EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Speaker, since last fall my department has been working in partnership with the Nunavut Social Development Council, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. and the regional Inuit organizations to design an outline for a home and community care program for Nunavut.
This partnership has been a rewarding experience for my staff and I, and we believe that co-operation of this kind is the best way to ensure that the needs of Inuit are appropriately met.
Mr. Speaker, the Nunavut home and community care team will be undertaking a series of community discussions over the next two months.
Some of you may have seen our press release last week indicating that we are launching the information tour here in the Baffin communities.
The Kitikmeot and the Kivalliq community tours will follow according to schedules to be agreed upon with our partner Inuit Organizations.
Through these community discussions we will be able to identify training opportunities that match the communities’ needs.
Mr. Speaker, I believe programs like this one provide an excellent opportunity to empower people to improve the quality of life for everyone within their own communities.
This will be a major step towards meeting the goals of our Bathurst Mandate, especially the goal of building Healthy Communities, Self-Reliance and Mr. Speaker, Continuing Learning.
Speaker: Item 3.
Member’s Statement 322 - 1(3): Nunavut’s National Wrestling Competitors
Today I wish to recognize Joseph Nakoolak and Tony Eetuk, who are both from Coral Harbour, for their achievements through wrestling at the Western Canada Wrestling competition.
They were at the juvenile nationals in Abbotsford B.C. I would also like to congratulate Robin Langil. .
It was the first trip to British Columbia for these two students.
They have also been at territorial tryouts in the past.
(interpretation ends) Tony Eetuk competed in the sixty-three kilogram class, age seventeen to eighteen class after managing to lose 2 pounds really fast when he arrived overweight.
Tony scored very well and scored Nunavut's first win at the national level.
His overall record was one win and two losses.
Joseph Nakoolak wrestled in the 76 kilogram class, age fifteen to sixteen with 2 matches.
The scores were very close and Joseph made some impressive wrestling moves.
These two young men have proven that they are not out of place at the nationals.
The coaches Bruce McKitrick and Robin Langil are very encouraged and proud of their team and are looking forward to next year.
I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Joseph and Tony on the job well done.
Member’s Statement 323 - 1(3): Construction of Schools in Nunavut
I want to apologise for my voice I hope that you can hear me clearly.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the schools in Nunavut.
All the communities in the Nunavut settlement area should be equally represented.
With that comment I would like to say that we have a very overcrowded school in Hall Beach and in regards to the Cambridge Bay School, the main reason why I'm standing today, is because we are being misunderstood by the people out there.
We don't have enough money to go around to build all the schools that we want in the Nunavut area.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to say that we should be fairly represented.
There are many schools that need replacement and need renovations and additions.
There are many schools that are overcrowded, and those schools are of major concern to us.
Mr. Speaker, if we are going to be representing Nunavut I believe that all of us should be representing all the communities equally.
If we should build a school such as the one that's being built in Cambridge Bay we will never finish our projects.
Those are the comments that I wanted to make.
Also for the people of Hall Beach the school is way to small for the number of students we have.
We have approximately thirty students in one classroom, we do not have a library because we had to make that into an additional classroom.
I would like to emphasise again that all schools should be fairly represented.
Member’s Statement 324 - 1(3): Gjoa Haven Gasoline
I am sure you are tired about hearing about this issue, but it is about bad gasoline again.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring back an issue that seems to be haunting my constituency of Gjoa Haven.
This was an issue last year when my constituency received 800 thousand litres of bad gasoline.
Meetings were held between the Hamlet of Gjoa Haven and POL personnel and ministers.
During that time the hamlet purchased 10 thousand 250 litres of gasoline for comparative testing purposes.
That gasoline seemed fine, snowmobiles ran perfectly without any problems using that gasoline.
But now Mr. Speaker, the people of Gjoa Haven were informed that the gasoline received by the hamlet, 100 thousand litres has been stopped for delivery to the residents Gjoa Haven.
The people of Gjoa Haven have been informed that the gasoline will be held until perhaps this fall.
The community is currently consuming the bad gasoline and snowmobiles are again breaking down at a rapid rate.
Snowmobile parts are becoming unusable.
As you are aware Mr. Speaker, snowmobiles are the main mode of transportation in my constituency and in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, the community is requesting that the bad gasoline be removed from the tanks and be replaced with new gasoline.
Member’s Statement 325 - 1(3): Iqaluit Resident Climbing Mount Everest
Sorry to hear about John's passing and my sincere condolences to the family and the people of Arviat.
Mr. Speaker, several months ago an Iqaluit resident came to tell me about an exciting endeavour he was working on.
Gabrielle Philpi who works for NAV Canada here in Iqaluit is now in the country of Nepal at a base camp awaiting his opportunity to attempt to climb the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest.
