EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I appreciate that and that area is a very technical area and you specified the demands in that. Surely, the Department of Economic Development and Transportation is not Economic Development here and Transportation over there.
Is there no meeting of minds or coordination for the overall picture within the department?
If Transportation needed three PYs in Motor Vehicles, they have to find it within their own realm and the other side, the Economic Development side of the department, maybe 10 percent of the vacancies were in Transportation and 15 percent of them in Economic Development. Is there no overall coordination to look and say, “How can we, as a department as a whole, address that”?
Rosemary would like to respond to that question.
I would like to reassure the member that when we do go through the exercise in trying to determine the need of the whole department as my ADM Methuselah has indicated. The positions have been identified because there was a need to fill them. There are various sections of the department where it’s varied.
There’s a debate on whether or not we should put a position in the regional office or in one of our other offices.
We do go through that exercise.
The department was successful in getting additional resources for this upcoming year for three positions to make sure that they have the capacity, to make sure that the issues outlined in the audit were dealt with, and also to make sure that the Baffin region, that’s where Iqaluit mainly deals with, is dealt with and that backlogs are kept to a minimum.
Chairman: Thank you, Ms. Keenainak. Mr. Tootoo.
My point is: why did they wait until they got approved three more positions to the oragnizational chart before something was identified as something that was urgent in that report? Why did they wait if it’s going to be like a year and a half or two years before those positions are filled? I’m being optimistic; it’s probably a year and a half.
If 25 percent of the department is vacant, they could have transferred or reclassified PYs to an area of urgent need like that, then when they got to this process, put in for PYs to replace them after they leave, and then immediately, they could have been in a position to put people into those positions rather than wait for a year and a half.
Miniser Netser.
For the record, it isn’t a year and a half, but as you know, we have identified the problem and we’re going to fix it with three new PYs. That’s all I can say.
Chairman: Thank you, Miniser.
Mr. Tootoo: When do they plan on having those positions filled?
I understand the competitions are out now and we hope to fill those positions within the new year when the budget has passed.
Mr. Tootoo (interpretation): That’s it.
Chairman (interpretation): Since he’s finished, Mr. Alagalak.
Mr. Alagalak (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) I noted that classroom type of questioning has been flying around for two or three hours. I guess I can do the same, too, so I would like to get my ten minutes.
(interpretation) In the business plan on K-25, one of the priorities for 2008-09 states that “Expand consultation on the Manitoba-Nunavut highway to include economic benefit analysis.
Initiate environmental impact studies.” How will you be dealing with this in the coming summer?
Hon. Patterk Netser: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Manitoba-Nunavut Road Project is departmental priority which has potential benefit to all Kivalliq communities and to the territory as a whole. We are part of the process.
(interpretation) Kivalliq Inuit Assocation is the lead organization that are dealing with this and we provide an annual funding of $250,000 for the Nunavut-Manitoba highway consideration.
In 2007, just last year when you were setting up your Five-Year Capital Plan in regard to this Manitoba-Nunavut highway and which the $5 million was an estimate, that was an estimate to the best of your knowledge to initiate the consultation.
At that time, we didn’t know how this would be initiated after the impact studies and we expected to see the funding after that.
Is the Five-Year Capital Plan of $5 million still the same estimate or is that remaining in the Five-Year Capital Plan?
Hon. Patterk Netser: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) Methuselah would like to answer that question.
I don’t really understand what that $5 million the member is referring to.
What I would like to say is that the study that we did was to find out where the route would be. The report has been completed and the initial study has been completed.
We’re still negotiation with Manitoba, in particular the business case for the Manitoba-Nunavut highway.
That’s where it is at now.
The environmental studies will be done and we continually work on this as we progress.
I would also like to thank Methusalah.
Looking at the future of the Manitoba-Nunavut highway, the entities that you’re working with, negotiating with and you’re partnering with to work on this to proceed or go forward on this and also on the feasibility studies and benefits for Kivalliq communities and others, during this study, you have stated that you would initiate this in 2008.
How much funding do you feel that you will be using for this coming year?
As I stated, the Kivalliq Inuit Association is the lead organization in dealing with this and they have done a lot of work.
The Manitoba-Nunavut Road Project would cost approximately $1.2 billion to construct.
This environmental impact study is very important to get a study on wildlife and the terrain, rivers and the study on fish.
I know that it’s very difficult and hard work, but to date, do you have any reports on some of the initial reports?
Have you seen how it will look, the work that has been done to date?
There would have to be a (interpretation ends) feasibility study, project benefit analysis, and identification of environmental, economic and social issues, as well as an environmental assessment, financial modelling, functional design, environmental screening review. (interpretation) Those are very difficult studies to do and it’s my understanding that they have not been done yet. (interpretation ends) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
As you just indicated that you want to do all those studies in 2008, have you identified the people and the consultants who will be doing the studies?
