EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
So, as ministers, I would like you to work over the summer to make sure that you lobby the federal government on those issues.
Member’s Statement 338 – 2(4): 2008 Federal Budget (Barnabas)
I would also like to make a comment on the highlights of the 2008 Federal Budget.
In there, there is $270 million that will be used over the two years for aboriginal programs, and again, there are monies to be used for water quality.
One thing that I don’t like is our government is going to be using $5 billion by 2010-11.
This money that is going out of Canada is $5 billion which would hugely benefit the people of Canada.
If there are no more Members’ Statements, Item 4.
I would like to recognize an individual who is in the Gallery. I have been working with him for approximately 20 years, and again, debated from different sides of the table when we were dealing with wildlife and islands.
This individual is from Nunavik and is currently one of the executives from Makivik. He has been in the political field for a very long time. I would like to welcome to the Gallery Johnny Peter, his wife, Elisapee, and his co-worker at Makivik, Adam Paallajaq.
Welcome to the Gallery everyone and also our television audience.
Question 417 – 2(4): Awarding of Medical Travel Contract (Tootoo)
Mr. Speaker, I’m sure, as all members are aware, that all members were invited to an evening gathering with the senior officials from Canadian North last night, and Mr. Speaker, I was a little bit surprised to hear from those senior officials indicating that they had been awarded the medical travel contract.
So I would just like to ask the Minister of Health if she can confirm if they have, in fact, issued and awarded the medical travel contract.
I can confirm that our medical travel contract has been awarded to three airlines.
Can the minister inform me and the members here why the members had to hear it from one of the successful airlines and not an announcement coming from the government itself?
The works in finalizing the contracts rests with the Department of CG&S, and the Department of CG&S, I believe, has just met with the airlines to outline the decisions of Cabinet and FMB on that process.
I would be happy to do a public press release in terms of the airlines that have been awarded the contracts to all of the airlines in Nunavut that were part of this process.
Can the minister inform the House when that decision was made and when those three airlines were informed of the decision that the government made?
The final decision was made last week, I believe, on Thursday.
When the Department of CG&S contacted the airlines, I have to ask my colleague, Minister Brown, when those contacts were made.
I know medical travel contracts have been an issue in the past that I have raised on the medevac contract that was issued here for the Baffin; there always seems to be someone that isn’t happy with the outcome.
I’m just wondering if the minister can inform us if there have been any issues or concerns raised to the department as a result of the decision that the government made.
No one has contacted me personally in regard to whether they’re happy or unhappy about the contract. I will contact the Department of CG&S and see if there have been expressed concerns and get back to the member.
Question 418 – 2(4): Marine Service Fees (Barnabas)
As the minister will recall, the Legislative Assembly passed a formal motion on March 17, 2005 concerning the issue of marine service fees.
The motion called on the Government of Nunavut to lobby the federal government to exempt all vessels providing sealift services operating North of 60.
Mr. Speaker, I recently had an opportunity to review the transcripts from a meeting of the Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans that was held earlier this month.
I was very interested to note that the senior federal official told the committee that the Canadian Coast Guard passed, “produced a discussion paper last year on Arctic services fees that was shared with the shipping industry, the Government of Nunavut and other territorial governments.”
Can the minister indicate to the House today whether he has had an opportunity to review this discussion paper and will he commit to tabling it in the Legislative Assembly?
Hon. Patterk Netser (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) The member is correct.
The services fees for cargo moving from a non-remote site to remote sites in Nunavut annually over $100,000 is being charged and the fees are transferred down to the person ordering stuff from the south.
As for the question for the discussion paper, I haven’t seen it so I can’t comment on that.
The issue of marine service fees have been a longstanding concern for companies that ship to the North. Coast Guard officials told the Senate Committee that, “the total amount that we collect on marine service fees in the Arctic is $100,000 per year. I hope that we are able to come to a solution that works for all of us before the start of the next shipping season in June.”
Can the minister indicate to the House today how his department has responded to the direction given by the Legislative Assembly to lobby the federal government on this issue?
Like the Small Craft Harbours Program that we have been lobbying on the federal government on, and we just heard that just the one community got the funding. We have been lobbying the feds on that particular issue and it’s all in their hands.
As the minister knows, I am very concerned about the high cost of living in the High Arctic and have spoken in this House on many occasions on the issue.
Can the minister indicate to me what the GN’s strategy is to address the issue of reducing the cost of transporting goods to the High Arctic?
We are all concerned about the high cost of transportation, especially up into the High Arctic, and our position is that all cargo entering into Nunavut should be exempted from the marine navigation service fees.
