EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) For a moment there, I thought you changed my name.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table the Executive Summary of the Nunavut Suicide Prevention Strategy Evaluation Report.
Moving on. (interpretation ends) Item 14.
Bills 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 and Tabled Documents 107 – 4(2) and 149 – 4(2) with Mr. Enook in the Chair.
>>House recessed at 11:03 and Committee resumed at 11:19
First of all, good morning to Nunavummiut who are listening to the radio broadcast and watching the televised proceedings. Welcome to your committee.
Today in Committee of the Whole, we have the following items to deal with: Bills 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 and Tabled Documents 107 – 4(2) and 149 – 4(2).
Mr. Rumbolt: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and good morning again.
We wish to continue with Bill 3 and the review of Nunavut Arctic College and, if time permits, followed by the departments of Justice and Environment.
Does the committee agree that we first deal with the capital estimates for Nunavut Arctic College?
Bill 03 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2016-2017 – Nunavut Arctic College – Consideration in Committee
Minister Quassa, I would like to ask if you have witnesses that you would like to bring to the table.
Minister Quassa would like to have his officials with him at the table.
Minister Quassa, for the record, please introduce your official.
With me today is the President of Nunavut Arctic College, Peter Ma. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Ma, welcome to the House.
Minister Quassa, I would like to give you the opportunity to make your opening comments. Minister Quassa.
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): Good morning, Mr. Chairman and my colleagues.
The college’s capital budget request for 2016-17 is $5,923,000, which encompasses four capital projects and budgets for ongoing lifecycle and minor capital projects.
The four capital projects are:
Iqaluit Community Learning Centre/Campus
Kitikmeot Campus
Whale Cove Community Learning Centre
Grise Fiord Community Learning Centre
These four capital projects are in various stages of progress.
An RFP for the design of the Iqaluit Community Learning Centre/Campus will be issued in the fall of 2015, which will lead to a better estimate for a construction budget.
(interpretation ends) The college is contemplating a two-phase approach to accommodate programming requirements and the Government of Nunavut’s fiscal framework.
The first phase would be to consolidate the college’s Inuit language and culture programs and community programs from the North 40 Old Residence Campus to Nunatta Campus to enable a better learning environment for our students.
The carpentry program would be housed at the federal building until the second phase is completed.
With the fire at the North 40 Old Residence in April of this year, alternative classroom and office space has had to be acquired in a relatively short timeframe.
The college is finalizing a short-term lease at the old Inuit Broadcasting Corporation building for the 2015-16 academic year.
Leases for additional student housing units have also had to be acquired as well as turning family housing units at Building 515 into single student residences.
(interpretation) The first phase of the Kitikmeot Campus, which is the construction of student residences and a daycare, is expected to be completed by November 30, 2015.
The original construction completion date was March 2015. The college had prepared for the possibility of a delayed occupation, so students are being accommodated at local hotels at the cost of the contractor.
The next phase of the Kitikmeot Campus is a mine training facility.
The college is in the process of reviewing previously proposed mining careers to be offered at the mine training facility to ensure that they meet the current mining environment in the territory and into the foreseeable future.
(interpretation ends) This next phase also consolidates a number of buildings in Cambridge Bay into a main campus. The new Kitikmeot Campus will also enable the college to better offer programs for careers in education, human services, and environmental technology.
The ability to offer the Environmental Technology Program in Cambridge Bay would complement and support the soon-to-be opened Canadian High Arctic Research Station in 2017.
A contract for construction on the Whale Cove Community Learning Centre has been awarded. Drilling of the piles was not able to be started due to site conditions, but the construction schedule is not expected to be affected. The completion date is still expected to be October 2016.
(interpretation) Progress on the Grise Fiord Community Learning Centre was stalled by weather in 2014-15.
The Department of Community and Government Services has recently proposed options to the college as it thinks that the current plan to renovate the old hamlet office/community centre may exceed the current budget.
2014-15 was the first year of an ongoing lifecycle budget for the college.
The major capital project that was undertaken was the relocation of the community learning centre in Sanikiluaq, which was completed in August 2015. The actual construction was completed in March 2015, but the information technology work was not completed until August 2015.
(interpretation ends) The college is pleased that the annual budget for ongoing lifecycle will continue to be $1 million in 2015-16 so that the college can continue to address its accumulated deferred lifecycle maintenance deficit.
The Government of Nunavut’s proposed five-year 2017-2021 capital plan has planned increases so that the annual budget will eventually reach $2 million.
The college carried over $432,000 of minor capital projects monies from 2014-15 in order to facilitate the renewal and replacement of information technology equipment throughout the territory.
Because of the large volume of computers that are being replaced, estimated at cost of $650,000, the college is working to find cost-effective ways to deliver the computers to communities, such as utilizing air charters.
