EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
At the end of the day, Mr. Speaker, we want to make sure that whoever is awarded the contract, has the planes that are available that would be the very best benefit for the patients who are travelling, and that’s what we’re trying to attempt to do in the RFP.
Mr. Anawak: Mr. Speaker, we’re talking about the Keewatin patients from several communities, however, about a year and a half, two years ago, we had the same problem with two of the communities in the Keewatin Region, Coral Harbour and Repulse Bay.  They realized that the plane flies for less than an hour from maybe Repulse Bay to Coral Harbour or from Repulse Bay to Rankin Inlet.
However, when you go from any one of those communities, you have to go through, if you’re going to Winnipeg, travelling through Thompson, travelling through Churchill, so even if the flights are less than an hour in duration, there’s still an awful lot of flying time.
So the Minister should be concerned when we’re asking these questions, that because of those concerns that we expressed the first time, that we’re now expressing those concerns the second time, because the first time there were no bathrooms on those airplanes that were flying from Repulse Bay and Coral Harbour.
Do we know that if they were in deep discussions with one particular airline, are they making sure that those airplanes have bathrooms and enough room not just for passengers but also for the medical patients?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the concerns of the Members and especially the Member.
The Member has been very strong in voicing these issues before and we have heard those concerns.
I want to point out Mr. Speaker, that there was never a contract in place in the history of the Government of Nunavut and before that, to one single carrier in the area that the Member is talking about.
I don’t want to get into regions, because one thing that we’ve talked about in this government is trying to get away from regions.
Mr. Speaker, in this case, there was only one area of Nunavut and that was here in this area of Nunavut, the Baffin Region, that had a contract in place with First Air.
Mr. Speaker, that was done by the former Baffin Regional Health and Social Services Board.
There were some real cost savings by using that one airline and Mr. Speaker, we wanted to use that model if possible across the territory, so therefore and thus put out an RFP to look at the territorial wide scheduled air travel.
Mr. Speaker, the results of that RFP have been examined by the Cabinet briefing.
I would hope to have a decision made by the end of the month, March 31st and Mr. Speaker, the factors that have been asked by Mr. McLean and Mr. Anawak, have been considered in looking at some of the logistics as well as the administrative aspects of the RFP.
Just a reminder to the Members that when you’re asking a question, your first question is the preamble, which is fine but after that, you should limit that and be more direct and concise.
Also, to the Ministers, if they could be a little precise and concise.
It does take away from question time for the rest of the Members.
Semantics aren’t going to work here whether they did have a contract or not.
The fact remains, that the people saw an airline flying without bathrooms on the plane.
So, we just want to make sure, and I asked the Minister this, that if there is going to be a contract issued to any airline in Nunavut, and not just in Nunavut but in the Keewatin, in this particular case, that there be involvement by the users, by the people who work with them, the business people, the private businesses that have to work with the airline as well as the Members of this House.
I can assure the Member that the terms and references and conditions of the RFP will be followed, which includes making sure, number one, that whoever is successful on the contract award, provides the very best service for our travelling patients.
Mr. Speaker, that has not been the case in the past in instances that have been brought up before in this House.
When my colleague from Baker Lake asked a question considering the people’s wishes and how long the flight is, from each community, will the Minister consider the duration of the flight from each community when he is considering giving an RFP?
Mr. Speaker, that is one of the major considerations here in the RFP.
I want to point out, just for example, Mr. Speaker, servicing Kimmirut, as an example; there is only a Twin Otter.
So it would be unrealistic for me to say in an RFP to put a bathroom in that plane, because a plane with a bathroom cannot land there due to the airstrip.
So there are logistical issues to deal with in any type of RFP like this.
In ninety-nine percent of the cases, where a flight is over one hour, we have asked that a bathroom be provided and a person could be able to stand up on the plane, and be able to move around.
We want to make sure that there is comfort for the patient.
That is what we are trying to endeavour in the RFP.
Question 440 – 1(6): Correctional Facility for Kitikmeot
(Interpretation) In my Members’ Statement I stated our inmates who are incarcerated are sometimes sent out of Nunavut.
I would like to ask the Minister in regards to the statement that I had earlier about providing more correctional facilities Nunavut.
We have stated that what we want to do is plan the facilities for Nunavut.
We have said that we would like to get another correctional facility.
We do not want to take prisoners outside of Nunavut.
What we are trying to do this year, or next year we will be considering which community that we will be putting the facility in.
I just wanted to get reassurance because the Hamlet of Kugluktuk has been asking for a correctional facility in the region.
I want to ask the Minister again for reassurance in terms of a Corrections Centre in the region.
As we know the Minister has stated since last year that we need another institution in Nunavut.
