EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
To date, since April 1, 1999, how much funding has been expended on initiation, planning, design, and material purchase for a new health centre in Taloyoak?
To date, since April 1, 1999, how many plans and designs for a new health centre for the community of Taloyoak have been produced?
What rationale exists for the continued expenditure on different designs for the Taloyoak Health Centre?
What happened to the $352,000 which was approved in the 2006-07 capital budget for the “Health Centre Renovations / Addition” project in Taloyoak?
What happened to the $200,000 which was approved in the 2008-09 capital budget for the “Replace Health Centre” project #500239 in Taloyoak?
What is the current status of Capital Project #500239 (“Replace Health Centre”) in the community of Taloyoak?
When is construction on the new health centre for the community of Taloyoak scheduled to begin?
When does the Government of Nunavut anticipate opening the new health centre for Taloyoak?
Do members agree that the written question be entered into the record as read?
The written question will be entered into record as read.
Tabled Document 048 – 3(3): Article from Nunavut News/North – Peter Pitseolak School Corrects its Mural (Schell)
Tabled Document 049 – 3(3): Photographs of Qulliq Energy Corporation Activities (Schell)
I have two documents to table. The first one is that earlier this year, I had asked questions to the government concerning the new mural at Cape Dorset’s Peter Pitseolak School. For the benefit of all members, I am tabling today an article from Nunavut News/North which clearly shows how the final design more accurately reflects Cape Dorset’s culture.
Earlier this year, I asked a question to the Minister responsible for the Qulliq Energy Corporation concerning the QEC’s policy regarding the use of corporate property and resources.
I wish to table today some recent photos of Qulliq Energy Corporation activities at a residential location in Iqaluit.
I will have questions for the minister at tomorrow’s sitting of the House concerning these activities.
Please forward those documents to the table, to the front.
Tabled Document 050 – 3(3): List of Documents Available from the Department of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Canada Concerning the Food Mail and Nutrition North Canada Programs (Elliott)
I wish to table a list of documents that are available from the federal Department of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Canada concerning the Food Mail and Nutrition North Canada programs.
These documents have been generated in response to requests submitted under the federal Access to Information Act and they include such items as records that refer to funding conditions regarding an upgrade of freezer/cooler facilities owned by First Air in Iqaluit and research papers, drafts, and final documents produced for the Food Mail Program review.
I will be requesting copies of relevant information from the federal department after our spring sitting has concluded and I will table these items during our fall sitting for the benefit of all members and the Nunavut public.
Minister of Community and Government Services, Minister Kusugak.
Tabled Document 051 – 3(3): Nunavut Emergency Measures Annual Report 2009 (Kusugak)
I wish to table the Nunavut Emergency Measures Annual Report 2009.
Will the pages please bring that document to the front.
Tabled Document 052 – 3(3): F/P/T Mines and Energy Ministers’ Meeting in Montreal, Quebec September 17, 2010 (Taptuna)
I am pleased to table the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Mines and Energy Ministers’ Meeting in Montreal, Quebec on September 17, 2010.
Tabled Document 053 – 3(3): Nunavut Designers Catalogue 2011 (Shewchuk)
I am pleased to table the Nunavut Designers Catalogue 2011.
Tabled Document 054 – 3(3): Member’s Request for Access to Information to the Department of Community and Government Services (Aupaluktuq)
During our recent winter sitting, I submitted a written question to the Minister of Community and Government Services in which I asked for the contents of the annual financial statements for the Municipality of Baker Lake that are submitted to the minister under territorial law.
However, the government’s response did not fully answer my question, so I will be submitting another request for this important information under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. As a courtesy, I am pleased to table today a copy of the request so that the minister is aware of what I will be submitting to his department.
Are there no more? I don’t see any hands, so we will move on in the Orders of the Day, Item 14.
