EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
For example, we are working to put in place three dedicated Community Corrections Officers, who will supervise youth and adults with respect to probation, parole and conditional sentencing.
A program manager will also be hired.
This will allow more offenders to return to their home communities under properly supervised conditions.
In many cases up to now there has been no option except to keep these individuals in jail.
We need more resources to implement our complete community corrections plan.
But at least now we can make a start.
(interpretation ends) Other recommendations will take longer to put in place.
For example, the construction of a joint Federal/Territorial jail is being discussed with the Federal Government, but will not happen immediately.
The Corrections Planning Committee stressed the need to ensure that Corrections in Nunavut is community based.
The Baffin Correctional Centre is holding a number of offenders who should not be there. Many of the inmates at the BCC are low risk and will be able to heal and reintegrate into their communities, if we can provide the proper supervision and programs in the communities.
Community Corrections Officers would not only work with offenders but with their spouses and families.
This way healing and reintegration can really happen.
My department is taking the recommendations of the Corrections Planning Committee very seriously and we are moving in the right direction.
Minister’s Statement 66 - 1(3): Change of Name, Status of Women to Qulliit Council
Today I stand because I want to give you the current status of the Women’s Council in Nunavut.
The council, which was officially appointed in October 1999, met for the first time in Iqaluit from February 1 to the 3rd.
They laid the groundwork of their initial plan and activities.
Nine board members were appointed to the council.
(interpretation ends) During this meeting Rebecca Kudloo was elected as the president, Daisy Keenainak and Joan Kalaserk were elected as vice presidents of the council.
Congratulations to the new executive and I wish them well.
Mr. Speaker, this was the first meeting and the council accomplished many difficult tasks.
The members reviewed their mandate under the Act and came up with a series of goals and objectives.
One of the critical issues they discussed was how to respond better to the needs of Nunavummiut.
(interpretation) The council also discussed the public image of the Status of Women due to the change to Nunavut.
The Status of Women name has created some intimidation.
(interpretation ends) The council discussed how to create equality between women and men.
The council made it very clear that they needed to support men in order to enhance Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
Mr. Speaker, that is why the council decided to do away with their old title of “Status of Women” This group came up with a new name that is not intimidating to either gender.
Mr. Speaker, the Status of Women has a new name, and from this day on they will be known as Qulliit.
If you look at Qulliit it can only work if both men and women take responsibility for its maintenance.
The man’s job was to get the blubber for fuel.
The lighting and the maintenance of the light, warmth and other uses, is the responsibility of the woman.
Let’s give our support to Qulliit as they move forward to represent the people of Nunavut for a healthier and more equal way of life amongst our people.
Going back to the orders of the day. Item three is members’ statements.
Member’s Statement 139 - 1(3): Mobile Treatment Programs
Mr. Speaker, there are often many factors in a person’s life that may have contributed to an addictive lifestyle.
Experiences of children of sexual abuse, suicide, family violence, residential schools and grieving and loss that have gone without counselling and support.
Mr. Speaker, we appreciate the fact that the minister felt the treatment centre in Apex cost too much per person.
But in the past there have been efforts to develop mobile treatment centre programs and grieving and healing programs that could be delivered in the community and on the land.
Mobile programs can be developed in Inuktitut and be delivered in the local dialect.
They can be more appropriate to the land based healing tradition in the Inuit culture.
They can be targeted to youth, elders, women and men.
They can build on the work and capacity of local drug and alcohol committees.
Communities across Nunavut have often had to purchase such programs from southern providers.
Before the treatment centre in Apex was closed, they had held one mobile program in Igloolik.
A consultant’s report evaluating the centre recommended they increase their mobile treatment program.
Mr. Speaker, I hope this government will look seriously at using savings of over 1 million dollars annually from closing the treatment centre in Apex to develop a comprehensive set of mobile treatment programs to help out people in Nunavut.
