EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
When the minister is in my office giving counselling, he does all the talking.
I do all the listening.
But the question is, how much of a difference was there in cost, in hundreds of thousands of dollars is there a difference in those RFP’s between the successful proponent and the unsuccessful proponents.
Can the minister advise this House how much of a price difference per year there was on that contract?
Hon. Ed Picco: Well Mr. Speaker, I don't want to give him the amount.
I don't think that would be correct.
Mr. Speaker, I can say that I did a lot of talking in his office but at the same time it was hard to get a word in edgewise.
Mr. Speaker, I can say on the proposed costs and the actual costs that we were spending as a government Mr. Speaker, it is fair to say Mr. Speaker in the proposed cost that has been put forward by the development corporation that their proposed costs are less Mr. Speaker, than we are spending today.
Mr. Speaker, on the contract the difference according to the information provided to me is less than 50 thousand dollars than we are spending right now and Mr. Speaker that gives the Government of Nunavut good value for the dollar.
As Mr. McLean said very well that will bring a new facility forward in Winnipeg for the Keewatin patients, which is the number one priority of the government.
Question 427 – 1(5): Contract Employees in Health and Social Services
Mr. Speaker, my question too is for the Minister of Health and Social Services and I’m very appreciative that he didn’t come and counsel me in my office yesterday.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked the minister some questions relating to contract employees and nurses that the Department of Health and Social Services has.
What I’d like to ask the minister today is, does his department have any other contract employees working for it or any contract employees working in positions that are on their organizational chart that are meant to be filled by indeterminate employees.
Mr. Speaker, within the organizational chart I was in the course of talking with the Department of Health and Social Services.
We have numerous employees, I think we have over 600 employees in the government.
So there are contracts in place with certain employees and I don’t have that information with me Mr. Speaker, but there are employment contracts within the Department of Health like there are within other departments in the government.
Mr. Speaker, it looks like the Minister of Health is getting some counselling over there right now, which is good to see.
Mr. Speaker as the minister has indicated there are certainly contract employees working within his department and that he didn’t have that information, would the minister be willing to provide a list of the contract employees working his department.
Also what positions or if any indeterminate positions that are contractors filling jobs that are slated for indeterminate positions. What positions they’re for.
Mr. Speaker, the difference Mr. Speaker, with Mr. McLean and Mr. Ng on counselling is that Mr. McLean takes the advice and Mr. Ng usually doesn’t so we’re working on that.
I would be willing Mr. Speaker to get that information for the member and wherever I’m allowed within the scope of regulations and legislation on confidentiality measures and so on as an issue.
I will make that information available to the member.
Mr. Speaker, I wish the minister luck in continuing to work with his colleague on taking advice.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the minister if in looking up that information if he could provide the cost difference if any savings or more that it’s costing the department as a result of having a contract employee in place as opposed to someone filling that position in an indeterminate role.
Also when does he plan on providing that information?
Mr. Speaker, I will try to endeavour making that information available as soon as possible.
Again Mr. Speaker, I can’t say how long it will take.
I would hope that we could do it in the next week, week and a half during this session and make it available to the members and I’ll try all ways possible to be as expeditious about it as possible.
At the same time Mr. Speaker, I will also get the other information and try to provide a cost benefit analysis on the contract employees as opposed to indeterminate staff employment.
I think that was what the question was.
A cost benefit analysis, it would be nice to see that done in a lot of areas Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the minister if, aside from the other information that he’s doing if he would be willing to provide us those details of the cost benefit analysis and the information that they use in looking at it and the results from it.
That’s a lot of information to be gathered and Mr. Speaker, again I will try to expedite that process.
We will have to wait until the Hansard to see the exact details that the member wants, but we will try to make that available to the member before the end of the session if at all possible.
Certainly within the next few weeks.
Question 428 – 1(5): Plans for Repulse Bay Health Centre Update
The health centre in Repulse Bay needs to be expanded.
Is there a plan for extending the health centre in Repulse Bay?
Mr. Speaker, we do have a project that is in place right now for the Repulse Bay health centre.