Motion 008 – 3(3): Appointments to the Striking Committee – Notice (Rumbolt)
I give notice that on Wednesday June 8, 2011, I will move the following motion:
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Hon. Member for Nanulik, that Ron Elliott, Member for Quttiktuq, and Jeanie Ugyuk, Member for Nattilik, be appointed to the striking committee.
The Member for Hudson Bay is seeking unanimous consent to deal with his motion today.
Motion 008 – 3(3): Appointments to the Striking Committee (Rumbolt)
WHEREAS Rule 83 of the Rules of the Legislative Assembly provides for the establishment of a striking committee;
AND WHEREAS there are presently vacancies on the striking committee;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Hon. Member of Nanulik, that Ron Elliott, Member for Quttiktuq, and Jeannie Ugyuk, Member for Nattilik, be appointed to the striking committee.
Moving on to the orders of the day. Item 17.
First Reading of Bills. Orders of the day.
>>House recessed at 15:11 and Committee resumed at 15:47
Chairman (Mr. Schell): I would like to call the committee meeting to order. In the Committee of the Whole, we have the following items to deal with: Bills 6, 7, and 8, and Tabled Documents 248 – 3(2), 249 – 3(2), 251 – 3(2), 274 – 3(2), and 275 – 3(2).
We wish to commence the review of Tabled Documents 248 – 3(2), 249 – 3(2), 251 – 3(2), 274 – 3(2), and 275 – 3(2).
We will commence with the Hon. Lorne Kusugak with Government of Nunavut-wide questions on procurement, followed by the Department of Community and Government Services and the Qulliq Energy Corporation.
Tabled Document 248 – 3(2): Government of Nunavut Contract Activity Report Fiscal Year 2009-2010 – Consideration in Committee
Tabled Document 249 – 3(2): Lease Activity Report 2009-2010 – Consideration in Committee
Tabled Document 251 – 3(2): 2009-2010 Procurement Activity Report – Consideration in Committee
Chairman: Mr. Kusugak, opening comments, please.
I am pleased to appear before the Committee of the Whole today to answer any questions the members may have concerning the procurement, contracting and leasing activity reports.
The Department of Community and Government Services compiles the contracting and procurement reports on behalf of all government departments.
Reporting of contract activities is consistent with best practices related to government accountability and transparency.
I am pleased to say that in the 2009-2010 report, it is the seventh annual contracting report tabled by my department, with the 2010-11 report to be tabled during the fall sitting.
Mr. Chairman, the government receives the best value for money when they use public processes to advertise for goods and services, and I am pleased to note that the value and volume of sole source contracts continues to decline.
CGS continues to work collaboratively with departments to assist in the procuring of goods and services. Once contracts are awarded, they are then managed by the individual departments.
The leasing activity report contains leasing information for commercial leases for all government departments.
CGS is responsible for managing all commercial leases for the government departments.
CGS is committed to ensuring fair and ethical practices through the consolidated policy for leasing of commercial real property.
I am ready to respond to your questions on the overall procurement process, my department’s contracts, and the government’s commercial lease for 2009-2010.
Questions on the specific contracts of other departments should be directed to the applicable minister responsible for that department.
Chairman: Sergeant-at-Arms, can you escort the minister and the witnesses in.
Minister Kusugak, for the record, could you please introduce your witnesses.
Hon. Lorne Kusugak: Thank you for your patience, Mr. Chairman.
To my left is Deputy Minister Kathleen Lausman and to my right is Ms. Alma Power, Director of Finance for the department.
I will now open the floor for general comments. Mr. Elliott.
I am pleased to have the opportunity to make general comments on the government’s contracting, leasing and procurement activity reports tabled in the Legislative Assembly during the fall 2010 sitting.
I would also like to thank my colleague from South Baffin for having seconded the motion for putting the documents into Committee of the Whole.
Mr. Chairman, as you will recall, the Legislative Assembly adopted a similar motion last year to refer these important annual reports to the Committee of the Whole for detailed consideration.
