EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I am not opposed to people who are sent out to the Shelters but, if there are problems between a couple, it is usually the woman who is sent out to the Women’s Shelter, and the abuser is usually left in the community.
I strongly believe that there should be family counselling provided to the couple in order to improve their situation or to get over their problems.
I would like to ask the Minister what types of programs are available to the abused and to the abuser.
Mr. Speaker, the Member has the consistency, not only in the Committee but, out of Committee, in the House I am trying to get the support mechanisms in place for victims of spousal assault.
First of all, Mr. Speaker, in most cases, the victims of spousal assault are women, and women are forced to leave their community.
What happens, Mr. Speaker, based on the best recommendations of probably the social worker as well as the health center if there is and there is going to be, if there is a concern that a women may continue to be further abused in the home and she has the option of being sent, in this case, to the Women’s Shelter here in Iqaluit.
Again, Mr. Speaker, no one is forced to, it is usually done for the safety and for the best interest of the family.
After saying that, Mr. Speaker, as the Member has mentioned, we have set up and there are in place community-based programs where we have actually got safe houses in communities where women can go if they are in an abusive relationship, a physical, abusive relationship in communities and in those places, we are providing a family counsellor.
However, Mr. Speaker, what we have been told and as the Member has raised as numerous issues, many of the Women’s Rights Groups, you will have come forward and said: the first thing they want to do is if there is abuse involved, then is to get the woman out of that abusive relationship and situation.
We do not want the person to be injured.
If there is manifold problems within the couple where they are arguing, they are having problems with reconciliation, the Member has also talked about how we can support the couple and that is the direction that we have moved in by putting in more, the mental health workers as well as our wellness coordinators in communities to provide some extra support.
And we are also reviewing right now, Mr. Speaker, as a result of some of that proactive work, how we could pick up the pace on providing extra counselling to families, families in need.
As the women are usually sent out of the community and the abuser, usually the man is left in the community, but it seems to be usually the case.
In an abusive situation, I am sure it would be the other way around.
If the man was being abused, then he would be sent out.
I strongly believe that counselling should be provided to the abuser by the Department of Social Services because they are having problems and it is an unhealthy and unhappy relationship.
Usually, what we see in the communities is that the abuser is left in the community without any type of supportive or restorative services provided to him and we would like to see more programs made available at the community level.
What type of plans do you have for the abused and the abuser in these types of situations?
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, in cases of abusive relationships where, in most cases, where the woman has been abused and in most of our cases of spousal violence, that is the case, there is a recommendation made by the RCMP as well as by the health centres and social services workers that if the woman can remain in the community, they may be in a situation of more violence and that is why we usually sent the woman out of the community.
Mr. Speaker, in some cases where the woman has been physically assaulted, the man has physically assaulted the woman, that man is usually charged and because that person is charged, there are no legal implications that are involved.
Once the person goes to court for the assault and usually in the court situation, then they are asked to, as part of the sentencing report to ensure that they receive counselling.
In the same time, Mr. Speaker, at the community level, when someone is being abusive to their spouse, again, as we said earlier, that is not acceptable in any stretch of imagination.
We provide counselling to the victim because the person would have had to receive counselling before they would have been leaving the community or whatever; they are given options.
The second part of that, the counsellors, Mr. Speaker, go to the abuser.
In many cases, Mr. Speaker, the abuser does not seek counselling, does not endear them selves to be counselled.
You cannot force someone to receive counselling.
What we are doing, and again it is part of some of the work that has come out of this House, is right now in Clyde River we have a Family Resource Centre set up.
We are looking at different models that have been running for over a year now, doing a review on some of the good work that has occurred in Clyde River dealing with issues around families, which includes violence, and so on.
So that is some of the proactive work that we are doing.
And, Mr. Speaker, we have as part of the mandate of Social Workers of our Wellness Workers in the community, of our mental health workers that we have in the communities, just to provide counselling.
So if someone needs support for counselling to help with their issues, then, Mr. Speaker, that support is available.
Then again, Mr. Speaker, in many cases the people who perpetrate the violence do not seek that support.
In the traditional knowledge of the Inuit, we can integrate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit into the counselling system.
Has your department thought about using the elders to do traditional counselling on abusive relationships?
Currently the only people who are providing counselling are the Social Service workers, RCMP, and so on.
Is it possible to integrate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and use traditional counselling systems?
Mr. Speaker, that is some of the good work that we are doing right now in Clyde River, through the Family Resource Centres, looking at incorporation of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit within the programs and services offered by the department.
At the same time, Mr. Speaker, the majority of our mental health workers in communities are Inuit.
