EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I know I have been pushing the cadet movement and whatnot and I know in the past, especially with applying for leave, because of the collective agreement and the way it’s worded, it seems like at times, our GN employees who actually volunteer a lot of their time after hours to make sure this program works are not being given leave to travel with youth on different activities.
Could you explain to me what the official stance is from your department on this?
Is it seen as a benefit? My understanding of what the civic leave is it’s a benefit to the community as a whole.
To me, it’s shown repeatedly that the cadet program does that.
Chairman: As a former cadet, I have a bias for this. So should I declare bias?
Yes, it’s a great initiative and I hope the minister will change the policy.
Yes, I do know about the member’s concern because we have dealt with it quite a bit lately.
Just to be clear, I’ll outline the leave in regard to cadets.
Cadets are not stipulated in the collective agreement at present, but with the new agreement coming up, this is something that should be pointed out from the union side to be bargained about.
We, as all of us at the Department of Human Resources, encourage people to volunteer and we don’t always have to pay people to volunteer.
However, people use common sense.
I think the sense here is that to be either given or denied leave, it’s up to the supervisor and again it comes down to operational requirements of that person’s job first and foremost being with the government and providing those duties.
But in all reasonable cases, I believe that leave would probably be authorized.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Shewchuk. (interpretation ends) Are there any further questions or comments?
It is a problem. There are some volunteer coaches in our communities who are not given permission to leave because they work for the government or a company, for that matter.
But as a government, I think our policy should broad enough.
I think it’s even stated in the Tamapta or some other document, “For the betterment of our communities, betterment of Nunavut.”
The program, such as a junior soccer team, 10 to 12 year olds have to be coached and chaperoned by government employees most of the time because the government is the biggest employer.
That policy has to be reviewed so that there’s enough flexibility that these scout leaders, coaches, etcetera, especially for children, are given some free time when it’s necessary to go and coach, or chaperone, or whatever voluntary responsibilities they have been given.
I would like to ask the minister then: will the review be given to adults who volunteer their time for the development of the children in our communities that includes everybody who is participating in the activities, whether it’s scouts or skill development, etcetera?
Hon. Daniel Shewchuk: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the member for raising that point again.
Again I would just like to stress the fact that I understand what the member is saying. I also would like to say that in regard to providing services and coaching children, which are very important too in communities, in very few cases is leave not negotiated and given, so it does happen quite consistently.
However, there are cases where operational requirements of that person in their duty and their job with the government require them to be there.
If there is a case that they feel very strongly about and they need to take leave and go with that soccer or hockey team, then there are other options of annual leave, volunteer leave, and other things that happen on their own time.
I would just like to say that I do understand his point and in the majority of cases, leave is granted for community members to get involved in supporting children.
Are there any more questions on the opening comments?
No one has their hand up. We will go to the main estimates on page D-4. Human Resources.
Directorate. Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $3,587,000.
In June 2004, the minister appeared before the Committee of the Whole stating that the issue of whistle-blower protection will be addressed in the new Public Service Act. Can you give us an update as to what stage in development is the whistle-blower protection with the Public Service Act?
In most cases, it’s not even a part of the Public Service Act, for example. It’s elsewhere, so I don’t know why it has to be tied here. Minister Shewchuk, you have the floor.
We have said that we will coordinate that with our Public Service Act and we’re working on that. Just to add to that, we are having difficulty with the Public Service Act in actually acquiring somebody who is very skilled and knowledgeable to lead the development for the Public Service Act, but we’re pursuing that avenue.
I would like to say this about whistle-blower legislation, as I committed to the House before, that it absolutely will be included and it will be included with all consultation of all parties involved so that we come up with the right wording of it and the right level it should be.
(interpretation ends) We’re at D-4. Operations and Maintenance. $3,587,000. (interpretation) Do you agree?
Human Resources. Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $5,234,000.
Mr. Arvaluk: I’m no minister.
I think this question was asked by the Member for Pangnirtung at one time and especially in the Priority Hiring Policy, we talked about that a little bit.
It’s quite significant and it’s very noticeable in the decentralized communities that if you have buddies in the south and you get them up to Pond Inlet, you hire them as casuals and then put them on permanent basis a couple of months later.
This has become very common because I think there’s a provision in there that if you have been a casual hire, when the actual position is open in the competition, you have the priority over other candidates if you have been a casual already or something along that line.
Will you be developing a more realistic policy under the Inuit Employment Plan that is not happening right now in our decentralized communities?
Thank you to the member for that question.