Has the Minister been in contact with the Hamlet of Kugluktuk in regards to this matter, because the residents have not been informed in regards to where the other institution will be in Nunavut?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): The people of Kugluktuk have written to me.
We will involve the hamlets in our consideration of the location of the facility.
They also informed that there already exists a building.
Those are the types of things that we are going to be reviewing.
We will be making a decision by next year.
It is not for certain that we will be here by this time next year, so I want this matter clarified, as I may not be a Member next time.
I would like the Minister to answer my question in that regard.
Like I said before, I support this idea completely and this year we have to make a decision as to the placement, but it will be outside of Iqaluit.
We also have appropriate some funding to do some planning for that facility.
I would like to consult with my colleagues before the final decision is made this year on the location as well as the planning for this facility.
Just for the information of the Members, if the Members signal that they want to be put on the list for a question and they leave the House, they go to bottom of the rotation.
That is normal procedure.
If you do come back before your name is called, of course you will be called in order.
But it’s certainly not fair to expect to go back to where you were if you have left the House.
Question 441 – 1(6): Polar Bear Radio Collars
My wire is getting caught.
I was going to ask him a question previously and I’m sure he has the answer now.
During the polar bear biologist consultation meetings for the memorandum of understanding agreement in the Foxe Basin population, they started putting radio telemetry collars on polar bears.
I am wondering if the Minister of the Department of Sustainable Development knows how many telemetry collars were put on polar bears over the course of the study?
Since the Government of Nunavut was created in 1999, there were seven polar bears tagged with satellite collars and around southern Hudson Bay where there are several jurisdictions, a radio collar project is also happening.
The governments at that time have been working on polar bears and they have about twenty-two collared bears.
They have been working for a long time in the James Bay, southern Hudson Bay region on their polar bear population.
There were around 177 projects pertaining to the polar bear survey and study in Canada and other countries.
I would like to thank the Minister for his immediate response.
Some polar bear biologists went to Hall Beach and explained in detail about how the radio collar will be used on the polar bear and how they will be tracking polar bears.
We were told that this radio collar is biodegradable and they said it would fall off eventually.
Mr. Speaker, I want to ask if the biologists still use the old style of radio collars on polar bears?
The radio collars are used for polar bear research although we do not really want to use this type of research method in the future. In respect to the old polar bear collars, although we don’t want to use those polar bear collars again, we have to look at how the collar is used.
The detailed information is not in front of me at the moment, although I can provide him the detailed information at a later date as to how the collars come off.
I will provide that information to the Member for Amittuq.
Perhaps the Minister can’t respond to my question whether they’re still using the old radio collards or new collars.
Question 442 – 1(6): Promote Authentic Inuit Carvings
Mr. Puqiqnak (interpretation): Finally, I’ve waited awhile for my turn.
Thank you for allowing me to ask a question.
In my Member’s Statement regarding imitation carvings, Mr. Speaker, first of all I’d like to say earlier on I talked about imitation carvings that are made of plastic.
There are also some Inuit who order other carvings to look at.
They’re very beautiful, they’re unique from these plastic imitation carvings because you can actually see where the axe had chipped off pieces from the carving and actually see where they have filed.
You can literally see the marks from the axe and from the files that they had used.
With the new technology, we are seeing imitation carvings.
They’re very detailed carvings, from the hair to the beard and the moustache and the nose. They’re quite detailed right down to the ears.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, what is the Government doing to promote authentic Inuit carvings and artwork in Nunavut?
I know you waited quite awhile for your question but sometimes we save the best for last.
In regards to the Member’s question, I hope I’m coming off clear.
In Cape Dorset the Co-op shows off the tags which identify that piece as an authentic carving and the Nunavut Development Corporation also uses those tags with a picture of an Igloo so that the public out here or the carver or buyers of the carving can know that the carving is authentic because of the tag.
At this time we are dealing with this issue through the Nunavut Development Corporation and also other arts, whether it is sewing or other handy crafts. Yes, we try to put identification on all authentic handy crafts and carvings so we have worked on that and we want to promote authentic carvings in other international countries.
When I visit the art galleries in the south, all the authentic carvings are identified with that tag.
The Nunavut Development Corporation and the Minister’s department are using tags to authenticate the carvings and the handicrafts.
Will the Minister tell me about the plastic imitations; how about the plastic ones because we do produce those plastic carvings in Nunavut?
They are displayed in the Gift Shops, and you can see all those things.
Are your department and the Development Corporation working together with that entity to promote authentic carvings?
Perhaps I will try and elaborate to my colleague.
Some of the plastic carvings that are made outside of Nunavut, we cannot stop those people from producing those items.
We can only work on carvings from Nunavut because it is within our jurisdiction.
