EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Any further work that the cabinet members or myself, as the minister responsible, if we find any reason that the auditors have not completed the work, we don’t do so. Normally the auditors of any kind don’t go on a witch hunt.
And I believe that’s what they were trying to prevent, that they didn’t go.
They asked the current administration of the Nunavut Housing Corporation the right questions and they concluded, to the best of their abilities, yes, there may have been budgeting problems, but by and large, whether or not there was misappropriation of funds, they did not conclude that.
If there’s evidence that the member can provide that there are maybe suspects in that regard, we would like to hear from any citizen or any individual to that regard.
I believe we are not finished with that work yet. I understand one of my colleagues has tabled three documents, including the audit and including two other documents, before this House.
It’s up to the member who has a question to schedule these items to the Committee of the Whole, and we will be prepared to continue to further respond to the questions asked by any Members of this House.
Tabled Document 219 – 3(2): Pension Administration Report – Retiring Allowances Act and Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act, Nunavut Legislative Assembly (Speaker)
Tabled Document 220 – 3(2): Report on the Payment of Indemnities, Allowances and Expenses to the Members of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut (Speaker)
Tabled Document 221 – 3(2): Record of Members’ Absences from Sittings of the House and Meetings of Committees and Caucuses to the Members of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut (Speaker)
Tabled Document 222 – 3(2): Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Fund Iqaluit, Nunavut Financial Statements March 31, 2010 (Speaker)
Tabled Document 223 – 3(2): Legislative Assembly Supplementary Retiring Allowances Fund Iqaluit, Nunavut Financial Statements March 31, 2010 (Speaker)
I have a number of items to table today.
The first item, as required by the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act and the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act, is the 2009-2010 Annual Administration Report of the Retiring Allowances and Supplementary Allowances Funds.
The second item is the 2009-2010 Annual Report of Members’ Indemnities, Allowances and Expenses.
The third item is the 2010 Record of Members’ Absences from Sittings of the House and Meetings of Committees and Caucuses.
The fourth item, as required by the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act, are the audited financial statements of the Retiring Allowances Fund for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2010.
The fifth item, as required by the Legislative Assembly Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act, are the audited financial statements of the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Fund for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2010.
Motion 027 – 3(2): Referral of Tabled Documents 207 – 3(2), 209 – 3(2), 210 – 3(2), and 212 – 3(2) to the Committee of the Whole – Notice (Elliott)
Further to Minister Curley’s comments earlier regarding the Nunavut Housing Trust and having the regular members continue to ask questions, we will oblige him.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, October 27, 2010, I will move the following motion:
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Hon. Member for Nanulik, that Tabled Document 207 – 3(2), Nunavut Housing Corporation Contracting Report for the Year Ending March 31, 2009; Tabled Document 209 – 3(2), Statement of Expenditures for the Nunavut Housing Trust, April 1, 2006 to February 28, 2010; Tabled Document 210 – 3(2), Review of the Nunavut Housing Trust; and Tabled Document 212 – 3(2), Nunavut Housing Trust Project Status Summary, be referred to the Committee of the Whole for concurrent consideration.
Motion 028 – 3(2): Establishment of an Electoral Boundaries Commission – Notice (Elliott)
I give notice that on Wednesday, October 27, 2010, I will move the following motion:
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Hon. Member for Iqaluit Centre, that an Electoral Boundaries Commission be established as of October 25, 2010.
The member is seeking unanimous consent to deal with his motion today concerning the Electoral Boundaries Commission.
Motion 028 – 3(2): Establishment of an Electoral Boundaries Commission (Elliott)
Mr. Elliott: Thank you, colleagues.