That is the design of the health centre and the replacement of the current residence within the centre itself.
As the member knows, I was in Repulse Bay this past fall, there has been some more work done on the centre itself and we are in the process of doing the replacement of the residence. That design is in progress right now.
My question is, is the design completed as to what the facility will look like when completed.
Mr. Speaker, my information tells me that the design is still in progress.
What I can do for the member Mr. Speaker, is get a current update and provide that to the member on exactly what work has taken place to date, what work needs to be done and the time frame for that.
But according to the information provided to me Mr. Speaker, the design work is still in place, and in progress.
My last question for the minister is, when will they start work on the foundation of the new health centre.
Will it be done after the barge has come into the community?
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the first thing that needs to be done is have the design for the new facility completed.
Once that is completed then the work of having the facility itself within the capital plan of the government included.
I can’t say when the actual construction is Mr. Speaker, at the present time.
But again, I will make that information available to the member as well in writing from my office.
Question 429 – 1(5): Programs/Plans to Reduce Need for Shelters
I have asked this question for two days now about the women that have to leave the community to go to a safe shelter.
I just want to find out from the minister whether there has been some work done towards trying to reduce the numbers of people that are sent to shelters.
Mr. Speaker, in most cases it is a last resort for a woman to have to leave her family, to leave her community to go to a safe home or a safe shelter Mr. Speaker.
It is only done on the recommendation of the caseworker, a social worker, a community health nurse or another individual.
In some cases Mr. Speaker, the woman may choose to refer herself to a shelter.
Mr. Speaker, there are plans in place through a strategy that we are bringing forward in the new fiscal year to look at issues surrounding family violence and enhancing some of the social services areas that are on the ground at the community level.
Mr. Speaker, in no way are we trying to limit a woman’s access to a family violence shelter, I want to make that perfectly clear.
At the same time Mr. Speaker, it is the decision of the client who chooses, with counselling and with support from Social Services, indeed from health centre staff and so on, to make that decision.
Yesterday during my questioning on this issue, I spoke about the right hand and the left hand and whether the two partners could be dealt with together.
I just wondered if the men, I think some of the men go to shelters as well, or go to other families to shelter from their wives. Is there a plan in place to provide shelter for the men as well?
Mr. Speaker, in the event of a family breakdown or when there are marital problems in the family, when it reaches the point there may be violence involved, the first thing the system does and social workers, in many cases who are Inuit.
Counsellors on the ground and indeed last week Mr. Speaker, here in Iqaluit where we have over 44 community wellness counsellors who were provided this type of training from all over Nunavut, to almost every community in Nunavut.
Their main concern was to make sure that help is provided to also the men as well as the women who in most cases, 80% of the time are the victims of abuse.
At the present time Mr. Speaker, we don’t have a plan as the Department of Health and Social Services to have safe homes or shelters in place for men.
If I were a woman and the social worker advised me to go to a shelter, for example to Iqaluit or Ottawa or Yellowknife, the social workers in Nunavut deal with the abused woman if she has to go to a shelter.
I think there are also others outside of Nunavut that do marriage counselling.
There are marriage counsellors outside of Nunavut I am sure.
I wonder if there could be marriage counsellors brought into the communities to counsel married people when they are having problems.
Perhaps you could provide a marriage counsellor as well as the social worker to come to the community to counsel the married people.
Mr. Speaker, on the issue of marriage counselling, and I understand where the member is going with the question.
At the community level there are several different people who are trained and available to help families.
There are two instances here, one is working with the families before a violent incident occurs Mr. Speaker, where a couple may be having marital problems.
There are community wellness counsellors Mr. Speaker, religious organizations on the ground Mr. Speaker, churches, and social workers.
There are several different people that are available to help families that are having marital difficulties within a relationship.
At the same time Mr. Speaker, sometimes these relationships break down to a point where there is violence, where women are abused.
Where there is physical abuse and the safety of the woman and the children indeed are at risk, at that time Mr. Speaker the decision is made to take that woman with her consent of course, and maybe the best opportunity is to leave this community for a couple of weeks.
And that is only taken as I said after very serious consideration.
