EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Speaker I can echo the Minister's concerns or comments that it is this whole issue of day-cares is something that is an issue not only here in Iqaluit but all over Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker by conducting this review and the Minister's comments, is the Minister indicating that his department has a responsibility to ensure that we have adequate day-care facilities and that in Nunavut.
Hon. James Arvaluk: Mr. Speaker we did not have direct responsibility for the adequacy of the day-care centres.
We have responsibility to contribute budgets and help as much as we can in terms of financial assistance subsidy programs for day-care centres and yes we recognize that.
With that recognition I also wrote to all the day-care centres across Nunavut offering the interim assistance, 5-10 thousand dollars if we can receive a one-page proposal for example on the basis of their need and this is an interim measure.
Yes, we recognize this is important to the Department of Education and to the whole Government of Nunavut because it affects the employment for the parents it affects the early childhood education programs, we will be looking at all that during this review. A very quick review.
Supplementary Mr. Tootoo.
Mr. Speaker given the Minister's response that his department does have a role to play in the day-care system in ways of funding that he had indicated.
Maybe if the Minister can explain then, I heard some comments in the media of his, that indicated that the day-cares were not a responsibility of this government and that they should go looking elsewhere for funding.
So, I'm wondering if I can get some clarification on that.
Hon. James Arvaluk: Certainly Mr. Speaker, I would love to clarify that.
The day care programs across Nunavut and across Canada do their own fundraising.
They get fundraising from the companies.
They do bingoes and other fundraising programs and the government through their limited resources for day-care programs also participate in subsidising or assisting financially.
We do the same thing in the Department of Education and what I was saying to the media that the Member is referring to is that we don't manage them, we do not manage all the day care centres.
They are independently run by the non-profit organizations and some groups for profit, some through the head start programs.
The department doesn't actually hire the managers the workers or in fact handle the up-keep of the buildings.
That is what I was trying to explain to the media.
Speaker: Oral Questions. Mr. Barnabas.
Question 350 – 1(3): Inuit Events at AWG
I was participating in the first Arctic Winter Games and I was observing the Inuktitut games over there.
Back in1970 when the Arctic Winter games were first beginning and I was there I came to understand that the hosting of the games 2002 will be done by 2 countries, here in Iqaluit and in Nuuk, Greenland.
There has been apparently some kind of a problem, even though the Inuit games were begun by the members of the Canadian delegation they cannot decide whether to hold the Inuit games here in Iqaluit or in Nuuk, Greenland.
So, I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Community Government.
Mr. Anawak would you give me accurate information as to what the status is on that Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yes we were very proud to represent Nunavut in Whitehorse in the Yukon.
I think our fans were some of the loudest and this was a very proud day for all us Nunavummiut.
In regards to the upcoming winter games that will be held in the year 2002, yes we will be co-hosting with Nuuk, Greenland.
Well we have not debated about this issue and the discussions are ongoing at this time and a meeting with the Greenland delegation.
We have not quite decided which country the Inuit games will be held in.
However, we Nunavummiut have stated that both countries should share Inuit games.
Some Inuit games should be held in Iqaluit and some in Nuuk so that we can cover both countries when it comes to Inuit games.
I think we can deal with this issue rapidly and all we have to do now is decide what kind of arrangements we will have for Arctic Winter Games.
Question 351 - 1(3): Update on Elder Patients
Yesterday I raised an urgent matter.
Up to today I still have not received a response, so I will redirect my question to the Premier to see if he can update my question Thank you Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: Would the member clarify the question so the Premier knows what your are referring to.
I am sorry I did not mention what I was going to ask about.
There were two people, one from Qikiqtarjuaq and one from Clyde River, that have gone to the hospital for medical reasons.
I was asking a question about that and indicated that I would like to receive a response today because this is an urgent matter.
I can assure the member that this matter is being dealt with.
Could you keep me informed as to what is happening.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Yes.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Premier for that brief answer.
Question 352 - 1(3): Gjoa Haven Day Care Centre
My question is directed to the Minister of Public Works.
In my riding they have been requesting a day care centre, but all the buildings that are being utilised are in Gjoa Haven.
I wanted to get some information yesterday during my member's statements in Rankin Inlet during our last session there.
I had raised this question to the minister to see what kind of arrangements they will have with our buildings in Gjoa Haven.
When I talked to the minister about it, she was telling me that they were making progress on it and going through blue prints for the design of the building.
So, I would like to direct my question to the minister of public works to see if she would give me a copy of the blueprints that she was talking about.
I am not sure if the new government was dealing with day care centre.