Member’s Statement 140 - 1(3): Day Care Facility for Gjoa Haven
My member’s statement today is about day care in Gjoa Haven.
As a decentralised community we are very fortunate that new jobs are being created in Gjoa Haven.
We are working hard to ensure local people can get those jobs.
If people from my home community are to take up these new jobs they will need a safe, reliable day care program where they can take their kids when they go to work.
Some of my constituents are planning to get training for these new jobs.
They will also need a day care so they can go to school.
Right now there is no day care in Gjoa Haven.
However, Mr. Speaker they are very close to getting a new day care building in Gjoa Haven.
Today, in my member’s statement, I would like to outline the history of this project and make some suggestions on what needs to happen next.
Several years ago our Nutuktiyakangoik Society tried to run a program out of a surplus building.
But they found that the old building could not be used because the building did not meet the health and safety requirements for a day care centre.
Then our community found out about a program that could provide capital dollars.
That program was administered by Pauktuutit - The National Inuit Women's Organization, on behalf of the Human Resources Department of the Federal Government.
With help from the Gjoa Haven Development Corporation, an enterprise owned by the community, we decided that we should purchase materials for a Housing Corporation house, and modify the design to meet day care standards.
We got approval from Pauktuutit to take that approach.
A budget of 255 thousand was set and approval was given to purchase and deliver the materials, build the pad and design the modifications needed to meet day care standards.
The materials are now in our community and they have been sitting there for a year and a half.
Unfortunately, it turned out the cost of the ventilation control .
Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Puqiqnak you have run out of time.
Mr. Puqiqnak (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, I would like unanimous consent to continue my statement.
Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Puqiqnak is asking for unanimous consent to finish his member’s statement.
Mr. Puqiqnak, go ahead.
Mr. Speaker, the Gjoa Haven Development Corporation is very willing to build this building, and they have recently established an apprenticeship for a local plumber and plan to create apprenticeships in carpentry and electrical work.
However, the mechanical work on the centre will have to be done by an outside firm.
This will add a lot to the cost.
I understand from the Gjoa Haven Development Corporation that one hundred and seventy three thousand dollars is still needed to construct the building, including the extra heating, plumbing, public safety features and controls required.
Pauktuutit still has a just under 100 thousand dollars committed for this project through HRDC.
We fear that this funding may lapse on March 31, 2000.
Pauktuutit no longer administers the program and the responsibility has been given to the Kitikmeot Economic Development Corporation who administers similar HRDC funding.
I understand that approximately 500 thousand is available to the Kitikmeot area for childcare programs.
Our challenge Mr. Speaker, is therefore to come up with 73 thousand dollars, which is needed to complete this project.
The building has been carefully designed to meet the special requirements of a day care.
It will be a perfect building for our needs.
I know the Department of Education provides support to run day care programs, and they do now have a program to provide capital assistance, except for buying start-up equipment for new day care centres.
Kitikmeot Development Corporation has told the people of Gjoa Haven that they will have to contribute to the 73 thousand dollar cost for the extra plumbing and heating.
I understand the Gjoa Haven Development Corporation may be willing to contribute some of this cost, but cannot assume the full costs.
I would like to see that everyone gets together to take the final step to complete this project.
If the Hamlet of Gjoa Haven, the Kitikmeot Development Corporation, the Gjoa Haven Development Corporation and the Nunavut Government were to contribute equally to come up with the amount of work required, then the day care centre could be built this spring, or summer.
If each of these groups would commit, this would be just in time to assist people who would be seeking decentralised jobs or training, so they can obtain these jobs.
I will be asking the Minister of Education if he can provide support and assistance through his day care program officials or through his colleagues in other departments to help to take the last step to complete this very much needed project.
We have the building design.
The material has been paid for and delivered, and we need under 100 thousand dollars available to make the next steps happen.
To build this day care.
I just want to remind the members that I know some of your colleagues would like to make members’ statements so please try and keep your members’ statements to two and a half minutes.