What I think I understood in what he was saying is that southern people are coming up and acquiring casual jobs just by being in Pond Inlet and gaining experience. Obviously, if you have casual work, you will gain experience and hopefully that experience will lead to other employment. It may even lead to other causal employment.
However, I would like to stress this fact that when casual hiring does take place, the Inuit employment policy is still valid.
So that is in place and an Inuit beneficiary with the same qualification or the qualifications needed for that position would be the first one to hire.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Shewchuk. (interpretation ends) I think the point that Mr. Arvaluk was trying to make is that it’s people who are in the know of the supervisor who get connections, then get put on as casuals, and then somehow magically become indeterminate employees.
I think that’s where there’s a question mark of those employees. In the small communities, it’s a lot more obvious that it happens.
So that’s where Mr. Arvaluk was trying to make [his point].
Minister Shewchuk, you have the floor.
Hon. Daniel Shewchuk: Thank you for the clarification, Mr. Chairman.
Now I do understand you more.
We have a very tough time stopping people from bringing people from the south to visit or be in Pond Inlet, or whatever the case may be. That’s very hard to mitigate.
I suppose if there’s a concern of friends being hired of supervisors and people in the government in managerial or supervisory positions, the relevant department and I should know about that and we can possibly check into that.
I understand and agree with the minister.
In fact, I agree with the whole hiring policy.
There’s nothing wrong with that.
I’m talking about a practice here, a practice that happens when I think the headquarters… I mean that a lot of people out of Igloolik work for human resources and I think they screen them too.
However, it’s the people in decentralized communities. I’m using Pond Inlet as an example and it’s probably in some other places too.
It’s the direct supervisor of that department who has a whole lot of influence as to who they want to hire for their department, not so much the human resources department from Igloolik that will have no knowledge of who people are in Pond Inlet, or Pangnirtung, or Rankin Inlet, or other decentralized communities.
But those who are in the community who would become direct supervisors have a full knowledge of what’s going on and they stress the importance of hiring who they want.
I would like to see, I don’t know, belts tightened or some other prevention of misuse of the hiring system. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
That is a very good point that you bring out because it does apply to all communities across Nunavut and I know in my home community too that that feeling and that thought is out there.
I suppose, Mr. Arvaluk, what we can do is try and monitor the situation more closely and train and encourage our people better in the skills and the qualifications in which we do our hiring practices so that they are knowledgeable about what should happen and what shouldn’t happen.
However, I still would like somebody feeling like that to have some place to go and identify that situation to the hiring department or to HR. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman: Yes, I think this is a clear example where you might be working under the person that is doing it, so you’re in a tough spot in those cases.
I wanted to elaborate on the line of questioning Mr. Arvaluk was mentioning in regard to casuals.
One department has been said by the general public that some friends are being hired on a casual basis, as to what Minister Shewchuk was alluding to. Next, the public finds this casual hire, a friend of a friend, if you will, is hired for a job that was not advertised.
There are two instances where wives of other agencies had jobs lined up by the time they arrived to a community; no advertisement, no locals, no beneficiaries. Many qualified people I know applied but had no interviews and had been screened out.
Even for those who are hired, there are even perceived practices of favouritism or where strings were pulled to get certain family in certain positions.
I make no apologies for my statements, Mr. Chairman, for the integrity of my line of questioning applies to what my constituents and others have brought forward.
I don’t do this in a personal manner; I do it in a professional manner, as I have been elected to ask these questions.
My question for the record is: what is the minister’s position on casual employment practices?
Chairman: Thank you. Minister Shewchuk.
Thank you, Mr. Aupaluktuq, for that question. It is a very good point again.
My thought on casual employment hiring is that it’s definitely needed. We have set our targets and we have reduced our casuals, which I am very proud that we have done in the last year or year and a half.
There is absolutely a definite need for casual hiring, though, to fill vacancies and provide services where we need to provide those services even though we have vacant positions in communities.
However, casual positions are just that. They should be casuals. I feel that when we have a position vacant and we hire a casual, we should initiate a permanent competition at that same time so that that casual is just a short-term fill.
And I agree with that.
As far as the situation you are relating to that may have been happening in your community, I encourage you very much to share that information with our department so that we can follow up on that.
I encourage all employees across Nunavut that are experiencing those same things happening to them, they need to go to people and tell people. We need to know that so we can fix things.
Are there any further questions? (interpretation ends) We’re on D-5.
Under the government’s Priority Hiring Policy, Nunavut Land Claims Agreement beneficiaries who meet the qualifications required for a position will be given priority over all other applications in job competitions.
The government staffing procedure gives the next level of priority consideration during job competitions to Nunavut residents before southern applicants.