I will want to get a clarification on that.
The previous government had worked on the blueprints and the design of the day care centre in Gjoa Haven.
I am just trying to get some more information from her department to see if she can arrange for producing a blueprint and make some copies, so I can have a copy of it.
I appreciate the work of the day care providers because they are doing a very good job taking care of these young people.
So, I will look in to find out if I can produce a blue print for the member and give him a copy of it if I can find one.
Speaker: Oral questions Mr. Tootoo.
Question 353 - 1(3): Day-care Funding
Mr Speaker my question is to the Minister Responsible for Education.
I could not help but notice through the departmental budget presented to the members along with the main estimates, under the section of early childhood education and school services, Mr. Speaker, there is a section for early childhood programs and this section provides both financial and development support to day care centres and day homes.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask that I note the funding levels have decreased, granted it is not a huge decrease but I would like to ask the minister since this amount has gone down has the demand or the need decreased.
We would have loved to give more for day care programs, but this reduction is approximately 30 thousand dollars which is fairly insignificant in consideration that the member is talking about 1 million 335 thousand dollars for early child education and 1 million 540 thousand dollars for the early intervention programs.
I think the member will appreciate that during the committee of the whole. There is only so much that can go around from the government budget.
However, this is a budget program proposal it is not final and this is our proposal to date.
Yes, I agree that there is a very slight drop but I'm fairly happy that it is closer to last year considering that there are a lot of capital dollars needed for building new schools.
For example, the member will appreciate that the capital expenditure estimates for the schools have more than doubled.
So, it is not that the day care is not important, it is very important, but there is only so much money going around.
Speaker: Just a reminder that the budget is in the committee of the whole and you should try to keep your questions for that period.
Mr. Speaker, I understand that and I probably will be raising the same questions in the committee of the whole.
Mr. Speaker, the minister said that the difference is 31 thousand dollars.
Mr. Speaker, I would imagine that is a significant amount of money for a day-care. That could mean a day care remaining open or closing.
So, I would beg to differ that it is insignificant.
That is a significant amount, any dollar a day-care loses, because many of them are struggling to keep their doors open.
Some of them have to send kids home because they do not have the staff or the space.
So I would beg to differ from the minister because 30 thousand dollars is a significant amount and that could mean the difference between a day care staying open or closing.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the minister why the demand and the funding for it, granted they do their own fund raising, why the minister put forward, that is just a draft right now, a reduction in that area.
Hon. James Arvaluk: Mr. Speaker: I think this I an unfair question because the why part is going to be very long.
When we allocate funding for different divisions and programs in the department of education, we have only so much and we try to juggle all we can.
There are some reductions in some programs in other areas in education.
Yes the day care program is a 30 thousand dollar victim.
Other programs are close to half a million dollars so that other programs that are important to the Nunavummiut, for example the pupil teacher ratio, forced growth and other forced expenditures that have to be allocated in this.
But, I already told the member that I am having this reviewed by the staff and I will be coming back by April 30 with a report and at that time I would like to recommend to the government what would be the best course of action respecting day-care.
I will have this report made available to the member and after that we can start discussing as to what we can do for the day-care.
I am completely open for suggestions for day-care, but there is only so much money that can go around at this time until that report recommends otherwise.
Speaker: Thank you minister.
Mr. Speaker, on the report the minister is talking about, I would like to ask if there will be information on how the funds that his department does allocate to day-care are allocated.
Speaker: Mr. Minister.
Hon. James Arvaluk: Amongst other things, yes, other things we are also looking at for day-care programs.
Are they being run effectively. Are the buildings sufficient.
Can we look at other ways of running the day-cares.
How much responsibility does the Department of Education have.
Should there be a drive from the department looking at other organizations and institutions to participate in the day-care program, perhaps more than they have been to date.
These are the things that we want to find out so we can eliminate problems that we have been facing with day-care.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to that report and seeing it.
I would like to let the minister know if there is anything that I can do to help him out with lobbying the government, or if there are any recommendations then I could do my best to do that.
Mr. Speaker, also in the report I know that he indicated on how they were funded, but will it also take a look at, for example, how they are funded and the detail of how they are funded. So they get so much per child, or younger children, or infants, or a pre-school child in that funding formula I believe.
The minister can correct me if I'm wrong, that has been inherited from the GNWT's Department of Education.
Will the department be looking at that formula and seeing the higher costs of living, goods and services in Nunavut are taken into account.
Hon. James Arvaluk: Yes Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: Oral questions, Mr. Irqittuq.
