EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
And I understand we are talking about expanding the boarding home as the Nunavut population is growing very quickly.
I think in the 1970's the boarding home was first opened and there were less people at that time.
But Mr. Speaker with respect to the Department and the Minister, they have to have a better boarding home than what they have right now.
We will take it as a comment.
Mr. Puqiqnak would you repeat your question.
I'll try and make it brief.
I thought it was quite clear.
For example, there were three people, three men staying in one bedroom.
Is that all right.
Is that fine the way they end up in one bedroom.
Three people in one bedroom.
What I wanted to find out from your department is what is your department doing with respect to funding this boarding home so that the Lena Pederson boarding home may be extended and we may be able to provide more room in the boarding home.
Mr. Speaker, I think the member makes a good point.
I want to point out that when I became the Minister of Health we moved forward on the boarding home issue I think quite aggressively.
We have now a new boarding in Edmonton for our patients from the Kitikmeot.
We have a relatively new boarding home now in Ottawa for our Baffin patients.
The boarding home here in Iqaluit is actually fairly new and it happens to be a former student residence.
We’re moving forward, Mr. Speaker, on our people in Yellowknife to make sure that the best possible place to stay is there in Yellowknife through the auspices of the contract for our boarding home.
I should also point out, Mr. Speaker, in context with that with the new facility going into Cambridge Bay and into Rankin Inlet we’ll need to be able to develop an opportunity for boarding homes in both of those communities too.
And that would be down the road, Mr. Speaker, after we get an opportunity to review what type of patient care and so on would be in place in the times scheduled for those communities.
I can commit to the member that after the review of the RFP I will meet with the members from the Kitikmeot to go over some of the issues again in context of the RFP that’s written.
And I would suggest to you, Mr. Speaker, that at the end of the day we will have the best facility available for our patients and that’s the bottom line.
Question 295 - 1(5): Compensation for Lost Hunting Equipment
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Sustainable Development.
As I indicated in my statement earlier there have been some hunting mishaps where hunters and trappers are losing their hunting equipment.
Is there any type of compensation for hunters and trappers who lose their hunting equipment from mishaps while out hunting.
There has never been a compensation package for the loss of hunting equipment for hunters.
But it’s currently under review.
At this time we still do not have a compensation package.
But I would like to tell the member that it’s currently under review.
We’re looking at possibly the beginning of next year to start seeing the results of this review in regards to compensation for hunters and trappers.
Thank you very much for your response, Mr. Minister.
And as a supplementary I would like to ask the minister on the issue the big ticket items that a hunter has to buy. Do you have any kind of financial assistance that can be provided to the hunters who have to acquire these big ticket items.
I don’t know when this is going to be coming up but we are looking at the hunters being able to buy boats and big ticket items.
Well personally I’m looking at providing an insurance coverage for the hunters and trappers because of course their equipment is very important.
We are looking at insurance coverage, but I can't tell you at this point when this would become available.
I would like to deal with this as soon as possible, but I would like to know exactly how it would be set up.
Question 296 - 1(5): Funding for Prevention of Suicide
It is about the question that I raised yesterday.
It is the same question that I put to the Minister of Finance.
There is inadequate funding provided for youth committees.
Can there be more adequate funding provided in order to prevent suicide.
Mr. Speaker, first of all this is the first time this week that I have had an opportunity to address this subject.
I want to acknowledge Minister Anawak's very strong statement on the issue the other day and the member's statement and I thank him for his support on that issue.
The total dollars available and the different pockets that are available for different issues.
In the case of suicide, under community wellness, each Hamlet has available to them community wellness and brighter futures money.
They can use that money for youth oriented programs or counselling, specifically to address the issue of suicide.
What we have been able to do Mr. Speaker, from the Department of Health, is run several different programs on suicide counselling and grief counselling.
For example, here in the Baffin alone we have trained over 20 counsellors in the last year in different areas of suicide counselling and grief.
For example, Mr. Speaker, in the Keewatin and Kitikmeot Regions, we put over nine psychiatric nurses in different communities.
What I can say Mr. Speaker, and very quickly is that there is support money out there for communities, if they want to deliver suicide specific programs, not just for youth but for other people in communities that are at risk.
We have been doing that Mr. Speaker, a good example again is that excellent program that is running right now in Clyde River, where we have counsellors including elders and young people from all over Nunavut, taking part in counsellor and suicide prevention programs in Clyde River.
So that's a good example of that type of program.
I am very pleased with your response and I would like to ask another question.
Is it possible for your department to let the communities know where they can take proposals.
