EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
This is amongst the new courses we are considering, such as the (interpretation ends) by-law officers (interpretation) in our communities. These are the types of new courses we are looking at including at Arctic College that didn’t exist previously. We are trying to do a comprehensive review.
With respect to (interpretation ends) CARS (interpretation) for air traffic control, it is specific to aerodrome communications between the aircraft and the local radio communicators. It will most likely be offered, but it won’t be offered here in Nunavut.
Mr. Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) It is important that adults are able to stay close to their home and families when it comes to getting training for employment.
Can the minister clearly describe what efforts are being made to identify and offer courses at Nunavut Arctic College that will provide individuals with the skills they need to fill jobs available in the region?
We have 25 communities in Nunavut and almost all of them have a community learning centre. The instructors in the community learning centres are supposed to ask their communities every year which programs they would like introduced in the college.
“What new programs would you like taught?”
is what the community learning centre instructors are supposed to ask every year in their communities.
We’re very open to the communities and we would like to see new things, but let us be aware that we will need to get instructors for whatever new program we introduce.
That’s what we have to consider.
We’re very open to the communities and to what each community wants taught.
If we can remember, in Rankin Inlet, it’s not just a community learning centre; it’s a trade school as well.
They teach you how to make things or learn how to drive different kinds of vehicles, including heavy equipment vehicles.
We have a training school there and they can learn different things such as oil burner mechanic and different trades like that that are available in the Rankin Inlet training centre.
We’re very happy about having different programs available. For the different communities, for example, in Pond Inlet, we are looking at working with Baffinland. We want to create new programs.
That’s what we want to do. That’s my response to my colleague’s question.
I have no more names on my list. Let us proceed.
Item 13. (interpretation) Tabling of Documents. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister of Finance, Mr. Peterson.
Tabled Document 101 – 4(3): Letter to Minister Bill Morneau, PC MP Regarding the Northern Residents Deduction (Peterson)
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table a letter to Minister Bill Morneau, MP, Privy Council, regarding the Northern Residents Deduction.
Speaker: Tabling of Documents. The Hon. Minister of Environment, Mr. Mike.
Tabled Document 102 – 4(3): Environmental Rights Act Annual Report, January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015 (Mike)
I am pleased to table the Environmental Rights Act Annual Report for the period January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Tabling of Documents. The Hon. Premier of Nunavut, Mr. Taptuna.
Tabled Document 103 – 4(3): Report Respecting Benefits Paid to Ministers under the Ministerial Benefits Policies, Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2015 (Taptuna)
Tabled Document 104 – 4(3): Nunavummit Kiglisiniartiit Annual Report April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013 (Taptuna)
I have two tabling documents.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table the Report Respecting Benefits Paid to Ministers under the Ministerial Benefits Policy for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2015.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table the April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013 Annual Report for Nunavummit Kiglisiniaqtiit.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Tabling of Documents. The Hon. Minister of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs, Mr. Taptuna.
(interpretation) Thank you. (interpretation ends) Tabling of Documents. Mr. Joe Enook.
Tabled Document 105 – 4(3): Nipiit – Canada’s Inuit Youth Magazine – 11th Issue (Enook)
Today, I am happy and proud to announce the tabling of the 11th newsletter from the National Youth Council of Canada called “Nipiit.”
This newsletter was created specifically by Inuit for youth and by our youth. The National Youth Council of Canada approves and produces this newsletter.
Currently, Canada’s Inuit Youth Council is led by one of our own, a person from Nunavut, Maatalii Okalik, and she is the president.
Mr. Speaker, the primary reason for tabling this document is to showcase a particularly commemorative article relating the story of the first Nunavut Inuk who has become a medical doctor. Her name is Ms. Donna May Kimmaliardjuk.
Actually, I have three items to table today.
Tabled Document 106 – 4(3): Report of Members’ Absences from Sittings of the House and Meetings of Committees and Caucuses for the Period July to September 2015 (Speaker)
Tabled Document 107 – 4(3): Report of Members’ Absences from Sittings of the House and Meetings of Committees and Caucuses for the Period October to December 2015 (Speaker)
Tabled Document 108 – 4(3): Report to the Management and Services Board on Contracting Activity for the Legislative Assembly Year Ended March 31, 2015 (Speaker)
The first item is the Annual Report of Ministers’ Indemnities, Expenses, Benefits, and Allowances for the Period of July to September 2015.
The second item is the Report of Members’ Absences from Sittings of the House and Meetings of Committees and Caucuses for the Period October to December 2015.
The third item is the Report to the Management and Services Board on Contracting Activities for the Legislative Assembly for the Year Ended March 31, 2015. (interpretation) Thank you.
