EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Given that, I don’t anticipate any problems.
It almost seems like it’s a scare tactic when they say, “They won’t be able to get the funding if we don’t approve it right now.” I have a hard time swallowing that one.
The other concern I have and that I mentioned is that it does predetermine a decision of the House and I don’t think that that’s appropriate.
Given that and given, again like I said, it’s not our fault that the bill wasn’t brought in and done before, I mean it’s the government that has to bring that forward, it’s not us.
So don’t be pointing the fingers at us and saying, “We didn’t approve the funding.” Well, you need the bill.
If you look at the same thing that the minister has been saying on education, they have $14 million there but they can’t put that money in place until we approve the bill.
It seems okay if they use that argument in that case, but in this case, it’s, “No, we can approve the money. It’s okay and then we will do the bill after.”
That’s what we’re being asked to do here.
Given that, Mr. Chairman, I would like to move that Bill 30 be deferred until the appropriate legislation establishing the Nunavut Outfitters Liability Protection Fund Act has been approved by the House.
Mr. Tootoo, please provide a copy of the motion to the table.
Since the motion is not translated into Inuktitut, we will take a short break to have it translated.
>>Committee recessed at 17:30 and resumed at 17:45
Chairman (interpretation): We can now proceed.
The motion is in order. (interpretation ends) Before we proceed with debate on the motion, I have a few comments to make as to procedures.
As I said, the motion is in order and I’ll repeat the procedures. Every member has a right to speak once to the motion for a total of 20 minutes. The mover of the motion speaks first.
The mover of the motion has the right to the last reply which closes the debate. To the motion.
I don’t need to go on and repeat everything that I said earlier. I think everyone was here when we were being asked, in Bill 30, to vote on an appropriation of funding for something that doesn’t exist yet, for that reason, and also the fact that by doing that, it’s predetermining a decision of the House.
So with that, I know the Minister of Finance gave notice today for first reading on Thursday and I would encourage him to ask for consent to deal with that motion under First Reading of Bills maybe tomorrow.
We can get that done tomorrow; it could be done in two days.
But I mean the fact that the legislation should be in place before we asked to vote on something there and then the fact that it is the precedent of predetermining a decision of the House, I’ve got no problem with the money, but I think this is more of a procedural thing, that the way that we’re being asked to do this is like putting the cart before the horse. I don’t think that that’s appropriate, and like the Deputy Minister of Finance indicated, this is a pressing issue.
I don’t anticipate any opposition to it, but I think as the Minister of Education has said many times over the last little while, even in responses to questions to my colleague from Rankin Inlet North, they have $14 million set aside for the Department of Education, and asked him to move it forward, the minister said, “No, he can’t do it until the legislation is in place.”
So for those reasons, I would like to move that we defer the bill until that legislation is approved by the House, which could be in a couple of days.
It’s more of a procedural and a precedent thing that concerns me.
Again, I’m not going to try to debate the merits of the motion or what have you.
We have a consensus form of government here, it’s not supposed to be parties, we’re supposed to be working conciliatorily together and that’s why members see legislation even before they come into the House.
You don’t do that in other southern jurisdictions. And that’s why the members have a chance to see the budgets, the business plans. No other jurisdiction does that other than the Northwest Territories.
So the situation here is our system is completely different than others. However, in the Westminster form of governments, there are precedents and we do follow the Westminster form of government.
Any Legislative Assembly - this one, the next one, the one before this one, and the one after this one - has the opportunity and the right to vote for monies to supply bills and vote in the House.
That’s the privilege of the members.
As Mr. Tootoo has just said, they can come forward and say, “Let’s vote $6 million for Education.” That’s true, you can do that.
You can vote $ 4 million for an Outfitter’s Trust Fund. That’s true, you can do that. There is no precedent there.
In this case, and the member is correct, maybe the introduction of the supplementary bill could have been done two days from now and the introduction of monies for the Outfitters Bill could have been done and introduced and passed, and then we could have brought forward the O&M bill, and there wouldn’t be any concern, if that’s really what you’re worried about.
