EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Through the continued implementation of initiatives, such as terminology workshops, language week, and Titiraliritti, the Official Languages Branch ensures the preservation, promotion and development of the Inuit language in Nunavut.
The department’s Culture and Heritage Branch continues to work closely with consultants on the development of a public fund-raising campaign for the Nunavut Heritage Centre.
In the 2008-09 fiscal year, the branch will also introduce a Grant-in-Aid program to support student research in archaeology and palaeontology.
The Community Programs Branch continues to provide a human face by being very accessible through its toll-free number and by continuing to have a well-established presence in the communities through community presentations and workshops on the Grants and Contribution programs.
The Sports Nunavut Branch is actively preparing for Nunavut’s participation in the Arctic Winter Games to be held in Yellowknife from March 9 to 15, 2008.
This year, Team Nunavut will be represented by 227 athletes, 33 coaches and managers, eight cultural performers and 14 mission staff.
Do you have any witnesses you would like to bring to the table? Minister Tapardjuk.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Yes, I would like to have my witnesses join me at the table.
Sergeant-at-Arms, could you please escort the witnesses. (interpretation) Please feel welcome.
To my left is Phoebe Hainnu, who is the Deputy Minister, and on my right is David Kolot, who is the Financial Comptroller of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Kolot and Ms. Hainu, welcome.
Does the Co-Chair of the Standing Committee Ajauqtiit have opening comments?
Mr. Arreak: Yes, I do, Mr. Chairman.
(interpretation) Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to deliver the standing committee’s opening comments as we begin consideration of the 2008-09 Main Estimates and Business Plan of the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee Ajauqtiit has had the opportunity to meet with the minister and his officials.
The minister was able to provide an update on his department’s proposed expenditures for 2008-09.
Mr. Chairman, 39 percent of the department’s budget is allocated to grants and contributions for heritage, culture, language, sports and recreation projects in Nunavut.
Members support these expenditures while encouraging the department to monitor and evaluate the success and actual results of its grants and contributions expenditures.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Chairman, members are pleased that the department continues to table an annual report on its grants and contributions expenditures.
Members look forward to seeing the 2006-07 annual report being tabled at the earliest opportunity.
Mr. Chairman, members noted that the department has added one additional PY to its Official Languages Branch.
While the standing committee recognizes the challenge of accounting for the implementation costs of legislation that has not yet been passed by the House, it is important that the department develop detailed and realistic projections for the implementation costs of Bill 6, the proposed Official Languages Act and Bill 7, the proposed Inuit Language Protection Act.
Mr. Chairman, members were pleased to be informed that progress is ongoing with respect to the development of the Piqqusilirivvik Cultural School in Clyde River and its satellite campuses in Igloolik and Baker Lake.
Members stressed the need for the CLEY to work with the Department of Education to clarify the extent to which students will be eligible for financial assistance to attend the school.
The standing committee is aware that this issue was raised last year during another standing committee’s hearings on the FANS Program.
Members were informed that the department is working to develop programs and curricula for all of Piqqusilirivvik’s facilities, although it faces particular challenges with respect to the Baker Lake and Igloolik satellite campuses.
Members urged the department to ensure that it works with elders’ societies across the territory to collect and preserve Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit knowledge, much of which may not yet exist in written form, for use in the school’s programming.
The standing committee also urges the minister to bring forward for discussion possible governance models for the school.
Members were pleased that the department has provided funding to support the ongoing development of Inuktitut Sign Language, including the production of CD-ROMs.
Members encouraged the department to work with such organizations as the Nunavummi Disabilities Makingnasuaqtiit Society in the distribution of new resource materials to potential clients.
Mr. Chairman, members continue to strongly support the department’s mandate to strengthen our cultural foundations.
Members were pleased to see a $100,000 increase for the department’s budget for its Inuit Societal Values projects.
In September of 2007, following its retreat in the Kitikmeot, the Cabinet announced that it had reviewed the successes of the Inuit Societal Values Pilot Project in Clyde River and “directed the Department of Culture, Languages, Elders and Youth to pursue further ISV projects.”
The standing committee encourages the minister to table a final report on the Clyde River project in the Legislative Assembly, and to provide ongoing updates on new projects.
Mr. Chairman, the standing committee is of the view that success in this area will bring other benefits.
Addressing social problems, such as youth alienation and crime, requires a holistic approach that is rooted in our values.
The standing committee encourages CLEY to work with the Departments of Justice and Health and Social Services in this area.
Mr. Chairman, the standing committee is aware that the goal of constructing a new Nunavut Heritage Centre and repatriating cultural artefacts from other jurisdictions will require significant new expenditures.