WHEREAS subsection 15(3) of the Nunavut Elections Act provides that the Chief Electoral Officer shall, no later than the 90th day after each general election, prepare a report certifying whether a constituency requires the adjustment of the boundaries of constituencies and inform the Speaker if there is a need to establish an Electoral Boundaries Commission;
AND WHEREAS the report of the Chief Electoral Officer under this section was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on March 17, 2009;
AND WHEREAS there is a need to establish an Electoral Boundaries Commission;
AND WHEREAS this need requires that the boundaries of all constituencies in Nunavut be examined;
AND WHEREAS the Electoral Boundaries Commission is responsible for proposing to the Legislative Assembly the boundaries and names of the constituencies in Nunavut;
AND WHEREAS the Electoral Boundaries Commission shall hold public hearings to receive representations from interested persons before making its report;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Hon. Member for Iqaluit Centre, that an Electoral Boundaries Commission be established as of October 25, 2010;
AND FURTHER I MOVE that the Legislative Assembly recommends the appointments of the Hon. Justice J. Edward Richard, Mr. Kirt Ejesiak, and Mr. Gordon Main as members of the commission;
AND FURTHER I MOVE that the Legislative Assembly recommends the appointment of the Hon. Justice J. Edward Richard as presiding member of the commission;
AND FURTHER I MOVE that the Legislative Assembly confirms its expectation that the Electoral Boundaries Commission will examine the boundaries of all constituencies in Nunavut.
Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Elliott. The motion is in order. To the motion.
I would like to congratulate Mr. Kirt Ejesiak, who is sitting in the Chambers today.
Bill 44 – An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act – First Reading
Hon. Keith Peterson: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Rankin Inlet South and Whale Cove, that Bill 44, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, be read for the first time.
Bill 45 – An Act to Amend the Labour Standards Act (Minimum Wage) – First Reading
Hon. Keith Peterson: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Rankin Inlet South and Whale Cove, that Bill 45, An Act to Amend the Labour Standards Act (Minimum Wage), be read for the first time.
Bill 46 – An Act to Amend the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act – First Reading
Hon. Keith Peterson: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Rankin Inlet South and Whale Cove, that Bill 46, An Act to Amend the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief Act, be read for the first time.
Bill 47 – International Interests in Mobile Aircraft Equipment Act – First Reading
Hon. Keith Peterson: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Rankin Inlet South and Whale Cove, that Bill 47, International Interests in Mobile Aircraft Equipment Act, be read for the first time.
Bill 48 – Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2010, No. 3 – First Reading
Hon. Keith Peterson: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Rankin Inlet South and Whale Cove, that Bill 48, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2010, No. 3, be read for the first time.
Bill 49 – Agricultural Products Marketing Act, Repeal – First Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member of Arviat, that Bill 49, Agricultural Products Marketing Act, Repeal, be read for the first time.
Bill 50 – Nunavut Outfitter Liability Protection Fund Act, Repeal – First Reading
I promise this is my last time today.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Rankin Inlet South and Whale Cove, that Bill 50, Nunavut Outfitter Liability Protection Fund Act, be read for the first time.
Bills 38, 39, 40, and 41 with Mr. Ningeongan in the Chair.
>>House recessed at 15:23 and Committee resumed at 15:54
Chairman (Mr. Ningeongan) (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) I would like to call the committee meeting to order.
In Committee of the Whole, we have the following items to deal with: Bills 38, 39, 40, and 41.
We would like to continue with Bill 38 and the Department of Environment, followed by the Department of Economic Development and Transportation.
If time permits, we would commence the review of the Department of Justice and the Nunavut Arctic College, followed by the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut.
Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Rumbolt, and by the way, happy birthday.
Do members agree that we proceed with the capital estimates for the Department of Environment?
Bill 38 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2011-2012 – Environment – Consideration in Committee
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) I would now like to ask Minister Shewchuk, responsible for the Department of Environment, to make his opening remarks.
Hon. Daniel Shewchuk: Ma’na, Mr. Chairman and members.
I am pleased to be here today before the Committee of the Whole to present my department’s capital plan for the 2011-12 fiscal year.
