EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Honourable Olayuk Akesuk, Mr. David Alagalak, Mr. James Arreak, Mr. Levi Barnabas, Hon. Levinia Brown, Mr. Tagak Curley, Mr. Joe Allan Evyagotailak, Mr. Peter Kattuk, Mr. Peter Kilabuk, Mr. Steve Mapsalak, Mr. Patterk Netser, Honourable Jobie Nutarak, Mr. Keith Peterson, Honourable Edward Picco, Honourable David Simailak, Honourable Louis Tapardjuk, Mr. Hunter Tootoo.
Speaker (interpretation): I would like to ask Mr. Barnabas to say the opening prayer.
Speaker (interpretation): Good afternoon, Ministers, Members of the Legislative Assembly, and employees of the Legislative Assembly.
Minister’s Statement 061 – 2(3): Minister Okalik Absent from the House (Picco)
Hon. Ed. Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to advise members that the Honourable Paul Okalik will be absent from the House today.
Minister’s Statement 062 – 2(3): Intranet-based Training Calendar for Government of Nunavut Employees (Tapardjuk)
I am pleased to announce that the Department of Human Resources, in partnership with the Department of Community and Government Services, has recently designed and implemented an intranet-based training calendar for access by Government of Nunavut employees.
The training calendar was developed to provide employees with details of upcoming training events including learning and development courses, employee and cultural orientation, Inuktitut language training, and workplace wellness programs.
Other departments are also invited to use the calendar to promote their training opportunities.
Mr. Speaker, the calendar is both easy to use and easy to access.
It appears right on the main page of the Government of Nunavut intranet site.
Employees can download registration forms directly from the calendar and apply for the training they wish to take.
Recognizing that not all employees have access to the intranet, the Department of Human Resources will continue to use a variety of methods to promote its training opportunities to Government of Nunavut employees.
Mr. Speaker, my department supports the Pinasuaqtavut guiding principles of Ilippallianginnarniq-Continuing Learning and is committed to responding to the learning needs of Nunavut’s Public Service.
The department continues to expand the number and variety of programs offered.
Learning is a lifelong process and it’s important we encourage employee awareness of the training opportunities available through the Government of Nunavut.
Minister’s Statement 063 – 2(3): Cold Weather Testing in Nunavut (Akesuk)
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to congratulate the new member who was elected to the Cabinet.
(interpretation ends) Most Members of this House are aware that earlier this winter, the world’s largest aircraft, manufactured by Airbus, conducted six days of cold weather tests and trials at Iqaluit International Airport with the new A380 double-decker jumbo jet, which was also the first flight in North America of this unique aircraft.
It was a pleasure for me to be on hand for the arrival of this huge plane and to personally welcome the test pilots and flight test engineering team to Nunavut.
There was a great deal of national and international media interest in this event in Iqaluit, which had the attention of the media worldwide.
The A380 cold weather test campaign highlights Iqaluit International Airport as the world’s premiere cold weather test centre for the aircraft manufacturing industry.
This is the fifth consecutive year that new generations of aircraft have been flight-tested in Iqaluit.
Mr. Speaker, cold weather flight testing reveals another unique dimension to economic development in Nunavut. The need for accommodations, catering services, ground support, fuel, vehicle rental, and many other local amenities supplied to the crew of more than 50 while the A380 was still in Iqaluit. It was good business for the town.
Mr. Speaker, my department will continue to promote Iqaluit as a cold weather test site in discussions with the airline industry for the future for our services.
Maybe next week the plane will come back for warm weather testing.
Minister’s Statement 064 – 2(3): Outstanding Principals (Picco)
Mr. Kilabuk and I are pleased to announce a Nunavut educator as one of Canada’s outstanding principals.
Every year, the Learning Partnership chooses incredible educators who exhibit outstanding leadership, challenge the status quo, and foster continuous improvements in their schools.
Mr. Speaker, this year, Lena Metuq, Principal of Alookie School in Pangnirtung, was honoured for her contributions to her students and community.  In total, 30 educators from 14 provinces and territories were recognized.