Hon. Patterk Netser: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) As I stated before, KIA is the lead organization and we provide support to them.
Mr. Chairman, we can get that information from KIA to get a response to the member’s question. (interpretation ends) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Alagalak (interpretation): I didn’t quite understand. Who can find out the response to the members’ questions or are we going to be directing our questions to them?
What does that mean? Does that mean we can’t ask your department questions?
Should we be asking our questions to that organization to get more information?
Hon. Patterk Netser: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) For the understanding of the Member for Arviat, (interpretation ends) the KIA is the lead on the Route Selection Study. The association received $500,000 from INAC Canada, $250,000 from the Government of Nunavut, $250,000 from the Manitoba Department of Transportation and Government Services, and Mr. Chairman, we are behind this project as a department.
Perhaps I will be posing Written Questions because the communities would like to be consulted and huge sums of money have been expended. I didn’t quite understand about the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, they’re both KIA.
Perhaps if you can call them number one and number two to differentiate between the two.
I’m out of questions now, so I’ll probably be sleeping well tonight.
I said Kivalliq Inuit Association is number one.
Page K-6. Branch Summary.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $19,750,000.
Go back to page K-3.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $55,131,000.
Chairman: Are you agreed that the Department of Economic Development and Transportation is completed?
Chairman: Thank you, Minister. Thank you, Ms. Keenainak.
Thank you, Mr. Kunuk. (interpretation) Do you have any closing remarks?
Hon. Patterk Netser: Agreed.
>>Committee recessed at 22:23 and resumed at 22:36
Chairman (interpretation): We’re back, so let’s proceed.
I would like to ask the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly to make his opening remarks.
Bill 23 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2008-2009 – Consideration in Committee – Legislative Assembly
I’m glad to be here.
Mr. Chairman, it is a pleasure for me to appear before members today to present the 2008-09 Main Estimates and Business Plan for the Office of the Legislative Assembly.
The proposed 2008-09 operations and maintenance budget for the Office of the Legisaltive Assembly is $750,000 more than our 2007-08 estimates.
This is a reflection of the one-time funding enhancement that is being allocated to Elections Nunavut for the administration of the third general election, which will be held at some point during the 2008-09 fiscal year.
I am pleased to inform members that the Legislative Assembly’s budget and staffing levels have remained relatively stable during the life of the Second Legislative Assembly.
The total number of PYs in the office has increased by only one since the 2004-05 fiscal year and we are currently maintaining a stable 50 percent level in beneficiary employment.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to take a moment to highlight some of our operational priorities for the 2008-09 fiscal year.
Providing appropriate support to Elections Nunavut for the administration of the third general election;
Developing dissolution guidelines for members in advance of the end of the Second Assembly;
Planning and delivery of the transition and orientation program for the Members of the Third Legislative Assembly;
Working with the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer to continue the development of a new Plebiscite Act;
Organizing the second Nunavut-wide Speaker’s Youth Parliament in May 2008; and
Fine tuning the Legislative Assembly’s new broadcasting system.
I am pleased to report to members that the Office of the Legislative Assembly has been successful over the past year in meeting our statutory deadlines for the tabling of annual reports and other documents produced under the authority of the Speaker.
I am also pleased to report that substantial progress has been made with respect to a joint initiative between our Legislative Library and the Library of Parliament to digitize our collection of documents from the Nunavut Implementation Commission and the Office of the Interim Commissioner, all of which form part of our historical legacy as a territory.
That concludes my opening comments, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank members for their ongoing support, and I welcome your comments, suggestions and questions.
Would you like to have your officials sit with you at the witness table?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. Does the committee agree to bring in the Speaker’s officials to the witness table?
If you don’t know, on my right is the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, John Quirke, and on my left is our Director of Corporate Services, Steve Pollock.
They will be here with me.
Are there any general comments before we proceed with the main estimates?
There being no comments, we will go to page A-4. (interpretation ends) Branch Summary.
Mr. Speaker, we welcome you and your officials to the witness table.
I have one question regarding our employees. The research staff have been short and they have a lot of responsibilities.
They work with a shortage in staff, with one of them resigning and that position has not been filled for one year.
I would like to find out if you have anybody that will fill that position.
There’s a lot of work at the Office of the Legislative Assembly with a lot of responsibilities also within the Office of the Clerk.
We have advertised this position for the research staff positions.
It’s been a little bit too long and we apologize, but we are trying to find somebody to fill the position and assist the committee in preparation for the Legislative Assembly sittings and we have been expecting for it to be filled.