We would expect that being Inuk, they are applying the principals of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit within counselling sessions.
Mr. Speaker, we also involve elders at the community level when there is a request being made for that, and that request can come from the victim, and indeed it can come from the perpetrator of the issue, or it can come from the counsellors themselves who have an opportunity to go to, for example, the Community Health Committee, and request extra assistance.
So, Mr. Speaker, at the Headquarters level, Mr. Andrew Tagak has done yeoman service in providing assistance to the Department in incorporating parts of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit throughout the counselling area, as well as the other programs and services delivered by the department.
The communities are probably aware of who could provide Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit traditional counselling.
If I did not know who was available, I would be able to go to the people who provide those types of services.
Do you have a list of who can be approached if anyone of the clients would want Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit counselling services?
In each community they are facilitated through Social Services with the cooperation of the Health Centre and with the other staff who we have at the community level.
There are resources that can incorporate, and do every day, incorporate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit within the delivery of Health and Social Services issues.
That information can be provided at the community level.
For example, in the Member’s community, for example, we have a very strong Health and Social Services network.
There are senior people involved in community counselling at that level, and they do have people that they could call on for support, including elders, in coordination through the Health Committees.
So, there are a variety of options available.
At the same time, Mr. Speaker, the person who, you know, who usually perpetrates the type of family violence that we are talking about, has to seek that counselling.
In many cases, Mr. Speaker, the person does not come forward for counselling and in many cases, Mr. Speaker, it is not because you spend one session or two sessions or five sessions with a person who has been abusing their spouse for a long period of time in a family violence situation.
Sometimes it takes a long period of counselling, including months and years, to deal with the issues of anger for so long in which has caused the spousal violence within the family.
So, it is a long process.
Question 727 – 1(6): Equal Job Opportunities for Disabled Women
They spent approximately 22-minutes in the first two questions and even though some of us are not going to be returning, we would like to urge the Members to keep their questions to the point and also the responses.
The Government, of course, are patting their backs and promoting them selves, but it is up to the public to pat you on the back.
But, Mr. Speaker, what I would like to state today is that there are more women in Nunavut, and the Minister had mentioned December 6.
We know that the Government set up a plan in regards to women, people with disabilities and Inuit, we do not have those now.
It seems like we are having a problem at this point, so there is room for improvement.
The women and the disabled are at a disadvantage because we do not have the programs that are specific.
We are looking at women and handicapped individuals in general and trying to get them on an equal footing in the employment programs.
Women and the disabled have to be recognized by the Governments to provide them with equal opportunities.
But since the creation of Nunavut in 1999, these programs specific for women and handicapped were removed.
I would like to ask the Minister responsible for women and disabled individuals why these processes were taken out of the Government in regards to promoting women and disabled and getting more of them into the workforce.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Member for bringing up this question because its something that we’ll have to take seriously when it comes to women and people who are at a disadvantage.
I don’t want this to become a barrier to the individuals but in regards to your question and why this was withdrawn, I don’t have documentation in front of me but I would like to tell the Member that we’re going to be working hard on behalf of the women and the disabled on these issues.
Mr. Anawak (interpretation): Yes, women especially, have now heard about the response and I think that they should take a stand because we’re talking about the mother, a relative, a niece, or a sister and other handicapped individuals, I’m sure, do not know that this affirmative action status was going to be withdrawn.
The government doesn’t seem to be working hard enough on these issues and when we talk about women, whether they’re Inuit or not are always at a disadvantage.
As you can see in this House we only have two women who are Members.
It seems like, well they had set-up this affirmative action for women and the disabled people and this was just taken away.
At this point it seems like we have a glass ceiling in the workplace.
What is the government going to do to initiate more programs on these?
As I indicated to the Member earlier, we are going to keep working on these issues.
We are going to keep working to remove this glass ceiling and Mr. Speaker, we will have to work together as a government in order to overcome this issue. We will work together with the Qulliit Board and see what kinds of recommendations or improvements we can make.
He mentioned Qulliit and I thank the Minister. Qulliit has one employee and they have to pay for all the operations and maintenance and if we look at the Northwest Territories they have several employees and they are provided offices by the Government of the Northwest Territories.
What support services can we provide to Qulliit?
When NTI had meetings in Sanikiluaq there were resolutions passed stating that women and people with handicaps are at a disadvantage and should be provided further programs.
Is it possible for the government to talk to and cooperate and to start dialogue with the Qulliit Women’s Council and also Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated in regards to advocate on behalf of the women and handicapped?
