EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Kunuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. According to what the minister said, the director for Inuit Uqausinginnik Taiguusiliuqtiit had moved to another position and there is an acting director at Inuit Uqausinginnik Taiguusiliuqtiit.
We still haven’t advertised it and we have a temporary worker at this time.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) Culture and Heritage. Branch Summary. Directorate.
I’ve just got a couple of questions on this page.
When I was going over the FPT ministerial report from last June, the Canadian francophonie pan-Canadian showcase report, it speaks to that the ministers adopted the ministerial conference and Canadian francophonie 2015-2020 strategic plan.
I was wondering if the minister would be willing to table that document.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) Minister of Culture and Heritage, Mr. Kuksuk.
I would like to table it during the month of May. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
On page 66 of the business plan in the priorities from 2014-15, it speaks to “Initiate discussions with the Government of Canada on a multi-year Nunavut-specific agreement for the continued protection and promotion” of both the French and Inuit languages in the territory.
My first question would be: with this working group, can you identify how many meetings this working group has had to date?
My deputy minister is working on the agreement in regard to the funding. I’ll ask him to respond if it’s okay with you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
We met with our committee. They have met in Ottawa three times.
This coming May, they will be meeting. I will meet with the deputy minister who is located in Ottawa to review what has been done.
At this time, for the 2015-16 fiscal year, we will be able to sign at the end of March.
The committee itself has met three times. It has met a number of times.
In the status on that category in the business plan on the very top of page 67, it says, obviously, that the working group has been established and that work has initiated, and I’ll quote, “to review the different options for enhanced long-term support...”
When a working group is reviewing multiple options, I’m wondering maybe if you can just highlight what some of those options that are being discussed are.
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I also thank the member for the question.
I would like my deputy minister to continue to respond to the question. (interpretation ends) Thank you, Iksivautaaq.
Ever since Nunavut was created, we make plans for a year and sign the agreement for Inuktitut and French.
We have reviewed how we can sign for five years.
The funds that are being used for French and Inuktitut that we get from the federal government have not changed.
We are looking at how we can increase this.
We are looking at how the NWT and Yukon have set up their… .
If we are going to set up an agreement for a longer time, how can we increase these funds that we get? The prices and the cost of living have gone up.
We have talked to the federal government in preparation for a two-year agreement to be consistent with what the NWT and Yukon governments do in regard to the aboriginal first languages.
We are on Culture and Heritage. Branch Summary. Directorate.
First of all, Mr. Kuksuk and your officials, welcome to the Assembly.
I just need information.
The Department of Culture and Heritage provides funds to Taiguusiliuqtiit. Although they are kind of independent, they’re also part of the government. They’re supposed to produce annual reports.
I would like to find out how many years this entity… . Is the operation of Taiguusiliuqtiit going smoothly?
Ever since it was started, they have a board and when they first started, everything gets kind of challenging, but that’s exactly what is going on. They’re starting to set up properly.
Are there any terms that have been worked on by Taiguusiliuqtiit? I haven’t seen anything that they have produced.
I’m asking the minister to see if they have or promote or show terms that have been worked on by Taiguusiliuqtiit.
The deputy minister will explain what has been happening, Mr. Chairman, if it’s okay with you.
Mr. Kunuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In their annual reports, they haven’t really brought out what terms they have produced.
However, they have a computer database where they have explained what they have been doing. They show the words and the meanings. In English, it’s called (interpretation ends) the living dictionary. (interpretation) The work from the group is produced there.
In terms of the board’s decisions, we have told them that we’re going to make sure that all of their reports show all of the considerations in their 2013-14 report. They have been asked to publish all of the considerations that they have been doing with terminology in their annual reports and also make sure that they promote them within the communities.
I know they have been created under the Inuit Language Protection Act and they have certain authorities.
Let me use this as an example. I would like to see how much authority they have.
We are MLAs and since I have been an MLA, I have been told that former MLAs are referred to in a different way. They used to be called a different term in Inuktitut. Now they’re called another term completely.
Will they be able to announce that they’re going to be called a certain term now?
I also thank the member for the question. The answer is yes.
The Inuit Uqausinginnik Taiguusiliuqtiit board look at terms that are acceptable that they want the government to adopt. They give those terms to the government, to my department, and then we take those words and implement them. That’s the authority.
We get the terms and meanings from the Taiguusiliuqtiit group. They say that this is what this word is going to mean now. They do the work and then we do the work after they do it.
We have even had to discuss the term “chairman” here. It’s not a physical chair. Maybe we could call him a minor speaker or something.