Members were informed that the department has been working with a local Iqaluit company, Uqsiq Communications, to develop options and ideas for capital fundraising.
Members expect to be kept regularly updated on this issue.
Mr. Chairman, members noted that the department has introduced a new grant program in its proposed budget for students in the field of archaeology and encourages the department to ensure that students are aware of this grant.
Mr. Chairman, members want to see more support be provided to community libraries in Nunavut. Libraries play a key role in enhancing literacy skills in all of our languages.
Libraries also have an important role to play in preserving Inuktitut materials for the benefit of future generations.
The standing committee notes that the department’s budget in this area has remained unchanged for some time. While the standing committee is aware of the difficulties in recruiting and retaining employees in this field, it is important that more effort be made to provide training for staff and volunteers in local community libraries.
The standing committee strongly supports the department’s programs that provide creative ways of supporting Inuit language and culture, including the annual Titiraliritti Literary Competition.
The standing committee warmly congratulates this year’s winners.
Mr. Chairman, members were pleased to be informed that CLEY has been working with the Department of Justice on issues that arose from its Promoting Elders’ Needs Strategy. Information was exchanged with the Department of Justice with respect to the issue of elder abuse, which is a major concern for all members.
Members were also pleased that the department has been making progress with its Youth Identity Development Strategy.
Members look forward to seeing the department continue its work in this area and repeats the need to integrate such work with its ongoing Inuit Societal Values projects.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my opening remarks. Other members may have their own opening remarks as we proceed. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Co-Chair Arreak.
Before we proceed, I would like to remind members of the following: according to Rule 77(1), you have ten minutes to speak, and according to Rule 77(2), subject to the discretion of the Chair, a member may speak more than once to the matter under discussion but not until every member wishing to speak has spoken.
I suggest to the members that wherever possible you ask your detailed questions during the page-by-page review of the departmental estimates.
I would like to welcome you, minister, and your witnesses, your deputy and financial comptroller.
There is one thing that I really do want to see while we’re implementing official languages.
I was told by an elder that they would like to see the Official Languages Act enacted before this Assembly’s term is over and changes or amendments could be made in the future if revisions are required.
I just wanted to make clear my support for that and I will be asking questions in that regard.
I’m sure the minister has heard quite a few suggestions from the public. Members of the public feel that the Act is not strong enough and they would like to get some of the sections reworded.
I will be asking questions with regards to the bill. I’m not trying to debate the bill, but according to what we have heard, it’s a bit too weak.
We fall short of expectations.
I want to reiterate that our people are impatient for the establishment of the Nunavut Heritage Centre.
I don’t know what the terminology is in Inuktitut, perhaps “museum,” but we are impatient for this facility to be built.
In regard to the people who are trying to raise funds for the Nunavut Heritage Centre, I don’t know exactly what’s happening but in reading the notes, it makes one proud to see the work to date.
As some of us have stated in the past that your bureaucrats shouldn’t be looking for funds, you should be looking at professional fund-raisers as I’m sure that they could look for funds more easily.
However, I think you contracted an Iqaluit entity to look at ways of how this could be best be dealt with in reaching this goal.
It seems like this entity doesn’t know where to get some capital funds. This can be done through fund-raising but it can’t be done just through local fund-raising.
For that reason, I will be asking the minister as to what kind of mandate they have been given.
If we’re going to construct a huge facility such as this Legislative Assembly, who is going to own the building? Perhaps get some assistance from entities, such as those on Bay Street that are experienced, as long as the contract stipulates their mandate.
Most local contractors can’t deal with these issues related to capital fund-raising. I noticed that when I was reviewing the matter.
Perhaps the entity is quite capable, but I will be asking the minister about whether we are falling short of our goals that we have set.
Just briefly, I would like to welcome the minister, his DM, and Mr. Kolot.
I wanted to make a general comment in regard to Mr. Curley’s comments regarding the heritage centre, if it’s going to be established. There are some entities that work solely on fund-raising and you will have to hire fund-raisers.
That is their only job - to look for finances for their selected projects.
As long as you don’t include Karlheinz Schreiber, there’s also Baffinland that can be approached for funding.
There are companies out there who will be expending a lot of money in Nunavut. What are we, as Nunavummiut, going to benefit from?
It’s already set out that the royalties from that development project on Pond Inlet Inuit land parcels, since Pond Inlet owns that land, will go straight to NTI.
We don’t even know if the local Inuit will benefit from it but they must be asked to participate.