At the same time Mr. Speaker, enhancing some of the opportunities for counselling of families I think that is important.
That was some of the discussions that were held here in Iqaluit with the community wellness counsellors.
To make sure that the families have an opportunity for counselling at the community level before a point comes where a woman has to leave her family.
So that is what we are trying to do within the department as well as other inter-agency groups at the community level.
A caution to members to stay within the confines of the original question.
Try not to go on to a totally different question.
Question 430 – 1(5): Plans – Arctic College Building in Baker Lake
Mr. Speaker, today my question is directed to Minister of Education.
Back in December of last year there was a fire at the old decrepit ageing Arctic College building in Baker Lake.
It just happened that the Fire Marshal and the Electrical Inspector were there at the same time and they promptly closed the building down halfway through the beginning of the new season for the Arctic College students.
So they have been relocated in government staff housing.
Can the minister tell me what his plans are to deal with this issue?
We have previously discussed the Arctic College situation in Baker Lake after the fire.
We will not leave the students out on the streets.
We had put in a request for funding to build a new Arctic College facility and that project is going ahead.
Can the minister confirm to me that there is going to be a new facility built this year?
Like I say, the students are almost out in the cold, in the snow bank, with no place to go.
So is the building going to be built this year?
The planning has been completed to build the Arctic College facility and it will be built this year 2002-2003.
That is great news for the community of Baker Lake as they have wanted to replace this facility for the last 10-15 years.
And like I say it was falling down.
That is great news for the community and I am sure that they will be glad to hear this and I would like to thank the minister for a quick response to a need in my community.
And I wish other ministers were as easy to deal with in their responses to Members of the Legislative Assembly.
Question 431 – 1(5): Reason for Not Meeting Iqaluit DEA and Iqaluit MLAs
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for Education as well.
Mr. Speaker, last year I know myself and the Member for Iqaluit East requested to have a meeting with the minister and the DEA together.
Mr. Speaker, I was very disappointed that the minister’s response is that he wouldn't meet with the DEA and us together.
I'd like to ask the minister if could he explain here in the House why he didn't accommodate our request to meet with him as Minister of Education and be together.
The member is right.
At the beginning when I was first asked to meet with the DEA and the member and the other member from Iqaluit East, I stated at that time that we would work with the DEA in Iqaluit.
We wanted to be able to deal with the problem that DEA was having at the beginning before meeting with the members so that was my reasoning behind that.
Mr. Speaker, as the minister is fully aware and as all members are, I know that the DEA’s are elected representatives from the community as us MLA’s are.
Is the minister saying that in any requests that come from any DEA for a member to meet with them and their DEA that the minister won’t meet jointly with those groups?
I meet with the DEA members from time to time.
But what we had to deal with was a little bit different than usual.
So what we wanted to do was to meet with or to work with the DEA in Iqaluit.
If there were a request from any of the members, I would meet with them as well as their DEA’s. But according to our responsibility as the Department of Education, I had to work with the DEA of Iqaluit. That’s why we did not meet with the member and DEA at that time.
Mr. Speaker, the minister indicated there is something specific or different in the circumstances.
My recollection after discussing the meeting with the members of the District Education Authority was that it indicated that they didn’t see any reason why the MLAs for Iqaluit were not able to attend that meeting.
So I would like to ask the minister if he could one, elaborate on exactly what it was that we weren’t allowed to be privy to as far as the meeting and also, he stated that he works with the DEA’s so is he stating then that he won’t work with the members.
I would not say that I will not work with the Members of the Legislative Assembly, if that were my position then I would not be fulfilling my responsibility.
I want my colleagues to understand that sometimes, or many times, when we have to work with the District Education Authorities, the Members of the Legislative Assembly don’t attend all our meetings.
I just want that to be understood.
During the time when I worked with the three MLAs for Iqaluit I informed them that I would like to work with the DEAs first before I work with the MLAs.
So therefore, I wanted to work with DEA by them without any interference from the outside.
So that’s why I had asked to meet with them separately.
Mr. Speaker, I’m kind of distracted here by the fact that me doing my job as a MLA requesting information is considered as interference.
