EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Speaker, the previous federal government worked with the three territories to develop a new northern strategy. Part of that strategy involved providing some additional funding to Nunavut, Northwest Territories and the Yukon. Can the minister update us today on the status of the Northern Strategy?
Hon. David Simailak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, this currently being worked on by the Territorial Premiers; as Finance Ministers any way we can, we try and help them.
Every time we meet with our federal counterparts, it is progressing well.
Question 309 – 2(3): Annual Report of the Utility Rates Review Council (Curley)
Mr. Curley: My question is for the Minister of Energy. According to the most recent Annual Report of the Utility Rates Review Council, which the Premier tabled on Monday, the URRC which revealed an application for Qulliq Energy Corporation for a fuel stabilization rider that was received on February 24, 2006.
The QEC application asked to continue the existing rider until September 30, 2006. The URRC also indicated in an annual report that council expect to submit a report to the Minister on the rider, on or before May 24, 2006.
Has the report been received; if so, what did it recommend?
Hon. Ed. Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The member is correct in his questioning.
The report has been received and the recommendation by the URRC to the Power Corporation and the government was to continue the 3.98 cent fuel rider.
At the same time the Power Corporation was tasked to complete an external review on the corporation itself in regard to administrative as well as logistic and financial issues of the corporation.
That also has been completed.
I have had an opportunity to sit down with the external reviewers as well as the board chair to speak on direct consultation with that.
So the answer, to the member very quickly, was a continuation of the rider.
Mr. Curley: That confirmed that additional burden of electricity to rate in a modest 3.9 percent. On May 9, the Qulliq Energy Corporation issued a news release indicated that it has applied for a base rate adjustment of 6.1 percent.
According to URRC’s Annual Report quote, the council has been in ongoing discussions with Qulliq Energy Corporation on an understanding rate increase. The URRC expect to see, in the near future, certain outstanding information. What is the status of Qulliq Energy Corporation’s application for base rate increase?
I thank the member for raising the issue because it gives us an opportunity to speak about it in this public forum. As the member has known in the last sitting, we talked about the general re-application process and at that time, a little over 12 months ago; the Power Corporation received an increase of a little over 16 percent.
At the same time, in the URRC report they acknowledge that there was still a shortfall of 6.3 percent in the revenue base for the Power Corporation.
The URRC said in that report which is, again, public knowledge because the report was tabled and has been available to the public, that the Power Corporation could apply for the extra 6.3 percent rate increase to make up that shortfall if they had followed several outstanding issues.
And I just mentioned earlier in my response that probably the largest one was completion of an external review by an independent group. That has been completed and the report has been filed.
What the corporation has done because, again, they have continued to cut back on expenses and have really done a very good job on the administrative side of the corporation is that instead of asking for the 6.3 percent, which is what the URRC acknowledged, the Power Corporation came forward and asked for 6.1 percent.
Mr. Curley: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. 3.9 percent plus 6.1 percent in my calculation, indicates 10 percent possible increase for power rates for consumers, QC’s May 9 news release also stated that, “The rate change filed this week does not include the anticipated fuel price increases in 2006 re-supply.
The resulting fuel cost will be calculated and delivered to URFC in September 2006 as an adjustment to the existing fuel rate rider.”
How much of an increase in the fall should our consumers, homeowners, expect to see from this government?
Hon. Ed. Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The member is in tune to what is happening in the world at large, and as we know, in Nunavut, we have no control over the pricing mechanisms that are in place for the world price of oil.
It is very difficult, right now, to say what that cost will be, not only to the consumer, but also to the government; 80 percent of the revenue generated by the Power Corporation comes directly from the government.
I need to correct for the record some of the things that the member has said. There wasn’t a 3.9 percent increase, it was a 3.98 cent rider put on the power bills which is a prerequisite that’s there, it has been acknowledged by utility companies across the country, and indeed, has been in place at different times in the history of Nunavut.
It is a rider to cover the extra cost of fuel.
A rate increase is a permanent amount of money that will be put onto the rate, and as the members know, since 1998 there has only been one increase in the power rates. That was the past April of a little over 16 percent, which related to about 3 cents a kilowatt-hour.
So if the six percent amount went through, then the members, I am sure can figure out the basic math, that the increase would be a couple of cents a kilowatt hour. That is why the Premier moved very quickly, and put the subsidy amounts in, of 700 and 1,000 kilowatt hours. This means that during the peak period and the dark period and the coldest period, instead of it being subsidized for just 700 kilowatt hours, all Nunavummiut are subsidized up to 1,000 kilowatt hours.