I would like to have a list of funding agencies that are available through the government.
I would be very pleased if he could provide that.
We can make that available to the member.
Question 297 - 1(5): Effectiveness of Workplace Wellness Help Line
I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Human Resources.
In regards to the help line that is set up in Ottawa, could the minister tell us exactly how effective that help line is.
Speaker: Minister Responsible for Human Resources.
Mr. Speaker, we are encountering some difficulties in that we are having complaints that it is difficult to get access to the line.
I have had staff checking into that, to determine exactly what the problem is right now.
Ms. Williams (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The minister said earlier that you would move that location to Nunavut.
When is that going to be moved.
Mr. Speaker we don't have an definite date yet.
As I indicated, we wanted to assess the effectiveness of this other program it does seem now we are running into difficulties with the contract that we have entered into.
So obviously we will be reviewing the circumstances to see how effective it has been and if it isn't then we will have to look at alternate measures to provide workplace wellness programming for our employees.
There is 700 thousand dollars set aside on this help line and the 700 thousand dollars goes out of the Territory.
We think that it would be more affective if you move that location to the Nunavut Territory and the 700 thousand dollars would be used up here.
So I would like to say at this point that this location has to be moved to Nunavut instead.
The long term plan was to establish the program to be based in Nunavut.
It was a matter of having the support mechanisms to be able to allow that to happen.
So given the problems that we are encountering right now we may have to look at accelerating the establishment of the program to be based in Nunavut.
Question 298 - 1(5): Outpost Program for Inmates
I would like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for Justice. (interpretation) As I stated in the House yesterday and the day before, the inmates are not being helped in the corrections centres and we have said that we would like to try outpost camps for those inmates to go out on the land and we in the Kitikmeot have tried this program.
But to date I have not heard from the minister in regards to how the program is to be operated.
We are in support of out on the land program for inmates because it is very beneficial especially for the youth.
And it also teaches about the traditional survival skills.
We provide the operations monies for these outpost camps.
Thank you for your response Mr. Premier.
I want to add on to the question in regards to my comment.
How will we advertise who, in terms of the contractors, who will we contract once we have established a program out on the land.
How we will advertise the jobs about the work that will have to be done out on the land.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): I will start advertising as soon as possible.
We are going to be focusing especially in the central area, because we don't have an outpost camp that is used by inmates.
We will be helping those people through our office.
It is very useful to advertise and to let people know that this is an ongoing program.
Because when the people don't realize or haven't heard about a program they don't believe what is actually happening, that it has really good support.
For example, in Kugluktuk we have a lot of young people that don't have any idea about their culture and I want to keep these programs going so they can be of benefit for the young people.
We would like to see more of these types of programs and we would like to get support from the regular members.
It is very beneficial for the inmates and it also preserves and promotes Inuit culture.
Speaker: Thank you, Minster.
Question 299 - 1(5): Dominant Air Carrier in Nunavut
Mr. McLean: Thank you, Uqaqti.
Uqaqti, my question is for the Minister of Community Government & Transportation, today.
Early this year the Minister's Department made a submission to the Canadian Transportation Act Review Panel in which the Government of Nunavut argued that, and I quote, "modernization and improvement of sea and air transportation can only be funded by industry through establishment of a dominant carrier able to organize services in the most effective manner."
My question today to the minister is, which of the airlines presently operating in Nunavut does the Government of Nunavut want to become our dominant carrier and why.
Mr. Speaker, obviously if we were going to make a recommendation to the Legislative Assembly as well as to the Cabinet on a preferred carrier for Nunavut, we would want to make sure that we involve the Legislative Assembly and the Cabinet in doing that.
I only say if, because at this point in time I am not prepared to make that recommendation to the Legislative Assembly and the Cabinet until we have had a chance to take a good look at the major transportation initiative that we have undertaken.
If and when, we are going to make that kind of recommendation, we will make sure the members are well aware long before we make any kind of recommendations.
The minister used the word if.
But sometimes in this government the people that are enforcing policies do.
My supplementary question is, how will reducing competition in the airline sector benefit Nunavut communities.
Mr. Speaker, let me just point out that we have lost a bigger airplane going into two communities in the Keewatin as the result of competition.
Calm Air is not flying into Coral Harbour and Repulse Bay any more because competition came in, in the form of a single engine airplane without bathroom facilities flying in at a cheaper rate, but inconveniencing the traffic.
The people that go on those flights.
So all I am saying is that I am not at this time prepared to say anything to the effect that we would be making a recommendation on a preferred airline, nor am I going to commit to saying that this is what the recommendation is going to be.
