EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
When he approached the local economic development officer, he told me that he was told that he had to come up with a business plan. He is not able to do that by himself.
Will the minister indicate to this House how he can provide that under his departmental officials?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Minister of Economic Development.
The economic development officers are put into these communities to do exactly that, to assist community members in developing business plans, feasibility studies, and overall, assisting the local entrepreneurs who want to get into some sort of economic activity.
With the statement that you are making that the CEDO did not want to assist the member, I will get my officials to look into that.
Mr. Ningark: Thanks. I thank the hon. minister for his answer.
I thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Outside of this House, I will provide the hon. minister with the name of the individual.
When will the hon. minister be able to get back to me as to when that person there can be seen by one of his economic development officers?
I will have my officials look into that. We intend to assist the communities in whatever entrepreneurship that they are pursuing, the local folks of the communities.
Mr. Speaker, the EDOs are put in place to assist the local members in the communities and point them in the right direction to get assistance from any department, whether it be Economic Development, or other federal programs in community economic development.
I will get back to the hon. member once my officials have looked into the case.
Question 559 – 3(2): Nanisivik Road (Elliott)
Earlier this morning, the minister did a Minister’s Statement on the Community Access Roads Program.
I know, in different conversations back and forth and also in oral questions, I asked about the Nanisivik road now that the Nanisivik Airport is closed.
I just wanted confirmation if the road to Nanisivik from Arctic Bay is considered an access road, yes or no.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Minister of Transportation.
Yes, the road is considered an access road.
Unfortunately that was the longest highway in Nunavut and the most northern highway.
I remember putting in suggestions of having it as one of our cross-Canada or trans-Canada highways, but that didn’t go through.
In terms of it being an access road, that means it’s purely the responsibility of the hamlet to maintain the road, keep the upgrade on it, and keep it paved… not paved, in Iqaluit, you get lots of money for paving, but to have snow removal as well.
The decision to build an airport in Arctic Bay was because of the long distance to Nanisivik and the cost of maintaining that road to Nanisivik. That is exactly why the new airport was built in Arctic Bay.
There are still ongoing negotiations or talks with DND on what to do with that road.
As you know and as the member is well aware, the DND is talking about refurbishing the port there at Nanisivik and possible use of the Nanisivik highway, but for the most part, Mr. Speaker, the road is considered an access road and the department has no intention of funding or maintaining that road unless there is an agreement with the community and DND.
In a way, this is exactly what I’m looking for. I recently met with the Nanisivik Naval Facility Project people and one of the concerns they had was in terms of the access road, whether it was a GN asset or whether it was a hamlet asset.
So in answering the question, he has sort of said it’s a hamlet asset.
In terms of it being an access road, is it actually owned by the hamlet?
That’s an ongoing discussion with DND and the hamlet.
As you know, the preliminary reason why the road was downgraded to an access road from a highway was the cost of maintenance. It was a high expense for the government to maintain.
At this time, there are still discussions ongoing with DND and the hamlet. There is a possibility that there may be some cost sharing between the three governments, but at this time, they are still discussing that.
There is no agreement in place yet for that.
Would you like to ask a final supplementary, Member for Quttiktuq?
Okay. I wish to note that question period is now over.
Before we proceed further, I would like to welcome some guests. (interpretation ends) I want to welcome my fellow Montreal Canadiens fan in particular, Mr. Wayne Moore and his wonderful wife, Linda, to our Assembly.
I am glad you came to counsel me on my recent loss.
I also want to welcome one of my constituents, Mr. Terry Forth, a very hard-working constituent.
Welcome to our Assembly.  (interpretation) I welcome all visitors in the Assembly.
Written Questions. (interpretation ends) Item 7.
Item 8. (interpretation) Returns to Written Questions. (interpretation ends) Item 9. (interpretation) Petitions. (interpretation ends) Item 10. (interpretation) Responses to Petitions. (interpretation ends) Item 11. (interpretation) Reports of Standing and Special Committees on Bills and Other Matters. (interpretation ends) Item 12. (interpretation) Tabling of Documents.
Tabled Document 279 – 3(2): Annual Report of the Director of Child and Family Services 2009-2010 (Curley)
I am pleased to table the Annual Report of the Director of Child and Family Services for 2009-2010.
Tabling of Documents. (interpretation ends) Item 13. (interpretation) Notices of Motions. (interpretation ends) Item 14. (interpretation) Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills. (interpretation ends) Item 15. (interpretation) Motions.
The first one will be the Member for Amittuq.
Motion 037 – 3(2): Appointment to the Management and Services Board (Tapardjuk)
WHEREAS section 38 of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act provides that the Legislative Assembly shall appoint members to the Management and Services Board;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Hon. Member for Pangnirtung, that Mr. Allan Rumbolt, Member for Hudson Bay, be appointed to the Management and Services Board.