So if the consumer keeps their power bills down below that amount, then they won’t see an impact on the rate increase, because it is covered under the subsidy, however, the fuel subsidy rider of 3.98 cents, which will be in place until September 30, is on the bill of the consumer. How much that will increase, or if it will increase, will depend on the cost of fuel when we purchase it later this season.
And again, Mr. Speaker, I don’t have any information to tell us what that will be yet; we haven’t purchased or transported it. We are watching it very closely and the Minister of Finance is watching it very closely because we are the largest purchaser of fuel in the territory.
I recognize that the subsidies that were approved by this House were based on the 2004-05 fuel increases worldwide.
Since then, there have been significant amount of increases, but there has not been any additional subsidies proposed by this government.
Why should the public take the minister’s assurances that there will be a modest rate increase?
Should the minister not consider additional exemptions to circumstances of consumers in Nunavut in view of the fact that we can no longer just pass on these rate increases, whether it’s the fuel rate rider or not, because the cost of electricity in Nunavut is really exceptionally high and consumer rate base is so small that we can no longer afford it.
I understand what the member is trying to relate, but I want to just add as the minister in the House that the choice of words, when the member says, you know, why should the people of Nunavut believe the assurances of the minister, that to me is impugning. I want to suggest to the member and to the House that the veracity of the comments of the minister are correct and what I suggested to the minister and I believe Hansard will show and demonstrate that what I said was the veracity and the truthfulness of the comments.
What I can say for the record for the member, for the House, and for Nunavummiut is that the difference between the costs of fuel for the Government of Nunavut since 2003 for what we bought in 2005 is $70 million.
We paid $70 million more than we did in 2003. Who pays for that, Mr. Speaker? Mr. Speaker, the people of Nunavut and the Government of Nunavut pay.
So if 80 percent of the customer base comes from the revenue bases from government, then that’s what we’ll pay.
What I can say to the member is that the Government of Nunavut, through cross-subsidization, has guaranteed that rates remain. For example, 80 percent of all Nunavummiut live in social housing. That rate, no matter in Nunavut, is still 6 cents per kilowatt-hour and hasn’t changed since the 90s.
The rates for commercial customers to residential customers who own their own homes have increased by the amounts we talked about; a little over 3 cents.
So Mr. Speaker, again, we don’t know what the rate increase may or may not be, it depends on the cost of oil.
And I said in an earlier comment that the Canadian Dollar now is over 90 cents. Last year, it was a little over 80 cents and that has helped us when we’re buying fuel on the world markets because of the better exchange rate; so all of those factors have to be put in place.
Again, the Minister of Finance, the Cabinet, and the Minister for Petroleum Products are monitoring this situation everyday, and we are in the process right now to look at those costs.
I will report back to the House and to the people of Nunavut when we know what those costs are.
However, I can say that there will no increase to the subsidy rate, the FSR, the Fuel Subsidy Rider, of 3.98 cents until at least after September 30, and the base rate of 6.1 percent is still before the URRC Committee and they provide the check and balance to the government.
I will just remind all ministers that you’re responses should be made shorter, to the point, and based on the questions. I remind both sides of this House.
Speaker (interpretation) Thank you.
Question 310 – 2(3): Budget Carryovers (Mapsalak)
This was a question I had brought up at an earlier date, but I’m asking it again for further clarification.
I am going to be asking these questions because the hamlets see approved budgets for the year coming, or approved budgets for a five-year term.
I’ll just use an example; Repulse Bay was supposed to get a nursing station but it’s been repeatedly deferred.
We’re told that we spent a certain amount of money for that project and if this money is not used, what happens to that money that was originally budgeted for a particular project?
Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Simailak.
For the capital projects for this year, if funds are not used for a particular project, they might be referred to the New Year.
They can be carried over to the New Year, and if there is going to be a change it’s usually carried over to the following year.
I’m sure that this is going to be one of the questions in the House.
Of course we would like to know exactly what happens to the unused amounts of dollars. They are budgeted for particular projects.
I’m assuming that if you don’t use that money at the local level, they are given back to the government because I don’t think that you’re allowed to keep the surplus. If the hamlets have a surplus, is it a requirement to give back the unused funds?
If the Government of Nunavut has unused funds, they would be given back to the federal government.
If a capital project doesn’t use the funds, then they would be deferred back to the department or they can be carried over to the New Year.
As I stated earlier, this project that I was referring to have been deferred repeatedly over the years, and when you look at the finances, it seems like there has been money used for that intended project.
This has happened on more than one occasion in Nunavut and sometimes there is money budgeted for a particular project, and then the following year the money is gone without informing the communities.
