EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
The balance of $2,462,000 is for tenant improvements for new and additional office space for the Department of Finance in the amount of $350,000 in Rankin Inlet, $60,000 for office reconfigurations for the Department of Finance in Iqaluit, $1 million for water system repairs and upgrades in Gjoa Haven, $260,000 for renovations to the federal building in Iqaluit, and an intergovernmental transfer of monies for the Department of Economic Development and Transportation.
$582,000 is being appropriated to the Department of Health and Social Services for upgrades to the air handling system of the Kivalliq Health Centre.
$750,000 to the Nunavut Housing Corporation to assist in the purchase of a warehouse and office facility.
A negative appropriation of $792,000 to the Department of Economic Development and Transportation to allow it to transfer monies interdepartmentally to the Department of Community and Government Services for the construction of the access road to the Kimmirut quarry site.
Again, we have the same officials and the same minister and I would like to welcome them again.
I would like to remind the members that we must adhere to Rules 77(1) and 77(2).
We can turn to Bill 10. Page 4.
Finance. Not Previously Authorized. -$3,977,000. Do you agree?
Chairman (interpretation): Total Department. -$3,977,000. Do you agree?
Chairman (interpretation): Turn to page 5. Department of Education. Capital.
Not Previously Authorized. Total Corporate Services. $4,360,000. Do you agree?
Chairman (interpretation): Total Department. $4,360,000. Do you agree?
Chairman (interpretation): Department of Health and Social Services. Capital.
Not Previously Authorized. Total Directorate. $582,000. Do you agree?
Chairman (interpretation): Total Department $582,000. Do you agree?
Department of Community and Government Services. Capital. Not Previously Authorized.
Total Capital Planning and Technical Services. $6,862,000. Questions? Mr. Schell.
The government is requesting approval to spend $4.1 million to the Arviat health facility.
On May 1999, the government signed an agreement with the Arviat Development Corporation to construct a new facility.
This was the first public-private partnership, or P3, project in the territory.
At the time, the government indicated that the value of the project was approximately 10 million dollars.
Why did the Arviat Development Corporation go bankrupt and who was on the board of directors?
Hon. Keith Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank Mr. Schell for that question. It’s a good question.
Unfortunately we do not know why they went bankrupt. It is something that would be internal to them and secondly, we do not know who was on the board of directors.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Peterson. Any further questions?
What company will the government actually pay for this $4.4 million for this facility?
Hon. Keith Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank Mr. Schell for that question.
Mr. Chairman, I believe the government will pay the funds to the bank.
Mr. Schell: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The government is requesting approval to spend $750,000 for partial funding for the acquisition of a warehouse in Iqaluit for the Iqaluit Housing Authority and office space for the Nunavut Housing Corporation. How much funding in total is required?
Chairman (interpretation): I apologize. (interpretation ends) Can you clarify where you are, which page?
Okay, you already approved the other one. (interpretation) Are there any further questions? Total Capital Planning and Technical Services. Mr. Elliott.
Mr. Elliott: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just had some questions for the Iqaluit federal building renovations.
Could the minister expand on what renovations are actually going to be completed there?
I believe the plan is to increase storage space for government records.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. Questions?
Total Capital Planning and Technical Services. $6,862,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Total Department. $6,862,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Economic Development and Transportation. Capital.
Page 8. Not Previously Authorized. Total Transportation. -$792,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Total Department. -$792,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Nunavut Housing Corporation. Not Previously Authorized. Total Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Now that I’m on the right page, I’ll ask the question again.
The government is requesting approval to spend $750,000 for partial funding for the acquisition of the warehouse in Iqaluit for the Iqaluit Housing Authority and an office space with Nunavut Housing Corporation.
How much funding in total will be required?
The total cost of the office building warehouse complex is $5.5 million.
How much of the $750,000 is going towards the new warehouse for the Iqaluit Housing Authority and how much is going for the Nunavut Housing Corporation office space?
I thank Mr. Schell for the question.
I don’t have the breakdown, but the total amount is $5.5 million that would go towards the purchase of the building.
I don’t know who all of the tenants would be, but it’s a facility that is needed. I believe it’s appraised at $5.8 million as well.
I can ask the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation to respond if you want those specific details.
Chairman: Minister Tootoo.
Hon. Hunter Tootoo: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Schell, for that.
I can’t tell you.
I guess I would have to go in and break down the square footage of how much of the building will be used by the housing corporation and how much will be used by the local housing authority.
I don’t know if you’re familiar, but it’s a two-storey building. There are offices on the second floor that are going to be used for the Nunavut Housing Corporation and the whole first floor, including the shop facilities and interior storage, and the yard will be used for the Iqaluit Housing Authority.
Do you want the square footage breakdown to figure out the exact amount of how much is going to what?