Mr. Chairman, the Department of Environment’s proposed capital budget for 2011-12 is $4.02 million. The capital projects for the 2011-12 fiscal year focus on four program areas, namely: Wildlife Management, Environmental Protection, Parks and Special Places, and Fisheries and Sealing.
Wildlife Management:
Mr. Chairman, a substantial portion of our proposed 2011-12 capital budget, $2,785,000, will be spent by the Wildlife Management Division.
Some of our wildlife offices require major renovations or even replacement.
Therefore, we plan to construct a new wildlife office in Coral Harbour, start the planning for the construction of a wildlife office replacement in Pangnirtung, renovate some of our wildlife offices in various communities, as well as replacing some of our aging wildlife mobile equipments.
Fisheries and Sealing and Environmental Protection:
Mr. Chairman, in the 2011-12 fiscal year, my department plans to spend approximately seventy thousand dollars of our proposed capital budget in the Fisheries and Sealing and Environmental Protection divisions.
This is necessary to purchase mobile equipment, such as ski-doos and ATVs, for the two divisions.
The purchase of the mobile equipment is necessary to meet our legal obligations and also respond to various calls relating to our mandates on fisheries and sealing and environmental protection.
Parks and Special Places:
Mr. Chairman, my department’s 2011-12 capital estimates also include a variety of parks projects across the territory.
Territorial parks play a crucial role in the protection and promotion of Nunavut’s outstanding natural and cultural heritage.
Territorial parks support positive recreation and tourism experiences that help Nunavut communities.
Therefore, it is vital for us to ensure that our parks meet the needs of Nunavutmiut and visitors to Nunavut.
In the 2011-12 fiscal year, we plan to spend $1,165,000 in various parks projects throughout Nunavut.
We will continue planning for the Back River to become an addition to Nunavut’s Canadian Heritage River System and we will study the potential for new parks at Axel Heiberg in the High Arctic and near Arviat and near Sanikiluaq.
With regard to the proposed Sylvia Grinnell Bridge, given the substantial increase in the projected costs, the GN has made the decision to put the project on hold for the time being.
The project will remain open and will be reviewed in the future as other opportunities and partnerships emerge.
We will continue on our ongoing operational upgrades in the parks in various communities, including:
the fabrication and construction of a site trail, installation of safety guard rails and interpretive signage at Bloody Falls/Kugluk Park in Kugluktuk,
the design and installation of boardwalks/trails at Mallikjuaq Park in Cape Dorset,
the development of the Itijjagiaq Trail at Katannilik Park in Kimmirut, and
the fabrication and installation of interpretive signs and other capital requirements at other parks across Nunavut.
Mr. Chairman, the Department of Environment’s capital plan is centred on Nunavutmiut and Nunavut communities and focused in the areas that clearly support the needs and priorities of the government as set out in Tamapta. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Minister Shewchuk, please introduce your witnesses.
I would like to introduce to you and the members, on my left, David Akeeagok, I hope I’m getting to pronounce that properly now, the Deputy Minister of Environment, and on my right is David Monteith, the Director of Parks.
Does the Chair of the Standing Committee on Community and Economic Development have comments?
I would like to welcome the minister and his officials here today.
I would like to thank the Chairman for wishing me a happy birthday.
I’m just happy he didn’t sing it; he doesn’t sing too well.
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to provide opening comments on behalf of the Standing Committee on Community and Economic Development as the Committee of the Whole begins its consideration of the Department of Environment’s proposed 2011-12 capital estimates.
Members note that the department’s proposed capital budget for 2011-12 is $4,020,000.
The department’s capital budget for 2010-11 was $2,160,000 and its capital budget was $1,685,000 in the 2009-2010 fiscal year.
There is no funding allocated for this project in the proposed 2011-12 capital estimates.
During the minister’s recent appearance before the standing committee, members were advised that the $100,000 that was budgeted in the 2009-2010 fiscal year was spent on two studies towards the Kugaaruk Park Development project.