This award is a wonderful acknowledgement of the work that Nunavut’s principals do each and every day.
Mr. Speaker, the success of our schools and students is dependent on the leadership and guidance of their principals.
Principals represent the strength and support role in our schools, and the direction they provide for teachers and students is an invaluable contribution to our communities.
Finally Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of Nunavut’s principals for the exceptional work that they do for the youth of our territory.
Member’s Statement 137 – 2(3): Congratulate Patterk Netser (Brown)
I rise today to offer my personal congratulations, along with both of my Executive Council colleagues and Premier Okalik, to the newest Member of the Executive Council, Patterk Netser.
I am sure that your family must be very happy proud of you today.
You should take the time now to bask in the results of today’s election because after today, we will be busy working on the priorities of Nunavummiut.
Member’s Statement 138 – 2(3): Nunavut Fuel Tax Rebate (Curley)
I rise today to raise the extremely important issue of the high cost of living for Nunavummiut.
Mr. Speaker, during the recent Budget Address, it was announced that the Nunavut Fuel Tax would be rebated for key sectors, including mining, fishing, hunting and trapping, and Nunavut businesses.
Mr. Speaker, it is unclear how the government intends to implement this rebate.
A rebate such as this would be welcome news to Nunavut’s hunters, fishers and trappers.
As many subsistence hunters will tell you Mr. Speaker, it has become increasingly expensive to prepare oneself to go out hunting.
More and more hunters now rely on snow machines and outboard-powered boats to go out hunting and fishing.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, the cost of a snow machine is at least $10,000.
The cost of an outboard motor can be even higher.
A rifle and ammunition are also pricey investments.
The high cost of food means that getting together the basic supplies for a hunting trip is no small expense.
Mr. Speaker, the hunters also need to buy gas for their snow machines and boat motors.
The high cost of fuel, now close to a dollar a litre, adds to the expense that a hunter must incur in order to participate in this subsistence activity.
There are no nays, Mr. Curley, so please proceed.
A fuel rebate for this sector of our economy would be very welcome. I urge the government to develop a fair means test to determine the eligibility of hunters, fishers, and trappers for the fuel rebate.
This means test should take into account the income of each individual applicant and not the income of the whole household.
The rebate should also be provided without having a negative effect on any other benefits received by the hunter.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, our government should be supporting those Nunavummiut who are struggling to play a part in the traditional economy, who provide country food to their community and who help to keep our culture alive.
Mr. Speaker, the high cost of living in our smaller communities is contributing to the difficulties faced by Nunavummiut who want to support themselves and their families through hunting and fishing.
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to hear that the government is considering supporting the key sectors of hunting, fishing, and trapping with the Fuel Tax Rebate.
I urge the government to give careful consideration to the implementation of this initiative and to ensure that it does in fact improve the long-term benefits for Nunavummiut.
Member’s Statement 139 – 2(3): Congratulate Netser (Alagalak)
I would also like to congratulate the new Member of the Executive Council.
We will have to work very closely with him, and as you can see, there are going to be two Kivalliq representatives on the Executive Council. I am sure it will be a benefit to communities. I can see better representation of the regions in the Cabinet.
Member’s Statement 140 – 2(3): Sports and Recreational Activities (Peterson)
We are now just days away from the opening of the Arctic Winter Games. I am pleased to rise today to address the issues of sport, recreation, and leisure in our Nunavut communities.
Mr. Speaker, it is well documented that involvement in organized sports, recreation, and leisure activities contributes to a healthy lifestyle. This starts when we are very young and continues throughout our entire lives.
Mr. Speaker, many Nunavut communities lack the basic facilities and recreational infrastructure that would allow our residents to enjoy the same quality and standard of life that other Canadians enjoy.
Mr. Speaker, there can be no doubt that the infrastructure deficit in Nunavut exacerbates many of the social problems and health issues that our residents have to deal with every day.