It is regrettable that it has taken longer than we expected.
We are expecting that when the committee meets next time in May. We will need the research department and expect somebody to fill that place and it’s possible that the position will be filled.
I have another brief question. As Members of the House, sometimes we don’t have a clerk in our committee and being the chairman, sometimes we’re behind with the work.
Will you consider this position dedicated to assist us? Some of our assistants in our communities are not able to come in and sometimes we lack help. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
I guess I’m not the only who lacks help.
Mr. Chairman, I understand his question. When we are from outside of Iqaluit and we leave our assistants in our communities, sometimes when it’s the right time, they are able to be brought to the Legislative Assembly.
Mr. Quirke will elaborate a little bit further on that if that’s okay, Mr. Chairman.
In terms of assistance to your Constituency Assistant that you hire, we do our best to bring them in for training and as the members know, I think we’ve had at least three training programs for Constituency Assistants.
We have been fortunate that the turnover hasn’t been all that great; there has been significant stability in the CAs. Based on the decision of the board, we have increased the salaries and funding for members but we’re always willing to provide training to the point that it helps us make our jobs better.
During the sittings, in terms of requiring assistance, it’s just a question of what type of assistance you need and we will do our best.
I know I have lent my secretarial staff to help the members with their offices and so far, that’s worked for the members who have asked but we’re always more than willing to provide any assistance while you are in town. So it’s a matter of just connecting with my office and we would make the arrangements.
I’m not quite sure whether the (interpretation ends) Office of the Clerk or Expenditures on Behalf of Members… (interpretation) Perhaps it would be best if I go to Expenditures on Behalf of Members.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Arvaluk. (interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker.
Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Chairman, I didn’t hear his question. All I heard was that he wanted to go to page A-5.
I think he wanted to ask a question later.
A-4. (interpretation ends) Branch Summary.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $6,169,000.
Chairman: Page A-5.
Expenditures on Behalf of Members.
Mr. Arvaluk: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) My comments are fairly similar to Mr. Curley’s comments, but I want to turn it back to the regular members’ concerns.
As you well know, our assistants make a fairly small salary.
It just barely meets the minimum five-hour work period, at least in my community of Pond Inlet.
We set these hours so that they work as close to the usual hours of the Co-op, for example, or to the hamlet’s hours of work.
Further, we require assistants who can work as assistants and not just do clerical work. Most of the members can write, but in terms of an actual assistant, one who can conduct research into issues, the salary becomes quite pitiful if you want to get an experienced worker.
On top of that, our assistants are not allowed to travel to the Legislative Assembly. When the Clerk, or other assistants, or even our researchers require assistance with issues, they cannot speak to Paniloo because they’re unable to, especially when they are researching issues that I may want to speak about in the House and how it can be better worded.
I would like to ask: can this matter be looked into as to how our assistants’ salaries can be increased, as well as to budget at least one trip per session to Iqaluit to assist us in our research while we’re in session and not for committee work? I would like to know if these two issues can be looked into.
To his question, yes, we can look into this and review the issues related to your request.
After this upcoming spring session, perhaps in July or August, or even September, prior to the Cabinet’s meeting, we can commit to reviewing this request.
At that time, we can provide recommendations as to whether we can look at proper pay scales for the members’ assistants, both our staff in the communities or for research assistants. Based on the concerns we have heard, we will review this further.
I currently don’t have anything to comment on at this time, but perhaps the new MLAs can benefit from this review.
I believe that this matter will require further research.
This is my reason for this assessment: the standing committee does not review the Office of the Speaker, unlike other Members of the Cabinet.
This means that we cannot ask questions in relation to the main estimates under the auspices of the Office of the Clerk, the only time we can ask questions is when we are sitting in the House.
Due to this problem, it sounds like 2008-09 is the next time that this review can be done.
The regular members could become a much stronger group. Although we are already a strong group, we could become a much tighter group with better contacts with our communities, as well as preliminary research findings prior to these issues being forwarded to the Legislative Assembly research group.
This is usually the bottleneck, at least for the members, even though we want to get the latest information regarding issues of concern to our communities.
As members, we get envious of members, such as my compatriot, Mr. Hunter Tootoo, who always has his assistant in the House and his assistant knows a lot of issues since he gets assistance with issues from the staff. That is what we would like to also have is access to the knowledge base here in Iqaluit.
That is why I would like to see some changes in the budget.
That was just a comment I wanted to make.
What I was trying to say is that we can look into the matter of the budget and perhaps rectify some of the issues facing the members. We understood his comments quite well. This is not the first time we have heard these kinds of concerns that the MLAs want assistants when they get to Iqaluit
We will review how we can rectify the issue prior to September. We will review how the concern can be addressed.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) A-5.
