EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I am a firm believer that when there are challenges, we need to take the initiative and turn them into opportunities and Mr. Chairman, an additional step to making our money go further is to build partnerships and acquire additional service of funding and to this end, I am glad to report, Mr. Chairman, we have had a great deal of success in the past year.
Our work with Infrastructure Canada has produced an agreement through the strategic infrastructure fund to contribute $20 million dollars over the next three years.
This allows us to deal with some of the communities’ most crucial water and sewage infrastructure needs and these funds are matched, Mr. Chairman, by our own capital dollars, meaning we have $40 million dollars in funding for critical water and sewage projects over the next three years.
Mr. Chairman, we also benefited from the strategic highway infrastructure program, which provides $4.3 million dollars of Transport Canada funding over five years and this is supporting three air terminal buildings (interpretation) I am aware of this as well as you are. (interpretation ends) And some road work and I hope some marine facilities that are still in the planning stages.
Mr. Chairman, Canada recently announced the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund.
We are just starting to negotiate for this and that is not shown as our five year capital plan.
When the agreement is complete it will provide an additional $15 million dollars going to Nunavut over ten years from Infrastructure Canada and we anticipate $15 million dollars in matching funds from Indian and Northern Affairs.
Nunavut will also need to provide an additional $15 million dollars.
Mr. Chairman, a highlight of this agreement is that it gives us a great deal of flexibility to better recognize the needs of the north and priorities of our communities.
I plan to involve fully the Nunavut Association of Municipalities in reviewing priorities.
The criteria for this funding include infrastructure that improves health and the environment but in addition to these areas such as cultural, tourism and recreation infrastructure as well as access roads.
Although the funding sources do not address all the sizable and escalating needs presented by Nunavut realities, these partnerships and funding are significant advances in the right direction.
Mr. Chairman, the government’s awareness of the great need and the challenges communities face is what sets our course for capital planning. The vision of our future as well as partnerships to better support communities and the needs of Nunavummiut.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman of Community Government and Transportation. Do we have opening comments from the Standing Committee? Mr. McLean.
Mr. McLean: Thank you cousin. As chairman of the standing committee on Community Empowerment and Sustainable Development I am pleased to be able to provide the opening comments as we begin to review the 2004-2005 capital estimates for the department of Community Government & Transportation.
Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee had the opportunity earlier this month to meet with the Minister of Community Government and Transportation to review the draft 2004-2005 capital estimates.
Mr. Chairman, the Committee is pleased with the Minister’s continuing efforts to secure critically needed infrastructure funding from the federal government through various federal programs.
Members will recall that this House passed a motion last year in Pangnirtung urging that all Ministers of the Government of Nunavut raise federal awareness of Nunavut’s unique infrastructure needs.
The recently announced federal infrastructure funding initiative is surely good news.
However Members would like to see more comprehensive and transparent cost break downs of federally funded projects.
Mr. Chairman the Standing Committee is pleased that the Minister has succeeded in securing funding under Transport Canada’s Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program.
Committee Members are concerned that construction has not yet started on the air terminal buildings that are being funded under this program in Pond Inlet, Coral Harbour and Gjoa Haven.
Committee Members are pleased with the recent announcement of the $15 million allocation funding to Nunavut from the Municipal and Rural Infrastructure fund.
Members would like to see this funding allocated using the consultative approach with hamlets to identify community priorities.
Members are concerned however that this fund requires matching dollars from the Government of Nunavut and it’s not really apparent where these funds will be found.
Mr. Chairman, members recognize that many of the department’s proposed sewage and waste water projects are the results of increasingly stringent federal and environmental regulations.
Committee Members urge the Minister to lobby the federal government for funding and support efforts to comply with their new regulations as they have been drafted in order to avoid extensive fines being levied at hamlets and the Government of Nunavut.
Mr. Chairman with the infrastructure needs in Nunavut we can ill afford to spend money on fines.
Mr. Chairman, the standing committee was disappointed to learn that none of the applications to the airport capital assistance programs were approved in 2003/2004.
Committee Members support the Minister’s ongoing efforts to secure funding under this program.
Mr. Chairman, members were disappointed to note that many hamlet assets are not accurately assessed for insurance purposes and encouraged the Minister to ensure that reassessments are completed in a timely manner.
Committee members applaud the Minister’s work with the Nunavut Association of Municipalities to form NAMIX.
We have watched the hamlets of Repulse Bay and Clyde River grapple with damage caused by fire.
We know that the insurance issue has become increasingly important as infrastructure is upgraded and the value of the buildings increased.
Mr. Chairman, the Committee noted with interest that Iqaluit will be receiving $4 million in block capital funding in 2004/2005.
The Committee encourages the Minister to maintain a rigorous accountability framework for the use of block funding and looks forward to viewing a detailed annual report of the city’s initiative under this program.