It is not our responsibility and it is not within our jurisdiction to try and stop those mass produced imitation carvings.
Since these mass produced carving are not within our jurisdiction, it would be impossible to try and stop them.
The only thing that we can actually work on is to authenticate the carving and artworks of the Inuit people from Nunavut.
Mr. Puqiqnak (interpretation): It is impossible to work against them, because we are carvers, I am a carver myself.
I am sure that these people in the gallery will be carvers.
There are twenty-six communities in Nunavut.
If you go to any one of these communities, there are people who are carvers, who are residing in the community they have a hard time marketing their carvings.
The Minister has stated that he cannot deal with the mass produced imitation carvings.
We are the people who are the beneficiaries under Article 24.
The Nunavut people’s carvings should not be imitated by the people who do not know anything about our Territory.
Are we going to be using Article 24 as our foundation?
Should not the Minister say to the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association and tell them that we should be protecting our carvings?
Let us start working on it and do something about it.
I would like to ask the Minister, according to our Land Claims Agreement, Article 24, do we need to be imitated?
Do we have a copyright?
I would like to ask him, NTI, and the Nunavut Government, do we have a right for copyrights?
Have you met with the Nunavut Tunngavik?
Speaker: Mr. Puqiqnak, I know that this is a very passionate subject and topic for you, but be careful how you address the Chair.
One of these individuals here in the Gallery is a carver.
He is a well recognized carver from Cape Dorset
Yes, in regards to dealing with carvings.
I know that it would be very hard to work with the provinces with Article 24, but the beneficiaries and NTI are willing to work with them as to how we can better promote the Inuit carvings of Nunavut.
Mr. Puqiqnak (interpretation): I feel a little better.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to know, for example, if you used Japan, overseas, Canada and Nunavut, what kind of approval did they receive to mass produce Inuit carvings?
Is there any paper approval that allows them to plagiarize our sole means of income?
In regards to the other jurisdictions in Canada, we do not work with their arts and crafts associations.
But we can initiate dialogue with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and see what we can do to market authentic Inuit carvings and I’m sure that we can work very hard with the other entities to produce and market carvings.
If required, I am sure that they would be willing to participate in a legal suit.
Question 443 – 1(6): Differences in Employee Benefits
Yesterday I tried to direct my question to the Minister of Human Resources but he could not answer it, so today I will be redirecting my question to the Minister of Finance.
In regards to the employees flown in, whether they are from southern locations or other Nunavut communities, there seems to be a disparity in the amounts allotted to them.
As has been relayed before, some long term employees earn less then some of the new employees.
I stated yesterday that to the government that there are a lot of Nunavummiut with the same responsibilities who have less income, who are not provided the same benefits as southern imports and they don’t get the same housing benefits.
I would like to know what kind of accommodation policy you have in this regard for transient or imported workers versus local hires.
Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to be clear that we don’t discriminate with our employees based on where they come from.
In respect to staff housing, if there is a need, if a person is qualified, then they will be allocated staff housing.
The rents are charged right now, based on a formula that was adopted from Public Works and Services.
As the Members may recall, the Housing Corporation took over the portfolio for staff housing in the course of this current fiscal year.
As I’ve indicated in this House, and before Standing Committee, and all Members are aware, we are looking at revamping the whole staff housing rental scheme right now.
At the same time, we are trying to be fair to current employees and trying to move the staff housing rental scales closer to the way that we operate under the public rental scale.
That work continues to take place and all Members of this House will be apprised of developments as we move towards a new staff housing rental policy.
Perhaps that is the case where we’re fair to all the employees we have but only when they are from outside of the community that has the position.
However, if we’re looking at the local hires, they don’t receive any benefits such as those afforded out-of-town hires.
If that’s the case, they have smaller scale salaries and they’re not provided with housing allowances, so a large portion of their income is redirected to rental payments.
Is it possible to make a change to the housing allowance policy?
For example, if we look at the teachers, the nurses or the local hospital employees, they don’t get any housing benefits whatsoever if they’re a local hire.
I don’t think that they are being treated fairly if this is the case.
Is it possible to look at making it an equal benefit across the board, whether they’re local hires or not.
Are they going to be paid the same salary and benefits as outside hires?
Mr. Speaker, employees do get paid the same in respect of equivalent positions.
It doesn’t matter what or where you come from.
The issue the Member refers to is probably in respect to the availability or accessibility of staff housing.
I could tell the Member that by and large, the majority of individuals hired from communities are already in public housing or possibly in their own housing depending on their circumstances.
Over the years, depending on the community of course, those individuals would have been already housed.
So, from that perspective, it may seem that newer employees that are coming in from outside of the community would have preference, I guess, if you want to say that, in respect of being able to have staff housing because obviously they would have been newer arrivals to the community.
