EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Perhaps as my closing remarks, since my questions are completed, nevertheless, I wanted to encourage the minister and his department to provide as much assistance to our students during their studies, as these funds increase the capacity of our students and to their lives.
While we have students from Iqaluit attending the proceedings, we can look at their future as these students may apply for this fund in a couple of years.
Also, with respect to the program, I would encourage the minister to try to make changes prior to the students graduating from high school, and to have the scholarship information provided to the students by his department for our Nunavummiut students and to encourage them to take courses in these fields and take advantage of the (interpretation ends) opportunities. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman: Thank you. That’s just a comment. If Minister Sammurtok would like to comment.
Earlier, Mr. Enook was asking questions about the bringing forward of amendments to the Consumer Protection Act. I think, in the minister’s response, he said that that was now complete and before the justice department. I think Mr. Enook asked when it would be introduced into the Assembly.
I’m not sure if the minister responded or not. I’m just wondering if he can clarify when the changes to the Consumer Protection Act will be introduced in the Legislative Assembly.
Chairman: Thank you. The member is asking for clarity. Minister Sammurtok.
My answer may have been somewhat confusing. However, if I may, I would like to defer that question to my deputy minister.
Right now, the current process is that we did updates to the Consumer Affairs Act in June 2012 because, based on the preliminary review that was done in 2009, it was recommended that we would gradually interface changes to the Consumer Protection Act. At this point in time, CGS, in consultation with the Department of Justice, is undertaking a comprehensive review of legislation in other Canadian jurisdictions to take place before we finalize the legislation and proposal.
Some of the things we are looking at in changes bringing forward in the new amendment to the legislation are that we are looking at cheque-cashing fees, we’re looking at money transfer funds, we’re looking at cost disclosure fees, we’re looking at unfair business practices, and we’re doing update and modernization on the cost of credit disclosure provision in the Act. We are also looking at additional credit reporting provisions similar to what is taking place in the other jurisdictions.
Once we get this inter-jurisdictional review done, the next phase would then be to have discussions and do consultations with the various stakeholders and get their feedback before we would do the amendment to the Consumer Protection Act and before we would bring it to the Legislative Assembly for their approval.
We suspect this could take up to two years before we go through this process and have Justice make the amendment to the regulations and bring them back into the House for their review and approval.
Just a reminder, we have translators that need to keep up.
With respect to the issue I was trying to enquire about, I just want to provide further information on my earlier question. Perhaps the documentation in the different languages probably laid that confusion as the terms may be different.
The proposed budget for fiscal year 2015-16, Mr. Minister, if you can go to page J-1, you will find the information I was referring to earlier, just to make the question clear.
The reason why I asked about the new division titled Policy and Planning is because it is included in the chart we are reviewing. However, last year in 2014-15, there was no mention of this division.
Due to the lack of reference, it looked like a brand-new division with new responsibilities. That is why I enquired about your department’s chart and if it was a new division and whether it incurred further responsibilities.
Apparently, the division wasn’t highlighted in last year’s report for 2014-15 and therefore caused the confusion. Am I correct in understanding that this was the case?
Hon. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, my colleague is correct in his understanding.
Although it is listed in one area, it wasn’t shown on that chart.
My question will be in reference to page 158 under priorities.
One of my colleagues had asked about the scholarships, but can the minister elaborate, when we look at scholarships, are those to specific education programs, or can the minister elaborate on that?
Chairman: Thank you. Minister Sammurtok.
I think, in my earlier response, I indicated that it would be for students who are taking technical courses, such as engineering, for example.
When we look at the scholarships in the fields of technical, is that more in relation to all the specific careers under Community and Government Services?
Hon. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) Yes, these are scholarships awarded to courses that are mainly related to our department.
However, if I may, I’ll give you a few examples of what they are: engineering, as I mentioned earlier, informatics, community planning, business studies, firefighting, training and prevention, and land administration.
When we look at the scholarships, is that year by year or do they have a closing date for submissions?
