EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I think most of the funding will be coming from the Federal Government.
So, that’s why we agreed to build a school.
And, I can take his question as notice and get back to the member tomorrow.
The minister has taken this as notice and he will get back to the member tomorrow.
Do you have other questions Mr. Kattuk.
Mr. Kattuk you don’t have a question.
Going back to orders of the day.
Oral questions, member for Baffin South, Mr. Akesuk.
Question 298 - 1(3): Kimmirut Social Worker
I don’t want to sound like a broken record.
My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services...(interpretation)...again for the people of Kimmirut we still don’t have a social worker.
We haven’t had one for a very long time and the people are anxiously waiting to get this position in Kimmirut.
I mentioned this at the beginning of the year and my question is how much longer are we going to wait.
Mr. Speaker I do appreciate the question. I would say to the member on behalf of Health and Social Services and the Baffin Regional Health and Social Services Board which is responsible for filling that position.
They have not been able to staff the position.
We did in response to the member’s question in February in Rankin Inlet.
We had a person interviewed for that position.
That person was ready to take that position in Kimmirut, and at the last minute declined the offer.
Mr Speaker, my understanding is that we have to go back out again to re-advertise that position to find a person to fill that position in Kimmirut.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Minister, Mr. Akesuk.
Mr. Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you for that information.
Are we going to be waiting for a long time or are you going to be as expedient as possible.
Hon Ed Picco: Thank you Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker we are endeavouring to try and fill that position and the member knows and some of the members in the House through debate on the Kimmirut Social worker.
The first concern is the house. We didn’t have any housing in Kimmirut.
We secured a residence for the social worker.
We went back out to competition.
Several people applied and we narrowed down to one person and finally when that person was offered the job, they backed out at the last moment.
We have gone out to competition, we still hold the house.
So, that we can fill the position, we’ll have a residence available.
Mr. Speaker, it brings out a bigger question is that with the recruitment of social workers and last week I know in this house we had 5 from Igloolik who are training.
We also have another 5 from Igloolik who will be finished in May with their diploma in Social Work.
We hope we will be able to start filling these positions Mr. Speaker.
So the answer to the members question is we are working on it expediently and hopefully Mr. Speaker before the end of this session we’ll be able to give the people of Kimmirut some good news that they have, Mr. Speaker, been waiting for and deserve to hear.
Iqaluit Centre Mr. Tootoo.
Question 299 - 1(3): Status of 5 Year Plan
Mr. Tootoo : Thank you Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker my question again is for the Minister of Finance.
In his budget address and another question he had alluded to the committing to the development of a 5-year plan.
I just like to ask the minister, who or where his staff are, who they’re involving in this process.
Hon Kelvin Ng. Thank you Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker as you know the department of Finance acts on behalf of government in trying to co-ordinate the provision of information and putting together the Main Estimates and the Capital Estimates.
And it is really each individual department responsible for the planning for their specific needs.
As it stands now Mr. Speaker, the main focus has been trying to get the Main Estimates and the Capital Estimates before the House so that we are in a position to try and complete the 2000-2001 fiscal year operating budgets.
The plan would be to move on from there and try to resolve and produce a 5 year capital planning document that I spoke of at the budget address.
Mr. Speaker, my question to the same minister.
As the Chairperson of the FMB, will they be ensuring that the municipalities are given an opportunity to provide what their thoughts are, provide their own capital plan to the government for consideration.
Mr. Speaker, I don’t know if the municipalities would provide their own Capital plans.
Certainly as I indicated in the past the intent would be to involve them in the process and have them identify, given our limited fiscal resources, identify what they deem to be the priority for the communities.
I don’t see that would hopefully differ too much on what we heard during the budget consultation hearings that we undertook.
As you know they were quite extensive and there was significant participation from municipalities across Nunavut during each community’s hearings.
So, we’re hoping that a lot of that is consistent and certainly also consistent to what the members bring forward on behalf of their constituents as well thank you Mr. Speaker.