In addition, the college will need to collaborate with the Department of Community and Government Services to ensure that the computers are properly installed and set up.
The college has also been using minor capital projects monies to do preliminary work on the replacement of its antiquated legacy student records system that was inherited from the Government of the Northwest Territories.
An RFP for a student records system was issued in August 2015, which closed on October 15, 2015.
It is anticipated that a separate request for funding to address the college’s replacement of the student records system will eventually be needed.
(interpretation) As the college continues to assess the state of its facilities and make the necessary ongoing lifecycle investments and to build new incremental facilities, the college will be in an even better position to support the Government of Nunavut’s efforts to implement Article 23 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my opening comments. I would be pleased to answer questions or comments from members.
I am pleased to provide opening comments on behalf of the Standing Committee on Social Wellness as the Committee of the Whole begins its consideration of the proposed 2016-17 capital estimates for Nunavut Arctic College.
Mr. Chairman, Nunavut Arctic College’s proposed capital budget for 2016-17 is almost $6 million, which will be allocated to three community-specific projects as well as towards two minor capital projects for addressing upgrades and renovations to current facilities and small equipment needs.
Mr. Chairman, the standing committee fully supports the role of Nunavut Arctic College in providing educational opportunities to adults across Nunavut.
It is critical to have the basic infrastructure in place from which to deliver programs that meet the needs and aspirations of Nunavummiut.
Both campus-based and community-based facilities can support adults in working towards improving their educational and career opportunities.
Mr. Chairman, the three community learning centre projects in the communities of Grise Fiord, Whale Cove, and Iqaluit are at different stages of completion.
The committee has noted that the scope of the project in Whale Cove was amended to include daycare spaces instead of a staff housing unit.
Members are in support of efforts to increase the number of available daycare spaces wherever possible.
The standing committee has noted with some concern that progress on both the Grise Fiord and Iqaluit community learning centres appears to be somewhat delayed and encourage the minister to keep members and communities up to date on the status of these projects.
Members anticipate reviewing further details regarding the revised budgets for these projects in the near future.
Mr. Chairman, the status of Nunavut Arctic College’s Nunatta Campus in Iqaluit is an ongoing concern.
Members recognize that there is a need to replace the North 40 campus building, also known as the Ukiivik Old Residence, which has become unserviceable as a result of a fire at the facility last April.
The standing committee would like to acknowledge the college’s efforts in ensuring that alternative housing was made available to all students for the new academic year and in securing space to continue meeting programming requirements.
It is clear that current arrangements may not be sustainable in the long term and encourage the minister and college officials to address this issue at the earliest opportunity.
Mr. Chairman, the standing committee looks forward to reviewing plans for the Kitikmeot and Kivalliq regional campuses in future capital budgets.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my opening comments on the proposed 2016-17 Capital Estimates of Nunavut Arctic College.
Before we go to the page-by-page review, I want to remind members that the contents of the minister’s opening comments are covered in the different branches of the college.
If not, let’s move on to page M-3. Nunavut Arctic College.
Directorate. (interpretation ends) Mr. Hickes, did you have your hand up? Mr. Hickes, go ahead.
I would like to start off with the section in the opening comments on page 2 talking about the Grise Fiord Community Learning Centre that was stalled. It states that “The current plan to renovate the old hamlet office/community centre may exceed the current budget.”
My first question would be: what factors contributed to this belief that the current budget is not enough to complete the project?
Chairman: Everybody. (interpretation) I’m sorry.
There are many members who would like to make comments. When I was trying to put the list of names together, I inadvertently got caught on TV.
I also thank the member for his question regarding Grise Fiord.
The Department of Community and Government Services is the one that does assessments on buildings and they do fact-finding work.
We believe what they have stated. (interpretation ends) Community and Government Services determined that there were potential cost overruns if the entire hamlet office was renovated. Again, the hamlet office is such where the renovation costs would have exceeded the forecasted costs for a renovated hamlet office for a community learning centre.
I don’t know if I answered that according to his question, but thank you, Mr. Chairman.
It did answer my question, but that would lead into my next question. It says that the department has been reviewing options with that project.
What would be the timeline that we could expect to get further information on the progress of that project?
We want to complete that in Grise Fiord and next month, they will be assessing that building. (interpretation ends) A site assessment is scheduled for November 2015.
Preparation of a design brief and scope of work is slated for December 2015 and certainly, Community and Government Services hopes to have this project tender-ready by April 15, 2016.
Those are our time schedules. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Still within the opening comments, on the first page, it speaks about the fire at the North 40 old res. earlier this year.
It said that the college is finalizing a short-term lease with the old IBC building for the 2015-16 academic year.
As that academic year, I believe, has been started now, what costs were incurred to do those renovations and are the students and staff in the facility right now?
I believe he asked two questions at the same time.
First of all, I just want to make a comment that all the students that came here were accommodated.