Will the minister commit to provide a formal update to this House on our spring sitting on the issue or marine service fees and will he table the documents when he receives them?
We hope to be in contact with the DFO Minister within the next few weeks and we will certainly bring this issue up, and I can commit to tabling the documents if required.
Question 419 – 2(4): 2008 Federal Budget (Curley)
My questions are for the Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, although yesterday’s federal budget included some long overdue improvements to the Northern Residents Deduction, it is obvious that these changes do not go nearly far enough to meeting the needs of our territory’s residents.
Will the minister assure this House that he will continue to vigorously lobby his federal counterpart for further improvements to the Northern Residents Deduction?
Yes, it is obvious today that this has begun but it has sort of awakened the federal government concerning the deductions for the taxes.
Mr. Speaker, we will be looking at it more closely within our Finance Department as to how we could lobby the federal government and also the people of Nunavut, the Yukon, and the NWT will be working with them on this issue.
It is clear to me that the Northern Residents Deduction needs to be revamped to recognize the real differences between the three territories.
In the NWT and Yukon, a significant percentage of the population lives in the only two urban centres of the North, both of which are connected to the south by roads.
In Nunavut, the majority of our population lives in small and remote communities.
Will the minister undertake to educate Ottawa on the unique circumstances and needs of Nunavut?
Yes, I agree. They need to understand that we don’t have any trees, we don’t have roads, we don’t have highways, and it’s a cold climate.
We are unique and our livelihood is different than those that live down south.
It is obvious that this was raised by one of the Members of the Legislative Assembly.
Mr. Speaker, I was disappointed to see a lack of new resources in such areas as housing.
Can the minister assure me that he will work with the Minister of Housing to continue lobbying Ottawa on this issue?
The Minister of Housing and I will be able to work together as to how we can lobby the federal government and he can assist me with this issue.
The federal government has agencies that are specifically dedicated to supporting economic development and diversification in the country’s different regions.
There are separate agencies responsible for Atlantic Canada, Northern Ontario, Quebec, and Western Canada.
Can the minister indicate to the House today what efforts the government is making to improve the way that Ottawa provides economic development assistance to the North?
In regard to the member’s question, I don’t know the answer but I will provide that answer to him when I know what the answer is.
Question 420 – 2(4): Airline Service to Remote Nunavut Communities (Arvaluk)
Mr. Speaker, as you will recall, the Legislative Assembly passed a formal motion on November 21, 2006, Mr. Barnabas was the mover and Mr. Evyagotailak seconded the motion, concerning the urgent need for the GN to work with the Northern Air Transport Association to bring forward an action plan to improve the availability of affordable and reliable air service to our smaller communities.
In regard to the member’s question, I have not been briefed on the issue, (interpretation ends) so I’ll have to take it as notice.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Netser. The minister has taken your question as notice.
Question 421 – 2(4): Small Community Initiatives Program Policy (Alagalak)
Mr. Alagalak: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation) I would like to direct my question to (interpretation ends) the Minister responsible for Economic Development and Transportation, and it’s referring to the Small Community Initiatives Program Policy.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, the Budget Address of 2006-07 announced that $5 million from the Northern Strategy Trust Fund would be invested in community economic development.
The Commissioner’s Address at the opening of this Fourth Session stated that the Small Community Initiatives (interpretation ends) Program Policy had been developed and that communities would start to receive funding for community-based economic initiatives.
Can the minister update this House on which communities have received funding under this program to date?
With regards to the member’s question, this funding is geared toward the communities that are non-decentralized.
Perhaps, he didn’t quite understand my question.
How many communities have received funding in Nunavut?
I’m sure he’ll be able to respond. (interpretation ends) Can the minister provide an update on how much funding from the original $5 million has been allocated to date?
(interpretation) I’m sure that’s clearer for him, Mr. Speaker.
I believe that the funding that he is talking about is supposed to sunset by 2009.
As for how much money has been spent, I do not have the figures at the moment.
Mr. Alagalak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) Can the minister clarify how long this pot of funding will be available for small community program initiatives?
The funding that the funding is referring to, as I said earlier, is set to sunset by 2009.
I would like to direct my question again because they don’t seem to know.
In 2006-07, the commissioner stated that this was established in those years and it was very interesting to hear.
They had the policy completed and the funding was ready to be dispersed, and they identified the process of how the communities would be funded.
(interpretation ends) Can the minister clarify what kinds of criteria will be considered when approving future applications for funding under the Small Community Initiatives Program and whether non-decentralized communities will also be able to apply?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Member Alagalak.
The funding that the member is referring to is if there will be economic benefits through this program, then it’s going toward the non-decentralized communities and (interpretation) initiatives.
