EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Honourable Olayuk Akesuk, Mr. Ovide Alakannuark, Mr. Jack Anawak. Mr. Donald Havioyak, Mr. David Iqaqrialu, Mr. Irqittuq, Honourable Peter Kattuk, Honourable Peter Kilabuk, Mr. Glenn McLean, Honourable Kelvin Ng, Honourable Kevin O’Brien, Honourable Paul Okalik, Honourable Ed Picco, Mr. Uriash Puqiqnak, Honourable Manitok Thompson, Mr. Hunter Tootoo, Ms. Rebekah Williams.
Minister’s Statement 134 – 1(6): Income Support Worker Training
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Good afternoon Mr. Speaker.
I rise today, to advise my colleagues about upcoming training events for Community Income Support Workers.
As well, Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank these 40 workers for the difficult job they do on a regular basis in administering income support.
We heard during the Income Support Review hearings that career counselling capacity should be established in all communities and that Income Support Workers should focus more on doing assessments and appropriate referrals to training and employment opportunities for income support participants.
Mr. Speaker, I believe this training is the first step to enable Income Support Workers to assist the participants in identifying issues that have prevented a successful transition to work in the last and enable them to develop and make referrals to training and educational opportunities currently available.
Mr. Speaker, the course will include subjects such as the process of employment counselling, interviewing skills, communication skills, problem solving, strategies for dealing with conflict; creating employment and training action plans and case planning.
The training sessions will be held in Cambridge Bay, Rankin Inlet and Iqaluit during the last three weeks in March and will involve approximately 50 participants.
Providing this much needed training will help to increase job satisfaction and thereby increase the retention on Income Support Workers within Nunavut.
Minister’s Statement 135 – 1(6): 2002 Tax Filing and Community Volunteer Income Tax Program
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Mr Speaker, I rise today to report on the progress of the Department of Finance and the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency in the establishment of the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) here in Nunavut.
I would like to commend both parties for the collective efforts that have been made towards this end.
Mr. Speaker, the CVITP is a community-based outreach program designed to help low-income Canadians prepare their income tax returns free of charge.
The volunteers are Canadians with experience in income tax preparation who are willing to give their time and energy to help others.
Last year, the Department of Finance became involved in this program for the first time.
Five of its employees volunteered their time to assist Iqalummiut in the preparation of their income taxes and there were a combined total of seven (7) volunteers in Cambridge Bay and Rankin Inlet.
I am please to report that this year, over 50 individuals have signed up to volunteer in Iqaluit, 16 in Rankin Inlet, 12 in Cambridge Bay and a combined total of 9 in various other communities.
Mr. Speaker, the importance of filing a tax return cannot be overemphasized.
There are a number of tax benefits that are available to Nunavummiut, including the GST credit, the Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB), the Nunavut Child Benefit (NUCB), the Territorial Worker’s Supplement, and the Cost of Living Tax credit, however, these benefits can only be obtained if a return if filed.
Many Nunavummiut may be losing out on tax credits that they deserve because they have been unable to prepare an income tax return because of economic, linguistic, or other barriers.
The volunteers with the CVITP will contribute significantly to the removal of these barriers.
Mr. Speaker, on October 2002, the Government of Nunavut and the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency signed the Service Management Framework Agreement.
The increased participation rate of volunteers in the CVITP this year is an example of the rapid implementation of the co-operative spirit of that agreement on the part of the Department of Finance.
All parties are to be commended for their efforts.
Mr. Speaker, I will inform the Legislative Assembly of the participation rates of Nunavummiut tax payers in this program when those numbers are available.
Minister’s Statement 136 – 1(6): Sivumut II Economic Development Strategy Conference
Mr. Speaker, I want to bring to the attention of this House the upcoming Sivumut Economic Development Strategy Conference, which will be held from March 21st to the 24th, 2003 in Rankin Inlet.
The Conference is a follow up of the Sivumut Conference I that Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated sponsored in 1994.