Mr. Speaker, I'm sure that all members of this House and the people of Nunavut wish Gabrielle well and every success as he takes on the highest mountain in the world and brings success to Nunavut.
Member’s Statement 326 -1(3): Members’ Visit to Pelly Bay
We went to Pelly Bay because of the students there.
It was a joyous occasion and pleasing to observe.
This activity will be helpful toward the future and the career paths students may wish to take.
This will also be helpful for the students’ future and the students themselves.
It was a proud moment as one of my constituents Toomaaq Suvisak, who had been taking the jewellery makers’ course graduated.
He makes such things as rings and bracelets and broaches.
We extend him the best wishes as well as his classmates.
I was able to go and was grateful for the opportunity.
With me were Mr. Havioyak, Mr Okalik, Mr. Puqiqnak and Mr. Ng. I am happy to say that we met with the Pelly Bay mayor and the people of Pelly Bay.
We thank them for their kind hospitality.
Member’s Statement 327 - 1(3): Tribute to John Arnalukjuak Sr.
I rise today to pay a small tribute to a fellow businessman who passed away yesterday, John Arnalukjuak Sr. Mr. Speaker, this man had a profound effect on me and the Kivalliq business community and he was a lifelong member of the Keewatin Chamber of Commerce.
As past President, I listened to his advice and we tried to implement the things he said to us.
I would just like to take this time to pay tribute to his family and everyone in the Kivalliq.
Member’s Statement 328 - 1(3): Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and Elders
I would also like to extend my condolences John Arnalukjuak's family.
We all loved John and we will miss him.
The issue that I wanted to bring up is in regards to the statement the Minister of Education made about the book that came out which deals with Inuit traditional knowledge.
We also have elders who are still alive and who practised the traditional methods before religion and the missionaries came around.
This was Inuit justice and we are very proud that Malianur and his wife Akesuk Joamie and Imou Immaroitok were able to contribute.
Malainur is from Rankin and Akesuk Joamie is from here.
Imou Immaroitok is from Igloolik and Lucassie Nutaraluk is from Iqaluit.
I know that when we are integrating Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit into the government system I believe that it would be beneficial to our non-Inuit to read this textbook.
We have Victor Tungilik from Repulse Bay and Rachel Ujagak from Igloolik, whom I believe could contribute a lot education wise to the non-Inuit.
When we are speaking in English sometimes it does not come out right because we are thinking in Inuktitut.
I would strongly suggest that if possible, the Nunavut Government employees read this book so they have a better understanding of how Inuit operate.
Member’s Statement 329 - 1(3): Cambridge Bay High School
Mr Speaker, I beg the indulgence of the members, my statement may be longer than the allotted time and I will be seeking unanimous consent to finish my statement.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on behalf of the regular members on the matter of the Cambridge high school.
Mr. Speaker, members are dismayed at recent media coverage which has been critical of members for raising concerns at the expense of the school project and accusing members of putting all school capital projects at risk because of delaying this portion of the budget.
Members are particularly concerned that students and others in Cambridge Bay are being manipulated into thinking and making statements to the effect that members don't care about their needs.
Mr. Speaker, other members and I have stated on many occasions in this House that they do support the need for a new school in Cambridge Bay and they do support the needs of the students and the community of Cambridge Bay to have this school built.
However, members are equally concerned that needs of other students in other communities and members are concerned about fairness.
Mr. Speaker, members have now seen the design of the school in Cambridge Bay and I will be tabling those documents later this afternoon so the public can see for themselves maybe why we have some concerns on this.
There is no doubt that this will be a beautiful school and the community has been commended for taking initiatives and developing a design that will achieve much that the community wants including a larger gym and a heritage centre.
But at what cost.
Mr. Speaker, the tender advertisements for the new high school in Cambridge Bay state the size of the school will he 3 thousand 486 square metres plus a mechanical room of 112 square metres.
In a briefing to review the design of the new school, members were told by public works officials that the average cost for a new school ranges from 28 hundred and 32 hundred dollars per square meter.
If the new school in Cambridge Bay were an average school then the size of this school should therefore cost somewhere between 10.7 million dollars and 11.5 million dollars.
However, the budgeted amount is 14.2 million dollars plus an additional cost of 525 thousand for the heritage centre.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to complete my Member’s Statement.
Speaker: The member is seeking unanimous consent to complete his Member’s Statement.
Please proceed, Mr. Tootoo.
Mr. Tootoo: Thank you colleagues and Mr. Speaker.
As I was saying plus the additional 525 thousand for the heritage centre and that is if the project can be built within budget.
Mr. Speaker, that extra 3 million dollars could have done a lot of work in meeting the needs of other students in other communities in Nunavut.
Students, who face overcrowding, lack of facilities and are sometimes told to stay home because of health and safety or maintenance problems in schools.
Mr. Speaker, this is blatantly unfair.
