EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Speaker, I was not here during last week’s session when we heard about Goo Arlooktoo.
I was not here and he was a very good friend of mine; I also would like to send my condolences to the family.
I have been a Member of the NWT Legislature since 1995 with Goo, and I believe that God will take care of his family.
Mr. Speaker, I would to make a statement in regards to the students that are graduating.
There will be a lot of students graduating from our communities and from our constituencies.
The numbers of graduates are increasing and they will be inviting us and we are very proud to see students graduate from carpentry.
Thirty-two students graduated and they took this course for two years, and it is really heart warming to hear of the commitment that the students are showing in order to graduate.
We are always happy to hear about our graduate students.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to encourage students who have given up on their training courses and some of them in their lives and some of these young people are just staying at home twiddling their thumbs.
As parents we believe in them but at times as parents too we give up on our children but there are many people out there who would like to go back to school but they’re unable to due to age.
We have to be able to deal with these individuals, Mr. Speaker, that are not going into school and too old to go to school and my colleague, Mr, Anawak was talking about where these individuals can go for more help.
We don’t have a program or service for the parents who have given up on their children.
They need a place where they can go for help when the children are just staying at home and they don’t know how to deal with their children.
There should be a service where the parents can go because their children are not working or they did not complete their education.
Yes, we have to guide them in order to get them back into the job force if we are not going to be giving them any constructive criticism and some individuals can’t find jobs in our communities.
Mr. Speaker, people who graduate from grade 12 end up working at the coop stores and the northern stores because there are no other employment opportunities.
Mr. Speaker, this needs to be rectified.
I would like unanimous consent to conclude my statement, Mr. Speaker.
Parents of graduates feel very proud of them.
I congratulate the students and the parents for completing the course for carpentry and they have a very good future and I’m very proud of them.
Mr. Speaker, the individuals who don’t seem to have any future, we have to start dealing with those individuals as a government.
We need to find solutions for the parents who have given up.
I remember and acknowledge the parents who have given up on their children and give them blessing in the name of Jesus.
Speaker: Are there any further Members’ Statements.
I would like to recognise some people today, and I am happy when I had made my member’s statement earlier I had mentioned that there were three individuals here in the gallery.
I have three constituents here, Julia Uyarrai from Gjoa Haven, Mary Niviaqsiaq from Taloyoak, and Mary Ikkutisluk from Gjoa Haven.
So I would like to recognize these people and I also would like to welcome them to the Legislative Assembly and wish them a very safe trip back home.
Mr. Speaker, I rarely get the opportunity to recognize anyone in the gallery.
I would like to recognize my wife, Victoria Alakannuark and my adopted daughter Martha Alakannuark because I rarely get the opportunity to recognize any individuals in the gallery.
>>Applause  Speaker: Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery.
Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to welcome to the gallery today a well known Iqaluit and Nunavut business woman and a constituent of mine, Ms. Natsiq Kango, to the gallery.
Mr. Speaker, the person that I was going to recognize has been recognized but I’d like to recognize Natsiq Kango who has always been very hospitable.
I want to also remember her grandmother whom I remember fondly and who used to live in Coral Harbour.
Question 101 – 1(6): No Contingency Fund in 2002/2003 Budget
In last week’s budget address the minister did not provide for a contingency fund for the 2002/2003 fiscal year.
As this has been the case, I would like to ask the minister why the minister didn’t provide for a contingency fund in this year’s budget?
Mr. Speaker, due to the fact that we have a significant accumulated surplus that we can draw upon if required.
In the event that there’s an emergency requirement for expenditure, from which department will the government take any needed funds?
Or is there a sufficient surplus as the minister stated that will take care of emergency expenditure requirements.
Mr. Speaker, it would depend on the magnitude of the emergency situation, if that were the case.
By and large though, given normal operating circumstances, the accumulated surplus we have now would suffice in dealing with regular matters that might require emergency funding.
Mr. Arvaluk: Mr. Speaker, perhaps the minister misunderstood me.
I didn’t ask for regular matters, but if there is an emergency situation that arises, will the contingency that he has this year for 2002/2003 take care of it from the present surplus?
Mr. Speaker, I did understand the member’s question.
My answer was that it depends on what size of the emergency, if there were a situation that required emergency funding, what it would entail.
If there’s a situation of a community learning centre for example, you’re talking about one and a half or 2 million dollars that burned down and had to be replaced, that’s well within the range of anything that we could handle in respect of our current contingency and even larger.