We’re on Motions. (interpretation ends) Item 15. (interpretation) Member for South Baffin.
Motion 035 – 3(2): Standing Committee Appointments and Revocations (Schell)
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Hon. Member for Akulliq, that Mr. Louis Tapardjuk be appointed a member of the Standing Committee on Legislation, a member of the Standing Committee on Oversight of Government Operations and Public Accounts, and a member of the Standing Committee on Social Wellness;
AND FURTHER I MOVE that the appointments of Mr. Paul Okalik as a member of the Standing Committee on Legislation, the Standing Committee on Oversight of Government Operations and Public Accounts, the Standing Committee on Social Wellness, and the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and Privileges be revoked.
Motion 036 – 3(2): Appointment of Deputy Chairperson of the Committee of the Whole (Ningark)
AND WHEREAS one of these positions is vacant;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Hon. Member for South Baffin, that Mr. Louis Tapardjuk, Member for Amittuq, be appointed as a Deputy Chairperson of the Committee of the Whole.
Motion 034 – 3(2): Appointments to the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and Privileges (Tapardjuk)
Mr. Tapardjuk (interpretation): Appointments to the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and Privileges:
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Hon. Member for Quttiktuq, that Mr. Adamee Komoartok, Member for Pangnirtung, be appointed a member of the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and Privileges;
AND FURTHER I MOVE that Ms. Jeannie Ugyuk, Member for Nattilik, be appointed an alternate member of the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and Privileges.
We congratulate the appointees.
Motion 038 – 3(2): Invitation to Witnesses from the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs and the Nutrition North Advisory Board to Appear Before the Committee of the Whole (Elliott)
Invitation to Witnesses from the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs and Nutrition North Canada Advisory Board to Appear Before the Committee of the Whole:
WHEREAS the Government of Canada’s Nutrition North Program comes into effect on April 1, 2011;
AND WHEREAS all Members of the Legislative Assembly have an interest in ensuring that the Nutrition North Canada Program works well for Nunavut and Nunavummiut;
AND WHEREAS a number of issues of concern have been identified with respect to the design and implementation of the Nutrition North Canada Program;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the hon. member from Rankin Inlet North, that the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, through the Office of the Speaker, formally invite witnesses from the Northern Food Security Directorate of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs and the Nutrition North Canada Advisory Board to appear before the Committee of the Whole in March of this year to respond to members’ questions concerning the Nutrition North Canada Program;
AND FURTHER I MOVE that the Office of the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly undertake such actions as are necessary to arrange for this appearance.
I will be speaking to the motion.
The motion is in order, but before we go any further, I have some comments to make as to procedures.
Firstly, every member has the right to speak once to the motion for a total of 20 minutes. The mover of the motion speaks first, followed by the seconder. Thirdly, the mover of the motion has the right to the last reply, which closes the debate.
I want to begin by thanking my colleague from Rankin Inlet North for seconding the motion.
As with a number of motions that we have considered during this Legislative Assembly, the fact that members from both sides of the House have worked together demonstrates the strength of our consensus approach to government and I am very hopeful that the motion will receive unanimous support today.
It’s very clear from listening to my colleagues that all of us in the Legislative Assembly are deeply committed to ensuring that our constituents have access to affordable food and essential non-food items.
It’s also very clear to me that members have been receiving a number of questions and concerns from constituents concerning the new Nutrition North Canada Program.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, I was very pleased that federal leaders and officials recently travelled on very short notice to the High Arctic to meet directly with my constituents about the new program.
As we know, the new program comes into effect in less than 40 days and it would not be reasonable to expect federal officials to travel to 25 Nunavut communities in that time.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that our invitation for federal officials and members of the advisory board to appear before the Legislative Assembly during our current sitting should be welcomed as an excellent opportunity to explain the new program and respond to members’ concerns and questions on behalf of all of our constituents.
In fact, I believe that the federal minister recently stated that Ottawa is going to step up its communication efforts on the new program, and I am hopeful that the federal government will recognize that this invitation that we are providing to them is a great opportunity for them to get their message across to the MLAs who represent all of our communities.
With respect to this matter, I am also content with supporting this motion. I wish to thank the Member for Quttiktuq, Mr. Ron Elliott, for taking on this issue.
He has been very passionate in representing his constituency by meeting with the appropriate agencies, corresponding and consulting with his constituents as it currently has the highest food costs in all of Nunavut.
I think we all know that the original program, which was called the Food Mail Program, was administered by Canada Post. Many Nunavutmiut used this program to order nutritional foods and it was in place for a long time.
It also benefited many families throughout Nunavut as it allowed them to place orders from suppliers in Winnipeg, Montreal, and for the Kitikmeot families, in Yellowknife or Edmonton. They would call the supplier, who would then ship the food via the Canada Post program.