It has been suggested that this period of time be extended to five years. During your appearance before the standing committee in June, you stated that you needed to consult with your officials before determining your position as minister on this idea.
I’m just curious to find out what your position now is on this issue.
Chairman: Thank you. (interpretation) To the question.
I haven’t really consulted with my officials in a forum to this date yet.
I think it is going to take much more consultation with my officials and actually look at other jurisdictions and other information before we can even come with a suggestion of any type of position to take on this.
I think in other jurisdictions, it is one year, maybe at tops.
I know in other residency standards, I mean for instance to be a resident under the Wildlife Act, you have to be in Nunavut for three months. It used to be two years at one point in time and it was shortened up to three months. So I think there needs to be more conservation, talk, and consultation on this issue.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister Shewchuk. (interpretation) Are there any further questions?
(interpretation ends) Are there any further questions?
I have one on casual hires. How long does a person have to be casual? Is there a limit?
At some point, the person has to get hired indeterminately. That’s one that has been back and forth for some time. Has there been a final policy on that?
You’re bringing up a very good point.
Casuals are generally hired on a period for four months. They can be hired up to a one-year period.
There can be a request for an extension of a one-year period on top of that too.
When that has happened, it has to be approved through the deputy minister of the department and for anything over a year, the Deputy Minister of HR with written endorsement from the union for that to be allowed to happen.
Again there are casuals out there that are longer than that. There is no question about it.
We all know that too.
We have actually addressed the situation to some respect and we have eliminated some of those casuals and done direct appoints into positions.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister. Are there any further questions on D-5?
(interpretation) Human Resources. Staffing. Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $5,234,000.
Human Resources. Community Operations. Total Operation and Maintenance, to be Voted. $3,213,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Human Resources. Job Evaluation and Organizational Design. Total Operation and Maintenance, to be Voted. $923,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Human Resources. Inuit Employment Planning. Total Operation and Maintenance, to be Voted. $793,000.
Are there any questions? Mr. Arvaluk.
We spoke briefly on this issue in regard to the opening comments.
In order for GN to achieve its stated goal of 54 percent Inuit employment across all occupational categories by March 31, 2011, it will need to recruit and hire more than 500 qualified new Inuit employees within the next 15 months.
If all positions are not filled, the GN needs to hire more than 200 employees.
Does the government expect to meet the target of 54 percent and if not, can the minister tell me if the government will set a more realistic target?
We are in the process of also developing a new Inuit Employment Plan that will try and meet those targets. However, we feel confident because the information that says that we are going to reach this target by 2011 is coming from departments telling us that they have very good confidence and faith that they can fill these positions with Inuit employment.
I think there is also a consideration for the cultural differences of what they call first impression.
I think there has to be some kind of orientation also with the supervisors, especially direct supervisors in some divisions.
If that person is really rough… you know, how we used to treat green horns and rookies in the army and also in a hockey game or any other employment in the mining, etcetera, we really treated these rookies to a really rough time.
If that practice happens in my community, that person who was just being hired would quit right away. He or she wouldn’t be able to stand that.
However, if that person is impressed that their immediate supervisor is a really nice person who wants to work with that person and if that new supervisor becomes sour after six months of the year, the person who has been hired or was happy probably would stay anyways because they have become knowledgeable about this job and wants to stay.
So those kinds of considerations have to be given to encourage that first employees of the government are impressed and want to work. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I do think the points the member makes are very important. Just in some regards you know, as I said, the departments are coming to us with these targets and we do have faith in them too.
Just to add to that, we would implement our Priority Hiring Policy in all competitions.
We hope to gain a lot of skilled workers through our summer student employment program. You know, we put effort on that last year and we will again this year. Hopefully that will encourage a lot of young people to get into the different fields that we offer in our government.
We will continue the casual employment and beneficiaries will be hired in casual employment. We have Sivuliuqtiksat Internship program which we are moving forward to.
That is again going to benefit our Inuit employment targets. We have scholarships that we give out to people to achieve higher education levels.
So with all of these things combined and more programs that we can coordinate and initiate, we hope to reach that target.
(interpretation ends) We are at Inuit Employment. (interpretation) Total Operations and Maintenance.
Mr. Arvaluk, I’m sorry.
Just a quick one.
There seems to be a discrepancy between different decentralized communities and the Iqaluit Inuit employment planning.
What is the real reason that Inuit employment is lower in Iqaluit than other communities? What is the reason behind that?
(interpretation) Thank you Mr. Chairman.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Arvaluk. (interpretation ends) It’s a very good question.
It has been too low for some time.