Motion 022 – 4(3): Extended Adjournment – Notice (Mikkungwak)
I give notice that on Wednesday, March 16, 2016, I will move the following motion:
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Aggu, that pursuant to the provisions of Rule 3, that when the House concludes its present sitting, it shall be adjourned until May 30, 2016.
Motion 023 – 4(3): Addressing the Needs of Elders – Notice (Angnakak)
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Hon. Member for Quttiktuq, that this House formally urges the Government of Nunavut to develop an updated and comprehensive strategy, action plan, and financial framework to address the needs of Nunavut’s elders, including the thematic areas addressed in this motion.
Motion 022 – 4(3): Extended Adjournment (Mikkungwak)
Bills 10, 11, 12, 13, and 15 and Tabled Documents 73 – 4(2), 116 – 4(2), 140 – 4(2), 149 – 4(2), and 70 – 4(3) with Mr. Akoak in the Chair.
>>House recessed at 15:02 and Committee resumed at 15:35
Chairman (Mr. Akoak): Good afternoon, Inuit, Nunavummiut, and MLAs.
In Committee of the Whole, we have the following items to deal with: Bills 10, 11, 12, 13, and 15 and Tabled Documents 73 – 4(2), 116 – 4(2), 140 – 4(2), 149 – 4(2), and 70 – 4(3).
Mr. Rumbolt: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good afternoon, members.
Mr. Chairman, we wish to continue with the review of the 2016-17 Main Estimates of the Department of Environment, followed by the departments of Culture and Heritage, Justice, and the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut.
Are we in agreement that we continue with the main estimates for the Department of Environment?
Chairman: Iqsuqtii, please assist the staff to go to the witness table.
Minister, please introduce your staff. Minister Mike.
Hon. Johnny Mike: Thank you. (interpretation) Thank you, my colleagues.
I also thank you for the opportunity to have the Department of Environment appear in front of the committee.
First of all, my Deputy Minister of Environment is Gabriel Nirlungayuk and the Director of Finance, Nikki Nweze.
We did all the opening comments on Saturday. Are there any general comments?
Seeing none, turn to page I- 4. Mr. Enook.
I just want further clarification on an issue that was brought up earlier. If you would allow me, I have a question on the opening comments.
On page 5, I didn’t see it in the business plan or maybe I just missed it, but you state that “In 2015-16, we provided training to residents of Pond Inlet with a focus on turbot.”
It just ends there. So what’s next?
Hon. Johnny Mike (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just pointed it out in the opening comments. That was for 2015-16.
Quite a while back, there was training provided to people of Pond Inlet with a focus on turbot.
That’s my question because that’s the way it is.
Is any follow-up going to be provided or do you have some kind of future planning for turbot fishing?
We have been fishing inland and offshore.
We have provided that training on turbot fishing because the residents of Pond Inlet asked for it.
It indicates here that the Department of Environment did provide the training to the residents of Pond Inlet with a focus on turbot.
Turn to page I-4.
Corporate Management. I-4.
Are we on L-4 in the Inuktitut version?
Welcome, Mr. Minister and your officials. I have a question.
For the 2016-19 business plan of the Department of Environment, it says that they had 131.5 positions as of September 30, 2015. Can you indicate how many of these conservation officer positions have been filled?
I’m not sure I heard the question correctly. Is he asking about 2015-16?
Mr. Shooyook: 2016-19.
Chairman: 2016-19.
To date, if you are referring to positions, there are 43 vacant positions and 88 are filled.
That’s what is written there. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Shooyook (interpretation): In your business plan for 2016-19, department is “considering organizational changes to the department to enhance Inuit employment in filed officer positions.”
Can you clarify what specific changes your department is considering and how these changes will allow it to enhance Inuit employment in field officer positions?
Yes, this is one of the projects that is ongoing that would result in improvements, especially related to the staff housing for positions we advertise since our department isn’t identified as a priority for government staff housing initiatives.
This is why the number of positions filled seems rather low related to Inuit employment and non-beneficiaries.
There have been some changes in our staff levels, particularly in the Igloolik offices, which is a (interpretation ends) decentralized (interpretation) community and we have created jobs that include on-the-job training components.
This is continuing and our focus on managerial positions related to territorial parks has been part of that initiative.
If I didn’t answer the question directly, the information was also identified within our 2015-18 business plan as a priority and we have just continued that in the 2016-19 business plan.
This aspect apparently has not changed drastically as I seem to understand. I will again ask whether the initiative is being implemented, as I did not hear that response.
In your business plan for 2016-19 concerning the Environmental Technology Program, the Department of Environment states, “Many graduates of the program have gone on to work for the Government of Nunavut in various capacities.”
Can you provide further details about the Environmental Technology Program and how many graduates are currently employed by your department?
We utilize Arctic College and we’re trying to train more Inuit in the Environmental Technology Program.
Once they graduate, they work not only with the Nunavut government but also with other employers. The graduates are also hired by the Department of Environment.