If we were to lose a school for example at anywhere from 10 to 15 million dollars, I mean obviously it would create additional stress on the system but again we would have the capability to deal with a situation of that size right now.
If you’re talking about anything larger than that, obviously it would compound the matter in respect to trying to deal with the issue.
Question 102 – 1(6): Assistance To Correct Spelling of Names
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to direct my question to the Premier or the Minister of CLEY.
In respect to the first issue, this may be under the Department of Justice, in regards to some names from the 1960s and 70’s.
The GNWT was instructed to collect names and during that time, names were collected and even unto this day, when we are living in Nunavut, the spelling of our surnames are still fraught with spelling errors.
There are still a lot of people who do not have the correct spelling of their surnames.
The Law Review Commission was in charge of this review.
Mr. Speaker, in my community, I was approached…I’ll make my preamble short.
I’m just trying to explain to the members.
In my community, a couple has a child in the south.
That child called the parents about how he would get his name changed to a proper spelling.
When you do not have any knowledge of the government and its structure, it is hard so if I wasn’t sure of spelling my name or how to write my name properly, who would I approach for the resolving this issue?
In regards to a change of name, that would be under Health & Social Services.
The Law Review was instructed to deal with this issue, or was responsible for this.
The problem they kept running into in respect to the issue was the people born outside of Nunavut.
They are under the different provincial governments, depending on where they were born.
The name as spelled out by the certificate has to match this spelling or else they lose their benefits.
That individual would probably have to approach the departments in those provinces as they have to follow the legislation that applies to this issue.
If they had a problem, they would have to identify where that individual was born.
If it’s under Nunavut, our department would responsible for dealing with the concern that the member has.
We can work with the member.
That is as much as I can say based on my understanding of the matter.
We are open to any letters requesting further assistance or resolution of matters such as this, insofar as we can assist that person.
Mr. Puqiqnak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you, Mr. Premier.
When a person is born outside of Nunavut and if he wanted to do a correction on his name, for example my name is Puqiqnak, where would I go to correct the spelling of my name, if there was a spelling error?
Would I deal with it in Nunavut or outside of Nunavut, depending on where I was born I guess, but Mr. Anawak was saying if you have problems, you can approach organizations for certain issues, so who would I go to on that matter?
I’m trying to respond using my personal knowledge of the matter.
It depends on where you were born and the legislation used by that province.
Outside of Nunavut, if you were born in one of the other provinces, you would approach the government public relations office in that province, but in Nunavut you would probably have to go to Health & Social Services.
This is a problem we faced when reviewing the legislation that covered this matter.
Forms could be made available but I’m sure Health & Social Services would be happy to help the member.
I know where that individual was born.
He was born in Nunavut but my question is just so you have the proper spelling of your name.
Would I have to go through the court system or who would I go through to get a correct spelling of my name?
I’d like to thank the member for explaining his question.
You would have to go through the justice system and there are forms that would be filled out.
You would work with that department for the proper spelling.
There was a proposed Change of Name Act that was before you; however it was not passed, so in the meantime you will have to go through the Justice system.
When the responsibility was given to the law review commission, once the commission has dealt with this matter would we no longer be dealing with Justice?
We were trying to pass the Change of Names Act; if it had passed it would have given everyone an opportunity that wanted to change their name for approximately one year without going through the Justice system.
It was not passed as there were obstacles that were beyond our control.
We are presently changing names by working through the justice system.
Question 103 – 1(6): Update on Nunavut Identification Cards
Welcome back Madam Thompson.
You took awhile.
I’d like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for Community Government & Transportation.
On September 11 the World Trade Centre towers were destroyed due to terrorist attacks.
After that the Transportation minister talked about Nunavummiut having to have identification cards.
I’d like to get an update on how that is going.
I’m very glad to be back, Mr. Speaker.
I’m glad that this question has been raised.
We are a bit behind on getting identification photo IDs and I just met with my staff recently about this issue and the mayors also brought this up in Ottawa.
Mr. Speaker, we are presently working on this matter and we know we are late but, I’d like to have them completed before the spring is over or by springtime.
I know it is spring now, but as my department was responsible for this, we haven’t been able to complete it due to other commitments.
I apologise but we’ll endeavour to work on this.
For the Arctic Winter Games, I asked if there was going to be a camera available to take passport photos for the people who were involved in the Games, especially those people who were going to Greenland.
If we want to get a driver’s license, we have to get a photograph and produce identification and generally that is in the communities.
How can we get a passport and what protocol or process is involved?