We are on item 6.
Did anybody else want to make another comment.
Question 300 - 1(3): Standards and Criteria for Community Halls
My question today Uqaqti, the community hall in Baker Lake was built in 1986 when our population was quite small.
And it’s increased quite a bit.
At this point, we’re to the point where we can’t have a full function, celebration in the community hall at this time.
I know there has been expansion of community halls around the region now.
Can the minister responsible explain to me if standards and criteria’s are changing for the size of community halls in each community.
Hon Jack Anawak: (Interpretation): Mr. Speaker I believe your microphone is off. (interpretation ends) At this point, we haven’t changed the policy on the size of the community and the community hall or the building we build in communities.
However I would like to assure the member and all the members that we are looking at the communities and the size and the size of public places that would be needed to ensure that the communities can comply with fire codes and the regulations.
But, I can assure the member that we will be looking at all the community halls.
I should however point out to the member that there are some communities that are in dire need of community halls and that may be in a more urgent state than the present community of Baker Lake.
But, we will look at all the communities, in terms of the sizes.
Speaker (Interpretation): Thank you Mr. Minister.
The time allotted for question period is over.
We will take a fifteen minute break.
>>House recessed for fifteen minutes.
Item 8 Returns to Written Questions.
Return to WQ 04 - 1(3): Rankin Inlet Birthing Centre
Hon. Ed Picco: Mr. Speaker I have two returns.
The first one to a question asked by Mr. McLean on the Rankin Inlet Birthing Centre.
There were one hundred and seventy-three births at the birthing centre since 1993.
However, it is equally important to note that the number of clients that received care at the birthing centre for their pregnancies is much higher than the actual number that delivered their babies at the centre.
The care that a woman and her family receive from a mid-wife throughout her pregnancy for the first 6 weeks of the babies life for protecting the health and well being of the mother and the child.
Question 2 - Was it well received and accepted ?
The following information was extracted form the evaluation of the birthing project in Rankin Inlet, Northwest Territories, 1996.
The principal investigator, Mr. Speaker, was Marie Chamberlain.
From the community members receiving care one of the patients receiving care gave the following quote " choice had increased significantly for a place of delivery."
Many women stated they would like to be cared by Inuit midwives.
Fathers were allowed to be at the deliveries in Rankin and this was seen as a positive thing for emotional and financial reasons. Most women stated they wanted to have their babies in their home communities.
Mr. Speaker we should take the opportunity to thank the honourable Kelvin Ng, who had the foresight as the Minister of Health under the Northwest Territories in 1996 to help set up the birthing centre.
Mr. Speaker, continuing, from one of the community members in general one of the reactions was there was overwhelming support for the birthing project and also there is agreement that it has helped the community in a number of positive ways.
All felt that training Inuit midwives was important and the expertise of the elder who knew about birthing traditions should be a part of the training.
Mr. Speaker in the budget coming up for the Department of Health I'm hoping to elaborate on some exciting things that we are hoping to do, using Inuit elders and traditional medicine.
Question 3 Mr. Speaker.
Is it cost effective in regards to the initial set up ?
In 1996 Marie Chamberlain stated that it would require not less than forty births a year in the birthing centre to make the project cost effective.
The health benefits of this project cannot be measured in financial terms for this short-term study.
Mr. Speaker at the present time, with an average birth rate of 27-30 a year it would have to be determined if the financial savings, and that includes hospital and accommodations costs, matches or exceeds the salary of 2 mid-wives and 2 maternity workers plus a clerk interpreter.
However, analysing the true costs, Mr. Speaker, and the cost effectiveness would have to include an assessment of the savings to the health system of improving the health of young children, infants and their parents.
This analysis has not been conducted.
Mr. Speaker I think it is fair to point out one of the cost factors that are not there in dollar values is when a women has to go away from her home community and the stress that puts on the family.