The work from the second conference is the final stage of the Naujaat Challenge process, which the Premier and I announced at this time last year.
The upcoming conference will bring together 150 individuals representing federal, territorial and municipal governments, Inuit organizations, private businesses, non-government organizations, co-operatives, and labour groups will also attend.
(interpretation ends) Members of this House will recall, Mr. Speaker, that at that time we issued a challenge to all Nunavummiut to contribute to the preparation of an economic development strategy for Nunavut.
During the consultations that followed, communities, businesses and Inuit organizations responded enthusiastically.
Everyone was anxious to take a role in the design and implementation of economic policy for this territory.
The theme of the Naujaat Challenge was “Working Together.”
We know that only by joining with others who are involved in the development of our economy can we be effective in the implementation of our strategies.
This is why, Mr. Speaker, Cabinet responded positively when the president of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, Cathy Towtongie, proposed that a Sivumut Economic Development working group be formed.
That working group is co-chaired by the Department of Sustainable Development and NTI, and is in the final stages of preparation of Nunavut’s economic development strategy.
In Rankin Inlet, Mr. Speaker, Nunavummiut will have the opportunity to review the economic development strategy, and to recommend changes based on the discussions and workshops that take place.
I look forward to this historic Sivumut II Economic Development Strategy Conference and to reporting the results to this House.
If not, we’ll move onto Item 3. Members’ Statements.
Member’s Statement 446 – 1(6): Past Rent Scales
I have no written Member’s Statements at this time but I would like to make our children aware of something that they should keep in mind for the future..
In the 1960s, housing cost $2.
In 1969, it became $16 here in Nunavut.
In 1972, the monthly rent was up to $50.
Looking at the price of houses years ago, the cost has greatly increased over the course of two generations and I wanted our future generations to know about it.
So you want to take a look at them, the housing rental bills that we had before, I have them with me and you can come and take a look at them.
Member’s Statement 447 – 1(6): Elders and Their Roles as Counsellors
Mr. Speaker, there are many stressful things that youth and young couples have to deal with today.
In my culture, when I was growing up, there were times when we had to talk with our elders about our situation in life.
Mr. Speaker, I have nothing against the professional caregivers in the smaller communities, who are hired to advise people in times of crisis.
These professionals are graduates of southern universities, and have the professional knowledge to deal with many problems.
Mr. Speaker, however in my time, an elder with good background and reputation from within the family or camp was consulted to speak with a person or group about a situation.
This approach was good because you were counselled by your elder, and in a community that really cared about you.
On top of that a follow up was available because elders lived in the community.
Our situation is in a crisis and we need to use the elders along with the professionals to meet our challenges of today.
Member’s Statement 448 – 1(6): Participants in Sports at Kugluktuk School
Today I rise in the House to speak to the people about a good new item that the people have heard about in our community.
There was a course held in Kugluktuk for some of the officials in the outlying communities.
As members know, participating in sports is one of the best ways for youth to develop their self-esteem.
Sports enable them to say no to alcohol and to drug abuse, so that they do not have to worry about these problems that most people incur.
So they could have better self esteem for themselves.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, the Kugluktuk Sports Program has gone even further.
Last year teachers and coaches worked together to set up a system that combined attending class, and making real effort in school with support and rewards to those involved in sports teams.
As a result, some students are staying in school.
Participation in class work has increased, and the Kugluktuk Sports Teams are doing better than ever.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to acknowledge the attention that the Kugluktuk Sports Program has received in the media, and in the mainstream sports world.
Mr. Speaker, in fact, not only is the Kugluktuk Program is getting well deserved recognition, but it will also be used as a model for the kind of sports environment to promote across Canada by the Canadian Centre for Ethnics in Sports.
Mr. Speaker, I am sure that you and the other Members of this House will understand how proud that I am of the Kugluktuk Sports Program.
I hope the Members will join me in recognizing the achievement of the teachers, coaches, and most of all, the youth of the community.
