EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
As we all know, most of us leave the House occasionally during sessions when required and I was in the act of departing the House when the minister was answering a question.
As the minister was standing during this episode and as a matter of courtesy, I didn’t want to place myself in the field of vision of the camera, so I sat briefly while the response was televised.
This is part of our procedural practices here in the House.
The reporter never bothered to ask me about it, yet they wrote about that in the newspaper. How unprofessional and embarrassing.
Mr. Okalik (interpretation): That is why I now consider Nunatsiaq News in the category of tabloids, devoid of truthful news.
I just want to explain to my colleagues that I had no ulterior motive or intention there; I was just following normal procedure as a Member of this House.
When attempts to smear your reputation are based on falsehood, it is not believable.
I want my constituents to know that I am dedicated to my role here.
When I am the subject of an erroneous interpretative assessment, it has no basis in truth.
Member’s Statement 259 – 4(3): 2016 Clyde River High School Graduates (Keyootak)
I rise today to express pride in and to congratulate the Clyde River high school graduates. The graduating students are:
Joy Angutirjuaq;
Russell Angutirjuaq;
Colleen Joanasie;
Melissa Palluq;
Kolola Kolola;
Verna Palluq; and
Danny Jr. Qajaaq.
These students are completing their studies this year and I wanted to voice my pride in their accomplishment and to have my colleagues share in this celebration.
The students who have graduated are free to explore post-secondary educational opportunities and it provides them with choices. I want to express my pride in them this year, as they now have an opportunity to advance their education upon completion of their schooling locally.
Member’s Statement 260 – 4(3): Congratulations to NAC Students (Mikkungwak)
I rise today to congratulate the students at Nunavut Arctic College who successfully completed their first year of the office administration course.
Mr. Speaker, it is always very heartening to see individuals working hard to improve their level of skill and education and to increase their opportunities for employment and future careers.
Ami Pattunguyak;
Kilivaak Tookoome;
Jenny Tapatai;
Charlotte Pupik;
Hector Duval;
Kim Aupaluktuq; and
Melody Anguhadluq.
I encourage these students to continue with their studies and to continue to progress along the path of lifelong learning.
Member’s Statement 261 – 4(3): Kimmirut’s First Hockey Camp (Joanasie)
Mr. Joanasie (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning, my colleagues and Nunavummiut who are listening to the proceedings.
Mr. Speaker, in March of this year, Kimmirut’s Qaqqalik School students were very excited to attend a hockey camp for the very first time in their home community.
Close to 100 young kids laced up at the Tasilik Arena to play hockey.
Mr. Speaker, Julie Matthews and her husband, Robert Matthews, have been teaching music at the Qaqqalik School for the past three years.
They wanted to reach out and help lift the community up by offering something that would have a positive impact for the kids at the school.
Kimmirut is very fortunate that they made this event possible.
Mr. Speaker, the Penobsquis Baptist Church in New Brunswick raised enough donations to be able to send four coaches to Kimmirut as well as complete sets of hockey equipment for the kids.
I would like to recognize the coaches. They are Bob Parlee, Greg Keith, Steve Gillies, Dave Walker, and Rev. Neville Gosman.
Other organizers, such as the St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Kimmirut, helped to organize the event and I would like to recognize them as well.
First Air assisted with airfare and freight costs and the Hamlet of Kimmirut supplied accommodations and ice time at the Tasilik Arena.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the people who put such hard work into making this event happen.
They certainly succeeded in making the kids very happy and putting big smiles on their faces.
Mr. Speaker, the organizers are hoping that this won’t be the last hockey camp for the kids in Kimmirut and I hope so too.
Member’s Statement 262 – 4(3): Encouraging Summer Student Employment (Quassa)
At least spring has arrived and many activities will be forthcoming that will occupy our thoughts, particularly those of our students who will be graduating from high schools, and we anticipate many references as the school year closes.
Nonetheless, programs are available for graduating students who can work in the summer or who want employment skills training as the government and hamlets use the program to offer (interpretation ends) student summer jobs (interpretation) to students who graduate or are in other courses.
After spending the winter in classes, I encourage our youth to explore job opportunities in our hamlets everywhere. They can submit an application form, which means a fill form in Inuktitut, but not really completely full.
This includes questionnaires they can fill out. I would urge our youth who live in Nunavut to apply and to get pre-employment training during the summer months.
I encourage all students to do so.
Further, with respect to our younger children who will be commencing school in the new school year, they also need to be checked by the health centre to ensure they have no medical issues. I further encourage parents to have their school-aged children who will start school to have them checked up at the health centres.
This is in keeping with parental responsibilities to have their children checked prior to starting school.