As you will also recall, the time that members spent in Committee of the Whole during last spring’s sitting considering these documents was very productive, as was a similar exercise that we undertook last fall with respect to the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s annual contracting and procurement reports.
Mr. Chairman, the Government of Nunavut spends tens of millions of dollars per year on procuring goods and services. Many of the services that are provided to our constituents are performed by contractors and a significant amount of the government’s own daily work is performed by consultants.
Having the opportunity to consider these annual reports in detail provides all Members of the Legislative Assembly with an important opportunity to ensure that the government is getting good value for the money that it spends.
I would also note that this is the first time that all Members of the Legislative Assembly will have the opportunity to consider in detail the contracting reports of the Qulliq Energy Corporation.
Given that we do not actually approve the annual spending plans for our Crown corporations in the same way that we consider proposed departmental budgets, this is another excellent opportunity to fulfill our obligation as MLAs to act as guardians of the public purse by considering the QEC’s activities in detail.
Mr. Chairman, lots of reports, strategies, etcetera, are very useful and most of the time, they do not get tabled in the House. I find this frustrating.
Just as an example, there is a contract in here with a company that would have been very useful last week in our deliberations.
It was contracted to a company called LPS and it was to prepare a position for the Government of Nunavut on food mail.
These are the types of documents that I think would have been productive and useful in our discussions last week when we were talking about the new Nutrition North Canada Program.
So with that, Mr. Chairman, I thank you.
I thank the hon. minister and his officials for appearing before the Committee of the Whole.
My questions and comments will be pertaining to Tabled Document 249 – 3(2). It’s to do with the lease activity report.
Chairman: I’m sorry, Mr. Ningark.
We are dealing with general comments.
We haven’t gone to that yet.
Mr. Ningark: Mr. Chairman, I thank the hon. minister. I guess I went ahead of myself.
I will have some questions pertaining to the leasing activities of the government and the inclusion of Article 24 in the land claims agreement.
Just for your information, we are starting off with Tabled Document 248 – 3(2). We’re going to do them in order, so it will be Tabled Document 248 – 3(2) first.
If not, we will go on to Tabled Document 248 – 3(2).
Any questions? Do you have a question, Mr. Elliott?
I was giving everyone else a fair chance first. I didn’t want to start off if there were other people that were ready to go.
So my first question is: the government’s most recent annual report on procurement activities indicates that the Department of Community and Government Services “will continue to work with departments towards reducing the occurrence of [sole sourcing].
In 2009/10 Sole Source contracts, decreased in volume by 5% and decreased in value by 30%. The number of Sole Source contracts are more prevalent in contracts with value under $100,000.”
What steps has the government been taking to reduce the use of sole sourcing?
If I could have my deputy respond to that question, Mr. Chairman.
Go ahead, Ms. Lausman.
There are actually a number of efforts that CGS takes to work with departments, including our own, on reducing the likelihood of sole sourcing.
One of them is just simply to plan forward for needs. Whatever procurement needs departments have, whether it’s goods or services, there is a certain amount of planning that every department needs to undertake to plan that forward.
Another methodology that we use is actually to identify common areas of work. I will use CGS as an example.
If there is maintenance activity that needs to go on, if there is engineering activity that needs to go on, we end up putting together standing offer agreements that allow us to go out for tender to the marketplace and garner interest in doing that work based on unit rates and other criteria, and then we have folks or companies ready to actually do the work that we don’t have to sole source.
Again what I would like to know a little bit more about in terms of understanding the process and see how the Department of CGS actually handles sole sourcing… . Let’s say the Department of Education realizes that they need something completed… . In some of the sole source contracts where it’s involved a couple of my communities in some of the explanations as to why sole sourcing happens, it’s usually to meet a need that wasn’t foreseen and something to be done quickly.
To save time, a sole source contract happens.
I’m just wondering if you could sort of go through the steps, if I was within the Department of Education, where they assess that there’s a need for the sole source contract to happen. How many people within your department does it have to go through? Who decides that it is sole sourced or who determines whether there’s enough time?