Question 354 – 1(3): Igloolik Decentralization Funding
Mr. Speaker perhaps this question is to the Minister of Finance.
During our oral question period, I think it was yesterday and a year ago about the decentralization of jobs to Igloolik.
I just wanted to find out how much of that money that was allocated for decentralization to Igloolik has decreased.
Speaker: Minister responsible for Finance and Administration.
Hon. Kelvin Ng: None of the money has been decreased, to answer the member's question.
Mr. Speaker, I think there was going to be seventy-two and one half positions, but I think there has only been seventeen positions looked at.
So how many more positions have been eliminated.
Speaker: Minister for Finance.
Mr. Speaker, overall the shift of positions and re-allocation is to balance out the needs the Nunavut Government is committed to. Mr. Okalik has written to all the members and municipalities that were impacted by decentralization to give them an update and I believe all that information went out just a few weeks ago, while we were sitting in Rankin Inlet if the members may recall.
Mr. Speaker, The letter that he is talking about I received yesterday.
The question that I asked him was how many more positions have been eliminated.
I think there are only sixty-eight positions.
I think there were two more that have been eliminated from the seventeen positions.
The four positions that were eliminated, where are they going to be allocated to.
Speaker: Minister responsible for human resources, Mr. Ng.
Mr. Speaker, again in reference to the update that the Premier provided, there have been no positions changed since that up-date.
As you know, the Premier has taken responsibility for co-ordination of decentralization on behalf of all government.
He recognizes the importance of it to all members and government.
I am grateful for the decentralisation of positions to the communities.
There were seventy-two and one half originally, now there are only seventy left for decentralization. When I looked at the letter there are only sixty-eight positions to be decentralized.
Perhaps, it is not very good for Igloolik to hear that the positions are being cut.
Perhaps can I just get a letter assuring me that there will be no more reductions in positions decentralized to Igloolik.
Mr. Speaker, I think that the Premier will in writing continue to update the members on the status of decentralisation in this house as we move forward in staffing up the positions.
Question 355 - 1(3): Review of Time Change
Mr. Speaker first I would like to welcome my family.
My question is directed to the government leader.
Last fall there was a Bill introduced that members did not like very much and it has to do with the time change.
During that time the Premier stated they would look into the time change just to see whether the government would have it changed again.
The question I have is whether that has been looked at or not.
The Department of Justice has that under review at this time.
What you have to realize is we have one time zone in Nunavut region and there were many people that find it is better to have one time zone for the area.
We appreciate the Baffin region experienced a two hour change but it was because the change to Nunavut time and the daylight savings time change happened at the same time.
In the spring it falls back and another time change is going to be happening soon again.
We can look at that but the actual change is only one hour.
We see people are quite happy with the time change and that it was made for Nunavummiut.
Mr. Speaker, my question, I believe was not answered.
Are they doing a review in regards to the time change because they told us before they would consult with the people to see if they were going to do another change to that and have they decided to do that Mr. Speaker.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): Yes I just indicated that we will be moving our clocks tomorrow.
As to how we can look at this again, when we changed the time zone in the Baffin region the whole Nunavut area fell back an hour.
Therefore, we adjusted that by an hour so that everybody could have the same time zone.
We decided that we would be in the same time zone as the Central Time zone.
We are happy with that, but what we are talking about is when we move our clocks forward tomorrow we have a due date and we were wondering if it would still be the case that maybe for the Legislative Assembly members or the Premier and others who say they don't like the time zone.
For those of us in the department of Justice we did not get a feeling that this was not good for the people.
Maybe once we move our clocks ahead another hour we should decide whether to change back to the original time zones since in Saskatchewan they do not change.
They stay consistent.
These are one of the things we can try to find out.
Question 356 – 1(3): Funding for Smaller Communities
Concerning decentralization, my question will be directed to the Premier and the Minister of Sustainable Development.
It very good that communities will be getting decentralized jobs.
There have been a number of answers to these types of questions.
My question in particular relates to this.
Many of the smaller communities are you going to give funding to those communities only if they put in proposals.
Speaker: Hon. Peter Kilabuk. Minister of Sustainable Development.
In response to his question I can say that this was raised previously in the House in his question asking if we are going to be giving funding according to proposals that we receive.
First of all under my ministry I said that I would want to get information as to what the communities would like by way of initiatives and what they wanted done or see in their communities.
A number of communities have prepared plans as to what economic endeavours they wish to pursue.
This member is asking me if his community would have to propose a request for funding.
Yes, according to the wish of the community, we would set aside funding for community initiatives and we want to make these plans more concrete with the community members.
