EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Can the minister confirm who has been appointed to serve on the NNI Tribunal?
At first I thought, because all the members have been asking me questions, I’ll take it as notice, but I think I can answer this one.
Appointees to the new NNI Tribunal under the NNI Implementation Act, recent appointments were done and they are Barbara Tartak, Al Lahure, and Sarah Maniapik currently and another appointee who has Canadian International Trade Tribunal experience is James Ogilvie.
Section 12 of the new NNI Policy provides for the establishment of an NNI Policy Review Committee, which is supposed to meet on a quarterly basis.
Can the minister confirm who has been appointed to serve on the NNI Policy Review Committee?
The NNI Review Committee is not an appointed committee.
It’s a committee formed under the NNI Implementation Act and it’s following the previous NNI Policy, which also had the review committee.
The people that serve on the review committee are the staff from the NNI Secretariat and also NTI, who deals with their Inuit Firm Registry.
Section 17 of the new NNI Policy provides for bid adjustments in the government’s procurement process.
The new NNI Policy now provides for additional bid adjustments for Inuit firms with higher ownership levels.
To illustrate, the new NNI Policy provides that a firm with 100 percent Inuit ownership level will receive an additional 5 percent bid adjustment above what firms with lower Inuit ownership levels are entitled to receive. That was very interesting.
It is the responsibility of NTI to determine the relative levels of Inuit ownership of firms on its registry.
Can the minister confirm if NTI has provided the government with an updated listing of firms, including their Inuit ownership ratings?
Mr. Speaker, the Inuit Firm Registry is a registry that is dealt with by the Inuit organization designated to register Inuit firms and currently that is Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated.
They do the listing for the Inuit Firm Registry. I have not heard of currently whether they have provided us a list, but I do know the list is readily available on the website.
Question 720 – 4(3): Community Justice Initiatives (Joanasie)
I have questions for the Minister of Justice.
Mr. Speaker, community justice outreach workers are responsible for ensuring that Nunavummiut are able to access remedies provided under the Family Abuse Intervention Act, such as emergency protection orders and community intervention orders, within their communities.
During our recent winter sitting, members were informed that the Department of Justice was working to transfer a number of community justice outreach worker positions from municipal governments to newly created positions within the Government of Nunavut.
Can the minister indicate how many community justice outreach worker positions have been transferred from the municipal governments to the Government of Nunavut as of today?
It’s my sincere pleasure to give Minister Monica Ell-Kanayuk a break from question period here.
I hope I can answer as well as she has.
Mr. Speaker, the plan was to transfer five positions this year.
Two have been completed, one is in the process, and two are also in the process, but we’re looking for office space.
Can the minister tell us what specific benefits these transfers will have for the individuals who fill these positions and the communities that they serve?
It’s anticipated that they will have a closer working relationship with our department and we will be able to provide more direction and support to them; reporting relationships, training, and other benefits of that sort.
In some communities it’s difficult for CJOWs to focus on their work. Under the contribution agreement, they may be asked to do other work for the hamlet. In this case they would just focus on the work that the Department of Justice requires them to do.
I thank again the minister for his response.
Can the minister clarify if these community justice outreach workers are also responsible for providing administrative support to community justice committees and, if not, can he clarify who is?
Of course the Government of Nunavut appreciates all the hard volunteer work that community justice committees provide in providing a continuum of justice from the community level and up.
I know a lot of the volunteers commit many hours of their free time to the service in their communities. Through the Department of Justice, through the CJOWs, we do provide support for the community justice committees.
It may vary between communities depending on who the individual is, but we do provide a level of support to the justice committees.
Question 721 – 4(3): Results of Beer and Wine Store Plebiscite in Rankin Inlet (Sammurtok, A)
Earlier this month plebiscites were held in the communities of Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay on the question of whether or not beer and wine stores should be opened in the communities.
In Rankin Inlet approximately 38 percent of eligible voters went to the polls; 372 votes were cast for the “yes” side of the question and 127 votes were cast for the “no” side of the question.
Can the minister provide a clear timetable for when the government will make a decision concerning whether or not to open a beer and wine store in Rankin Inlet?
It was indeed a very good turnout for the community of Rankin Inlet and also for the community of Cambridge Bay.
Voters in those communities spoke very loudly with their vote what they wanted, in this case a beer and wine store.
As I said, it was a non-binding plebiscite, so the government is not bound to move forward or anything on establishing a beer and wine store soon in either community.
It is likely that we will do some further consultations. We will have to look at putting regulations in the Liquor Act. We will also probably have to do additional consultations in the community to talk about how the beer and wine store would operate.
I don’t anticipate that it will be something that this government will be able to accomplish.
