EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Whenever I feel entirely alone in the world, she is my one and only friend because sometimes people do feel lonely even though they’re undertaking a job they may like.
I would also like to recall all of my grandchildren and children.
Whenever they want to get a toy from us, such as a hockey stick or bicycle or perhaps in today’s world, they want an iPod and I say “no,” they sidestep me and go to my wife because she continues to support our children and grandchildren.
On their behalf, I would like to recognize their grandmother and all women in Nunavut, in Repulse Bay, and Kugaaruk. Have a very wonderful International Women’s Day.
Going to our orders of the day. Item. 4.
Return to Oral Question 018 – 3(3): Conflict of Interest Guidelines for Public Service (Aariak)
I rise today to submit a response to Question 18 – 3(3) asked by the Member for South Baffin on March 2, 2011 concerning the conflict of interest guidelines for public service.
Mr. Speaker, this return is quite detailed. I have filed it with the Clerk for entering into Hansard for public record and for distribution to all members.
“Mr. Speaker, under the territorial Integrity Act, Members of the Legislative Assembly are legally required to complete disclosure statements concerning their business interests and to meet on an annual basis with the Integrity Commissioner, who is an independent officer of the House.
Can she explain to the House today what conflict of interest guidelines are in place for senior public servants?”
The terms and conditions of employment for deputy heads, including all deputy ministers and the presidents of the three territorial corporations, are outlined in the letter of offer provided to the deputy head at the time of hire.
In all cases, those letters of offer incorporate by reference the provisions of the Deputy Head Employment and Compensation Terms, which have specific requirements regarding conflict of interest provisions, in addition to those imposed on all employees of the Government of Nunavut.
The Deputy Head and Compensation Terms outline clearly that the duties of a deputy head do not permit the active pursuit of any other business or occupation.
Upon appointment, a deputy head must disclose in writing any current business activities or personal holdings that may represent a conflict of interest, as well as volunteer or community positions or businesses that are pursued without compensation.
If I, as Premier, determine that any activities or holdings conflict with the deputy head or head of a Crown corporation’s obligations to the GN, he or she will be so advised in writing and requested to cease the business activity or place those assets in an appropriate trust.
Furthermore, it is required that they will avoid personal financial activities, including investment in Nunavut-related enterprises, where personal financial decisions could reasonably be considered to have been impacted by or based on information received or obtained through their employment where such information is not generally available to the public.
After their term of employment, deputy heads and heads of Crown corporations continue to be bound by any guidelines that may be implemented by the GN restricting their business and financial activities for a reasonable period of time.
General GN policies with respect to confidentiality and conflict of interest apply to deputy heads.
Due to the nature and seniority of their positions, deputy heads are held to a very high standard with respect to confidentiality and conflict of interest.
We’re on Returns to Oral Questions. (interpretation ends) Item 4. (interpretation) There being none.
Hon. Eva Aariak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I am pleased to welcome Mr. Marcel Pagé, Canada’s Attaché to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and former Ambassador to Lebanon.
Also with him is Mr. Ryan Ward of Foreign Affairs in Ottawa.
This is part of DFAIT’s outreach to provinces and territories to help better represent Canada overseas.
They will be meeting with various Nunavummiut, including officials from our departments. Bienvenue au Nunavut.
Question 068 – 3(3): Nunavut Marine Council (Tapardjuk)
Very pleasant afternoon wishes to my colleagues, especially to my constituents in Igloolik and Hall Beach.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Environment.
He rarely gets questions, so I enjoy directing questions to him.
As most members are well aware, the pace of development in the mineral sector has increased quite dramatically here in Nunavut and in particular, exploration for iron ore and other various precious metals continues to expand.
As deposits are being developed, Mr. Speaker, it will require that the mined ore be transported to key markets. It is becoming quite obvious that transportation will entail its own concerns to many communities.
I want to provide some background so he can see what causes concerns amongst Nunavummiut.
The Mary River project is a project currently awaiting regulatory approval.
Due to the large iron ore deposits, they will be mining it and will have to ship it via marine transportation vessels through Foxe Basin and Hudson Strait out to its markets.
These ore carriers, according to the details within the project proposal, are scheduled to run all winter long, with approximately two ships per week passing through these marine corridors.
This will be a yearlong transportation usage and this causes many concerns to the local residents who will be impacted.
Furthermore, the biggest reason for these concerns is the fact that this marine environment holds a large walrus population that utilizes these waters and sea ice to survive and also to give birth and they migrate back and forth in its waters.
Additionally, other marine mammals also use these marine waters and quite a few species call these waters home.