Mr. Speaker, I don’t want you to get confused on the issue of people with disabilities or women, we’re not saying that this is going to be the end of these policies.
I will want to talk to my colleagues and the Members and as we are well aware there is a lot of room for improvement when it comes to providing programs for people who are disabled.
We will work together with Nunavut Tunngavik and Qulliit and also Members of the legislative assembly to come up with some recommendations and to make improvements.
Question 728 – 1(6): Ads or Posters on Alcohol Abuse
I want to direct my question to Minister responsible for the Health and Social Services.
On my statement earlier I talked about the government as a having many public education campaigns aiming to the health issues.
For example, the one I’m talking about is the smoking and the consumption of alcohol during pregnancies.
Those ads are great and they have some positive effects when you look at some of these ads.
I'm just wondering are there any plans to do some ads on alcohol for example or how it affects your body, how it affects your family life and so on.
Do you have some plans or do you have already some ads out there that have been seen to this date?
Mr. Speaker, first of all I’d like to thank the Member for the last couple of days for bringing up some of these issues.
He had asked about sexually transmitted diseases, issues around VD, gonorrhoea and Chlamydia.
He brought up the issue around the smoking and now he’s bringing up the issue around alcohol.
Alcohol has two issues Mr. Speaker.
If a person indulges in alcohol and has issues around alcoholism, and the second and probably the worst, Mr. Speaker, is people who drink when they are pregnant.
It’s called a fetal alcohol syndrome.
And we know right now, Mr. Speaker, that there is only, even a few beers a week for example, if the mother was pregnant can certainly cause the child a lot of harm.
Mr. Speaker, we know a lot about fetal alcohol syndrome and getting the message out about drinking through the fetal alcohol syndrome network.
We were one of the founders of that group which includes the western Prairie Provinces and the Northwest Territories and the Territories.
Mr. Speaker, we’re also putting money into culturally appropriate information and deliver at the community level.
Thank you Minister for your response. (interpretation ends) Do you have any ads out there to show how to set the value in the family life?
I should put an example as to where a suggestion on how you can put an ad onto a bottle, for example, a sticker like the ones you have when you open the cigarettes.
There are some ads, maybe you would to do the same thing in the bottle that it has a negative effect in the body, but not only that, but also the family life.
Minister, can you respond to that by saying yes or no that you have out there some ads related to what I just said.
Mr. Speaker, it is very difficult for me to give a yes or no answer.
If I say yes because we are actually receiving $309 thousand dollars from the Federal Government on a strategy for FAS and FAE.
Mr. Speaker, we had a symposium that was also held in Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet.
We have had a Steering Committee meeting.
A lot of work has been done for FAS and FAE so the answer is yes.
During my Statement I used that as an example, alcohol consumption during pregnancy, but right now I am talking about alcohol itself.
How does it have a negative impact on the body and the family?
I want to see some type of ad, not only on bottles but, maybe by producing some pamphlets; how we can educate our people in Nunavut, especially in my community, how this affects our body and the family at home?
Mr. Speaker, in most cases labelling, that the Member is talking about, is under federal jurisdiction.
For example, Mr. Speaker, at the manufacturers site of retail and indeed to the Federal Government we have been able to put messages on cigarette packages because of the dangers of smoking and so on; everyone has seen those.
Alcohol, Mr. Speaker, is very similar.
What the Member is asking for, I believe, and if I understand the question correctly, that he is asking that on every 40 oz. bottle of liquor, every bottle of wine, every can of beer that you buy in Nunavut, there would be some kind of information label on there talking about the dangers of alcohol.
I would ask the Member to elaborate on his question, if that is indeed the case.
Thank you, Minister for your comments.
That is one of the suggestions that I am making.
What I am trying to do, Mr. Speaker, is find a way to educate our people out there in Nunavut, especially in my community, I said, that we have something that would help to educate our people out there through pamphlets, yes, through the stickers on the bottle, maybe.
Although you mentioned that it is a federal responsibility, you can do something up here, up North, so I want to ask the Minister again can the Minister commit to doing that in the very near future?
Mr. Speaker, I agree.
Going back to my first answer, we had a strategy on alcohol through the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Committee.
Mr. Speaker, we know that there is no safe amount of alcohol to drink when a woman is pregnant, for example. Those types of messages and pamphlets and forms have continued.
Mr. Speaker, we had a conference earlier in the year where there were sixty-three people who attended from across Nunavut and they brought that information back to their home community.
So, Mr. Speaker, there is a lot of work going.
I would agree with the Member that there is a bit more that we can do and we’re progressing.