As I stated, we were looking for other accommodations, for example, family accommodations for 2015. We split up the single units. We could get more single family units so that we have adequate spaces for the students.
As to how much it costs, I’ll have the president of Nunavut Arctic College provide the figures, if he can supplement my response, Mr. Chairman, with your permission.
I think the member’s question was specific to Building 1085, so I’m going to answer his question in sort of a roundabout way.
We’re currently waiting for a final engineer’s report that we can actually do the renovation work at Building 1085. Because of that, that has obviously pushed back the timeline to occupy the building.
One of the challenges is that because the space we’re trying to use it for is classroom space, it’s considered to be institutional rather than regular office space.
The requirements from the fire marshal’s perspective are much more stringent.
We were hoping, with the landlord, to receive the final engineer’s report this week, but I guess this is early Friday, so I don’t think that will happen.
Once we have the final engineer’s report, we can then determine what the cost will be to do the work that’s in the engineer’s report.
At this point, we have probably put in maybe $30,000 to $40,000 of our own money for different things, but I suspect that number will go higher.
Obviously, the minister will keep members informed as we progress on this file.
I thank you for that update.
When you speak to the $30,000 to $40,000 of your own money, my colleagues and I received some correspondence in June indicating that some of the funds allocated for the Iqaluit Community Learning Centre Project would be repurposed to provide some of the funds needed to complete this renovation or building transfer.
How much of that budget is anticipated to be allocated for this renovation project and what impact will it have?
I’m trying to get two questions in again, Mr. Chairman.
What impact will that have on the Iqaluit Community Learning Centre?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Mr. Hickes, that’s totally fine with me.
The more questions we can cram in there and if the minister is willing to answer two or three questions in the same breath, good on him.
Thank you for understanding me clearly.
Perhaps I’ll just respond to one question. Building 1085, the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation used that facility. It’s not going to delay anything that we want to move ahead or construct.
We expect to open that building this year. I know that we will still need to work on it and it won’t open right away, but I believe it won’t delay any other projects for the Iqaluit campus. We will start work on that and I believe that it’s on the radar that it will not be delayed in Iqaluit.
Perhaps the president of Arctic College can supplement my response.
Before I answer that question, I mentioned earlier that the minister will keep the members informed.
Obviously the letter in June was a part of that process to make sure that the members were informed in a timely basis and I think he will continue to do that. That’s his commitment in this process.
At the time that he sent the letter in June, we had a different alternative.
I don’t know if you remember that or not, but there was a different building in play at the time and that building did not come to fruition because of different fire marshal requirements. So then we started looking at other options and Building 1085 became the next feasible option.
The first option we had anticipated that we would spend a significant amount of money to renovate the facility that we had discussed at that point in time. With respect to Building 1085, we don’t think we’re going to have to make the type of investment.
At this point, we do not feel that it will impact the Iqaluit Community Learning Centre and Campus budget.
We think that whatever renovations that we need at Building 1085 can be covered likely out of our ongoing lifecycle capital budget.
Like I said, because we’re waiting for the final engineer’s report, we won’t have a good sense of that just yet, but we certainly don’t think it’s the same magnitude of what we had previously discussed in June.
I thank Mr. Ma and the minister for that information.
I very well remember the other alternative of utilizing Building 534 and even had yourself and a staff member from Community and Government Services graciously giving a tour of the facility.
Just going back to the Iqaluit Community Learning Centre, with the fire and the changing needs that it’s bringing to that facility itself from the Nunavut Arctic College programming needs, could the minister just update me on what the status of that project is?
When is the plan going to be finalized, when are the blueprints going to be done, and when will the ground be broken?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Now you’re stretching it with all those questions.
Maybe I should give my response in English.
(interpretation ends) Again, just on that, as we said earlier, I think the business case has been completed, which demonstrates savings in building a new facility to accommodate the growth in existing programs at the college in Iqaluit. An RFP for the design of the new facility will be issued by the end of November of this year, which is next month.
Certainly, it is anticipated that the construction costs of a larger Nunavut Arctic College CLC/campus building will be approximately $22 million. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Hickes: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the minister for that update.
I would just like to go into another portion of the opening comments that talks about the short-term lease of the IBC building, but it also talks about the need for additional leases to be acquired for student housing as well as turning some of the family housing units at Building 515 into single student residences.
I’ve had conversations in the past with the president and minister and I have been assured that all students this year were accommodated in residences.
With the growing need of the housing issues, especially here in Iqaluit because the campus is here, what assurance can we have that Iqaluit students have just as equal access to student housing units as students coming from other communities and regions?
We have a student policy.
For the people who come into Iqaluit to go to college, non-Iqaluit residents will always be a priority for student accommodations.
People coming from outside of Iqaluit will always be a priority since they are not originally from here.