Hon. Tom Sammurtok: Yes, they are, Mr. Chairman.
With the scholarships, as we all know, prior to completing your high school education, you start looking at possible colleges and where they are located. When we look at the scholarships, prior to their graduation, could the high school students submit or do they have to completely graduate and, after graduating, submit for the scholarship?
Before I go to the minister, I would like to welcome Mr. Attima Hadlari to the House. Minister Sammurtok.
Hon. Tom Sammurtok: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Anybody who is interested in pursuing one of these careers, they can apply after they graduate from high school.
For the scholarships, how will they be advocated to the secondary schools within Nunavut?
As a matter of course, as a department, in addition to the $80,000 that I mentioned earlier, we spend up to $26,000 to advertise these scholarships to the schools and colleges in Nunavut.
Moving on to page J-4 of the main estimates, I do see that there is a slight increase on purchased services.
Is that due to the recent price increases, or can the minister elaborate under purchased services?
That increase is mainly due to the sealift situation that we had in Kugaaruk this season where the supply ship could not completely deliver the supplies to Kugaaruk.
Consequently, we had to utilize aircraft to deliver some of the supplies to Kugaaruk. (interpretation) Thank you.
Mr. Hickes
I just have what I believe will be a brief question under this section.
In the opening comments, the minister spoke to, on April 1, 2013, rolling out the new Municipal Funding Program.
As we are coming up to the second anniversary of that program being rolled out, I would like a little bit of information on what the early analysis has been on funding for municipalities and if it’s meeting the needs of the residents of the communities.
Hon. Tom Sammurtok: Thank you very much. However, just to make sure that we give the clear response to that question, I would like to defer that question to my deputy minister.
For the most part, the municipalities have been operating within the new formula in terms of meeting their annual budget requirements. We certainly had some challenges for a few communities that have experienced some municipal deficits over the past couple of years that we have been working with those municipalities.
Given that the last review was done about two years ago, it is my intent this fiscal year to undertake another review of that funding formula to make sure that it covers all the operating and lifecycle maintenance that is required for municipalities to operate their programs and services. When we come back for any increases in the future, we will have a report to be able to substantiate the funding requirements for municipalities.
I just want to make sure that the funding we are providing is adequate and that it is being administered properly. I think this review would provide more support back to municipalities.
With the recent media coverage here in Iqaluit as well as in my colleague Mr. Enook’s community on not so much the infrastructure, but the maintenance of vehicles, for example, here in Iqaluit, there has been a lot of focus on the infrastructure and lack of maintenance. It only leads me to think that basically, a lot of those would stem from either from under-funding or not utilizing the budget dollars allocated appropriately.
My question to the minister would be: what does the Department of Community and Government Services do to oversee municipal and city spending to make sure that they are meeting the needs of residents of Nunavut?
One of the things that we have started to do increasingly now is to monitor each community’s situations, whether it be financial or maintenance.
We have directed our staff to visit communities more frequently and also to have a dialogue with municipal staff and councils so that we can always have sort of a better picture of what is actually happening in each community.
When staff from the department go into the communities to speak to the municipal representatives or with the City of Iqaluit here in town, do they actually do a tour to actually physically take a look at some of their infrastructure and mobile equipment?
What I am getting at is that some equipment can have a very long lifecycle if it’s maintained properly, yet some equipment, if it’s not maintained properly, has a very short lifecycle, which doesn’t meet the criteria or the parameters of the lifecycle replacement for mobile equipment especially.
I would like a little bit more detail on what type of information is gathered by the Department of Community and Government Services from municipalities and the City of Iqaluit, and what type of information their staff looks at when they go into the communities.
Hon. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don’t do the community visits myself. (interpretation ends) Just so that we get the right information on what actually happens during these visits, if I may, I would like to defer that question to the deputy minister.
Currently, from within the financial perspective, there is monitoring and evaluation staff that does the reviews quarterly and annual financial reports for all municipalities. One of the concerns that triggered the program review and the complaints that were coming back from the municipalities is that they felt that there were not enough consultations between Community and Government Services and hamlets with respect to working with them on their challenges with some of the programs and services.