Many families became quite familiar with the program and, with the advent of the Internet and computers, it allowed for families to pool their money and collaborate on the food to be ordered. If one person had a credit card, then that person would place the order.
This program was used by a lot of people in Nunavut, and this program was not broken but it was replaced.
Some of us have been taught this old saying which is a western society statement: “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.”
That is how I perceived this program, which the federal government administered and which was roughly between $50 million and $60 million per annum, that the Food Mail Program was not broken. In my opinion, I felt that not all of the particulars should have been deleted.
Some Inuit who live quite far from the southern suppliers and who suffer from very high food costs, such as the High Arctic communities, face more expensive costs than the prices we pay here in Iqaluit. Fresh produce, such as vegetables and fruits, are not utilized by all families and due to the time lag, it results in the produce spoiling by the time it reached communities like Grise Fiord.
The only real issue was the spoilage caused by the time spent en route to the communities.
However, most people would order canned vegetables to offset this and that will continue.
Based on this new program, if you read the particulars, it will be put in place by April 1, and one of the items listed as no longer being eligible are canned vegetables. (interpretation ends) That is not right. (interpretation) The Food Mail Program was not broken, but when they tried to fix it, it seems that it lost its purpose.
That is why we have invited the officials representing the suppliers to appear before the Committee of the Whole.
What I can say is this: we were informed that country food would be eligible for assistance under this program. (interpretation ends) That is good, (interpretation) but it also states that it is conditional since the CFIA has to stamp the foods prior to it being branded eligible.
How will we accomplish this stamping of country food from the various communities?
The only way to stamp country food is if it is butchered in a meat plant. Perhaps we may have to ship the country food to the meat plant in Rankin Inlet, where they can be stamped and then it would be shipped out.
The country food forms a large part of our cultural identity; it allows us to know that we are Inuit. (interpretation ends) My identity is based on my diet, not my appearance, not my language, my diet.
That dictates whether this guy is an Inuk or not.
You would be an urban Inuk, as far as I’m concerned. That’s the difference. Inuit identity is really strictly tied to diet and we need to do something about that.
I fully support the motion. It will be an interesting discussion. Nunavutmiut want to hear exactly what’s happening, and the federal officials, in my view, have an obligation to appear before the Committee of the Whole and explain to Nunavutmiut how great the program will benefit Nunavutmiut.
I would like to eat the country food even before they stamp it, if you have any country food, Minister Curley.
To the motion. Member for Akulliq.
The motion has been moved by my hon. colleague, and if we approve it, and I will approve it, it will become public knowledge, and then we will hear things from the public.
Once we support the motion, I encourage my constituents to send me information on what their concerns are.
No doubt everyone has concerns on this very important initiative, and I will support the motion.
I once again would like to indicate that it will become public and then we will have the opportunity once they accept the invitation to speak to it in this House.
Member for Arviat, Minister Shewchuk.
I, too, rise today to publicly support this motion.
On behalf of my constituents of Arviat, they have voiced their opinions and their concerns in regard to the Nutrition North program.
People are very confused. I think people need answers and clarification on how this program is going to benefit people in Nunavut and how it’s going to be implemented.
As I stated, I thank Mr. Elliott for making this motion. I believe that by having these appearances by the committee and the federal government here, we can get answers to our questions.
Member for Rankin Inlet South and Whale Cove.
Hon. Lorne Kusugak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) Mr. Curley worries me now because I had pizza a couple of days ago and I ordered takeout from the Navigator Inn. Still, I’m Inuk, though.
Mr. Speaker, I truly support this motion.
I hope that when they do come, they come with real answers and they could seek real solutions to this very important matter.
Mr. Speaker, they say that it’s not in effect until April 1, but already today, there are people in my riding who cannot order food mail because it’s already too much of a hassle for them and it hasn’t even taken effect yet, Mr. Speaker.
I truly will support this motion, I know it has the backing of my constituency, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.
I would like to thank the Hon. Member for Quttiktuq for validating all of the issues that affect all Nunavummiut.
As we all know, it is the right and privilege to have access to health and well-being, and one of the critical things to meet that is access to healthy foods. I can’t express enough and reiterate exactly what everybody said.
I would like to thank the constituents of Baker Lake for continually sharing their concerns in regard to the Food Mail Program, and I’m sure there will be a lot more concerns that we can address if we have witnesses come before us.
It doesn’t make sense to have to pay $32 for a cantaloupe. It just doesn’t make sense. It’s not feasible.
At the same time, I want to continue to encourage the people of Baker Lake to continue to contact our offices and all members. In Baker Lake, you know where my office is located and my constituency assistant would be more than happy to take emails, letters, phone calls, and concerns.
So I encourage all Nunavummiut to be able to express themselves, and also guide us and also allow us to share their concerns.