Member’s Statement 141 - 1(3): Daughter’s Birthday
Although I feel for the people who have lost their loved ones, today is my daughter's birthday and I would like to wish her a happy birthday.
She was my first daughter born to me.
On the same date I went to Hall Beach from Igloolik and I was using a brand new skidoo, and at the time it broke down when it was close to my community.
On the same date I walked to Hall Beach at midnight.
Member’s Statement 142 - 1(3): Day Care Funding
Mr. Speaker, as my constituency grows our community childcare facilities are facing growing pressures.
Today there are 189 licensed childcare spaces available and six child care centres.
Each of these centres are at capacity and have waiting lists of thirty to sixty children.
All are facing extreme financial pressures.
Childcare workers are finding it almost impossible to find affordable housing.
All of the child care centres are finding it more and more difficult in recruiting and retaining qualified child care workers.
The many new government jobs that are being created in Iqaluit make it difficult to find people who are willing to work for a much lower wage and minimum benefits of non-profit day care societies.
One of our centres caters to students.
The students experience difficulty qualifying and delays in receiving their day care subsidies.
Also the department is not allowed to pay the subsidy directly to the centre on behalf of the students.
I would like to thank the Minister of Housing, the Hon. Manitok Thompson for recently using creative approaches to assist the Aakuluk Day Care Centre to help them to remain solvent.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Minister of Education for meeting recently with the Iqaluit Childcare Association.
I am pleased he has agreed to review the concerns they presented to him.
I urge him to look for new ways to proceed or to provide accessible and affordable childcare in our communities.
I have some specific advice for him.
Review and overhaul the childcare funding formula to make sure operations and maintenance dollars are adequate for current costs.
Consider ways to enhance benefits for childcare workers through the formula.
Revive early childhood education programs based on the co-operative model through Arctic College.
This will reduce our dependence on childcare workers in the south.
Review and streamline the process for approving subsidies for students.
Allow subsidies to be paid directly to the Child Care Centre with the consent of the student.
Mr. Speaker, when we are making maximum efforts to educate and employ Inuit to work in our new government, those employees who have children are under increasing pressure to find childcare spaces.
Something must be done or we will soon end up with less childcare spaces just when we need more.
Member’s Statement 143 - 1(3): Recognition of Baffin Crisis Line Volunteers
I wish today to speak to the counsellors because the counsellors, caregivers especially face very hard challenges in the communities.
I notice this especially when I live in Iqaluit.
I would like to recognize the caregivers.
There is a crisis line which is open from 9-5 in Iqaluit for the people who want to speak to somebody.
The Nunavut crisis line started in 1989.
At that time the CBC crew considered how they could help people prevent suicide.
They got together and they formed the Baffin Crisis Line.
In Inuktitut it is called Kamatsiaqtut.
They use volunteers in the evening there are not too many volunteers, volunteers are needed.
I know that it is open from 9-12 and I know that the caregivers there or the counsellors there wait for phone calls from the people who need help, or who just want to talk about themselves because there are quite a few people who contemplate suicide.
I think we have to recognize these people who require assistance.
We have to recognize the volunteers too who are caregivers and they want to help the Nunavut people very much.
They even help the people from outside of Nunavut.
People from outside Nunavut even call the Baffin Crisis Line, the calls come in from Whitehorse even, and we hardly recognize the Baffin Crisis Line, the volunteers there.
I would like to recognize them, I respect them, especially Sheila Levy and Harold Fletcher who volunteer their services there.
I know that there are not too many volunteers there, and we need more volunteers at the Baffin Crisis Line and they give themselves freely to help other people in Nunavut and elsewhere.
I just want to recognize these people.
Member’s Statement 144 - 1(3): Student Summer Jobs
There are students who will get off school in June and they usually look for summer jobs.
I would like to see job opportunities available for the students during the summer.