This is helping alleviate that.
Question 4 for Mr. McLean was - Does the minister see it continuing in the future ?
The birthing centre became an accepted program in 1995 after a 2 year pilot project phase.
It will indeed continue as a program in the future and plans are currently underway to expand the service to clients in other Keewatin Communities.
Mr. Speaker we have hired a third mid-wife for the year 2000 and we will be offering the service to other women in communities who wish to deliver their babies in Rankin Inlet and not have to go to Winnipeg two thousand miles away.
The medical criteria must be met firstly, which is low risk patients.
We also wish to provide support to nurses in the Keewatin communities who are caring for clients with the maternal and infant program.
Return to WQ 09 - 1(3): Health & Social Services Funding Programs
Thank you, Mr. Speaker and I would like to give my second return to an oral question.
Mr. Speaker, my second return is to an oral question asked by the honourable David Iqaqrialu.
It was asked on February 28, 2000.
The question was in regards to the community based funding programs and the application processes.
Well Mr. Speaker with regards to the fiscal year 97/98, 98/99, 99/00, what programs does the department require individual community governments or organizations to submit applications in order to be considered for funding.
Those are Brighter Futures, Building Healthy Communities, The Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP) and the National Native Alcohol and Drug Addiction Program (NNADAP).
Question number 2 by Mr. Iqaqrialu was which of these programs uses a funding formula at the beginning of the fiscal year to allocate the amount of funding that each community will be entitled for.
Mr. Speaker those are Brighter Futures, Building Healthy Communities, CPNP and NNADAP, which all use Canada Health's formula funding program to deliver program dollars to our region.
Brighter Futures and Building Healthy Communities use this same formula Mr. Speaker to allocate funds to communities.
Now, Mr. Speaker it is very important to point out the CPNP and NNADAP are held at headquarters for Health and Social Services and delivered upon community need and capacity. What that means Mr. Iqaqrialu, is that when they need the funds the Department of Health and Social Services transfers it directly to the community.
Continuing with Mr. Iqaqrialu’s questions.
Number 3 - What were the funding allocations made for each Nunavut community at the beginning of each of the past two years and the current year for each such program.
Mr. Speaker I have provided in my return an attachment that lists every Nunavut community and the monies that are coming forth but I won't read that for the record.
But it is available for the members and the other members.
Question 4 Mr. Speaker - What specific outreach were made to ensure that the communities and specific organizations within the communities were made aware of the funding eligibility, and Mr. Speaker a good question is how do they apply.
Guidelines and communications within the communities were made to each hamlet in Nunavut outlining the proposal procedures and indeed Mr. Speaker the application process.
Mr. Iqaqrialu’s 5th question was - were applications procedures and forms available in Inuktitut for each of these programs and what specific community development efforts were made in each community so that someone personally worked within the community or groups in the community to assist in the development applications under each of these programs.
Mr Speaker the applications are available in Inuktitut as provided by the GNWT.
Nunavut Health and Social Services is developing a multi-lingual document for 2000/2001.
Health and Social Services Community Wellness Program administrator delivered proposal templates workshops and assisted with the development of funding applications in collaboration with the community SAOs, wellness co-ordinators and the economic development officers within those communities.
So it has been a multi- departmental initiative.
Mr. Speaker number 6 question asked by Mr. Iqaqrialu was - how many communities submitted applications for these funding programs but did not receive funding.
How many communities had asked for money and didn't receive any ?
The short answer to that question Mr. Speaker is none.
Every community that asked for money got money Mr. Speaker.
For each funding program which communities did not submit applications.
For Brighter Futures and Building Healthy Communities all communities, twenty-six participated.
CNPN funds were accessed based upon need and the capacity.
Question number 9 Mr. Speaker asked by Mr. Iqaqrialu - in programs where preliminary allocations were made for each community, how many communities lapsed their funding and was it reallocated to another community or purpose at the end of the fiscal year.