The companies should be asked if they could provide some assistance to support adjacent communities within Nunavut, such as Clyde River, even if it’s only $10 million or $20 million.
Not an overly large amount.
The mining companies that will be going to our lands, even if they didn’t provide anything, should at least guarantee some funds if they’re not going to provide royalties directly.
I want the minister to take these matters into consideration as well as in regard to Mr. Curley’s comments.
Mr. Chairman, I know that the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth states their goals along with Pinasuaqtavut’s goals.
The minister also stated that one of the Pinasuaqtavut goals, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, if they’re going to do it that way, all departments of our government will have to take part.
If it’s only the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, then it will not succeed because it will never come into fruition.
For this reason, according to the elders’ knowledge, we don’t segregate or separate all the goals and objectives.
As well, some of our own GN ministers pay lip service to these goals if they don’t act upon the statements they have made. It’s just lip service when all you do is make grandiose statements but nothing is done and I doubt we would see any progress.
On the third and final note, Mr. Chairman, the recording of oral history of Kitikmeot is a very good initiative.
All of us have stated in the past that we should have recorded the Inuit legends and how they practiced decision making in the traditional life and how they managed crises.
However, most of the keepers of this knowledge have all passed away. A lot of them are now dead like my parents, like Mr. Curley’s parents, Arraaq and Umilialuk.
We all know those individuals and the minister knows those individuals.
They have passed away and I think that 99 percent of their knowledge has not been recorded.
We could have completed that quite a few years ago.
It’s still not too late as we still have knowledge keepers. As a start, we should just record them without any subject matters and the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth can collect these recordings. The students at Arctic College or at the Piqqusilirivvik School in Clyde River could work on them at that time once they’re completed.
Mr. Chairman, what I’m trying to say is that one thing I have been thinking about... just a second while I look for it.
In the past, I used to wish to write the biography of James Arvaluk, written and edited by Noel McDermott. I think there is an over 300-page biography of Arvaluk.
What I’m trying to say is that there are many people out there that could just write their biographies or just record them on tape. There are still people that can do that.
I would like to see that and I’m encouraging your department because this is very useful.
I’m sure that our children and our grandchildren will work on those when they go to Arctic College or when they go to university.
I will have questions when we go to the main estimates.
I’m in full support of the minister with his department, and I support his efforts. Just proceed with your initiatives and be the lead. Even though other departments may be dragging behind, I encourage you because Inuit in our communities are very proud of your department, especially in our community.
Inuit people are very proud of your department and your work is visible because the contributions go to the communities. For instance, they’re used in the smaller communities for sports and also to educate others about Inuit culture.
That’s what Inuit are very interested in and very proud of - these departmental initiatives. I encourage you to keep delivering those programs.
I am very pleased that you’re appearing before the committee and I would like to welcome you.
The elders have great expectations through this program. They’re very interested when they hear of the activities in Nunavut and they’re always happy to see each other when they go to elders’ meetings.
In Inuit culture, these meetings include visiting one other, knowing other Inuit and keeping updated as to what’s happening in their lives, such as where wildlife habitats are as well as wildlife locations.
The elders talk about international issues like climate change and they need to communicate with each other in that way.
The traditional way of communicating with each other was through face-to-face meetings. They also used the meetings to gain more understanding about other issues, even more so than us today.
When the elders are too alone, when they lead a life that is primarily singular, then they are only looking after themselves. They end up not knowing what other people’s tendencies are and they’re usually not visited for advice. They only know what is surrounding them.
However, for many people, this is now their primary goal - when communication expands, it gets larger and nothing seems impossible. Once the Inuit had gathered all the information, then they would make decisions.
We are not even in the same league anymore, although nowadays, we have to work and we need the money to function today.
There are other issues that are interfering, like scientists of the world. They have written material and they show us what is happening through the media. Although we can be hooked with all those interferences, we can still remain the same.
So I am very pleased to see that happening with the elders.
However, thinking about the issues and talking about heritage and our ancestors’ way of life is so that the younger people may learn more about our ancestors, their old camps, the way they used to live, the areas where they lived in. For example, the scientists who look at artefacts scientifically to understand what their lifestyles were like and where they originated from, this includes trying to determine from which area Inuit are descended from.
Moreover, there is hardly any funding for this type of program, but there is a fund for heritage purposes for students to do archaeological work so that they could be put into reports.
I really enjoy seeing those projects come into fruition. We should never forget the archaeology of Inuit and when our young people complete school and mature into adults, I’m sure our history will become one of interest to them. I’m sure they will be more knowledgeable than us.
Envisioning that, yes, I have seen the old sod houses and I have seen old artefacts.