Can the Minister of Environment outline his department’s approach to resolving these issues stemming from the mining industry, either through partnerships with federal government departments or regional Inuit associations? How are they trying to mitigate these concerns?
Mr. Speaker, of course, the environment and marine wildlife are very important to the Government of Nunavut and all communities involved in the proposed development of Baffinland.
We are very concerned and we are encouraging the federal government to consult with all communities and all interested parties that are involved.
Through the environmental assessment stage, the Department of Environment will be asked for its input in that assessment.
However, it’s very important to understand that the marine wildlife and the marine travel are under the jurisdiction of the federal government Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Coast Guard.
However, as a government, we will voice our views and opinions and ensure that Nunavutmiut are involved in consultations.
Speaker (interpretation): Your supplementary, Member for Amittuq.
In listening to his response, it seems that we, as a government, can’t really look after these marine areas and therefore, we will be lobbying the federal government to represent us.
However, with respect to the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement and Article 15, it speaks to offshore and the fact that there has to be a marine agency.
It states in the provision that within Nunavut, the Nunavut Planning Commission, the Nunavut Impact Review Board, the Nunavut Water Board, as well as the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, which are the four institutions of public government, can form a special board that would become the Nunavut Marine Council.
Can the minister inform the House whether or not this process has been undertaken and whether or not his department is involved in the formation of the Nunavut Marine Council?
I thank the member again for that question.
I think the entities and the boards that he’s referring to are all boards that are developed under the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, which the jurisdictional right and the body to implement that is Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated.
I’m not aware of such a board being formed, but I would say that if it’s possible that such a board could be formed with all of those entities involved that Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated be responsible for doing that.
I would like the Minister of Environment to know that the Nunavut government was a direct result of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement; it’s not entirely separate. You have to remember that the Nunavut government was formed as part of the land claims, Mr. Speaker.
What I want to ask, Mr. Speaker, is: how can the Nunavut government urge that this board be set up?
What kind of strength does the government have in the offshore?
Perhaps they can do that by using Article 5 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, which is the foundation of this government.
Will this government look at assisting the Department of Environment to ensure that they are able to resolve issues related to the marine environment?
We all know that this body is needed as marine mammals are very important to the communities that are along our coasts here in Nunavut.
I thank the member again for his concern and question. I have no problem if the Nunavut government can encourage Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated to look at the possibility of forming such a board.
It may be in place; I am not sure. However, that is under their jurisdiction to do that. It sounds like a very good idea to have such a board to provide input to environmental assessments.
Mr. Tapardjuk (interpretation): It’s quite obvious that I will have to review some of these issues related to what I talked about, but this will form my last question, Mr. Speaker.
If you look at the legislation or if you look at the Constitution and if you look at the Senate Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, they issued a report in 2009 related to the marine waters of Nunavut. In English it was titled, (interpretation ends) “Rising to the Arctic Challenge: Report on the Canadian Coast Guard.” (interpretation) It has 14 recommendations and it states that these are the things you have to look at.
The second recommendation states that “The Committee recommends that Canada develop a much stronger year-round, national presence and enforcement capability to show the world that Canada is serious about controlling the Northwest Passage, protecting Canadian interests and Canada’s northern residents, and making the waterway a safe and efficient shipping route.”
Can the minister inform me how the Nunavut government is working with the Canadian Coast Guard to resolve these issues?
The member brings up a very good point again. I can assure the member and the House that at every opportunity that I have to speak to the federal government, whether it’s the Minister of the Environment or the Minister of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans or if it’s with National Defence, that at all times, my highlight is that we need to show sovereignty of the North and their presence is needed much more.
We do this in our fisheries research and our fisheries involvement. I lobby them all of the time to have more fisheries presence, more enforcement officers, more fisheries biologists, and more fisheries people to do fisheries work in the territory.
We need more presence of the Coast Guard for any spills or incidents that may happen here, and I assure the member and the House that I will continue to lobby the federal government in this regard.
Speaker: Minister, your tie is giving me a headache, so if you could try and tone it down in the future, it would probably be more helpful for all.
(interpretation) Member for Quttiktuq.
Question 069 – 3(3): Government Restructuring (Elliott)
In his Budget Address last week, the minister announced that the government will undertake a review of its own structure and that this review will “take a thoughtful look at the number of departments and agencies, their mandates and organizational designs.”
As the minister knows, he has received much applause from members concerning his announcement.
Can he provide us with some more detail today about exactly who will lead this organizational review?
I’m sure he would like to be appointed to lead the review, but unfortunately I can’t do that.
Mr. Speaker, we haven’t gone in detailed depth yet to undertake this review; it is still early.
