and we were very proud of the fact that Ikaluktutiammiut were welcoming us.
I just want to point out that I am a full blooded Inuk and I think like an Inuk person especially when we start dealing with the government system.
Even though we are in the government our way of Inuktitut thinking does not change and does not need to change because that is our foundation of being Inuk even though we may become Members of the Legislative Assembly or members of the cabinet.
People have to be aware now that we have the Nunavut Government and we now have members of the legislature, there are Inuit people in Nunavut and that is why we have government here.
Today people may still go through hardships due to a shortage of housing or people on income support and the income support has never been increased for those people for many, many years, because this government has a limited amount of resources.
We would also like to have more education and training opportunities but due to limited resources we can only do so much.
Also, in the communities there are insufficient recreational facilities, they might be too small and there are not enough recreational facilities in the communities.
In view of that, as an Inuk person we think that way but as government we want to look for ways to help our people to the best of our ability.
Instead of fighting, yes we will have debates within the House but instead of fighting with each other we have debates.
We have to go forward and today we try to use Inuit culture and traditions.
There is an alien system that was introduced to us by arguing with each other or fighting with each other.
Today the municipalities whether they are municipal governments or the Nunavut Government, the administrators and the staff do have a conflict with each other.
Mr. Speaker, I am seeking unanimous consent to complete my statement.
Please proceed Mr. Anawak.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): Yes, today people on income support program in Nunavut are half of the population.
That's quite a large percentage of the population and public housing shortages are a crisis and we would like to see the students continue and complete their education.
Instead of these things, it becomes evident that our staff are organized too which is the union. We're not fighting them but we have to recognise the reason why we have a government.
We have a government because the Inuit wanted to create their own land.
There's a housing shortage and income support programs are very low.
It looks like we're saying let's not make any progress because we have to increase the salaries.
As an Inuk person you see it totally the other way around as government that's not want we want them to do.
But the Inuit of Nunavut what are they thinking now just because our government is very new and even though we have limited resources they want more money.
I'm not against the union asking for more money, I'm in support of that, but many Inuit people go through hardships daily now.
So I think we have to consider this further and Inuit people if they want do things more in the Inuit way, yes we're on Inuit land so try to consider and listen to the Inuit needs and requests.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to end my comments by saying that we're all in Nunavut, the people of Nunavut are quite concerned about where we are today in terms of some disagreements between the Government of Nunavut and the employees.
But the people out there are not necessarily going to rise up and start rebelling, because we believe in co-operation and we believe in working together for the common good of the Nunavut people.
…interpretation unavailable…
Member’s Statement 182 – 1(5): Hamlet of Whale Cove’s 25th Anniversary
Hon. Manitok Thompson…audio unavailable…Mr. Speaker, I would like very much to have an opportunity to go ice fishing and I would just like to say at this time that I'm not your typical type of over the hill touristy type of ice fisherperson, so don't try to fool me if you’re trying to take me out.
Anyway it was a very good feast last night, Mr. Speaker, very well organized and we're enjoying our stay here in Cambridge Bay.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday May 16th, was a very special day for the Hamlet of Whale Cove.
It was the 25th anniversary of the community becoming a Hamlet.
Mr. Speaker I would like to say thank you to the people in Whale Cove and also say thank you to the people that have served as Mayors and Councillors over the past 25 years since they became a Hamlet.
They had a community feast in celebration of their 25 years and I would also like to thank Mayor Stanley Adjuk, who is the present Mayor of Whale Cove, the councillors and all the staff of the hamlet council.
Mr. Speaker, May 16 was also a very special day for my husband and me, it was our 22nd year of marriage.
Thank you. Mr. Speaker before I close I would just like to say that this tent ring was very touching.
I was there only this afternoon but just to remind Mr. Iqaqrialu and Mr. Ng that you don’t put stones in the doorway.
Member’s Statement 183 – 1(5): Musk Ox Hunt
Again I would like to say that I’m very glad to be here because of the warm reception that we received from the people of Cambridge Bay.
Koana, and for the excellent food.
First of all, I really don’t have much to say because of course it’s going to be quite a long session while we are here.
This person said she was an elder but she’s probably younger than I am.
While I am here there is something that I would like to get.
I know that it’s almost impossible but I would like to get my first musk ox while we’re here.
Member’s Statement 184 – 1(5): Canadian Police Week
Mr. McLean: Koana, Uqaqti.
I have to compliment you on your fine chair and I would like to thank the business community for donating it to you.
I also would like to thank the community of Cambridge Bay for the tremendously warm welcome.
A little known fact that prior to my moving to my home community of Qamanituaq, I lived in Cambridge Bay for two years.
I was under the hockey tutelage of Keith Peterson and Doug Crossley and we never won a game.
But my skills haven’t increased since I left here.
Uqaqti, this week is Canadian Police Week.
It is a week for the police forces throughout Canada to highlight the services that they provide and to forge stronger ties with the communities that they serve.
Uqaqti, it is a great pleasure for me to extend my thanks today to the group of 103 hard working employees of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police working in the 22 detachments throughout Nunavut.