I can provide that to you.
Maybe while he’s at it, he can explain to us why the Nunavut Housing Corporation needs new office space.
Chairman: Alright, Minister Tootoo, I think that is directed to you.
Right now, the housing corporation has people in different locations and also, we don’t have enough space for the people that we have right now.
We had a boardroom that was in our current office facility and I think there are five people in little cubicles within that old boardroom right now.
So it’s just an opportunity to put all of our staff together under one roof, or roof, as a former colleague of mine used to say, and put everyone in one place, and also it provides an opportunity to free up other office space for other government departments that desperately need office space.
Total Nunavut Housing Corporation. $750,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Total Department. $750,000.
Chairman (interpretation): We can now go back to page 2.
Schedule 1. Summary of Appropriation.
Total Capital. $7,785,000.
Chairman (interpretation): We can go to the clause-by-clause review of Bill 10.
Bill 10, Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 2, 2009-2010. (interpretation ends) Clause 1. (interpretation) Do you agree?
Supplementary Amounts Appropriated for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2010.
Total Supplementary Appropriation. $7,785,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Total Capital. Total Supplementary Appropriation. $7,785,000.
Chairman (interpretation): We can now go to clause 4.
Chairman (interpretation): Do you agree to Bill 10 as a whole?
Chairman (interpretation): Are committee members in agreement that pursuant to Rule 62(2) that Bill 10 can be placed on the orders of the day for third reading?
Those are the supplementary appropriation bills.
Minister Peterson, do you have any closing remarks?
I thank the members for their scrutiny of these supp bills.
It’s very important for public accountability that you ask these questions and I’m glad that we were able to answer them.
I would like to thank all of the departments for providing very detailed information to my officials, so we had excellent briefing notes here.
I want to assure the members that we will continue to be vigilant in our oversight of government departments’ budgets and work closely with the standing committees.
I would also like to thank the officials in the Department of Finance, Mr. Ma, Mr. Chown, and Mr. D’Arcy, who is sitting in the Gallery, for their hard work on behalf of the Government of Nunavut.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Peterson. (interpretation ends) We will now take a 10-minute break and be back here at five o’clock. (interpretation) Thank you.
>>Committee recessed at 16:53 and resumed at 17:10
The Committee of the Whole proceedings is here to review Bill 13. We would like the Law Clerk to join us at the table. Do you agree?
Chairman: I would now like to ask Minister Peterson, responsible for the Department of Finance, to make his opening remarks.
Bill 13 – An Act to Amend the Retirement Plan Beneficiaries Act – Consideration in Committee
I am pleased to appear before members today to speak to Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Retirement Plan Beneficiaries Act.
Mr. Chairman, the Retirement Plan Beneficiaries Act is an Act that allows various plan holders to designate a beneficiary so that proceeds from plans do not fall into the holders’ general estate at the time of death.
The tax-free savings account which was introduced in federal budget 2009 also allows for a beneficiary to be designated.
We expect that in the future, there will be other types of plans that will also allow for the designation of beneficiaries.
Mr. Chairman, the Act has been amended to include tax-free savings accounts.
Additionally, to ensure that all future plans may be included, the Act now allows the Commissioner in Executive Council to make regulations prescribing any fund, trust, scheme, contract, or arrangement to be a plan and thereby covered under section 1 of the Act.
As well, the name of the Act has been amended to the Beneficiaries Designation Act (Retirement, Savings and Other Plans) to more accurately reflect this enhanced coverage.
I’ll be pleased to answer questions from members.
Chairman: Sergeant-at-Arms, can you escort the witness in, please.
Does the Chair of the Standing Committee on Legislation have comments?
Mr. Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) On behalf of the Standing Committee on Legislation, I am pleased to make some very brief opening comments as we begin consideration of Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Retirement Plan Beneficiaries Act.
The standing committee recognizes that this bill has been introduced in order to respond to the Government of Canada’s recent introduction of tax-free savings accounts.
The standing committee is fully in support of this initiative.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my opening comments. The standing committee recommends passage of Bill 13 to all members. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Are there any general comments? I have no members here in general comments.
We will proceed with the clause-by-clause review of the bill starting on the first page, I guess. Clause 1… sorry.
Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Retirement Plan Beneficiaries Act. Clause 1?
Chairman: Does the committee agree to Bill 13 as a whole?
Chairman: Do members agree that pursuant to Rule 62(2) that Bill 13 can immediately be placed on the orders of the day for third reading?
Chairman: I would like to thank the members and officials. Minister, do you have any closing comments?
I thank the members of the standing committee and the MLAs for the scrutiny of this bill.
It’s a very important bill for Nunavummiut. I appreciate the support for the bill.
