EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
We work with the committees in the communities as to the development of those specific programs for youth. I don’t have any specifics on that, but I can return to it tomorrow with a more specific answer as to the breakdown of the use of culturally appropriate programs.
I will elaborate more in relation to the money. I would want to know specifically the use of elders. What proportion of it will be going towards the youth in terms of mental wellness?
How will the elders be utilized?
I also have a third question. At the very top where it’s home and community care, on the next page, the money has a budget of $6.4 million to be used in the communities.
What specifically is this the money to be used for? It talks about disabilities or chronic and acute illnesses. Specifically, what kind of illnesses are you talking about?
Are you talking about home care services?
Mr. Mikkungwak (interpretation): Thank you very much. I’m trying to understand if you are talking about mental illness or physical ailments.
These are more for home care when nurses or doctors need it. Doctors have to specify whether a person needs home care services and need to be visited by health professional, for example, when an elder is becoming more and more incapable of looking after himself or herself or whether there needs to be rehabilitation services, or whether they are related to homemaking, or eating well, and eating healthy food, that kind of thing, personal and other care.
Those are the kinds of services.
It’s about visitation by nurses and health professionals that needed to look the ongoing wellness of patients, should there ever need to be homecare services.
This is the funding when there is a question as to what they would be paid for.
Mr. Mikkungwak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the minister for the answer.
I have a question in relation to the bottom of the page. The highlighted one. The First Nations and Inuit Health Insurance Benefits, which is $27.8 million and the Government of Nunavut provide this service on behalf of Health Canada for Non-Insured Health Benefits to eligible Inuit and First Nations of Canada.
It states here that eligible Inuit. How do you define eligible Inuit? Is it for all Inuit, or is it for identifiable Inuit or Inuit residents of Nunavut?
It’s got to do with Non-Insured Health Benefits.
The money that the federal government provides that’s only directed towards the Inuit and First Nations.
If I’m out of line, let me know, Mr. Chairman.
I will say it in English. (interpretation ends) To eligible Inuit, how do you define eligible Inuit?
All Inuit in Canada are eligible, as well as First Nations.
Mr. Mikkungwak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I understand it, but I’m not really sure exactly how I can ask the question.
We’re all Inuit so we should all be considered Inuit.
It states in English. (interpretation ends) The electronic health records program, (interpretation)which will cost $3.4 million. When will this be enough money?
What we mean about the electronic health records is that to have the electronic health records through the computer to be provided to the doctors and the nurses to have records available such as laboratory work for Inuit electronically.
We use that in a computer.
Mr. Mikkungwak (interpretation): Thank you.
Also, my question is at the bottom of the page to do with $ 5.3 million long-term care.
Is that the for the Nunavummiut?
Can the member rephrase the question?  Chairman: The minister is asking for clarification.
Mr. Mikkungwak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) I will rephrase my question.
Long-term care, $5.3 million. Does every community in Nunavut access this particular fund?
It’s directed to Gjoa Haven and Igloolik long-term care facilities.
You can rule me out of order if you want, but in reference to that, there is a program in Baker Lake.
So what would that be identified as? The Martha Talerook Centre?
Hon. Monica Ell (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The long-term care in Baker Lake, Arviat, and Iqaluit is operated by Family Services.
The last question that I have is….tobacco reduction, $2.5 million will be spent.
I know that in Nunavut there is a lot of smokers and there’s also chewing tobacco. Does that include both the smoking tobacco and chewing tobacco?
Hon. Monica Ell: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. .
The smoking cessation medication, including nicotine replacement therapy is available to all Inuit residents of Nunavut through NIHB and it includes the two-week doses of nicotine replacement therapy that are available to all Nunavut residents at community health centres and hospitals.
Maybe I’ll rephrase my question.
Tobacco reduction, does that also focus on chewing tobacco?
Hon. Monica Ell (interpretation): Yes, all tobacco products.
Lastly, I’m sorry I said that was the last question, but with respect to all tobacco, the minister responded to the member’s question, I don’t remember which member it was, but there’s also legislation with respect to tobacco reduction.
