EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I can’t tell the member when the time will come, but there will be a time when natural filtration will not work due to the amount of sewage being produced in Naujaat.
For now all I can tell the member is that we will monitor the situation and we will revisit the possible sewage lagoon in Naujaat in the future.
Can the minister inform me of how often the studies are conducted? Is it once a year? How many times a year do they study the seepage to the ocean?
Hon. Joe Savikataaq: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Dalhousie University has been doing that study for the natural filtration wetland areas in communities.
They take their samples in the summer. I don’t know exactly the process of how they do it. I’m going to assume they would take the samples where they dump the raw sewage, another one farther out, then farther out, and then farther out ‘til it’s closest to the ocean.
They would see that the samples are getting more purified. That’s how the sample is done.
It’s just done once a season per area, per sewage lagoon. That’s my understanding. The study is usually done just once because the natural filtration system would not change year after year unless something abnormal happened.
Question 728 – 4(3): The Need for Improving Boarding Home Facilities (Shooyook)
We in the Baffin region who seek medical attention are facing a lack of space at the Tammaativvik Boarding Home.
Patients and pregnant women go here by airplane, and this is a very important issue. There have been serious concerns this year about lack of space at the boarding home.
Has the minister looked into alternative solutions to this problem or has he been informed about the lack of space at the boarding home? When it’s over capacity, clients are put in hotels.
Does this not result in increased spending or not?
I would appreciate it if the minister can describe the problems associated with this issue.
I appreciate the member raising this concern again.
The Tammaativvik Boarding Home here in Iqaluit is typically run at 30 percent over capacity, leading to the need to utilize hotels and other facilities, even going so far as to billet people in people’s homes where needs arise.
I have also heard concerns of even when people are in hotels, they may even have to change hotels or change rooms partway through their stay due to bookings. Iqaluit is a very busy city and there are different events going on.
We do try to take that into consideration when we make specialist appointments. We look at what specialists needs are coming to the community in addition to what events are being held.
We try not to put any additional strain on infrastructure.
We are in continual discussions with the ownership group and the management at the Tammaativvik Boarding Home to continually look at how we can address this ongoing concern. There is a lack of space in Iqaluit, so it is not an overnight solution that we can find.
We do have challenges with the new announcement by the federal government of NIHB funding escort travel for maternity travel, which again increases the number of people at these facilities.
That’s a very recent announcement, so we are still gauging the implications of that announcement.
Mr. Speaker, I realize I’m not answering the question with a solution, but I can assure the member that we’re very aware and we’re in continual dialogue with partners to work towards finding a solution.
This is a serious matter for medical travel. I’m not pointing at Iqaluit or Sanikiluaq.
There are 12 communities that are having real problems with medical travel or with pregnant mothers coming in or those coming here for checkups and those who need CAT scans.
With that being the case, there are real challenges with pregnant mothers being able have escorts.
Lack of space will become more of a problem in the future and the Department of Health will have to spend a lot more money.
Can the minister and his department and the federal government in Ottawa make funding available in 2018 to build a bigger facility than Tammaativvik that is run by the Government of Nunavut? Have you ever considered such a thing?
It’s a real problem, especially for elders and those with physical disabilities.
As we keep stating, we respect our elders. With that being the case, have you decided what to do about that situation?
I know funding is hard to come by, but have you ever considered how to acquire a larger boarding home?
As a minister, have you ever considered that with your department and the government?
Can you clarify that to me?
I very much appreciate the member’s comments and his question.
With Churchill being the only boarding home that we actually run as a government, the other boarding homes that we utilize, we do on a contract basis through discussions with Health Canada and Non-Insured Health Benefits on establishing rates and contract conditions.
That being said, one of the options that we are considering is looking at how to expand boarding home infrastructure here in Iqaluit.
Our options are somewhat limited, but it is a very high topic whenever we discuss with the ownership and management of Tammaativvik of how they’re going to continue to meet our growing need through the contract conditions that we have with them. It is a continual discussion.
I can use Larga Baffin in Ottawa as an example where they have over the years continuously purchased and managed larger and larger facilities to continue to meet the needs of Nunavummiut going to Ottawa medical travel.
We’re looking at our partners within the boarding home system along with Health Canada to see how we can continue to meet the needs of Nunavummiut.
The member brings up a very important component specifically to elders. There are limited rooms for people with mobility issues here at Tammaativvik.
I guess the unfortunate reality is not only the limitation.
If somebody is in that room, the boarding home management can request those people to relinquish their room for an elder, but we can’t force them to at this time. I hope everyone is listening that, if they’re put in that position, they have the respect for the elder that they would give up their room for an elder. I know I would, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Shooyook (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also appreciate the fact this minister responds to questions, as I now understand it better.