Based on my knowledge and experience here in Iqaluit with the Iqaluit Beer and Wine Store, that vote was on April 20 of 2015 and if the current plans are maintained, we won’t be opening a beer and wine store in Iqaluit until hopefully mid to late July of this year. That is over two years.
What specific factors will the government consider in making the decision as to whether or not to open a beer and wine store in Rankin Inlet?
Well, one of the main factors in the community of Rankin Inlet or any community for sure would be the availability of a facility.
We do have a facility in Rankin Inlet, the Rankin Inlet Liquor Warehouse.
If you would, let’s say, go to Cambridge Bay, there is no facility and there is no liquor warehouse.
Definitely a facility would be required and that would be a main priority.
In Iqaluit we have the liquor warehouse here. We are making renovations to the liquor warehouse so that we can sell beer and wine there. That would be the main consideration.
Again, we’re going to do some more consultations with people in the community, special interest groups, and the hamlet council and talk about hours of operation, days of operation, and other things that they may raise with us, just to make sure everybody understands what the beer and wine store would accomplish and how it will operate.
When I arrived in Iqaluit for the current sitting, it appeared that construction work is being undertaken to convert the government’s liquor warehouse in this community into a retail outlet.
As the minister is aware, there is a similar warehouse facility in Rankin Inlet. Is Rankin Inlet’s liquor warehouse physically suited to being expanded or converted into a retail facility?
Speaker: The Hon. Minister of Finance, Mr. Keith Peterson.
In Iqaluit we did take the liquor warehouse, and then we’re building an addition and we’re calling it the beer and wine store.
It’s part of it, but we’re not selling liquor out of the beer and wine store. We’re selling beer and wine.
I have been on a couple of tours of the warehouse in Rankin Inlet and it’s a very nice facility.
I’m not an architect or engineer. This is my amateur assessment. I would say that it offers potential to be renovated to some degree to sell beer and wine, but again, I’m not an expert.
We have to fund these beer and wine store facilities through our Nunavut Liquor Commission Revolving Fund, so we will also be constrained by the amount of financing we have available. We don’t want to go to the Government of Nunavut seeking appropriation for doing renovations. We would try to do everything through our revolving fund.
That could be a constraint.
Obviously if there’s an existing facility, then that in itself could help us open a beer and wine store without too much cost other than the cost of renovations.
The time for question period has expired. (interpretation ends) Hon. Member for Aivilik, Mr. Steve Mapsalak.
Speaker (interpretation): The Member for Aivilik is seeking unanimous consent to go back to Item 5.
There are none. Mr. Mapsalak, please proceed.
*See Appendix for full text of Returns to Written Questions 22 – 4(3), 23 – 4(3), 24 – 4(3), 25 – 4(3), and 26 – 4(3).
I rarely get to recognize anyone in the House. We have an individual in the gallery from Naujaat and I know that he is well known in this House as he has been a member of various boards and agencies. During the negotiations of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, he was the long-time chair of the land claims organization.
I would like to recognize Naujaat resident Donat Milortok.
Member Mr. George Hickes.
I appreciate the member requesting to go back to Item 5 on the order paper.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Mr. Chad Schella from Canada Post to the Chamber.
Also no stranger to the Chamber, I’m sure all members and the viewing audience recognize a long-time former Member of this House and a current Member of the House of Commons representing Nunavut. I would like to welcome the Hon. Hunter Tootoo to the Chamber as well.
Return to Written Question 022 – 4(3): Annual Fuel Purchases by the Government of Nunavut and Fuel Distribution Service Contracts (Clerk)
Return to Written Question 023 – 4(3): Promotion Decisions under Section 15 of the Education Act (Clerk)
Return to Written Question 024 – 4(3): Administration of Human Resources Manual Directive 206: Preferential Treatment (Clerk)
Return to Written Question 025 – 4(3): Strategic Investments Program (Clerk)
Return to Written Question 026 – 4(3): Status of Decentralization (Clerk)
I’m tabling the returns to written questions No. 22 – 4(3), 23 – 4(3), 24 – 4(3), 25 – 4(3), and 26 – 4(3), all of which were asked during the winter 2017 sitting of the House.
The Hon. Premier of Nunavut, Mr. Taptuna.  Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Tabled Document 310 – 4(3): Response to Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Independent Officers and Other Entities’ Report on the Review of the 2015-2016 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (Taptuna)
I would like to table the following:
Government of Nunavut’s Response to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Independent Officers and Other Entities on the Review of the 2015-16 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Nunavut.
Tabled Document 311 – 4(3): Exchange of Correspondence with the Minister of Finance Concerning Human Resources Manual Directive 511 – Reference Checks (Angnakak)
I wish to table today a copy of my recent exchange of correspondence with the Minister of Finance concerning the government’s policy regarding reference checks during the staffing process.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage all members here to review this item with care.