I very much like the response that the minister has provided me.
But there are smaller communities that have not prepared proposals for funding.
For those communities that do not have proposals.
Where can they go and get assistance in filling out proposals for funding.
Speaker: Hon. Peter Kilabuk.
The department of Sustainable Development should be understood to him that we will be always available to the smaller communities as well as bigger communities to help prepare proposals for funding requests.
Our staff members at Sustainable Development will always help and aid filling out applications.
When the smaller communities do not have any proposals for submissions does that mean they will not receive any type of funding.
Speaker: Hon. Peter Kilabuk
Yes, just for an example say for instance if they had made a long term plan and they want to continue these initiatives then it would continue.
I know some of the communities do not have five year plans or long term plans.
However, you have the business sector and if they are interested in seeking funding then as soon as we find that their requests are made according to the criteria set by the department then we would be available for funding requests.
Question 357 – 1(3): Unused Decentralization Buildings
My question is directed to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.
Mr. Okalik. Mr. Speaker.
The NCC is planning to create offices and housing in communities but Mr. Speaker we found out when we asked question about these from the regular members, we were asking if the housing and office spaces in the communities be available for the local public.
My question Mr. Speaker, is concerning the decentralized communities.
What will happen to those houses and offices that are not being used right now within those decentralized communities.
Like for example in Igloolik they were going to put in 75 FTE so housing has to be there for those positions as well.
It has now been reduced to 68 full time positions.
What will happen to remaining office spaces and the houses that were built in those communities.
Yes, I can respond to that question.
Some of the houses began to be used by employees and some of them are not quite done yet.
But for those that have been completed they are already being used by staff members for the Health Departments, for the Education Departments and once we indicate how many jobs will be in the communities we will provide offices and housing according to those numbers.
The decentralised jobs have been relocated to different communities and I was talking about the office spaces and the housing in those communities.
For the communities that got more decentralized jobs do they plan on putting more housing and more office space in those communities.
I do not quite understand the question.
If he could repeat his question.
Mr. Barnabas: Yes, Thank you Mr. Speaker.
Some of these decentralized government positions were moved from one community to another community and from my understanding, NCC built these offices units so that decentralised positions can be matched.
I noticed that some of these positions have been moved to another decentralised community without office space and units.
Are they going to build units for positions that are moved from one community to another.
Speaker: Premier.
The plans put together by NCC did not totally reflect the number of jobs that had been planned for communities.
Some of the office spaces are ready, but the offices still do not have furniture in some cases and we will have to wait for sealift in some cases.
So all the jobs there were identified for these communities the number of positions have largely been met through our decentralisation plans.
A few minor adjustments have been made for a number of jobs that were slated for each community.
I believe we have done quite well in meeting the expectations of the communities and we will continue to implement the decentralisation plan.
I am sure all the members are aware of the number of positions that are going to the communities and what was originally slated and I gave all the members an opportunity to discuss it in detail when I issued the letters to each of the members and the communities in Rankin Inlet.
I will be available for any questions on this matter.
Qujannami.
Speaker: Thank you Premier.
Supplementary. Mr. Barnabas.
Now I understand his response for the minister of decentralisation. (interpretation ends) Yesterday we received a press release from NCC that Government of Nunavut offices in nine Nunavut communities will have opening ceremonies when this is not set up the way the minister is answering me.
Yes, the places are being opened.
There is no furniture in these buildings.
There are no telephone lines in those buildings.
There are no computers for office workers to use once they are opened and turned over to our government.
Question 358 – 1(3): Infrastructure for Decentralized Positions
I would like more information to this question that was just posed.
Also, to the Premier how many communities have been completely accommodated for decentralisation.
How many communities have not been accommodated by way of housing and office spaces.
Which jobs are ready to be filled.
Which jobs are not ready to be filled.
I believe there is more than one question there.
If the Premier would answer whichever question he cares to.
Some of the jobs are being filled on a daily basis.
Some of the communities are being filled.
For example in Arviat, it was readily prepared and some of the communities have office spaces but they have no furniture or computers.
Some of these jobs will be transferred to the communities from Iqaluit and some of the jobs still have to be advertised.
So, I cannot say just when they will be filled.
If you notice in the papers we are always seeking people to fill those positions in the communities.
This has always been our plan all along.
We want to get this done in three years and this is one of our main goals.
This will be our priority.
I believe the response you made and I appreciate it.
I want to ask you one more thing.
The houses that are made by NCC I know they are being used right now and they have to be paid monthly and they are very costly.