I made the Budget Address earlier this week, but I can assure the members that we’re taking it seriously and any comments, suggestions, and recommendations from the MLAs will be considered very carefully.
I’m sure other people out there will have some suggestions as well.
My second question was going to be how we address this and who we address it to.
Are you saying that what you would like us to do is formally send letters to you putting forward suggestions?
Mr. Speaker, we have been hearing for quite a while now from members’ statements and comments in the standing committees suggested changes to the government, not only to the structures but also to the programs.
If Mr. Elliott or any of the other members wish to make it formal and submit it through letters, of course, we welcome those letters.
The last general election was in October of 2008, which means that we have roughly two to two and a half years remaining in our mandate.
Can the minister confirm whether the government’s goal is to complete this organizational review in time for next year’s budget and presentation of the main estimates?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure Mr. Elliott that it is a very high priority for the government.
As I indicated in the Budget Address, we have to look at some changes in the government and the way the government does business to make it more efficient, more effective.
After this sitting is over, I will sit down and talk about it.
It will be a high priority and hopefully it can be done within a year.
As Mr. Elliott pointed out, we have two years left.
I don’t really want it to go that long and I’m sure that my colleagues would like to get some changes underway as soon as possible.
In his Budget Address, the minister noted that MLAs have “offered thoughtful suggestions” and even today he suggested that with his replies.
Some of the examples that my colleagues have brought up; the Member for Nattilik spoke strongly on the issue of restructuring the Department of Health and Social Services and my colleague from Nanulik has suggested that we look closely at the location of sport and recreation.
I have some ideas of my own and I am eager to share those with the minister.
Will the minister commit to formally inviting all Members of the Legislative Assembly to provide suggestions to him and can he provide a deadline of when these suggestions should be submitted?
Again, Mr. Elliott asked me to put a deadline.
Like I said, we have been hearing this for a while. We have heard many members’ statements since the Budget Address. As soon as possible, we are welcome to receive ideas.
We have a lot of problems in Nunavut but we would like to entertain solutions to those problems, so the sooner the better.
If Mr. Elliott has some ideas and proposals, we welcome them.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) I’m sorry, I’m writing my suggestion. (interpretation) Member for Amittuq.
Question 070 – 3(3): Plans to Address Situation in Igloolik (Tapardjuk)
I would now like to direct my question to the Minister of Health and I have been raising this question throughout the week.
Mr. Speaker, we all know that we had a couple of unfortunate incidents in Igloolik where two young children passed away.
I received an email just now from Arviat about another family that has experienced an issue like that.
It’s so hard to try to understand what they are going through.
The minister now has heard it through various question periods that members have asked about.
Will the Minister of Health and Social Services start an inquiry so that they can inform this House, along with all of our residents in Nunavut, that they will look into this matter and whether or not they will undertake this inquiry to determine what the exact causes of the sickness was?
That’s what I would like to find out, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker (interpretation): That’s directed to the Minister of Health.
I understand that question clearly.
First of all, the parents have to be the first ones informed from the coroner’s office about the cause of death.
A lot of the times, we can’t speak about the details, but it’s apparent in their articles that they have to be informed by the coroner’s office first about the cause of the death.
I can only say that because we can’t speak about these issues in this House.
Yes, this is a very stressful and difficult situation for the relatives of the deceased.
However, I just received a letter dated March 3 from the Igloolik Hamlet Council. It is addressed to the Minister of Health and Social Services and it raises several questions.
He was asked whether or not the minister can consider setting up a coroner’s inquest to look at how health centres and nurses conduct their duties, perhaps conduct a review on the operations, or whether it was a pandemic that broke down the system although they fulfilled their duties.
This letter was sent from the hamlet council and they would like to get a response as soon as possible, so I would like to know how soon the minister could respond.
This is the first I have heard of it.
I haven’t received a copy of this letter from the hamlet.
I would first have to get a copy of the letter in order to determine what our response will be.
At this time, I can’t respond to the request.
Do you want to ask a supplementary to your question?
We will continue to push for more information and we also want to ensure that is just not overlooked and jumped over because whenever there is a difficult situation, we have to understand why the situation occurred.
We cannot just be blaming each other or other departments or other people, especially when we don’t have answers.
Therefore, I’m asking whether or not they will try to get to the bottom of this so that everybody will know exactly what happens.
What I want to know is that we will really be watching over the ongoing undertaking of the health department.
That’s just a comment, Mr. Speaker.
Question 071 – 3(3): Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and Medical Diagnosis (Ningark)
I would like to direct my question to the Hon. Tagak Curley, the Minister of Health.