I think the main reason for that is that Iqaluit being the capital, there are a lot more technical and professional level positions here that the skills are not held by beneficiaries at this time to fill those positions. That’s a big part of the contribution to that.
Chairman (interpretation): Are there any other questions on this page? Thank you.
We knew quite some time ago that we will need Inuit employees to serve the Inuit, especially those who are unilingual, right at the outset.
We also knew that when we started going to school in the mid to late 60s, education was so simple that we even declared that all of the Inuit would have university degrees in whatever field they wanted to take because they were given a warm place with three square meals a day.
What more kind of a life would you want?
Where I grew up with my old man, my father, it was tough education, very tough education and then something went wrong.
When I came back from the south educated and trying to push for a Nunavut government, Nunavut territory, the land claims agreement, etcetera, then when I got home, everybody was dropping out of school. Something went wrong. Employments that could have been had by the Inuit at the time were not held by them.
Now we’re in a little bit of a dilemma of trying to recruit under our own programs that the federal government did not pursue and now we’re pursuing them.
Do you have any plans in recognizing this, that you will have a better employment plan that is fresh, new, and applicable to our unique territory?
I thank the member for his statement and concerns.
He brings up some very good points.
To reach these levels and the targets we have set, I think it’s going to take time.
A good example of that is the NTEP program that we have in place. That NTEP is very successful now.
That started in the 1970s and it has grown to what it is today and it’s very good, which again goes back to what the member said how proud he was when he was a child and when he was going to school and what he had.
I think that a huge contributor to what we have now is that we really need a solid foundation in education right from middle school to high school to post-secondary education so that we really can educate and give the skills to the people of Nunavut and the beneficiaries in Nunavut so that they can take over the roles and all of the government jobs and reach that 85 percent target as soon as we can.
Operations and Maintenance. $793,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Training and Development.
Mr. Elliott: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was hoping at this point that the minister could expand a little bit more on the $2 million that went from the Department of Finance to his department in terms of training and meeting some of the objectives of what the Auditor General’s report said.
Are you talking about the Sivuliqtiksat dollars, I believe, that the minister commented on in his opening comments, the $2,092,000? No, it’s a different one? Okay, sorry about that.
I think the member is referring to the money, the $2 million that we got from Finance. Is that right?
Okay, I can read all of this out, I’m not sure… do you have a copy of it in your plan at all? But I think you got a letter with this one.
I’ll tell you that nothing has really changed. The updates are the same, except that the money is basically all committed now.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister Shewchuk. Mr. Elliott.
Mr. Elliott: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m referring to the $2 million that the Department of Finance found and gave to his department and which I asked oral questions about, which was then referred to and told that in HR, I should ask it, so I’m asking it now.
If the minister could tell us where it is in the business plan because I haven’t found it, but maybe I overlooked it. No, I did not receive a letter outlining all of the programs of where the money went.
Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Elliott. That’s last year’s $2 million that you’re asking about. There was $2 million set aside for training last year.
I’ll read this out. There was a letter sent out to the chair of the committee, so you will be receiving a letter with your answer in it, but I’ll read it out to you.
There’s $1 million in the Specialized Training Program.
Justice, Level of Service/Case Management Inventory, there was $45,197 spent;
Justice, Motivational Interviewing, $20,147;
Justice, Successful Management in Northern Corrections Environment, $29,000;
Justice, Justice of the Peace Training Plan was $132,395;
Health, Sterile Sanitation Equipment and On-Site Training, $23,630;
Piloting Consulting Skills Training, $92,200;  Coroner Training Plan, $54,800;
Bailiff Training Plan, Justice, $72,365;
Management Training, QEC, $72,365; I’m a little off; I think these lines are…
Community Care Workers Orientation, Gjoa Haven, $6,400;
Environment, Environmental Assessment Training, $92,730;
Project Management Training with Health, $30,550;
Environment, Fur Grade Training, $4,045;
Health, Community Care Workers’ Orientation, $14,640;
QEC Briefing Note Training, $13,700;
Health, IEHR Training (Electronic Health Records Training), $51,143.
So that’s the $1 million of the $2 million.
The other $ 1million for program development is:
HR Diploma, $42,000;
HR Administrative Professional Diploma, Iqaluit, $48,000;
HR Administrative Professional Diploma, Cambridge Bay, $55,500;
HR Supervisory Diploma in Iqaluit was $19,000;
HR Supervisory Diploma in Rankin Inlet was $61,500;
Education and Career Development Strategy, $523,000;
Finance, Canadian Payroll Association Training, $72,000.
Any more details that you want, Mr. Elliott? Mr. Elliott.