All the departments, when they make their capital project estimates. If it’s not going to go ahead within that particular year, then they can request to set aside those funds and carry them over, and the carryovers can be approved again. If the department does not expend the capital estimates or wants to make any project, rather than the ones that they were going to do, they have to request for permission.
It’s up to the discretion of the departments as to how they want to deal with their unexpended funds. They can request a carryover, if they want.
If they want to cancel the project, or if they don’t want to work on the project anymore they have to request for permission, or they have to request for approval.
Yes, as I stated earlier on that we have experienced this through the Nunavut Government more than once.
Do I understand that the departments, every time the department’s ministers want to request a carryover, do they have to request for approval to carryover? If they do not agree with that could they go ahead as planned?
As I stated earlier on, it’s up to the discretion of the department ministers, more so than our department. We manage the finances for the whole of the government.
If the departments request for proposals and if they change their plans to make a different proposal within the year they have to request for approval. If they’re approved the funding could be used for something else. That’s how the system is set up right now.
They follow the majority requests. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 311 – 2(3): Lack of Airline Service to Sanikiluaq (Kattuk)
If you could state “Tasiujaqjuaq” as my constituency’s name, I would appreciate it.
I will be asking in regard to the community of Sanikiluaq. Perhaps during the fall session I will probably be bringing it up again. This will need to be resolved again before the fall session.
My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. I have three main points in my question.
This has been a concern in regard to the lack of toilet facilities on the airplane, the airline being too small, and one of them having one pilot without a co-pilot.
For that reason I had asked the minister last week. Does the minister have an update for me now on that issue, to update the residents of Sanikiluaq and me?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Kattuk, Member for Hudson Bay.
Minister for Health and Social Services, Minister Aglukkaq.
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. He had asked me this question on Friday in regard to the three concerns that he has.
I met with the deputy minister and spoke to the three concerns.
They were asking questions and we wanted to find out when this agreement will come to an end.
If we’re going to come up with a new agreement we were considering that the community take part and be more involved.
So we’re now reviewing the three points that you are concerned with.
I don’t think this should be geared directly towards the new contract. This issue has to be resolved today rather than waiting for a new contract.
This is very difficult to be experienced by the patients.
I don’t think we necessarily have to wait for a new contract. This is a concern today. It needs to be resolved today.
Could the minister tell the residents of Sanikiluaq she will try to resolve this situation today so that the patients can at least have a more comfortable ride?
When the member raised the issue around the washrooms back in March I believe, those issues were discussed with the airline and as far as we were concerned the airline had met the terms and conditions of the contract.
The other issues around the size of the aircraft and the member’s concern around one single pilot is new information that the member has brought forward as concerns.
I have shared that information with my staff and we are looking into it.
To change the type of aircraft would be changes to the current contract.
So we need to go through that process of evaluating what the conditions are of the contract as it is right now, and to move forward, we would have to make revisions to that contract.
So as it is right now, the staff has been instructed to look at that to start addressing the single pilot issue concern that you have and the single engine.
But, as it is right now, those were not information that I had in March.
The issue around the washroom has been addressed and the member continues to raise that concern this week. So I have again brought that concern to my staff and my officials to look into.
So I want to reassure the member that we are looking into it again and I will report back to the member and to Sanikiluarmiut.
She said that the washroom facility issue had been addressed but it’s not satisfactory to the people who travel on an over three-hour flight.
Like I said in the House, it’s a portable toilet. It’s not a washroom.
It’s behind the last seat of the airplane. My further question is; does the minister know how many aircraft types that company has, that are used by the Department of Health?
Minister for Health and Social Services, Ms. Aglukkaq.
I hear the member’s concern and he’s telling me that it is not satisfactory in terms of the washrooms. I’ve heard that, and I’ve discussed that with my staff to look into.
So, again, I want to reassure your concerns have been conveyed to the department and will be discussed with the airline provider. Do I know what kind of aircrafts this company has? No, I don’t.
If the member would like me to come back with the types of aircraft the company provides, and in terms of proper terms used for whether they are King Air, or what not, I don’t know that. I can report back to the member on that.
Question 312 – 2(3): Employee Screening (Tootoo)
M question is for the minister responsible for Department of Human Resources.
Mr. Speaker, I know that with the high turn over rate that the government always has a challenge recruiting and retaining employees. That department is very busy in trying to do that.
Mr. Speaker, my question for the minister is when they get an application from an individual what process do they go through to verify the information that the applicant has provided on their application?
Minister for Human Resources, Mr. Tapardjuk.
