EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Member’s Statement 109 – 2(2): Thank Individuals
I would like to say good morning to the residents of Taloyoak and Gjoa Haven.
Qamukanuaq, if you are listening in Gjoa Haven, I smile at you and I will see you again once the session is over.
(interpretation ends) Today, I just wanted to acknowledge my friends Christine and Dennis Lyall and their family for their gift to me, the Kamiit that I am wearing today.
I also wanted to thank my good friend, the very talented Nicole Camphaug for making me this pullover last night during the blizzard for me to wear today.
(interpretation) I thank them very much, Christine, Dennis and all of them, and Nicole.
I know that there is someone sitting in here that would like to be able to recognize someone and can’t, and that’s our Deputy Clerk, one of our fine table officers sitting up there, Ms. Tupik.
I would like to recognize her sister and my aunt sitting in the Gallery over there.
I am proud to say that right now there are two Simailaks in the House.
She just got recognized a little earlier, Becky Iyago from Baker Lake is a Simailak.
She is the co-principal of the Rachel Angnammaktiq School in Baker Lake.
Also with her is her older sister Winnie Tapatai, also a teacher in Baker Lake.
So between the four of us, Becky, Winnie, the Deputy Clerk and myself, we are all grandchildren of Rachel Arnangmaktuk, whom the school is named after.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, welcome to the gallery.
Question 142 – 2(2): Status of Pimmarsarvik Service Contract
The minister has spoken many times about the Care Closer to Home Strategy.
The Pimmarsarvik Corporation in Chesterfield Inlet is a prime example of a community based organization where trained community members provide homecare services through the operation of the residential care facility.
This service was formerly provided by the St. Teresa group home.
Can the minister tell the House what the status of the service agreement contract with the Pimmarsarvik Corporation is.
In regard to the Pimmarsarvik question, they recently moved to the new building. This new building is now being utilized, although we moved in a little late because items such as beds and furniture arrived late.
In the interim, they are borrowing donated furniture and materials.
They are expecting to receive the new furniture shortly, but I am very glad they are using the new building.
I am sorry, I don’t know if the minister understood my question.
It is my understanding that the service providers still have not received a copy of the contract agreement which spells out the terms and conditions of their operation.
I’ve been informed that this contract has not yet been signed and I wanted to ask the minister about the status of that.
Ms. Brown (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I apologize if I didn’t understand you.
I will look into that, so that I can give you an accurate response and respond to you later.
Thank you, Ms. Brown.
Member for Arviat, Mr. Alagalak
Question 143 – 2(2): Plans for Training in the Mining Sector
My question is in English.
(interpretation ends) What specific plan is his department working on, up to now, with respect to mining-related training for the residents of the Kivalliq?
In early 2003, the Government of Nunavut, in co-operation with Nunavut Arctic College, set up a strategy group.
I have had an opportunity, in March of last year, to attend one of those meetings in Cambridge Bay.
Mr. Speaker, the mine training strategy group, which includes industry as well the Government of Nunavut and NTI, has submitted a proposal to the Government of Canada.
My understanding that the HRDC has stated that our proposal from Nunavut to them, is probably one of the best that they have received.
We are still waiting on the word from the federal government on how much money will be coming to Nunavut to deliver the mine training, specifically from across Nunavut, which would include the Kivalliq region.
At the same time, over nine pre-trade training programs have been delivered last year and this year.
Some are continuing, which links with mine training.
In short, the proposal has gone out, and at the same time there is pre-trades training which encompasses mine training strategy.
Speaker (interpretation): Your first supplementary.
I thank the minister for his response. (interpretation ends) What is the status of the Nunavut trade school that we agreed to open by the end of the Second Legislative Assembly of Nunavut?
As the member is aware, in September when we were in Arviat, the member’s wonderful community, we had an opportunity to discuss the pre-trades school for Nunavut.
Right now, it is not acceptable that the students from Nunavut have to go to NAIT, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Or, they have to go to Fort Smith’s Thebacha Campus or other jurisdictions to do a lot of the apprentice trades.
Mr. Speaker, the caucus, in Arviat, asked the Minister of Education, the Department of Education, and the Government of Nunavut to bring forward a strategy to have a pre-vocational institute in Nunavut.
We are moving forward on that.
In the education budget that is before us, you’ll see reference in the next few days about the pre-vocational training school.
Mr. Speaker, the first step is to do a request for proposals, an idea to see what is the need and then to look at it.
Mr. Speaker, we are looking at some options that we have to deliver this program, and we will be looking at a decentralized community and so on.
So, those kinds of questions need to be answered.
There is an opportunity within the Northern Strategy that has been announced by the federal government to take a combination of that and move forward for the pre-vocational training school.