Yes, I understand the response, Mr. Speaker.
Nonetheless, this is a critical matter.
I now ask the minister if the Tammaativvik Boarding Home is owned by a private business and that the Government of Nunavut doesn’t own it.
How then do you incorporate the goals that you support when this limitation exists?
Due to the importance of this issue, will this require hotel rooms?
I know that funding is tight, but I wonder if the government has discussed this need with the hotel owners. Has the Department of Health contemplated purchasing another building due to the capacity issues faced by the current facility?
This indeed is a very important issue, as many boarders at the facility are experiencing issues due to space limitations, particularly the sector I referenced, the elderly.
How will you develop a goal to ensure, either as the Department of Health or as this government, that you don’t expend our limited funds on hotel room rentals, enriching the business owners, as is the practice today?
Is this the goal of government or has the department decided on a course of action with the federal government on pursuing the funding of a larger facility?
Has this been taken into consideration? I wonder if this type of idea will ever be contemplated or if this is part of your current planning.
All options are on the table when we’re looking at recognizing the increasing need for boarding home services here in Iqaluit specifically.
To show how serious this is, in some respects I can’t answer the member’s full question.
There are negotiations that are continuously ongoing right now that we’re exploring options on how to increase capacity.
Unfortunately I can’t, through procurement and any contracting, jeopardize any contracting processes, but just to let members know, it is something that’s very important that we recognize.
We are working with our partners and looking at different options that we can increase capacity. We do rely a lot upon hotels.
At this time it’s not in the capital plan for the Department of Health to build a new boarding home, but again, all options are being considered.
That’s all I can say for now, Mr. Speaker.
Question 729 – 4(3): Federal Funding to Support Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun (Joanasie)
Last week the federal government announced that it has allocated $15.8 million to support and preserve Nunavut’s indigenous languages.
In that announcement the federal government indicated that this funding would cover the period from 2016 to 2020, but no further details about how the funding will be spent were provided.
Can the minister provide us with a breakdown of how that $15.8 million will be allocated?
Mr. Speaker, it’s true that the federal government made an announcement that funding will be allocated to Nunavut for languages.
Mr. Speaker, in regard to my colleague’s question as to how that money will be allocated, I can say that my department and other agencies of the Nunavut government are addressing this issue through the Uqausivut Plan.
We will be meeting with other departments to discuss how the money will be allocated.
Section 13.1 of the Official Languages Act establishes the Official Languages Program Fund, which must be used to recognize and advance the equal status and rights of all Nunavut’s official languages and to develop and revitalize the Inuit language.
Can the minister describe what specific expenditures were made under the Official Languages Fund during the 2016-17 fiscal year?
As to the question of the allocation for 2016-17 and what that money will be used for, I can’t respond to that right now.
However, in the Official Languages Fund report that I have, I’m sure my officials will be giving me the details of the $15.8 million and how it will be allocated.
I would like to explain further about a part of his question. In speaking about the funding allocated for official languages within the authority of the Government of Nunavut, these are for French, Inuktitut, and the other official languages.
This includes funding for the Inuit language.
More work can be done for the Inuit language because of the availability of that funding. This will provide much support to our Inuit language and the fact that it must be recognized and used accordingly.
There are many details.
As per my previous statement, our department will manage this funding and it will allow us to make progress forward. Our officials will be able to provide recommendations on how to effectively implement Inuktitut or in understanding that their offices must incorporate the Inuktitut language.
I am just clarifying that, as the funding is available until 2020 where, under our agreement, we will be administering the funding along with other departments.
I wanted to find out what specific expenditures have been made under the Official Languages Fund.
However, if the minister can respond to me, I would like to ask him if he can tell us what the balance of the Official Languages Fund was as of March 31, 2017.
I stated earlier exactly how much funding was left as of March 31, 2017.
Within this section related to official languages, which I don’t have the pertinent information here in front of me, I will have to return to my colleague during our sitting after retrieving the figures, and then I can provide the information.
Question 730 – 4(3): Baffin Island Caribou Management (Keyootak)
Mr. Speaker, everyone is aware that a caribou quota exists on Baffin Island, which is capped at 250 caribou for all our communities within the hunting season.
Mr. Speaker, can the minister provide the information on whether the quota has been reached or how many caribou Baffin residents have harvested to date?
How many caribou have been harvested out of this quota of 250 and are there still any tags available for harvesting caribou in our region?
Hon. Joe Savikataaq (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also thank Mr. Keyootak for asking about caribou.
