EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
It’s not fully spent, even though we make it available. As I said before, they can make applications, but it has not been fully spent.
Of this $170,000, do you know how much surplus is left annually?
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): For 2016-17, 56 applicants were approved in total for the Young Parents Stay Learning Program.
Even though you didn’t ask that question, I just wanted to explain that further.
This $170,000, as I said before, is never fully spent. I cannot give you a figure at this time, but I will provide it once I get that information.
Perhaps you can tell us if an individual wants to stay in school and has been approved for their application, how much funding do they receive?
It goes like this, for example, up to the maximum $700 for (interpretation ends) full-time (interpretation) students.
Let me say this in English. (interpretation ends) $700 per full-time child for licensed child care, $600 per full-time child for licensed family day home care, and $500 per full-time child for unlicensed care. (interpretation) They are different. (interpretation ends) It is $350 per part-time child for licensed child care and $300 per part-time child for licensed family day home care. (interpretation) Also, as there are different categories, (interpretation ends) $250 per part-time child for unlicensed care, (interpretation) and lastly (interpretation ends) $145 per school-aged child. (interpretation) That’s how it is set up, Mr. Chairman.
Listening to that response, I start thinking right away that there are hardly any daycare spaces available anywhere in Nunavut.
He said that it’s $500 per child in an unlicensed daycare. Is that weekly?
You didn’t say for how long.
I believe it’s weekly. Do they utilize unlicensed daycare mostly? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
In regard to the member’s question, I don’t have a number at this point in front of me, but I can get back to you.
As I stated earlier, we are always looking for daycare space. In view of that, since your department is responsible for daycare, what kind of plans do you have? What considerations do you have for daycares?
Can you elaborate on that? How are you going to increase the number of daycare spaces?
I am sure that all the members are aware that we don’t construct daycare facilities. If there’s a building available for a daycare and a community has (interpretation ends) society status, (interpretation) then we can provide funding. We can provide funding to daycares with (interpretation ends) society status.
(interpretation) Since this is very important to us, we have to make a new (interpretation ends) strategic plan for child care in Nunavut. (interpretation) That’s what we are now developing.
The (interpretation ends) Child Care Act (interpretation) has not been completed yet. We’re starting to work on it.
If we remember, in the report of the (interpretation ends) Special Committee to Review the Education Act, (interpretation) we clearly pointed out that child care has to be improved.
We did a feasibility study for such things as kindergarten.
We’re starting to work on that, so that’s why I cannot tell you exactly what the future holds.
The daycares can apply for funding at the community level from the government.
Your department has put aside $2,150,000 in contribution funding. Is that funding utilized fully or is there any money left over?
The entire funding is not used even though it is available.
We’re now starting to set up dealing with the daycares directly instead of going through the DEA. Maybe if we work directly with the daycares, the funding can be better spent.
These are some of the issues that we’re just reviewing at this point.
If we can provide funding directly to the daycare rather going through a (interpretation ends) middleman, (interpretation) that’s what we’re considering.
It would be a better process to provide funding to them.
How can they apply for funding if there is no DEA? (interpretation ends) If there is no DEA, (interpretation) what is the process that they follow?
If I understood the member’s question, there will be a provision for that in the new legislation.
For example, if a member of the DEA wanted a daycare, they will be able to operate that daycare.
That was your question.
Also, if the local DEA members no longer wish to be involved in the ECE programs, they are provided that avenue. Obviously the Department of Education itself would operate this program through allocation of funding.
Also, as per my earlier statement, the legislation pertaining to education has been amended and those amendments are very specific.
I am not sure if I answered the question, but if I didn’t respond appropriately, I will listen to her questions.
Have any of the local DEAs made a statement that they no longer wish to be operating such a facility?
Has any DEA identified this as an issue?
Yes, a request has been submitted for that and actually we have been notified previously that some DEAs no longer wish to assume that responsibility. Yes, to the question, some DEAs have submitted letters to that effect. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) Education. Early Learning and Child Care. Following the list of names, Mr. Joanasie.
Referring to page 93 of the business plan for daycare operations and maintenance, I believe it is most likely the operations side.
Last year the amount was $1.8 million, but for the funding in the appropriation here you are only requesting about half, totalling $950,000. Can the minister elaborate on why this funding is seemingly cut in half?
It’s an excellent question. With your permission, Mr. Chairman, I would like to refer this to my deputy minister to ensure the member receives a clear response.
Please provide further clarity, Ms. Okpik.
Within the last three years we submitted a request for funds totalling $833,000 per year for daycare operations.
The funds were specific to this three-year period, with this being the final year.
