EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Please clarify that for me.
I am not sure that I understood the question, but the beer and wine that we are proposing to sell through the beer and wine store would be low alcohol content.
Beer is 5 percent; wine is 13 to 17 percent.
The hard alcohol that Mr. Shooyook would be referring to, we are trying to deter people from smoking or...
I’ve got all of these things in my head.
…deter people from drinking in huge quantities of high content alcohol, 40-proof and higher.
That’s where people would typically binge drink.
They will get a 60-ounce bottle possibly from a bootlegger, which there are many bootleggers in Nunavut and they are in most of our communities.
I have heard of them and we have all heard of them.
It has been in the media.
They would get a 60-ounce bottle of hard stuff and they would binge drink it, and then what would happen is if they go out on a cold night… .
I know this from my own experience in Cambridge Bay.
People pass out and it’s 40 below and they could be seriously injured because they could freeze to death or lose a leg or an arm if they are not rescued very quickly.
Mr. Shooyook (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also thank the minister for clarifying that.
Mr. Speaker, I would again like to ask the minister about the beer and wine store with lower alcohol content.
When that beer and wine store opens some time in the future, would the residents of the Nunavut communities be able to make orders from that beer and wine store or would they need a permit, or would there be a limit on wine or beer that one individual can order?
Would there be a limit set or could they order as much as they want?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister of Finance, Hon. Minister Keith Peterson.
Mr. Speaker, when the beer and wine store opens locally, we have regulations that were passed a couple years ago.
You would be able to go down daily and get one case of beer and two bottles of wine, and that would be every day. It’s not like they can go down and get six cases of beer and two cases of wine.
If you’re from another community, depending on where you are in Nunavut, in the Kitikmeot, where I’m from in Cambridge Bay, people would have to get a permit from the Nunavut Liquor Commission to order their beer, wine, or other alcohol products from Yellowknife or Edmonton.
If you were in Rankin Inlet, you could order from the south or order from the warehouse here in Iqaluit.
You have to get permits.
If you’re from Iqaluit, you can order from the warehouse in Rankin Inlet or from an alcohol store in the south.
If you’re from other communities, depending on whether you’ve had a plebiscite, people could be prohibited totally. No, you can’t bring any alcohol in, so you can’t get a permit or you could get an alcohol permit from the alcohol education committee and they would also place restrictions on how much alcohol you could bring into your community.
There are restrictions in place, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Shooyook (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the minister for clarifying that for me.
I know you said there are 25 communities.
If the Northern Stores and Co-ops want to be able to sell beer and wine and obtain the permits to do so, will that mean they will be able to transport them in by ship in the future?
Is that what this means?
In addition, with respect to those communities that wish to have drinking establishments, will that mean anyone can apply to open bars in Nunavut or does it mean that won’t happen?
Please clarify for me whether it that means communities that are in favour of opening beer and wine stores in the future and sell beverages with low alcohol content to improve our lives will be able to do so.
I thank Mr. Shooyook for his interest in alcoholic products.
Mr. Speaker, part of this whole initiative, and I have to commend the member as one of his constituents was on the task force that we set it up in 2010 that went around to all the communities in Nunavut and took well over two years.
They made a recommendation to look at a beer and wine stores as a pilot project to disrupt bootleggers and reduce binge drinking.
They talked about a social responsibility program, which this House has approved, and they will do a little public relations and educate people about social responsibility.
They looked at Greenland.
Greenland opened beer and wine stores and the results were tremendous over there. The hard drinking went down and people learned to co-exist with beer and wine.
Did it fully eliminate drinking?
With respect to Mr. Shooyook’s direct question, there are no beer and wine stores currently in Nunavut.
We have two liquor warehouses.
In Iqaluit there are many outlets for alcohol.
If those outlets sell alcohol, they have to get licences from the Nunavut Liquor Licensing Board specific to whatever event or type of service they are providing.
If you’re having a fundraiser, you might have to get a special occasion licence for that. If it’s a wedding, then a special occasion licence for that. If you’re running a bar, you have to get permits.
If you’re running a lounge, you’ve got to get permits to sell your products.
If people are interested in opening a beer and wine store, it’s similar to what Iqaluit did.
Ninety-nine people signed a petition a few years ago saying, “We would like the Government Nunavut to open a beer and wine store.”
They asked for that, so we asked the city. The city supported us with a motion, and then eventually we had the plebiscite where 78 percent, well over a thousand people in Iqaluit, showed up in a relatively cold day on April 20, 2015 and said, “We support the opening of a beer and wine store.”
That’s the process we go through, whether it’s Iqaluit or some other community.
We don’t just open beer and wine stores or liquor stores.
The people would have to ask us and we would have a non-binding plebiscite.