Mr. Chairman, up to and including 2016, there are a little over 131 positions and only 88 of them are filled.
Out of those 88, 31 are beneficiaries.
It’s only at 35 percent. We would like to increase that number. There was also a training program in Arviat and we sent a graduate to Igloolik so that he could receive on-the-job training.
We use a variety of options.
However, government employees need to be provided housing and the Department of Environment is not a priority when it comes to staff housing. There are other departments that are placed as a priority.
You have asked me quite a number of questions on this issue.
There are 18 casual positions and nine of them are filled by non-beneficiaries.
Some of the positions with on-the-job training are also vacant, but we are trying to keep that going through Sivumut Abluqta.
With your question and looking into the future, we would like to see those positions enhanced, but the Department of Environment is not a priority when it comes to staff housing. That’s the main issue.
I’ll ask you another question. In the past, I have raised a number of issues concerning vacancies in your department’s office in Igloolik.
The government’s September 30, 2015, quarterly employment report indicates that 7 of the 43.5 vacant positions in your department are located in this decentralized office.
What specific actions is your department taking to address this issue? Will all the vacant positions in Igloolik be filled, as per their concerns?
Yes, we are well aware of the vacant positions that have not been filled for a long time, even those positions that are to be filled by Inuit. It has been like that for a variety of reasons.
We are always trying to find ways to deal with this issue.
Even though this has been the focus of action, it seems nothing much could be done.
We are really working hard to have those vacant positions filled in Igloolik.
We sent a person to Igloolik. Wildlife issues may be very important, such as when it comes to the Wildlife Regulations. That is why we keep sending people to Igloolik because of the constant failure to fill the position there.
We would find a beneficiary here in Iqaluit, send them to Igloolik, and hire them as trainees, taking on-the-job training.
That is what we are trying to do, Mr. Chairman.
To further clarify that, Mr. Minister, you stated that you are always giving it consideration. Please indicate to us what exactly you are doing to work on this.
Yes, I’ll restate what I just said. We’re working with other departments and divisions concerning management positions.
As I just said, the field officers in wildlife will be training on the job.
We have moved it from Arviat to Igloolik to further develop this so that beneficiaries can start getting into these positions.
This takes a lot of work. The problem is we are not filling these vacancies, but we’re always considering better ways of furthering this.
This has taken a lot of work, but it’s slowly moving.
Today, you probably have the numbers for environmental officers. How many of those positions are vacant?
Since it’s an operational issue, my deputy minister will respond.
Chairman: Mr. Nirlungayuk.
Mr. Nirlungayuk (interpretation): Thank you.
From what I can remember, there are vacant positions in Coral Harbour, Kimmirut, (interpretation ends) Grise Fiord, (interpretation) and the position in Gjoa Haven is now posted as well as in Kugaaruk.
These are the vacant positions as of today.
Why are they vacant?
Do you advertise them? Are there no applicants or is it, as the minister stated, because of a lack of housing?
As this is an operational issue, my deputy minister will respond.
Mr. Nirlungayuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Enook.
Yes, some of that is due to lack of housing. However, in the case of Gjoa Haven, staff housing is available.
With respect to Kugaaruk, Coral Harbour, and Kimmirut, we do face this challenge of housing, but we are looking for units for these positions.
With respect to the second matter, I can state that we now have what we call (interpretation ends) wildlife guardians (interpretation) who already reside in the community. We have one working in Coral Harbour. We are negotiating with the communities related to the (interpretation ends) conservation officer II. (interpretation) For the (interpretation ends) conservation officer II position, (interpretation) due to the unavailability of housing, we are trying to hire (interpretation ends) wildlife guardians (interpretation) who live in the communities that can assist our department.
This is the first I have heard of (interpretation ends) wildlife guardians. (interpretation) I have to try to translate it into Inuktitut.
What do they do and do all communities have them?
This being a day-to-day thing, I’ll give it to my deputy minister.
Mr. Nirlungayuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Enook.
The communities need day-to-day assistance in different areas like the issuing of tags.
They provide support to us that way. The communities need to be visited.
For instance, a (interpretation ends) conservation officer (interpretation) from Taloyoak travels occasionally to Kugaaruk. When the conservation officer visits there, they are provided assistance, but they don’t live in that community.
We haven’t provided them training, but they assist us as (interpretation ends) wildlife guardians. (interpretation) If they want to, they apply as (interpretation ends) conservation officers (interpretation) in our department.
Perhaps I’ll ask the minister a legal question. It is not really a day-to-day operational issue.
One of you stated that there is housing available in Gjoa Heaven for a conservation officer.
The minister stated earlier that the Department of Environment is not a priority when the GN is allocating staff housing.
Our government has policies that conservation officers are provided housing in some communities, but it is not approved in other communities.
