EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Where I’m going with this line of questioning is there’s a group in Cambridge Bay that believes that if the government provides them with more resources to provide counselling mainly to men rather than incarcerating them, that the counselling that they receive through the various programs like alcohol counselling, anger management would go a lot further towards helping them to rehabilitate in the community rather than sending them off to the Baffin Correctional Centre, or YCC, or anywhere else for that matter.
They are having some success as the report in the media recently showed where the lowest court docket for the year is coming up in Cambridge Bay this month.
So the wellness people provide a lot of counselling to men and some women; it seems to be working. If they had more resources, they could provide more programs, follow-up programs, and the different levels of programs.
So I’m wondering if the minister could comment on when he could see more of that happening where they would assist the wellness groups in the communities to provide anger management and substance abuse treatment programs rather than see the people go to jail. In many cases, they don’t get counselling there either and they spend a year or six months in jail, they come back and they repeat their mistakes and end up in jail. They would just go around in a repeat cycle.
Hopefully the minister could comment on that.
I’m going to speak a lot longer. I wonder what I could say, but the clock is going and I know that this subject is very serious.
Each court case is different and each incarceration is different and those people who are victims of crime have been affected.
The ones that are perpetrators have to be incarcerated and there’s no other way that we can deal with them.
For people who do commit assault, we direct them to the treatment centre for treatment and this seems to be helpful.
So if we can help in any way to make it more effective, then working with social services, using Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, then we would be able to introduce that aspect to the Community Justice Program.
For people coming out of the penitentiaries as well as local jails, I know that this will be more helpful in the future.
Mr. Peterson: No comment.
There you go. (interpretation) There are no more names on the list.
(interpretation ends) Justice.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $1,772,000.
I remind you this page includes page E-14.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $593,000.
Back to page E-4.
Department Summary. Total Operations and Maintenance. Details of Expenditures.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $56,368,000.
Are you agreed that the Department of Justice is concluded?
Minister do you have any closing comments?
I will take all your questions and your comments. I thank you for expressing them to me.
Bill 12 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2006-07 – Review in Committee – Legislative Assembly
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you as well Mr. Minister.
There are some people waiting.
We will try and finish some of the other...I’m sorry, can you please wait.
Okay, thank you. Thank you, Minister Okalik for coming to appear before the committee.
I would like to ask Mr. Speaker to return to the Assembly.
I’m not usually sitting in front of you.
Do you have any opening comments Mr. Speaker?
Speaker (interpretation): I do.
I am pleased to appear before the Committee of the Whole today to present the 2006-07 Main Estimates and Business Plan for the Office of the Legislative Assembly.
The 2006-07 budget is the eighth budget since Nunavut came into existence.
I would like to take a moment to highlight some of our priority areas for 2006-07. These areas include:
Supporting the work of the Electoral Boundaries Commission which was established by motion earlier this session.
One-time funding for the Commission has been provided for this coming fiscal year.
This initiative accounts for a significant portion of the Assembly’s overall budget increase.
Supporting the Integrity Commissioner statutorily required five-year review of the Integrity Act.
Undertaking ongoing improvements to the Assembly’s Information Technology infrastructure. These improvements also seek to improve the level of connectivity to members’ constituency offices.
Initiating a number of improvements to the Assembly’s audio-visual systems.
Undertaking a number of enhancements to the Chamber of the Legislative Assembly.
Over the past year, the Management and Services Board and the Office of the Legislative Assembly have successfully undertaken a number of one-time initiatives.
These included bringing forward amendments to the Nunavut Elections Act, which were passed in the fall of 2005, as well as producing Nunavut’s first official Hansard Style Guide, and effecting improvements to the Assembly’s committee rooms.
We continue to work with our colleagues in the other territorial legislatures in addressing the issue of broadcasting our proceedings.
The coming year’s budget includes a $200,000 increase to the budget for the constituency assistants program.
This increase will support members in the recruitment and retention of qualified support staff in their constituency offices.
I am pleased to note that we have been able to achieve relatively high levels of Inuit employment, in keeping with our Article 23 obligations and in fulfillment of our goal of providing services to elected members in their language of preference.
At present, our Inuit employment level is 50 percent.
The Office of the Clerk has been dedicated to training and development opportunities for beneficiaries in the workplace.
That concludes my opening remarks, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank members for their support, and I welcome your comments and suggestions.
Mr. Speaker, would you like to bring in some officials to the witness table?
Chairman (interpretation): Sergeant-at-Arms if you would escort the witnesses please.
Speaker (interpretation): On my left we have the Director of Corporate Services, Steve Pollock, and on my right, Mr. John Quirke, the Clerk of the House.
Before we begin to remind the members; according to Rule 77(1), you have 10 minutes to speak. And following Rule 77(2), at the discretion of the Chair, you will be given an opportunity to make further comments once other members have had an opportunity to make their comments.
Also, if you have any comments please make sure that your questions are to the point and ask your questions at the proper page.
There’s nobody on my list.
I just want to take this opportunity to give our Legislative Assembly a little pat on the back.
You look at their Inuit employment level it is 50 percent, higher than a lot of departments in the government. One of the other things that I have seen, being here for six years, is how many times over the last six years we’ve heard the government indicate that they have capacity problems for a reason that they can’t get anything done and that’s one excuse that has never happened here at the Legislative Assembly.
So I just want to say that maybe our Clerk and his staff should be providing pointers to the other government departments so they don’t have to always use that capacity problem excuse.
That’s been used in the past so I just wanted to commend the staff of the Assembly for a job well done over the last five, six years, including this year.
Also to the fact that all members know that the Office of the Speaker, and the Clerk, and the Legislative Assembly have been very receptive into dealing with issues that members bring forward like for example, as the Speaker indicated in his opening comments, the problems I know that a lot of members have in retaining good constituency assistants in their communities; in their constituency offices.
So I think that kind of support and good reaction to the concerns of the members bodes well to the Legislative Assembly and their staff, and of course, all the members.
I just wanted to make those brief opening comments.
I haven’t served in the capacity of Speaker yet but with those comments I like it already.
Thank you, Mr. Tootoo. (interpretation) Are there any other general comments from the other members?
I have no names on my list. We’ll then move on.
(interpretation ends) Office of the Legislative Assembly.
Office of the Clerk. A-5.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $6,692,000.
There is something that I was missing, and I don’t know if it falls under this section of the budget. Maybe the Clerk can clarify that.
The question I have is; I know further on we’re going to be looking at the Electoral Boundaries Commission, and any possible changes that they may make.
I know that there was some talk in the past about a new Legislative Assembly that may deal with the growth issues.
I would just like to ask the Speaker or the Clerk if any land has been set aside for such purposes down the road.
Hon. Jobie Nutarak (interpretation): Quite a while back, when this building was built, we already didn’t have enough room at that time. So we’ve been considering the idea of building a new Legislative Assembly.
Looking at the forced growth in Nunavut, for example, if you look at Iqaluit, we have three members of the Legislative Assembly representing different ridings in the areas of town, and we might have to consider increasing the number of seats in the House.
I’ll have Mr. Clerk supplement my response.
Yes, I can confirm that the land has been secured for a future building.
Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Clerk.
And thank you, Mr. Tootoo.
Office of the Legislative Assembly. Branch Summary.
Expenditures On Behalf of Members.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $5,407,000.
Are there any questions? There being none.
Go to page A-7.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $200,000.
A-8.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $750,000.
It doesn’t seem like there have been any increases in the amount of the Chief Electoral Officer.
Since we’re talking about having a Boundaries Commission, how is that going to work in the budgeting for the office of the Legislative Assembly?
Hon. Jobie Nutarak (interpretation): I would like to refer the question to Mr. Quirke.
Mr. Quirke: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The member is correct.
There is stability in the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer because there has been no growth.
However, with respect to the Boundaries Commission and the work that is going to be conducted by the three member commission, the funding for that work is on page A-5, in the Office of the Clerk, which you just approved a few seconds ago.
The funding is in that activity.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Quirke. And thank you.
Page A-9.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $760,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Back to page A-4.
A-4. Total Operations and Maintenance. $13,809,000. (interpretation) Agreed?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Are you agreed that the Legislative Assembly’s Main Estimates are concluded?
Chairman: (interpretation): Thank you. Do you have any closing remarks, Mr. Nutarak?
Hon. Jobie Nutarak (interpretation): I would like to thank the Members of the Legislative Assembly and I’m sure you will be receiving your indemnities.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Nutarak and also his officials, Mr. Quirke and Mr. Pollock.
Let’s take a few minutes breather.
We will go to Bill 12 to your white binders.
I apologize. We will just go ahead with the main estimates. If you go to the fifth, if you go to X, (interpretation ends) Summary of Operations and Maintenance Expenditures.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $873,269,000. (interpretation) Agreed?
We can move on to (interpretation ends) Bill 12, Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2006-07.
Definitions 1. (interpretation) Agreed?
Definitions 2.
Chairman: Go to schedule (interpretation) on the right. (interpretation ends) Amounts appropriated for fiscal year ending March 31, 2007.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Total Appropriation. $873,269,000. (interpretation) Do you agree?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Back to Clause 3 on the left.
Clause 3, do you agree?
Chairman (interpretation): Clause 4, agreed?
Chairman (interpretation): Clause 5, agreed?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. Does the committee agree to Bill 12 as a whole?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Are you agreed Bill 12 is ready for third reading?
Then we’ll move on. I would like to ask Mr. Simailak, the Minister of Finance to make his opening comments.
Mr. Simailak, we’re dealing with Bill 13, and we would like your opening comments.
Bill 13 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act #3, 2005-06 – Review in Committee
Hon. David Simailak: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to appear in the House to speak to Bill 13. Bill 13 is the 2005-06 Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) #3.
This supplementary appropriation will provide funding of $1,005,000 for the following projects: implementation of the Energy Efficiency Enhancements Initiative.
Do you have witness you would like to bring to the table? Minister.
Sergeant-At-Arms, could you please escort the witnesses.
For the record Minister, please introduce your witnesses.
Hon. David Simailak: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) To my right is Pauloosie Suvega, and to my left; Mr. Roy Greene.
Before we proceed, members, I would like to remind members of the following; according to Rule 77(1), you have 10 minutes to speak. And, according to Rule 77(2), subject to the discretion of the Chair, a member may speak more than once to a matter under discussion, but not until every member wishing to speak has spoken.
I suggest to members that wherever possible, you ask your detailed questions during the page-by-page review of the departmental estimates. Do members have any general comments?
I remind members that we will go to a different document: Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act #3, 2005-06.
(interpretation) It is in the binder.
Does everyone have a copy?
We have no choice but to take a two-minute break.
Just to remind the members, we’ll go page-by-page. Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act #3, 2005-06.
Starting from page 4.
We are going to deal with Community and Government Services.
Capital Planning and Technical Services. $1,005,000.
Could the minister clarify for the record what the Energy Efficiency Enhancement Initiative is?
Hon. David Simailak: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Energy Efficiency Enhancement Program is composed of three core elements. There’s the Nunavut Energy Retrofit Program, Save Ten Program, and the Building Energy Efficiency Refuel Program for new construction.
The Nunavut Energy Retrofit Program is modeled on the Government of Canada’s federal building initiative. It will allow the Government of Nunavut to use existing energy budgets to enter into long-term agreements with qualified energy management firms that will finance, develop, and implement energy retrofit programs.
This program will also include measures that reduce energy consumption and costs. The savings generated will be monitored and tracked by CGS staff. Future energy savings resulting from projects will be used to offset the cost of the work.
The Save Ten Program is an education program that targets Government of Nunavut employees, students of schools in Nunavut, and building managers. The Save Ten Program includes the Building Manager Training Program through Arctic College. It will be used to teach building staff to maximize the efficiency of existing systems to identify and implement low-cost and no-cost energy efficiency measures.
The third program, the Facility Energy Efficiency Review Program, energy efficient sections will be added to the good building practices guideline. It will address all aspects of energy use in a facility; including lighting, heating, ventilation, electrical appliances. It will include technologies proven to provide economical energy consumption.
These guidelines will be applied to all future Government of Nunavut construction.
These program guidelines are maintained by CGS and will be incorporated in all future tenders.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister. (interpretation) Thank you.
There’s $1,005,000 that’s been transferred from O&M to Capital.
I’m just wondering if the minister could indicate where the O&M budget for that funding is being taken from.
It’s coming out of salaries and benefits.
Is there like a particular department of salary and benefits that that’s coming out of, or is it just an accrual across the board that they’re taking so much out of each department’s salary and benefits.
It’s all coming from within CGS, Community and Government Services.
Any more questions, Mr. Tootoo?
Thank you. (interpretation) I have no more names on my list for page 4. (interpretation ends) Capital Planning and Technical Services. $1,005,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Not previously authorized.
Total Capital Planning and Technical Services. $1,005,000.
Chairman: Go back to page 2. On page 2.
Total Capital Appropriation. $1,005,000.
Chairman: Thank you. Go to Bill 13 in your legislation binders, the white binders please.
Did you find that page?
Bill 13, Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act # 3, 2005-06, Definitions 1, agreed?
Definitions 2. Agreed?
Chairman: Definitions 3. Agreed?
Chairman: Thank you. Schedule just on the right side of the page.
Schedule Supplementary Appropriation for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2006.
Vote 1 Capital.
Total Capital. $1,005,000.
Chairman: Total Supplementary Appropriation. $1,005,000.
Chairman: Thank you. Go back to Definition Number 3.
Chairman: Number 4.
Chairman: From the purpose of the appropriation number 4, agreed?
Lapse of appropriation number 5.
Chairman: Accounting number 6.
Is the committee agreed to Bill 13 as a whole?
Is the committee agreed that Bill 13 is ready for third reading?
Bill 14 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act #3, 2005-06 – Review in Committee
Looking at Bill 14, Supplementary Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) #3, 2005-06 in the white binder.
The copies were just given out to you.
Justice. Operations and Maintenance.
Law Enforcement. $215,000.
Chairman: Total Law Enforcement. $215,000.
Legal Services Board. $140,000.
Total Legal Services Board. $140,000.
Chairman: I do know where I saw number 7, and not previously authorized.
Lawyer Support Services. $200,000.
On here the explanation says, “…to provide funding of $200,000 for the cost of legal expenses associated with the defence of sexual abuse claims and other lawsuits.”
I was just wondering if the minister can indicate how many other lawsuits and what types are included in that.
There are two other lawsuits; one against a former teacher in the north and one by a previous employee with the Government of Nunavut.
I’m just wondering if the government is hiring or contracting legal counsel for these cases, so they don’t have their own counsel to defend these cases.
I believe we will have Mr. Okalik respond to that question. Mr. Premier.
Yes, on the Ed Horne situation, we are working with the Government of the Northwest Territories who are jointly liable for that situation. So, we don’t have the luxury of doing an in-house situation.
On the second situation, the caseload will not permit in house counsel to deal with it. It’s a specialized field.
Can the minister indicate exactly what he means by a specialized field?
I believe that question is being directed to the Minister of Justice again. Minister Okalik.
Hon. Paul Okalik: Well, in a lot of cases our in-house counsel provides legal advice to the departments and the people but they don’t have the expertise to go to a trial in those situations. So, in most cases we have to hire outside counsel.
The Minister of Finance indicated that this is from a former employee of the Government of Nunavut. One would assume then that this is a wrongful dismal case that’s being looked at?
Yes, before the courts.
Do they have any idea how much of this $200,000 is going to go to that wrongful dismal case?
Will that be all the costs for it, or is there going to be more costs for that case?
Well, the $200,000 is for two cases. The case in question is in the preliminary stage, so I have no idea as to how much it will eventually end up costing.
But, that is up to the courts in a lot of cases, and we’ll wait for the outcome.
From the minister’s response, he said that the $200,000 was for the two cases.
So, I would be correct in assuming that $100,000 of this is earmarked for legal fees for the preliminary stages of the wrongful dismissal suit?
Hon. Paul Okalik: Yes, $90,000.
Will the government keep track of all the legal costs involved in these cases so that the minister can let the members of this House know how much it cost once the outcome of the cases have been decided?
I would assume that in this case we’re providing many thousands of dollars just for the preliminary stage, depending on the courts and that, that the government would assume that it did have a reason...that there’s no substantiation for a wrongful dismissal suit. Would that be a correct assumption?
We’ll provide a vigorous defence, and it’s before the courts. So that’s what we’ll leave it at. I’m not going to argue a case in the Legislative Assembly.
I’m not trying to argue a case in the Assembly. I was just assuming that since the government is spending money to defend itself in the case that it obviously assumes that there are no grounds for wrongful dismissal in their view, since their spending, just to start off with $90,000 in defence of that.
So hopefully this has been something that has been looked at very carefully by the government and I would expect a full accounting of all the dollars that are spent on this case, to be provided to the Members of the Assembly, regardless of what time it is.
I don’t know if I heard a question, but Minister Okalik.
Hon. Paul Okalik: It’s before the courts.
I have no more names on page 4. Lawyer Support Services.
Total Lawyer Support Services.
On page 5, turn the page. Justice. Operations and Maintenance.
Not previously authorized. $60,000.
There being none. $60,000.
Total Registries and Court Services.
Total Corrections and Community Justice.
Just on the one for the Human Rights Tribunal, another $200,000 for the Tribunal in Coral Harbour. It indicates that this is to replace the previous transfer to the capital for retrofitting the required office space. We’ve seen a lot of money put into the Human Rights Tribunal.
I’m just wondering if the minister can indicate when we can expect to see an annual report tabled to see what we’re getting for all the money that we’re putting into it.
It was finished in November.
That’s when it really started in November, 2005. I will be asking them when it will be ready.
The chairperson reported that they’re trying to incorporate more Inuit traditions.
They were quite happy for those who were affected.
As soon as the report is ready I will be tabling it.
Mr. Tootoo: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. No more questions.
Chairman: Thank you. (interpretation ends) So I will, I apologize. (interpretation ends) Human Rights Tribunal.
Not previously authorized. $200,000. (interpretation) Do you agree?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Total Human Rights Tribunal.
Not previously authorized. $1,015,000. (interpretation) Do you agree?
You are quite agreeable. (interpretation ends) Page 6.
Culture, Language, Elders and Youth. Operations and Maintenance. Sport Nunavut.
Not previously authorized. $620,000.
(interpretation) I apologize. (interpretation ends) I almost missed him, Mr. Tootoo.
I just wonder if this talks about increased travel costs, or is it just for the travel cost between Nunavut and Alaska.
Mr. Minister, I leave it at your discretion to redirect that question if you wish. Mr. Minister Simailak.
Hon. David Simailak: Could the Minister of CLEY help me? (interpretation) Can he answer the question?
(interpretation ends) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman: Thank you. Mr. Minister Tapardjuk.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Yes, it was the additional expenses for the Arctic Winter Games because there were 56 percent more athletes since the last Arctic Winter Games that is why it’s increased.
Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Minister. (interpretation) Thank you.