EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Chairman, the Department of Sustainable Development's budget for 2000/2001 is 33 million, 835 thousand, which is 5% of the total government expenditures.
On pages 11 – 3 to 11 – 5 of the Main Estimates you will find the department' operations and maintenance budget.
We have made adjustments to the operations and maintenance budget this year to accommodate some new initiatives in the department's budget.
I just want to ask the Chairman whether I should continue or not with my opening remarks.
Chairperson (interpretation): We have many items to cover.
Perhaps if we could take a brief recess and then continue with the minister's opening remarks when we have a quorum.
We will take a ten minute break at this time.
>>Committee recessed at 2:54 and resumed at 3:12 p.m.
Chairperson (interpretation): Members of the Legislative Assembly we create problems when we do not have a quorum.
Perhaps when the rest of the Members get into the House I will give you a brief message.
For those members that are over here.
I wonder if they can come into the House, back into the House.
We have the obligation to deal with the Main Estimates.
We have to continue with the Orders of the Day.
So I wonder if the Members could come back to the House.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairperson.
I do not mind to go ahead with the opening remarks by Sustainable Development Minister because the rest of the Members have other items to deal with.
So we will not have to vote at this time.
The Minister of Sustainable Development can continue.
It is a short day, it is not a long day.
So I think we should continue.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Premier for your comments.
During the voting of members.
The members have to be present in the House.
After the minister makes his opening comments then usually questions come from the members.
We were voted into Nunavut Legislature in order to do our job and we have to sit in the House in the meantime.
So according to that I think all the members should try to be present in the House when we are discussing very important topics such as the Main Estimates.
The Minister of Sustainable Development, Mr. Kilabuk can you go ahead with your opening remarks.
Perhaps if I can start where we took a break.
The operations & maintenance budget.
Mr. Chairperson I made brief comments about the 2000-2001 Main Estimates. 33 million 835 thousand.
On pages 11-3 to 11-5 of the Main Estimates.
You will find the Departments operations & maintenance budget. We have made adjustments to the operations & maintenance budget this year to accommodate new initiatives in the Departments budget.
One of those initiatives relates to the Bathurst Mandate.
Commitment of capacity building.
Mr. Chairperson one of the topics that were raised in virtually every community I travelled to this year was made for the Department to provide greater support community based staff that deliver the Department’s programs.
These are the community economic development officers who we support through direct contributions to Hamlets and our Wildlife Officers.
Who are Government of Nunavut employees.
The 2000-2001 budget sets aside 175 thousand dollars for strengthening or supporting to community economic development officers.
Three hundred and fifty thousand for training and development in Nunavut Wildlife service.
And Mr. Chairperson we have reduced the 2000-2001 headquarters operations & maintenance budget in order to support 3 new economic initiatives for this Government.
The first of these initiatives is the implementation of our Nunavut Sealing Strategy.
Which I have previously announced in this House and the Fisheries Strategy aimed at gaining greater access to the fish stock off our shores.
We have budgeted 100 thousand dollars for this purpose.
The second economic initiative relates to Nunavut Mining sector.
Last year Members will recall the Department’s budget set aside new dollars for Canada-Nunavut Geo-Science office.
For the Nunavut prospectors program. Over the winter we completed analysis of opportunity in Nunavut’s mining sector.
In addition, the investment of this Government must make to prepare in Nunavummiut for these opportunities.
In 2000-2001 we have set aside 125 thousand for mobilisation initiatives for the mining sector.
The third economic initiative deals with giving Nunavummiut an opportunity at work experience.
Mr. Chairperson almost 20 years ago I gained my first experience in the labour force through a short term employment program known as the Step Program.
Last year I directed my officials to examine the range of existing programs that support the entry of people into the labour force and how we can facilitate access to those programs for community projects.
In 2000-2001 we have set aside 175 thousand dollars to continue to set up our Nunavut job Corp network so that more Nunavummiut can gain experience in the work force.
Mr. Chairperson 11-6 to 11-10 you will find the description of the Departments Grants and Contribution which totals 13 million 168 thousand dollars or 43 percent of the Departments operations & maintenance budget.
These Grants and Contribution form the core of the Departments core grant commitment.
As Members are aware on April 1 1999, we assume responsibility for the community-based business operating under the Nunavut Development Corporation.
We are proposing a budget of 2 million 865 thousand for the Nunavut Development Corporation this year and we will undertake of the operation.
I am pleased that our contracting arrangement with the Government of the Northwest Territories for the administration of the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation is now concluded and we have this important loan program home to Nunavut this year.
We are proposing a budget of 371 thousand dollars to establish and administer its operation in year 2000-2001.