You said not to get into the blame game, I don’t think I have ever stood in this House, and I have heard very few members in the House blaming someone for something, it’s not something wrong or right.
It’s our job as legislators to pass legislation on behalf and for the people of Nunavut, and I think we have all had some experience at that.
So I want to say for the record that there is no law being broken here and there is no precedent being set because the appropriate legislation is that the Legislative Assembly itself can’t pass money.
Yes, there was a mistake made and the mistake is that yes, we should have had the Outfitters Bill two days ago and passed before the O&M bill came forward.
If that’s what you want to hear, then yes, that’s probably true. At the same time, that wasn’t necessarily what you needed to do because you can vote money for specific items in the budget.
Now, what would happen, the worst case scenario, if we approved the O&M sup budget for the monies for the insurance and the Outfitters Bill never went through, then that money would lapse because you have approved the money in the House for specific line items. If we tried to take that $3 million or $4 million and spend it on something else, we would have to come to the House and identify that.
I’m not trying to debate the merits of it, the yes or no. All I’m saying to the member is we can and have the right to approve money in the House.
The order in which you’re doing it is no precedent.
You’re not breaking any laws doing it this way. I understand that this member and some Members of the House may have a concern with the process, then that’s fine. My job as the House Leader is to try to get our legislation through the House.
In the next election, in six months time, many of the members across the floor will have an opportunity probably to do the same thing, and you will be in the same position.
It would be interesting to see how you feel about moving it back and forth then.
So with that, Mr. Chairman, I would like to see Bill 30 move forward.
I think it gives an opportunity for Nunavummiut especially, and Iqalummiut in particular because they have an opportunity to watch this on TV or at least hear it on the radio, to get a feel for some of the work that goes on in the Assembly.
Sometimes there has to be precedents set and sometimes there are no precedents set. Sometimes you have to be able to cut through what the verbiage, the actual words that are being said, and actually what’s being meant.
Chairman: Mr. Picco, thank you.
Hon. Ed. Picco: I don’t care and I don’t mind that I’ve had an opportunity to do this many times.
If you don’t like what a member is saying, that’s great, but at least show them some respect. There are other people here, there are staff, there are constituents, and yes, that’s great, you have a time clock, I have a clock. Keep biting at your papers.
Good. Put it on the record. At least show some respect that someone…
Chairman: Can we have order in the House, please? Order.
You may proceed, Mr. Picco.
All I am suggesting to you is that I don’t mind having an opportunity to express an opinion and each member is given a certain time limit to do that.
And if you don’t like what someone is saying, then that’s great, but I don’t think that this is the place. We have young people here, students and pages, who watch what happens and what goes on.
It would be nice to be a little bit different than some of the Assemblies we see down south and show some decorum and some manners.
So with that, Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the members listening and I had a difference of opinion and that’s healthy for democracy.
Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Picco. (interpretation) Thank you.
I’m really trying to understand exactly what the House Leader was saying.
Maybe he can repeat his statement. I didn’t understand a word or the principle of what he was saying.
Honestly, I’m not trying to demean him or anything.
I think he could helped us to move this process along because the other day, he said there were priorities and processes when I raised questions about why he couldn’t spend part of this $14 million and use it towards educational projects that critically need funding.
He said there are processes and priorities that have to be dealt with first, and I believe this motion is saying exactly that, that there must be processes and priorities before funds can be expended.
That’s what he said to me yesterday. Now, today, he has changed his mind, Mr. Chairman.
I completely fail to understand him.
So he could have helped us move along because I believe we already have a notice of motion enabling legislation that would oversee the Nunavut Outfitters Liability Protection Fund.
I believe the minister, at least the Government House Leader, could have helped us out and told us that within a couple of days, the particular bill would be debated and passed.
But from the statement that I got from him, I’m not sure whether it will be proceeded with.
That would be the only reason that Bill 30 would not proceed if the enabling legislation for outfitters liability is not proceeded with.
So I have a problem with the motion as well and I indicated that to the mover because it’s holding some of the funds that are available to Rankin Inlet, particularly one related to an emergency situation that occurred this winter in excess of $300,000.