Sometimes as members, we are occasionally told wherever, either at the airport, at the store, outside, occasionally I am told by mothers or by people with children that when they take their child to the health centre, the usual statement is that the child is okay.
Again, if we look at Tamapta, Inuit would like to start incorporating more Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit into the health system.
For example, a mother knows best what her child is feeling, even if the child can’t speak or say anything.
Does the Department of Health believe in this particular saying?
I’m not sure if that is entirely believed by all nurses and doctors.
However, what I can say is whenever someone is sick and they weren’t offered proper care, I would like to find out more about that person but not in the House.
We would have to deal with it on a case-by-case basis. Again, we can only review these cases singularly, and then they would have to look into the entire file to try to ensure that the individual’s health is looked after.
In this House, there are several MLAs and I’m not the only member who has been informed about certain cases.
I’m sure a lot of my colleagues have similar experiences.
I would like to ask if you will be incorporating Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit into the health system, especially the traditional saying about the mother knowing best how her child feels. That is what we want to start incorporating.
Sometimes the nurse seems to downplay the illness of the child.
I’m not going to state an exact name, time, or place, but I have been informed on more than one occasion about cases like that, where the nurses downplay the sickness.
Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit is supposed to be the foundation for the government operations. Are you going to start using Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit in the health system?
That’s my question to the minister.
Hon. Tagak Curley (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, this issue will never die nor will it stop.
It will be an ongoing issue, but we have to ensure that patients are treated properly.
We will keep trying to provide health services to all residents and all of our employees will be available to do that. Further, if the mothers need to speak to the condition of their child, they should do so and explain the symptoms.
With respect to the medical system, you cannot disseminate the statements made by patients. The reason for this is if a person is sick and has to be seen by a nurse or a doctor and there is a complaint issued about a certain process, we have to look at them on a case-by-case basis.
This will be undertaken and we will not stop trying to improve our health system.
Question 072 – 3(3): Bonus Payments to GN’s Senior Staff (Elliott)
My question is directed towards the Minister of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs.
Recently, there has been media attention regarding payment of bonuses and merit pay to senior officials within the Government of Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, I don’t want anyone to misunderstand my intentions. I agree with the way the report that was in CBC was presented.
I feel that senior officials do warrant bonuses and merit pay when duly needed.
With some of the statistics we see with human resources in terms of finding key people to work in higher management positions, it’s hard to find certain people.
So I think compensation should be warranted for providing an incentive for them to come to Nunavut and provide their services or hire within Nunavut to provide services.
In the news article within CBC the Premier was quoted as saying that regular members, to receive this information in terms of where bonuses are paid and the numbers of people who receive bonuses, it’s our responsibility to request it.
I was just wondering: will the Premier be tabling that document?
Speaker (interpretation): Your supplementary, Member for Quttiktuq.
As well, I believe the Premier was also quoted as saying that the dollar value and the amount that gets paid out to senior officials is going down overall as well.
I would commend and applaud the government for taking action on that.
In the briefing note that I saw and also it was mentioned in the report that bonuses and merit pay were capped at 4 percent.
I was just wondering: is this true for all DMs, ADMs, and all senior officials within the Government of Nunavut?
Hon. Eva Aariak: The performance pay used to be capped at 8 percent.
We capped it at 4 percent because of our fiscal restraint and I believe I don’t have the working document that we were working with right now. It is with the senior managers.
Going to our orders of the day. (interpretation ends) Item 7. (interpretation) Written Questions.
Returns to Written Questions. (interpretation ends) Item 8.
Item 9. (interpretation) Replies to Opening Address.
During the Premier’s Minister’s Statement on celebrating International Women’s Day today, this is the 25th year of Canada celebrating International Women’s Day.
It is now the 100th year of this celebration… .
Speaker (interpretation): I’m sorry, Member.
According to our Rules, a member can only make one reply to the Opening Address. Since you already replied last week, you can’t make another reply to the Opening Address.
Replies to Budget Address. (interpretation ends) Item 11. (interpretation) Petitions. (interpretation ends) Item 12. (interpretation) Responses to Petitions. (interpretation ends) Item 13. (interpretation) Reports of Standing and Special Committees on Bills and Other Matters. (interpretation ends) Item 14. (interpretation) Tabling of Documents.
I wish to table a document, Mr. Clerk.
Tabled Document 021 – 3(3): 2011 Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut on Children, Youth and Family Programs and Services in Nunavut (Speaker)
I wish to table today the 2011 Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut on Children, Youth and Family Programs and Services in Nunavut.
The Member for Quttiktuq has some documents to table.