I think this is an exceptional approach for the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Speaker, and I would like to wholeheartedly support the motion. It’s an excellent initiative, and I think the consumers, all Nunavummiut, look to benefit for the sake of well-being.
With that, I fully support the motion.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Member. To the motion.
There are no more hands up. I would like to give the mover of the motion an opportunity, the Member for Quttiktuq, to the last reply.
I just want to thank all of my colleagues for their support and look forward to the vote.
I also wanted to thank my constituents for bringing this issue forward, having three communities, with three different types of problems all based around the transportation system that we have been working with the GN.
In conclusion, I should mention the names of two people in Arctic Bay who first brought the attention to me for this issue by walking in the Northern Store and seeing them take pictures.
It was sort of their initiative to do something in terms of the prices being so high in the community.
It was Jimmy Enoogoo and Audrey Qamaniq who were actually in the store taking pictures. It intrigued my interest and said, “What are you doing?”
And they since went from there, put those pictures up on Facebook, so again, we’ve got other media tools that seem to be working in favour of our community to get the word out and help us get recognition for different things.
In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to ask for a recorded vote.
We have concluded with comments to the motion. A recorded vote was requested.
Those in favour of the motion, if you would please stand.
Those in favour of the motion:
There are no nays. This motion is carried unanimously.
Motion 039 – 3(2): Invitation to Witnesses from the North West Company, Arctic Co-operatives Limited, and Other Entities to Appear Before the Committee of the Whole (Elliott)
Thanks again to my colleagues for their support.
Invitation to Witnesses from the North West Company, Arctic Co-operatives Limited, and Other Entities to Appear Before the Committee of the Whole:
WHEREAS the Government of Canada’s Nutrition North Canada Program comes into effect on April 1, 2011;
AND WHEREAS the operations of retailers and suppliers serving Nunavut communities have a significant impact on the ability of Nunavummiut to access affordable food and essential non-food items;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Hon. Member for Rankin Inlet North, that the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, through the Office of the Speaker, formally invite witnesses from the North West Company, Arctic Co-operatives Limited, and other interested retailers and suppliers serving Nunavut to appear before the Committee of the Whole during the spring sitting of the House to respond to members’ questions concerning the Nutrition North Canada Program;
It was short; it’s the same motion but different people. Once again I would like to thank my colleague from Rankin Inlet North for seconding the motion.
I also believe that the retailers who do business in our communities will appreciate the opportunity to appear before us.
As I noted earlier this week, I would hope that many of them who appeared before the House of Common’s standing committee last year will also welcome the chance to meet directly with us to get their message across to the listening public and the members who represent our communities.
I, too, want to congratulate again our colleague, Mr. Ron Elliott, Member for Quttiktuq, in inviting the main players with respect to providing goods and services for most of our communities.
I think it’s important nationally to be understood that even though Nunavut is normally known as heavily subsidized by the Government of Canada, that’s the image of the Canadian government, let’s not be shy about indicating to them that all of our marine transportation services are privately owned by private companies that set their own transportation rates and they pass it onto the consumer.
How is that passed onto the consumer? All of the retail businesses are also privately owned, private sector.
There is not one institution or company in Nunavut that is subsidized by the Government of Canada or the Nunavut government; these are all private enterprise businesses.
I think Canadians, for centuries, misunderstood the fact that when they say “heavily subsidized,” they don’t get to appreciate the fact that all of our goods and service providing retailers are private sector and they are in the business of making money.
It’s about time that Nunavutmiut get to face the main actors with the food providers and allow members to ask questions exactly how the new regime for Nutrition North will impact on consumers.
For that, I will be supporting the motion.
I just wanted to ask once again for a recorded vote.
Madam Aariak.
Madam Ugyuk.
There are no nays. (interpretation ends) The motion is carried unanimously.
There are no more hands up. (interpretation ends) Item 16. (interpretation) First Reading of Bills. (interpretation ends) Item 17. (interpretation) Second Reading of Bills. (interpretation ends) Item 18. (interpretation) Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters.
We will not be going into Committee of the Whole today, so we will go directly to (interpretation ends) Item 19. (interpretation) There is nothing to report there. (interpretation ends) Item 20. (interpretation) Third Reading of Bills. (interpretation ends) Item 21.
(interpretation) Clerk, will you ascertain if the Commissioner is prepared to enter the Chambers.
Bill 47 – International Interests in Mobile Aircraft Equipment Act – Assent
Bill 48 – Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2010, No. 3 – Assent
Bill 49 – Agricultural Products Marketing Act, Repeal – Assent
Bill 50 – Nunavut Outfitter Liability Protection Fund Act, Repeal – Assent
Bill 52 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, No. 4, 2009-2010 – Assent
Bill 53 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 4, 2010-2011 – Assent