The Nunavut government should support these students by making the student summer jobs available during the summertime, and I will be asking a question to the Minister of Human Resources about this.
Member’s Statement 145 - 1(3): Thanks to Constituents and Family
Today I spoke to the Mayor of Pangnirtung and he wanted to say “hi” to each and every one of the Members of the Legislative Assembly and the Premier.
We are all aware that we represent our people every time and we can’t see them face to face and they seem to be far away, but I would like to take my opportunity here to thank my constituents and that I wish them well and I thank them for their patience.
Especially our youngest children Joseph and Jenna.
Member’s Statement 146 - 1(3): Kugluktuk Arctic Winter Games Athletes
I just want to make a brief comment from my community in regards to the athletes that are going to Whitehorse from my community of Kugluktuk.
I will be mentioning their names.
(interpretation ends) These athletes have been working diligently for the past two years to fulfil a dream of representing the first Nunavut team and I know they will do well, and they will be good ambassadors for the community of Kugluktuk at the games.
I will now mention the names of those who are going to participate in the Arctic Winter Games: Kevin Niptanatiak mission staff, and the Nunavut games coach, Ernie Bernhardt.
The athletes are, Crystal Miyok, Colleen Nivingalok, Lashawna Taipana, Mila Kamingoak, Lisa Alikamik, Melissa McDonald, June Pangon, Amy Joss, Mike Johnston.
I just want to recognize these athletes that are going to participate in the Arctic Winter Games.
To item 5.
I would like to recognize again, like every day I recognize people in the gallery and I would like to recognize Angelina Mercer who is my cousin, Ray Mercer’s wife and she is sitting there, I would like to welcome her to the Assembly.
My mother’s brother’s daughter.
I would like to recognize all the residents of Rankin Inlet for their hospitality, it is very good and they invite us for meals, and some times we are unable to go into their homes and meet with them because we are quite busy.
It is impossible to visit all the people who invite us.
I would like to recognize all the residents of Rankin Inlet.
I would like to welcome the residents of Rankin Inlet who are in this building.
Mr. McLean: I would like to recognize two former residents of Baker Lake who, hopefully with decentralization on the move, they’ll become permanent residents of Baker Lake again.
I would like to recognize Jane Aupaluktuq who is Superintendent of Human Resources and Margaret Niego who is working with Human Resources.
Recognition of visitors the gallery.
I am going back to the orders of the day.
Item 6. Oral Questions.
Question 223 - 1(3): Funding for Mobile Treatment Programs
Mr. McLean: My question today was for the Minister of Health but he is not here right now, I looked up and he was gone, so…
Speaker: Just a reminder. (interpretation) Please do not state whether or not a minister is here.
Mr. McLean: Like I said, I was surprised.
Mr. Speaker, can the minister advise the House if he will be using the savings of well over 1 million dollars from closing the only treatment centre in Nunavut to develop a comprehensive mobile treatment program that is fully integrated and built on support for the community based alcohol and drug programs.
I will take the question as notice and provide it to the minister.
Speaker: (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Okalik. (interpretation ends) Oral Questions.
Question 224 - 1(3): Treatment Centres in Communities
My question is directed to the Ministers of Health and Social Services, and Justice.
Mr. Speaker, if you attend a court day and hear the cases in almost any community in Nunavut, almost every criminal case has alcohol involved.
Almost every case of violence has alcohol involved.
Many cases of theft involve alcohol or stealing things in order to purchase alcohol or drugs.
Bootlegging, being drunk in a public place and the list goes on.
Mr. Speaker, almost every lawyer and most judges wish there were programs to deal with this and quite often we have people requesting assistance.
Mr. Speaker, there are people that attend court and therefore, so many people end up in jail a long way from their home, family and community.
My question to the minister is, could there be a way to solve these needs.
Mr. Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, it was quite a lengthy preamble to that question, could the member be more specific in his actual question.