As an example, to fund daycares requiring assistance to purchase new furnaces or other equipment such as security cameras within the daycare, various locked cabinets, or safety-related equipment, this funding was made available for those types of purchases.
Now that this three-year period has closed, these funds are no longer part of the operational funds.
There were also issues raised yesterday related to non-operational matters over which we have no control, such as cost of living increases. If we have no funds, we sometimes have to set aside funds for vacant positions to reallocate the funds for the first three or four months while the position is being advertised.
The funds we set aside are specific for other uses and deficits in our budgets. This $233,000 fund has been set aside to pay for deficits within the Department of Education budgets.
As an example, contracts dealing with busing include annual increases, but our funding isn’t increased and we have to use our own operational funding to pay for these increases. We have to look within our operational budgets to find this extra funding and it becomes a deficit.
When we look at all of our divisions such as (interpretation ends) corporate services, policy and planning, the directorate, (interpretation) funds are decreased and the funds reallocated to these areas, in particular where we have vacancies we know will not be filled.
We take this funding and apply it to our deficit. That is the reason for the changes to this fund. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
This is also under the daycare category, as you have employees working as managers in various daycares. These daycares submit funding requests for operations or (interpretation ends) grants and contributions.
(interpretation) Another issue you referenced related to the DEAs that also have funding specific to daycare operations. Who or which division is responsible for all daycares in Nunavut? Where can they submit funding requests?
I believe it was identified where daycares in Nunavut can submit their funding requests. In order for them to receive information about funding availability and closing dates from this department or another prior to the closing date, do any of your employees have that role?
This is indeed a new division we created. This is called the (interpretation ends) Early Childhood Division (interpretation) and it includes regional coordinators called (interpretation ends) regional early childhood coordinators (interpretation) and they are responsible for regional daycares.
As an example, here in the Baffin region, the coordinator works with Baffin communities to keep them informed and they are in constant contact with them. When questions arise with the DEAs on early childhood issues, they can use them as resource people. We have staff specific to this area.
On another matter related to when daycares in our communities submit funding requests for various reasons, who reviews these applications?
A set amount is generally identified within the annual budget related to the DEAs.
As an example, core funding is a set amount and additional funding can be received based on the number of students enrolled within their schools.
Various considerations contribute to the difference in funding (interpretation ends) every year (interpretation) that they will receive. To use an example, 75 percent of the funds are specifically for operational costs and 25 percent is based on the number of students enrolled. That is how it is set up.
I think his response was with respect to DEA funding.
The $2.15 million on page 94 is for grants and contributions.
When daycares put in applications for these grants and contributions to the Department of Education, who reviews the applications?
The early childhood staff member deals with daycares.
For example, our manager of daycares is the person who is responsible for that.
I hope I understood his question.
If I understand him, there are two staff members in your department who review applications from all Nunavut communities.
When they apply for funding, do I understand correctly that you have two people that review the applications?
First of all so that we can all be clear, I would say there are (interpretation ends) contribution agreements (interpretation) on that.
Yes, you’re right. As I mentioned, there’s a (interpretation ends) manager of daycares and early childhood officers. (interpretation) Those are the two positions who mainly deal with that.
I’m going to ask a different question. I would like to get information on how many daycares there are as of now. He also mentioned earlier that some daycares are licensed and others are unlicensed.
Can he give me the number of licensed and unlicensed daycares?
I’ll respond to this in different ways.
There are 52 licensed (interpretation ends) child care facilities in Nunavut. (interpretation) Even with that, there are 17 that are not opened yet.
If we look at all of Nunavut, there are seven daycares that get (interpretation ends) Aboriginal Head Start (interpretation) funding for (interpretation ends) preschool programs. (interpretation) We don’t spend any money on those. As I mentioned earlier, it’s a federal program.
There are 28 (interpretation ends) full-time child care facilities. There are eight part-time child care facilities, three day home and six after school programs.
You can see there are various different programs.
Again, this constitutes a total of 1,081 licensed child care spaces (interpretation) as an example. That’s how many spaces we have. If I broke it down further, there are (interpretation ends) 490 full-time preschool spaces, 171 full-time infant spaces, 276 part-time preschool spaces, and 144 after school spaces. (interpretation) That is the breakdown.
Further, if I count the number of communities with licensed facilities, there are 19 communities.
I heard that there are 17 still not open. I think that’s what I heard if I understood him correctly.
What is the reason why those 17 daycares are not open yet?
Although I know exactly where they are located, generally the reason is incomplete CRA income tax audits which force the closure if they are in a deficit.