Yes, we expect to receive that funding for the mining strategy in Nunavut, particularly in my constituency; we are anxiously awaiting this event.
When can we expect to hear from the federal government whether this application has been approved?
I believe the dollar amount was $34 million over five years.
As I said earlier, HRSD has received that money and received that application and we hope to hear from them very soon.
At the same time, we are not just waiting for the federal government to step up to the plate.
We have increased, under the adult learning strategy that we tabled here in the House, to continue with pre-employment trades programming, as well as upgrading programs for Nunavumiut.
In the past year, we have done over 17 of these types of programs throughout Nunavut.
So, the application process with the federal government is, in part, a combination of an adult learning strategy which includes the mine training strategy.
It is moving in a parallel course.
I would hope to hear from our federal partner in the coming weeks on what the status is on our application.
At the same time, we continue with the pre-employment trades delivery programs that we have been doing under the adult learning strategy.
Member for High Arctic, Mr. Barnabus.
Question 144 – 2(2): Funding for Arctic Bay Airport
As I had indicated in my member’s statement, I would like to ask a question to the Minister of Economic Development and Transportation.
Can the minister inform me of how much funding has been allocated to the development of the Arctic Bay airport.
At this time, the study determined that the airport would cost $16 million to build.
Can the minister inform the House as to the exact source of funding for the Arctic Bay airport?
We are still looking for funding sources to be used for the Arctic Bay airport.
I believe that we will be able to find the funding, but I can’t tell you as yet exactly where we will be able to find the sources for funding.
Why is there no funding for the proposed airport in the 2005-2010 capital plan?
At this time, yes, that’s how it is, we have considered where we could find alternate funding to construct the Arctic Bay airport.
Speaker (interpretation): Your last supplementary, Mr. Barnabas.
Can the minister assure me that the hamlet in Arctic Bay will be consulted on the location for the new airport?
The hamlet of Arctic Bay and the residents of Arctic Bay will be consulted and informed on the future location of the airport.
Question 145 – 2(2): Investigation on Water Quality and Treatment in Kugluktuk
Before I raise a question, I would like to say that we had a meeting in Kugluktuk and a question was raised in terms of the water quality.
In the springtime and prior to the summer, the water at the river gets very muddy.
Sometimes the mud in the water tanks piles up.
So, in that regard, I would like to direct my question (interpretation ends) to the Minister of Community and Government Services.
Will the minister consider accelerating the timeline for the Kugluktuk water treatment investigation?
I could tell the member that there will be a complete review done in 2004-05 fiscal year.
We are going to be looking at different options for how we can get better quality water for the long term.
We will probably be looking at constructing a new water tank at moving existing facilities elsewhere.
Following the results of the review, the employees for our department and the Nunavut Association of Municipalities will be looking at the funding that will be required for the Kugluktuk water treatment.
Just before I ask my other question here, I just want to let the minister know that during spring and summer, there’s always a lot of mud in the bottom of the tanks.
So, members from my community wanted to know if it would be possible to get the water tanks cleaned up in the summertime while the river is clear.
Can the minister tell me if this project has received funding under the Government of Canada’s Strategic Infrastructure Funds?
As I have stated earlier, we are going to be conducting a study on the Kugluktuk water system, and we will be doing a review of all aspects of the water system.
The Member for Iqaluit Centre. Mr. Tootoo.
Question 146 – 2(2): Organizational Charts Increase in PYs
It kind of ties in to some stuff in her budget address which I would like to congratulate her on.
According to the government’s own figures, the vacancy rate across the entire public service has consistently been between 15 and 20 percent for every single year since the creation of Nunavut.
However, the departments, and again this is something that I have raised every year, have been budgeting the departmental budgets as though 100 percent of those positions were filled.
In fact, the 2005-06 main estimates show a jump of almost seven percent in the number of PYs since last year.
Given, as the minister outlined in her area on Finance, and the role that the Financial Management Board plays government-wide, can the minister tell us, from her perspective as the chair of the Financial Management Board, why departments are allowed to increase the number of positions on their organizational charts when they can’t even fill the ones that they have?
The process that’s used to budget departments, the exercise of allocating operations and maintenance funding, is based on approved organizational charts for each department’s budget.
The salaries are based on those numbers.
The exercise is to put forth the departmental operations and maintenance requirements or capital together, but when we determine the salaries for every department, it’s based on approved organizational charts.
There have been some increases, of course, to some departmental positions with some changes to structures, but at the same time, the issue of having every single position at one given day filled in Nunavut is next to impossible.
There will always be some vacancy issues across the board throughout Nunavut, different regions and whatnot.