There are currently 229 caribou that have been harvested by residents of Baffin Island.
Since the quota is set at 250, it means that there are still 21 tags left. The season will end shortly and it will reset on July 1 as it runs from that date up to June 30.
There are 21 tags available for harvesting up to June 30.
Can the minister clarify which Baffin Island communities can still harvest?
As the quota is almost filled, which communities have reached their quotas and which ones have not?
Can the minister indicate which communities still have tags remaining to harvest caribou?
Yes, I can respond to that, Mr. Speaker.
As of now the communities that have completed their caribou quota are Pond Inlet and Iqaluit.
Those are the only two communities that have reached their quota.
The other communities have not completed their caribou quota yet.
I would like to inform them that if they don’t get all 250 caribou, then the remaining tags can be given to the communities, even to the communities that have reached their quota.
Mr. Speaker, of the 250 caribou that the Baffin region can harvest for the whole year, some communities go through their quota really fast. I know some other communities don’t live near caribou populations and it takes a long time to use up their quota.
For this past year I’m sure the entire 250 caribou will be caught.
If the entire 250 caribou are harvested this year, will the quota remain the same next year?
Yes, every year the caribou quota has been set at 250 for the Qikiqtaaluk region. Even if they don’t get all of them or get more than that, once next year comes on July 1 we will make another 250 caribou tags available.
The number of 250 will not be changed until there has been another caribou survey and if they are not decreasing in population. Right now it’s going to stay at 250 tags until a further survey has been done to see if it will be increased or decreased.
It will stay at 250 tags for the Qikiqtaaluk region for now.
Motion 049 – 4(3): Extension of Question Period (Enook)
Pursuant to our rules, I move, seconded by the Member for Gjoa Haven, to extend question period.
(interpretation) Thank you. (interpretation ends) The motion is carried and question period is extended for an additional 30 minutes.
(interpretation) Going back to the orders of the day. Oral Questions.
Question 731 – 4(3): Pond Inlet Marine Facility (Enook)
Today I would like to direct my questions to the Minister of Economic Development and Transportation.
Before I ask the question, since we started the session on Tuesday, we have heard that we have been losing family and relatives in our communities.
My family from Arviat, my cousins, I think of you and I send my condolences to you.
Mr. Speaker, I want to follow up on my questions from yesterday concerning the new Pond Inlet marine facility.
In her reply to one of my questions, the minister stated that… .
Mr. Speaker, I will be quoting from the Hansard of Tuesday, May 30, 2017, page 21 in English. I know that these are unedited Hansard Blues.
I will quote, “The Nunavut Impact Review Board application will be submitted by the end of April 2017.”
We all know that today’s date is May 31, 2017.
Can the minister confirm if the application has been submitted to NIRB and, if not, when is it expected to be submitted to NIRB?
I also thank the member for his question in regard to this and reviewing what was stated. What I stated was from my briefing note, that the application will be submitted to NIRB.
I can clearly state that the application was submitted to NIRB on May 19, 2017.
Can the minister indicate what the approximate length of the Nunavut Impact Review Board’s review process is expected to be?
I’ll state what’s here in English. (interpretation ends) All permitting is intended to be completed by December 2017. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Can the minister confirm when the final design of the project facility will be publically released?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister of Economic Development and Transportation, Hon. Ms. Monica Ell-Kanayuk.
The first draft designs are usually seen.
It was continually amended during the negotiations.
Once it has been completed, the final design will be tabled in January 2018 and they will initiate a tender near the end of January.
Question 732 – 4(3): Tourism (Angnakak)
As the minister will recall, she announced in September of last year that her department would be assuming a number of roles and responsibilities that were previously held by Nunavut Tourism.
As she will also recall, this was a decision that I strongly supported.
Earlier this year the Legislative Assembly approved a budget increase for her department’s Tourism and Cultural Industries Division, an increase which included funding for ten new positions.
As of today, what is the status of filling these ten new positions?
I also thank the member for her question. I don’t have that information here with me. (interpretation ends) I will have to take that as notice.
I’ll continue on to the next member. (interpretation) Oral Questions.
Question 733 – 4(3): Options for Government of Nunavut Infrastructure (Enook)
As the minister will recall, Nunavut Arctic College’s Ukiivik residence in Iqaluit was severely damaged by fire in the year 2015.
It is my understanding that this building and the adjoining federal building warehouse are now assets of the Department of Community and Government Services.
It is also my understanding that the department has been considering different options for the long-term use of both buildings, and that these options focus on converting the buildings into GN office space.
Can the minister confirm what specific options are currently being considered by the government?