Member’s Statement 449 – 1(6): Condolences to Resolute Bay Family
I rise today to inform the House of some sad news.
This is something that we must at one point all go through in our lives.
This morning the residents of Resolute Bay announced Minnie Allakariallak has passed away today who is a grandmother and great grandmother and I’ve known her very well.
The grandchildren and family who are from Resolute, Arctic Bay and Northern Quebec, we express our condolences to the whole family.
We know that Minnie Allakariallak has always worked to strive to have a very good and healthy family for her children and I just wanted to let you know that Minnie Allakariallak passed away this morning and we give our condolences.
Member’s Statement 450 – 1(6): Kitikmeot Patient Travel
The Member of the Legislative Assembly for Quttiktuq, I thank you for letting us know about the passing of a great lady.
I rise today to state that in representing Kitikmeot, my riding, but first of all I would like to say hello to my grandson.
In Kitikmeot, patients that go out of the community for medical services, those who are pregnant have to leave their community for medical reasons.
Sometimes they have to be out of their community for long periods of time.
And sometimes there are patients who are elders who have to travel with an escort as well as an interpreter, to escort them to medical centres and we want to make sure that they have adequate accommodations while they’re attending hospitals outside of their communities.
Sometimes, when you go down south or to other medical centers, when they’re overcrowded, sometimes it’s too hot for them.
So, I’m just stating Mr. Speaker, that some of the boarding homes are overcrowded and I feel for the residents of Kitikmeot because they don’t have adequate space for them when they are traveling to medical services.
I’ll bring this up in oral questions.
Member’s Statement 451 – 1(6): Grandson Kevin to Iqaluit in April
First of all, my colleague, the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Quttiktuq, we will remember the families that have just been left behind by the passing away of the lady.
Kevin, whom I love very much, is coming here to the community for medical purposes in the beginning of April, so, I would like my colleague in Health to take good care of him.
I wanted to mention that I apologize to my child.
I have to attend meetings in another location and he will probably get here before I do.
I just wanted him to know this before hand.
Member’s Statement 452 – 1(6): Inadequate Medical Services – Tammartarvik Boarding Home
I rise today to, I am not saying anything bad about anyone, but I am not saying that I am better than anyone.
Perhaps this is an issue that the Minister of Health and Social Services is tired of hearing about concerning.
Every time patients come in from Igloolik to receive medical services in Iqaluit, I feel that they do not get adequate medical services that they need.
When the Boarding Home in Iqaluit is full, they have to start looking for their own accommodations.
I just talked to the Mayor of Igloolik a little while ago and he told that it is happening again.
One of the patients came in around 10 o’clock last night and had to wait until 12 o’clock to get a place to stay because there was no room.
They were really scared that they might not be able to find a place to stay.
I do not know if that has been rectified.
I do not know if he has looked into it, but I am going to be raising this question on Oral Questions.
Member’s Statement 453 – 1(6): Student of the Month at Nakasuk School
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to be able to rise today to congratulate the recipients of the Student of the Month Awards at Iqaluit’s Nakasuk School, which I had the honour of being able to attend this morning.
Mr. Speaker, each month Nakasuk School issues Student of the Month Awards for those students who have best demonstrated the ideals of a theme for that month.
Themes focus on a variety of approaches to school life from being environmentally conscious to being considerate to classmates, to helping the teacher, and other activities.
Students are recognized for their participation, involvement, and their efforts.
Mr. Speaker, everyone deserves recognition for their efforts.
Recognition builds up our self esteem.
Recognition reinforces the choices that we make to work hard towards a goal.
I would like to add my recognition of the efforts made by the following group of students and their teachers at Nakasuk School for the month of February.
Mr. Speaker, the success of these young people today will help them become the role models of tomorrow.
In February the Student of the Month recipient is Melissa Joannie, for Kindergarten English, and Eli Ferguson for Kindergarten English, and their teacher is Dianne Dennison.
In Inuktitut Kindergarten, Ashevak Montegue, and Paula Nowdlak, and their teacher is Annie Shappa.