Tabled Document 312 – 4(3): Correspondence from Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Concerning the Nutrition North Canada Program (Enook)
As members will recall from our sitting of February 21, 2017, I tabled a copy of my correspondence to the federal Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs concerning the Nutrition North Canada Program.
Today I am pleased to table a copy of the minister’s reply to me, which I encourage all members to review with care.
Tabled Document 313 – 4(3): Excerpt from the Transcript of the May 18, 2017 Proceedings of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (Joanasie)
I wish to table today an excerpt from the transcript of the May 18, 2017 proceedings of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.
Members will note that the issue of relocating Nunavut airports from their present unsafe locations was raised during the Auditor General’s recent appearance before the standing committee to present his report on civil aviation infrastructure in Canada’s North.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to review this item with care, especially the Minister of Economic Development and Transportation.
Tabled Document 314 – 4(3): Correspondence from Clyde River Mayor to Canadian North (Keyootak)
As members are aware, the issue of air service to our smaller communities is a major concern to my constituents.
I wish to table today a copy of the mayor of Clyde River’s recent correspondence to Canadian North concerning the airline’s decision to not resume scheduled service to the community.
I thank the mayor for writing on this issue, and I encourage all members to review the correspondence with care.
Tabled Document 315 – 4(3): Rankin Inlet Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (Sammurtok, A)
I would like to table the most recent copy of the Rankin Inlet Integrated Community Sustainability Plan.
I would note that many of the short-, medium-, and long-term objectives remain similar to previous years.
In particular the community still strongly supports the establishment of the 24-hour care facility for seniors.
Tabled Document 316 – 4(3): Submissions to Standing Committee on Legislation on Bill 37, An Act to Amend the Education Act and the Inuit Language Protection Act (Sammurtok, T)
Mr. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) As Chair of the Standing Committee on Legislation, I wish to table copies of the submissions which have been received by the committee regarding Bill 37, An Act to Amend the Education Act and the Inuit Language Protection Act.
Mr. Speaker, when you review these submissions, you will note that an overwhelming majority of them do not support Bill 37, and I encourage all members to review them with care. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Tabling of Documents. (interpretation ends) I have one.
Tabled Document 317 – 4(3): 2015-2016 Contracting Report of the Office of the Legislative Assembly and the Offices of Independent Officers of the Legislative Assembly (Speaker)
Tabled Document 318 – 4(3): 2015-2016 Annual Report of the Representative for Children and Youth (Speaker)
The first document is the 2015-16 Contracting Report of the Office of the Legislative Assembly and the Offices of Independent Officers of the Legislative Assembly.
The second document is the 2015-16 Annual Report of the Representative for Children and Youth. (interpretation) Thank you.
Motion 047 – 4(3): Extended Sitting Hours and Days – Notice (Mikkungwak)
I give notice that on Thursday, June 1, I will move the following motion:
I MOVE, seconded by the Hon. Member for Aggu, that the Speaker be authorized to set such sitting hours and days as the Speaker deems fit to assist with the business before the House during the spring 2017 sitting of the Legislative Assembly.
Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills. The Hon. Minister of Finance, Hon. Keith Peterson.
Bill 44 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, No. 1, 2017-2018 – Notice
Hon. Keith Peterson: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, May 31, 2017, that Bill 44, Supplementary Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) Act, No. 1, 2017-2018, be read for the first time.
I have a second one.
Speaker: Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills.
Bill 45 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 2, 2017-2018 – Notice
Sorry about the little hiccup there.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, May 31, 2017, that Bill 45, Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 2, 2017-2018, be read for the first time.
Motion 047 – 4(3): Extended Sitting Hours and Days (Mikkungwak)
Hon. Keith Peterson: Mr. Speaker, I request consent to waive the one-day notice requirement to allow for the first reading of Bill 44 for today.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) The minister is seeking consent to allow for Bill 44 to be read for today.
There are none. Mr. Peterson, you may proceed.
Bill 44 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, No. 1, 2017-2018 – First Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Arviat South, that Bill 44, Supplementary Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) Act, No. 1, 2017-2018, be read for the first time.
(interpretation ends) First Reading of Bills. The Hon. Minister of Finance, Hon. Keith Peterson.
Hon. Keith Peterson: Mr. Speaker, I request consent to waive the one-day notice requirement to allow for the first reading of Bill 45 for today.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) The minister is seeking consent to allow for Bill 45 to be read for today.
Bill 45 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 2, 2017-2018 – First Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Arviat South, that Bill 45, Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 2, 2017-2018, be read for the first time.
Second Reading of Bills. The Hon. Minister of Finance, Hon. Keith Peterson.
Bill 44 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, No. 1, 2017-2018 – Second Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Arviat South, that Bill 44, Supplementary Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) Act, No. 1, 2017-2018, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill makes supplementary appropriations to defray the operations and maintenance expenses of the Government of Nunavut for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018.
The motion is carried and Bill 44 is referred to the Committee of the Whole.
Bill 45 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 2, 2017-2018 – Second Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Arviat South, that Bill 45, Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 2, 2017-2018, be read for the second time.
The motion is carried and Bill 45 is referred to the Committee of the Whole.
Motion 048 – 4(3): Adjournment for the Day (Mikkungwak)
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) I ask that the members join me in the foyer at 4:00 p.m. for the Canada Post event.
This House stands adjourned until Wednesday, May 31, at 1:30 p.m.
>>House adjourned at 15:39
Appendix – May 30, 2017
Asked of: Hon. Paul Quassa, MLA
Number: 023 - 4(3)
Date: 14 March, 2017
Subject: Promotion Decisions under Section 15 of the  Education Act
Broken down by community and school, how many students in grades 9-12 were promoted within the meaning of section 15 of the Education Act during each of the following school years:
Please note that the response to Question 1 has been incorporated in the response to Question 2.
Broken down by community and school, how many students in grades 9-12 were denied promotion within the meaning of section 15 of the Education Act during each of the following school years:
It is important to note that from Kindergarten through grade 9, a student is either promoted from one grade to the next or retained in their current grade.
However, for reasons explained below related to the high school credit system and the unique path each student takes in moving through those grades, grade 9 is the last grade where promotion from one grade to the next, or retention in the current grade, happens in an absolute sense.
The following table presents the relevant statistics, at a territorial level, for the promotion and retention of students at the end of grade 9 for the requested school years.
These figures have not been broken down by school as the department is unable to release such data as per Section 23 of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, as with such small numbers it is possible that individual students could be identified.
Headcount of Grade 9 Students’ Promotion/Retention Data
2012-13 Grade 9
Retired/Transferred
Kivalliq*
*Data for the Kivalliq region may have been impacted by the switchover in the 2012-2013 school year from Student Record (SR) to Student Information System (SIS).
For the 2012-13 school year, there were two Grade 9 students without a GN ID number.
Their information was omitted from the table above.
There was insufficient promotion/retention data for a territory-wide total of 18 students.
Retired/Transferred refers to students who either exited the school system or transferred to another school system.
2013-14 Grade 9
For the 2013-14 school year, there were three Grade 9 students without a GN ID number.
There was insufficient promotion/retention data for a territory-wide total of 24 students.
2014-15 Grade 9
For the 2014-15 school year there were three Grade 9 students without a GN ID number.
There was insufficient promotion/retention data for a territory-wide total of 97 students.
Grades 10-12
Entry to grade 10 allows for a variety of academic options to cater to a student’s educational and career needs.
According to current practice, when a student first registers in a senior secondary school program, the student will be designated as a Grade 10 student.
Each personal learning path is unique.
Students are placed in courses to fit their needs, at various grade levels depending on the student.
As they collect credits from successful courses they would move through the high school grades taking—depending on how they may be paced on entry to grade 10—for example, Academic, General or Knowledge and Employment (KAE) classes.
Students who have completed a minimum of 35 credits are designated as Grade 11 when they register in any new courses, and students who have completed a minimum of 70 credits will be designated as Grade 12 when they register in any new courses.
For example, potentially, students may be considered Grade 11 due to their credit designation but they can be enrolled in Grade 10 courses.
This is a normal and common occurrence.
In short, retention in a particular grade does not play a role in the high school setting in the same manner that it does from Kindergarten through grade 9.
For these reasons, it is not possible to collect or present accurate figures that would show the promotion data within the meaning of Section 15 of the Education Act for the required years for students taking classes between Grades 10 to 12.
Due to the high school credit process, relevant figures for this time in a student’s development would include attendance and graduation rates.
Broken down by community and school, how many students in grades 9-12 were denied promotion within the meaning of section 15 of the Education Act on the grounds of academic achievement during each of the following school years:
The numbers of students retained from advancing beyond grade 9, per region and per the requested years are included in the response to Question 2.
No further distinctions are made beyond what is included above.
As explained above, students earning credits from Grades 10 to 12 move through the upper secondary years based on a credit system.
Programs fitting their needs should have been found through the career and program planning process.
Students in some cases can cross multiple grades based upon their credit count and academic path.
(For additional information regarding section 15 of the Education Act, please see attached appendix)
Section 15 of the Education Act states that:
The school team, in accordance with the directions of the Minister, is responsible  for determining the promotion of students.
The School Team
The School Team would meet to determine the promotion of a student and would deny promotion in very rare cases and at the insistence of the Parent or Guardian.
When considering the retention of a student, the School Team has to take into account the principles described in Inuglugijaittuq: Foundation for Inclusive Education in Nunavut Schools.