I would like to thank my officials in the Department of Finance for working hard on getting this bill forward and also the officials in the Department of Justice who work very closely with the Department of Finance officials.
Sergeant-at-Arms, can you please escort the minister and his witness out.
We will move on to Bill 3.
I would now like to ask the Minister responsible for Culture, Language, Elders and Youth to make his opening remarks.
Bill 03 – Western Canada Lottery Act – Consideration in Committee
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman and my fellow colleagues.
I am here today to present a new Western Canada Lottery Bill.
I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Legislation for their thoughtful consideration of this bill. They provided us with suggestions on how to potentially grow the lottery revenue that we will be following up on.
The Western Canada Lottery Act inherited from the Northwest Territories needed minor technical amendments, but during the drafting process, Justice decided it was more appropriate to prepare an entirely new bill rather than to prepare an amending bill longer than the Act.
On division, the Government of Nunavut entered into an agreement with the Western Canada Lottery Corporation for the operation of Western Canada Lottery.
The governments of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut are all members of the Western Canada Lottery Corporation.
The corporation runs games, such as Lotto 649, Lotto Max, Pick 3, and Extra.
The Western Canada Lottery Act governs the operations of the Western Canada Lottery in Nunavut.
The Western Canada Lottery generates an average profit of $366,220 per year in Nunavut.
All the proposed changes involve additions to the existing Act in order to strengthen it. The changes include:
Strengthening the regulation-making powers so that the existing regulations are fully authorized;
Inserting a tabling requirement for annual reports into the Act rather than being kept in the regulations; and
Expressly stating that the profits from the lottery are to be used solely for sport and recreation-related purposes, as the Government of Nunavut agreed to under the agreement signed with the Western Canada Lottery Corporation.
The bill is made retroactive to April 1, 1999 so that this strengthened Act is deemed to have been adopted on division. It also provides that the regulations under the existing Act are deemed to have been made under this bill and, again, are deemed to have been made on division.
As I have already mentioned during my appearance before the standing committee, several issues were brought up, such as the setting up of a Nunavut-based Internet subscription service and the placing of the lottery terminals at the cash register as in other jurisdictions.
I will be bringing these issues up with our licence holder.
Currently, the NWT Sports and Recreation Council administers lottery operations in Nunavut. I will be working with them to ensure that residents in all communities have access to the lottery if they so desire.
I will be pleased to answer any questions that you may have.
Chairman: Sergeant-at-Arms, can you escort the witnesses in.
To my rights is Thomas Druyan from the Department of Justice, and also to my left is Jodi Durdle, who is the Policy Advisor in the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
Mr. Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As Chair of the Standing Committee on Legislation, I am pleased to make some brief opening comments as we begin consideration of Bill 3, Western Canada Lottery Act.
The standing committee recognizes that this bill has been introduced in order to replace the existing statute which was inherited by Nunavut upon division.
Members recognize that although Bill 3 is intended to replace an existing piece of legislation, there are, in essence, only three substantive changes to its provisions.
The first change, as outlined in clause 4 of Bill 3, provides that the profits from the Western Canada Lottery “shall be used for the purpose of promoting sport and recreational opportunities for Nunavummiut.”
The second change, as outlined in clause 5 of Bill 3, provides that the minister will be legally required to table an annual report in the Legislative Assembly on the operation of the Western Canada Lottery in Nunavut.
The final significant change, as outlined in clause 6 of Bill 3, provides the government with regulation-making powers in a number of areas, including the establishment of a Code of Conduct for sport groups and sport associations in Nunavut.
During the minister’s appearance before the standing committee to undertake the clause-by-clause consideration of Bill 3, members raised the question of whether such activities as Inuit games would be eligible to receive funding from the profits accruing to the government from the Western Canada Lottery.
Members were advised that while Inuit games are not included in the Act’s definition of “sport and recreational opportunities,” the minister indicated that funding for traditional and cultural activities will continue to be provided from the Department of CLEY’s annual budget.
Mr. Chairman, during the minister’s appearance, members noted that there is, at present, only one lottery outlet in Nunavut which is located in Iqaluit.
Concerns were raised regarding the lack of outlets in other communities given their potential to raise revenues for sport and recreational activities in Nunavut.
Members noted that Nunavummiut in other communities have resorted to buying lottery tickets from ‘outside’ of the territory.
This results in a lost opportunity for providing support to sport and recreation groups within Nunavut.
Members look forward to corresponding further with the minister on this matter.
The minister and his officials advised the committee that interested parties are welcome to apply for licences to sell lottery tickets.
The committee encourages the department to ensure that clear information is available to the public with respect to the application process.
Earlier this year, correspondence from the minister to the committee indicated that approximately $226,433 in lottery proceeds went to the government’s general revenue fund in 2008.