I again urge Nunavummiut to complete this work and ask my colleagues to promote this work.
Member’s Statement 263 – 4(3): 2016 Kugaaruk Graduates of NTEP (Qirngnuq)
In order to acknowledge the students in the four-year program, I wish to be understood that the students are taking the Nunavut Teacher Education Program.
They have completed their first year and I am proud of their accomplishment.
I rise today to extend my congratulations to Kugaaruk’s 2016 graduates of Nunavut Arctic College’s Teacher Education Program.
Mr. Speaker, it is important that programs such as NTEP continue to be made available in our communities.
Nunavut Arctic College courses such as the Nunavut Teacher Education Program provide opportunities to our people to earn the qualification that will enable them to pursue careers in their home communities.
Mr. Speaker, it is also important that Nunavut’s education system be delivered by those who are most impacted by its outcomes. The success of our children, our children’s children, and the future of our territory as a whole depends on a strong education system that is delivered by dedicated professionals.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to commend Amanda Kogvik, Cynthia Nirlungayuk, Georgina Ningark, Gwendolin Ningark, Wendy Ningark, Larry Nalungiaq, Tony Immingark, Roseanne Amautinuaq, Rosemary Apsaktaun, Kelsey Apsaktaun, Judy Aglukkaq, and Lucy Qayaqsaaq for their success in completing the Nunavut Teacher Education Program.
I would like to recognize a fellow resident of Amittuq from Hall Beach and my Executive Assistant, Connie Kanayuk-Arvaluk. Welcome to the gallery.
Question 340 – 4(3): Summer Courses at Nunatta Campus (Angnakak)
Ms. Angnakak: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation) Good morning. (interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for Nunavut Arctic College.
Mr. Speaker, a number of constituents have raised the issue of not being able to pursue adult education courses during the summer months.
I note that the Nunatta Campus of Nunavut Arctic College employs security and maintenance personnel during the summer, but there is no teaching staff.
Other jurisdictions across Canada deliver college-level courses during the summer.
Can the minister explain why Nunavut Arctic College does not deliver any courses over the summer months?
Speaker (interpretation): I’m sorry. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister of Arctic College, Mr. Paul Quassa.
We still haven’t implemented summer courses, but there are other avenues we can consider.
I want my colleague to know that we’re looking at different options and what other strategies we can use.
This is very good news and we will be looking into it as Nunavut Arctic College.
Ms. Angnakak: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the response.
The willingness to be able to look at options is always a great thing to go forward in various issues that have been raised.
Mr. Speaker, having the college open during the summer months would be a great opportunity for short summer courses as well for individuals, for example, upgrading to meet the criteria for courses in the fall.
It could even be accessed by high school students who may need to pick up a couple of credits to graduate.
Can the minister explain what consideration, if any, has been given to offering short summer courses for students who wish to upgrade in preparation for further studies?
As per my earlier comments on this matter, this is quite good to hear about. I would like to hear other suggestions on how more beneficial programs can accrue to the communities in this area.
However, other organizations throughout Nunavut also utilize the community learning centres during the summer months. As an example, if any prospecting or mining companies have training programs or other programs that they wish to offer, then the community learning centres are available.
As per my earlier comments, sometimes they are also used during the summertime.
Question 341 – 4(3): Baffin Island Caribou Management (Shooyook)
Mr. Speaker, I think it was two days ago that I asked about caribou and I have yet to receive a response as to how many years the limited caribou harvesting practice would be in effect. Would it end this year? I was trying to ask about whether it was a temporary measure or if the number of years had been set for a caribou quota system.
Can you explain how long this quota system will last?
Not enough information is currently available for the actual timeframe.
As the population surveys have just commenced, we are now starting to work on the issues.
What I can state is that the quota for 250 caribou on Baffin Island will continue for the time being while the population surveys are ongoing.
The quota of 250 caribou will depend on the results of the population surveys and management decisions will be forthcoming as the results come in.
There are still information gaps on caribou patterns on Baffin Island.
The quota of 250 caribou will continue for the time being until more information is available to enact changes.
Mr. Shooyook (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also thank the minister for explaining that to me.
Indeed, caribou harvesting requires careful consideration by people on Baffin Island, as residents who are not adjacent to the herds have to travel long distances, with serious expenses payable, such as from Arctic Bay towards the mainland around Naujaat. Our hunters were harvesting caribou near that community and it causes consternation amongst our hunters.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister this question: how many years are scheduled for the surveys? Has the department concluded the timeframe for these surveys?
If there was a decision made, can you explain the process for how long the surveys have to continue before the quota system can be changed?