When there are things like that, does the group decide on the proper term to use or as the Minister of Languages, are you the implementation authority for the terms that come from that group?
I hope I was understandable, minor speaker.
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): Thank you very much, minor speaker.
As I stated previously, the Inuit Language Authority can give words or terms to us, for example, the chairman.
I’m not sure, but if they come up with the term for chairman, then we will have to look into it.
Mr. Joanasie: Qujannamiik, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) I’m not sure what to call you in Inuktitut anymore. Maybe we will have to get direction from the Taiguusiliuqtiit group.
Moving on to something else, in your 2015-16 departmental priorities, the first priority on page 67 in English is to “Develop and implement a communications plan for promoting changes to Culture and Heritage Grants & Contribution Policies, including holding regional workshops.”
Have you decided which region the meeting will take place in?
The work is ongoing. Trying to have better communications with the communities and the regions is ongoing. As to where they actually are and to answer your question, I would like my deputy minister to answer this if he has the information, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman: Thank you. Mr. Kunuk.
During the youth conference in December, they were the first ones where these changes were introduced and then they had a meeting in Arviat just before Christmas.
Thirdly, we haven’t announced which community we’re looking at yet.
The Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Committee meets and they will meet next week in Clyde River.
Following the progress of their meeting, we will update them with information. Next week, our minister has been invited to the mayors’ conference in Iqaluit. Those are the meetings that we’re planning to go to.
In the Kivalliq, for example, when KIA is going to be meeting, we would try to go to their meetings. For the Kitikmeot region, after the Kitikmeot meets, then our worker in Kugluktuk will be taking care of our responsibilities there.
Mr. Enook (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) Hon. Minister, welcome, as well as your staff.
I believe we are on F-4.
I would like to ask this question and it’s not in any of the documents, but the Inuugatta Language Conference was brought up.
I was very proud of that meeting. As all of my colleagues know and the people of Nunavut, I am one of the people that really want to save our language and I will work to preserve that here in the House. It’s appropriate to me and I like it.
Don’t misunderstand what I’m about to say. I was not happy at all about the fact that there was a meeting at that time.
For many years, all Government of Nunavut departments and agencies have known when MLAs are going to be meeting in the fall.
It would have been great if we could have taken part in that. For me personally, I would have really wanted to take part in that if I had the opportunity, but we just didn’t have any time. We consider it so important and we just couldn’t take part because we have to sit here.
When we had an opportunity, my colleagues, Mr. Joanasie and Mr. Keyootak, and I went to an early morning meeting. Could you not have scheduled that meeting at another time other than when the House was sitting?
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. That is a really good question. Thank you for asking it.
Mr. Chairman, I didn’t have any part in planning this, but my deputy minister took part in the planning for the meeting. I totally understand what you’re saying. It was inconvenient that that meeting happened at the same time as the sitting of the leg.
I agree with you on that.  With regard to your other question about whether it was impossible to hold the meeting at any other time, I will ask my deputy minister to explain that, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. Mr. Kunuk.
There was a planning committee that our department used and we worked with NTI employees, the Languages Commissioner staff, and the Inuit Language Authority on some of the issues on Inuktitut writing systems that were discussed.
Before one of the meetings here in Iqaluit, there was a meeting in Ottawa that the ICC hosted on Inuit writing systems to see what needs improving. We followed their work from there.
We moved on the work here and we tried to use some of the people invited as much as possible, such as the language authority in Greenland, Oqaasileriffik.
We consulted them on our work.
However, as we work, we find there is more to be done and recommendations will come forward from all this work.
Minister, please be aware that some of us were not happy that we could not be involved.
Some of us have very strong ties to our writing system and we want to be involved as we search for best options. I just wanted to bring that up.
Also the grants and contributions, I think I can ask questions on that, Mr. Chairman.
Minister Kuksuk’s opening comments on the last page in English on community local radios, if I understand correctly, it states that the contribution budget will increase to ensure more communities have local radio stations.
The contributions, if I’m not mistaken, under F-9 are $150,000. The budget has not increased.
As I was stating, local radios are very important in the lives of everyday people.
They provide a great source of community. It could be emergencies like search and rescue or school closures.
Mr. Chairman, I don’t know the answers to some of the questions he asked, so I will ask my deputy to respond, if you don’t mind, especially as it relates to the financial question.
Thank you very much, minor speaker.
As we look at this, we find the contributions for various other categories, for example, for elders and youth, hunting, language use, and municipal organizations.
We are looking at how much of the monies are being utilized for which purpose.