The Standing Committee recognises that the Government of Nunavut’s fiscal position is weakening and that we may soon be in a position where we have to cut spending across the board.
However, Mr. Chairman, the Committee is concerned that the $ 300 thousand dollars recreation facilities fund has been reduced to $250 thousand dollars.
Members are well aware of the importance of recreation to the growth, both physical and mental of our youth.
Mr. Chairman, the Committee was pleased to note that the Minister is partnering with the Department of Education in Whale Cove to ensure that adequate facilities are available during community gatherings.
Committee members continue to support partnership initiatives to create multi-use facilities.
Members believe that providing recreational opportunities and facilities for youth will help address the numerous social issues.
Committee Members continue to urge the department to work in conjunction with the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth to identify areas of cooperation with respect to recreation facilities for youth.
That concludes my comments on the 2004/2005 capital estimates of the Department of Community Government and Transportation.
Thank you, cousin.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, my cousin.
Before the Minister goes to the witness table, I have a short announcement.
The Minister of Finance gave us these blue binders that will be used for the Community Government and Transportation and the white ones had errors.
2004/2005, Capital Estimates, Community Government and Transportation.
Page 7-12. $300 thousand dollars.
The total should be $4 million, 225 thousand.
On 7-10, Resolute Bay, sewer and water works. $1 million, 300 thousand and the total should be $4 million, 259 thousand.
On page 7-16, Kitikmeot, C-11, for Kitikmeot and Resolute Bay, there were a number of mistakes here and so you have your blue binders that you’ll be using instead.
In order for our meeting to proceed properly, I would ask that the Minister of Community Government and Transportation go up to the witness table and invite his officials.
Sergeant-at-arms if you would assist the Mmembers please.
Before we go onto general comments, please introduce your officials, Mr. Kilabuk.
With me here today, to my left is my Deputy Minister, Tom Rich and he is a veteran now in the House.
Doug Sitland works in the department.
Welcome to your staff.
At this point according to our rules that you are quite well aware of now, I will allow each Member to have ten minutes and once all the Members have had their turn, then you may have another turn and another ten minutes for general comments.
Now, we’ll go on to general comments.
In the past years, the municipal government, we’ve had some problems.
I’d first like to touch on very briefly because I’m very glad to be here dealing with this department and the new Minister for Community Government and Transportation.
Since we became Members, the progress that this department has made to date since the creation of Nunavut, has been, when you think of it, the communities have had more focus and attention then before.
And the needs of the communities in Nunavut have also been respected and met to the best extent possible through this department.
The Community Government and Transportation Department has never been an easy task.
With the Government of Nunavut in operation, we have really benefited in that the needs of Nunavummiut are given more emphasis.
That is the intent and that’s the change that I have realized since the creation of Nunavut and I can truly say that from my heart.
I’m sure that the hamlets all feel this way; they feel closer to government and it can only get better.
As well, in the capital estimates, a lack of funds has been a hindrance in getting projects and programs done.
However, I would like to say that with the changes through ministerial shuffles and portfolios, some projects seem to drop off the books although we have voiced the need for those certain programs or projects.
We need to try and get some consistency in what the community needs are and with that in mind, in my constituency, I really don’t have any problems with the Community Government and Transportation department.
There has been some problems arising in the communities and although that is, we seem to come up with solutions faster than before.
And I’m really proud to say that.
I rarely say how proud I am of the government so I take this opportunity to say how proud I am of the government for the good work they’ve done in this field.
So, I’ll leave my comments at that.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Thank you. We were talking about breakwaters earlier and docking facilities.
I think in September, we lost a boat in my community due to weather conditions and a few weeks later, it landed in Clyde River from Pond Inlet and I think they might end up owning it and because we do have this problem with winds and weather conditions, especially in the fall; Mr. Iqaqrialu may end up keeping that boat.
However, this boat ended up in Clyde River all the way from Pond Inlet and due to the lack of docking facilities and this should be one consideration the Department should make and to lobby the Federal Government in this area for this infrastructure need in Pond Inlet for the future.
And as well, in the Capital Estimates for Pond Inlet, a community hall is finally added in there and I am very grateful that; I am sure the residents of Pond Inlet will also be grateful that it has made it in the books for 2004-2005 for the community centre and arena and I thank the Minister for his attention.
And as well, I would also be just as grateful if that docking facility that I am requesting would make in the books, but I had thought that it would not even make it in the books this year, so I am really glad it made it.
So, I thank his staff and the Minister of Transportation and Community Government for his attentions in this matter.
I will now have Mr. Patterk for General Comments.
Just to mirror Mr. Nutarak’s comments, this fall I was in Chesterfield Inlet and they have been asking for docking facilities in their community because they do have quite a few boats in that community.
They have been asking for this docking facility in the community to protect their boats. Especially in the fall, trying to get boats in the water has been a problem and that was one of their biggest concerns when I went to Chesterfield Inlet and that was one of the biggest needs because they do have bad winds.
And so, I would like this to be a consideration to be put into your Capital Planning for the community of Chesterfield Inlet.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. My apologies for Mr. Netser, saying your name wrong.
Thank you, Mr. Netser.
I have no one else on my list at this point.
And thank you, to the people at the Witness Table and thank you for the hard work you put into trying to meet the needs of the communities.
Reiterating what Jobie mentioned, all I have to say is that in my communities, in one of them, because they do get high winds, they also need a docking facility in the community. It is part of that land, when they anchored their boats during, it came from Naujaat.
It was the same problem where a boat had gone away from the community due to high winds and so there is a high need there as well for docking facilities for the protection of their boats from the elements.
And so, they do end up losing equipment due to the lack of docking facilities in the community.
When the high seas are windy, it becomes a problem and communities end up losing equipment.
So just a comment to say we need to have this in consideration for capital planning for the future.
Mr. Chairman, I just wanted to make a quick comment.
I know that the block funding agreement in place between the department and the government and to just echo the chairs comments and I know that it was myself and him that raised these issue in the past to ensure that it’s not giving them a cheque and we’ll see you later; if you run into trouble, then you’re on your own.
Hopefully there’s good cooperative approach between the department and the city to ensure that everything that’s done is done properly.
I know that there have been incidences here in the past that we don’t want to see repeat themselves.
I know that with the current administration and counsel here at the city certainly doesn’t want that to happen as well.
I think it has been indicated in the past since the finger can’t be pointed at any one place and it takes a cooperative effort to ensure that these things don’t happen again and I look forward to seeing this continued approach between the city and the department.
One of the other things that you mentioned in your opening comments and that I’m asking about is, I know that there was a study done for the airport here in Iqaluit that I think it’s probably one of the busiest airports in North America and I know that there are some issues regarding the safety at the airport there on the apron and that area and there were some plans to have some of those issues rectified.
I look forward to hearing when exactly that’s going to happen.
I know that study was done a few years ago and I would like to find out when we’re going to see some of that stuff happen.
Hopefully we’ll have something done before something unfortunate happens and we’re in a situation where we say we were going to do it but we’re waiting too long.
So, with the capacity and the volume that goes through the airport here with flights, I think that’s something that we want to make sure that it is as safe as possible a place to be and fly in and out of.
That’s it for my comments, Mr. Chairman.
I have no one else on my list for general comments.
We’ll now move onto questions.
In the new copies that were just handed out you said you would point out one of them.
I have a misunderstanding here.
Can you please just clarify why you handed out new copies?
Chairman (interpretation): There are typos in the Inuktitut in the new copies.
Yes, in my copy that I just received that was one of them; it is supposed to say Community Government and Transportation, that’s what it’s supposed to say in Inuktitut.
It was just a typo.
Chairman (interpretation): Any other comments, questions?
Mr. Chairman I gathered from the Minister’s opening comments that he indicated that talks about the lifeblood of our communities are our airports, and I know that there was a study that was done here and recommendations for some work to be done at the airport here in Iqaluit so I would just to like to ask the Minister when any work is going to be started on upgrading the facilities here in Iqaluit.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk: As a matter of fact the department is getting, based on information from that study, the Department of Community Government and Transportation is pretty tied up together for the federal government for them to review and consider as initial start up fee, as work or necessary work for some of the work that has been identified in the study.
Mr. Chairman I know in the past some of these projects for the airports are basically we provide the information, as the Minister indicated, to the federal government and through the Department of Transport I believe it is, they are the ones who identify where what projects are going to be done for the year and past year’s work being done on other airports and throughout Nunavut and announced by the federal government.
The Minister is going to be putting a package together for the federal counterparts.
Is that the package they are looking at trying to get to them so that the funding can be approved in the next fiscal year for the federal government?
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) Yes, as a separate negotiation we are putting a package together to approach the federal government to hopefully initiate some work by the next fiscal year.
The Minister indicated they are putting the package together; any idea when that will be complete and when he plans on presenting it to his federal counterpart?
We are hoping to have the package packed and delivered to the federal government in November for presentation.
We will now go onto page 7-6, 7-5, 7-5 and 7-6 any comments.
Capital Estimates, Branch Summary, Community Government and Transportation.
Grants and Contributions, Total Expenditures Total Capital Expenditures $550 thousand.
Chairman (interpretation): Total Qikiqtaaluk Region. $4 million, 373 thousand.
Chairman (interpretation): 7-6. 7-7.
Total Kivalliq Region, $442 thousand.
Total Kitikmeot Region, $248 thousand.
Chairman (interpretation): Total Grant and Contribution $5 million.
Mr. Tootoo: Mr. Chairman, are we going off the pages on the hand out or the numbers in the book, so we haven’t gotten to 7-9 yet?