As part of the organizational review, we have completed a branch called the director of community support and that’s a director with three program managers. The responsibilities of those program managers are to provide ongoing visits to municipalities and meet with councils so that they can hear any concerns or challenges that they have. At the same time, they will have a checklist where they will go around the communities and take a look at the mobile equipment and other infrastructure to see if it’s properly maintained.
If there are challenges, we can work with the municipalities, similar to what we did in Pond Inlet, to make sure that the equipment is well maintained.
Chairman: Thank you. We are on Community and Government Services. Branch Summary.
Directorate. Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $11,986,000.
Chairman: Now we’re on Branch Summary.
Community and Government Services. Community Services.
Just a couple of quick questions on J-5.
Your department’s 2015-16 main estimates include a Community Support Division.
According to your department’s 2015-18 business plan, $462,000 was budgeted for this program in 2014-15 and $831,000 was budgeted for the program in 2015-16.
I wonder if you can explain why this budget has nearly doubled in the last year.
We’re trying to find the page that the member is referring to.
On page 159 of the business plan, right at the bottom where it says, “Community Support.”
The budget used to be $462,000 and you’re proposing $831,000.
This is the division that my deputy minister responded to just a while ago on the Community Support Division.
There are four PYs there. There is one new one, the director, and three program managers.
Moving on, your department’s 2011-12 annual report on the Emergency Measures Act was tabled in the Legislative Assembly in November of 2012.
The 2012-13 and 2013-14 annual reports have not yet been tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
When will your department’s 2012-13 and 2013-14 annual reports be tabled in the Legislative Assembly?
I’ll be happy to table those next week.
Mr. Rumbolt: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the minister for his response.
During the Legislative Assembly’s recent fall sitting, you indicated that your department was initiating discussions with regional associations and the federal government to determine how you can cooperatively fund the mobile equipment specifically for search and rescue organizations.
As of today, how many meetings has your department had concerning the issue and what were the outcomes of these meetings?
We’ve had at least three meetings with the federal government and one with the Inuit organizations.
The second part of my question was: what were the outcomes of these meetings? What kinds of discussions were held?
If I may, I’ll ask my deputy minister to elaborate on that.
The primary reasons for the discussions was to see… . In addition to the federal government and the Inuit organizations, we have also engaged NAMA in those discussions as well. What we’re trying to come up with is some sort of accountability framework where, if we purchase equipment for search and rescue, we’ve got to make sure that it’s being maintained, but there has been no commitment either from the federal government or the Inuit organizations for a commitment to provide funding for search and rescue equipment.
What we have been doing as a department is we have been looking at, currently, any surplus equipment in terms of snowmobiles and other all-terrain vehicles.
Through our Surplus Disposal Policy, we’re trying to add those types of vehicles as surplus to the search and rescue teams to ensure that they have that equipment to undertake the searches, but we are just really in the preliminary stages right now of trying to develop some sort of fiscal framework and work with the other organizations to come up with a partnership for funding.
I just have one final question on this particular area.
You mentioned that you are in the preliminary stages with the talks on the equipment for emergency organizations.
I’m just wondering: over the next year or maybe even two years, what is your plan and how many meetings are you planning to have with these organizations?
I am not able to give him specific dates. However, our dialogue with both the federal government and also with the Inuit organizations is ongoing and at any given time should they be available to meet, we’re always there. (interpretation) Thank you.
Sergeant-at-Arms, please assist witnesses.
Your committee has been considering Bill 16 and the main estimates, and would like to report progress.
Speaker (interpretation): He would like to return to Item 5, Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery.
(interpretation ends) I hear no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Peterson.
I would like to recognize Mr. Attima Hadlari from my constituency of Cambridge Bay.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Hadlari is a very busy man in the Kitikmeot, but one of his important duties in the Kitikmeot is that he works as an advisor for the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission.