Is it one person? Is it a committee?
Just maybe provide the information so I can understand how the process works.
Very good question, Mr. Elliott.
What you have to realize is if you’re talking about a department, in this case, Education, the deputy minister of that department would be the one who deals with the contractor or contracts and dealing with whether the issue is sole sourced. They would have the say in terms of whether it gets sole sourced and by whom. Often our department does not play a role at all in certain situations in terms of sole sourcing.
So that’s actually really good to know. Just to clarify then, if sole sources and sole source contracts happen in terms of departmental responsibility, it would only be within your Department of CGS that you would determine, “Okay, in that case, it would be the deputy minister’s choice,” or would it be possibility one of the regional directors who is deciding that?
In terms of the system, does it have to come from the top down?
In terms of our department, if it’s something our department is responsible for, the CGS department, let’s say, the deputy minister has to sign off on it and it often may be the case where one or several of our staff that are working on that situation may recommend to our deputy minister.
So if the deputy minister takes action, in this case, she will take recommendations from her senior staff in terms of how to go about dealing with the matter at hand.
I guess that was a good description of what happens within your department, but are you aware if this is a common policy that is government-wide? So in terms of Health and Social Services and Education, for sole source contracts, is it the deputy minister who has the authority to sign off on that?
Yes, the deputy minister of the said department would have to sign off on the contract.
In the last year, have any employees of the government been disciplined for not complying with the government’s policies and guidelines in respect to contracting and procurement?
Hon. Lorne Kusugak: Mr. Chairman, I can only speak for my department and in our department, the answer would be no, there has had to be no disciplinary action pertaining to his question.
In a case where a departmental or Crown agency employee believes that the senior manager of the department is abusing their discretionary authority in relation to issuing contracts, is there a formal process by which the employee can confidentially report their concerns to your department?
Again, the sole source contracts on the departments are the responsibility of the department. We’re not the overseer of that. So if there is an issue and someone wants to complain about a contract or contracts, it’s usually reported to the DM; if that doesn’t work, the ADM. It’s usually dealt with within the department.
So there is no formal policy other than talking to the DM, but if the DM is the person who signs off on a sole source contract, what if there is a conflict there? Who would the employee go to?
It’s hard to talk in a hypothetical situation because it encompasses so many other possibilities out there, so I’m shy of getting into specifics. There are a lot of different avenues.
You can go to your assistant deputy minister.
It depends how far up or down in the department’s organizational chart you are. There are other avenues to go through. They go through the Central Accountability Committee.
So there are different ways to deal with accountability, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Elliott, I just want to remind you that we are actually dealing with the actual document that is tabled here and not a hypothetical question. It has to do with Tabled Document 248.
I thought that when we discussed this, we would talk about the overall general procurement of the Government of Nunavut first of all and then go into specific details.
Again, to me, I thought we were here for accountability
My point for the question is I’m on the other side where I have people coming to me constantly saying all of the conspiracy theories about the government doing this and the government doing that, and they’re giving sole source contracts to company XYZ and that’s a friend of so-and-so. I want to be able to go back to my constituents and say, “No, the government is doing it properly and following the proper procedures.” So that’s why I’m asking the question.
A lot of times, it almost seems like we deal with a lot of hypothetical when you are a regular member and you’ve got people telling you stories and there’s no way of confirming it with the Government of Nunavut until you write a letter.
So again, I’m just hopefully adding to that extra layer of accountability where maybe this is something your department or the Government of Nunavut could think about in terms of discussing ways of… .
To me, what I do and will continue to do is bring the issues forward. If it’s a CGS issue, I will continue to bring it forward to the minister.
Yes, we are dealing with the Government of Nunavut’s 2009-2010 contract activity report and that’s what we’re facing now.
But go ahead, Mr. Kusugak.
I didn’t see a question in there, but I did note that he said that often a lot of people are telling stories and that’s exactly what it is.