The smaller communities will be able to use this funding of $5 million for economic development.
Question 422 – 2(4): 2008 Federal Budget – Gas Tax Fund (Peterson)
My question is for the Minister of Finance. Like my colleagues, Mr. Tootoo and Mr. Curley, it’s concerning the Federal Budget 2008 announced yesterday.
Mr. Speaker, earlier in this sitting, I mentioned that Indian and Northern Affairs conducted a survey in 2006-07 of basket food costs in various communities in the North. In Cambridge Bay, for a family of four, a basket of food costs $382 per week, and $206 for a family four in Yellowknife. I believe that the federal government was using Yellowknife or Whitehorse figures to calculate the 10 percent increase.
My question for the Minister of Finance: has the Government of Nunavut calculated the annual benefit of a 10 percent increase to the Northern Residence Deduction to a family of four living here in Nunavut now?
The cost of living for food baskets and the prices of groceries is set according to the size of the community.
They are set up by Indian Affairs and we try to provide assistance to them when the federal government and DIAND are doing the assessment.
We heard that the Northern Residents Deduction was increased by 10 percent.
We believe that this is just an initial step and we believe that this will be increased some time in the future. And also, we can probably negotiate this some time in the future.
Mr. Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister of Finance for that answer.
Ten percent is a start, but it hasn’t been changed for 22 years. The Nunavut Economic Forum, in their report, indicated that we need a 60 to 65 percent increase just to bring the Northern Residents Deduction into 2008 levels to help people in Nunavut.
So I’m hoping that it is a start, otherwise, we’re just going to fall further and further behind. It’s already very costly for people up in Nunavut.
Earlier, in answer to one of my colleague’s questions, the minister indicated that he would meet with his northern colleagues to talk about lobbying the federal government.
I would like to ask the minister and he’s had time to think about this: what specific lobbying issues will the minister undertake with his northern colleagues to convince the federal government that residents in remote northern and Arctic communities need improved residency deductions to help them cope with the escalating cost of living?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have not discussed this matter with the NWT and the Yukon on how we are planning to deal with this issue because we only heard about the news yesterday.
I can tell the member, Mr. Speaker, that, in the upcoming weeks, we will be able to consider this further and the northern way of life should be similar in each territory.
I cannot tell you what kind of process we will be following through with this issue.
I noted that the minister and the finance minister of the federal government said that this is a good start and increase our competitiveness in attracting and retaining skilled workers to the North. I think the focus should be on helping people who are living here now and living here permanently.
So I hope that he takes that into consideration when he’s meeting with his northern colleagues.
I think a 50 percent increase would cost the federal government $60 million in tax revenue. To them, that’s not very much. It would be a big boost to the North if we could get a $60 million tax credit.
Mr. Speaker, further in the budget speech yesterday, the federal government announced the creation of a new Crown corporation called PPP Canada Inc.
He says it’s their first Public, Private, and Partnership office. They will be using P3s.
Mr. Speaker, I have been asking the Minister of Finance for four years what the status is of the Government of Nunavut’s P3 policy. I wonder if the minister could tell us today what the status is of the P3 policy and if he could table it in this session.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Member Peterson.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): The P3 policy is very hard to deal with.
We will bring out the policy in 2008 but we are still working on it.
Once it’s completed, we will be presenting the policy before the end of the fiscal year. We would like to table that policy, and after it has been approved by Cabinet, we will be able to provide you with that policy.
I think I have heard that before three, or four, or five times now that we’re going to get it.
I’ll probably ask more questions in this session on that.
Also in the federal minister of finance’s budget, he mentioned the extension of the Gas Tax Fund, a permanent extension of the Tax Gas Fund which reached $2 billion per year in 2009-2010.
I had a little chuckle last night when I was reading it and they’re said, “municipalities large and small from coast to coast,” but they forgot the third coast, there’s a coast to coast to coast. Whoever the speechwriters are should remember these things.
So I’m wondering, based on $2 billion per year, if the Minister of Finance can tell us exactly how much Nunavut would receive every year on the Gas Tax Fund if the fund becomes permanent.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): I will take the question as notice.
The minister will get back to you.
Question 423 – 2(4): Baker Lake Dock (Simailak)
This past summer, it was clear that the dock is too small in Baker Lake and there were about 60 barges that came in for the mining companies and one of the barges was too big, so they had to unload it and put it onto the smaller barges.
I wonder if the Department of Economic Development and Transportation was informed that it was a safety hazard and has anything been considered to make improvements on this?
I haven’t been updated in regard to Baker Lake. Maybe the mine owners should be made responsible to accommodate if the communities with mining companies close to them encounter those kinds of problems.