In English Grade One, Mitchell Courtney, along with teacher Judith Fulmer.
The other English Grade One class was Methuselah Inookie, and teacher is Dianne North.
In the Inuktitut Grade One, William Ulingayaq, and his teacher, Rosemary Twerdin.
And Jennifer Papatsie, also in Inuktitut Grade One, Ms. Opeetee Kovik is the teacher.
Nicki Issigaitok, in Grade Two Inuktitut, with Neevee Lucassie, as the teacher.
Meeka Ipeelie, in English Grade Two and Judith Mohanen is the teacher.
Naiomi Atagooyuk in Grade Three English and her teacher is Barb Young.
Jamesie Lucassie in Grade Three Inuktitut, Meeka Taqadluaq, is the teacher.
Angela Kownirk, Inuktitut Grade Three, Onga Kilabuk, is the teacher.
And Joetanie Toonoo, in Grade Four Transition, with Tracy Hanlen as the teacher.
Marcus Wilson-Hickey, for Grade Four English, the teacher is Anita Murphy.
Paul Nutararaarjuk, Grade Four Transition, and the teacher is Rodney Corkum.
And a special congratulation goes to the next recipient Mr. Speaker, is Eden Tootoo in grade 5 English and her teacher, Liz Courtney and the last one, Simonie Philip in grade 5 transition and Bobby McLean is her teacher.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask all Members to join me in congratulating these students of the month.
Member’s Statement 454 – 1(6): Environmental Contaminants on Marine Mammals
Regarding the comments made by the Member of the Legislative Assembly for the High Arctic, Rynee Nowdlak lives in Sanikiluaq and I would like to express my condolences to her and her family.
We will be with them in prayer.
I would like to mention something about an environmental issue.
As Inuit, we lived on the land and survived on the land without any worries about our wildlife and food chain being endangered from environmental contaminants.
At the time we were free to eat anything we wanted from the land and we didn’t have any worries at the time.
But, at the present time, we’ve been told that our food chain, our meat might be full of contaminants.
We have been informed in the general public that our food might be contaminated from different contaminants.
Pollution doesn’t have any boundaries and it can go anywhere in the world and we all know that in the Legislative Assembly, although we are informed, you are in Nunavut, you shouldn’t be worried about this.
I believe pollution can go over boundaries anywhere in the world, either by the environment or by sea or by air.
It can go through any form in the environment.
We have to keep in mind that our food, our country food.
I would like to seek unanimous consent to conclude Member’s Statement.
Are there any no nays?
I think in the 1980s and early 1990s, we started finding out about the possibility of contaminants in our country food and I was told at the time that I shouldn’t eat too much seal liver because it potentially has too many contaminants in it.
As an Inuk, I said no, I’m going to eat my country food.
It’s part of my life although, if it’s got contaminants in it, I’m still going to eat it, it’s my food.
That’s how it is with most Inuit.
Most Inuit like to eat their country food. Even the young people are eating their country food.
And they don’t want to give that up.
We have to look at the big picture in our stewardship of our pristine environment and base our decisions towards working on a cleaner environment.
We have just heard that there might be a war starting today, perhaps even tonight.
All that pollution from the bombing and from the war will most likely end up in our Arctic basin.
We have to be very careful in how we take care of our environment.
Member’s Statement 455 – 1(6): Rezoning in Iqaluit – Represent the People of Nunavut
Mr. Jack Anawak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to make a comment in respect to an issue I have been raising over the course of the last few days about the people of Nunavut expecting good things to come out of the Government of Nunavut.
I apologize because I’m quite bad with names.
There was a time on the radio where I heard of an individual from Iqaluit who lived in one of the traditional locations and which happens to be occupied mostly by elders from Iqaluit.
They wanted to rezone the area and relocate the older houses up to the top of the hill.
I don’t remember exactly what this individual said, but they said that this was the last straw.
They stated that they had been herded most of their lives once they moved into communities, and again they were being managed.