In fact there are a couple of communities right now that have asked for plebiscites to ask the question to open a beer and wine store in their communities, so we’re considering that.
Member for Quttiktuq, Mr. David Joanasie.
Question 661 – 4(3): Mould Infestation in Public Housing Units (Joanasie)
Mr. Joanasie (interpretation): Thank you. As the Member for South Baffin, my questions are for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, as the minister will recall, I asked him questions during our recent fall sitting concerning the housing corporation’s request for proposals to undertake mould remediation and assessment of 241 public housing units, including 13 units in Cape Dorset and 5 units in Kimmirut.
Can the minister confirm today if these assessments were all completed?
I apologize to you. That wasn’t intentional.
Mr. Speaker, the assessment is still ongoing and there were quite a number of communities in the Baffin, Kivalliq, and Kitikmeot that have had to undertake mould remediation and assessment.
The mould assessment was funded by the federal government and the housing corporation started the mould remediation with the help of the local housing organizations.
If the local housing organizations weren’t able to undertake the work, we would put out a contract.
It’s going smoothly, Mr. Speaker.
Can the minister confirm whether or not the mould has actually been removed from any or all of the 241 units?
We have to find out which units need mould remediation. Looking at all the housing units in Nunavut, approximately 5 percent of the units needed mould remediation.
The recent report on housing from the Senate Standing Committee on Aboriginal Peoples highlighted the issue of mould infestation in public housing units across the territory.
Has the Nunavut Housing Corporation been able to determine the approximate cost to remove mould from all affected units?
Mr. Speaker, as I indicated earlier, the mould remediation would be undertaken by the housing associations or organizations.
If they can’t do the work, then we would hire a contractor to do the mould remediation. Mr. Speaker, the mould remediation will proceed.
For phase 2, after the completion of the remediation, we will be putting out an RFP to start the process. That’s where we are at right now.
Once the RFP for phase 2 is awarded, the remediation will be completed and there will be a report on the assessment.
Question 662 – 4(3): Update on Kugaaruk Situation (Qirngnuq)
I want to begin by acknowledging the speed with which the government sent its team to the community of Kugaaruk last week following the school fire.
Mr. Qirngnuq: For the record, can the minister update the House today on progress made to identify temporary classroom space in the community?
I thank my colleague for asking for an update and keeping the House informed of what’s going on.
It’s good to see that it is going well with the school in Kugaaruk.
To date they already identified six buildings that can be used by the school.
I can even say that the elementary school is already using one of the buildings.
I thank the community for making them readily available. That’s where we are to date. They have identified six buildings that can be used.
A significant number of constituents worked at Kugaaruk’s school. Some constituents work as teachers, others work as administrators, clerical and custodial positions.
Can the minister clarify what will happen to all of the positions?
I believe there are as many as 35 staff members who were working at the school.
There are about 300 students.
Of the close to 35 staffs members, none of them will lose their jobs.
It goes without saying that they will have work to do during this school year.
Mr. Qirngnuq: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation) I am happy about his reply that they won’t lose their jobs this year.
(interpretation ends) Even before the fire occurred, I was raising concerns regarding the uniquely challenging nature of Kugaaruk’s annual sealift.
Can the minister indicate if a decision has been made yet regarding the method by which portable classrooms will be shipped into the community?
We hear sometimes that ships cannot make it to Kugaaruk when there is too much ice around the community. I have also heard that if a normal cargo ship cannot go there, a Coast Guard ship goes there from Grise Fiord.
Right now we have plans to send those portable classrooms by ship and if that can’t be done, we’re trying to look at other options.
We know that near Kugaaruk there’s an old (interpretation ends) DEW line (interpretation) site and we have looked at the airport at the old DEW line site.
However, today we will be requesting six portables and we will be trying to ship them by sea.
We’re open to suggestions on how to ship them.
We’re planning to ship those six portable classrooms that will be used by our students next fall.
Question 663 – 4(3): Review of Social Assistance Food Rates (Rumbolt)
Mr. Speaker, today my questions are for the Minister of Family Services.
Mr. Speaker, as the minister will be aware, changes to Nunavut’s social assistance food rates are done through regulations.
I was very pleased back in 2009 when my request to have Sanikiluaq reclassified into region 1 was granted.
Can the minister provide an update on how often the amount for social assistance food rates is reviewed?
If I understood him correctly, I believe the member is talking about doing a review on food rates.
I’m not sure whether he’s asking about income support programs in general or about social assistance.
I will have to look into what this review is for.
I can say that the Social Assistance Program under Family Services and the income support funding are under review.
If I understood the member correctly, that’s all I can respond to right now.
I’m referring to the amount that clients take home at the end of each month.