It is currently impossible to ascertain the actual length of this system when your only response is that the population surveys are continuing and that the department has not made a decision.
How many years will the surveys continue?
Have you been briefed on the potential length of the surveys?
The management issues surrounding caribou on Baffin Island, as I indicated earlier, require further population surveys. The need to conduct other population surveys was part of the 250-tag allocation decision.
The need for population surveys extends to other species and surveys occur outside of Baffin Island every number of years for caribou and other species.
The population survey requirement will continue for the foreseeable future for Baffin Island caribou.
Further, if Inuit wish to go caribou hunting outside of Baffin Island, they have the right to do so. At least we have that choice if we wish to pursue it.
I personally have exercised that right even before the caribou moratorium came into effect where I went hunting outside of Baffin Island.
Inuit have that choice if they wish, as per the land claims agreement.  With respect to caribou management on Baffin Island, as I stated earlier, the 250 tags were decided upon agreement by this government and it will be renewed annually until survey result information to increase the tags comes to our attention.
Mr. Shooyook (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to thank the minister for his response.
Indeed, caribou harvesting is a matter close to many people’s hearts and some Inuit are really yearning for caribou meat, at least us elders. We have longed for caribou meat on Baffin Island for several years now.
To return to the subject I mentioned before when commenting on your plans, I’m wondering if it’s impossible to include what I suggested about adding barren cows that are past their calving years to the tags.
Is it possible to add old, barren cows to the tags during the moratorium and can you set aside tags out of the 250 towards this idea without adding more tags? I would like to see barren cows added to this list out of the 250 tags so that we can harvest non-calving animals.
Has that been completely ignored in management plans, either by NWMB or in your role as the Minister of Environment? What are your goals in this area?
Actually, this and other types of issues require many discussions. However, this issue recently became a focal point with concerns about the 250 male only tags, which we implemented last year. Further, we have started to get feedback from people about their concerns related to this male-specific harvesting strategy.
Now, the organizations that manage wildlife in the Baffin region have debated this issue. If they or the public hold real concerns about the process, they should submit their concerns through their HTOs.
Hunters in the Baffin region who go caribou hunting can all share the same information and they can work through their local bodies and furthermore, in the Baffin region, through their regional wildlife management organization.
The Nunavut government will not ignore any concerns expressed and the information we receive will result in deliberations on the issue.
Now, what my colleague alluded to was already a matter I made a decision on and we will consider that. There are other bodies, such as Nunavut Tunngavik or the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, that also represent Inuit and they have an obvious role in this process.
In addition, our elders and hunters with expertise will obviously be included in this process.
Question 342 – 4(3): Status of Rankin Inlet Mental Health Transition Home (Sammurtok, A)
Mr. Speaker, as the minister will recall, in our last sitting, I asked the minister about the status of an assessment that was conducted by the Department of CGS on the renovations required at the children’s group home in Rankin Inlet.
The minister’s response, which was tabled earlier this week, indicated that the assessment was expected to be completed by April 2016.
Can the minister confirm whether or not the assessment now has been completed?
I’m not sure exactly whether he’s talking about the boarding home or the building that’s geared for mental health.
Member, Mr. Alexander, please clarify which building you’re asking about.
If the minister will recall, I was asking questions on March 16, 2016 and the response was concerning the mental health facility that used to be the old children’s group home.
In her response, she indicated that the assessment was expected to be completed by April 2016.
Now I’m asking the minister to confirm whether or not the assessment has now been completed.
The Department of CGS informed us that if the facility in Rankin Inlet will be geared towards people with mental health issues, it will require many renovations and it is going to be very expensive.
Mr. Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) The minister’s response to my question also indicated that the Department of CGS will evaluate the assessment, which was to have been completed in April, and provide a recommendation as to whether to proceed with the renovation or build a new facility.
Can the minister provide an update on what recommendation was made by the Department of CGS with respect to renovating or building a new facility?
Yes, the Department of CGS has submitted their recommendation to the Department of Health that construction of a new facility is the better option because it would cost roughly the same as renovating the existing facility.
It would be more feasible to construct a new facility due to the high costs of renovations.
I recognize that there are competing priorities for developing infrastructure across Nunavut.
Given the results of the assessment done by CGS, will the minister reconsider the plan to convert the Rankin Inlet Children’s Group Home into a mental health transition home and convert it into an elders facility instead?
Hon. Monica Ell-Kanayuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also thank the member for his continued passion on this matter.
As per my earlier statement, it would be far too costly to renovate the facility. It only has seven rooms to renovate, but the costs equal the construction of a new facility.
Currently, deliberations are ongoing as to the possible future uses of this facility.