I will give the member an opportunity to rephrase his question.
Please keep your preamble as brief as possible so we can get the question right away.
With almost any kind of social problem the inmates who are incarcerated are sent down south.
Possibly my question is, in our communities is it possible to build treatment centres in the communities.
Mr. Speaker, that is a good question.
What the Department of Health and Social Services has tried to do over the past twelve months since April 1, 1999 is to use the model that we are using right now in the member’s home community of Clyde River where we are using healing circles, dealing with building capacity with their local workers on the ground so that people don’t actually have to be taken out of their communities and sent to a residential treatment centre.
So that is the kind of work that we are doing right now Mr. Speaker.
Trying to build that capacity at the local level.
The Apex Treatment Centre and the one member had a statement on it earlier today, and there were some questions on it yesterday, that model has not proved to be successful.
There has been about 4 million dollars spent in total operations from my understanding since 1991 on that facility and we are trying to readdress the issue around drug and alcohol counselling and to see where we can build that capacity at the local level.
Question 225 - 1(3): Justice Programs at Apex Treatment Centre
Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minster responsible for Health and Social Services.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Justice, I believe yesterday or the day before had indicated that there was a joint proposal with the Department of Health and Social Services submitted to FMB or Cabinet for approval on outlining a program that they wanted to offer at the Apex Treatment Centre.
Mr. Speaker, what I would like to ask the minister is exactly when did they submit the proposal to Cabinet.
Mr. Speaker, there are various proposals being brought to cabinet to the FMB, to the government at large, and of course, as the member knows in Health and Social Services because of our deficit situation, we have had many, many proposals brought forward on the different residential programs, facilities, that we have in place including hospital facilities, to treatment centres and so on.
So I can’t actually say what the actual date was that any specific proposal was or was not actually brought forward to Cabinet.
Mr. Speaker, I guess I was just wondering, in the fall it had been reported that there was a proposal submitted in September and they are just waiting for Cabinet.
A proposal was waiting for Cabinet approval in September.
I am just wondering if this is the same, regarding the use of the Apex Treatment Centre by the Baffin Correction Centre, I was just wondering if that is the same proposal they are still waiting for approval on, or if there has been a new one.
There has been no proposal brought forward to Cabinet about the usage of the Apex Treatment Centre.
Mr. Speaker then maybe, if the minister has been saying there is no proposal submitted by the Department of Health and Social Services regarding the use of the Apex Treatment Centre, is he aware if there is a proposal from the Department of Justice submitted to use that facility.
Mr. Speaker, maybe the concern is what is being reported in the media and so on.
There has been no proposal brought forward to Cabinet on the usage of the treatment centre in Apex.
Now, there may be discussions between my department and the Department of Justice, but they have not gone to Cabinet, and we want to make sure Mr. Speaker, that any proposal that comes before Cabinet is worked on interdepartmentally, and that work is continuing.
So I hope that helps answer the member’s question.
Mr. Speaker, then I guess I just wanted to clarify then what the minister is saying is that as far as he is aware, his department hasn’t submitted a proposal, nor has the Department of Justice submitted a proposal to Cabinet on the use of the Apex Treatment Centre.
Mr. Speaker, what I’m saying, and I will say it now for the third time, there has been no proposal brought forward by the Department of Health, or by the Department of Justice, to Cabinet to make a decision on.
There have been discussions by the Department of Health with other groups by the way in the community of Iqaluit to see what the best usage for the treatment facility is.
Should we use it as a treatment facility, should we go to a community based support program, as Mr. McLean talked about in his statement the other day, there are different options papers as you’re aware, and the option paper is what we brought before cabinet.
Those things haven't occurred yet.
So the discussions are at the senior level of government and when a decision is made, then that decision will be announced.
Question 226 - 1(3): Treatment Programs for Inmates
My question is one I brought up earlier regarding corrections for individuals that are sent to jail.