The Nunavut Business Credit Corporation is currently reviewing its role in lending environment in Nunavut.
So I hope to be able to report on this progress of this review this fall.
We are also proposing to continue support for the Community Futures program this year.
Which provides loans under 75 thousand dollars.
Mr. Chairperson the Department of Sustainable Development delivers a number of programs in partnership with other agencies.
The list of Grants and Contributions on page 11-7 to 11-8 reflects on-going commitment to those partnerships.
In 2000-2001 our partnership will include the Nunavut Arts and Craft Association. 100 thousand.
Nunavut Tourism. 1 million 185 thousand.
And the Canada-Nunavut Geo-Science office for 450 thousand dollars.
Under Grants and Contribution on pages 11-6 to 11-9 you will also see that we are continuing assist programs, individuals, and communities in realising their ideas for developing the economy.
Our expenditures in these areas remain almost stable at 330 thousand for Grants to small business program.
In the amount of 150 thousand for the Nunavut Prospectors Program, 859 thousand for the Business Development Program and 240 thousand for support of commercial fisheries.
Mr. Chairperson we are also extending our funding commitment to Nunavut communities to develop and implement their own economic plans and projects by allocating 2 million 890 thousand dollars under the Community Initiative Fund.
During Standing Committee and throughout my travels this year I have heard general support for my Departments partnerships with communities and service deliver agencies.
Providing we are clear in the purpose and performance objectives.
Thus Mr. Chairperson early this year I will be releasing a policy on program partnership that will seek to strengthen the terms under which we will support these partnerships.
Mr. Chairperson I have also incorporated in this year’s budget a major initiatives in wildlife.
As Members know this Government along with our partners Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board is committed to the development of wildlife legislation.
That is appropriate for Nunavut.
200 thousand dollars have been built into the budget this year for the extensive consultations that will be required to develop Nunavut’s own Wildlife Act.
The first wildlife legislation in Canada to reflect a co-management regime.
In addition, Mr. Chairperson the Department 2000-2001 budget also reflects our on-going commitment to our partners in wildlife management.
The Grants and Contribution budget on page 11-7 details our commitment to Hunters and Trappers Organizations in Nunavut. 303 thousand dollars.
Regional Wildlife Boards for 223 thousand dollars.
Last month I launched a review on Harvesters Support Programs.
The results of which I expect to have this fall.
In the interim we are maintaining our level of support to individuals harvesters through our policy on grants and contribution in support of harvesters.
Mr. Chairperson before I conclude.
I want to speak briefly about the Department’s capital plan for 2000-2001.
The Department has a capital plan for three purposes.
The first purpose is to support the on-going requirements of the Nunavut Wildlife Service in replacing equipment used in monitoring enforcement and training.
We have budgeted 860 thousand for this year 2000-2001.
The second purpose of our capital plan is to invest in the developing Nunavut Tourism Industry.
Mr. Chairperson a successful tourism industry is built up through small investment in such things as information signs and the development of attractions such as Thule sites and camp grounds and exhibits in our airports and visitors centres.
We have budgeted 1 million 665 thousand in this 2000-2001.
I am also pleased to advise you that we have commenced our negotiations with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated on the Inuit Impact Benefits Agreements.
For our Territorial parks and hope to be able to conclude these negotiations later this year.
The third purpose of our capital plan is to support our traditional economy through the display of arts and crafts in public buildings throughout Nunavut and we have budgeted 175 thousand for this purpose.
When the public interest is building they should be greeted with showcase of artists that brings recognition to the important contribution they make to our economy.
Mr. Chairperson this is the summery of the Department of Sustainable Development budget for 2000-2001.
I would be very pleased to answer questions at this time.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Minister of Sustainable Development.
Chairperson of the Standing Committee Mr. Irqittuq.
I am pleased to be able to make some opening remarks as we begin the debate of the 2000-2001 Main Estimates for the Department of Sustainable Development.
Mr. Chairperson the Standing Committee has been impressed with the energy that the Department has placed in a number of initiatives over the past year.
Given the high importance that all Members place on building economic opportunity in all of our communities large and small and given the need to address the unacceptably high levels of unemployment in Nunavut, the Standing Committee is supportive of the thrust the Departments efforts.
Over the coming year the Standing Committee will follow closely the progress made in both the Nunavut Economic Forum and the Minister’s Forum on the Economy.
It is our hope that both initiatives generate concrete action plans.
We would express the same sentiment with respect to the Nunavut Job Corps initiative.
Members of the Standing Committee are also interested in the status of the Department’s review of the operations of the Nunavut Development Corporation.