He has been doing that for many years, so we appreciate all the hard work he does and recognize and welcome him to the gallery.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Welcome to the gallery. (interpretation ends) Item 22.
A reminder that there’s a meeting of the Management and Services Board at two o’clock in the Tuktu Room and a reminder also that tomorrow, there’s a meeting of the Full Caucus at 10:00 a.m. in the Nanuq Boardroom.
Motion 19 – 4(2)
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) This House stands adjourned until Monday, March 2, 2015, at 1:30 p.m.
Monday, March 2, 2015
Pages 1833 – 1891
Opening Prayer 1833
Ministers’ Statements 1833
Members’ Statements 1835
Returns to Oral Questions 1841
Oral Questions 1842
Petitions 1859
Tabling of Documents 1860
Motions 1860
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 1861  Report of the Committee of the Whole 1890
Orders of the Day 1890
Monday, March 2, 2015 1833
100 – 4(2): Minister Absent from the House (Quassa) 1833
101 – 4(2): Understanding Nunavut’s Child Care Regulations Training (Quassa) 1833
102 – 4(2): National Roundtable on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (Ugyuk) 1834
103 – 4(2): Celebrating Social Workers’ Week March 2 to March 8, 2015 (Ugyuk) 1835
218 – 4(2): Congratulations to Sappa Cookie (Rumbolt) 1835
219 – 4(2): Arrival after Arviat Blizzard (Savikataaq) 1836
220 – 4(2): Baker Lake Fundraiser for Christmas (Mikkungwak) 1836
221 – 4(2): The Need for a 24-hour Elders Facility in Rankin Inlet (Sammurtok) 1837
222 – 4(2): Quality of Community Health Care (Shooyook) 1837
223 – 4(2): Nunavut Participants at Canada Winter Games (Hickes) 1838
224 – 4(2): Thankful for Sister’s Recovery (Ugyuk) 1839
225 – 4(2): Graduates of Ilinniarvimmi Inuusilirijiit Counsellors (Angnakak) 1839
226 – 4(2): Inuit Ilagiit Society of Pangnirtung (Mike) 1840
227 – 4(2): Young Polar Bear Hunter in Cape Dorset (Joanasie) 1840
Return to Oral Question 338 – 4(2): Status of Standing Offer Agreement for Government of Nunavut Medical and Duty Travel (Sammurtok) 1841
364 – 4(2): Quality of Community Health Care (Shooyook) 1842
365 – 4(2): Scope of Independent External Review (Joanasie) 1844
366 – 4(2): The Need for a 24-hour Elders Facility in Rankin Inlet (Sammurtok) 1845
367 – 4(2): Quality of Community Health Services (Mikkungwak) 1846
368 – 4(2): Family Mediation in Nunavut (Angnakak) 1847
369 – 4(2): Swimming Pool for Repulse Bay (Mapsalak) 1849
370 – 4(2): Western Hudson Bay Polar Bear Population (Savikataaq) 1851
371 – 4(2): Community Access Program Funding (Hickes) 1853
372 – 4(2): Fuel Delivery Services in Sanikiluaq (Rumbolt) 1855
373 – 4(2): Selling of Country Food in Stores (Keyootak) 1856
374 – 4(2): Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (Enook) 1858
002 – 4(2): Petition to Request a 24-hour Elders Facility in Rankin Inlet (Sammurtok) 1859
104 – 4(2): Nunavut Emergency Management Annual Report 2012-2013 (Sammurtok) 1860
105 – 4(2): Nunavut Emergency Management Annual Report 2013-2014 (Sammurtok) 1860
106 – 4(2): Nunavut Lottery Financial Statements March 31, 2014 (Sammurtok) 1860
019 – 4(2): Extended Sitting Hours and Days (Mikkungwak) 1860
Bill 16 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2015-2016 – Community and Government Services – Consideration in Committee 1861
Ms. Pat Angnakak, Mr. Joe Enook, Mr. George Hickes, Mr. David Joanasie, Mr. Pauloosie Keyootak, Hon. George Kuksuk, Mr. Steve Mapsalak, Hon. Johnny Mike, Mr. Simeon Mikkungwak, Hon. Paul Okalik, Hon. Keith Peterson, Hon. Paul Quassa, Hon. George Qulaut, Mr. Allan Rumbolt, Mr. Alexander Sammurtok, Hon. Tom Sammurtok, Mr. Joe Savikataaq, Mr. Isaac Shooyook, Hon. Peter Taptuna, Hon. Jeannie Ugyuk.