This of course includes one of the newest additions to Nunavut’s police force, Max the drug detection dog.
These police officers need to be recognized for the work that they do to promote public safety and security in our communities.
Uqaqti, in many cases these members go above and beyond the call of duty.
Many members and their families can be seen actively participating in community events from the putting together and delivering of Christmas hampers to coaching amateur sports.
They deserve our thanks Uqaqti, and I can think of no better time than now during Canadian Police Week.
I would like to call on all Members of the Legislative Assembly to join me in thanking all two legged and four legged members of the RCMP for their dedication and hard work.
Koana, Uqaqti.
Member’s Statement 185 – 1(5): Stone Tent Ring & Artifacts
I just want to make a brief comment while we’re here to the elders and the youth and also to the residents of Cambridge Bay.
In regards to the tent rings we see in the middle of the assembly, it is something that’s heart warming.
Looking at the dolls, it makes me think of the time when I was a child where we used to play with these dolls and also play in these tent rings that are around here.
I would also like to say thank you to the elders and the youth.
I think that it is very significant and it is something that both the elders and the youth can remember.
We have the qulliq and also the pot and the dolls and the tent rings that are symbols of a life that I had when I was a child.
Without realizing it I am now one of the elders.
Looking at the youth today and also the little children, I hope they have a good life in the future and also work hard in their school work, because of course those are going to be your tools for the future when you grow up.
These will be tools that you can use to gain employment in Cambridge Bay and in the whole of Nunavut.
I would like to thank the people and the residents of Cambridge Bay for your warm reception.
I have been coming here for quite a while now but this is significant.
Mr. Speaker I will not recognize everybody obviously.
It has emptied out a bit, it is almost back to normal but I would like to say that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the many elders that are here with us, the youth that were here earlier.
There are a couple of elders I would like to recognize in particular because they are my mother and father in law who happen to be here today, Margaret and Mathew Nakashuk.
There are also a few individuals that should be recognized, elected officials.
First of all the Commissioner of Nunavut, Commissioner Irniq.
There is also the President of the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, Mr. Charlie Evalik.
There is Mayor Keith Peterson who you all met last night and I did see earlier I think he might have left, it was the First Vice-President of Nunavut Tunngavik, Mr. James Etoolook.
I just want to recognize a few people here, my cousins, my relatives out there, I would like to recognize them.
My mother, my mother's uncle, my mother's brother's son, John Kayuranuak and my father's brother's son, Kane Tologanak.
Also my father's sister's daughter, Mary Avalak.
I want to recognize my relatives here.
I don't have people here that I represent from my community of Rankin Inlet but I would also like to take this opportunity to recognize my niece Jennifer Anawak.
Also I would like to thank this person that I have been working with for a long time Kane and Abe Tologanak that I have known for quite a while.
I would also like to recognize a person that I was with in Ukasetik for a few years David Pelly.
We were working there for a number of years and also Charlie Evalik, Helen Tologanak and I would also like to thank Keith Peterson for a warm welcome.
I would just like to recognize at this time Phil Bourdeau who is my Executive Assistant.
He is down there with the sealskin vest.
Just watch his face turn red.
I would also like to on behalf of my mom and dad thank Mr. David Pelly who is right behind me. He has done quite a bit of interviewing and has really been a pleasure to work with.
On behalf of my mom and dad I would just like to recognize him at this time and maybe he will take me out fishing.
I do not have very many people to recognize while I am here.
There were hardly any elders to recognize in Iqaluit.
I cannot recognize everybody who is here but even if I do not name you, please do not think I left you out intentionally.
First of all I would like to recognize from the Kitikmeot Development Corporation Charlie Lyall who is from Taloyoak, the other community that I represent.
Also the Mayor Keith Peterson who I know very well and I have worked with both of these individuals.
Also my sister's nephew the Commissioner Peter Irniq I would like to recognize him, the Commissioner of Nunavut.
I would also like to recognize Cecil Kane Tologanak.
He was a former Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Northwest Territories and I do not know when he became a Mayor but it is very hard even when you only represent two communities.
Mr. Speaker, first of all I would like to extend a very warm welcome to the elders who are sitting directly behind us today and especially the elders in the audience who actually stayed to hear the opening statements and comments this afternoon.
I would also like to thank and welcome all the staff that have come in over the past week from Iqaluit.
Many people from Iqaluit are here today especially my good friend and neighbour Mr. Philip Joamie who came in over a week ago and is here to do the AV work and set up the audiovisual equipment.
Also Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I did not welcome Mr. Charlie Lyall.
The Lyalls have been good friends of my family for quite a few years now and so I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Charlie to the Assembly.
Another excellent gentleman Mr. Speaker, who by e-mail correspondence seems to be able to find me wherever I am in this country, the Mayor of Cambridge Bay, Mr. Keith Peterson.
Just to make sure that we did not leave anybody out, on behalf of the Premier and members I would like to recognize anybody that has not been recognized and especially the media that are here covering the session for the next few weeks.
If there are no oral questions we will move on.
Question 213 – 1(5): Compensation for Polar Bear Hunt
Mr. Speaker, there has been a lot of coverage in the media this last couple of days about Cambridge Bay, Taloyoak, and Gjoa Haven being the recipients of a 200 thousand dollar grant to compensate hunters because of the polar bear quota being too low.
Can he explain to me where in his department this money came from.
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk: Ma’na, Uqaqti.
The money that is going towards the M'Clintock channel communities is coming from the Community Initiatives Program.
Uqaqti, it came from the Community Initiative Programs.
When I was doing the standing committee assessments and business plans, in the Kitikmeot Region there is 300 thousand dollars for CIP and he committed 200 thousand dollars so that leaves roughly 100 thousand dollars left in the Kitikmeot CIP fund.
Is this a one-time grant or is it going to be an ongoing grant from the regional CIP.
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk: Koana, Uqaqti.
What we are doing now is we are trying to figure that out. The money that we have now is 200 thousand dollars and we do not know what is going to come up next year.
It depends how far we go with this 200 thousand dollars to help out these hunters that are being affected or the communities.
So it is really hard to tell whether it is going to be an ongoing program or not but in the future we will see, maybe by next year what else we have to do for these communities.
So I cannot really say that this is ongoing or we will continue next year to fund this program.
Uqaqti, on that, the Kitikmeot Region has 300 thousand dollars in CIP and they have taken 200 thousand dollars of it for this initiative for which I praise the minister for trying to help the polar bear hunters.
But taking that money out of that pot of money of 300 thousand dollars is going to be a short fall in other areas of the CIP.
Where does the minister hope to make this up.
We budgeted CIP for 300 thousand dollars but by the end of the year if there is a program where it is not being used as much as it is being used on CIP, there are different programs in our department.
So what we are trying to do is in the long run that we are going to make sure that we try and get to use all the money from the programs that are not being used to transfer them to the ones that are being used more.
But we won’t know until like maybe four months before the year-end or something like that.
So we will try and be very flexible with our programs and make sure that the programs are also available to the communities, different programs that we have.
A few more things going on in my head.
Can the minister assure me that the money that is committed to CIP for the other two regions, the money will not be taken out of those other two regions and put in the other region.
Question 214 – 1(5): Following GNWT Polar Bear Survey Guidelines
The 200 thousand that has been raised, we are doing something similar in the community that I represent.
Are they following policy when they are assisting those communities.
We stated as a government that we inherited the policies from the GNWT and the members are aware that we are reviewing the policies that were inherited from GNWT and we are presently following them.
As a minister we are following Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and the policies that were inherited.
So as the Department of Sustainable Development we will be reviewing the policy and we will be looking into how we could assist those communities better in the M'Clintock Channel.
We will be looking at how we can provide better assistance and we will follow the policies.
It seems that Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit is being respected and is that how it is being done.
Like I said we have to follow the rules and the policies that are in front of us.
I stated at the last sitting that we are presently following the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
With the survey of polar bears, as the Minister of Sustainable Development the survey that is continuing is something that will be assisting us as it continues.
We will continue to review the policy as we deal with this item.
I understand his response but I would like to ask him about the surveyors.
The polar bear surveyors are doing their survey by air and they’re flying over Nunavut.
Are the surveyors paid by the Nunavut Government or who funds them.
The Nunavut Government funds them and when there’s a survey on wildlife, we often do the survey by air or by land.
As the Government of Nunavut our staff and the people that are affected by the survey, not only in this area but also in the Baffin, we make sure that we respect all communities and the people.
Also that people work together in order to get the survey completed.
So to respond to your question, we are having people in the communities work on the survey.
Mr. Speaker, this was set up right away and so it was done without any input from the communities.
So my question is, are you not getting any input from the community members when we have more knowledge in this area.
Do you not believe in the community.
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Speaker.
This was already completed, it’s been done for a while now.
We have worked with the communities and these are the same questions that the member raised at an earlier date and as a government we will continue to work with the communities and professionals, scientists.
So this was inherited from the previous government and we were just continuing this survey.
The previous government did the preliminary activities, so we were just taking on some areas that needed to be done.
We will work with the communities when we are doing surveys in the communities.
We will work with the communities as much as we can.
Question 215 – 1(5): Funding for Community Initiatives Program
In Inuinnaaqtun.
Today he mentioned 200 thousand dollars from CIP was utilized. To make things clearer, how is CIP utilized, for what activities is this money utilized.
Three hundred thousand dollars was allocated and what kind of activities are these funds used for.
Mr. Speaker, the funding, the money, right now we are starting to deal with them and review how we can use it in the best manner.
But we have to abide by the policies of the Community Initiative Programs and we have to follow the policy.
For the three communities that is what we will be using, the Community Initiative Program, to help the communities or the Inuit.
We will not be utilizing money just like that but we will be using the policies when we are dealing with the Community Initiative Program funding.
The three affected communities, as I have stated and I have spoken to the three communities and we have made the CIP available to them, we told them that we would be utilizing the policies of the Community Initiative Program.
Thank you for a partial response.
I guess the 200 thousand dollars will be directed to the three communities.
In terms of activities for 100 thousand dollars for Kugluktuk that is not very much.