Mr. Speaker, I know that the things that we are discussing are issues that were raised by the District Education Authority to me as a Member of the Legislative Assembly.
I would like to ask the minister again why, if there were specific issues that I publicly raised in this House on numerous occasions, he felt it wasn’t appropriate for the members to be there.
As I responded previously I can only say again what I said before.
When I met with the District Education Authority of Iqaluit, I wanted to deal with the issues according to the department’s responsibility.
And I had asked the Members of the Legislature if I could work with them according to our plans and working with the District Education Authority.
I just didn’t want any other groups other than the DEA in there.
But I can tell my colleagues that I would like to work with the Members of the Legislative Assembly for Iqaluit in regards to education issues.
I will keep you informed as to when we can meet individually or meet together.
I am always open to the members but I also want to work well with the District Education Authority myself.
Before I proceed, I note that we have one item in the Committee of the Whole.
I would like to ask Mr. Tootoo if he would like to proceed with this today.
Speaker: Notwithstanding Rule 27(2) do members unanimously agree to proceed to item 20. Are there any nays?
A couple of announcements before I start with the Orders of the Day.
MSB meeting at 12.30 in the Speaker’s Office.
One o’clock this afternoon the Standing Committee on Health and Education will be meeting in the Nanuq Room.
As well for Monday morning at 9 o’clock Standing Committee CESD will be meeting in the Tuktu Room.
Regular Caucus at 11 o’clock in the Natsiq Boardroom.
Orders of the Day for Monday February 25, 2002 at 1.30 p.m.
Motion 19
Motion 20
Bill 19
Bill 20
Before we adjourn, I would like to meet with all members immediately after the session in the Tuktu Room.
This House will adjourn until February 25, 2002 at 1.30 p.m.
>>House adjourned at 11.51 a.m.
Monday February 25, 2002
2535 – 2574
Opening Prayer 2535
Ministers’ Statements 2535
Members’ Statements 2539
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 2545
Oral Questions 2546
Written Questions 2562
Reports of Standing & Special Committees 2563
Tabling of Documents 2571
Motions 2571
Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills 2572
First Reading of Bills 2573
Orders of the Day 2573
Monday February 25, 2002 2535
150 - 1(5): Minister’s Absence (Ng) 2535
151 - 1(5): Nunavut General Identification Card (Thompson) 2535
152 - 1(5): Ilisaivattunut Ulluq (Kilabuk) 2536
153 - 1(5): Additional New Public Housing Construction, 2002-2003 (Ng) 2537
154 - 1(5): Team Canada Trade Mission a Success for Nunavut (Okalik) 2537
155 - 1(5): Team Canada Brings Home the Gold Medal (Okalik) 2538
425 – 1(5): Atanarjuaq – Five Genie Awards (Irqittuq) 2539
426 – 1(5): Clarification of CBC News Item on Shelters (Nutarak) 2540
427 – 1(5): Recognition of Late Lena Naki Ekho & Condolences to Family (Iqaqrialu) 2540
428 - 1(5): Mingeriak Pee of Cape Dorset (Akesuk) 2541
429 – 1(5): Effects of Domestic Violence (Williams) 2541
430 – 1(5): Internet Website: Iqaluit Centre (Tootoo) 2542
431 - 1(5): Kugluktuk Pilot Project - New Crisis Line Counsellor (Havioyak) 2543
432 - 1(5): Traditional Knowledge in Treating Violence (Alakannuark) 2544
433 - 1(5): Snowmobile Engine Problems due to Bad Fuel (Arvaluk) 2544
434 - 1(5): Volunteer Income Tax Preparation in Nunavut (Picco) 2545
432 - 1(5): Tourism Budget and Programs Review (Nutarak) 2546
433 – 1(5): Communities Assistance Update (Irqittuq) 2548
434 – 1(5): Progress on Support to Iqaluit Re: Infrastructure (Tootoo) 2550
435 – 1(5): Tourism Promotional Magazines on Nunavut (McLean) 2551
436 – 1(5): Fisheries & Oceans & Department of Sustainable Development Using Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (Iqaqrialu) 2553
437 – 1(5): Fuel in Nunavut from Same Suppliers as Previous Years (Arvaluk) 2555
438 – 1(5): Firearms Certificate Applications Not Translated (Alakannuark) 2557
439 – 1(5): Inuktitut Speaking Guards (Nutarak) 2558