Speaker (interpretation): Good afternoon, fellow Nunavummiut. Ministers, (interpretation ends) Premier, (interpretation) members, visitors, interpreters, and our staff, welcome to the House.
Members, I wish to inform you that the Member for Gjoa Haven, Tony Akoak, will be absent from the House. He is travelling with Minister Monica Ell.
They will be absent from the House until Wednesday.
Going to the orders of the day. Ministers’ Statements. (interpretation ends) Hon. Government House Leader, Mr. Quassa.
Minister’s Statement 100 – 4(2): Minister Absent from the House (Quassa)
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to advise members that the Hon. Monica Ell will be absent from the House March 2 and 3, 2015 to attend the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada’s Symposium in Toronto, Ontario.
Minister’s Statement 101 – 4(2): Understanding Nunavut’s Child Care Regulations Training (Quassa)
I would like to inform my colleagues that my department has provided training on the Understanding Nunavut’s Child Care Regulations Manual in all communities in Nunavut that have an operating licensed child care facility.
(interpretation ends) The early childhood staff travelled to all communities that have licensed child care facilities during the past five months and provided training on the new manual.
Whale Cove, Repulse Bay, Hall Beach, and Qikiqtarjuaq have not had the training sessions. When child care facilities in these communities are ready to open, we will provide them with training.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, by having the training in the communities, we were able to offer this training to all staff, all board members, and all parents who wished to attend.
Regional or territorial training would have limited the number of people we could train from each community.
The manual, Understanding Nunavut’s Child Care Regulations, helps to provide clarification on each regulation in the Child Day Care Regulations. It explains why we have the regulation, what it means, and how to follow it.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, this manual and training addresses the Office of the Auditor General’s recommendations regarding safety in schools and daycares.
It will help all staff and board members ensure that their licensed early child care facility is meeting the requirements that are stated in the regulations.
(interpretation) We are pleased that we have been able to provide so many people in the communities the opportunity to participate in this training.
We believe that it will increase the level of quality programming in all of Nunavut’s licensed child care facilities.
Ministers’ Statements. (interpretation ends) Hon. Minister for the Status of Women, Ms. Ugyuk.
Minister’s Statement 102 – 4(2): National Roundtable on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (Ugyuk)
Hon. Jeannie Ugyuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for allowing me to speak. I say “good day” to the residents of Netsilik.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to inform my colleagues of a recent meeting I attended. Last Friday, February 27, I had the opportunity to participate in the National Roundtable on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in Ottawa.
Mr. Speaker, indigenous women and girls are three times more likely to be victims of violence than non-Indigenous women.
In a 2014 report, the RCMP estimated there have been 1,181 cases of missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls in the country since 1980.
Of those, 164 are missing and 1,017 were homicides.
This is simply unacceptable.
The National Roundtable on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls included representatives from families of missing and murdered Indigenous women, the Assembly of First Nations, the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, the Native Women’s Association of Canada, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, Métis National Council, Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak/Women of the Métis Nation, all provinces and territories, and the federal government.
As part of the roundtable, delegates committed to ongoing dialogue and coordinated action to address the unequal number of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.
Mr. Speaker, keeping indigenous women and girls safe and well is a shared, national responsibility, one that can no longer be ignored.
I am humbled to have been part of this gathering. On behalf of all Nunavummiut, I commit to working towards a framework to end this violence once and for all.
Minister’s Statement 103 – 4(2): Celebrating Social Workers’ Week March 2 to March 8, 2015 (Ugyuk)
I don’t think I got to catch my breath there.