This is the original place where the Inuit inhabited or where Inuit came a long time ago before the Europeans came here and we’re not moving anywhere.
There are a lot of people out there in Iqaluit who are taking a stand on what they believe to be the line.
Sometimes it’s extremely hard to get the attention of the government to consider our concerns and it was articulated by the Uqquqmmiut MLA.
I believe that it is even more of an obstacle placed in front of our people.
With that, as a government and as legislators, I think that it’s time to refocus ourselves as a government and truly represent the people out there by living up to the expectations of the majority of our people and incorporating Inuit traditions and practices so that the people we represent can talk to the government.
We should be able to listen to the people out there.
We should be able to make this a reality.
We shouldn’t be intimidated by the bureaucrats who fear the unknown.
If we hear that the government is not properly representing its people, let us not hide, but rather listen to the people and try to meet their needs and expectations.
Then the people will be truly proud of their government if we are responsive to the constituents and represent them properly within the government.
Speaker: Item 3. Members' Statements.
Are there any further Member’s Statements?
If not, we’ll move onto Item 4.
Question 444 – 1(6): Tax Filing: Other Communities Participation in Program
I was very glad to hear and welcome the fact that the Minister made a statement on the 2002 tax filing and the community volunteer income tax program.
The Minister made reference to three communities.
Are any other communities in the regions also receiving any help through this program?
Yes, there are 9 communities, although I don’t have the actual names of the other communities where there are volunteers.
But I can certainly provide that information.
If there are 9 volunteers in the communities, than there are approximately 12 individuals.
Is it possible for the communities who do not have volunteers to ask those individuals to come to those communities?
Mr. Speaker, these are volunteers right now.
I can’t say whether we would be able to send them over given that they are doing this on their own time.
But I can say that if there are communities where there are specific requests then we’ll try to arrange assistance to those individuals requiring assistance.
All the communities would like to have volunteers and to be provided those services that are required, so I'm urging the communities who do not have volunteers to be able to access those types of services for their own community.
I don’t believe there was a question there.
It was more of a statement.
But, yes, if there are requests out there we’ll certainly look into trying to providing those services.
Question 445 – 1(6): Communication between Dept. of Education and IDEA (Assessment Testing)
Yesterday I was trying to get an answer from the Minister in regards to why the Department of Education didn’t have the courtesy to contact the Iqaluit District Education Authority informing them the IDEA didn’t have the authority to implement the assessment testing that they were working on.
Mr. Speaker, as a result of that communication, the license agreement that was in place with Alberta Learning and the IDEA was put to a stop by the Department of Education here in Nunavut.
Again, I’d just like to ask the Minister why they didn’t bother to notify the IDEA that they had contacted the Alberta Government informing them that the IDEA didn’t have the authority to go ahead with those tests.
The information I have is that on February 12, my ADM, who I mentioned has been leading our departments role in talking to the DEA, wrote the Iqaluit DEA informing them that all external student evaluations assessment plans must be approved by the Department of Education prior to implementation.
So there was notice to them.
Mr Tootoo.
Mr. Speaker, as I indicated yesterday this is something that the IDEA has been working on for quite some time and as I indicated they already had a license agreement in place with Alberta Learning, as a direct result of communications from the Department of Education here to the Department of Education in Alberta, they got that license cancelled.
Again, I'm asking why the Minister didn’t bother to let the IDEA know that it had contacted the Department of Education in Alberta putting a stop to that agreement that they had in place.
I’m at a bit of a loss, not having seen the specifics of the license however, Mr. Speaker, as I indicated to the Member; my department has been in contact with the Iqaluit District Education Authority informing them of the requirements to proceed with such testing.
I also have information that a call was put to the Iqaluit District Education Authority which to date still has not been returned.
As I have my Assistant Deputy Minister leading the discussions on behalf of the department with staff officials, at this time, I do not have specifics as to why the Iqaluit District Education Authority has not returned the call pertaining to the testing being led by my Assistant Deputy Minister.