So, there are always efforts in place to fill those vacancies.
At a given day, we never know what exact amounts are, in terms of percentage.
So last year, I don’t know what the vacancy rates were, but those are always going to be an issue for us.
I mentioned in my budget speech that by September 2005 we are looking at trying to fill 100 nursing positions for Nunavut.
So, those are vacant positions now as well, but financially we have allocated funding for those positions.
So, on an ongoing basis we will continue to try and address filling those positions.
Speaker (interpretation): First supplementary, Mr. Tootoo.
I raised this issue over the years a number of times, and I know that if you are budgeting for 100 percent, 100 percent of those dollars are going to be there, even though you are not going to use it all.
Those dollars may be better used at that time because you are not going to fill them, be put into programs and services that affect Nunavumiut.
Front line people, an example I will use, Mr. Speaker, middle management, since 2000, has increased by over 75 percent.
In the last quarter of last year, it jumped from 380 to 410.
This minister has indicated that in doing their organizational charts something that is determined how their money is allocated.
When those charts are brought to the Financial Management Board for approval, it is looking at where those positions are.
Since day one we need more teachers, we need more nurses, we need more social workers… . That those positions be targeted to be increased before an increase in middle management.
So what are they using in determining, or do they go with numbers that the department provides to them?
I want to clarify on the comment that he made.
Organizational charts are approved by cabinet.
Organizational charts are approved by each minister based on their requirements for operating their department, whether it be, front line workers or middle management.
When departments go forward with their O and M requirements, we don’t go to the level of details with viewing charts through the Financial Management Board.
That process is done by each minister and put forward to cabinet for approval, whatever those changes are.
Whether they are front line people or not, it is not something that I deal with at the Financial Management Board level but rather at a departmental level.
It is up to each minister to identify positions whether they be, front line or head office, and they are the ones that bring forward their requests for salaries and O and M dollars based on the approved organizational structure.
Normally, the practice of the Financial Management Board is we don’t go beyond those dollars, the dollars assigned to positions, which is why we have the process of working and going through Human Resources and each department looking at organizational changes and the impact it will have on approved O and M structures.
Having said that, the information we go forward with to Financial Management Board is already on the basis that there have been approved structures before allocating the dollars.
I would like to thank the minister for clarifying that.
In her budget address, she talks about the Department of Finance, through the Financial Management Board, continuing to coordinate their efforts to strengthen financial management across government.
I would like that accurate. Budgeting would be a part of that.
It would surprise me; I would ask questions and I have, when you see an increase in PY dollars, or even PYs at such a level that cost you money, do you really need that?
And is any of that analysis being done at the Financial Management Board or cabinet on those positions?
The analysis is done at all levels before Finance allocates the dollars.
At the same time, we continue to review departmental submissions for any dollars.
There is an increase in PYs, yes. We need more nurses, we need more teachers with the increases in enrollment.
That is outlined in my budget address on an ongoing basis.
I will state this again: every minister is responsible to put forward their needs based on programs and services activities and that’s reviewed at the departmental level, at the cabinet level, and before any finance is allocated there’s another review conducted, on that basis, overall.
But if you are looking at the increase in PYs, there’s an increase in PYs.
It’s particularly around health and education.
Given, as I have stated in my first question, that the budgeted amounts for PYs for the departments are at 100 percent, and like I said there are 15 to 20 percent that we know pretty much from the past that will not be spent.
So, basically what that allows each minister of each department to do is to be able to take that money that has been approved for that and move it around within their department to use for other areas.
Prior to that being done, I would just like to ask the Minister of Finance if the departments are required to bring forward a request or rationale as to why they want to move PY dollars that are not being spent to other areas; whether it would be in their operations and maintenance budget or not or to their capital budget?
Is there a process that gives, other than the minister or the departmental staff, the ability to be able to just move that money around?
Again, a follow-up to my response in the original question: when we put forth our operations and maintenance requirements, the position is based on a number of approved positions by every department.
There are always going to be vacancies in some departments at whatever given time.
There will be some slippage in dollars related to salaries, but departments can’t take the salary dollars and decide they are going to allocate it to different areas without the approval of Financial Management Board.
Financial Management Board must approve any changes from salary dollars that are directed, perhaps, to capital or whatnot.
So, whether there would be vacancies or not in a department, there’s always that aim to fill every single position in the department.
We know there are vacancies at some given time.
So I can reassure the member that departments cannot just take the salary dollars and start allocating them to whatever they feel like.
This whole process of approving operations and maintenance and capital and contracting is done in this House.
So, to make any revisions to that, as chair of Financial Management Board, I have to present that to cabinet for approval before there are any changes made.