Members of the Standing Committee have expressed concern over the issue of the Grants and Contributions programs of the Department.
The Committee has taken not of the commitment in the Departments business plan to review the Grants and Contributions policies of the Department.
In the past year Members of the Standing Committee have expressed concerns over the accountability of the dollars spent in grants and contributions.
Mr. Chairperson Members of the Standing Committee are aware of the positive role that tourism plays in the development of Nunavut’s economy.
However Members of the Standing Committee have expressed concerns on a number of occasions with the Minister over the value for money that Nunavut receives from the 1.1 million dollars that the Department provides annually to the Nunavut Tourism in core funding.
With respect to the Department’s 2000-2001 capital plan the Standing Committee will seek clarification as to the criteria that will be used to determine in which community the centre will be located.
The Standing Committee has also taken note of the fact that the final capital estimates document does not lay out the future years’ cost of a number of projects.
Individual Members are also likely to raise a number of concerns regarding the capital priorities of the Department.
Mr. Chairperson these are some of the general areas of concern that we have had as a Standing Committee.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Chairperson of the Standing Committee.
We are now on Sustainable Development.
Perhaps the Minister and his two officials can go down to the witness table.
Mr. Barnabas (interpretation): Mr. Chairperson we will be asking questions once the Members go to the witness table.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Barnabas. Mr. Minister for Sustainable Development and the rest of his officials can go down to the table.
Thank you for coming down to the witness table Mr. Minister for Sustainable Development Mr. Kilabuk.
Could you introduce your officials for the record please.
As I stated earlier that I will be with Kathryn Trumper to my right and to my left Mr. Ittinuar the Assistant Deputy Minister.
And also couple of more officials sitting at the gallery Joe Tigullarak, Assistant Director for Wildlife and also the person sitting next to him Jim Martin, Director of Corporate Services.
So these are my officials for today Mr. Chairperson.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Minister for Sustainable Development.
Mr. Chairperson I know we will be dealing with the Main Estimates but I would like to make a general comment Mr. Chairperson.
We were able to make an agreement between Pond Inlet and Arctic Bay about the proposed parks when they were working on the proposed parks.
But Pond Inlet and Arctic Bay residence if they could use the parks for commercial purposes.
That was the only way we could approve it and looking at the budget.
They are only allocating some funds to Pond Inlet.
There is none for Arctic Bay.
So my question is why that is the case.
Minister for Sustainable Development Mr. Kilabuk.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Perhaps just to elaborate to you why they are not included in the Main Estimates.
The Territorial Parks within Nunavut under the jurisdiction of the Nunavut Government.
Yes we do have responsibility for those but for the parks are under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government on National Parks.
They have that responsibility too to allocate funds because they are under the responsibility.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Minister Kilabuk.
I would like to ask a different question.
It is 225 thousand on the proposed natural resource centre the first time and now it is different with 225 thousand is still the same.
Is that going to be used for the feasibility study.
My question is when the government initiates a feasibility study it can easily expend 15 thousand dollars.
You have 225 thousand dollars for a feasibility study.
It is the same when we appeared before the standing committee.
I know for some units being built it is more expensive units this is for the most expensive figure but it will be used for a feasibility study and the operation will be in there.
Mr. Barnabas (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Chairman. 225 thousand for one fiscal year would be used for a feasibility study what kind of plan are you going to be studying for 225 thousand.
Usually 15 thousand dollars is expended for such studies.
Why do we need such an expensive feasibility study.
Yes, the department of Sustainable Development would not be working alone but they would have to be working along with other people if we can come up with a natural resource training centre.
We would have to work in partnership with education and as to these people are working in the training centres will be used and how the design will be and all these are for that planning study.
We recognize that the development officers and the renewable resource officers are part wardens as to who would have to utilise the training centre and how much planning and everything is included that is why you see that kind of figure.
Mr. Chairperson, yes we approved under the department of education budget I had not seen any funding from the department of education.
Whether the department of education would work in partnership with the department of sustainable development for training purposes.
Perhaps the minister for education did not allot money to your department or maybe you have not negotiated with the minister for the training part of the training centre.
We still have not initiated any study yet but we have budgeted for 225 thousand dollars for the feasibility study and we will work with all the people we will be collaborating with.
We will find out who we should be collaborating with at this point.
I would like all the people we will be working with to approve the plan after a year.
Especially after a year the Department of Fisheries and Oceans under the jurisdiction of the federal government in Ottawa and we will also be appearing in front of that federal department on how we can find the best solution for Nunavut.
We will be working with the departments that will have an impact on our department.