Chairman: Mr. Tootoo, just be patient till we get there.
We haven’t got to 7-9.
Total Grants and Contributions $5 million, 613 thousand.
Chairman (interpretation): 7-9.
Community Government, Detail of Capital, Tangible Assets for Qikiqtaaluk. 7-9, go on to page 7-9.
Total Qikiqtaaluk Region.
This is a revised number; this is now $4 million, 259 thousand.
Mr. Nutarak: We were told that this is a new copy with revised numbers.
You are talking about $3 million.
For the Qikiqtaaluk region.
Can you please say the amount again?
Chairman: In the original copy there was a mistake so there are some corrections to be made in these originals as well as the handouts.
Mr. Iqaqrialu: Thank you.
For Qikiqtaaluk region we have a copy that has the $3 million figure, my colleague here and I, and in the other one it’s the same amount.
And you told us a different amount just then as Chair, you gave us a totally different number.
Can you say that amount again?
Chairman: We have more than one copy and we were told that there were some mistakes in here.
Perhaps the Minister can say what clarifications were; there is some kind of confusion here.
Because there are some amounts in here that are misleading, and confusing everybody.
Minister of Finance on page 7-9, can you please clarify what the amounts are?
Hon. Kelvin Ng: I don’t know, Mr. Chairman.
Which item, Mr. Chairman, 7-9, is it the whole page or specific item?
For the Qikiqtaaluk Region total amounts for Detail of Capital for Qikiqtaaluk various, we would just like a clarification because we were told there was a new amount from the $3 million amount that there was a new revised amount of $4 million, 259 thousand on page 7-9 on the handouts.
Just to clarify that on page 7-9 for Total Qikiqtaaluk Region amount, there was a mistake for $3 million, 959 thousand, the Resolute Bay amount was not added at $300 thousand.
So, it is supposed to be $4 million, 259 thousand for the correct amount.
Chairman (interpretation): That is what I was trying to say.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Should we take a quick break because we do not even see that amount anywhere in the new handout.
So, can we take a break and to get this all straightened out, because I think if we are going to be approving that amount, we need to see the right amount in front of us so that we can get a copy that reflects the true amount.
So, I think we should take a quick break so that they can straighten this out.
Chairman (interpretation): That is why we were saying that there is some revised numbers and if it is not in front of you, we would not deal with it at all and that we would only discuss it with the documentation in front of us.
So, perhaps, we will take a 15-minute break to get this all straightened out.
>>Committee recessed at 17:12 and resumed at 17:27
Under 7-9.
On 7-9, the change in that 7-9 in, from Kitikmeot Region, it was in the Kitikmeot Region and it was supposed to be in the Qikiqtaaluk Region.
So, the numbers will not change.
So, before the end of our Committee of the Whole today, I do not have a problem with agreeing with that page.
Chairman (interpretation): Yes, I think we all understand the Total for Qikiqtaaluk Region, under 7-9, I cannot really see too well.
So, yes, I think we all understand that Total Qikiqtaaluk Region, $4 million, 259 thousand, after the changes, after the amendment, agree?
In the same page, 7-9, Kivalliq Region and 7-9, 7-9 and 7-10, Kivalliq Region, Mr. Tootoo.
Mr. Chairman, this is what I have been patiently waiting for.
Sorry, I was confused on those documents we were using before; I was not sure what page number we were on.
It is on here, there is Sewage and Water Works, $1 million, 55 thousand for Rankin Inlet and this is a utilidor hook-up, it is finishing off the community with, is that what those funds are for?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. Minister Kilabuk.
Yes, it is going to be for Area 1 for hook-up.
Thank you.  Chairman (interpretation): Mr. Tootoo.
Mr. Chairman, I’m just wondering if that is the full cost of it, where if the resident pays for a portion of the hook up costs the same down there so the government doesn’t end up footing the whole bill for it.
Chairman: Thank you Mr. Tootoo.
I’m sorry I will get my staff to explain.
Chairman: Mr. Sitland
This project is the replacement of utilidor only in Area one; it is not the lateral service connection.
Mr. Chairman as you know, this is an issue where the resident is being stuck with, in some cases thousands of dollars, twenty thousand dollars to hook up to the utilidor.
Will they have the same thing down there where the residents, the homeowners are on their own to the main line from their unit?
Mr. Sitland
Mr. Sitland: Thank you, Mr. Chairman I know the project is the replacement of existing utilidor; the utilidor is already there but it’s very old, it’s some thirty, thirty five years old and laterals are already there.
So it’s a replacement of the utilidor only and part of the project involves free attaching laterals.
Mr. Chairman, I don’t see here and I was wondering if there were any funds allocated for sewage treatment plant in Rankin?
Chairman: Minister.
It’s in here.
Is it included in that amount or is it in other parts in the budget?