EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
In this case, if the Member has constituents, for example, or anyone in Nunavut who has issues with the health system, they can write directly to the Minister, they can bring their concerns to the MLA, they can contact the supervisor for each region, for example in the Baffin we have the Pangnirtung office, the Kitikmeot, the Cambridge Bay office.
There is a huge avenue for constituents and Nunavut residents to be able to raise their concerns and complaints with the system.
That can either be in Inuktitut or English, they can be raised personally, but the best way to do it would be in writing and documenting what has occurred.
You didn’t quite answer my question.
I’ll pose it to you again.
You just mentioned that there are bodies within Nunavut; they’re the ones that review the situations.
If there is a nurse or doctor that misdiagnoses a patient, do we have such a body in Nunavut or Yellowknife so that the public knows so they’ll know where to direct their correspondence?
Mr. Speaker, there are licensing agencies for any medical professional whether that be the Nunavut and NWT Registered Nursing Association, whether that be the College of Physicians and Surgeons, that the licensed physician is operating under; there are different avenues to make complaints.
In general Mr. Speaker, if someone has a complaint, whether it be a misdiagnoses, whether it be the bedside manner of the attending physician, then the opportunity for the constituent or for that individual is to make the complaint known as soon as possible after the even has occurred and outline what has occurred.
Mr. Speaker, that can be done by phone, that can be done by writing, it can be done by email, it could be forwarded to the Minister’s office, they can go to the Best Practises unit in Kugluktuk, or the constituent can contact their MLA who will bring it forward, which happens quite often; they could make a complaint to their mayor, their hamlet, and Mr. Speaker, in every community we have functioning, up and running Health Committees where people could also make their concerns known.
So there are considerable avenues available.
If the particular Minister is not in the House you can refer your question to the Premier is you wish.
Question 675 – 1(6): Training of the Social Assistance Appeal Board
I was really happy to hear the appointment of the Social Assistance Income Support Appeal Board that was appointed recently.
My question Minister is that, there are about six of them, who will be training them on social assistance programs?
I am not aware of the issue of training those appointments at this time.
I will convey the same to the appropriate Minister and request that he respond to you.
Thank you. I am taking the question as notice.
The question is taken as notice, so therefore, there will be no further supplementaries.
Tabled Document 142 – 1(6): Incremental Cost – Baker Lake Session
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to Table the Incremental Costs Incurred by the Government of Nunavut for the Baker Lake, June 2 to the 6, 2003 sitting of the 6th Sitting of the first Legislative Assembly in the amount of $28 thousand, 3 hundred 24.44.
Tabled Document 143 – 1(6): Transportation of Dangerous Goods Annual Report 2002-2003
I wish to Table the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Annual Report for 2002-2003.
Tabled Document 144 – 1(6): Letter from Anglican Church of Canada
I would like to Table a document regarding a document that was written by Andrew Attaguttaaluk; it is in regards to same sex marriage.
Tabled Document 145 – (6): Incremental Cost – Baker Lake Session
Tabled Document 146 – 1(6): Indemnities, Allowances and Expenses of the Members of the Legislative Assembly  Speaker: Item 13.
I have a document to Table. It is on the Report on the Incremental Costs specific to the Sitting of the Legislative Assembly in Baker Lake in June 2003.
The second document, Pursuant to Section 36 of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, I am tabling the Report on the Payments of Indemnities, Allowances and Expenses of the Members of the Assembly for the Fiscal Year ended in March 21st, 2003.
Correction on that document, it is March 31st.
Bill 12, Bill 33, Bill 37, Bill 41 and Bill 47 with Mr. Iqaqrialu in the Chair.
Members, do you wish to continue on with Committee of the Whole and then break for lunch?
Gentlemen, I hate to break the bad news but lunch is not here yet so I thought we would continue until it arrives.
We will break for lunch.