Hon. Monica Ell (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Can you rephrase your question again?
When we look at tobacco reduction, there is also legislation across the territory, if not in Canada. In order to purchase a pack of cigarettes, you have to be 19 years of age.
I’m just asking out of curiosity if that legislation is also taken into consideration when you’re focusing on tobacco reduction.
What we’re looking at is with respect to environmental health officers who could go to the establishment. We want to work with them. They can go to the establishment to see whether those establishments are not selling to people who are under age.
Second round of questions, Mr. Enook.
Mr. Enook (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for allowing me to ask more questions.
I just want to get some clarification too, Mr. Chairman, and I will not have any questions after I get a response.
Mr. Chairman, on page 3 of the minister’s opening comments, it mentions mental health and people who… .
What are you talking about in that sentence with respect to mental health and addictions services?
With respect to mental health and addictions services, we want to be able to… . They could be just some of the things that I can think of.
We want to be able to provide some services in the communities with respect to health staffing positions and to have more psychiatric nurses in communities and to have local workers. Even though they’re not properly trained, we want to be able to have a plan in place to provide for those workers in the communities in the future. That’s what we want to plan to have.
(interpretation ends) The plan focuses on four key areas: quality programming, human resource capacity development, community capacity, and resource leveraging.
I have a question on page 3. There are three questions that I have. Mr. Chairman, if you don’t mind, I would like to ask all of them because I just want to get clarification.
You have a list of initiatives and one of them is the “Nunavut Family Physician Project ($986,000),” another one is “Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System ($199,000),” and “Maternal Child Health Surveillance.”
I just want to get some clarification as to exactly what they mean.
Hon. Monica Ell (interpretation): That funding is coming from the federal government.
We just want to get some information disseminated to the members how we can have more money for Nunavut family physicians. To make it a little bit clearer, I would like my deputy minister to respond to that question.
Ms. Keenainak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The funding for (interpretation ends) the Nunavut Family Physician Residents Project (interpretation) was created by Health Canada.
We work with Memorial University through an agreement. Medical students who are learning to become doctors come up here. Memorial University has been recognized as a place of rural medicine where they teach doctors in rural areas.
We have an agreement with Memorial University and I believe it’s $6 million that Health Canada has created for that for 2014-15. We have medical students coming here to do their practicum.
Under the agreement, once they finish their education, they have to work up here for a set time.
We get the funding for maternal child health surveillance from the federal government. That looks more into our babies when they’re born and as they are being brought up and to keep track of what sort of illnesses they go through when they are between zero and seven years of age.
That is a computer database that tracks that and the funding is for that purpose.
The last name on the list, Mr. Savikataaq.
I might have to get longer arms or bigger hands, I think, to get noticed.
An Hon. Member: Both.
Mr. Savikataaq: I would like to ask the minister on the second page there about our CT scanner.
It’s asking for one-time funding of almost $900,000. Just a clarification if that includes airfare to run the program.
No, I don’t believe that includes airfare.
Chairman: Mr. Savikataaq.
It would just be salaries, supplies, and a whole lot of electricity.
Can you please enlighten us on why a machine costs that much to operate?
It’s to operate several things. It’s for the radiologist and the diagnostic imaging department. The CT scanner provides diagnoses.
It also provides referral wait time. It’s to run the diagnostic equipment and the PACS program. I’ll have my deputy minister explain.
The $891,000 is specifically requesting for operational support of $125,000.
Ottawa hospital cost is 113 because we have to have an agreement with the Ottawa hospital. They are the ones that do the reading.
The actual operation of the CT scanner itself here.
The PAC System is the Picture Archiving Communication System and then the bandwidth issue was the $436,000 for a total of $891,000.
The CT scanner itself has a piece of equipment.
It needs to function with software and bandwidth to transfer that information. That’s the cost of $891,000.
Thank you for that clear answer; now we understand where the cost is.
On page 2, I know my colleague has asked this too, mental health and addiction line of the last bullet.
It says, “This funding increases the awareness and understanding of mental health issues and addictions and focuses on providing culturally appropriate wellness information.”, but the minister stated earlier that this is also used for, I believe she says, PYs for Cambridge Bay to get the cost down.