But I believe that once the legislation is moved by the Government House Leader to oversee the Nunavut outfitters… this particular bill must proceed immediately and for that reason, I will be supporting the motion.
Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Curley. (interpretation) To the motion.
As it relates to this motion, I just think it is redundant and just another way again to delay the much needed resources for our outfitters.
If we’re worried about approving funding before legislations are in place, let me give you one good example of funding that has been approved time and time again in this House without legislation, which is before this House for debate, and that’s the midwifery legislation. We have the Nunavut Arctic College Midwifery Training Program, we deliver midwifery services without legislation in place, but this House has committed funding to support that initiative while the legislation is before standing committee.
So the motion here is redundant and if you want to say there is a precedent set, we have done it in the past, why not in this case?
An Hon. Member: For example?
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq: I have given an example.
So to me, it’s a redundant motion and it’s just another way of delaying much needed funding for the outfitters of Nunavut.
There are two confusions here. I think we should clarify that one.
The Minister of Health has stated it’s redundant and it’s one of the ways to delay some funding that is required here under Bill 30.
The reason that we’re dealing with Bill 30 is because it has been delayed for one year and that’s why we’re doing carryovers.
We are talking about, I think, a couple of days here, not one year like the government, maybe more than a year for some of them, but that’s why it’s being carried over.
The second point is I think we have to make it very clear now for Nunavummiut that when the Minister of Education stated that if we pass Bill 21, we will have another $14 million to carry the bill, but we cannot... I remember the debate between Mr. Tootoo and Mr. Picco that as per your existing bill, the Education Bill, you can spend it.
Mr. Picco said that there are procedures to be dealt with and that is why we need legislation in order to spend the $14 million. So I told my constituents that the Minister of Education stated that it will have to be like that.
So here, we’re following that principle, the principle of the bill, the principle of the motion is to be consistent with what the Minister of Education said before.
Mr. Arvaluk: Let’s have legislation and then we will spend the money or authorize the money to be spent.
So I will support this motion.
I’m supposed to inform the committee that I have no more names on my list.
Mr. Alagalak (interpretation): I had my hand up a while ago, but I think you were looking in the other direction. I wanted you know that.
I have a concern because we have never seen this kind of bill.
It’s unclear if it will have to be funded annually or if it’s just one-time funding.
I have never heard anything about funding being sought and how much they have to earn because there are a lot of people that we have to support.
It was compared to the Nunavut Arctic College’s Midwifery Program. We have to use that money for their training and also for nurses because they’re there for the benefit of all Nunavummiut. There’s really no other way but for these programs to continue.
However, looking at this bill with the big amount, these are for very few outfitters, not for all Nunavummiut. I don’t fully understand what, if any, eligibility criteria will be in place.
That and other policies and information will have to be established by the Nunavut government
I fully support this bill in principle. I have experienced it personally and represented them.
Outfitting businesses find it hard to expand their operations and have been unable to get insurance and liability coverage.
They have to do a lot of work and if it’s going to be annual funding, then it should be clearly stated in the bill.
I am very much in support of the motion in principle. I am confident that the drafters of the legislation can make the appropriate changes promptly.
Then we can go ahead with it before we go back to our homes.
I will allow members to speak to the motion even though it’s past our adjournment time; I believe it’s ready to be voted on pretty soon.
The mover of the motion has the right to the last reply.
Please proceed with your reply, Mr. Tootoo.
I’ll be very brief. I would like to thank my colleagues for their comments and I agree with them wholeheartedly, which is why I put forward this motion.
We don’t want to delay it but we need the bill.
It’s not us that had delayed bringing the bill forward. Like I said earlier, it was mentioned in the Budget Address. If it was such a priority for them, they would have had the legislation ready to come forward.
In just echoing the words that the House Leader himself said, this isn’t right, this is wrong the way we’re doing it. It’s the wrong process, it’s the wrong thing. It’s as simple as that.
It’s got nothing to do with disagreeing with the concept behind it and everything, it’s just process. Due process needs to be followed.
I respect the comments that everyone has made here.