Mr. Speaker this will not be ascertained until all communities report and that report is due on April 15, 2000.
Mr Speaker the final question asked by Mr. Iqaqrialu - how much funding was given out under each of the following programs, in this department, for each community in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker I would ask Mr. Iqaqrialu and the members of the house to refer to the attachment connected with the written question.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker for allowing me the opportunity to respond to these two excellent written questions.
Item number 8.
Going to the orders of the day again, Item 9, Replies to the Opening Address.
Report of Committees on the Review of Bills.
Item 13:Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills
Bill 10 - An Act to Amend the Boards of Management Dissolution Act
Mr Speaker I wish to report that Bill 10, An Act to Amend the Boards of Management Dissolution Act has been reviewed by Standing Committee on Culture, Education and Health, and that the Bill is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole as amended and reprinted.
Mr. Speaker I wish unanimous consent to wave rule 68(5) and have Bill 10 moved into the Committee of the Whole for today.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Nutarak .
Mr. Nutarak is seeking unanimous consent wave the rule sixty-eight (5).
To have the Bill moved into the committee of the whole.
Since there are no nays Bill 10 is entered into the Committee of the Whole today.
Going back to the orders of the day Item 14, tabling of documents, Mr. Iqaqrialu.
Tabled Document 47 - 1(3): Letters from Nunavut Employees Union
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker I would like to table this document.
Since Mr. Puqiqnak cannot table this document because he is acting as speaker this document was given to him by Nunavut Employee's Union.
Tabled Document 48 - 1(3): Manitoba/Nunavut MOU
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker , I would like to table the agreement between Manitoba and Nunavut.
A memorandum of understanding which was signed by Gary Dower and myself when we were in Rankin Inlet.
Tabling of documents, Item 15, Notices of Motion.
Going back to the orders of the day, Item 16.
Minister's statement 50-1 (3).
Tabled document 27 -1(3).
Bill 13.
Tabled document 41-1(3).
Bill 14.
Bill 10.
With Mr. Irqittuq as the Chairperson, Sergeant-At-Arms.
Item 20:Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Chairperson (interpretation): We will have a break and afterwards we will go into the committee of the whole go into the last item we dealt with last time.
We have before us Minister’s Statement 50-1(3) and Bill 13.
Tabled Documents 41-1(3) and Bill 10.
We were dealing with these the last time.
We dealt with Tabled Document 27-1(3).
Do you want to go ahead with this. Mr. Iqaqrialu.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you Mr. chairman, we were dealing with NNI.
We didn’t complete this item so I’d like to go to that item.
Mr. Premier, thank you for coming to the witness stand.
Do you want to have your witnesses with you Mr. Premier.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Yes, Ross Mrazek, and Barry Cornthwaite.
They are from the Department of Public Works.
Deputy Minister and Assistant Deputy Minister of Public Works and I am open to questions now regarding this policy.
First of all, are there any comments from the members.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Chairperson, I have different questions that I will pose to the Premier.
However, in regards to the NNI policy, I’m quite satisfied with this policy as we can make some changes in the future.
There’s room for improvements and changes.
With that, regular members will be involved in this discussion.
However, I have some questions a few questions that I would like to pose to the Premier.
If I don’t forget some of the questions that I wanted to ask.
First of all, I would like to ask about the 51 percent ownership within Nunavut businesses.
I would like to ask the Premier if they will be complying with the legal requirements.
If he can elaborate a little bit more on this, I would appreciate that then after that I can ask more questions.
Mr. Premier or Mr. Mrazek.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Chairperson.
We did make some changes to the old policy but we decided to keep the 51 percent as it is in the Nunavut Incentive Policy.
I understand the response quite well.
Has this 51 percent been considered in the past and did they follow up on it after the Nunavut government has had that established policy.
That’s my first question.
Chairperson (Interpretation): Thank you Mr. Iqaqrialu.