If she can just clarify what it is used for because according to this headline, it seems like it is just information being given out, not actual treatment.
I could’ve easily said we could provide that information tomorrow.
Chairman: Thank you. Mr. Savikataaq.
On page 3, half way down on the bullet list is support activities outlined in Nunavut Security Strategy and Action plan.
Can the minister explain how this money is going to be spent, is it to buy food? A small explanation on how the $700,000 will be spent.
The Nunavut Food Security Strategy and Action is an action plan that includes the development of a new country food procurement and handling guidelines for government-funded facilities and programs.
It is to expand the core recipe project throughout Nunavut and a creation of an annual report.
Just recently, health also completed a launch of a website called “Healthy Living” Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Just for clarification. None of this money will be used to purchase food.
Hon. Monica Ell (interpretation): No.
Chairman: Thank you. I have another last name on the list.
I am concerned about tobacco as well.
I will be speaking on that matter now.
Tobacco is a very difficult issue. The $2.5 million is set aside for it.
How can we do this? Looking at a cigarette it’s got a bunch of contents in it, some of it is poisonous, some of it can kill you. No wonder it’s bad for you.
For those companies that make companies, why can’t they just make it so that it just smokes and it doesn’t have any bad contents in it?
Looking at the issue, there’s people hungry out there….extremely hungry out there in Nunavut, and the $2.5 million… . I think we have to change the way we think. We have to try and help give healthy food to the people who are hungry.
What can we do about cigarettes? How can we correct the issue?
I’m very concerned about the fact that chemicals have been added to tobacco is no good. They’re no good for our body. If was the big boss I would tell the tobacco company just make tobacco smoke safe.
Chairman: I think that was more of a comment and not a question.
Thank you to the ministers and staff.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Item 22.
Just a reminder that there’s a meeting tomorrow morning at nine o’clock in the Tuktu Room with the Standing Committee on Legislation.
Pages 135 – 186
Opening Prayer 135
Ministers’ Statements 135
Oral Questions 141
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 156
Report of the Committee of the Whole 185
Orders of the Day 185
Tuesday, May 27, 2014 135
011 – 4(2): Launch of Online Land Registration System (Okalik) 135
012 – 4(2): Cape Dorset Summer Literacy Camp (Quassa) 136
013 – 4(2): Skills Canada Nunavut (Ugyuk) 136
039 – 4(2): Congratulations to Sanikiluaq’s Nunavut Sivuniksavut Graduates (Rumbolt) 137
040 – 4(2): Tribute to Baker Lake Elders (Mikkungwak) 137
041 – 4(2): Kimmirut Airport Relocation (Joanasie) 138
042 – 4(2): Proposed Merger between Canadian North and First Air (Enook) 138
043 – 4(2): Update on Polar Bear Attack Victims (Shooyook) 139
044 – 4(2): Pangnirtung Turbot Fishery (Mike) 140
044 – 4(2): Program Review (Angnakak) 141
045 – 4(2): Management of the Public Service (Savikataaq) 142
046 – 4(2): Activities of the Nunavut Liquor Commission (Hickes) 143
047 – 4(2): Safety and Security at Sanikiluaq Airport (Rumbolt) 145
048 – 4(2): Proposed Merger between Canadian North and First Air (Enook) 146
049 – 4(2): Office of the Public Trustee (Mikkungwak) 148
050 – 4(2): Kimmirut Airport Relocation (Joanasie) 149
051 – 4(2): Summer Literacy Camp (Hickes) 150
052 – 4(2): Programs and Services Review (Angnakak) 151
053 – 4(2): Disaster Compensation for Harvesters Policy (Mikkungwak) 152
054 – 4(2): LHO’s and NHC Boards of Directors (Enook) 153
055 – 4(2): Cape Dorset Summer Literacy Camp Selection (Joanasie) 155
012 – 4(2): Department of Community and Government Services’ Nunavut Lottery Financial Statements as of March 31, 2013 (Sammurtok) 156
Bill 02 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2014-2015 – Health – Consideration in Committee 156
Mr. Tony Akoak, Ms. Pat Angnakak, Hon. Monica Ell, Mr. Joe Enook, Mr. George Hickes, Mr. David Joanasie, Hon. George Kuksuk, Mr. Steve Mapsalak, Hon. Johnny Mike, Mr. Simeon Mikkungwak, Hon. Paul Okalik, Hon. Keith Peterson, Hon. Paul Quassa, Hon. George Qulaut, Mr. Allan Rumbolt, Mr. Alex Sammurtok, Hon. Tom Sammurtok, Mr. Joe Savikataaq, Mr. Isaac Shooyook, Hon. Peter Taptuna, Hon. Jeannie Ugyuk.