Like Mr. Picco said and I have said it many times before, I don’t have to agree with or like what another member is saying, but you know what? They have a right to say it and to listen to it. I have never nay’d anyone from asking for extensions and that’s courtesy.
Whether I agree with what someone is saying, or like it or not, we all have a right to say it here in the House.
So I just wanted to make that point and I again ask everyone to support the motion.
The debate on the motion is now closed.
All those opposed, please raise your hand. All those abstained, please raise your hand.
Now that it is carried, I will recognize the clock and I would like to report progress to the Speaker.
However, I would like to thank the Minister of Finance and his officials, Mr. Moebis and Mr. Ma. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
Report of the Committee of the Whole. (interpretation ends) Mr. Chairman, Member for Uqqummiut, Mr. Arreak.
Your committee has been considering Bill 29 and Bill 30, and would like to report that Bill 29 is immediately ready for third reading and that one committee motion was adopted.
Mr. Arreak made a motion to have his report agreed to. Is there a seconder?
Clerk, Mr. Quirke.
A reminder for meetings for tomorrow, the Standing Committee on Health and Education at nine o’clock in the Tuktu Room and at ten o’clock, the Standing Committee Ajauqtiit in the Nanuq Room.
Orders of the Day for May 28:
Members, this House stands adjourned until Wednesday, May 28, at 1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Pages 4250 – 4295
Opening Prayer 4250
Ministers’ Statements 4250
Members’ Statements 4253
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 4263
Oral Questions 4264
Replies to Opening Address 4284
Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills 4288
First Reading of Bills 4289
Second Reading of Bills 4289
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 4290
Report of Committee of the Whole 4294
Orders of the Day 4294
Wednesday, May 28, 2008 4250
184 – 2(4): Women and Elections Project (Aglukkaq) 4250
185 – 2(4): Long Term Service Award Ceremonies (Barnabas) 4251
186 – 2(4): Skills Canada Nunavut Territorial Competition (Picco) 4252
187 – 2(4): End of Life Vehicles (“ELV”) and Scrap Metal Removal from Iqaluit (Akesuk) 4253
450 – 2(4): Cost of Living (Barnabas) 4253
451 – 2(4): Western Hudson Bay Polar Bear Quota Decrease (Alagalak) 4255
452 – 2(4): Intrusive Wildlife Research Methods (Mapsalak) 4256
453 – 2(4): Fuel Delivery to Homeowners in Sanikiluaq (Kattuk) 4258
454 – 2(4): Review of Subsidies and Programs by GN to Nunavummiut (Curley) 4258
455 – 2(4): Death of Silas Kalluk and Vera Akumalik in Baker Lake (Simailak) 4259
456 – 2(4): Domestic Violence in Nunavut (Peterson) 4261
457 – 2(4): Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Peter Ma’s Marathon (Picco) 4262
458 – 2(4): Concerns of Constituents and the Shipping Lanes for Mary River Project (Akesuk) 4263
560 – 2(4): Renovations to Hamlet Office Building in Kugaaruk (Mapsalak) 4264
561 – 2(4): Baseball Diamond for Pond Inlet (Arvaluk) 4265
562 – 2(4): Income Support Payments and Growing Global Food Crisis (Peterson) 4267
563 – 2(4): CGS Initiatives in Kugluktuk (Evyagotailak) 4270
564 – 2(4): Fuel Supplies in Baker Lake (Simailak) 4271
565 – 2(4): Public Housing Construction in Sanikiluaq (Kattuk) 4275
566 – 2(4): Regulating the Assignment of Rights under Nunavut Land Claims Agreement (Curley) 4276
567 – 2(4): Social Workers for Repulse Bay and Kugaaruk (Mapsalak) 4279
568 – 2(4): Elder Sent Home by Health Centre with Stroke in Cambridge Bay (Peterson) 4281
Reply to Opening Address 001 – 2(4): Mr. James Arreak (Arreak) 4284
Bill 35 – Energy Efficiency Act – Notice 4289
Bill 34 – Nunavut Outfitters Liability Protection Fund Act – First Reading 4289
Bill 34 – Nunavut Outfitter Liability Protection Fund Act – Second Reading 4290
Bill 28 – An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, No. 3 – Consideration in Committee 4291
Ministers and Members, good day.