>>House recessed at11:57 and resumed at 13:05
Chairman (Mr. Iqaqrialu) (interpretation): In Committee of the Whole we will be dealing with Bill 12, Bill 33, Bill 37, Bill 41 and Bill 43.
Ms. Williams (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman, the Committee would like to begin with the Bill 33. And if we have time, we’ll review Bill 37 and if time permits Bill 43.
Chairman: Thank you Ms. Williams.
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Bill 43 amends the Nunavut Income Tax Act so that the thresholds in our Act remain consistent with those in the federal Income Tax Act.
Maintaining consistency with the thresholds in the federal Act will mean that there is a reduction of the effective tax rates for Nunavut taxpayers.
This will help streamline the personal income tax system, making it easier for taxpayers to understand.
We expect the foregone revenues will be relatively small, in the range if about $300 thousand, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, I look forward to answering any question the Members may have.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you Minister Ng. Chairs Opening Comments.
I hoped you enjoyed your lunch.
The Standing Committee on the Government Operations and Services is pleased to have an opportunity to review the Bill 43, an Act to Amend the Income Tax Act.
Mr. Chairman, the Members may recall that Standing Committee previously supported the initiative to reduce the Income Tax, the Income Tax burden on our constituents.
The Committee also expressed the support for measures to reduce the corporate income tax in other to attract businesses to relocate to Nunavut in order to provide an incentive for them to allocate a portion of their income for this jurisdiction.
Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee has also repeatedly stressed the need for the government to actively track and evaluate the actual success that these measures have had in achieving their policy objectives or stimulating economic growth and job creation.
I look very much forward to progress in this area.
During the Ministers appearance before the Standing Committee, Members thought and were pleased to receive assurances that the measures contained in the Bill 43 would not have significant impact on the revenues that Nunavut receives under the Formula Financing Agreement.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my opening comments; the Committee recommends passage of Bill 43 to all members.
Minister Ng, you can go down to the witness table and bring your officials.
Sergeant-At-Arms, if you can escort them.
Thank you, Minister; can you introduce your officials, please as I have never seen them before.
On my right I have David Akeeagok, Assistant Deputy-Minister and to my left is Mr. Geoff Hughes, Director for Fiscal Policy, with the Director of Finance.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Ng. According to our rules and procedures, 75 (1), you have 10 minutes for General Comments and you will be allowed ten more minutes for questions.
At this time we are on General Comments.
You have a 10 minute time limit.
If there are no General Comments, Mr. Tootoo.
Just a couple, very quick General Questions to be made; I know that the Minister, as I had indicated in my Opening Comments, I just want to have stated for the record, the impact in estimated tax reductions for Nunavummiut that is expected as a result of these changes.
I am just wondering if the Minister has that information and also, if he could provide it, as I had indicated in my Opening Comments, the impact on our revenues through the formula financing agreement.
As I had indicated in my Opening Comments in respect to forgo revenues for more money into Nunavut taxpayers hands of approximately $300 thousand dollars.
We expect that the impact on our formula financing agreement will be about 20 percent of that, so, 60 percent or sorry $60 thousand dollars.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Ng. Mr. Nutarak.
Bill 43. An Act to Amend the Nunavut Income Tax Act, I was wondering if how and what kind of impact it will have on the Inuit who are on the workforce, who are in employment.
If the Minister is willing to clarify that again for me, I would really appreciate it.
Mr. Chairman, I guess that these firm measures were taken there will be about approximately $300 thousand dollars that will not be paid in taxes by Nunavummiut.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Ng. I have no more names on my list.
I am going, Mr. Chairman, I am going back to my Opening Comments.
Does the Government have a plan to track this information and the impact of these changes that we have made as to the Income Tax Act, as I had indicated in my Opening Comments?
Yes, we do, but that information is provided through the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency and there is always a time lag between the time they implement tax measures and the impact of those measures and to the reporting of those measures.
It is usually a two-year delay.
As Members may recall, 2002 was the year that the first initial measures of reductions took place.