The requests that had been approved that went over budget, we’re going to do all that. We’re going to review that and look at how we can increase the monies.
For example, this $150,000 can be used for ten communities at $15,000 per community. Usually, when we reach the $150,000 limit, the other communities can’t access any more monies from that pot of money.
We’re looking at new monies that will be available after the end of the fiscal year.
Again if you would allow me, Mr. Chairman, I’ll ask questions under the Summary of Grants and Contributions.
It’s on F-10. $200,000 for the Nunavut Heritage Centre Society, I just want to know exactly what that is.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) Nunavut Heritage Centre Society, (interpretation) that’s what he is referring to.
I will refer this question to my deputy minister. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
The Nunavut Heritage Centre Society was organized so that they can make plans for a heritage centre and to see how they could raise the monies to build such a facility.
They do fundraising for the Nunavut Heritage Centre.
Thanks for recognizing me again.
I forgot to ask a couple of questions under this category.
There has been a lot of recent coverage in the last six months or so on the artefacts that are currently located in Yellowknife.
There has been some recent dialogue or information through the media that Yellowknife wants to send those artefacts back, that they don’t have the room. There has been recent media coverage on QC getting involved with the heritage centre.
Maybe if the minister could just update us on what the status of those artefacts that are currently being stored in Yellowknife are, as the shared services agreement expires in approximately one year.
I also thank the member for that good question.
The artefacts are being held at the (interpretation ends) Prince of Wales heritage facility (interpretation) in Yellowknife and some are being housed in Ottawa at a museum. Those are artefacts that originally came from Nunavut.
Right now, we have a lot of artefacts being housed at the (interpretation ends) Prince of Wales heritage centre (interpretation) in Yellowknife.
It’s true. We are leasing a space for our artefacts.
Every year, it costs a block of money. We realize that it is very expensive to house those artefacts in the other museums. We are spending a lot of money.
We are currently having discussions with the Government of the Northwest Territories and in a few days, we will be having another meeting with them right after this session. We are currently having discussions with the Government of the Northwest Territories regarding their housing our artefacts. That’s where we are at this time.
In the business plan on page 72, it speaks to the topic, about halfway down the page, about canvassing for new storage space in Iqaluit for materials not requiring climate control that are currently in the Yellowknife facility.
In the status, it says, “Ongoing. Space in Iqaluit to be identified and selected.”
I’m just wondering: has there been any progress on that maybe to bring over some of the artefacts that don’t need specific climate control to ease the space issue that NWT is currently undergoing?
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I also thank the member for that question. A few minutes ago, I stated that we are currently talking with the Government of the Northwest Territories.
We are currently looking at storage to house artefacts that don’t require climate controlled rooms.
I don’t know where the Nunavut Heritage Centre would be, whether it would be here in Iqaluit or in one of the other communities. My department has been dealing with that issue and maybe my deputy minister can give us an update on what is happening with the Nunavut Heritage Centre, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Kunuk: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Since last August, we have been in discussions with Community and Government Services about an RFP preparation for our archives that don’t need climate control. Our director of heritage is trying to finalize the wording for the RFP.
Last fall, we also received a response from CGS on whether an RFP can be considered out of territory and the answer was yes.
We are still working on finalizing the RFP to increase archival space in Iqaluit, plus to bring back some of the archives from Yellowknife to Iqaluit.
Once the RFP is finalized, we would be in a position to start shipping some items from Yellowknife.
In terms of other activities, as mentioned previously, the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation is also looking at a project which will include a heritage facility. Our minister did write a letter back to the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation in January asking for more financial information that they may be looking at. To date, we have not received a reply to that letter.
We have also been contacted by the community of Cape Dorset for their proposed project of a heritage arts facility and whether we would be able to repatriate some of our artefacts from Yellowknife to Nunavut.
We have also received, a while back, a proposal from the Kivalliq Inuit Association to build heritage type facilities in their region, but no final details have been discussed between the Kivalliq Inuit Association and our department.
Like the minister said earlier, he’s planning to go to Yellowknife after the session and we plan to look at the artefacts that are placed there. In preparation for that, we’re working on a heritage management plan that would address the different priorities or proposals that might be out in Nunavut to do that.
We have also received information from the Winnipeg Art Gallery on what they have in their facilities in Winnipeg and how that could fit into some of the planning and discussions we’re having in Nunavut.
Based on that, our priority has been to develop and finalize the heritage management plan so that we can address some of the proposed projects that have been discussed through the media or directly with our department.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) We are on Culture and Heritage.