Shame on the government for continuing to blindly support all aspects of this project with no questions asked, no limits, no consideration of priority needs in other communities, no consideration of the precedent, no consideration of the concerns of the regular members who have been raising issues about this project and the needs of other communities for the last year.
Over and over again in written reports, in oral questions in this House and in the standing committee.
Mr. Speaker, it is not the members who are responsible for delaying the budget.
The minister and the government itself should take a hard look at how their vague answers, delays and total lack of leadership on this issue have contributed to the crisis of confidence.
Mr. Speaker it is the Minister of Finance who only brought the Main Estimates into the House on March 24, 2000.
Members have only had three weeks to discuss, in the open, the budget for the whole government for the next year.
The government itself knows how critical timing is for the new construction in Nunavut.
By bringing the budget so close to sealift deadlines and by not addressing members’ concerns in a timely fashion, the government itself has brought us to this serious situation.
Members’ Statements. Members’ Statements.
Return to OQ 223 - 1(3): Funding for Mobile Treatment Programs
Mr. Speaker, I have an oral question asked by Mr. McLean on February 25, 2000.
The subject of Mr. McLean’s question Mr. Speaker, was funding for mobile treatment programs.
It is important to clarify that there are no savings to the department from closing the Apex Treatment Centre.
The staff that were working in that facility are now working in related areas for the department.
With respect to overhead and maintenance costs, there are also no savings in those areas as the costs are still being borne by the department.
However, we recognize that alcohol and drug abuse is an important and serious issue in our communities.
Our analysis indicates that most of our people would benefit more from community based treatment, designed to meet their needs in their home environments.
However, for those people who do require residential treatment, the kind that was offered at the Apex Treatment Centre, will continue to receive the care that they need from facilities elsewhere.
Since the greatest need for treatment seems to be for community based approaches, we are moving in that direction as quickly as possible.
Part of this includes appropriate training for our staff.
Some Alcohol & Drug Workers in Nunavut are being trained to provide community oriented wellness care to address the root cause of addictions.
If this training is successful it will be used in other communities.
In addition to training Alcohol & Drug Workers, the Health & Social Services staff from across Nunavut have been revising the CHR curriculum.
This curriculum will be used in May of this year in a session including CHRs from sixteen Nunavut communities.
The new curriculum update will update the knowledge of workers already in place and offer new skills to those not yet working for us.
Return to OQ 452 - 1(3): Honoraria for Jury Members
This is a return to an oral question asked by Enoki Irqittuq on April 13, 2000.
Jury Act. The rate for honorariums to members sitting on a jury is set under the Jury Act, which is a Territorial Statute.
Returns to Oral Questions. Returns to Oral Questions.
I am very proud to recognize this person.
I will give a short preamble.
In 1989 my wife died and although we have overcome the grieving I am very proud to say as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, my daughter is now one of the pages.
She will be one of the pages for a whole week, Carmen Irqittuq.
She is already working around the table.
Speaker: Item 5. Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery.
I think he almost took my name.
I am very proud today to recognize my adopted son; he is actually my grandson, Kalie Saimayuk.
Before I recognize a person, I can hear two translations on one channel.
We can hear two languages on one channel.
Secondly, I would like to recognize three people from Pond Inlet, although one of them has been here for quite some time.
We have cadets in Pond Inlet, army cadets.
The one in uniform is also from Pond Inlet cadets, and another person from Pond Inlet I would like to recognize and I am sure that you will be seeing that person wearing the uniforms.
I am not going to recognize the names yet.
Tomorrow I will recognize them with their proper names.
I did not think you would see me.
First I have many people that I have rarely had the opportunity to recognize.
First I have students from Pangnirtung that I would like to recognize.
Mr. Speaker, this morning we had a mock session for the grades 6 to 9 and also from the High School from Pangnirtung.
I recognize each and every one of the students and the chaperones.
I would like to thank the chaperones and recognize them.
Lucy Duvalle Evic, Emmett Flood, Meeka Alivartuk.
We had a mock session this morning with the Pangnirtung students and it was very interesting this morning.
I would like to recognize them for being here.
Question 468- 1(3): Drop in Centre for Taloyoak
My question is directed to the Minister of Community Government on behalf of my community of Taloyoak.
I have had a chance to talk with the minister on the issue that was raised by the youth of Taloyoak.
They don’t have a drop in centre and the Minister of Community Development has stated that the Department of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth would be working with the Community Government Department to make plans for a drop in centre for one of my constituencies.
He has indicated that he would go ahead with the plans that he has set up.
I am asking the minister, representing the youth in Taloyoak, when will he be able to fund the project that he said he would plan for in the coming year.
As of yet we have not identified the funding.
However, we will take this as a priority item.
I really know that young people in Nunavut do not always have places to go to and therefore the crime rate tends to go up in the communities.
We will be discussing this as a priority but at this time our Premier has to be involved in this and we also have to put a new Minister of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth in place.
Although I don’t have a definite answer for the member I can say that we will be planning a project for the community and we will also be reviewing all the communities that the members represent to determine how best we can deal with the problem of communities not having a drop in centre.
Although I can say that we will look into this, I cannot say how much funding we will provide at this time.
I thank the minister for his response.
It has been a few months since I last talked to the minister and I expected that this project would go ahead in one of my communities.
I do know that the people of Nunavut have to have drop in centres for youth to go to.
I will use Gjoa Haven as an example.
In Gjoa Haven the drop in centre is being run by a business owner, however we will still expect a drop in centre in Taloyoak.
So I would like to ask the minister what progress he has made in this area and I would expect to hear from him in the next few weeks so that I can reassure my communities that they can expect a drop in centre in the future.
We as the Government of Nunavut, we represent the people of Nunavut and we have indicated that there is not enough money to go around for all the capital projects in Nunavut.
The one thing we are proud of is that some communities do put out requests for their own communities needs and when they ask the government for assistance we appreciate their input and their ideas.
Although we cannot fund all communities that have made requests, we do try to put out the projects as well as we can despite the lack of available funding.
We are quite proud of those communities that have taken the time to consult with us, however, I cannot state at this point in time that we will have funding for the drop in centre in Taloyoak.
We as the government are trying to find ways to best serve all the residents of Nunavut.
We could probably look into this to see if we could find a building in Taloyoak that is not being utilized at this time.
I would be more than willing to look in to that issue and I would just like to thank the residents of Nunavut again for their help.
Question 469 - 1(3): OIC Decentralization Plan
He is responsible for decentralization.
Mr. Speaker, my fellow colleagues who represent the smaller communities have been raising questions as to how far the decentralization has progressed, particularly in the smaller communities.
Mr. Speaker, my question to the Premier is, OIC had made plans to see whether the government programs in some departments could be decentralized.
I just wanted to find out how many communities have received jobs to date.
I am sorry, could the member rephrase his question.
This is to the Minister responsible for Decentralization.
From my experience and from my knowledge, I have learned that OIC had planned for a decentralized government.
I would like to know from the minister if there are any other programs that came up from the government that are located in decentralized government.
What we are trying to do now is to implement Footprints II and the OIC suggestions for decentralization.
We are looking for any ways that we can stimulate other employment in other communities.
So, we wait to hear from the communities.
Question 470 - 1(3): Clam Diving Policy
My question is directed to the Minister of Human Resources or Sustainable Development and it is in regards to clam divers in Qikiqtarjuaq.
Can the minister indicate as to when he can set up a policy for clam divers.
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Mr. Speaker, I believe my colleague Mr. Kilabuk has said that they are trying to develop a program to upgrade the training level, the certification for the Qikiqtarjuaq clam divers so that they can be licensed for commercial work.
I was looking for more of a policy.
Not a program set up for training.
I think we in Nunavut have to deal with a policy for divers in Nunavut.
So if the minister would be willing to provide such a policy I would appreciate it.
Mr. Speaker, it’s not up to us in respect to policies, but we do have to abide and conform to the regulations outlined in specific Acts.
For example, the Safety Act and guidelines around safety standards that are of general application, for different classes of work and commercial diving is one of those classifications.
So we can look at what options are available but it’s not something that we can just by signing or amending a regulation, it is not as simple as doing that because you have to look at the aspects of safety.
Who in the government does have such policies that the minister is talking about.
Who in the government would be willing to set up such a policy so that we can know for sure as to which department we can refer to when dealing with policies.
Mr. Speaker, the Nunavut Safety Act right now is under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Justice and that’s where the applicable standards currently come into play for commercial diving.
So I would speak to my honourable colleague on that matter to see what options are available.
Question 471 - 1(3): Implementation of GNWT Capital Plan Projects
I know I have raised this question in the past however, I would like to ask the same question.
I asked the minister at the time on the capital projects that have been planned for communities, when would they be implemented.
He indicated that regardless of how much it would cost these capital projects have to go ahead.
Therefore, I am asking the minister if he can look into how much they have spent on capital projects.
It is not just the Department of Education that has to deal with capital projects.
When Nunavut came into existence last April 1 and he asked me this question, I will give him the same reply.
We have had discussions with other departments when it comes to capital projects, we do not have the money for all the capital projects that need to be established in Nunavut.
If it had been through a contract with the GNWT and if there are any safety hazards we would have to make an assessment for all the buildings in Nunavut.
We indicated that we had some funding for contracts and those contracts have already been awarded.
I made that answer last time.
My question is, how much money have you spent so far on projects that are under, I am not talking about high schools I am talking about he said that it could be anything.
So how much money have you spent so far on projects that underway now.