EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I know that it’s impossible to access soap stone quarries.
Although we voice our concerns, it seems like they don’t seem to understand what we’re trying to say even though we try to explicitly state where our problem areas are.
We tried to tell your department that we can’t access the quarries and we can’t get any straight answers.
In my other constituency, at least when they requested a soap stone quarry, and hopefully they’ll be approved but I have not seen anything written.
I did not hear this from the Minister himself but I heard it from one of his officials that the request was approved.
Mr. Chairman, if you can include the soap stone quarries in the capital estimates and soap stone, that way, if the government can include them into the capital estimates, we’d be very appreciative.
We had the Government of the Northwest Territories for a long time and they had a long time to work on those types of things that Mr. Puqiqnak was talking about.
Because we’re a new government, we need to have a little bit of time in order to start up some things that we want to do and we don’t have enough funding at this time but we will work towards those as long as the money is there for soap stone quarrying.
I will try my best to have the carvers provided with soap stone because my community is in the same situation where we have a lot of carvers in my constituency.
At this time I don’t have anymore names.
If there are no more questions to the Minister, can we go through the pages?
11-7.
Community Operations. 11-8, Detail of Capital.
Qikiqtaaluk Region, $592 thousand.
Chairman (interpretation): Turning the page. 11-9.
Detail of Capital. Total Kivalliq Region. $890 thousand.
Chairman (interpretation): 11-10, Detail of Capital, total Kitikmeot Region, $325 thousand. Agreed?
Chairman (interpretation): Total Tangible Assets, $1 million, 807 thousand.
Chairman (interpretation): Going back to 11-4, Department of Sustainable Development, Department Summary, Detail of Expenditures, Total Capital Estimates, $1 million, 982 thousand.
We have completed the Department of Sustainable Development.
I would like to thank the Minister and his officials.
If you have final statements.
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you for your questions and I would also like to thank my staff for being able to help me.
The Speaker may enter the chambers.
Speaker: Returning to orders of the day, Item 20, Report of the Committee of the Whole.
Chairman (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, your Committee has been considering Bill 46 and Capital Estimates and would like to report that the report of the committee be concurred with.
Before we adjourn for the day, I would like to thank the Pages who have been with us all week working very hard staying for the late hours and the names are as follows: Levi Eegeesiak, Jessica Joamie, Malaya Netser, Josh Qaumariaq, and Sharon Takiut and Shannon will be staying with us until the end of the week, I guess.
So, a big hand to all those Pages, they did a great job, especially the ones who are sitting outside now where they are a little on the outside looking in.
This House stands adjourned… oh, Mr. Clerk, I guess we better let you have your say. Orders of the Day.
A reminder for tomorrow morning, October 28th, meeting at the Standing Committee of Health and Education at 9:00 in the Nanuq Board Room and at 9:00 also, a meeting at the Standing Committee of Government Operations in Tuktu.
Orders of the Day for Tuesday, October 28th 2003:
Are we now ready to adjourn the House?
This House stands adjourned until Tuesday, October 28th 2003 at 1:30 pm.