I would like you to also consider if you could come up with the finances, Mr. Speaker, directed towards the members and for myself, I would feel honoured and humbled to be able to bring in elders or for any MLA to do so.
I believe bringing in elders would be very constructive and would help to ensure we are taking the right direction. It is often a revelation to know if elders approve of our plans.
Earlier today during lunch, we visited an elder and it was clear that elders are very eager to be approached.
When it comes to identifying what financing would be required, this becomes very difficult to determine. It was even hard for me.
I wonder if you, Mr. Speaker, can put into words, if we are going to bring in an elder, how we can quantify this kind of work or if we should simply pull a figure out of our budget and we don’t mind if they take it from our budget. Should there be a report provided?
How is it going to be set up?
I had a concern when two elders were trying to get here. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
I agree with the member; we don’t have any separate rules to bring in elders to come to the session or other functions. We don’t have anything in the policy and we don’t have anything set aside to bring in elders.
Up to today, Members of the Legislative Assembly are able to use their own constituency budgets only with careful timing.
If we can get a directive from the Legislative Assembly, we consider the matter or we can also review this under a committee. At this time, we don’t have any process set up for bringing elders.
The reason I’m speaking to this is I’m sure we can do some reallocation and come up with a budget for this, looking at the contributions of the government on various aspects of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit that we come across in our deliberations.
I felt somewhat embarrassed to realize we don’t necessarily have the discretion to just bring in elders, so this is something I would like to see considered.
I don’t expect a response right away, but I’m bringing it up now so that we will all realize if we are serious about involving elders. We must be prepared to put money where our mouth is and if not, a lot of people are not going to be pleased with us.
Elders are not elected, so it doesn’t have to be some great, expensive affair.
We could just bring in, let’s say, a couple and not include the per diem.
I raise this question, Mr. Speaker, and hope it will be considered, perhaps during caucus some time in the future.
On this issue, if this is a concern of other Members of the Legislative Assembly, we would like to hear more on this issue, but I don’t have anything that I could follow either through procedures or policies.
So if you would direct us to consider this, we’re more than open to that option.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) We’re on page A-5.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $5,330,000.
Page A-6.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $200,000.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $1,700,000.
Chairman: Page A-8.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $760,000.
Chairman: Go back to page A-3.
Office of the Legislative Assembly. Detail of Expenditures.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $14,159,000.
Are you agreed that the Legislative Assembly is concluded?
Chairman: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation) Do you have any closing remarks? Mr. Speaker.
Speaker (interpretation): Very briefly, thank you.
Some of us have been here since 9:00 this morning, so I would like to move to report progress.
Your committee has been concerning Bill 23 and the Main Estimates, and would like to report progress.
Members, this House stands adjourned until Friday, March 14, at 9:00 in the morning.
>>House adjourned at 23:05
Friday, March 14, 2008
Pages 3997 – 4046
Opening Prayer 3997
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 3997
Speaker’s Ruling 4013
Point of Order 4013
Speaker’s Ruling 4014
Report of the Committee of the Whole 4041
Third Reading of Bills 4042
Assent to Bills 4043
Revert to Item 2: Ministers’ Statements 4044
Orders of the Day 4045
Friday, March 14, 2008 3997
173 – 2(4): Date of Nunavut General Election (Okalik) 4044
013 – 2(4): Addition of $1,000,000 to Health and Social Services 2008-09 Main Estimates (Tapardjuk) 3998
014 – 2(4): Bill 23 Amendment to Operations & Maintenance 2008-09 Main Estimates Schedule (Tapardjuk) 4023
015 – 2(4): Bill 23 Subclause 3(2) Amendment Strike Out $970,252,000 Substitute $971,252,000 (Tapardjuk) 4024
Bill 23 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2008-2009 – Consideration in Committee – Health & Social Services 3998
Bill 23 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2008-2009 – Consideration in Committee 4022
Bill 24 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 3, 2007-2008 – Consideration in Committee 4025
Bill 25 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, No. 3, 2007-2008 – Consideration in Committee 4030
Bill 22 – Engineers & Geoscientists Act – Consideration in Committee 4037
Bill 22 – Engineers and Geoscientists Act– Third Reading 4042
Bill 23 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2008-2009 – Third Reading 4042
Bill 24 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 3, 2007-2008 – Third Reading 4042
Bill 25 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, No. 3, 2007-2008– Third Reading 4043
Bill 22 – Engineers and Geoscientists Act – Assent 4043
Bill 23 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2008-2009 – Assent 4043
Bill 24 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 3, 2007-2008 – Assent 4043
Bill 25 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, No. 3, 2007-2008 – Assent 4043