The picture equipment, is this the same system that is used for the driver’s license photos? How easy is this process to get a passport?
We know that you have to undertake a different process for this.
They are using the same camera for either process as it takes pictures of your face only.
You use the same camera when you become a member of this House.
For identification information, there’s a yellow background for the driver’s license.
There are different background colours that are used to identify the different classes of licenses.
With the two kinds of colours available for ID and also for the driver’s license we have generally agreed that the photo ID for our people will have the yellow background.
Unfortunately, the spelling of names becomes a problem.
It usually takes time to correct surnames and the spelling of names.
There are a number of spelling mistakes on ID cards also.
This is something we will be working on and attempting to speed up the process.
I know that people worked on the athlete’s ID cards all night long and we’re caught up to that.
For the people who are to receive their photo ID cards, we have agreed on the colour of the background and the lettering as well.
The only hard part will be the proper spelling and the proper person for the photos.
I’m talking about taking pictures used for ID, especially travel related.
The equipment never worked properly and as I mentioned previously, it was impossible to use it for passport purposes.
We were told that there was supposed to be somebody coming into different communities to take pictures with proper equipment.
This never happened either and I would like to find out more about this since we need ID to travel and will it cost our people anything?
The first picture taken for ID will be free but for the second time, if you lose one, you will have to pay for the second.
If some of the communities don’t have proper equipment to take pictures, my department will make sure to make the cameras available for everybody.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Yes, I would like to get some clarification.
There are cameras in the communities.
Would you be telling the community social workers to take pictures or will your workers be going to the communities?
Is your department going to be able to travel to communities to take pictures?
If the communities are able to take pictures on their own without someone coming into the communities, then they will be doing that, however, if they are unable to do so then people from my department will have to go to them.
The communities will be informed by our department.
Question 104 – 1(6): Update on Airline Transportation Plans in the High Arctic
I would like to direct this question to the Minister responsible for the Department of Community Government and Transportation.
I mentioned this one time before about the reduction in airline services for the high arctic.
There are fewer and fewer flights going to the high arctic and it’s getting harder for government officials to travel around.
What is the status of airline transportation plans for the high arctic to date?
Speaker: I believe the question is directed towards Minister Thompson.
I would like to talk with the member here.
As the Minister for Transportation, I talked about the airlines in Nunavut; the study of airlines and services to Arctic Bay are also being looked into.
The RFP we’re talking about was recently closed on April 30th and we will be reviewing these concerns about the airlines.
Traveling in the high arctic is very hard.
People want to know exactly what the future of airline services is going to be and how the study is proceeding.
I would just like to thank you for responding.
I want to be able to provide an update on this airline transportation plan to my constituents.
Question 105 – 1(6): Helping Elders Pass on Their Knowledge
I would like to direct this question to the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
There are fewer and fewer elders today in the communities who know the cultural and traditional skills and they want to be able to do something but there is never enough money available in the communities.
How can we help them pass on their knowledge in our communities?
When we are speaking about funding it’s in the main estimates.
We put money in the main estimates for the elders and youth to work together in each community.
It’s just an estimate so I can’t say how much each community is getting.
Also, aside from that, we are looking into whether each community should have an elders’ committee that can be approached by the government and others to make sure the elders’ voices are heard.
Sometimes we can approach these elders’ committees for anything that we might want to know.
When the government is planning something, we will be able to collaborate with these elders from each community, to plan with them.
It will be good to have elders’ committees in each community so we can approach them when we need them.
Perhaps the Hamlet Councils can work with these elders to form a committee.
We are getting into that level of detail later on and it’s in the main estimates.
I understand what you’re saying and thank you.
You’re talking about the elders’ committees.
When would it begin?
Will it be this year or the year after?
When can we expect to see the elders’ committees in each community?
Yes, we are working on this plan starting from now.
We are hoping to meet with them this coming August.
I personally don’t like to meet with them in the spring and summertime when everybody prefers to be out on the land.
Perhaps it would be better to meet with them in the fall when everybody comes back to the communities.
First of all I would like to ask my colleagues here what you want to see, in respect to these committees, and further we should approach the elders.
The kinds of things you would like us to work on with the elders and perhaps prior to the Christmas season, we can plan these things in detail.
Question 106 – 1(6): Location of Mineral Discoveries
Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to direct this question to the Minister responsible for Sustainable Development about these reports that he tabled with all these nice photographs.
There are application forms in this document that you have to request.
In respect to these reports, I’m very happy that there is about 5 thousand dollars that individuals can request from the department for their proposals.