>>House adjourned at 18:03  Nunavut Canada
DAY 63
Tuesday October 28, 2003
Pages 4157 – 4213
Revert to Item 5: Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 4071
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills 4071
Tuesday October 28, 2003 4071
196 – 1(6): Youth Apprenticeship Pilot Projects in Nunavut (Thompson) 4071
197 – 1(6): Social Housing Investment in Nunavut Initiative (Ng) 4071
198 – 1(6): Revised Senior Fuel Subsidy Program (Thompson) 4071
199 – 1(6): Nunavut Broadband Development Funding Announcement (Akesuk) 4071
646 – 1(6): Irene Avaalaaqiaq Wall Hangings and Book (McLean) 4071
647 – 1(6): Culturally Based - Reintegrating Offenders (Puqiqnak) 4071
648 – 1(6): Country Food (Alakannuark) 4071
649 – 1(6): Support Assault and Various Abuse Victims (Anawak) 4071
650 – 1(6): Plans to Help Youth Who Commit Crimes (Iqaqrialu) 4071
651 – 1(6): Corrections in Nunavut (Williams) 4071
652 – 1(6): Authority of Income Support Workers (Irqittuq) 4071
653 – 1(6): Nunavut Arctic College Courses (Tootoo) 4071
654 – 1(6): Thank the Members for Attending Various Functions (Akesuk) 4071
655 – 1(6): Thank Husband and Constituents (Thompson) 4071
636 – 1(6): Funding Privately Owned Buildings for Renovations and Maintenance (Iqaqrialu) 4071
637 – 1(6): How Many Inmates in the NWT Including Women (Williams) 4071
638 – 1(6): Income Support Rates (McLean) 4071
639 – 1(6): Individual Charged for Staying at Medical Boarding Home (Nutarak) 4071
640 – 1(6): Problems in Payment for Student Financial Assistance (Tootoo) 4071
641 – 1(6): Support Local Businesses for Contract (Anawak) 4071
642 – 1(6): Income Support Workers Policies and Guidelines (Irqittuq) 4071
643 – 1(6): Justice Services in the Communities (Puqiqnak) 4071
644 – 1(6): Wind Generator Repair in Kugluktuk (Havioyak) 4071
645 – 1(6): Disability Services (Alakannuark) 4071
018 – 1(6): Bill 37 an Act to Amend the Liquor Act and Bill 43 an Act to Amend the Income Tax Act – COW Review of Bill (Tootoo) 4071
135 – 1(6): Nunavut Housing Corporation Public Housing Unit Allocation for 2004-2005 (Ng) 4071
136 – 1(6): Letter to Member Rebekah Williams (Okalik) 4071
137 – 1(6): Co-op Briefing Note on Nunavut Government Policy Commercial Accommodations (McLean) 4071
Honourable Olayuk Akesuk, Mr. Ovide Alakannuark, Mr. Jack Anawak, Mr. Donald Havioyak, Mr. David Iqaqrialu, Mr. Enoki Irqittuq, Honourable Peter Kattuk, Mr. Glenn McLean, Mr. Patterk Netser, Honourable Kelvin Ng, Mr. Jobie Nutarak, Honourable Kevin O’Brien, Honourable Paul Okalik, Honourable Ed Picco, Mr. Uriash Puqiqnak, Hon. Manitok Thompson, Mr. Hunter Tootoo, Ms. Rebekah Williams.
Minister’s Statement 196 – 1(6): Youth Apprenticeship Pilot Projects in Nunavut
Hon. Manitok Thompson (interpretation): Good afternoon colleagues and to the residents of Whale Cove and Rankin Inlet I say hello.
Mr. Speaker, the Bathurst Mandate gives clear direction to view every element of the government budget for potential training opportunities and to offer trades training in Nunavut.
We need to take advantage of our government contracts to achieve these goals.
As the Minister of Education I am pleased to share information about a number of pilot projects that promote Youth Apprenticeship Programs in partnership with Nunavut schools.
Nunavut Arctic College and the Department of Education have worked closely with the Department of Public Works and Services to ensure government construction contracts include a training component for students to work with qualified trades people.
Mr. Speaker, students in Arviat, Whale Cove and Repulse Bay are taking courses to prepare them to work on contracted construction sites.
Mr. Speaker, this program is a positive introduction to the trades for students in grades nine to twelve.
Students will work with qualified trades people in construction of the new senior school in Arviat, the addition on the school in Whale Cove and the new hamlet building in Repulse Bay.
Mr. Speaker, the school principal recommends five secondary school students to participate in this program.
These students must first complete courses on safety and job preparation which are a beginning requirement.
When the students complete a probationary period of 125 hours of unpaid work they receive five work experience credits.
Another pilot project is regional and provides training to young adults leading to employment opportunities.
This initiative is through the Nunavut Arctic College partnered with the Kivalliq Regional Inuit Association, Kivalliq Partners in Development, the Department of Education and the contractor of the regional hospital in Rankin Inlet.
Successful students are given priority hiring status by the contractor for construction jobs on the Rankin Inlet Hospital Project and other construction projects in the region.
Mr. Speaker, these pilot projects are a result of the Government of Nunavut is commitment to create employment and training opportunities in the private sector economy for Nunavummiut.
By the spring of 2004 we will have almost forty students participating in this Youth Apprenticeship Program.
Minister’s Statement 197 – 1(6): Social Housing Investment in Nunavut Initiative
I am pleased to inform Members of the newest initiative of the Nunavut Housing Corporation and the Government of Canada.
A $40 million initiative cost shared with Infrastructure Canada will see approximately 160 new public housing units built in Nunavut over the next two years.
Mr. Speaker, these new homes will be constructed in every community ensuring that all Nunavummiut benefit from this program.
The social housing investment in Nunavut initiative is directly administered by the Nunavut Housing Corporation, Infrastructure Canada and the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation.
We’re very pleased to continue our collaboration with the Federal Government in finding proactive solutions to the housing crises in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, I am also pleased to announce that the Housing Corporation will introduce increased energy savings as part of this program.
Every new unit built will exceed the national building code requirements for energy efficiency by at least twenty five percent.
We will achieve this by increasing the insulation value in both ceiling, walls, and floors.
In addition Mr. Speaker, the needs of our seniors and person with disabilities will begin to be addressed through ten percent of the units being barrier free or handicapped accessible.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my federal counter part, the Honourable Steve Mahoney, and his officials for recognizing some of Nunavut’s housing needs.
Mr. Speaker. Ms. Thompson.
Minister’s Statement 198 – 1(6): Revised Senior Fuel Subsidy Program
Mr. Speaker, I rise today and I would like to take this opportunity to inform my colleagues about some of the important changes we have implement for the Senior Fuel Subsidy Program.
The Senior Fuel Subsidy Program recognizes that seniors who are homeowners face the same fuel costs as other homeowners.
This is often without having the same level if income as a working family to pay for their fuel bills.
Mr. Speaker, we have heard from people using the program that they would often reach their subsidy limit before the end of winter or not be eligible for help in the months between April and August even when it was still necessary to consume fuel.
Mr. Speaker, I hope these concerns have been responded to and I am pleased to report that on September 1, 2003, we put in place a Revised Senior Fuel Subsidy Program for Nunavut.
The program is now available year round so that seniors can receive help when they need, it.
We are also working on making the application process easier to understand and the paperwork easier to complete.
(interpretation ends) As well, Mr. Speaker, the amount of fuel that may not be eligible has been increased from ten to forty percent depending on the community that the applicant lives in and their household income.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, I am pleased with the support I’ve received from my colleagues for the changes that are intended to help many senior homeowners who are over sixty during the colds winter months.
Minister’s Statement 199 – 1(6): Nunavut Broadband Development Funding Announcement
I will be reading some parts of the Minister’s Statement in English.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, I want to bring to the attention of this House a recent joint announcement by the federal Minister of Industry, the Honourable Alan Rock, and the Secretary of State for Rural Development, the Honourable Andy Mitchell, concerning financial assistance for broadband.
The federal Ministers announced Friday that the Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation will receive $3.885 million toward the costs of implementing their plan to bring high-speed internet services to all twenty five Nunavut communities.
The Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation is one of just 33 organizations selected from across Canada that will receive a total of $44 million under Industry Canada’s Broadband for Rural and Northern Development pilot program.
Mr. Speaker, Members of this House may recall that in February of 2001, I announced the appointment of the members of the Nunavut Broadband Task Force, and asked them to report on how we could bring broadband to all communities in Nunavut by 2005.
In their report, which was tabled in this House, the Task Force recommended the creation of a not-for-profit corporation – the Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation, to bring together representatives of government, municipalities, Inuit organizations, and the private sector to work together towards this goal.
Over the past nine months, the Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation has worked to raise awareness of the potential for broadband in Nunavut, and to prepare their funding proposal to Industry Canada.
I have been please to support this work, Mr. Speaker, because I believe that high-speed internet service is essential infrastructure for the development of the Nunavut economy.
Easier access to the internet though broadband will also support our training objectives, improve health care services, help to extend the use of Inuktitut and improve communications between all our communities.
The work of the Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation is helping to ensure that these services will be available to private citizens, community organizations, municipal governments, and private businesses.
I am delighted that the federal government has recognized the work of the Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation.
With this funding in place, the Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation has taken a major step toward achieving the goal of high-speed internet for all our communities.
Member’s Statement 646 – 1(6): Irene Avaalaaqiaq Wall Hangings and Book
Mr. Speaker, I am sure that you have noticed and admired the beautiful wall hangings in the foyer.
I myself remarked on them in this House on our first day back here in the Legislative Assembly.
Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk about the career and life of Irene Avaalaaqiaq, the artist who created those wall hangings. Irene, who is behind me, was born in 1941 in the Kazan region and moved to Baker Lake in 1958.
Her art reflects the stories that she heard while growing up on the land.
Mr. Speaker, Irene is a role model in Baker Lake where she has a wealth of knowledge on Inuit culture and art.
She has also shared her art nationally and internationally through numerous exhibitions featuring her work.
Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, Judith Nazbi’s book, which is being passed around today, and coincidentally is being signed by Irene earlier today, ‘Myth and Reality’, was launched in Baker Lake.
This book includes Irene’s stories reminiscent in full colour pages of her art and folder.
It is truly a beautiful book.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to see stories about Inuit life in our stores and I congratulate both Judith and Irene.
I would also like to thank Irene for the work that she does and for making the world a beautiful place through her art.
Mr. Speaker, I have made copies of this book available to all Members and I really urge you to share them with your family and friends.
Mr. Speaker, while I have a few seconds left, I would also like to comment, that Irene received her Doctorate of Law from the University of Guelph in June of 1999.
I might also say, Mr. Speaker, that it is very easy to make Members’ Statements about constituents of mine that succeed and here is perfect example of a unilingual Inuk person, who can succeed in life, and write books, and get a Doctor of Law Degree, raise seven children, numerous grandchildren and still maintain her own personal independent lifestyle today.
Speaker: Welcome to the Gallery, Irene.
Member’s Statement 647 – 1(6): Culturally Based - Reintegrating Offenders
First of all, I would like to send my greetings to my daughter and my grandchild, please be patient, I will see you soon.
And also I send my greetings to my constituency in Gjoa Haven.
Mr. Speaker, I have been talking about justice issues lately, and I bring forward another issue today.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to talk about the need to help offenders reintegrate into the society once they have been released from prison. Mr. Speaker, I think that it is very important that this Government develop programs in this area because not enough programs are available to offenders in the communities, if there are any at all.
I am rising to talk about these today.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that the Department of Justice did have plans, according to my knowledge, to provide additional rehabilitive and healing programs that were culturally based, and with community elder participation.
Mr. Speaker, Community Corrections Officers perhaps are critical to the successful reintegration of offenders but what happens if there are no officers in the community?
Mr. Speaker, if support services are not available to released inmates, we will continue to see them re-offend.
Mr. Speaker, I am just about to conclude my Statement.
Mr. Puqiqnak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Colleagues.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that the Department must provide more support to communities to empower them to develop community-based solutions.
At the appropriate time, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking questions to the Minister of Justice.
Member’s Statement 648 – 1(6): Country Food
Mr. Alakannuark (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you for giving me the opportunity to make my Members’ Statement.
We have an abundance of wildlife in Nunavut, such as fish and caribou, that we could use for consumption.
I would like to show my appreciation for being provided with all these foods.
Also, today, the elders mainly live off the wildlife subsistence because that is what they were raised with, and our young people today are more used to the store bought foods.
But the store bought foods or groceries at the stores are very expensive to purchase and it is almost impossible for people who have no income to purchase those groceries.
How can the Nunavut Government provide more support to the people whose income is less than others and there are some people who cannot even go out hunting?
Member’s Statement 649 – 1(6): Support Assault and Various Abuse Victims
In part of my Members’ Statement yesterday, it seems at times I feel that the Government’s target is off because of Inuit of Nunavut way of thinking.
I think we are not including that Inuit thinking and I am sure that, as I had stated yesterday, that I talked about various abuses like incest and sexual abuses.
It seems like when we hear about murder, we do not seem to be surprised about those incidents.
And as Members, maybe we think that we are not responsible to deal with such issues and some people might think that this issue could be resolved at a home.
We need to give support to the women and children who are abused and sexually abused and victims of violence.
When I talked yesterday about youth, when something comes up and we oppose it, we work really hard to correct it, even though it’s not really close to our heart in our lives.
We need to work harder on this issue even though they may not be close to our hearts.
Nunavut has to develop and be able to stand on its own two feet by nurturing self reliance among the population.
I’m urging the Members to start considering these, how we can give help and support to the people who are abused and also to the offenders.
We have to give support to the people who are abusers, that way we can have a healthier life.
That’s why I keep talking about Nunavut mental health.
I apologise for borrowing English.
Let’s start talking about Nunavut’s mental health.
That way we can start resolving some of the issues that we face.
Member’s Statement 650 – 1(6): Plans to Help Youth Who Commit Crimes
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker and a big smile for you.
I am very proud of my colleagues.
I would first of all like to say that since we were children, we can recall what we experienced as children and the things that we have seen.
Mr. Speaker, what I’m trying to say is that we deal with different bills that will be applied in Nunavut and we also have to apply federal legislation.
Before there were many pieces of legislation there were less crimes committed.
I want to say that as far as our youth and children are concerned, there is a tremendous silence in legislation in their treatment in criminal cases up to this day.
In fact, it seems youth are given the licence to do as they please, regardless of whether their wish is good or bad.
This has had a huge impact on us today.
Youth are committing crimes today because they know, of course, that they are protected under the Young Offenders Act from being charged and being held responsible for their actions.
As legislators, we have to do something about it.
These crimes that are committed by a young person have an adverse effect on them for the rest of their lives.
When crimes are committed as a child, it will haunt them for the rest of their lives.
So, it’s up to us as legislators to do something about it, something that will improve the social lives of Nunavummiut.
As Members of the Legislative Assembly, we have to consider what we can do.
Speaker: The Member is seeking consent to conclude his statements.
Mr. Speaker, what we can say today about the youth is that we the parents of these children are too disconnected to our children.
We don’t have any plans in place that will reverse the time that is being used by the young people.
It’s up to us as Members of the Legislative Assembly and as parents to do  something about it and we have to take it seriously so that we don’t just let our children do whatever they please.
It’s also the responsibility of the parents.
It’s up to us to work together for the betterment of the youth and our children and to keep them from committing crimes.
It is something that has to be taken very seriously and I urge the second assembly to deal with this issue.
Member’s Statement 651 – 1(6): Corrections in Nunavut
Ms. Williams (Interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the state of corrections in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, Members know that this is an issue that I feel passionately about and I want to take a few moments to talk about what I think is going well and what is not going well in Nunavut today.
(interpretation end) Mr. Speaker, let me first give credit where credit is due. The recent announcements about the new Healing Centre in Kugluktuk was welcome news.
I am sure that the residents of Kitikmeot were pleased too, pleased with the potential for repatriating offenders to their home region.
Mr. Speaker, I remain disappointed about the slow progress being made on providing adequate facilities for female offenders from Nunavut and on getting a permanent replacement for BCC.
Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, I learned about the status of our government agreement with the Government of the Northwest Territories on housing inmates not from our own Minister of Justice, but from reading Hansard from Yellowknife.
To date Mr. Speaker, I have yet to receive a written reply to my letter to the Minister of Justice on one of the questions I asked him regarding the amount of Inuktitut programming Nunavut offenders serving their sentences in the Northwest Territories receive.
Mr. Speaker, I still have no idea what the answer is because the Minister will not reply to me.
Mr. Speaker, the government appears to have sufficient funds for a new multi-million dollar court house building with new furnishings.
I have supported a new court house but I want to see real progress on a replacement for BCC.
I want to see real progress on addressing the great need of female offenders of Nunavut.