However I again assure the member that if there was any chance that we are going to be making this recommendation we will make sure that the Legislative Assembly, the Cabinet and the people that have a stake in this are well consulted.
And at this point in terms of a preferred airline, we have not done any consultation to that effect.
So I can take it by the minister’s answer to me that this government and when I say this government he means Cabinet has not taken any specific actions to date to establish a dominant carrier in Nunavut.
Speaker: Minister Responsible for Transportation.
Question 300-1(5): Plans for Turbot Quota
I was going to direct my question to the Minister Responsible for the Department of Sustainable Development.
I was looking for some money to be put aside for the caribou harvesting program for 2002/2003 in Coral Harbour.
I don't have it in front of me, regarding the meat plant in Coral Harbour.
So I’ll raise it tomorrow to the minister.
I have question.
In his Minister’s Statement, I would like to ask about the last page.
As Mr. McLean stated, I am an MLA for all of Nunavut.
It says here, the fisheries coalition will be getting a two thousand ton quota within OA. Two hundred tons will be going to be processed at the fish plant in Pangnirtung.
We have probably also heard this, the residents of Pangnirtung are always asking when are we going to get a sufficient fish quota so that we may be able to work all winter.
The two hundred tons that you will be giving to them, what are the plans for them to be able to work all winter.
Speaker: Minister Responsible for Sustainable Development.
The turbot fishery is a seasonal project.
It is thriving.
There is a two thousand ton quota, and two hundred tons is what is going to be in Pangnirtung.
It is a seasonal job.
He also talks about in his statement, about the coalition having held its first full meeting and founded its first board of directors.
They put together resolutions including support of the development of a 3-5 year business plan and a detailed training program for Nunavummiut for the 2002 fishing season.
The 3-5 year business plan, is it included so that it can be open all year round.
So that the fish plant can be open all year around.
For the business plan we will work closely with the Baffin Fisheries Coalition.
We expect that we will be working very closely with them.
I can't really make comments about the plans at the moment.
I could discuss this further with the member, but we figure that this will be successful and will be beneficial to the people of Nunavut.
I don't have the plan with me, but in the future I will be able to give a more detailed statement on the plan.
Is the Department of Sustainable Development working on a plan or setting goals for the three to five year business plans.
Is there a goal set to have the fish plant open year-round.
I will be able to explain and give a more detailed response on the plan.
It is very important that we set goals for this project, so I will get back to the member once I have the plan in front of me.
Question 301 - 1(5): Financial Assistance Programs for Nursing Students
The nursing students are here in Iqaluit attending their training.
They receive financial assistance for their attendance.
The students have children and they raised this issue with the minister last year, to see if they could receive more assistance.
What other assistance could be made available for the nursing students, because they have children and we would like to encourage them to continue with their program and not give up because they are not getting enough financial assistance.
Speaker: Minister Responsible for Health and Social Services.
Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity last fall to meet with the students along with the Premier.
As you know the nursing program is one of the priorities under the Department of Health and the Government of Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, if there is an opportunity Mr. Speaker, to bring forward some type of program to help the nurses and that, that would hopefully entail Mr. Speaker, partnership arrangements with the corporate sector, as well as the possibility of some of our land claim organizations.
We are in the very early stages of this.
I had hoped to have been farther along, and that's not the case, but it hasn't been dropped.
There is an opportunity and at the same time, as the Minister of Health and Social Services and the government realizes the situation that many of our students who are adults are having to go back to school with children.
There is a financial hardship in some cases.
Mr. Speaker the department is following up very aggressively. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): The Minister of Health and Social Services could meet with the Inuit organizations or land claim organizations.
Like he said if he is to work with those organizations how long would this take in order for the students to receive additional financial assistance.
Mr. Speaker, we have been trying to expedite this process and at the same time Mr. Speaker the corporate sector is just one area that we have been looking at for corporate partnership and sponsors.
Lets say for example Mr. Speaker, the Royal Bank would be able to become a corporate sponsor through a bursary program, 2-3 students in the nursing program.
Maybe there is an opportunity for the Department of Health and Social Services to step in and match those funds.
That would provide some benefits to the student. That’s the type of thing that we are looking at through a Bursary program.
It is one of the suggestions that have come forward as recommendations to help us stabilize our nursing workforce, which you know Mr. Speaker we have a problem and recruitment and retention.
This is one of the initiatives that we've looked at.
At the present time it is my understanding that we have six full time students in the program and eight students now who are in the access year.