Question 343 – 4(3): Status of New Cape Dorset Power Plant (Joanasie)
I would like to direct my questions to the Minister responsible for the Qulliq Energy Corporation.
First of all, I would like to thank him for visiting the community of Cape Dorset early last month and meeting with specifically the students at Peter Pitseolak High.
On February 26, the minister informed the House that QEC had recently completed its geotechnical study regarding the new power plant for Cape Dorset.
At that time, he also indicated that QEC was getting ready to, and I quote, “negotiate the land lease for the established site location with the Hamlet of Cape Dorset and initiate construction as soon as possible.”
Can the minister update me today on where things stand regarding the new power plant for Cape Dorset?
Hon. George Hickes: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the member first for the invitation to attend his community and speak to those students at the Sam Pudlat School.
It was a very fun experience for me and I hope the kids enjoyed the participation of having Mr. Joanasie and I attend their class.
With regard to the power plant development schedule in Cape Dorset, like I had mentioned in the winter sitting, the geotechnical study has been completed.
We’re working right now with our engineering department along with the contractor to finalize the plans.
The Hamlet of Cape Dorset has provided a section of lots that are available to be able to use for the plant development.
We’re just finalizing our feasibility study on identifying which of those lots will be the best footprint to maximize the use for the facility itself.
That report will be due next month, actually in July. I’ll have a clearer idea of the construction timeline at that time.
Mr. Joanasie: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for the response. When the Premier visited Cape Dorset last fall, one of the concerns that were raised by the community was that the existing generator in the community is at capacity and cannot support additional housing.
I recognize that NHC makes its housing construction decisions based on its own methodology, but the community does not want to be in a position where no new housing can be even considered until the new power plant is up and running.
Can the minister indicate what options QEC has to supplement power generation capacity in the community until the new plant is operational?
Hon. George Hickes: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the member for that question to highlight that issue.
After our meetings with the LHO in Cape Dorset and the mayor, when I got back to town, that was one of the first things I looked into to make sure that the generation needs met any future construction that is being planned for the community.
There are a couple of commercial construction projects with the school upcoming and the cultural centre that’s going to be… . I believe the piles are going to be started this summer in addition to the power plant being built in the very near future.
I wanted to make sure that the community’s needs were able to be met with the existing power and it was confirmed to me that there was some additional generation brought into the community in 2013 to assist with the loads.
I have been assured that power generation is not an immediate issue to delay any potential construction for housing in Cape Dorset. It is something that I have just recently communicated to my officials at the Nunavut Housing Corporation. We will be adding Cape Dorset into the potential list for allocation of housing when we do our allocation assessments.
Question 344 – 4(3): Response to Resolution Passed at Kitikmeot Mayors’ Forum (Akoak)
Good morning to my colleagues and also to the community of Gjoa Haven.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Economic Development and Transportation.
One of the resolutions that were passed during the Kitikmeot Mayors’ Forum that was held in April called on the Department of Economic Development and Transportation to ensure that all airport terminal buildings in the Kitikmeot are accessible to the disabled.
Can the minister confirm if her department has responded to this resolution?
Hon. Monica Ell-Kanayuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also thank the member for bringing up that issue.
The documents were recently brought to our attention last week and we didn’t receive them prior to that. Nonetheless, what I can state here is that if anything was obviously missing, then the language related to the entry and exit from aircraft currently reflects that it is not present now to allow access for wheelchairs.
If there were no access ramps available, then we can work on resolving the lack of access.
We are happy to receive any information in this area.
She partly answered my second question.
Has the minister’s department conducted an assessment on the five airport terminal buildings in the Kitikmeot to determine the extent to which they are fully accessible to the disabled?
I just received the information on this issue from my officials and I will discuss it with them to carefully assess whether or not access points are available at the back end of the terminals.
My last question is on the funding.
Can the minister indicate how much capital funding her department has budgeted to perform improvements on airport terminal buildings to ensure that they are accessible to the disabled?
I can’t elaborate in detail because we’re just now planning for the capital estimates for this coming fall, but I will provide the information as soon as I get it.
Question 345 – 4(3): Family Resource Position in Sanikiluaq (Rumbolt)
Good morning to the people of Sanikiluaq and the rest of Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, my questions today are directed to the Minister of Family Services.
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to note that a new position for a family resource worker would be allocated to the community of Sanikiluaq.
As a non-decentralized community, every new job provides an important employment opportunity for residents. However, the long delays in filling these positions and making them operational can be difficult and time-consuming.
Can the minister provide an update on whether his department has been working with the Department of Community and Government Services to ensure that there is adequate office space for these newly created positions?
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the question posed by the member yesterday, I was unable to respond, but I can provide the details now.