Alternatively, they may have lost their (interpretation ends) societal status. (interpretation) There are various reasons for closures out of the 17 I referenced.
Nonetheless, if the community retains the societal status and they pay off their income tax, then the daycare can reopen.
We would also make funding available once all their obligations were met from our funds.
These are the main reasons for closures. As I stated earlier, some of the facilities are not closed permanently.
I also noted that daycares are run by independent societies and your role as the government is to support them financially.
However, with respect to their societal status or the other reasons he alluded to, if they haven’t met their obligations, how does the department assist them to ensure they can open again?
Even when daycares are closed, I have talked with them to try to regain society status in good standing and to try to pay off their debts because we can provide support once it’s taken care of. That’s where we are.
Sometimes the daycare centres themselves are quite capable. In Pangnirtung, for example, they raised their own funds.
They started paying off their debt and they were able to reopen by themselves.
If they owe income taxes to CRA or if they lose their society status, then we can’t fund them.
I can say that we’re reviewing the Child Care Act and we’re looking at reasons why they have difficulties. This is one of the areas we will be reviewing under the Child Care Act.
I would like to return to where I asked a question about applications submitted by daycare centres. They are reviewed by your departmental authorities.
The minister also stated that some daycare facilities end up with unspent funds.
When you find that there are funds that were not spent, can other daycares also apply for that funding?
To ensure my colleague understands clearly how the DEAs manage surplus funds, if it’s okay with you, Mr. Chairman, I would like my deputy minister to respond the process.
The funding that daycares receive is not new.
They look at how big the daycare is and they tell us what their capacity is, specifically how many babies and older children they have space for. That is the information they give us and that is what their funding is based on.
The differences are based on the monthly daycare attendance and whether there were children who were absent.
The 25 percent of funding is based on attendance changes, but the 75 percent for operations doesn’t change. It’s the same monthly and yearly because we know what the capacity of the daycare is.
There is another difference.
If the daycare is in a government building, they get less funding. If they are in a privately owned building, then they get more funding for electricity, fuel, water, and garbage pick up. Those costs are already taken care of for the daycares in government buildings.
That is how we have set up the funding, either monthly or annually.
We know because these daycares have been running for a very long time in the communities. The monies we set aside for that are not all spent because there are many daycares. There are 16 daycares that have shut down.
We always have to set aside money for new daycares that will begin operating. Sometimes societies will fail and then the community will get another society going. That’s why we set aside money for those things.
For example, right now they’re trying to open a daycare in Igloolik, a preschool in Naujaat, and a daycare in Resolute Bay. The money that we do not use will be made available for these opening daycare centres.
As the minister stated earlier, we all know that some of the funds are not all used.
During this fiscal year we will consider whether we should increase the operating funds we give to daycares through contributions. There are other funds that we don’t handle. Family Services handles the daycare subsidy program.
Those are it. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Early Learning and Child Care. G-7. Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $6,542,000.
Curriculum, Resources and French Education. On page G-8. Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $7,238,000.
Agreed? Mr. Joanasie.
Mr. Joanasie: Almost.
Today the minister and his staff have a wide spread of teaching material out in our lobby there, and I noted that one of the department’s priorities discussed in the business plan is to address the development of Inuit language resources.
What’s the current status of Inuit language curriculum resources and material for its kindergarten through grade 12?
That’s a very good question. In the past three years our absolute priority has been to review, set up and introduce Inuktitut language reading material and curriculum materials that can be used in the schools, including literacy.
Learning how to read is the basic foundation where we have created a number of materials that can be used not only in the school but also at home.
My colleagues probably saw some of the material out in the lobby that is used in our schools.
As of now there have been 300 pieces created that use actual Inuktitut language that have been created and will be used from kindergarten up to grade 3.
Literacy is always going to continue. We are continuing to create new materials starting from grade 4. We’re working our way up the grades and we’re working on the material from the lowest grades to the higher grades progressively.
The language arts curriculum in Inuktitut is what we want in our schools. We have created one from kindergarten to grade 6.
That has been completed and it was distributed to the school principals during the September 27, 2016 general meeting.
The new materials were provided to schools from kindergarten to grade 6 and the purpose is for the Inuktitut (interpretation ends) language arts curriculum.
(interpretation) Further, the Inuktitut (interpretation ends) language arts curriculum, (interpretation) as I stated, is specific to K to 6 levels. Nonetheless, the curriculum will also be developed for grades 7 to 9.
As per my previous statement, the material won’t just be for use in schools, but can be brought home so that reading can continue.
(interpretation ends) Curriculum services (interpretation) have been established.