Last year, the hamlet council identified that they wanted a bigger port on an urgent basis. What is the status on this?
As I said to the Member from Baker Lake, I haven’t been updated with regards to Baker Lake.
Maybe if we get some information from CGS, who is responsible for capital planning, then we will be able to consider this.
Mr. Simailak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When the Minister of Finance presented his Budget Address yesterday, he stated that the mining companies will benefit the communities and that the government will be able to assist with roads and such.
I wonder if Economic Development has met with the mining companies on how they can work together in providing those infrastructures.
The government has an agreement with the mines, in this case it’s the mine near Baker Lake, the Development Partnership Agreement, and in that agreement, it states that the mining company has within 30 days to come up with a plan in terms of coming up with capital projects. In this case, it would be either the tank farm or a docking facility for the community of Baker Lake.
I have asked my staff if they have come forward with any of the plans that I’m just mentioning, and to date, I haven’t received anything from them, but I’ll follow-up with my staff and see what these companies have said so far.
Yes, this has to be dealt with quickly in Baker Lake and it should be treated on an urgent basis because the mining companies are starting to operate.
I wonder if the minister can meet with the Hamlet Council of Baker Lake and other organizations so that this can proceed smoothly.
I would love to sit down with the Hamlet Council of Baker Lake along with the mining companies that are working over in that region.
Question 424 – 2(4): Update on Air Quality at Sanikiluaq School (Kattuk)
Mr. Kattuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation) My question is directed to the Minister of Community and Government Services.
She probably recalls last week when I asked the Minister of Education questions with regards to our school in Sanikiluaq that has been closed for too many days and the departmental officials were in our community about two weeks ago.
I wonder if the minister can update this House on what they have done to eliminate the foul odour in the school.
Can the minister update me on exactly what they will be doing to the school in my constituency?
My apologies; I didn’t hear his question.
Mr. Kattuk, can you repeat your question?
Maybe I’ll ask a different question.
The minister probably recalls that I raised some questions with the Minister of Education about our school in Sanikiluaq.
Our school has been closed for too many days because of the foul odour and the departmental officials of Community and Government Services were in Sanikiluaq about two weeks ago.
Can the minister update me on what has been done or what they will be doing to remedy the problem there?
I thank the member for posing that question.
My officials are still working on this. So far, from what I have heard, my officials went down to the community and they were going to update me and give me a report.
From what I understand, they were working on the problem and I haven’t heard if they have closed the school again but they did a very thorough inspection.
Can the minister tell me when she expects to deal with this study?
There were a number of people that went down and they will have to compile the findings.
In total, there were eight different people from Iqaluit and Ottawa, and there were two specialists that came in.
They suspect that it was the furnace that may have caused the foul odour, but once I get more information, I will definitely inform my colleague.
To date, I haven’t heard anything else on what plans they have.
The hamlet council made a motion regarding that. When they were talking about the motion they made, the officials that went down to investigate and the local people that are working there had different opinions. They couldn’t agree with what exactly caused the odour.
I wonder if the minister can tell her officials to expedite their efforts of resolving this problem.
I would be more than happy to hear from the hamlet council and I am waiting for their report.
My staff has not reported to me yet and I will follow-up on this to see what the situation is now.
I understand the urgency of this, so I will definitely ask my staff to update me on the status of this and I will inform the member.
I tabled the motion that the hamlet council made in the Assembly.
I will be waiting to hear from the minister and I will be available if she wants to work with me.
It’s not a question; it’s just a comment.
That was just comment.
Question 425 – 2(4): Renovation of Older Housing Units (Mapsalak)
Mr. Speaker, every year, though I’m sure there are not as many as the years go by, there are rental housing units in the communities that are owned and operated by the Nunavut Housing Corporation and they are getting extremely old.
My question to the minister is: how old do the rental units have to be before they are renovated or replaced?
The houses that are owned and operated by the Nunavut Housing Corporation are renovated every year, but I don’t know exactly how many years have to go by before they renovated or replaced.
I’m sure it’s not only in the communities that I represent, but there are some houses that are so old that they are becoming safety hazards.
After the cold spells this winter, there have been frozen pipes and doors that weren’t keeping the cold out. Some of these houses were built in the 1960s. How many times can you renovate a house before it is replaced?
We can only do so many renovations with the amount of funding we get from the federal government.
We have received $200 million from the federal government through the Housing Trust Fund so that we could get rid of the old units and build new ones. At this point, there’s not much we can do because of the shortage of funds.
As there are some units that are in need of emergency repair, does the minister know how many rental units are going to be renovated and how much money is allotted for those renovations?