Mr. Speaker, as the minister will be aware, Nunavut’s social assistance food rates were last increased in 2011.
That was six years ago and it was six years before that in 2005 when they were increased. We’re now in 2017, six years since the last increase in social assistance food rates.
Will the minister agree that it’s time to increase Nunavut’s social assistance food rates?
Hon. Johnny Mike (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I now understand his question and I’m happy to provide a response.
The Minister of Finance’s Budget Address for 2017-18 identified that the level of income support assistance spending has been increased over a six-year period by 60 percent.
This is how much support funding has increased.
Nonetheless, another program was introduced in 2016 last year.
The federal child benefits were deducted in the past from the income assistance payments from the Department of Family Services’ social assistance programs. The federal child benefit deductions from the Department of Family Services’ income assistance programs meant that there was less income for clients by approximately $7 million.
The exemption of federal child benefits from calculations of income assistance programs of the Department of Family Services has provided additional financial support to low-income Nunavummiut to help cover the cost of living by about $7 million annually.
Since 2001 the cost of living across Canada, including Nunavut, has increased. Inflation continues to grow with steady rising costs for food and other goods.
Since 2011 the Government of Nunavut employees have not seen one but two new collective agreements with increases in their salaries to help address the rising cost of living.
Other collective agreements have included similar raises.
Will the minister commit to helping Nunavut’s most vulnerable residents meet the rising costs of feeding their families and raise Nunavut’s social assistance food rates before the end of 2017?
I thank my colleague for pushing for the increase.
The review was done by the departments of Family Services and Economic Development and Transportation and the reforms that were proposed.
We look for other ways of helping those who find themselves in urgent need of assistance by Family Services.
We have clearly stated that in our review and the reforms that will be made, especially in all of the programs Family Services provides and the Income Support Program, how we can do more through those programs and what kind of reforms we can make not only in that program but in the poverty reduction review.
That will have to be dealt with.
Question 664 – 4(3): Blueprint for Action on Housing (Sammurtok, T)
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, I continue to receive concerns from a number of my constituents regarding the public housing rent scale.
One of the specific concerns that have been raised by a number of my constituents is the method by which the income of public housing tenants is assessed and verified.
A number of my constituents have indicated that there appear to be discrepancies between how income is calculated and presented by employers and how it is calculated and presented by the Canada Revenue Agency.
Can the minister confirm if the Blueprint for Action on Housing will review this aspect of the public housing rent scale?
Mr. Speaker, we keep referring to (interpretation ends) the Blueprint for Action on Housing. (interpretation) A lot of work was put into it from the government and stakeholders outside the government.
My short answer to his question is yes, there are many details and there are 60 action items that we have to consider in the blueprint for action, which include the cost of maintaining a house, income levels, and the rent scale.
In response to his question, all of these issues will be looked at through the blueprint for action, such as the rent scale and other action items in that blueprint.
I continue to receive concerns from a number of my constituents regarding what are perceived to be inequities between policies for staff housing and policies for public housing.
For example, constituents have asked whether or not people with full-time jobs who live in staff housing units or public housing units are treated equitably when it comes to such things as paying a fair share for furniture.
I do recognize that the cost of furniture is included in staff housing rent calculations.
Can the minister confirm if the Blueprint for Action on Housing will review the issue of equitable treatment for staff housing tenants and public housing tenants?
As I stated earlier, all the people who live in staff housing units or public housing units are addressed in the blueprint for action and they will be worked on.
I can’t give a definitive answer to his question right now, but government employees who live in staff housing, people who live in public housing, and the rent scale will all be looked at in the blueprint for action.
They’re all addressed there. That’s all I can tell my colleague. To answer his question, all those details will be handled in the Blueprint for Action on Housing.
Mr. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) There are 60 separate action items in the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s Blueprint for Action on Housing.
Can the minister clarify how the Nunavut Housing Corporation is prioritizing which specific action items to address first?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Kuksuk.
I can tell my colleague that our department cannot handle that alone and we have to rely on other government departments to do this work.
They will be indicating to us what their priorities are.
The lack of housing is a very big issue in Nunavut.
The construction of housing in the Arctic and all of those things are going to be looked at. I can tell the member that as the work is being done, a report will be produced as to the work that has been completed. All the items are being worked on and will be put into a minister’s report that will be tabled in the House.
Question 665 – 4(3): Clyde River Integrated Community Infrastructure Sustainability Plan (Keyootak)
As the minister is aware, the only project for Clyde River that is currently on the government’s five-year capital plan is a new mechanical garage.
Funding in the amount of $1.5 million is projected to be spent by the Department of Community and Government Services in the 2018-19 fiscal year on this project.
I didn’t quite understand the member’s question, so I would like him to repeat it.