Employees have been extensively trained so that the literacy material that they are creating is specific to literacy training and can be used effectively in the schools. This is to see if this can be handled within school operations and to learn what is required to run the program smoothly. These different pathways are what we have initiated.
The intent of this curriculum development is to have Inuktitut materials that can be used in the right context and to establish parameters for when it cannot be used in our schools. To date these are the issues related to the member’s question. We provide direction on how to use the curriculum that we’re creating in Inuktitut and how to use them properly in the classrooms up to now.
That is what they have been doing. I hope I responded to his question properly.
I would like to remind members that if you’re going to ask a question, please raise your hand ahead of time.
I’m still trying to get a sense of where the department is at with respect to curriculum development as it relates to bilingual education.
I note that back in the Auditor General’s report in November 2013 in paragraph 49 it says, “When the Education Act was passed in 2008, the Department had already been working for almost a decade to develop made-in-Nunavut teaching resources.”
The Auditor General’s office “found that the Department has developed 50 percent of its sets of teaching resources to date.
In our view, the Department will need to reassess its approach to developing the remainder of the teaching resources.”
At that time about 50 percent of the teaching resources had been done.
Are you at 75 percent? 63? Can you just give us a sense of where you’re at with that?
With respect to his question about percentages, I may not be able to give him the exact percentages. As I stated earlier, there are over 300 pieces that we have created and introduced.
As I said, the ones that we’re working on right now in the Inuktitut language curriculum are for K to 6. Right now the material will include grades 7 to 9 for the (interpretation ends) Inuktitut language curriculum. (interpretation) We are focusing more on Inuktitut language arts because we already have materials for English language arts.
We are concentrating on the Inuktitut language.
As I stated earlier, grades 7 to 9 is the focus right now for the creation of Inuktitut language curriculum materials.
As of now that is where we are at. I can’t really provide a percentage.
I’m trying to understand how much you have progressed with the teaching resources. He said that he can’t give us a percentage.
You had mentioned there were over 300 pieces of material that you have created to date.
How many more are you planning to work on?
(interpretation ends) Out of how many curriculum resources, how many more are you anticipating to complete in order to have a bilingual system?
(interpretation) You have completed 300. How many more do you expect to create?
Personally I would say and I’m probably right in saying that we would like to continually produce curriculum in Inuktitut with an ongoing publication of written materials.
I’m already older, but we will probably get old and we will still be producing new materials.
There’s no end date.
“If we produce 700, that’s the end of it.”
That’s not what we’re going to say.
It will be ongoing and we will continue to produce publications.
The Department of Education is not only producing reading materials.
Working with the Department of Health, we also produce their publications. Inuutsiarniq is a foundation of that.
We produce health curriculum for use in the schools.
Tulliniliara, I don’t know whether I’m saying it right or not, but in collaboration with the Department of Family Services, we produce different types of publications.
Tulliniliara, I’m an Inuk, but I can’t read it.
Tulliniliara, my footsteps.
We are not the only department, but we do collaborate with the other departments in making books or curriculum material. We produce Inuktitut learning materials.
We are not the only department that publishes those learning materials.
I can say that we have completed 300 publications, but it’s an ongoing project with no end.
As long as there’s an education system, we will continue to publish books indefinitely with no end date to this project.
Maybe I’ll rephrase my question. Currently the Department of Education provides (interpretation ends) curriculum resources and material. (interpretation) How many of these resources are being used at the moment?
Perhaps he can respond if I ask it that way.
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): I didn’t quite understand the question, but I can tell you that we publish quite a variety.
There are (interpretation ends) level 14 fiction books (interpretation) for literacy programs; (interpretation ends) level 14 non-fiction books. (interpretation) There are different types.
Teacher books, for example, (interpretation ends) grade 3 assessment books, health terminology, and literacy bags. (interpretation) We don’t just produce curriculum material. We also produce different types of publications.
We are also producing Inuktitut (interpretation ends) language arts curriculum, K to 6; (interpretation) Inuinnaqtun publications.
Those are some of the publications we provide.
We also produce material for Inuktitut e-books.
It will be an ongoing project. We also produce Inuktitut (interpretation ends) board books, not boring, but board books, and videos (interpretation) in Inuktitut.
We recently went to the theatre to look at some films produced in Inuktitut in their entirety.
That’s what we produce for our schools.
There are different publications like Inuktitut phonics.
I can’t tell you how many more we’re intending to produce, but I can say that we produce a wide variety of publications that will be used in the schools.
Also in your 2017-2020 draft business plan, I think you mentioned a part of it.