Up to this point, these funds have not been specifically allocated to sport and recreation activities.
As I noted earlier, the new Act requires the minister to table an annual report in the Legislative Assembly.
Members encourage the government to look at similar annual reports from other jurisdictions, such as the Yukon, where the public is provided with clear and comprehensive information concerning how lottery profits are distributed and the groups that receive funding.
Members look forward to equally transparent reporting in this jurisdiction.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my opening comments. The standing committee recommends the passage of Bill 3 to all members.
Are there any general comments? There are no… .
Mr. Okalik: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I’m asking a question on behalf of one of our colleagues who could not be here today, Mr. Arvaluk. He asked me to ask a question on the Code of Conduct.
The Code of Conduct will be binding as a regulation built into funding agreements with organizations. The standing committee appreciates this clarification.
In particular, if the Code of Conduct is in the regulations, why is it necessary to also build it into funding agreements? Will the regulations suffice or why do you need to add it onto funding agreements that will be required in the future?
I will have Thomas Druyan respond to that question, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Druyan: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Okalik, for raising that question. I think there’s a little bit of a misunderstanding.
The funding that is provided by the Department of CLEY to sports and recreation groups is given by way of grants and not by contribution agreements, so there is nothing that is signed by the recipients.
So by using the process of having a regulation, they will be binding on everyone and there is no requirement for anyone to sign anything.
If not, we will go clause by clause, reading the bill. Bill 3, Western Canada Lottery Act.
Go ahead, Mr. Okalik.
Mr. Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) As I recall, there were a lot of questions on the issue of being able to purchase tickets via Internet hopefully out of Nunavut in the future.
I recall that currently Nunavut residents have to resort to purchasing tickets from outside the jurisdiction, so the proceeds get to benefit other jurisdictions as opposed to Nunavummiut.
I would like to know if there are plans in the near future to change that, to allow Nunavummiut to purchase tickets within Nunavut so that we can benefit from Nunavut money in the future. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): With respect to his question, once the bill has been passed by the House, our workload will become intense. We will be making this a priority to resolve so that Nunavummiut can purchase tickets via the Internet.
We will make this a priority as this is one item that many people have identified as a matter of interest.
Are there any other questions on this clause?
We will go back to clause 6.
Chairman: Is the committee agreed to Bill 3 [as a whole]?
Chairman: Do members agree that pursuant to Rule 62(2) that Bill 3 can immediately be placed on the orders of the day for third reading?
Chairman: Thank you, Minister, for showing up.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): As a matter of fact, I wish only to thank the committee for their review and support of the bill. Once the bill has been enacted, this will allow some leeway for more lottery booths in Nunavut. We will work towards that matter.
I would like to thank the members for their wholehearted support of the bill.
Will the Sergeant-at-Arms please escort the witnesses and the minister out.
We will move on to Bill 11. I would now like to ask the sponsor of Bill 11, Mr. Okalik, to make his opening remarks.
Bill 11 – An Act to Establish the Order of Nunavut – Consideration in Committee
I am very pleased to have the opportunity to appear today before the Committee of the Whole on the occasion of its consideration of Bill 11, An Act to Establish the Order of Nunavut Act.
I would first like to express my appreciation to the Member for Quttiktuq for his support of this initiative and I look forward to his comments during today’s deliberations.
As I noted in the House last week, this is the first private member’s bill to have been introduced in our Legislative Assembly.
I am confident that it will not be the last.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to take a few moments to provide members with an overview of the provisions of Bill 11.
As members may be aware, all provinces have established orders that have a place in the Canadian Order of Precedence of Orders, Decorations and Medals.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Her Honour the Commissioner of Nunavut on this matter.
We agreed that it would be appropriate for legislation establishing the Order of Nunavut to be introduced during 2009, which is the 10th anniversary of our territory’s creation.
Mr. Chairman, the objective of the order is to honour individuals who have provided an outstanding contribution to the cultural, social, or economic well-being of Nunavut.
The order will be the highest honour of Nunavut and takes precedence over all other orders, decorations, or medals conferred by the Government of Nunavut.
In essence, it is intended to recognize those exceptional individuals who have made a lifetime of contribution to our territory and its peoples.
I would note that the Commissioner’s existing awards program, which provides recognition in such areas as youth achievement and volunteer service, is not affected by this legislation.
Under this legislation, the Commissioner of Nunavut will serve as the chancellor of the order.
The legislation also establishes the Order of Nunavut Advisory Council which consists of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, the Senior Judge of the Nunavut Court of Justice, and the President of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated.
The role of the council is to recommend to the chancellor individuals it considers deserving of being invested with the order.
The Act also provides the advisory council with an appropriate degree of flexibility in the making of its recommendations.
Secretariat support to the council will be provided by the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly.