EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
(interpretation) When you are working out the details of this RFP for the renewal of the medical travel contract for air ambulances and I believe for other flights, will you ensure that the focus will be the comfort of those elderly patients who suffer the most? The focus should be on those who suffer from real illnesses, such as people stricken with cancer. Can you ensure that health prevention is at the top of that list so that the planes are more comfortable?
In some areas, the flights have a number of stopovers while others have more direct flights. Will you keep those in mind when you are negotiating the contract?
I totally understand where the member is coming from.
We want to ensure that comfort is one of the key criteria for the RFP and I’m working with the experts in the Department of CG&S.
We have looked at the areas that need improvement and we will keep the concern of the member in mind.
Question 074 – 3(3): Small Craft Harbours (Ningeongan)
Just prior to asking my question, I would like to ask the Member for Arviat to look this way.
I am wondering why he is not wearing his Boston tie today.
(interpretation ends) As the minister is aware, the 2006 study that was jointly completed by the GN and the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans identified seven communities where small craft harbours should be constructed, including Chesterfield Inlet.
During yesterday’s proceedings of the Committee of the Whole, members were advised by the minister’s officials that the GN is currently lobbying the federal government for the necessary funding to construct small craft harbours in our communities. The community of Qikiqtarjuaq was specifically identified during the testimony that we heard. Can the minister provide further clarification on why this specific community appears to be the department’s current focus?
In Nunavut, we have consistently said that the responsibility of small craft harbours is under DFO.
DFO does have that jurisdiction, but we jointly prepared with DFO a small craft harbours report which was completed a few years ago and it mainly was on fishing.
We still consistently say that the responsibility is, of course, with DFO.
The other matter of fact is that we do deal with some of these landing harbours for resupplying into these communities; we do include these as priorities for community resupply.
Of course, talking about the report, we have some of the designing and planning completed for at least seven communities for the marine projects.
I imagine that the minister would very much enjoy being able to make a statement in this House in which he announced that the federal government had given him a cheque with which to construct all of the small craft harbours that were recommended in the report.
Can the minister indicate whether he has personally had discussions with his federal counterpart on this issue?
Not since December.
Your second supplementary, Member for Nanulik.
For the past several years, the Legislative Assembly has approved an annual budget for his department to go towards the construction of small craft harbours.
I know that this amount has been used to demonstrate to Ottawa that we are prepared to contribute our share.
Can the minister give us a realistic sense today of whether the current federal government will be providing the necessary funding to construct small craft harbours in all of the communities that were originally identified in the joint report that the GN and DFO prepared?
With a small amount of funds set aside annually for small craft harbours, it’s usually a small amount that we can’t really build anything on when we talk about small craft harbours.
As an example, just for the Iqaluit Marine Facility, it’s estimated to cost around $90 million. For Qikiqtarjuaq, it’s anywhere between $15 million and $20 million.
For Clyde River, a small craft harbour is estimated to be between $15 million and $20 million, and the list goes on; Pond Inlet, $30 million, and these are just estimates.
So with a small annual budget of $500,000, we’re hoping that we can use that budget to actually get some work done on the designing of these small craft harbours within these communities and initiate that work so that the federal government and DFO can actually jump in there and help us out with infrastructure that’s sorely needed in our Nunavut communities.
There are no more hands up. (interpretation ends) Item 7. (interpretation) Written Questions. (interpretation ends) Item 8. (interpretation) Returns to Written Questions. (interpretation ends) Item 9. (interpretation) Replies to Opening Address. (interpretation ends) Item 10. (interpretation) Replies to Budget Address. (interpretation ends) Item 11. (interpretation) Petitions. (interpretation ends) Item 12. (interpretation) Responses to Petitions. (interpretation ends) Item 13. (interpretation) Reports of Standing and Special Committees on Bills and Other Matters.
Committee Report 002 – 3(3): Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act (Ningeongan)
I wish to report that Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, has been reviewed by the Standing Committee on Legislation and that the bill is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 68(6) and have Bill 3 immediately moved into the Committee of the Whole.
The member is asking for unanimous consent to waive Rule 68(6) and have Bill 3 immediately moved into the Committee of the Whole.
Bill 3 will be immediately moved into the Committee of the Whole.
(interpretation ends) Item 13. (interpretation) Reports of Standing and Special Committees on Bills and Other Matters. (interpretation ends) Item 14. (interpretation) Tabling of Documents.
Tabled Document 027 – 3(3): 2010 Annual Report from the Office of the Fire Marshal (Kusugak)
I wish to table the 2010 Annual Report from the Office of the Fire Marshal.
Tabled Document 028 – 3(3): Nunavut Business Credit Corporation Business Plan 2010-2013 (Taptuna)
Tabled Document 029 – 3(3): Nunavut Business Credit Corporation Business Plan 2011-2014 (Taptuna)
I am pleased to table the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation’s business plans for 2010-13 and 2011-14.
Tabled Document 030 – 3(3): Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture (CCFAM) and the Atlantic Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Shewchuk)
I am pleased to table the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture (CCFAM) and the Atlantic Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture meeting in St. John’s, Newfoundland, November 2010.
Tabled Document 031 – 3(3): Merit-based Salary Increases and One-time Performance-based Bonus Payments to Senior Managers 2007-2010 (Aariak)
Hon. Eva Aariak (interpretation: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I am pleased to table the summaries of merit-based salary increases and one-time performance-based bonus payments awarded to senior managers for each of the three fiscal years from 2007 to 2010. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Tabled Document 032 – 3(3): Shared Directional Statement 2010-2011 (Peterson)
I am pleased to table the Shared Directional Statement 2010-2011 between the Nunavut Minister of Justice and the Nunavut RCMP Commanding Officer.
Tabled Document 033 – 3(3): Nunavut Housing Corporation Contracting Report for the Year Ended March 31, 2010 (Curley)
I rise as the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation to table the contracting report for the year ended March 31, 2010.
Tabling of Documents. (interpretation ends) Item 15. (interpretation) Notices of Motions. (interpretation ends) Item 16. (interpretation) Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills. (interpretation ends) Item 17. (interpretation) Motions.
Motion 002 – 3(3): Referral of Tabled Documents 248 – 3(2), 249 – 3(2), 251 – 3(2), 274 – 3(2), 275 – 3(2) (Elliott)
AND WHEREAS similar information concerning the Qulliq Energy Corporation’s activities has also been tabled in the Legislative Assembly;
Bills 1, 3, 4, and 5, and Tabled Documents 248 – 3(2), 249 – 3(2), 251 – 3(2), 274 – 3(2), and 275 – 3(2) with the Member for Nanulik in the Chair.
In accordance with the authority provided to me by Motion 1 – 3(3), the Committee of the Whole will stay in session until it reports itself out.
We will immediately proceed to Committee of the Whole, and you can take a break when you please.
In Committee of the Whole, we have the following items to deal with: Bills 1, 3, 4, and 5, and Tabled Documents 248 – 3(2), 249 – 3(2), 251 – 3(2), 274 – 3(2), and 275 – 3(2).
We wish to continue with the review of Bill 1 and commence with the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, followed by the Nunavut Arctic College.
We will then continue with the following departments: the Department of Human Resources, the Department of Environment, the Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs, and if time permits, the Legislative Assembly.
Are we in agreement that we first deal with Bill 1 and the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth?
Bill 01 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2011-2012 – Consideration in Committee – Culture, Language, Elders and Youth
I would now like to ask the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, Mr. Arreak, to make his opening remarks.
Hon. James Arreak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
A very good afternoon, Mr. Chairman and my colleagues, as well as our audience.
Mr. Chairman, this is my first appearance before the Committee of the Whole as the newest member of the cabinet, although I’m not the youngest.
I am honoured to appear before the Committee of the Whole.
In preparation of the business plan and the main estimates, my officials relied on a number of government priorities and strategic directions, including Tamapta and Qanukkanniq Report Card, and legal obligations as mandated by the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut.
The Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth (Iliqqusilirijikkut) holds the leadership role within the Government of Nunavut for the preservation, development, and enhancement of Nunavut’s culture, heritage, languages, and healthy living opportunities for Nunavummiut.
This year’s budget remains much the same as last year’s with two exceptions; there have been increases to the budgets for Piqqusilirivvik and sport and recreation.
The total budget increase for sport and recreation is $800,000.
This increase is for the Arctic Winter Games one-time funding for 2011-12.
The total budget increase for Piqqusilirivvik is $2,520,000.
This increase is for 13 new positions and for the operation of the cultural learning facility, which is scheduled to open this spring.
We are planning to have an opening ceremony in the spring.
I would also like to take this opportunity to clarify the timeline of one of the department’s most significant initiatives.
During 2010-11, we have done considerable work on the development of the comprehensive implementation plan for the Language Acts.
Work continues in this area.
I will be tabling a draft comprehensive implementation plan during the upcoming spring session to provide a progress report to the Members of this House and the public.
We will then present the draft plan to stakeholders for their additional input.
The stakeholders will include:
Representatives of Inuit organizations, including Nunavut Tunngavik and the regional Inuit associations
Representatives of francophones
Representatives of businesses and municipalities
Nunavut’s Languages Commissioner
Federal Department of Canadian Heritage
I anticipate being able to submit the final plan to my cabinet colleagues for approval by early fall, which will allow for the tabling of the final comprehensive plan during the fall session.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Arreak. (interpretation ends) Do you have witnesses that you would like to bring to the table?
Chairman: Thank you, Minister Arreak.
Sergeant-at-Arms, can you please escort the minister and his officials to the witness table.
For the record, Minister Arreak, please introduce your witnesses.
To my right is Deputy Minister Simon Awa and to my left is Director of Corporate Services Nikki Nweze.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Arreak.
Welcome and thank you for being here. (interpretation ends) Does the Chair of the Standing Committee on Social Wellness have comments?
I am pleased to deliver the standing committee’s opening comments as we begin consideration of the 2011-12 main estimates and business plan of the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
The Standing Committee on Social Wellness notes that the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth is proposing to increase its budget for 2011-12 to $27,892,000, which is $4 million more than the department’s approved budget for the 2010-11 fiscal year.
The standing committee has noted that the amount of funding proposed for the department’s Language Bureau Division has increased significantly since the minister’s appearance before the committee to discuss his department’s draft main estimates for 2011-12.
Members fully support the addition of more positions to this division as the government begins to fully implement the requirements of the Inuit Language Protection Act and the Official Languages Act.
The standing committee looks forward to when the minister, in his capacity as Minister of Languages, will table the comprehensive implementation plan for the languages legislation in the Legislative Assembly.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to take this opportunity to pay sincere tribute to the fine work of interpreters and translators across all government departments and agencies. In particular, Mr. Chairman, I would like to commend our own Legislative Assembly interpreters for the highly professional work that they do in this House.
Not only do they have to be proficient in parliamentary terminology and procedure, but, as we all know, the subjects with which they must be familiar can be extremely diverse.
Mr. Chairman, the standing committee strongly encourages the minister to work closely with his colleague, the Minister responsible for Nunavut Arctic College, to ensure that resources are made available for the training and certification of interpreter/translators with specialization in such areas as parliamentary, medical and legal terminology.
Mr. Chairman, there is also a significant increase in funding for one of the department’s key initiatives for 2011-12, which is the opening of Piqqusilirivvik, the new Inuit cultural school in Clyde River.
Members encourage the minister and his officials to ensure that the Piqqusilirivvik is staffed as soon as possible so that there are no delays in accepting students and delivering the courses.
During the minister’s appearance before the standing committee, members were pleased to learn of the number of language and culture related initiatives that have been undertaken by the department.
Committee members encourage the minister to ensure that all three regions across Nunavut have equal opportunities to participate in and contribute to these initiatives.
The committee has noted that one of the department’s priorities for the 2011-12 fiscal year is to establish the Inuit Uqausinginnik Taigusiliuqtiit (Inuit Language Authority) as an independent public agency that is at arm’s length from the Government of Nunavut.
Committee members are somewhat concerned that the necessary planning decisions may not all be made in time for the projected September 2011 deadline.
Mr. Chairman, the standing committee recognizes that the department has a number of programs, initiatives, and services to support Nunavut elders.
Members applaud the department’s efforts to collect and pass on traditional knowledge to our youth.
Committee members would appreciate receiving further detail on the elders’ hotline operated by the department.
The standing committee recommends that the type and nature of calls to the hotline be analyzed in order to determine the kinds of programming and support that elders are requesting and to direct funding accordingly.
Committee members note the ongoing work towards supporting Nunavut heritage programs.
A number of Nunavut artefacts are still being stored in the Northwest Territories.
Members still look forward to any news regarding the repatriation of these exhibits.
Mr. Chairman, during the minister’s most recent appearance before the standing committee, members were pleased to note that the department was working on a report that will provide information and detail on the results of projects which have been funded through the department’s grant and contribution funding process.
Members look forward to this report being tabled in the House.
As members are aware, the responsibility for sport and recreation continues to fall under the department’s mandate. Members were pleased to note an increase in funding for travel and transportation, which will support Nunavut’s athletes in participating in such events as the Arctic Winter Games.
Members were interested to note that the organization “Sport Nunavut” is no longer an independent organization and that all programs are now coordinated from within the department’s Sport and Recreation Division.
Members continue to look forward to updates on the possibility of transferring this division to the Department of Community and Government Services.
I would like to ask if any members have any general comments.
I want to welcome the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
He is my Annuraaqatik. It’s a kinship name that we have, but the clothes I bought are too loose because I lost weight, but that was why we called each other Annuraaqatik.
I welcome your deputy, whom I term Tuqqarviuqatik.
I also worked with the deputy on Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
There was an elder, Mary Ekho, who asked me to call her Tuqqavik, so I termed her that in reverence of her age.
While we are reviewing the department, I won’t use the kinship name today.
I was quite happy to hear the report presented that outlines the plans being undertaken and one of their stated purposes is to use Tamapta priorities and strategic directions and the Qanukkanniq Report Card. But due to the fact that they have the lead role with respect to Inuit customs and practices that are to be incorporated into government operations, how exactly will they accomplish it?
Is there a committee of government departmental representatives? I didn’t see any reference to these items.
How will you, playing the lead role, institute more Inuit friendly practices within the government operations?
Obviously the priority is to fulfill government duties and I know that for a fact. Another matter that I want to understand is whether they have a committee of interdepartmental representatives that will support these initiatives.
How exactly are they compassionate about the problems faced by our people, especially for patients who have to travel down south for medical purposes?
When patients are sent down south, it’s culturally and traditionally alien in its operations. When you are an Inuk who grew up traditionally, you can’t comprehend the bureaucratic culture and how it operates as an entity.
Due to this reason, practices and operations have to become more Inuit-centric and less alien to Inuit.
I would like to find out what the goal is within this context as I would like to get more information during the general questions for this review.
However, with respect to the future operations, I’m somewhat concerned by the funding levels.
For example, the Inuit Language Authority will have over $2 million in their budget and it seems that their funding allocations have been increased, but we have also been informed that the Inuit Language Authority will eventually become an independent body some time in October, as it states in the report.
Now, for the Piqqusilirivvik centre, which is currently under the department, do they have the same goal for the eventual independence of the centre?
These are the types of issues that I would like to be informed about.
Furthermore, I have a concern about this matter. If we were to look a decade down the line, will there still be a need for a culture, language, elders and youth department in light of the stated goal of relinquishing certain aspects of the departmental mandate?
For example, language would be separate, cultural events and recreation may also become irrelevant during that time, although currently we expend a large portion of the budget to fund these events.
How committed is the government to the goals with the current departmental mandates?
Is the government feeling that these are just a nuisance?
For example, when your stated goal is to relinquish these bodies down the line and once they are independent, culture and language would no longer have government monitoring it.
These are my concerns with respect to the report. I will use my time later on to ask questions, but I wanted to make my comments about what concerns may crop up if this is the desired approach.
There was no question in there, but I would like to ask Minister Arreak if he would like to respond to the comments.
He said that he would ask questions later on, but with respect to the mandate of the Department of CLEY, I do not believe that it will become worrisome even if we relinquish the authority to make them independent, insofar as they are able to become independent.
With respect to the other matters he mentioned, we will continue to work on the priorities as stated in the report. The member also asked whether or not there was a committee established that would lead the process. We already have a committee in the GN that works on Inuit terminology and language matters.
We also have an IQ committee that oversees the compilation of the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit data, and this committee also deals with linguistic matters as they are our experts and our committee members.
I believe that this committee has existed for three years now, at least the committee members are appointed for three years to serve on this IQ committee.
And further, there is also separate committee that advises the GN on Inuit cultural issues and these members are also acknowledged experts.
We also have the Inuit Language Authority, which is set to become an independent body in September.
Although concern was expressed with respect to the completion of the preparations towards this goal based on the opening comments, we continue to move ahead with our plans to make the Inuit Language Authority an arms length body and independent from the department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
Even when they become independent, it seems obvious to me that our department will continue to work with them on all matters related to their legislated authority.
At this point in time, the first priority of the Inuit Language Authority is to develop a medical terminology reference book for patients who need to understand what the medical terms used by nurses and doctors are. Further, this will also help list medicines that are used in the health system. That is the first priority of the Inuit Language Authority.
When we reach the general questions section of this review, I will be glad to answer questions from the committee members.
That concludes my response. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you Minister Arreak.
I have no more names on my list for general comments at this time. We will move on to the page-by-page review. We will go to page F-4. (interpretation ends) Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
Branch Summary. Directorate. Total Operations and Maintenance. $3,038,000.
In your 2011-14 business plan, it indicates that your department will produce an annual report that will include statistics, pictures, and descriptions of successful projects that have been funded and delivered through your department’s grants and contributions program.
My question is: what kinds of reporting requirements are currently requested of groups receiving funding from your department?
I imagine there are groups that get funded via contribution agreements. So when the funding has been expended and the department requires some accounting of the funds, what types of reporting requirements are included?
Can you provide some information on the current reporting or accounting requirements that you impose on the groups that you fund?