Member for Uqqummiut, please rephrase your question.
Funding in the amount of $1.5 million is projected to be spent by the Department of Community and Government Services in the 2018-19 fiscal year on the new mechanical garage in Clyde River.
If I understand the question correctly, I will try to answer it.
There are three garages that need to be worked on and they’re looking to see whether the money will be used to renovate or build new ones, but it’s being assessed at the moment.
The decision hasn’t been made either way yet.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Your first supplementary, Mr. Keyootak.
As the minister will recall, I tabled a copy of Clyde River’s updated integrated community infrastructure sustainability plan earlier in our current winter sitting.
Can the minister confirm which department of the government has the primary responsibility for working with municipalities on their integrated community infrastructure sustainability plans?
We would work with the hamlet council. The $1.5 million for that project was approved by the House, so the project will proceed.
I can’t indicate what actual work will be done, but the funding has been approved and the project will proceed.
Clyde River’s updated integrated community infrastructure sustainability plan identifies a number of specific projects that the community needs.
Can the minister clearly explain how the government decides which capital projects it will fund and which ones it will not fund?
The money identified is for mechanical garages and the project will proceed.
The details will be put together. They will either renovate the current buildings or build a new one. We’re still looking to see which option we will proceed with.
I just want to assure the member that the funding has been approved for the project.
Question 666 – 4(3): Muskox Management (Mikkungwak)
As the minister is well aware, caribou population trends in Nunavut have begun to show declines in recent years.
In its most recent Statutory Report on Wildlife, which was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on November 19, 2013, the government states that “There are some communities where caribou numbers are very low, where HTOs are encouraging more harvest of muskox to reduce the pressure on caribou populations and allow the caribou numbers to increase again.”
Can the minister clarify if his department supports an increased harvest of muskox to reduce pressure on caribou populations in Nunavut?
We encourage the wise use of wildlife in Nunavut.
As for the harvest of the muskox, the current TAH that is allocated for the muskox in the Kivalliq, there are two muskox zones there, both TAH are not fully utilized at the end of the season.
Mr. Mikkungwak: Mr. Speaker, can the minister tell us when his department last conducted a population study on the muskox population in the Kivalliq region?
In the Kivalliq the muskox zones are divided into two zones and the divider is Baker Lake and Chesterfield Inlet. Whatever is on the south of that is considered the central Kivalliq.
That population survey was done in 2010 and at that time the population estimate was 4,736 animals.
Mr. Speaker, the other zone is north of Baker Lake and Chesterfield Inlet and that is considered to be called the North Kivalliq.
That survey was done in 2012 and the estimated population of the muskox at that time was 2,431.
As the minister is aware, Kitikmeot Foods Ltd. is a Nunavut Development Corporation subsidiary, which holds an annual muskox harvest and processes the products of its harvest locally to be distributed nationally and internationally, creating jobs and income for communities.
Will the minister commit his department to completing a study to determine the feasibility of holding a commercial muskox harvest in the Kivalliq region?
What the member talked about in the Kitikmeot there on the Victoria Island commercial harvest, I don’t think that commercial harvest is on anymore.
As for the Kivalliq here, we do have the Rankin Inlet Meat Plant where they do on occasion buy muskox meat from the hunters. I know that they did last year.
The current quota that is allotted for the Kivalliq, if the HTO decides they would like to sell their muskox to the meat plant, they’re in full control of their allocated tags for each community.
They can use that to sell to the meat plant if they wish.
Question 667 – 4(3): Legal Services Board (Akoak)
Mr. Akoak: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon, colleagues, (interpretation) residents of Gjoa Haven, (interpretation) and my family watching.
As the minister will recall, I have asked a number of questions concerning the operations of the Legal Services Board, an organization which is headquartered in my community of Gjoa Haven.
I have previously raised questions as to why the board’s chief executive officer has been located in Rankin Inlet and the board’s comptroller has been located in Manitoba.
As of today, can the minister indicate where these two positions are currently located?
Mr. Akoak’s information is correct. The chief executive officer or executive director is located in Rankin Inlet and the comptroller is located in Manitoba.
In April of 2016 a contract was awarded to a consulting company to undertake a review of the Legal Services Board’s organization and compensation structure.
I will ask the minister the same question that I asked him last fall: will he make available a copy of this report to the Members of the Legislative Assembly?
Although the Legal Services Board is connected to the Department of Justice and funded through the Department of Justice, they do have an independent board and a chairperson of the board.
I can’t make that commitment on behalf of an independent organization.
On November 8, 2016 the minister tabled the most recent annual report of the Legal Services Board.
The report indicated that one of the action items in the board’s strategic work plan on page 10 says, “Review, update, and consolidate GN positions in Gjoa Haven.”