At the same time, when there are vacancies and we have to provide essential services, we have to look at other means to fill that gap.
One example I will share is that of the hiring of agency nurses when there are vacancies in the communities.
To provide the essential service, we have to fill that job.
So we go to outside the salary dollars and go into contract to try and fill that out.
So, there are some issues around that, but overall I can reassure the member that no salary dollar is allocated from salary or capital or whatnot without going through Financial Management Board.
Question 147 – 2(2): Consultation of Elders for Child Protection
The Minister of Health and Social Services, what we heard on the media in regards to the elders is that they should have been consulted first before they decide to send children to foster homes outside of Nunavut, if they can’t find foster homes locally.
I would like to ask the minister if she agrees with the elders that they should not send children outside of Nunavut until they have exhausted all resources.
Does the minister agree with the elders?
Yes, I’m aware that this is an ongoing concern, and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit should be included.
The government’s policy is quite stringent, but it has never been amended.
We will have to revisit this policy.
What the member states is understandable and we definitely need to make some changes to that policy.
Your first supplementary, Mr. Curley.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Mr. Speaker.
After consulting with the elders, it’s clear that they want to assist the government.
They are willing to help the minister and the social workers.
Perhaps the social workers can better consult with the elders, listen to those elders, and consult with the uncles and aunts.
Maybe they can be alternate foster parents.
The policy is good because the children need to be looked after, but I think the social workers should better consult with the people, because a lot of social workers are not Inuit; they go directly to the policy instead of consulting with the people.
I wonder if there could be changes on that.
I thank my colleague because his comments are very clear and this is not new.
I have also been told this by parents and grandparents, or uncles or aunts.
Using my authority, I will seriously look into this and meet with the management at Social Services so this can be spread to the employees.
Since the creation of Nunavut in 1999 there are a lot of policies and guidelines that we have had to review, and this is no exception.
So, we definitely have to revisit that policy.
That is what people want to hear and they will applaud her for her comments.
I would further like to ask the minister: there are a quite a number of Inuit who are elders, grandparents and uncles, where if the child’s parents pass away then they are being looked after by their relatives, but the relatives cannot be paid as foster parents.
They were told that even though they take their grandchildren who are under 10 years old they cannot be paid as foster parents; they say their old age pension is adequate.
Yes, I can look into this.
There haven’t been any changes to foster payments.
I can inform my colleague that I will look into this; so, the grandparents and uncles will be advised.
I know that this is a concern and I would like to apologize that I didn’t start on this earlier.
Social Services have a lot to do and they have a heavy workload, but I will be meeting with them; thanks for reminding me.
Question 148 – 2(2): Status of West Kitikmeot Land Use Plan
My question is for the Minister of Environment.
The Nunavut Planning Commission held a public hearing in Cambridge Bay on January 18 to review the draft of the West Kitikmeot Land Use Plan.
The minister sent a letter to the Nunavut Planning Commission dated January 14, 2005.
In that letter, the minister mentioned an important issue: Article 11-4-1(a) of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement had not been addressed to the government’s satisfaction.
The planning commission has been working on the land use plan for many years and would like to finalize it this year.
So, my question for the minister: from the minister’s perspective, what is the current status of the West Kitikmeot Land Use Plan?
First of all, before I respond, to my constituents of Cape Dorset and Kimmirut, I am thinking of you.
I have written a letter to the chairperson in order to start discussions and have invited them if they wish, to meet with me.
If they can, next month they will try to come over and meet with me. Up to this time, we have looked for other alternatives through correspondence.
Speaker (interpretation): First supplementary, Mr. Peterson.
We talked already this week about red tape and bureaucracy.
So, I am going to lead into this.
I have talked to the Nunavut Planning Commission officials over the last couple of weeks, and they have told me that they have been trying for two years to involve the Government of Nunavut in its discussions related to the implementation of Article 11-4-1(a).
One of the stumbling blocks has been a high turnover.
There has been four staff in the government who have dealt with the file and, consequently, they don’t have a designated person to oversee the land use file.
As recently as January 18 at the public hearing, Government of Nunavut representatives couldn’t identify the current contact within the Government of Nunavut.
So, my question for the minister is: who is the current Article 11-4-1(a) contact person for the government who will work under the Nunavut Planning Commission on the Kitikmeot Land Use Plan?
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): I am not sure at this time, who that person is.
But I will check into the Nunavut government staff working for the Nunavut Planning Commission in Cambridge Bay. There was a presentation on January 18 and 19 in regard to the West Kitikmeot Resource and Land Use plan and our present government has a concern in regard to 11-4-1(a) under the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.
We will be working on this, and I will have to tell you who the contact person is.
I can advise Mr. Peterson on who the contact person is.