440 – 1(5): Gasoline Testing (Irqittuq) 2560
014 – 1(5): Status of Government of Nunavut NNI Policy (McLean) 2562
015 – 1(5): Government Operations and Services Report on the Review of the 2000-2001 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Nunavut 2563
078 – 1(5): Letter From Northwest Company CEO Edward Kennedy Re: NNI Policy (McLean) 2571
079 - 1(5): NHC 2002 Unit Allocations - Public Housing New Construction (Ng) 2571
020 - 1(5): Changes to Terms of Reference Of Standing Committees (Havioyak) 2571
019 - 1(5): Changes to the Membership of the Special Committee to Review the Official Languages Act (Williams) 2572
Bill 21 - Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act – Notice (Ng) 2572
Bill 22 - Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act – Notice (Ng) 2572
Bill 23 - An Act to amend the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act – Notice (Ng) 2572
Bill 19 - Supplementary Appropriation Act No. 3, 2001-2002 – First Reading (Ng) 2573  Monday February 25, 2002
Honourable Olayuk Akesuk, Mr. Ovide Alakannuark, Mr. James Arvaluk, Mr. Donald Havioyak, Mr. David Iqaqrialu, Mr. Enoki Irqittuq, Honourable Peter Kattuk, Honourable Peter Kilabuk, Mr. Glenn McLean, Honourable Kelvin Ng, Mr. Jobie Nutarak, Honourable Kevin O’Brien, Honourable Paul Okalik, Honourable Ed Picco, Honourable Manitok Thompson, Mr. Uriash Puqiqnak, Mr. Hunter Tootoo, Ms. Rebekah Williams.
Speaker (Mr. O'Brien): I call on Mr. Havioyak to say the prayer.
Before we proceed with the Orders of the Day, I have a message here from the Commissioner of Nunavut, Mr. Peter Irniq.
It states, “I wish to advise that I recommend to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut the passage of the following bills in the Fifth Session of the First Legislative Assembly”:
Bill 19 - Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2001/2002;
Bill 20 – Interim Appropriation Act, April 1 to June 30, 2002.
Minister's Statement 150 - 1(5): Minister’s Absence
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise members that the Honourable Jack Anawak will be absent from the House from February 25 to 27th, to attend the Youth Justice Workshop in Cambridge Bay sponsored by the Nunavut Social Development Council.
Minister's Statement 151 - 1(5): Nunavut General Identification Card
As we all know, the tragedy of September 11th has changed the way we travel.
In the past Nunavummiut didn’t need to worry about having identification when they flew south.
This has now changed.
Nunavummiut without photo identification have experienced problems travelling to southern Canada.
The airlines have been requesting photo identification, which many Nunavummiut do not have.
Mr. Speaker, in an effort to make travel easier, the Department of Community Government & Transportation is developing a General Nunavut Identification Card.
This card will be made available to Nunavummiut who have no other form of photo identification and who will be travelling to southern Canada in the near future.
This photo identification card should be ready in the coming weeks.
With the support of my cabinet colleagues, I am pleased to announce that the first card will be issued free of charge.
The card will be available from the department’s Motor Vehicle offices across Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, we hope that this new Nunavut General Identification Card will make air travel easier for Nunavummiut.
Minister's Statement 152 - 1(5): Ilisaivattunut Ulluq
I am delighted to rise today to recognize the first official Ilisaivattunut Ulluq in Nunavut.
This has been established as an annual day to recognize and celebrate our educators who are involved in all facets of teaching, not just those who are involved in a formal classroom setting.
This special day supports the Bathurst Mandate regarding the value of acknowledging teaching and learning at all levels and from all sources.
It includes school and college teachers and other instructors, language specialists, classroom support assistants, elders, parents and all those who teach cultural and other programs that take place in Nunavut.