I would hope in the coming weeks Mr. Speaker, we’d be able to see some of that good work at the community level and there are Bills on some of the work that we’ve already done.
Again, Mr. Speaker, it’s very important to point out that people should not abuse alcohol.
Question 729 – 1(6): Support Group for Men
I would like to talk about what the Community Government and Transportation Minister talked about regarding the Day of Remembrance for Women.
It’s a day to recognize and remember those people who were shot.
As the Minister of Health and Social Services acknowledged Clyde River on the traditional counselling methods and we’ve been doing it for quite some time.
One thing that I would like to talk about, when we have violence against women only, to me it does not really have any meaning, although it is good because I do not want violence brought on women.
But as men too, we can be mentally hurt as well.
When men are mentally hurt they start to hurt women.
I believe that we should be aware if this.
When men have too much in our minds in life or personal issues, men resort to violence against women.
So I would like to ask a question if he could support the male groups who would like to turn their life around. Have any of the communities approached you to start up a male support group?
There was one application given to my officials, but personally, myself, I do not know if an individual has come up with an application to my officer, personally.
In my community we have formed a men’s group.
I don’t know whether they been supported financially or not, but this has benefited both men and women.
Perhaps your department can form or consider giving financial support to the existing men’s support group or to the ones that would like to start up men’s support group.
If any men’s support group would like to make an application for grants or contributions, yes, we’re open to that idea.
But my department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, we always encourage trying to access grants and contribution services.
Groups can even be assisted when they fill out the application forms.
The forms are also available in Inuktitut.
We encourage people to fill out the application forms.
Are you just going to encourage people out there and nobody is going to actually form groups?
What are you going to do to provide more support to those groups?
Perhaps, Mr. Speaker, to respond, we are not going to push the communities to establish a men’s support group.
We are not going to impose on the communities, but we do have programs available if they would like to apply for programs and contributions.
We do have criteria that we have to follow.
If it is going to be geared towards social issues, perhaps you can ask the Department of Health and Social Services.
Question 730 – 1(6): Safe Shelters Within the Communities
My question is to supplement further questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services regarding the support for men and women.
I am not trying to sway either side, but just to keep a balance for both, I am aware of the problems in the communities that women, more often than not, are the ones who are sent out of the community.
With that I would like to ask the Minister for those women who are sent out of their home communities, sometimes they have to be sent far away and I think that if we call these qimaaviks, which are places to run away to; I think we should call them Ikajurtauvvik, a place to get help.
So I am wondering how it would be possible to set up safe shelters within the communities closer to home.
Mr. Speaker, these are good questions given the situation in Nunavut, but also because of what day it is, and the ribbons that all the Members are wearing.
I appreciate the question from the Member.
Mr. Speaker, we have invested, this government for the first time since 1992, any new monies put toward spousal assault programs, and indeed safe houses.
Mr. Speaker, we have put over 20% increases in the budget over the last four years into these facilities.
Now that is the first increase they have had since 1992.
Mr. Speaker, we have looked at options, ways of creating extra qimaaviks in communities closer to home, not having the people having to travel so far.
Mr. Speaker, there are several questions that arise when that occurs.
A location for a safe home, do we have infrastructure, and so on?
We support, Mr. Speaker, the move by communities to have these facilities available.
However, Mr. Speaker, there are concerns around financing, funding, as well as infrastructure. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The reason why I raised this question is that in the communities that do not have the facilities, a lot of times they are in a family and at times women run away to their families, or to their parents, and if there was a facility set up at the community level, there is an opportunity to provide assistance to both the woman and the man.
That is why I am asking the question, if it would be possible in the future.
Mr. Speaker, it probably would be possible.
There is no sense opening a program if you do not have the resources to go with it and that includes staff; it also includes resources for the people.
Mr. Speaker, we have had some opportunities and some success in the program around family violence.
And what we’d like to do is try to eliminate family violence so that people would not have to go to these types of homes.
There are two homes available right now Mr. Speaker.
Those are the emergency locations where women can go because of violence at their facility. Then we have the transitional home.
We only have one of those in Nunavut that’s here in the Qimarvik, in Iqaluit, where people, women with their children can leave a violent relationship to be able to get counselling and other help.
So, we are moving toward that direction and the answer would be yes.
Question 731 – 1(6): Appointment to the Tribunal – Bill 12 Human Rights
I’ve been sitting down all morning and now finally have the opportunity to speak.
Mr. Speaker, my question will be directed to the Minister of Justice.
A couple of days ago in November there was a Bill passed which now will be enacted: Bill 12.
I will base my question on that.