Directorate. F-4.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $5,275,000.
Chairman: Thank you. (interpretation) We are going to page F-5. (interpretation ends) Branch Summary.
Culture and Heritage. Official Languages.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $10,871,000.
Culture and Heritage. Branch Summary. Heritage.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $6,008,000.
Turn to page F-7.
Branch Summary. Culture and Heritage. Elders and Youth.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $2,208,000.
Turn to page F-8. (interpretation ends) Culture and Heritage.
Branch Summary. Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $1,335,000.
Go back to F-3.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $25,697,000.
Is the committee agreed that the Department of Culture and Heritage is concluded?
Closing comments, Minister Kuksuk.
Maybe iksivautaliralaaq is the term I’m going to be using. I’ll practise that term.
I was very pleased to appear before the committee. I would like to thank my officials and I apologize to my other officials for not coming here, but I thank them as well.
I thank the members for asking good questions and we will continue to move forward with the questions that were posed and the questions we were not able to respond to, we will make sure that we provide the responses to you. If we need to table them, we will do so in the future.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
We will take a five-minute break as they prepare and so that the interpreters can take a break.
>>Committee recessed at 15:26 and resumed at 15:37
Bill 16 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2015-2016 –Legislative Assembly – Consideration in Committee
Chairman: I would like to call the committee meeting to order. (interpretation) We will resume our committee meeting.
I would now like to ask the Speaker if he has officials that he would like to bring to the table.
Chairman (interpretation): My colleagues, do you agree to let the Speaker’s officials in?
Speaker (interpretation): To my right is (interpretation ends) the Clerk, Mr. John Quirke, (interpretation) and there was another official who was supposed to be here, but due to other responsibilities, he is unable to be here.
You may now proceed with your opening comments, Mr. Speaker.
I’ll be reading the prepared statement in English.
(interpretation ends) I am pleased to appear before you today to present the 2015-16 main estimates and 2015-18 business plan of the Office of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut.
The proposed 2015-16 operations and maintenance budget for the Office of the Legislative Assembly is $25,027,000.
The Legislative Assembly’s 2015-16 main estimates also reflect the financial and human resources required for the operations of our independent officers, including the Office of the Representative for Children and Youth.
As members will recall, Nunavut’s new Plebiscites Act came into force last year.
I am pleased to note that the Management and Services Board recently approved new Plebiscite Regulations and new Tariff of Fees Amendment Regulations.
One-time funding of $995,000 is being provided to Elections Nunavut for the administration of the upcoming 2016 territory-wide plebiscite concerning municipal lands.
Mr. Chairman, the Fifth Speaker’s Youth Parliament was held in November of last year. This event occurs every two years. In 2015, I look forward to visiting a number of communities as part of the Speaker’s Mace Tour and Parliamentary Outreach Program.
I would like to thank those members who have already extended formal invitations to me to travel to their constituencies.
I am pleased to take this opportunity to update members on the progress of our audio and video archival project.
In the coming fiscal year, we plan to expand public access to our proceedings through such means as live streaming.
As a consequence of the events in Parliament of last October, the Management and Services Board of the Legislative Assembly has been working to review our legislature’s security procedures to ensure an appropriate balance between security and public accessibility.
I would like to thank my colleagues for their support and I welcome their comments, suggestions, and questions. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I wish to remind my colleagues that if you have any detailed questions, please ask them at the appropriate page.
I don’t see any show of hands. (interpretation ends) I have no members on my list for general comments.
We will now proceed to the page-by-page review of the main estimates starting on page A-4.
Assembly Operations. Page A-4.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $7,830,000. Agreed?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) On page A-5. Branch Summary. Office of the Legislative Assembly.
Expenditures on Behalf of Members. Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $11,667,000. Agreed?
I just have one question on this page.
Since the representative for children and youth has been established and took office in June, that office has been getting set up to become within the full function of their mandate.
Their plan was tabled yesterday or the day before yesterday and I have gone over it a little bit.
I’m just wondering: what is the status of that office being established?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. I thank the member for asking the question.
The official to my right, John Quirke, will respond.
The office is up and running.
Three staff have been hired and the third one was just hired recently.
The office is operating under certain sections of the Act only in terms of administration and setting up the office.
The board was advised by the child and youth representative the other day that she is gearing for an opening of the office in the fall with practically every section of the legislation in force. There may be at least one subsection that will not be in force.
From that point of view, the public should be alerted that some time in the fall, the office will be fully open for business in terms of taking clients and complaints, etcetera.
I thank the Clerk for that response.