When I was young, there were no rules to access the sod houses, but the younger generations will not see that because there are rules. Since I did not write down what I saw, my descendents will never see what I have seen and that is why I prefer programs that include our youth.
We need to provide additional funding for archaeological work because their lifestyles would be like written in stone and it can be used to recognize Inuit and their original lifestyles. I prefer to have Inuit students participate in programs like that and I just wanted to talk a bit to point that out.
The grants and contributions program helps to keep our heritage alive in the communities and work with the elders on artefacts, sod houses and the like.
I like the idea of providing funds for that program, but they always have a shortage of tools or equipment.
The funding is inadequate and they lack support at the local level. They don’t even know where to go to for support, so they definitely need more information.
There should be information given to the local government, or through their agents, such as libraries, so that they can at least provide information like brochures to let the people know what’s available.
You could also provide that information through the local radio stations so that they could publicize all your programs and services that you have made available.
I’m sure that the elders would be in support of that so that they’re not feeling neglected and in that way, they can boost their moral. I know that it would assist many elders if they could access these programs. If you can at least provide additional funding for that, and I know that we cannot reduce some of the program funding, but if we can look at it carefully, maybe there’s room for improvement.
I just wanted to summarize my comments prior to welcoming you because you understand the issues, but I want to state that our knowledge keepers, such as elders, are dwindling and we should record their knowledge while they have a voice, even if the recordings are not so fine. We must gather all of this information somewhere so that the younger generation can work and catalogue them down the line.
We will now proceed with the page-by-page review of the departmental estimates starting with page F-4.
Just several quick questions.
In your business plan, (interpretation) it states that one of your priorities is to “Develop an Inuit Societal Values program,” which was initiated in Clyde River and shortly thereafter, “A second call for proposal focusing on the Kitikmeot region was issued in September 2007.”
Were you questioning whether this matter could be dealt with or planned out and who is responsible for this?
In regard to working on developing an Inuit Societal Values program for Nunavut, what is the status of that proposal for the Kitikmeot region?
We did research into developing an Inuit Societal Values program in the Kitikmeot, specifically in Cambridge Bay, but we changed the second call when we tried out this pilot project.
We wanted to try a smaller community in the Kitikmeot region, so we wrote a letter to all communities in the Kitikmeot to see if they would be interested in this initial pilot.
When we invited the communities to submit interest in the Kitikmeot region, the people of Taloyoak were interested in this project and today, the people of Taloyoak are working on developing Inuit societal values and that’s mainly being done by the elders.
This is to ensure that there will be less emotional turmoil in the community when elders are talking about Inuit social values and that is how Taloyoak was included in this project.
I wanted to pose a quick question.
I don’t know whether it’s on this page or not, but the Inuit Societal Values program is going to be included in your department.
Are you researching to see if the Inuit societal values could be taught, for example, in the high schools?
When I was sitting in at one of the Social Studies’ classes in Pond Inlet, it was almost a joke.
They were being taught societal values from a Qallunaaq point of view.
For instance, in History classes, they learn about all of the explorers and adventurers that came to the north a long time ago.
One thing that we’re forgetting, and it’s possible we will find it in a comedy show if somebody should say that Christopher Columbus discovered North America, but in reality, Inuit had already discovered it because it was already inhabited by Inuit.
I’m sure he was very proud to have found North America, albeit with inhabitants already.
I think it’s about time that we teach true historical facts.
Who discovered the Arctic to begin with? Only the first people who arrived here.
I would like to ask the minister if they have reviewed what’s being offered in the schools. You could probably canvas them by telephone and ask them what they have taught today at 2 p.m. in Social Studies to find out what the curriculum is offering just as an example.
I think it’s up to the Department of Education and the Department of CLEY to work together on this issue.
Elders used to go to the schools to teach oral history.
We don’t even see that anymore as we no longer have elders going to the schools.
I think that’s under the Cultural Inclusion program now where they just make little Qamutiik and make little replicas of original Inuit tools or instruments, but they do not hear the firsthand experience from the elders.
These stories, legends, and even hunting stories are very interesting to hear. They don’t hear anything today that will pique their interests on Inuit culture.
I’m trying to ask if these issues have been researched as to their inclusion in our schools.
We have laid out a process for the funding identified for Inuit Societal Values, Mr. Chairman.
Today’s societal values are based on the Qallunaat culture and customs, and that was how we had to act.
We know now that these values are more or less waiting for someone to break the law.
Only when a crime is committed is the matter dealt with. Right now, it’s action taken on by the RCMP and the other service providers.