Mr. Speaker, some of the basic facilities and infrastructure that I refer to are tot lots, ice arenas, gymnasiums, swimming pools, fitness centres, community halls, elders’ centres, and baseball fields.
Mr. Speaker, several years ago, the Nunavut Association of Municipalities developed an initiative to compare all community infrastructure in a typical Nunavut community to two communities of comparable size in southern Canada to highlight the disparities between them.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that the Government of Nunavut should pursue this initiative with the Nunavut Association of Municipalities. It is important that we understand how the lack of sport, recreation, and leisure infrastructure and associated funding will negatively affect our residents in the coming years unless we act decisively now.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the recreation departments in the hamlets, our many volunteers who give selflessly of their time, and all the individuals, businesses, and organizations in our communities who organize, support, and fund the sport, recreation, and leisure programs year-round.
Their efforts contribute immensely to improving the lives and health of our residents.
Mr. Speaker, on a closing note, I ask the Members of the House to join me in congratulating our Canadian Olympic athletes who represented us in Torino, Italy.
We are very proud of all the athletes who represented Canada and we look forward to 2010 in Vancouver.
Member’s Statement 141 – 2(3): Health Centre Services (Evyagotailak)
I rise today to address concerns raised by a resident in my community of Kugluktuk.
(interpretation ends) When an individual is in pain or feeling sick, it is a very uncomfortable experience. Sometimes it can even be a frightening one.
When an individual goes to the health centre with a problem, there is an expectation that the cause of the problem will be dealt with.
Mr. Speaker, a number of residents in my community have gone to the health centre only to be sent home again, sometimes with Tylenol, sometimes with nothing.
In some cases, Mr. Speaker, they have returned to the health centre many times with the same complaint.
It is very difficult for a person and for their family when it is finally discovered that they have a serious illness like cancer.
Mr. Speaker, it is important for Nunavut residents to feel confident about the quality of health services in our communities.
I strongly urge the Department of Health and Social Services to review the practice and procedures for diagnosing and treating patients in our community health centres.
Mr. Speaker, I further recommend that the minister keep members informed of the results of their reviews and what measures have been adopted to address any concerns or issues.
Member’s Statement 142 – 2(3): Passport Issues (Barnabas)
I rise today to talk about passport issues.
Mr. Speaker, in Resolute Bay, when I visited the community, this issue was brought up again because they are continually experiencing problems of accessing passports.
The photographers have not been able to go up to the High Arctic communities to take pictures of individuals who are applying for passports because for passports, you can only get a recognized photographer.
This lack of having a photographer for passports is negatively impacting the athletes that are supposed to be going to Arctic Winter Games, even though these individuals have sent their application forms out.
Also, when they sent their application forms out, they sent out their original identification cards.
This issue has not been resolved to date, Mr. Speaker. That’s why I rise again. Individuals living in smaller communities, those kinds of services are pretty late, especially when they’re trying to access a passport.
This has been negatively impacting the communities of the High Arctic.
Member’s Statement 143 – 2(3): High Winds in Pangnirtung (Kilabuk)
First of all, I would like to congratulate Mr. Netser for becoming a Member of the Executive Council.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today again to talk about this issue.
In Pangnirtung, they were experiencing high winds and still they are expecting stronger winds again.
The private business individual probably has lost more than anyone because his two-bay garage is completely destroyed, as well as our only bridge in Pangnirtung to access our water reservoir and dump, even that bridge has been impacted and it moved. For that reason, there has already been an accident occurring by an individual on a snowmobile and we regret that.
Also, the hunters, especially the in-shore fisherman; one individual fisherman lost their ship already.
Mr. Speaker, even my vehicle has lost its window, the windows are broken.
I’m sorry to say that, but strong winds have created havoc in my community, within the municipality, and also within Government of Nunavut; the offices are closed and all the municipal services are not on the road. All the schools have been closed because the roads are icy.