There would have been a staff housing pool available to them.
So it may seem a bit unfair from that perspective, but having said that, Mr. Speaker the Member does raise a valid point.
It has been brought up, like I said earlier in what the appropriate Standing Committee and it has been brought up in this House during the review of the Housing Corporation policies and in this form, in the form of Question Period.
I have said that the housing corporation and this government are moving towards bringing more consistency in how we deal with people all across the territory, whether they’re employees or members of the public.
Both from the perspective of trying to bring the staff housing rental policy more in line with the public rental policies that we have.
For the newcomers who arrive to our communities, do they get subsidized housing if they’re government employees?
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Sorry Mr. Speaker, I missed the Member’s question.
Maybe if I could ask him to indulge me and repeat that.
I will be asking the same question.
In regards to the newcomers who are hired as Government of Nunavut employees, do they get subsidized housing or do they get housing benefits?
Mr. Speaker, right now, yes, in respect of the cost of housing for employees, it is subsidized.
If you have a staff housing unit, no different, if you’re in public housing as well, I can say that the Housing Corporation also subsidizes tenants as well.
For the local hires who are hired by the Government of Nunavut, do they get subsidized housing or do they get housing allowances.
Mr. Speaker, no they don’t get any housing allowance, but if they are in pubic housing, then it would be subsidized.
If they’re in their own home as well, there would be subsidies available for different government programs.
I would like to point out to the Member and to all Members of this House, like I said earlier; we don’t discriminate on our staff housing policy.
It’s based on availability and need for different positions in different communities depending on availability.
There are, just to let the Member know, there are lots of Inuit beneficiaries who are in our staff housing as well, whether it’s in Iqaluit here in the headquarters or in some of our decentralized communities.
So, even though the perception may be that it’s individuals coming in from the south, there are individuals who have come to work in headquarters here that have come from other communities who are beneficiaries as well and also in the decentralized communities.
I just want to make a comment about the preambles on questions from the Members and some of the lengthy answers that we get from Ministers.
We have two Members who did not get a question in today.
We have another three Members that wish to ask a second question.
So in view of that, just try to be a little more conscious of the Members who are allowed to get at least one question in.
I am seeking unanimous consent to go back to Item 5, Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery.
Speaker: The Member is seeking unanimous consent to go back to Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery.
Please proceed, Minister Akesuk.
I would like to recognize two individuals from Cape Dorset, Kooyoo Peter and Maggie Saviarjuk.
Return to Item 7.
Written Question 007 – 1(6): Question on Legal Opinion by French DEA
Mr. Speaker, my Written Question is for the Minister responsible for Education.
The first question is:
Has the Department of Education received a copy of a legal opinion prepared on behalf of the French District Education Authority dated December 11th, 2002?
If the department has received this document, on what date was it received?
Has this document been reviewed by the Minister?
Has a formal response to the French District Education Authority been prepared and provided?
If a formal response has not been prepared, when will it be prepared?
Have officials from the Department of Education held discussions on the content of the document with the French District Education Authority subsequent to December 11th, 2002?
Petition 007 – 1(6): Unfair Rent Scale
I am going to be reading this document.
We, the undersigned people who have signed our names to this petition are opposed to the Rent Scale that was set up by the Housing Corporation.
We would like to see changes made to the Housing Corporation’s policy prior to it being implemented by the Corporation.
It is too costly on the individual, especially on the employed poor.
It is going to make it harder for the individuals.
Therefore we would like to oppose the April 1, 2001 Rent Scale that is going to be implemented.
Petition 008 – 1(6): Support for a New Community Hall
The people of Igloolik have submitted a petition with over four hundred name signatures asking for the building of a new Community Centre.
Are there any further Petitions?
Item 12. Reports of Standing and Special Committees. Item 13.
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills. Item 13. Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills.
Tabled Document 084 – 1(6): Issue on Northern Food Mail Program (Hudson Bay Regional Round Table) Resolution # 4
Mr. Speaker, I would like to table two resolutions from the Hudson Bay Neighbours Region Round Table Meeting held in Southern Gillam, February 11-12, 2003.
Resolution # 1:
Whereas the Auditor General has identified issues with the northern food mail program, and;
Whereas these issues affect the cost and availability of nutritious foods in Northern Manitoba and Nunavut;
Now therefore be it resolved that the Hudson’s Bay Neighbours Regional Round Table requests that the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada to proceed with an evaluation and study of those issues raised by the Auditor General.
Tabled Document 085 – 1(6): Evaluation of Total Energy Situation in Nunavut (Hudson Bay Regional Round Table) Resolution # 1
The second resolution moved by Hamish Tattie, seconded by Chris Tungalik;