Mr. Barnabas (interpretation): As some of the members represent smaller communities, we are looking at initiatives that are implemented by the government and what we are looking for is to get more benefits going into the communities and therefore more jobs.
This money is set aside to build a proposed natural resources centre.
I would like to know what type of criteria you will use in order to find out where you will build this training centre.
That is my question thank you Mr. Speaker.
Like I said earlier I am going to be working with the other departments when we are talking about the proposed natural resource training centre; on the location of the centre, where it is going to be located.
During these discussions we are going to figure out who we are going to be working with.
I would like clarification from the minister.
I do know that our Premier has this portfolio, the decentralization portfolio and there is going to be benefits going out to the various communities and with the decentralization plan the ones who lose out are the smaller communities.
They have lots of renewable resource officers and offices but it is usually one person that is employed by that department.
When the Nunavut Construction Corporation was building staff housing there were more people employed from the larger communities than the smaller communities. The smaller communities that did not get decentralized departments did not even get some of their population employed by NCC.
They were ready and willing to work but they could not pay for their airfare or their expenses that were required in order to gain that employment.
I would like to know what is going to be in this for the smaller communities. Thank you Mr. Chairman.
In regards to the discussion about the smaller communities.
We are not just concentrating on the smaller communities we are looking at the operation and the location of this training centre.
We are going to be looking at the feasibility study, part and parcel of that is the location, and of course we will be considering the employment factor.
Like everything else and then form there we will be taking all these into consideration.
For those in the communities, they do not have any jobs and they have trouble with money and by trying to get a job or start their own business.
They have problems with equity when they want to have their own business.
(interpretation ends) Also, to put the application through the system, let us say sustainable development or the regional economic development offices, I am wondering if the department has looked at this before.
How do we help individuals that have a really good idea.
A business plan that they can put in place.
Before they come up with that equity a business comes up from down south, I just given this as an example, coming from down south and saying I got the equity I will do it.
So the people in the community lose out on that opportunity.
So I am just trying to get some information or some ideas so you can address that in the future.
It is a very good example with what happens at the communities with many people out there that have excellent business ideas and plans but the only problem they have is start-up funds, which are lacking.
There is many ideas that do not get started because a lack of equity.
In the Nunavut Regions, the Kitikmeot the Keewatin and the Baffin there is the regional Inuit associations and the funding agencies that provide contributions or part of the funds for small businesses.
They are able to give financial assistance to the people who have business ideas.
We are also going to be looking at the issue to support the people out there.
Mr. Havioyak: Maybe I should just give an example here and it might be able to help both of us so we can be on the same level there.
Okay, the individual has a 100 thousand dollar project in total.
The individual has to have equity of ten percent, hopefully it is 2 percent in the future. 10 thousand dollars is a lot of money and people cannot come up with that 10 thousand dollars.
I am wondering if there is a percentage that you will be working with in the future or working with the other organizations that work with economic development projects.
I guess I am just looking for an answer where we can say are we looking at these equity percentages lowered so we can assist these individuals in the future.
I would like to remind everyone that our grants and contributions from our department are going to be reviewed this coming year.
Of course, your comments are going to be included in this review as we have stated earlier to the members.
Also, to the mayors in the upcoming months we hope to have a closer working relationship so we can redirect or re-route our grants and contributions that come from our department.
The example that Mr. Havioyak used is going to be part of the review, but I cannot say at this point exactly until that review is done.
I am the Chairperson so I cannot very well ask you some questions.
The Axel Hieghburg Island is going to be provided 25 thousand dollars and I do know it would not be funded if it did not go through the media or if we did not bring it up as an issue.
Iqaluit is growing at a rapid past as the capital of Nunavut.
There is almost 500 thousand that will be used and there is 275 thousand for the development of the Sylvia Grinnell Park and 200 thousand dollars for the renovation for the Unikaavik Visitors Centre.
That is approximately half a million dollars that will be used for Iqaluit where there is a lot smaller portions slotted for the other communities.
Why is that the case, that is my question.
In our review we have found out that tourists that go up to the arctic from the south usually don't come back if there is no facilities or attractions in the community that they visited to.
One thing that we have heard from the tourists is that Iqaluit is the transportation hub and we thought there has to be something for the tourists to see so that they will want to go a little bit further to the smaller communities.
In our plan we are looking at ways and means of how we can attract tourists and how we can have the tourists stay up here longer and we have found it is going to be an incentive for the tourists to stay longer.
So that is what we are building on.
Looking at the 5-year plan, the smaller communities are trying to generate some revenues through tourism.
There are businesses in Iqaluit and outfitters and there is Baffin tourism here.