Mr. Chairman, the department’s proposed 2011-12 capital estimates includes $1,865,000 in funding for the replacement of the wildlife office in Coral Harbour.
The department’s five-year capital plan indicates that wildlife offices in Pangnirtung, Repulse Bay, and Resolute Bay will be replaced in coming years.
The department’s 2011-12 capital estimates proposes $500,000 in funding for renovations and repairs to wildlife offices and research facilities across the territory.
The department’s proposed 2011-12 capital estimates includes $1.2 million in funding for small capital projects.
Members also support the work being done towards the Axel Heiberg Fossil Forest Territorial Park and look forward to progress on this project.
It also announced that “Indian and Northern Affairs Canada will contribute $838,669 as part of the Strategic Investments in Northern Economic Development initiative, and the Department of National Defence will contribute over $800,000 to design and construct the bridge and manage the project through the Bridges for Canada program.”
During the minister’s recent appearance before the standing committee, members were advised that the Department of National Defence will no longer be funding this project but that the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs will continue to provide $800,000 in funding towards this project.
Members were also advised that the department will revisit the scope of this project and that the estimated total cost of this project will be approximately $4.1 million.
The standing committee encourages the minister to provide ongoing updates to the Legislative Assembly on the status of this project, including the department’s efforts to obtain [additional] third party funding for it.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to recognize that the minister did give us an update in his opening comments and already had these prepared.
Mr. Chairman, on March 6 of 2008, the Minister of Environment made a statement in the Legislative Assembly concerning the GN’s plans to establish a recycling program.
The department’s five-year capital plan included a project to purchase recycling equipment and establish recycling depots.
A total of $900,000 was projected to be spent in 2010-11 and 2011-12.
The Minister’s Statement of March 6, 2008 also indicated that the government would work towards introducing “new legislation to give the GN the authorities it needs for the reduction, reuse, recovery, and recycling of solid waste.”
The strategy will examine a number of options for solid waste management for the territory, including recycling, incineration, gasification.”
The standing committee was pleased to note that both departments are working together on solid waste management and look forward to ongoing updates on this important issue.
This is a comment that I also made in my opening comments on the 2011-12 Capital Estimates of the Department of Community and Government Services.
Mr. Chairman, the department’s 2009-2010 business plan stated that “A lack of modern community waste management infrastructure impacts compliance with the Environmental Protection Act.”
Members note that the department’s 2010-13 business plan did not include any information on the need to ensure that our communities’ waste management infrastructure is in compliance with the Environmental Protection Act.
The committee looks forward to its review of the department’s 2011-12 main estimates and business plan at the upcoming winter sitting of the Legislative Assembly.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my opening comments on the proposed 2011-12 Capital Estimates of the Department of Environment.
I thank the minister and his officials for their availability.
Welcome to the committee.
When the minister was speaking about the bridge project here in Iqaluit, I had to smile. I wish to thank the minister for not proceeding with that project as it posed the biggest concern to Iqaluit residents.
I thank the minister for this piece of news because it alleviates one of the biggest concerns to Inuit here in Iqaluit.
As the minister stated, this project will be deferred due to a funding lapse and the fact that they have to conduct further consultation on the project.
However, he also stated that if they can find funding assistance for this project, then this project would be back on track.
With that being the case, can the minister inform the public on the particulars?
I would like to see this project approved, especially a version that can be used by all residents in the future, particularly original Iqalummiut. I would ask that this proposal be vetted in detail so that all Inuit, including the original Iqalummiut, are all on the same page in approving this future project, if they plan to resubmit it in the future.
Yes, as the member has indicated, this bridge project is put on hold due to the financial implications after a review of the project.
I can say that this project will be looked at in the future, and community consultation will take place and consultation with the city and all of our partners involved would initiate again.
Mr. Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I also thank the minister for his response.
It has become a bit more palatable to accept this project based on what I have heard today.
With regard to issues related to Iqaluit and the Department of Environment, there is another territorial park further down the bay. I forget what the actual place name is, but I believe it’s called Qammakuluvvik.