A lot of times, there is a lot of misinformation out there. I do hear those same concerns too, I think we all do in this room, and it takes a lot of work to find out exactly what the details are and what the issues really are.
When we do research those, if they do come by our offices, more often than not, if not most of the time, it’s really a non-issue. It’s just a lack of not getting the full information on any said issue.
So I’ll leave it at that. I understand his frustration and I think we all share it. It’s just that people are out there and they don’t have access or they don’t have all of the appropriate information on any given issue within the government, and you and I know where that goes.
Does anyone else have any questions on the Government of Nunavut’s 2009-2010 contract activity report?
I’ll ask again. This is in regard to the Government of Nunavut’s 2009-2010 contracts that have already taken place, the activity report.
Any questions for Tabled Document 248?
We are still on 248. I guess if there are no more questions here, we have the review work complete for Tabled Document 248 – 3(2).
Chairman: We will take a short break because you’ve got some different witnesses for the next one, Tabled Document 249, that is.
Go ahead, Mr. Kusugak.
Hon. Lorne Kusugak: Mr. Chairman, are you saying that the whole documents pertaining to CGS are done?
Chairman: No, this has to do with the lease activity report instead of the contract. Tabled Document 249.
The one we’re dealing with is the Government of Nunavut’s 2009-2010 contract activity report. Now we’re moving on to the Government of Nunavut’s 2009-2010 lease activity report. Do you have the same witnesses?
Sorry for the misinformation.
Chairman: Okay, I guess we can proceed with Tabled Document 249 – 3(2), Government of Nunavut’s 2009-2010 lease activity report.
I thank the hon. minister for appearing before the Committee of the Whole. My question again is for Tabled Document 249 – 3(2).
The minister has indicated in his opening comments that he believes in the government’s accountability and transparency. My question is going to be on the overall report.
My question is on page 5 and this is under Summary Statistics, under page 5 of the Lease Activity Report 2009-2010, annual value of leases 2009-2010.
On the range, the number of leases, I wanted to know how many of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, Article 24, were awarded lease contracts in the value of $500,000 to $999,999. There were four and I wanted to know how many of those were awarded to Article 24 businesses.
Hon. Lorne Kusugak: We will just have to go through them here. Bear with us, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, thank you for your patience.
That information, I believe, is on page 12 of this document that you’re reading from, they’re the bottom five.
It doesn’t say on this document whether they’re Article 24 compliant, but those are the five that are there, Mr. Chairman.
Speaking of page 12, at the very bottom of the page, there is a contract in excess of $1 million.
Was any of the membership in this business part of the Article 24 agreement beneficiaries?
Hon. Lorne Kusugak: Mr. Chairman, I’ll have to get back to him on the specifics of that.
Mr. Ningark: I thank the hon. minister for being forthcoming.
I will expect the information from his department.
Mr. Chairman, again under the Summary Statistics on page 5, there are a number of leases from $50,000 to $99,999, 25 to be exact. I also would like to know how many of those were awarded to Article 24 land claims beneficiaries whenever the information is available.
All of that document, I don’t mean to be repeating myself, is actually there, I believe, on page 11 or 10. We don’t have it broken down by who is a beneficiary corporation or not, but we can try to find that information and make it available to my friend from Nattilik.
Correction, Mr. Chairman, I am not the Member for Nattilik. The Nattilik member is in green; I’m wearing a sealskin vest here.
I think it is incumbent upon the government to give information where I ask for information because on page 2 of the Lease Activity Report 2009-2010, they talk about “The leasing policy incorporates relevant aspects from the following agreements, policies and standards with which the GN must comply…” Under that is item 1, Nunavut Land Claims Agreement (Article 24). So I would expect to get information on the question that I have asked.
I guess that was just a comment there, Mr. Ningark.
I apologize, but I did correct myself. The microphone was turned off before I did correct myself to the Member for Akulliq. Maybe it was because I saw his sealskin vest.
Mr. Chairman, I agree.