There are differences there, as I understand it. As I stated earlier, the Department of Environment is not a priority unlike the departments of Education and Health.
Those two departments are given top priority and the Department of Environment is not up there.
That’s why I stated it that way.
Some positions come with housing. In the case of when a conservation officer resigns, we have to reopen the position to competition. If a unit is available, then that position can be advertised right away.
However, some communities don’t have housing available. Many positions are available. As I said earlier, we have 131 positions in the Department of Environment, but only 88 of those are filled.
I’m using that as an example.
Yes, there are different reasons.
Are there different rules under Government of Nunavut legislation related to the conservation officer positions? Does that mean that each community is treated differently?
As an example, the minister alluded to some positions that are provided with housing while others don’t qualify for this benefit.
Why is this government arbitrarily treating each community differently?
Hon. Johnny Mike (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Long-term employees who retire are easier to replace with the housing benefit because housing becomes available when their government unit is vacated.
What I spoke to earlier was that in some communities, there is absolutely no housing available.
I cannot answer the part of the question related to government positions and allocation of housing, as I don’t speak for their respective departments.
I am just stating that once we are informed of an available housing unit for a position under our department, we can move ahead with hiring.
This is how it was set up.
For government employee staff housing allocations, we are not responsible for determining that and I want that clearly understood. I do understand that members know we don’t have that authority over unit allocations.
To clarify, when I spoke to that issue, I doubt I referred even once to government staff generically. I was only referring to conservation officers and I was trying to be consistent. I also kept using that Inuktitut title when speaking about conservation officers, as I was not even referring to any other departmental staff, at least I don’t think I was.
What I have been trying to get at through my questions is, based on my understanding, units are available for these conservation officer positions in some communities, but this department doesn’t provide housing for others.
That is what I think I am being led to understand.
What is your current policy now? As the department, can you or can’t you provide housing for conservation officers?
If you can provide housing for some positions, why isn’t this applicable for every community?
If the answer is that this department doesn’t provide housing, why does this department provide housing in the other communities?
I really want to be clearly understood here.
I see a big discrepancy between the departmental approaches to certain communities on this issue.
As I stated before, housing is very complicated for the Department of Environment.
As the Department of Environment, we have nothing to do with housing allocations.
What I did say was that if an employee resigned and the unit they are housed in is kept towards the Department of Environment, it is possible to allocate housing as that unit is available.
With respect to government housing allocations, the minister responsible can provide greater clarity as to how the process is laid out so that members understand how units can be allocated.
To reiterate, the Department of Environment does not have any discretion in allocating units that are identified as (interpretation ends) GN staff housing (interpretation) for public servants.
That is run by another department.
I doubt we will ever come to a common understanding between you and I on this subject, so I should move to another issue. Apparently, you cannot get the gist of my question.
Let me move to another issue I want to ask about.
In May, you stated that you had completed the review for the Harvester Support Program.
During your review, how closely were you working with Nunavut Tunngavik?
The Department of Environment was contemplating the review on the Harvester Support Program.
As the previous co-managers of the program, NTI and our government, we thought it would be a joint review.
NTI made an announcement that they would conduct a review of their Nunavut Harvester Support Program in 2014, which pretty well stopped the review process in its tracks.
We then proceeded with this review unilaterally, although we kept NTI informed as it proceeded and requested NTI's report on the review of their program.
NTI did not present any information regarding that other than their announcement to stop the program for some time, and that was the reason.
As a government, we only reviewed the Harvester Support Program within our mandate and we worked with the communities and regions during the review.
Can you elaborate for us what the key areas were during your review of the Harvester Support Program?
Can you highlight some of the issues of that review?
I believe that they consulted with us very well in regard to your question.
It turns out that there have been some support programs that are no longer being used and they wanted to enhance others that they are interested in using.
Let me identify the areas that we reviewed. They were harvesters and HTOs, what they were interested in and wanted to know about especially.
They wanted to find out about some of the support that is no longer going to be continuing.
During our review, the biggest one seemed to be the harvesters’ compensation for loss of equipment.
That is what we heard. This includes the HTOs and RWOs needing more financial support. These were some of the issues brought to our attention under this review.
The local organizational systems used by the communities related to representing the hunters no longer became an issue afterwards.
Those were the concerns that were highlighted.
Obviously, you were apprised of these concerns related to the needs of the local organizations that have been at the forefront for quite some time.
You also said earlier, which piqued my interest, that apparently some programs have been continued that are not even necessary.
What examples can you provide in that regard?
Hon. Johnny Mike (interpretation): I can provide further details here. As the local HTOs stated, the funds for the (interpretation ends) community organized hunt (interpretation) has not been used for quite some time. Actually, we knew that this fund allocation was included in their annual budgets, but it was used to compensate hunters who lost equipment.