Speaker (Hon. George Qulaut) (interpretation): Can you say the opening prayer, please, (interpretation ends) Mr. Premier Taptuna.
Welcome to our table, Mary Sillett, Clerk of the Nunatsiavut Assembly, and Hilda Hunter, Assistant to the Clerk of the Nunatsiavut Assembly.
Minister of Education, Mr. Quassa.
(interpretation ends) A point of order. My apologies. Hon. Minister of Justice, Mr. Okalik.
Minister’s Statement 011 – 4(2): Launch of Online Land Registration System (Okalik)
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Good day. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to welcome our guests.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to announce that on April 28, 2014, Nunavut’s new Parcelized Online Land Registration System (POLAR) became available online to real estate practitioners.
POLAR will result in speedier real estate transactions in Nunavut, which will be more convenient for Nunavummiut and will encourage economic development and homeownership.
For the last few years, Nunavut has been leading the territories in the development of an online land registration system.
In the first phase, the Land Titles Office allowed submission of electronic documents. This drastically reduced registration times from several weeks to an average of two days.
On April 28, 2014, Nunavut again took a dramatic step forward. On that date, our new Parcelized Online Land Registration System (POLAR) was made available to our professional users.
With the launch of POLAR, paper submissions to the Land Titles Office have become a thing of the past.
It is a system second to none and the first to be introduced in the north.
With this parcelized online land registration, Nunavut is leading Canada in simple and quick access to land registration. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Ministers’ Statements. (interpretation ends) Minister of Education, Hon. Minister Quassa.
Minister’s Statement 012 – 4(2): Cape Dorset Summer Literacy Camp (Quassa)
Good day to the people of Nunavut and Igloolik.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to announce an exciting project taking place in Cape Dorset this summer.
In collaboration with the Amaujaq National Centre for Inuit Education of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Cape Dorset District Education Authority, and the Government of Nunavut Department of Education, Frontier College will coordinate and deliver a summer literacy camp.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, research identifies underdeveloped literacy skills as the number one reason why our students fail to graduate from high school.
During this camp, Cape Dorset children aged 5 to 12 will take part in three weeks of fun, educational activities to develop their literacy skills in English and Inuktitut.
The goal of the camp is to spread the love of reading, support and value cultural and traditional learning, and promote healthy, creative, social and physical activity during the summer months.
(interpretation) Summer literacy camps address “summer learning loss,” the decline in student performance between the end of one school year and the beginning of the next.
Mr. Speaker, the Cape Dorset Summer Literacy Camp will provide an opportunity for children to maintain and develop their skills and confidence while local youth, adults, and elders participate as role models and educators.
Staff hired from Cape Dorset will attend a four-day intensive training and orientation that gives them the background, skills, and resources to plan and deliver the camp.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, I know that by working together, we can give our children every opportunity to achieve academic success. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Ministers’ Statements. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister of Family Services, Ms. Ugyuk.
Minister’s Statement 013 – 4(2): Skills Canada Nunavut (Ugyuk)
Hon. Jeannie Ugyuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I rise today to congratulate Skills Canada Nunavut on the success of their Ninth Annual Territorial Skills Competition, which took place on Wednesday, April 29.
The competition challenged youth in 13 various skills categories ranging from cooking to robotics.
All of the participants displayed a tremendous level of effort, focus, and spirit and we are very proud of each and every one of them.