Mr. Speaker, as I stated earlier, we are expecting winds of up to 110 kilometres per hour in Pangnirtung. That big wind has not arrived yet.
For that reason, 30 or 40 kilometres per hour winds, if you include that, if you look at the community, the way it’s situated, and I’m sure it’s going to go up as high as 140 kilometres per hour.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform Executive Council Members that there has already been damage occurring in my community. And you have to expect more property damage in the next couple of days.
I am urging Cabinet Members to start planning ahead, even before the wind strikes.
Member’s Statement 144 – 2(3): Leadership (Netser)
Before I was elected to the Cabinet, I would like to thank all members for selecting me, I was the Deputy Speaker, so you won’t have that opportunity to call me Uqaqtiup Tullia, meaning “Deputy Speaker.”
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, a known successful business leader was asked one day by his young protégé for the secret of success.
The old man said, and I can give it to you in two words, “Right decisions.”
“But how does one go about making right decisions?”
asked the young man.
“Experience.” Came the reply.
“But how does one gain experience?”
“Wrong decisions.”
Replied the old man.
Member’s Statement 145 – 2(3): Monitoring the Mining Prospectors (Arreak)
I would like to congratulate my colleague for being selected to the Cabinet, and I was one of the people who were nominated, and I will be asked to be nominated again if there is another vacant position at the Cabinet level.
Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to talk about the issue of prospecting.
We are always pleased to see some assistance for the prospectors, but now we hear that these prospectors have left their garbage behind at their camping ground. The debris is blowing away and they have also dumped bad water into the rivers or lakes where the fish live.
The mining sector will bring employment opportunities, but we are going to be living here all our lives and we have to preserve our land.
So if we are going to be in support of the mining sector, we should make sure that they leave the environment clean and make sure that we monitor them. I encourage the members to monitor the mining sector.
Member’s Statement 146 – 2(3): School Bus Services (Kattuk)
I rise today to talk about my community’s concern and some of the other communities’ concerns.
In the smaller communities especially, the bus services for students are filled to capacity.
There are 23 seats in one bus and there are over 200 students.
The bus starts picking up children early in the morning and transports students to the school.
Mr. Speaker, some individuals have to use their personal snowmobiles or four-wheelers to transport their children to school and that’s very expensive to maintain.
If there are no plans for new busses in the small communities, I urge the government to consider providing busses for the smaller communities and these vehicles have to be maintained at the same time.
For that reason, at the appropriate time, I’ll be asking the Minister of Education about this issue.
Speaker: (interpretation) Thank you.
Member’s Statement 147 – 2(3): Automation of Weather Forecasting (Picco)
Like Mr. Kilabuk, I’d like to speak a little about the weather.
Before Christmas, I spoke in the House about concerns we had with Environment Canada and their way of forecasting North of 60. Mr. Speaker, I wrote the then federal minister about the seemingly inaccurate forecast and the automation of weather forecasting in Nunavut and the North.
Mr. Speaker, I note that the new federal government has moved very quickly to honour a promise to reopen the Gander Weather Forecasting Centre in Newfoundland. Here in Nunavut, with the forecasting being based more than two thousand miles away in Edmonton, it is not working.
The extreme weather we are seeing and the traditional outdoor lifestyle of Nunavummiut can mean life and death for a resident. Accurate weather forecasts play a key and major role in this.
Over the past several weeks, for example, here in Iqaluit, we have seen blizzard warnings, winter storm watches, and storm warnings melt away in sun and fair weather.
Mr. Speaker, because of pressure put on Canada’s weather service and the new federal government, they committed to reopen Gander’s Weather Forecasting Centre.
Mr. Speaker, we need no less here in Nunavut.
I’ll again be writing the new federal minister to raise the issue of reopening our weather forecasting centre in Nunavut and putting warm bodies and not hot computers in our weather station.
Member’s Statement 148 – 2(3): Naujaat Team Selected for Arctic Winter Games (Mapsalak)
First of all, I would like to congratulate the new Member of the Executive Council. What he said earlier was very appropriate so that our government will be reminded that there is a huge shortage of jobs in the communities.
I rise today in regard to the Arctic Winter Games.
The Naujaat volleyball team won and I am very happy that they were selected to go to Alaska, as well as the other people who will be on the hockey team to Alaska.
I don’t have the names with me at this time, but if they are listening they know who they are.
I am very proud of them; they are very capable.
You are very capable, and I wish you all the best during the Arctic Winter Games.
I would like to recognize an individual who is sitting behind me: the Mayor of Resolute Bay.
She has helped me a lot on what we are going to have to do and she keeps me informed on the activities of the hamlet.
I wish to recognize Susan Salluviniq.
Question 159 – 2(3): Details of the Nunavut Fuel Tax Rebate Program (Curley)
I wish to ask the Minister of Finance…I’d like to thank him for his opening comments; he announced the Nunavut Fuel Tax Rebate Program.
I raised this issue in my Member’s Statement today.
Could he provide a detailed explanation, today, to the House as to how this program will be administered by his department with respect to the fishing, hunting and trapping sectors, if that is the case?
Speaker (interpretation): The Minister of Finance, Mr. Simailak.
Yes, we are presently working on this and we are expecting that it will benefit the people because they will be able to receive the rebate: all the fishermen, hunters and trappers, the outfitters, and mining companies.
In view of the fact that there are many large businesses out there in the sector, can he clarify who will be eligible for this program and who will not be eligible?
The businesses that I mentioned will be rebated, especially hunters and trappers, fishers, and outfitters.
We are still working on this, but I want to make it available where it will be easy for people to apply, and if at all possible, maybe to have rebates twice a year, especially for the hunters, trappers, fishermen, and outfitters.
If at all possible, I want to be able to do that twice a year.
The bigger companies, I don’t mind if they get a rebate once a year.
And this will benefit the whole of Nunavut.
We expect that Nunavut businesses, or if the business is too large, maybe they will not be eligible.
Have you identified as to how big a business should be in order to qualify?
We are still working on this and we are still trying to work out as to how we will deal with the bigger businesses.
We are still open to options.
My last question: will the minister commit to reporting back to the House in one year on the success of the program?
Yes, I will be able to do that.
I will be able to provide reports every year.
Question 160 – 2(3): Decentralized Health Positions in Pangnirtung (Kilabuk)
We have, over the course of the past week, heard a number of my colleagues express their concerns about the transportation department being relocated to Pangnirtung.
Likewise, Mr. Speaker, this also concerns me because I also have constituents that have expressed the same concerns. However, this, itself, presents a little more added challenge to me.
The challenge is, Mr. Speaker, which I will try and address with a question to the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services; if the minister is considering looking at relocating the services delivery back to Iqaluit, will the minister and the department also look at, at the same time, to replace those positions with other... or rather give the support to replace those positions so they can be filled by some of my constituents in Pangnirtung?
I thank the member for this question.
I think to clarify further: back in 1999-2000, the government made a decision to decentralize positions to Pangnirtung and one of the departments was the regional operations to be decentralized to Pangnirtung was the regional Health and Social Services operations for the Baffin region.
The transfer of the travel function was transferred out of the hospital to Pangnirtung in keeping with our commitment to decentralize that particular organization to Pangnirtung.
At this point in time I don’t have any plans on reversing the decision back to not decentralize that.
The functions of providing travel support assistance will continue also out of the Baffin hospital for patients traveling from Iqaluit south. For patients traveling from communities to Iqaluit and back will be handled through the Baffin Regional Health and Social Services Office.
Without going into the detailed specifics of the original plans in the decentralized plans, Mr. Speaker, with the concerns that have been expressed in this House already, I am concerned that maybe this government is not providing the most beneficial service that it can provide.
As a result, Mr. Speaker, my question is looking for the commitment. If the department will look at reconsidering the move back to Iqaluit, will the department look at replacing those positions regardless of what they may be?