So, we expect sometime next year that some of those indicators will be coming back through reports through the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Ng. Do you have any further comments or General Comments?
At this time, I have no more names on my list.
Bill 43. An Act to Amend the Nunavut Income Tax Act.
We will go on to the Bill.
Do you want to go clause-by-clause now?
Bill 43. An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act.
Chairman (interpretation): Do you agree to Bill 43 as a whole? Agreed?
Some Members: Agreed.  Chairman (interpretation): Do you agree that Bill 43 is now ready for Third Reading?
Minister Ng, thank you, for appearing before the Committee. It did not take too long to complete it.
I believe we are dealing with Bill 37 next as I may go into my Opening Comments on that.
Bill 37. An Act to Amend the Nunavut Liquor Act of further implemented recommendations that the Nunavut Liquor Licensing Board made in the fall of 2001 on the liquor system in Nunavut.
This Bill is part 2 of a three phase approach to make improvements in this system.
It is the intent of the Department of Finance to introduce an entirely new Nunavut Liquor Act during the next Assembly.
Mr. Chairman, this Bill complements the efforts of the Department of Health and Social Services by requiring liquor license holders to comply with the Tobacco Control Act, which is also before the Assembly for debate right after this.
The Act also supports the municipalities in their efforts to reduce tobacco consumption by requiring all liquor license holders, whether they’re private clubs or open to the public to adhere through municipal smoking bylaws.
To ensure license holders comply with the Tobacco Control Act and municipal smoking bylaws, the Act makes mandatory 30 day and 13 month license suspensions and license cancellations for subsequent offences of license holders for contravening the Tobacco Control License conditions of this Act.
The Bill also makes mandatory 30 day and 13 month license suspension and license cancellations for subsequent offences of license holders who supply liquor to a person under the age of 19, who supplies liquor to a person who is banned from having liquor by the courts and for serving liquor to intoxicated persons.
Mr. Chairman, in line with the government’s commitment to community empowerment, this Bill allows the council by resolution, to declare a community a prohibited area for a period of up to 14 days during special occasions.
During this period, no one in the community may posses, purchase, sell or transport in the prohibited area.
The Bill permits the council to make up three resolutions in a year.
Mr. Chairman, to control bootlegging, the Bill establishes new minimum and maximum fines for individuals and corporations who sell liquor to minors, who sell liquor unlawfully and who sell liquor to a person who is prohibited by the courts from possessing liquor.
The fines for an individual will range from a minimum of $5 thousand dollars to a maximum of $10 thousand dollars.
For corporations, the fines range from a minimum of $10 thousand dollars to a maximum of $50 thousand dollars.
Mr. Chairman, we look forward to answering the questions you may have on this Bill.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Ng. I’m sorry if I had the number wrong.
I probably said 33 when in fact it’s Bill 43.
Please fix that in the Hansard.
We are now dealing with Bill 37.
Does the committee chair have comments?
You’re a very smiley man today.
It’s good to see.
Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Services has had the opportunity to review Bill 37, an Act to amend the Liquor Act. Mr. Chairman, the issue of access to alcohol in our communities is not one that engenders easy consensus.
As Members know, there are competing perspectives on the appropriate way to balance the desire on the part of some people to allow more liberal access to alcohol and the desire of others to restrict the access of alcohol.
The fact that several Nunavut communities will be voting next month in plebiscites, illustrates the active and ongoing debate in our communities on this issue.
Mr. Chairman, Members will recall that in 2001, the Nunavut Liquor Licensing Board presented a report to the Minister Responsible for the Liquor Act.
It contained recommendations that were in some cases, very contentious.
The Committee itself could not reach a consensus on what position to take on a number of these.
However, the committee has been of the view that the time is not right for fundamental change to be imposed from above on the broader issues surrounding access to alcohol.
The committee was pleased to see the Minister introduce a Bill that addresses issues where a degree of consensus exists.
Members agreed with the idea of permitting elected municipal councils to be able to declare their communities to be a prohibited area for certain periods of time without having to seek ministerial approval.
Members would encourage Councils seeking to make such declarations to do in an open manner.
Mr. Chairman, the issue if bootlegging is one where Members stand united in wishing to see action taken.
Members were pleased to see that the penalties under this Act increase for bootlegging and other offences.
Mr. Chairman, it should be pointed out that criminal sanctions are often a blunt instrument in addressing problems of a social nature.
I would stress that the Members wish to see the toughened penalties provided for in this Bill to be targeted to those individuals who engage in illegal sale of alcohol for profit.
Mr. Chairman, the next Legislative Assembly and Government may very well wish to undertake a comprehensive review of the Liquor Act, or that the Committee would note that in order for informed decisions to be taken, there is a critical need for much better information on which to base on, than is presently available.
For example, the Committee has discovered that very little baseline data exists in a readily accessible manner on such questions as how many prosecutions under the Liquor Act has been undertaken in the past few years?
It is also difficult to evaluate the impact of such measure that have been undertaken to date such as the Government of Nunavut’s 2001 announcement regarding reduction in Liquor Import Permit fees.
Mr. Chairman, it is the Committee’s understanding that the Nunavut Liquor Commission would be repatriated to Nunavut in 2004.
A number of open questions remain including where the Commission’s Office and staff will be located.
Nonetheless, it will be important for the Commission to bring the work of compiling the information necessary to allow future members of this House the opportunities to fully consider the choices before them, in terms of the law governing access to alcohol.
There are legitimate, but competing points of view on all sides of this issue, and solid information will assist in making sound choices.
The Committee recommends the passage of Bill 37, to all Members.
We will now move onto General Comments.
I will allow ten minutes according to the rules.
We have dealt with this for some time now as the Member of the Committee, and our Chair stated, that we could not come to a consensus on some issue regarding alcohol.
There were also some conflicting issues within the Bill, and it was really hard to separate the social impact of alcohol, and the accessibility of alcohol.
And so alcoholism causes a lot of problem with families, and I have never heard of it not being a problem.
And so if this Act to Amend the Liquor Act is passed, it will not impact on the social side of alcoholism, and so there are higher penalties for illegal conduct.
We also heard that if the penalties, from $5 thousand to $10 thousand fines, the Minister said that they are not high enough.
Those bootleggers do not have a shortage of money, and because of that I think that $5 thousand is probably a little pocket change for them.
So, Mr. Chairman, I felt that I had to voice my concerns regarding my communities.
In representing their views, I was told by quite a few people that alcohol causes problems and that is all it does and so because we have to regulate it, because we can never get rid of alcohol, we need to ensure there is support for people with drinking problems.
We should also encourage pregnant women not to drink to avoid the fetal alcohol syndrome.
I think the numbers are rising for children with FAS and I felt I had to say these statements on behalf of myself, members for the communities and we have to come up with legislation that benefits our residents.
Alcohol does impact a lot of people.
People drink to try and have fun, but it also causes a lot of problems at the same time.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for giving me this opportunity and I’d also like to say that the Standing Committee worked very hard on this issue and at times we had to agree to disagree.
I just wanted to state the hard work the Committee put into it, and I thank the Minister for his diligence in this matter in trying to answer the needs of Nunavummiut.
This bill is not new to us; it’s just an act to amend the act.
Please be careful with your statements that the committee already made opening remarks.
You have to stay away from speaking for the Committee and as a separate individual member.
You can speak as much as you want as an individual member.
I’d like to make a few comments in this regard.
It was good to hear the Minister’s comments in terms of the Liquor Act.
As I mentioned, November 10th, Kugluktuk will be having a plebiscite.
I was happy to hear your comments on the issue of bootlegging.
People often go to the bootleggers to purchase liquor and it is very expensive.
I have known of a few and heard of incidents like this in Kugluktuk and elsewhere.
It is getting very expensive.
They are caught and go through the courts to hear fines of 5 thousand dollars to 10 thousand dollars.
Maybe this might help.
The sale of liquor might not be as high.
If people take alcohol, it is alright if there are no problems.
If it causes problems, then it affects the family and the children in a detrimental way, and I have seen this.
Those people, as you mentioned, those that go into the bars already intoxicated, if they are not looked after, those people that supply the drinks in the bars, if they are reprimanded through the courts, how will they know whether that person is intoxicated or not?
In those cases, as I am aware of some cases, I’ve heard, because I have often talked to people who are walking or out in the public, he mentioned I was not intoxicated, as you can see, but I was unable to buy any more drinks; I was asked to leave.
How will the supervisors or those people in those liquor outlets know whether or not a person is intoxicated or not?
I would like to know for the future as to how this was, will be dealt with. These are my few comments. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
You have 10-minutes for General Comments.
I apologize, Mr. Nutarak.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Well, I do not have much else to add, but I will be asking questions before we go any further.
Any other General Comments?
I think we can then now move on since I do not have any more names on my list.
Bill 37.
An Act to Amend the Liquor Act.
In the Opening Comments, we heard that there are going to be plebiscites held in some of the Nunavut communities.
Could we have an explanation of what the plebiscite is going to be about?
There are some communities that are prohibited, there are some controlled communities and then there is free access for some of the communities.
What is the plebiscite going to be held on?
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Mr. Chairman, I said in my Ministers’ Statement earlier in the Assembly about Kugluktuk, Baker Lake, Rankin Inlet and Resolute Bay.
It is not really relative to the Liquor Act amendments that we have here, but perhaps the Member can review that Statement that was distributed earlier.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): In regards to the $5-10 thousand dollar fine and the $10-50 thousand dollar maximum, those are going to be fines for selling liquor illegally.
How are the fines going to be received because there has to be somebody who has to receive the money; there has to be an individual who will be collecting the fines.
The fines will be imposed not by the Department of Finance, and the revenues, depending on the circumstances, through the judiciary process, normally is what would happen where the penalties would be settled if the individual’s convicted, individuals or corporation were convicted.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): If this bill goes through, if Bill 37 is passed, are you going to be getting additional employees who will be the ones to oversee the fines?
Because I think that if you don’t increase the number of employees, there is going to be no change to the number of bootleggers and illegal sale of liquor.
Mr. Chairman, there are various individuals with the powers under the Liquor Act, there’s liquor inspectors, if they see infractions, they can lay charges and those charges are heard in court and if individuals or corporations are convicted as a result of that, this legislation lays out what parameters there are for fines.
That’s what this is increasing is the ability of the court to impose fines, minimal amounts, maximum amounts.
It still is up to the courts to decide that.
What about those who sell liquor without a license, what will happen to them?
It would be the same thing.
It will be up to the courts and the judges to decide to impose punishment if convicted.
In regards to the illegal sale of liquor, are they going to be getting stiffer fines or is it going to be dealt with in the way they’re dealt with at this point.
This is to allow for increased penalties for infractions, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): There are people who have the authority to deal with bootleggers and so on.
What are we going to do decrease the number of bootleggers and the illegal sale of liquor?
What are we going to do to better the situation?
I mean, there are probably more substantive measures that would have to be looked at in the Liquor Act that the next Assembly, the next government would have to deal with Mr. Chairman.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Ng. Mr. Havioyak.
On your opening comments, on paragraph 4, you talked about serving liquor to intoxicated persons, as you know I made a comment about some individuals that go out to the bar and are kicked out by the bartender or whoever because they’re intoxicated.
I’m just wondering what you mean by an intoxicated person.
From what I see, yes, they are very drunk.
I said earlier in my comments, some people have maybe one or two glasses of alcohol in that bar and so the bar tender says you’re pretty drunk now, so I’m going to kick you out.
But, still this individual says I’m not drunk.
But I’m just saying, in some cases that happens too.