In particular, I would like to congratulate the 36 individuals awarded medals for their outstanding achievements and the 15 gold medallists who will be travelling to compete in the 20th Annual National Skills Competition being held in Toronto on June 4.
I wish those youth the best of luck in representing Nunavut at the national level.
Member’s Statement 039 – 4(2): Congratulations to Sanikiluaq’s Nunavut Sivuniksavut Graduates (Rumbolt)
I rise in this House today to acknowledge and congratulate two young adults from Sanikiluaq.
Mr. Speaker, Mick and Alanna Appaqaq have returned home after completing a successful year at the Nunavut Sivuniksavut program in Ottawa.
These young people are not only excellent role models for the youth of the community of Sanikiluaq, but while they were in Ottawa, they acted as ambassadors for Nunavut as a whole.
I would also note that in recent years, both of these siblings have represented the constituency of Hudson Bay as youth parliamentarians in the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut’s Youth Parliaments.
I join the people of Sanikiluaq in being very proud of their achievement and I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating them on their success.
Member’s Statement 040 – 4(2): Tribute to Baker Lake Elders (Mikkungwak)
I rise today to recognize and congratulate our past leaders. As members know, in my community of Baker Lake, there are many elders, but we have lost a lot of them in the last year.
I want to recognize elders in all of Nunavut to say that we are very proud and have respect for them.
They understand other people’s feelings. They helped us with the creation of Nunavut.
We now have a legislature and we can have meetings for the public to hear us.
Although there are not very many elders left in Nunavut, I would like to say that we respect them.
A lot of them used to teach the traditional values of the Inuit, but unfortunately, the people who were born in the 1920s have passed on.
I would like to ask all members to welcome all the elders in Nunavut.
Member’s Statement 041 – 4(2): Kimmirut Airport Relocation (Joanasie)
Mr. Joanasie (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to say “hello” to all the people of Nunavut and welcome the table officers from Nunatsiavut.
Mr. Speaker, for at least two decades, my predecessors and I, in both this Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, have raised concerns about the current location of Kimmirut’s airport.
Mr. Speaker, it has long been recognized that the location of the Kimmirut Airport restricts the length of its airstrip. (interpretation ends) This, in turn, affects regular flight arrivals and prevents larger aircraft from serving the community.
Mr. Speaker, the government’s report titled “Airports for Nunavummiut and Their Economy – An Investment Strategy for Nunavut” was completed a decade ago.
This report indicated that planning studies must be completed for airport relocation and runway lengthening in Kimmirut.
Mr. Speaker, during the Committee of the Whole’s consideration of the Department of Economic Development and Transportation’s 2014-15 capital estimates, I requested that funds be allocated for a new study to determine the feasibility of relocating the airport. (interpretation) In response, the minister confirmed that such a study could be possible.
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased that the minister recognized the importance of this issue. If Kimmirut’s airport can be relocated and its airstrip expanded to permit larger aircraft, the community will benefit significantly.
Mr. Speaker, I will have questions on this subject for the Minister of Economic Development and Transportation at the appropriate time.
Members’ Statements. Member for Tununiq, Mr. Enook.
Member’s Statement 042 – 4(2): Proposed Merger between Canadian North and First Air (Enook)
Good afternoon to the people of Pond Inlet and my fellow Nunavummiut.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express concerns regarding the proposed merger between Canadian North and First Air.
Mr. Speaker, as every Member of this House and all Nunavummiut are well aware, our territory’s communities and residents depend on accessible and affordable air travel.
The possibility that the two largest airlines operating in Nunavut may merge into a single entity has caused numerous questions and concerns to be raised regarding such issues as airfares and service levels to remote communities.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, very few people will tell you that monopolies are good for consumers. When it comes to the provision of services in such areas as public utilities, monopolies are heavily regulated and prices are determined by the government.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, it is also important to note that a merger between our two largest airlines will likely have a significant impact on the territorial government. Our government spends tens of millions of dollars per year on travel and transportation, including significant amounts for medical travel on scheduled flights that are currently being provided by both airlines.