EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr Speaker, there is no great mystery here as to what has happened with the health and social services boards. As of March 31, we had the audits completed for each board as the fiscal year was ending.
That came forward in June and that’s when we knew officially there was an 8.9 million dollar deficit with those three health boards.
Now, Mr. Speaker, what the Department of Health and Social Services has done, which has been talked about in this House in May and again in the session this fall to the Standing Committees, there is a concern over a shortfall of funding within the three Health Boards.
Eight point nine million dollars plus is our best guesstimate Mr. Speaker.
Right now it's an additional 11 million dollars.
We won’t know if it’s 11 million dollars, Mr. Speaker, until after March 31, 2000 when the three audits will be completed for the three health boards.
At that time we will know the total amount that will come forward.
Discussions at the FMB Mr. Speaker, as you know, are privileged and I am not here to make representation on those discussions.
I agree and I think that’s been a history that discussions at FMB are confidential and I guess I am curious as to why they are showing up in the newspaper prior to members hearing whether or not there is a 20 million dollar deficit under the three health boards.
I don’t recall seeing 20 million dollars being put forward last week under the supplementary funding act.
So if it’s been approved I would hope it would come to the members first prior to going to the newspaper.
My question Mr. Speaker, to the Minister of Health, is given the fact that he’s indicated there has been no frivolous spending regarding the health boards to cause this large deficit, what are his intentions for next year to ensure that we don’t get into the same situation again, because we may not have additional dollars next year to cover off such a large deficit.
We may have the money this year.
Mr. Speaker, first of all I can’t make much comment on what the Nunatsiaq News reports on any given day.
What I can say to the member is I can’t also guarantee if there’s going to be a deficit within the Department of Health and Social Services one year from now.
I am not Nostradamus, I can’t tell the future.
What I can say Mr. Speaker, is that if money needs to be spent within the Department of Health and Social Services for medivacs, for needs program delivery, we have to spend that money.
And that is the reason why, Mr. Speaker, in thirteen jurisdictions in Canada, ten provinces and three territories habitually, the departments of health and social services run deficits, because you have to spend the money on budgeted items.
And that is the only guarantee I can give to the House.
But I can say Mr. Speaker, that the money was not spent frivolously, it was spent on needs, services, programs and staff.
I agree with the Honourable Member, I know he’s not a brain surgeon.
Mr. Speaker, the issue of the 20 million dollars that the minister I believe was quoted in this article, I don’t assume that the Nunatsiaq News have made this up, so it is obvious that there are some major concerns here and problems.
My question to the minister, does he have a plan to ensure that next year we can deal with this situation.
Does the minister have a plan.
And I guess furthermore as a secondary question Mr. Speaker, what has caused this 20 million dollar over-expenditure.
No, Mr. Speaker, Nostradamus was not a brain surgeon.
Mr. Speaker, the two questions, first of all as the member knows, he’s on the Health Committee, as the department and as the minister I have brought forward over the past several months a breakdown of where the deficit has come from, from program areas.
For example, Mr. Speaker, 25% of the board's allocated budget goes into travel, medical travel, and that accounts for almost 20% of the budget deficit that came forward as of March 31, 1999.
We do have a plan in place Mr. Speaker, the department has contracted Consulting and Audit Canada to review the status of medical and social services travel with the objective of proposing a new policy for that travel.
There are some economies of scale Mr. Speaker, on medical travel that we are working with within the three regions that we will be able to bring forward after April 1, with the integration of the health boards.
Motion 06 - 1(3): Motion to Adjourn for the Day
Mr. Speaker I move seconded by our member from Arviat that we waive the rules and adjourn for the day and resume sitting on Tuesday February 22, 2000.
Speaker: There is a motion on the floor that is not debatable and it is in order.
Item 22, Orders of the Day, Deputy Clerk.
Deputy Clerk (Ms. Perkison): Orders of the Day for Tuesday, February 22, 2000.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you Deputy Clerk.
This House stands adjourned until February 22, Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.
>>House adjourned at 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday, February 22, 2000
Pages 492 - 544
Opening Prayer 492
Ministers' Statements 492
Members' Statements 501
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 505
Oral Questions 508
Written Questions 525
Replies to Opening Address 525
Petitions 528
Tabling of Documents 529
Notices of Motions 530
Motions 531  First Reading of Bills 531
Second Reading of Bills 532
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 535
Report of the Committee of the Whole 542
Third Reading of Bills 543
Orders of the Day 543
Tuesday, February 22, 2000 492
50 – 1 (3): Nunavut Business Incentive Policy (Okalik) 492
51 – 1(3): Clarification on Fuel Price Increases (Thompson) 493
52 – 1(3): P-3 Update (Ng) 495
53 – 1(3): Tele-Medicine MOUs (Picco) 497
54 – 1(3): Quarterly Municipal Funding (Anawak) 497
55 – 1(3): Open Custody Contractors Conference (Anawak) 498
56 – 1(3): Curriculum Initiatives (Arvaluk) 499
111 - 1(3): Repulse Bay Concerns (Alakannuark) 501
112 - 1(3): Hall Beach School Addition (Irqittuq) 501
113 - 1(3): Suicides in Nunavut (Anawak) 502
114 - 1(3): Inadequate Education Funding (Tootoo) 503
115 - 1(3): Government Phone/Fax Lists (Iqaqrialu) 504
116 - 1(3): DARE Program (McLean) 504
117 - 1(3): Tribute to Mike Bruce (Thompson) 504
118 - 1(3): Sanikiluaq Soccer and Basketball Teams (Kattuk) 505
182 - 1(3): Canada/Nunavut Language Agreement (Akesuk) 508
183 - 1(3): Federal Gun Legislation (Kattuk) 508
184 - 1(3): Decentralization of Arctic College Positions (O'Brien) 510
185 - 1(3): NTPC Cut-off Process (Iqaqrialu) 512
186 - 1(3): Interviews Regarding Fuel Prices (Tootoo) 513
187 - 1(3): Baker Lake Community Freezer (McLean) 514
188 - 1(3): Polar Bear Hunting Regulations (Puqiqnak) 515
189 - 1(3): Budget Surplus (Irqittuq) 516
190 - 1(3): Cost of Medical Travel (Mclean) 516
191 - 1(3): Staff Housing Policy (Tootoo) 518
192 - 1(3): Consultation with MLAs (Iqaqrialu) 519
193 - 1(3): Extra Funding for Housing Authorities (Akesuk) 520
194 - 1(3): Release of Budget Information (O'Brien) 521
195 - 1(3): Housing Corporation Surplus (Tootoo) 524
04 - 1(3): Rankin Inlet Birthing Facility (McLean) 525
09 - 1(3): Replacement of Jonah Amitnaaq School (McLean) 528
24 - 1(3): Letter to NTI (Thompson) 529
25 - 1(3): Fuel Subsidies Details (Thompson) 529
26 - 1(3): Letter to Minister Anawak from Mayor of Pond Inlet (Nutarak) 529
27 - 1(3): Nunavut Business Incentive Policy (Okalik) 529
28 - 1(3): Budget Surplus Article (O'Brien) 529
07 - 1(3): Minister’s Statement 50 - 1(3) to Committee of the Whole (Tootoo) 493
08 - 1(3): Minister’s Statement 51 - 1(3) to Committee of the Whole (Akesuk) 495
10 - 1(3): Ikuma Report to Committee of the Whole (O'Brien) 531
11 - 1(3): MS 45- 1(3) to Committee of the Whole (O'Brien) 531
Bill 9 - An Act to Amend the Judicature Act and Other Acts in Relation to Judges 531
Bill 10 - An Act Amending the Boards of Management Dissolution Act 532
Bill 11 - An Act to Establish Nunavut Day as a Holiday 532
Bill 12 - An Act to Amend the Divisional Education Council Dissolution Act 532
Bill 7 - Loan Authorization Act 2000/2001 532
Bill 9 - An Act to Amend the Judicature Act and Other Acts in Relation to Judges 533
Bill 10 - An Act to Amend The Boards of Management Dissolution Act 534
Bill 11 - An Act to Establish Nunavut Day as a Holiday 534
Bill 12 - An Act to Amend the Divisional Council's Dissolution Act 535
Bill 8 - Supplementary Appropriations Act, No. 2, 1999/2000 543  Tuesday February 22, 2000
Page  Rankin Inlet, Nunavut
Speaker (interpretation): I would like to ask Mr. Iqaqrialu to say the opening prayer.
Going to the orders of the day, item 2.
Before we start, I would like to make a few comments. (interpretation ends) I remind the ministers to obey rule 36 (4), it states; A minister may make statements in accordance with rule 36 (1) but the statement must not relate to his or her responsibility as a minister.
Item 2, Ministers' Statements. Mr. Okalik.
Minister's Statement 50 – 1 (3): Nunavut Business Incentive Policy
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Speaker I am pleased today to inform the House of our progress on the development of a Nunavut Business Incentive Policy.
This policy has been worked on for some time involving the Departments of Executive and Intergovernmental affairs, Public Works and Housing, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. and representatives from the Nunavut business community.
I would like to take this time to thank them for their comments and advice to the working group during the consultation period.
Much of what they said is reflected within this policy.
I would also like to thank the working group who invested a great deal of time and effort and who produced a document that is workable and reflective of the new north and that creates a truly made in Nunavut solution to one component of our economic development strategy.
I would like to reflect for a moment on what the driving force of this policy is.
Article 24 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, recognises that economic development will be one of the true measures of success of the Nunavut Land Claim and it is imperative that local businesses have the opportunity to share in the material success of the creation of Nunavut.
This policy meets those criteria.
Article 24 reminds us that there must be increased participation and improved capacity of Inuit firms to compete for business opportunities and government contracts.
This policy achieves this objective.
Similarly in the Bathurst Mandate, two of the key goals are to encourage self-reliance and to build healthy communities.
The business incentive policy is a vehicle to reach those objectives.
This policy ensures that the residents of Nunavut share and benefit from every public dollar spent in this territory.
(interpretation ends) Much like our land claim, this policy is a living, breathing document. It is not static.
It recognises that to be successful, a policy has to be flexible and responsive to the needs of the people it serves.
This policy does just that including an ongoing review process that meets not only the needs of the government but also the business community, while implementing both the spirit and intent of the land claim agreement.
In short Mr. Speaker, the policy is a step forward in meeting the objectives and principals of the Nunavut Land Claim Agreement and the Bathurst Mandate of our Government.
(interpretation) I will be open to hearing any suggestions before we make the final version.
Motion 07 - 1(3): Minister’s Statement 50 - 1(3) to Committee of the Whole
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to rule number 34(5), I move, seconded by the Honourable Member from Arviat that the Minister's Statement dealing with the business incentive policy be referred to the committee of the whole for discussion.
Mr. Tootoo is requesting that the minister's statement be moved into committee of the whole.
This motion is not subject to debate or amendment.
Minister's Statement 50 -1 (3) is referred to committee of the whole for today.
Minister's Statement 51 – 1(3): Clarification on Fuel Price Increases
I rise today in order to clarify the situation with respect to the increased price of fuel, and to assure Nunavummiut that we too are concerned.
Mr. Speaker, I feel this is necessary as a result of the tone of some of the comments being published outside of this house, and in response to the concerns raised recently by my fellow members.
This is why I rise today.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, I would like to summarise how we arrived at the situation and try to clarify some of the variables.
Of course some of the more detailed information will be provided in a proper format to those members who have specific questions.
One of the hardest decisions we've had to make recently involved this price increase.
In fact, Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Finance previously stated, the increase was kept to the absolute minimum.
I would like to point out that this is only the second price increase since 1991.
Mr. Speaker, I think we have done a good job at holding the prices steady while the market has been going up and down for a number of years.
In order to be able to control price fluctuations, we used a price stabilisation fund with a maximum dollar value of 5 million dollars.
Mr. Speaker, this means that in a bad year we can, if necessary, absorb losses of up to 5 million dollars without a massive impact on pricing.
Unfortunately, even with expenditure reduction in Operations & Maintenance and Capital, the deficit in this fund has been growing steadily.
This is a direct result of trying to hold the line on prices while subsidising all products up to a total of 9.6 million dollars.
Mr. Speaker, when the costs for this year were totalled, we were faced with having to make a very difficult decision.
Every dollar used to subsidise these costs has to be removed from other potential programs.
We were also in danger of exceeding the maximum allowable dollar value in the price stabilisation fund, a maximum of 5 million dollars.
We are not allowed to exceed this maximum amount.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to provide some information on points of interest. There is a minimal product left in inventory just prior to the fuel delivery.
When the prices were calculated for this increase, they were averaged over all the fuel received in addition to the remaining fuel left in inventory.
This allows us to spread the higher costs over all the fuel.
If we calculated the price only on the new fuel received, we would have required a larger increase to cover the cost of only that fuel.
This helped keep the increase as low as possible.
If we were to consider providing any kind of additional subsidies, these additional funds would end up coming from other programs.
This is one of the reasons I had suggested the possibility of assistance for registered hunters through an NTI funding program.
Mr. Speaker, our fuel and transportation costs have risen an average of 33.3% for the recent sealift season.
We are forced to pass on a percentage of this increase.
We have also experienced a loss as a result of division due to the smaller quantities of fuel we now purchase.
The larger the volume the lower the overall cost.
The decrease in volume as a result of this and other factors was approximately 20 million litres.
Finally Mr. Speaker, in addition to the price subsidies we are already providing, our own costs have risen as we are one of the major consumers of petroleum products through our departments.
This increase has also impacted our operating funds.
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that the members brought this topic forward in this house.
This gives us the opportunity to respond directly to our constituents.
In the future Mr. Speaker, as indicated by my Honourable colleague, the Finance Minister, we're completing a review of our entire petroleum products operation.
We will be providing the information to the Financial Management Board in June of 2000.
Mr. Speaker, we intend to go even further in order to determine whether there are changes we can make that will help us rein in some of these expenses.
Unfortunately we must also be aware that a large part of our cost structure is subject to the same pressure as the rest of the world.
That is the price of oil in our world market.
Mr. Speaker, I hope this statement helps clarify a few of the many pressures facing the petroleum products division in the area of pricing.
Once again, I thank the regular members for highlighting this issue and giving me the chance to respond in a proper forum.
Speaker: Thank you Ms. Thompson. Mr. Akesuk
Motion 08 - 1(3): Minister’s Statement 51 - 1(3) to Committee of the Whole
I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Iqaluit Centre, that the tabled document on the fuel prices be moved to the committee of the whole for discussion.
So you're asking to move this statement to the committee of the whole for this afternoon.
Mr. Akesuk.  Mr. Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Speaker.
He is requesting the minister's statement be moved to committee of the whole.
The minister's statement 51- 1(3) is referred to the committee of the whole.
Minister's Statement 52 – 1(3): P-3 Update
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to update members of this assembly on the status of the government's intent to create P3 Health Care Projects across Nunavut. As I've indicated previously in this assembly, the Government of Nunavut recognises that the P3 process represents a viable financing option for delivering large projects.
Among other things this includes major infrastructure requirements for the Government of Nunavut such as health care facilities.
Mr. Speaker, construction of large capital intensive projects through conventional financing would impose a significant burden on the limited resources of our government.
Financing these projects through the P3 process allows the GN to free up much needed capital funding for other government initiatives.
Mr. Speaker, as this assembly is aware, on April 1st of 99, the Government of Nunavut inherited four potential health care projects from the GNWT.
New health care facilities were planned for Rankin Inlet, Arviat, Iqaluit and Cambridge Bay.
In May of last year, we successfully concluded negotiations that allowed us to enter into an agreement with the Arviat Development Corporation for the construction, leasing, and maintenance of the Arviat Health Centre.
Construction on a new health centre was stopped in August when fuel oil was found to have contaminated the excavation site.
The contractor commenced cleaning operations until winter weather conditions prevented any further soil removal for site restoration.
Ninety percent of the contaminated soil has been removed to date and construction of the new facility will recommence in the spring.
It is expected that it will be completed this November.
Mr. Speaker, considerable progress has been made with regard of the development of the other three potential health projects.
In May 1999, the Financial Management Board approved a project to prepare a set of policies and procedures to guide the government in the development, award, and management of P3 projects.
The Financial Management Board also approved an initiative to undertake a separate but related study to evaluate the status quo of the other P3 projects.
The Policy and Procedures study is virtually complete and a draft of the consultants' report is currently being circulated to the Departments of Finance and Public Works for review.
The Evaluation Study is completed and the Government of Nunavut Departments have reviewed the report.
Mr. Speaker, the three remaining Health Care Facilities present some challenges.
All three projects were at various stages of the planning process when they were inherited from the GNWT.
Our new government in some cases did not have the opportunity to approve the functional plans, establish P3 management teams nor to develop business cases for proceeding with these new health care projects under a P3 arrangement.
Mr. Speaker, despite these difficulties, the Government of Nunavut has taken action to ensure that all outstanding issues related to the preliminary planning process are resolved.
In December 1999, the Department of Finance and Administration re-opened discussions with the Sakku Investments Corporation, Qikiqtaaluk Corporation and the Kitikmeot Corporation.
This allowed us to establish service contracts to complete the remaining work and bring these projects to the stage where informed decisions can be made to proceed or not to proceed with the construction of these facilities.
Currently the department of Finance is finalising the terms and conditions of these contracts with the birthright development corporations.
We hope to have these contracts in place to complete the work within the next two weeks.
Mr. Speaker, given the strong support by this assembly for improved health services, and facilities across Nunavut, we are committed to moving forward as quickly as possible in resolving any outstanding issues to allow these important projects to become reality.
Minister's Statement 53 – 1(3): Tele-Medicine MOUs
Mr. Speaker, I would like to rise today to inform the members of this assembly about our plans to participate in separate memoranda of understanding or MOUs with the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador and with a state agency in Australia.
Mr. Speaker, our Honourable Premier recently had an opportunity to visit the Telemedicine Centre of Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Newfoundland and Labrador face many problems similar to ours in their efforts to provide Health and Social Services in their province.
They have expressed interest in sharing their experiences in the development and operation of their Tetra Telemedicine Centre with us.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce we are in the early stages of developing this MOU with Memorial University.
Mr. Speaker, on the international front, we have also been working with the Australian High Commission since July of 1999 and are in the final stages of developing an MOU which will create a relationship between us and the Queensland Telemedicine Network in Australia.
Queensland, like Nunavut, has remote communities with extreme environments.
They have faced many of the challenges we are facing and will share their solutions with us.
This is an exciting opportunity to learn from an existing network in a new and fast paced technology environment.
Mr. Speaker, as a government committed to the health and wellbeing of our people, it is to our benefit to explore these opportunities and learn from national and international experiences.
I thank the members for their continued support for telehealth in Nunavut, and I look forward to apprising the house of developments as these exciting events unfold.
We've reached our time limit.
Hon. Jack Anawak: Yes, I wanted to make a minister's statement if possible.
We'd like to continue.
Speaker (interpretation): The minister asked that the time limit for minister's statements be extended.
Minister's statement, Mr. Anawak.
Minister's Statement 54 – 1(3): Quarterly Municipal Funding
When we met with municipal leaders and administrators in November 1999 community leaders requested that the government advance its municipal operating contribution on a quarterly basis.
Until now municipal contribution funding has been forwarded to Hamlets on a monthly basis for a number of reasons.
It was the position of the GNWT that monthly contributions were more effective because among other things it gave the territorial government greater control over many community finances.
For their part the Hamlets have always maintained the monthly contributions are cumbersome to the communities, the lag between the day they forward their financial reports and the day they receive advances often puts them in a tight financial position.
Last year the new government of Nunavut listened to the expectations Nunavummiut had for their Government.
The result, as you well know, was the Bathurst Mandate.
Mr. Speaker the Bathurst Mandate lays out the principles from which we shall govern.
Among these principles are two that I believe are important to the issue of community funding.
The future of healthy communities depends on people being responsible and accountable for their own well being and we'll work within our means to provide for the needs of our families and communities.