If there are extra accommodations, then Iqaluit students who attend the same college and the same courses will be second in line for accommodations.
I’m just saying that non-Iqaluit residents are always a priority and it’s our policy.
At this time, pursuant to Rule 6(1), I now recognize the clock and I will report progress to the Speaker.
Minister, I thank you and your officials.
Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the minister’s official out.
A reminder of various meetings that are happening this weekend and on Monday, a reminder that there’s a meeting of the Standing Committee on Oversight of Government Operations and Public Accounts at half past one in the Nanuq Boardroom; also on Saturday, there’s a meeting at 1:30 of the Special Committee to review the Education Act in the Tuktu Room; and there’s a new meeting scheduled for Monday morning at nine o’clock of the Standing Committee on Legislation in the Nanuq Room.
This House stands adjourned until Monday, November 2, at 1:30 p.m.
>>House adjourned at 12:04
Monday, November 2, 2015
Pages 463 – 548
Opening Prayer 463
Ministers’ Statements 463
Members’ Statements 465
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 466
Oral Questions 466
Reports of Standing and Special Committees on Bills and Other Matters* 482
Tabling of Documents 486
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 487
Third Reading of Bills 547
Monday, November 2, 2015 463
034 – 4(3): Expanded Nunavut Summer Literacy Camp Program (Quassa) 463
035 – 4(3): Council of the Federation and Northern Premiers Forum 2015 (Taptuna) 464
036 – 4(3): Kitikmeot Environmental Technology Program (Quassa) 465
088 – 4(3): ASIST Training (Joanasie) 465
106 – 4(3): Parental and Youth Engagement Campaign (Angnakak) 466
107 – 4(3): Civil Forfeiture Legislation (Savikataaq) 468
108 – 4(3): Assistance for Families with Disabled Children (Mapsalak) 469
109 – 4(3): Guidance Counselling for Nunavut Students (Mikkungwak) 470
110 – 4(3): Granular Management (Rumbolt) 472
111 – 4(3): Finding Ways to Address Suicide Prevention (Joanasie) 473
112 – 4(3): Status of Decentralization (Enook) 475
113 – 4(3): Plans to Repurpose Building 534 in Iqaluit (Hickes) 476
114 – 4(3): Hazardous Waste in Nunavut (Angnakak) 477
115 – 4(3): Clean-up of Burnt School (Joanasie) 478
116 – 4(3): Status of Inuit Employment at the Qulliq Energy Corporation (Enook) 480
Committee Report 003 – 4(3): Report on the Review of the 2013-2014, 2015-2016 Business Plan and 2012-2017 Strategic Plan of Nunavut Tourism (Hickes) 482
Committee Report 004 – 4(3): Report on the Review of the 2009-2012 and 2013-2015 Summary Reports of the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Katimajiit (Hickes) 485
028 – 4(3): Legal Services Board of Nunavut Annual Report 2014-2015 (Okalik) 486
029 – 4(3): Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Nunavut and the Government of the Northwest Territories to Co-administer the Northern Employee Benefits Services Pension Plan Act (Mike) 486
Bill 03 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2016-2017 – Nunavut Arctic College – Consideration in Committee 487
Bill 03 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2016-2017 – Justice – Consideration in Committee 497
Bill 03 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2016-2017 – Environment – Consideration in Committee 507
Bill 03 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2016-2017 – Family Services – Consideration in Committee 523
Bill 03 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2016-2017 – Culture and Heritage – Consideration in Committee 537
Bill 03 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2016-2017 – Legislative Assembly – Consideration in Committee 545
Bill 03 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2016-2017 – Third Reading 547
Speaker (interpretation): Good afternoon, my fellow Nunavummiut. Members, ministers, (interpretation ends) Premier, (interpretation) welcome to the House.
Minister’s Statement 034 – 4(3): Expanded Nunavut Summer Literacy Camp Program (Quassa)
Good day, my fellow community residents and Nunavummiut, as well as all my colleagues.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak to my fellow members about the expansion of an exciting partnership project that took place this summer.
In July 2015, Frontier College coordinated and delivered a second summer literacy camp in Cape Dorset and brought the summer literacy camp to Arviat with support from Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami’s (interpretation ends) Amaujaq National Centre for Inuit Education, (interpretation) the TD Bank Group, the district education authorities in Cape Dorset and Arviat, and the Department of Education.
Mr. Speaker, participating children took part in three weeks of fun, educational activities to develop their language, literacy, and numeracy skills through games, arts and crafts, cultural activities, field trips, and workshops with members of their community.
One hundred and twenty-three children attended this summer’s camp in Cape Dorset, up from last year’s number of 50.
In Arviat, 41 children attended the first ever literacy camp.
Mr. Speaker, summer literacy camps are valuable because they address “summer learning loss,” the decline in student performance between the end of one school year and the beginning of the next.