So we have 14 students that are in the program itself.
Supplementary question. Mr. Nutarak.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): I also asked how long this would take in order for them to get additional financial assistance.
He stated that he met with the students and with the Premier.
During that meeting he stated to the students that he would work towards finding more assistance, and at that meeting he told the students that he would work towards finding more assistance.
They are not going to forget his commitment to do this.
How long is it going to take and if he said that he would assist the students in meeting with them.
One of the commitments from the recommendation is to look at how we could enhance and attract more people to the nursing program.
One of those ideas and recommendations was the idea of a bursary program.
The Department of Health and Social Services has followed that up.
But at the same time Mr. Speaker a government wide bursary program is not in place.
There is no policy for it.
That is one of the things that needs to be developed.
At the same time we would like the opportunity to partner with outside organizations and corporations and bring this type of initiative forward.
That is the work that we are doing right now Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary. Final supplementary. Mr. Nutarak.
My question didn't have anything to do with policies that need to be developed.
My question was how long it will take for these students to receive additional financial assistance.
We have to make sure this is done right away, before the students drop out.
Mr. Speaker, that's something that the department is working on right now.
Again we have to have a policy in place as a government for a bursary.
We don't have that in place right now, and that is something that the Department of Health and Social Services, is doing.
As soon as that policy is in place and approved by the government, then we can move forward on the next stage.
That's the corporate sponsorship, along with help from the Department of Health and Social Services.
Of course, Mr. Speaker, the idea here is on recruitment and retention side of the nursing program.
We need to get more people into this program and this we seen as a way of doing that.
Question 302 - 1(5): Incremental Costs to GN for Cambridge Bay Sitting
Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister of Finance.
As we all know, Mr. Speaker, he tabled yesterday the incremental costs for having the session in Cambridge Bay. The Legislative Assembly's costs.
I would like to ask the Minister of Finance if he has the information about what the incremental costs were for the sitting in Cambridge Bay for the government.
Speaker: Minister Responsible for Finance. Minster Ng.
Mr. Speaker, knowing that the member had an interest in that, the document is prepared for tabling later today.
Oral Questions. Supplementary. Mr. Tootoo.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the minister for remembering that.
I know I had a much more difficult time the last time getting that information and I am very pleased that he is on top of that this time around in providing that information right away.
Would he, prior to tabling, would he be willing to tell us what the incremental costs were on behalf of the government for that session.
I would be glad to. The incremental costs to the government were just over 91 thousand dollars.
Question 303 - 1(5): Review of Student Financial Assistance
Mr. Speaker, it seems that the activity and the number of phone calls that I get at the beginning of August, or the middle of August, increases by about tenfold in my community.
I am sure that there are other members that have the same problems.
It seems to come from students that are trying to access student financial assistance.
I remember bringing it up in this House numerous times about the fact of student financial assistance.
I wonder if the minister responsible, the Minister of Education, has conducted a review of student financial assistance yet.
First of all I would like to mention that we are determined to making improvements to the student financial services for Nunavummiut.
We are finalizing this report, so we can get the recommendations that we need to review for improvements into the overall programs and delivery.
Supplementary question Mr. McLean.
I didn't think the answer was going to be that quick.
I applaud the minister in going and out reviewing the student financial assistance policy.
When can we expect to see the recommendations in this House.
I will be seeking this information as I do not have the next step of the steps that have been in the plans but I will definitely make this available to the member.
Question 304-1(5): Update on Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Committee
I will direct my question to the Minister Responsible for Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
Can he give me a clarification or give me an update on the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Committee.
The Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit committee to date has not met yet but in the next upcoming week they’ll hold their first meeting.
I expect to hear from them on their decisions.
Since you will be establishing the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit committee would the minister responsible be updating us after that committee has been established and once they have held their meeting next week.
Question 305 - 1(5): Human Resource System
Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister Responsible for Human Resources.
I’m sure that the minister is very fearsome today after my questions yesterday.
The minister yesterday indicated that the Human Resource system that they’re developing is a new system and in fact not the one that they were hoping to have implemented last March.
I’d like to ask him what happened to that old system and what was the problem with the old system that they were hoping to have in place last March.
Mr. Speaker, last year we recognized that there was a need for compiling some timely information and not to do it manually to have that available in a timely fashion.
So we tried to initiate an independent system.
But once we got into some of the actual mechanics of how to go about doing it, it was thought that it’d be better to have it as an integrated system to tie in with the payroll division.
Because obviously some of the corresponding requirements from the human resource items such as tracking personnel matters on the financial side and the payroll side.