At this point, I have to recognize a person from Manitoba, Mark Christen.
Mr. Premier, if you didn't forget the questions that were being brought forth to you.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank Mr. Chairperson.
Up to date we didn’t have a concrete policy in place according to agreements that we made.
We don’t know as of yet how this policy will be used in Nunavut.
There are some provisions in there that have been used previously.
However, NTI said they would be looking into this matter as well and consult with business owners in the Nunavut area.
We have to consult with those people to see what kind of problems they have come across in regards to this policy.
I see that this policy will be of good use to business owners in Nunavut.
My other question was in relation to contracts that have been awarded to some business owners, however, they have to fill out forms in order to comply with this act or regulations.
When that is the case according to the Nunavut policy, there are some Inuit business owners that have to fill out all kinds of forms.
I’m just wondering if these forms they have to fill out will be translated into Inuktitut along with all the regulations within the policy.
If you can understand me.
Up to today, we have been using the policy and we’re trying to get it translated into Inuktitut.
It has been televised and reported on the radio in Inuktitut.
So, the Inuktitut translation is now available.
Whoever deals with contracts or awarding the contracts, will those people be able to speak in Inuktitut or will they be able to read the Inuktitut versions of the policy, so that the Inuit of Nunavut can be better involved in the policy itself.
I would like respond to the question from the MLA, that the forms will be translated and procedure manual will be translated.
So this is going to be a little bit easier than with the previous business incentive policy.
Yes, I welcome that Inuktitut translation.
We’ll be more appropriate for Inuktitut speaking business owners and they are going to be able to read all the forms in Inuktitut, and speak in Inuktitut as well.
But I would like to ask the Premier, if the staff can communicate in Inuktitut to business owners.
Chairperson (interpretation): Which one of you is going to answer the question.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): I cannot answer his question at this time.
Our assistant deputy minister will be an Inuktitut speaking person.
So, I think he or she can look into this further.
Yes, I’m glad that you will be preparing for this.
Especially when it comes to the business incentive policy for Inuktitut speaking business owners.
I think this is very good news for them because there’s been a lot of business owners that have come across problems with the previous policy.
I’m sure this has been brought up to but I would like to ask another question on that.
In the communities, whether they are bigger centres or smaller centres, there’s been some people getting into their own businesses and trying to operate businesses efficiently.
I’m just wondering if they’ll be utilizing the local business owners as much as possible.
I cannot state at this time whether we will be fully utilizing the Inuit business owners in local communities, but we have put out this policy so people will get into more businesses.
We would give them an incentive where we would add 10 percent if it were Inuit owned but we haven’t made anything definite on the smaller communities.
There is the Nunavut firm status adjustment of 14 and 3 percent Inuk firm and local status at present.
I don’t want to be the only one asking questions because I’m sure there are going to be other people who want to ask other questions.
One of the clarifications that I would like is in regards to the businesses.
It states in there that they would get a 20 percent bid adjustment on contracts.
With the previous government, and when they were awarding contracts, they were put up to 40 percent with the previous government.
So, there’s quite a change if we put it at 20 percent.
Is that going to have an effect on the people who are bidding for contracts.
Thank you Mr. Mr. Chairperson.
I don’t know where you got that 40 percent from because I’ve never heard about it.
It used to be in the 20 percent area with the business incentive policy.
We’ll use 20 percent because of course if it’s any higher, it's going to be too expensive.
We’ll leave it around the 20 percent area and this is for all of Nunavut.
It doesn’t define where this 20 percent is going to be adjusted but we did include that there would be incentives for Inuit owned businesses to help the community businesses.
Thank you Mr. Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (Interpretation): Thank you Mr. Chairperson.
Also, I would like to ask about getting contracts where you would try and get the lowest bidder.
With that included in the policy, the larger businesses are the ones who can try and get the lowest bid.
But, of course you know it's very expensive to operate a business up here in Nunavut.