The Ukiivik old res. and the federal building are adjoined, but we look at them and treat them as two separate buildings and projects.
Right now we are using the federal building and we are looking at maybe changing its purpose to more office space, but that is just being looked at.
The old res., we’re looking at options there, whether we should demolish it, fix it up, or any other projects that could be used on it. Right now there is nothing that we have decided on for both buildings. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is my understanding that it would cost approximately $32 million to renovate and modernize the federal building warehouse and that it would cost approximately $42 million to renovate and modernize the old Nunavut Arctic College residence.
I’m not sure where those figures came from. I can’t confirm that they are correct or accurate because we have not decided what we are doing with either one of the buildings yet.
Until you decide what you’re going to do with a building and what the purpose of it will be, then you can’t get a very accurate figure.
No, the figures are not accurate as of right now. That’s my understanding.
These are your figures, the government’s figures. Thank you for telling me that you have inaccurate figures.
Minister, can you confirm if the government is actively considering consolidating its headquarters workforce into a smaller number of buildings than at present, and allowing a number of its existing office space leases to expire?
Just to rebuttal him a little bit there, the figures may be there.
I don’t know what figures he’s talking about, but until we decide on the purpose of a building, then we can’t get an accurate figure on any building.
Yes, we are looking at options for office space because the member is right that we own and lease many different office buildings here in Iqaluit and lots of the government workers and departments are scattered.
It would be more efficient to get each department in their own building, but as of right now we don’t have an overall plan and that’s partially to do with budgetary restraints.
We are looking at all options.
When a lease is up, we have an option to renew the lease, build our own, or lease another building.
All that stuff is always being looked at.
Question 734 – 4(3): Rankin Inlet’s Hamlet Office (Sammurtok, A)
As the minister is aware, Rankin Inlet’s hamlet office was recently assessed to determine the extent of the facility’s deterioration.
During our recent winter sitting, the minister stated that his department determined that there was in fact mould present in the facility.
Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that the municipality has reached out to the department for support in undertaking mould remediation at the hamlet office.
Can the minister tell us what actions his department will be taking to assist the Municipality of Rankin Inlet with this mould remediation project?
I can inform the member that yes, we have been talking with the hamlet with the mould problems in the municipal office there and a company did check it out and there is mould.
What we’re going to do is work with the hamlet to try to remediate the mould come summer. That’s the most update I have right now to help them out with mould remediation.
If that can be done, then the office will still be usable.
If not, then we will look at other options.
During our recent winter sitting, the minister stated that his department was helping Rankin Inlet to find an alternative space for its hamlet operations while a mould remediation project is conducted.
Can the minister tell us if an alternative space has been identified as of today?
We’re working with the hamlets on that.
I myself don’t know right now whether they have an office picked out, but I believe that there is office space available in Rankin Inlet. While they do the mould remediation, we would help the hamlet out in finding alternative space. In the event that mould remediation does not work, we would also help them find alternative office space.
Mould remediation and renovations to the current facility are short-term solutions to a long-term problem, which is that the hamlet office in Rankin Inlet is aged, deteriorated, and no longer sufficient to meet the operational needs of the community’s growing population.
Can the minister tell us when we can expect to see a project of construction of a new hamlet office in Rankin Inlet in the government’s capital plan?
The member is correct in saying that the hamlet office in Rankin Inlet is old and it’s small.
I have met there with the council and yes, they definitely have outgrown their office space.
Currently it’s not in the five-year capital plan and I hope to be back here next year so that we can try to make sure we get into the community plan. Right now it’s not in there.
On a side note, Rankin Inlet is getting a new arena and their old arena may be able to change its purpose for that. I’m not sure, but that’s one of the options that probably could be looked at in the interim.
We’re open to all options. We know that we have to help out the Municipality of Rankin Inlet in terms of giving them adequate space.
I can’t promise or commit to anything right now, but we’re there to help them.
Question 735 – 4(3): Franklin Expedition (Akoak)
Earlier this month the federal Minister responsible for Parks Canada responded to a question asked in the House of Commons concerning the discovery of the lost ships of the Franklin Expedition.
As the minister is aware, the wrecks are located in my constituency near the community of Gjoa Haven.
In her response the federal minister indicated that Parks Canada is working with the Inuit Heritage Trust to “establish joint ownership of the artifacts.” She also made reference to the Government of Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, can our minister clarify what role the Government of Nunavut has in this process?
With respect to his question regarding the discovery of the lost ships, we worked together with the federal government and other entities, especially the community of Gjoa Haven. After the discovery of the shipwrecks, we had a close working relationship with the people of Gjoa Haven.
If I understood his question correctly, he is asking what role the government has in this regard.