We have heard complaints about this park, specifically related to the signage on the history of the site. Apparently the stories omit the traditional Inuit lifestyle which was practiced in those days and is more towards non-Inuit history. We need to revise that signage to reflect our history.
I would like to raise that question to the minister.
I didn’t fully hear that question.
Could I have that question posed to me again?
Yes, with respect to this park, I was informed by one of my constituents that the signage depicts stories that require correction or revision.
The set-up of the sod hut was not as per usual Inuit customs since the stone lamp was situated right in the centre of the sod hut, similar to First Nation customs.
This type of error has to be corrected as it was related to me because Inuit are not First Nations. Will this be looked into thoroughly?
We want Inuit traditions to be presented truthfully. The signage is seen by youth and elders alike, and we prefer information that is depicted properly as per Inuit customs.
This was conveyed to me as a concern and I was wondering if the minister could look into this in the future.
When any signage is put up and wording is involved, all people are consulted. In this case, an elders’ advisory committee from the city was part of this process.
However, if the member has a specific concern, I would ask him to write me a letter and we will look into it.
Just a very quick comment, if I may. I would like to welcome the hon. minister and his department here. In your opening comments, you mention under Parks and Special Places.
I would like to share with the viewers as well as the committee here that we all know Baker Lake is the only inland Inuit community and we have distinct groups. We are very proud of our natural, cultural, and historical ties to Ukkuhikhalimmiut, the Back River.
So it’s an honour to see that this government is taking into consideration the natural, cultural, and historical ties to all of Nunavut and also emphasizes the distinctness of what Back River means.
Just for an example, Back River people are very well recognized for having very strong cultural ties, as well as contributions to cultural distinction that we share with all international/global settings.
Some of the artwork recognized that, if I may, Mr. Chairman, would tie into this for the cultural significance to all of Nunavut is that there are distinguished artists who are recognized throughout very high-level places. Some examples that were some of the artwork that comes from Back River are housed in the Vatican, Buckingham Palace, the National Gallery of Canada, and the Museum of Civilization, just to name a few.
I am also looking forward to the inclusion of the Axel Heiberg as well as the Arviat and Sanikiluaq area, and I think this is something that we must consider.
So I would just like to commend the department for listening to people of Nunavut, as well as being sensitive to what it means to recognize such areas as the Back River. That was just a comment.
Does the minister wish to comment on this as well?
I would like to just say that it’s in regard that it’s with the request from the initiation from the member from Baker Lake that this whole project started, and we are very proud to be part of it.
Including the communities of Gjoa Haven and Baker Lake, we are moving forward with this. This process takes a long time, but it’s absolutely in the process and we will look forward to the day when we could report more progress on it when it’s finally completed.
Mr. Ningark, to the general comments.
To the opening comments of the Hon. Minister for Environment, in the first paragraph here, we talk about spending approximately seventy thousand dollars in the capital budget. This is to buy ATVs, snow machines, perhaps outboard motors and boats.
I’m wondering if you have any policy where you wanted to buy those made-in-Canada snow machines, ATVs, outboard motors, and boats to help entice the economy of the country.
Do you have such a policy in place for whoever is doing the purchasing?
The policy on purchasing, that authority lies with Community and Government Services.
However, I do know that when we purchase equipment in the Department of Environment, I believe that most of these go to open tender and that is the process that is followed, and CG&S follows that process in the purchasing.
Under the Parks and Special Places, Kugaaruk has a proposed park, but my understanding, Mr. Chairman, is that it is, right at this point, occupied by the mining company.
Do you have any idea of when the mining company’s licence to do the activity will expire?
We have talked about this Kugaaruk Park for quite some time now, where the process is, negotiating lands, and whatnot.
Things are moving forward, I am pleased to say that.
I think I’ll let the Director of Parks, Mr. Monteith, expand on that and he will give you a detailed report on that.