Perhaps if I could ask this question first, I recall a time when there were a lot of people who were prospecting in and around the communities, way back from my youth all the way to today.
Perhaps there are all sorts of secret deposits that have been found that are now just being opened up.
There are a lot of prospectors that come out to the communities and there must be a lot of minerals that are out there in Nunavut.
It seems like this document is a little bit late for people to do prospecting although it has been around for about three years.
The minerals that have been discovered previously that are in Nunavut, do these deposits have specific places where the maps and sites are located and does the government know their whereabouts?
Some of the mineral deposits that have been previously discovered are listed in the report.
They are located in documentation that is not translated, and it shows which communities are closest to these finds.
We have the information in the English version, it is written where these minerals have been discovered.
Perhaps, I will make a mistake and if I err, please let me know.
It’s just that I want more information and further clarification.
Non-renewable resources such as oil and gas, and other mineral deposits, years ago the shamans knew where they were located although they didn’t know what uses they had.
It is also designated in this book, whereabouts these finds are.
We discovered those years ago and I think the prospectors and the people that look for oil and gas have stolen our birthright.
Have you looked into this issue and how it relates to these mineral claims?
The shamans, if they were able to write down where they discovered those things it would have been a lot easier because we would know where they were located.
In this day and age, we have to look for them ourselves or the prospectors and the people who explore for oil and gas.
As many shamans have died off, we won’t be able to get any direction from them.
I’m sorry Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
I am starting to get hot under the collar, but I’ll try to make it clear; it is not really related to the question that I posed, but this is background material.
Inuit had reached the moon quite some time ago during the shamanistic ages, prior to the Americans reaching it with their machines and finding out it wasn’t what they thought it was.
Those are the types of things that I’m talking about, non physical discoveries.
Looking at the pictures and the maps in this document, it’s got symbols of men and other things within the applications.
Do those little symbols identify where there’s been a discovery, or are they just symbolic?
They don’t state what kinds of minerals that have been discovered, due to all the competition, I know that, but I would like to know how this will be dealt with.
We have to look at the pictures in order to clear up any misunderstandings.
The symbols and the approximate locations where the minerals have been discovered are written within the document.
You can see by looking at it approximately where those mineral finds are within Nunavut.
It just shows the types of rocks that are in the area. It doesn’t state whose land it is and whose mineral rights those are at this time.
We just provided symbols of where the discovery has been made.
My last question is about mining activities in Nunavut.
If somebody thinks that they’ve found something in a place where there has already been a discovery, does that mean that it doesn’t belong to them.
The prospectors used to walk for days and all they had was a little hammer and magnifying glass to help them look.
Like today, how they prospect is with geophysical and geochemical exploration either via plane or helicopters and they have new equipment to search for minerals.
The towed arrays and their radiation we don’t know about as Inuit people and their effect on human or vegetation matter.
So, what is going to happen in Nunavut whereby there have already been discoveries of mineral deposits, can we as Nunavummiut use these same technological marvels to look for further deposits?
The discoveries in Nunavut of minerals are the birthright of persons born and living in Nunavut as it is one of our only means of economic development, therefore the benefits of these minerals should not only accrue to the exploration companies with all their expensive equipment.
But the Government of Nunavut and the Government of Canada have an agreement to see that mineral exploration undertaken in Nunavut has to follow the regulations and the rules governing exploration in Nunavut.
Yes, we realize that there is a lot of exploration and that this has been ongoing for three years, and the future looks bright.
I realize that there are a lot of people in Nunavut that have just begun to do exploration and prospecting.
So, I think they should be protected and we would like to help the people of Nunavut follow the rules and the act, in regards to mineral exploration, so these types of things will not be taken away from the people who have already staked a claim or know the location of a mineral outcrop that they have discovered.
So even when the legislative session is not going on, these types of concerns felt by the prospectors are all things related to my department.
Question 107 – 1(6): Counsellors’ Certification and Qualifications
Mr. Speaker, last month on April the 26th, here in the House, I asked the Minister of Health and Social Services during oral questions about counsellors and what kinds of qualifications they need.
Because the minister responded to those questions in a lengthy way, I couldn’t really follow the response that he gave.
Say for instance, I posed the question that if an individual, who through life experiences is able to counsel Inuit, did not have a certificate in counselling people and the government does not recognize those people as being qualified without certificates or any educational counselling when they are trying to become qualified as social workers.  I felt that the minister did not respond to me properly and I did not really understand his previous response, so can he give me the response again.