Minister’s Statement 184 – 2(4): Women and Elections Project (Aglukkaq)
As Minister responsible for the Status of Women, I am pleased to announce that elections training for women as part of leadership programming is now underway.
In June, the Nunavut Women’s Secretariat and the Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council are co-hosting a Women’s Elections Forum and mock elections training workshops in Iqaluit.
Mr. Speaker, we are developing an elections toolkit to encourage women to run for elections to public office, whether it be territorial or federal government, land claims organizations, or municipalities.
The toolkit provides information on the election process, steps in running a successful campaign, managing public life, and roles and responsibilities.
We are anticipating partnership with organizations and municipalities as the programming continues and develops, and engaging the schools to get young people involved.
We are developing and sending out ‘Rock the Vote’ newsletters to women’s groups and organizations across Nunavut, whenever relevant elections occur.
The newsletters provide background information on the voting process, the candidates, and encourage women to vote.
This election project is part of our new Women’s Voices in Leadership programming. Similar projects have been very successful in the Northwest Territories and these initiatives are aimed to increase women’s participation in leadership and decision-making at all levels in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, the political empowerment of women is important to ensure that the particular needs, challenges and issues that affect women in Nunavut can be properly addressed, and that women’s voices are heard.
We encourage and want to see more young women and women running in all Nunavut elections.
Minister’s Statement 185 – 2(4): Long Term Service Award Ceremonies (Barnabas)
Hon. Levi Barnabas: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and good afternoon.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the continuing effort and contributions of our employees who have served long periods of employment within the public service.
Mr. Speaker, long term service award ceremonies, recognizing employees with five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 years of continuous service with the Government of Nunavut, and the Government of the Northwest Territories, are being held this year for approximately 587 employees.
Mr. Speaker, for this year’s awards, I would like to acknowledge our two 35-year recipients: Jocelyne Savard of Health and Social Services in Iqaluit, and Caroline Iqaluq, Teacher, Sanikiluaq.
There are also nine 30-year recipients.
If I mispronounce their names, I apologize: Alice Barrieau, Finance in Iqaluit; Lyn Geikie, Community and Government Services, Iqaluit; Meeka Kakudluk, Teacher in Iqaluit; Brent Boddy, Community and Government Services, Cambridge Bay; Mary Eetoolook, Teacher, Cambridge Bay; Shirley Tagalik, Teacher, Arviat; Samwillie Killiktee, Community and Government Services, Qikiqtarjuaq; Piuyuq Enoogoo, Teacher, Arctic Bay; and Tirak Parr, Nunavut Arctic College, Cape Dorset.
Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, over 190 employees will receive five and ten-year awards at a ceremony being held here in Iqaluit.
Upcoming long service award events will be held in other communities across Nunavut this year.
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to invite all Members of the Legislative Assembly to the Long Service Award Ceremony for employees receiving 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35-year awards in Iqaluit.
The ceremony will be held on Friday, May 30, at the Frobisher Inn starting at 6:30 p.m. and I look forward to seeing you there.
Mr. Speaker, please join me in acknowledging the dedication of our employees - our most valued asset.
Minister’s Statement 186 – 2(4): Skills Canada Nunavut Territorial Competition (Picco)
Good afternoon to the House and to our colleagues.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to inform the House about Skills Canada Nunavut’s third annual Territorial Skills Competition which was held in Iqaluit last month.
Students and apprentices from 11 communities from across Nunavut came together to compete in 14 skilled areas. This year, more communities participated than ever before.
Skills Canada Nunavut is a non-profit organization, whose mission is to expose our young people to trade and technology occupations by developing and delivering educational programs and activities to these youth, educators, parents and others.
Mr. Speaker, Skills Canada Nunavut provides venues for young people to explore the many opportunities available in skilled trades and technology careers.
In partnerships with private and public sector parties, the organization is helping to address northern Canada’s need for a skilled workforce.