In regard to the question, if I understood the question correctly, we work with all the departments. We work with the appropriate departments that are trying to hire or that have employment opportunities.
Yes, we use the priority hiring policy when we are reviewing the applications for jobs because that is our policy and it states on the guidelines.
The Department of Human Resources assists the departments with the exception of the Department of Health and Social Services, and the Department of Education for hiring teachers. As an example.
We review the applicants along with the department.
Any individual who has applied for a job, if they are interviewed and if they get a 60 percent point mark, then this individual can be considered.
Also we will note two issues, like if the applicant identifies the references, we request for two references.
The applicant identifies his or her references upon request and sometimes we have to do criminal checks on the individual applicants.
When we are screening and during the interview stage, we interview them to see whether they have experience and how many years experience, and what kind of education they have and the language or languages spoken are considered. We also ask as to what kind of training they had done.
So, those are the guidelines we use for hiring.
Mr. Speaker, I know a number of years back we had a so called psychologist working at the Baffin Correctional Centre that was not really a psychologist.
I know with internet, scams are out there today. People can buy degrees and diplomas right off the net.
I think we know individuals that may have done that in the past. What mechanism does the Department of Human Resources do to verify the information?
For example someone puts down that they have a Bachelor of Science or if they put down that they are a registered nurse or something like that. How does the department look at verifying that information?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Those applicants, the qualifications and the certificates or diplomas that they have are usually given to those people once they complete their education, especially when they earn their degrees or diplomas.
Those applicants who apply to the Nunavut Government are required to send those diplomas or certificates, and we ask for those.
If we have a question, regarding their credibility, we definitely follow-up on them; along with their application forms, they have to send their diplomas and certificates to get a job.
Mr. Speaker, what would happen or what would the department do if they discovered that an applicant for a position had put false information on their application?
Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Tapardjuk.
Once the departments inform the Department of Human Resources, they would take some kind of action.
If the Department of Health hires a doctor presuming that he/she was a doctor but they weren’t, once the situation arises, then they would be dealt with accordingly.
Only when the circumstance arises...we don’t have any plans for hypothetical situations. Only when the actual circumstance comes up, then we would know what to do.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Tapardjuk.
Is the minister aware of any instances like that where there was false information put on someone’s application within his department or any of the other GN departments?
Since I’ve been with this government I haven’t heard anything at all where people put false information on their application. Up to today, I haven’t heard of any.
Question 313 – 2(3): Child Tax Benefit Supplement (Barnabas)
Mr. Speaker, during our March sitting I raised issues relating to the extremely high cost of living in Nunavut’s High Arctic communities, especially my constituents.
As I noted at the time, individuals who are on income support and especially those with small children often find it very difficult to make ends meet.
(interpretation ends) The federal government recently introduced the Universal Childcare Benefit Act as part of its 2006 budget.
If the legislation passes it will come into effect on July 1, and parents with children under six years of age will receive a benefit of $100 a month now that the details of this program has been confirmed.
Will the minister reveal to this House whether his departments will claw back the federal benefit of $100 a month from benefits received by individuals on income support?
Minister responsible for Education and Income Support, Minister Picco.
I can’t take credit for that question. The short answer is no.
All he said was no.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, all families with children are eligible to receive the Canada Child Tax Benefit, regardless of income, but the Child Tax Benefit Supplement is treated differently.
As the new federal Act transfer role, the Child Tax Benefit Supplement into universal childcare benefits, will the Government of Nunavut change the way it handles the supplements?
As I just indicated, no, the Government of Nunavut will not claw back any of the extra monies under this new plan by our federal government.
We are disappointed that we weren’t able to meet an agreement with the previous government on the Early Learning and Child Care Program, which would have given the territory over $700,000 and the base amount on top of that.
So the quick answer to the member is no, which is good news for the parents of Nunavut.
Question 314 – 2(3): Elder Abuse in Nunavut (Peterson)
My question is for the Minister responsible for Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
Earlier today the minister stated and announced that tomorrow June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. It is important that this awareness lasts not just one day, but also every day, all year long.
Last November I raised this issue and at that time I was not aware of any statistical information of how widespread the problem of elder abuse in Nunavut.
Can the minister update this House on any initiatives underway or under consideration to measure the extent of elder abuse in Nunavut?
Minister responsible for Human Resource and Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, Minister Tapardjuk.
This is regarding the question of elder abuse, or who are being neglected. We don’t have the statistics, like I mentioned before. It’s hidden.
We have a fairly good idea that such a thing exists, but we don’t have the exact figures and we are currently working on this.