EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
And, in particular I want to say Merry Christmas and thank you to all the health care professionals that provide service in the health centers, in the group homes, in the women’s shelter, in the shelters, a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Mr. Speaker, I want to wish everyone good health and safe travels, and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
I also want to recognize the staff in the Legislature, John, Nancy, and Kooyoo and the staff behind the scenes, and George, who sits upstairs in the little booth there a very merry Christmas and to thank him for all the hard work this past couple of weeks.
Member’s Statement 086 – 2(3): Hospitality of Iqalummiut (Netser)
When we come to Iqaluit I appreciate the hospitality of Iqalummiut, although we get homesick. When the public sees us they are very receptive and I’d like to thank them.
I’d also like to thank my colleagues and you Mr. Speaker. It’ll be sometime before I see my colleagues; therefore I am extremely happy today.
Member’s Statement 087 – 2(2): DVD Christmas Gift to the Members (Tootoo)
I think some of his colleagues are just as happy as he is. Mr. Speaker, it has been mentioned this is probably our last sitting day of the year and before we come together again there will be a little celebration called Christmas going on.
Before everyone leaves, hopefully I’ll be the first one to provide all the members with a Christmas gift and it is a DVD and Mr. Speaker, it is not a music video from Mr. Picco with his version of O’Canada.
It is not a performance of Mr. Picco with any of his songs.
Mr. Speaker, this DVD that I’ll be giving to all the Members for Christmas is actually an animated film done by a group of grade seven students at the middle school. Mr. Speaker, I know Isuma Productions needs to look at the next generation of movie filmmakers already at work. I hope all Members enjoy it.
I’d like to thank the three individuals that made this video. First one is Ryan Geikie he did the character animation. And as Members will know his father is Peter is the Assistant Deputy Minister for the Department of Education and background specialist was Duncan MacKay.
Again, his parents work for the Government of Nunavut and the photographer was Thomas Ford Rogers and members will know that Thomas is the son of my Constituency Assistant Amanda.
So I am very proud of them for doing this and I hope all members enjoy their Christmas gift and have a good laugh out of it and admire the work that these young people have done.
Member’s Statement 088 – 2(2): Labrador Celebrate 1st Day of Nunatsiavut (Curley)
Mr. Curley (interpretation): I would like, first of all, to say thanks to the Premier and the Deputy Premier. The Deputy Premier has gone down to Labrador with some people and with some officials.
The Labradoreans have been working extremely hard for the last 5,000 years.
And today is a very historic day. They are celebrating the creation of their new government.
I would like to welcome them and say thank you, not only to the people of Labrador but also to the federal government. I know the people very well. I went over there in 1972 when I first went down there.
The new territory is called Nunatsiavut and today is the celebration of their government’s first day.
Tony Anderson was the chief negotiator who said on the CBC website he used to work like a dog.
But he worked extremely hard to get this government going.
He will be the Clerk of the new Assembly and I would like to urge the Clerk of this House to write to him and to also congratulate him.
The people of Labrador are extremely happy. There is Nunavut, Nunatsiaq, Northwest Territories, Nunavik, and we now have Nunatsiavut.
Member’s Statement 089 – 2(3): Christmas Wishes (Barnabas)
I rise today to offer my best wishes for the holiday season to my constituents of Grise Fiord, Resolute Bay, and Arctic Bay.
Like other members of the House I am looking forward to being in my home community with my family and constituents.
We are looking forward to a safe and joyous Christmas season.
We will be back at work in the House early in 2006. I look forward to continuing to raise issues on behalf of my constituents.
Some of these issues include the high cost of heating of our homes during the coldest months of the year, the high cost of food and transportation, and the need for our elders to receive fairer pensions, and be respected for the contribution that they make for the community.
There are many issues but never enough time to raise them all.
I encourage all my constituents to approach me in the coming weeks with the issues that they want to see raised in the House.
I wish you and all of my colleagues the very best of the holiday season.
Member’s Statement 090 – 2(3): Christmas Greetings (Kilabuk)
I was laughing extremely hard just a few minutes ago, and you probably noticed that it’s going to be our last day.
I would like to say thank you to my family for having been very patient while I’ve been here.
I would also like to say thank you to the staff and to the people of Iqaluit.
I’ll use this as an example; there are the health issues and the different types of issues that we hear.
Of course, we’ll keep those in mind, but we’ll have to relax and be with our family during the Christmas holidays.
I would like to wish all the members of the Legislative Assembly and all the Nunavut communities the very best in the New Year and to also to wish them Merry Christmas.
To conclude it, I have never seen to date, and this was the first time that I’ve ever seen it. I saw this thing that jumped approximately 15 to 20 feet, extremely fast, very short but extremely agile.
This individual is able to make a point, Mr. Levi Barnabas.
I want to also remind him that this evening we are going to be playing floor hockey again and I’m sure we’ll see you there. I wish you safe and happy holidays.
Member’s Statement 091 – 2(3): Sports and Volunteer – International Competition (Picco)
I would like to speak briefly about sports and volunteers.
This weekend over 20 teams are in Iqaluit competing for the territorial soccer tournament. Parents, teachers, volunteers, and chaperones help to make these events successful.
I also would like to recognize four outstanding students from Iqaluit, who attended the Ontario Junior Open Championship; Nicole Duffy, Zachary Green, Eugene Dederick, and Nathalie Martel, who is a constituent of Mr. Okalik’s.
Eugene Dederick won a bronze medal in his division and Nathalie Martel won silver in her division.
Their hard working coach is Mario Des Forges.
Without him, these kinds of opportunities wouldn’t exist for our kids.
It is very important to point out that this was an international competition at the Ontario Judo Open Championship; over 600 judo participants competed from every province and territory in Canada, except the Northwest Territories, from the United States, from England and also from Romania.
It is one of the premier competitions in Canada and it was the first time that Nunavut has been represented, and we actually took some medals. Congratulations to those young people.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the participants and instructor Mario Des Forges, for their good work in representing Nunavut. At the same time Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to wish the very best to all the members, the staff, and my constituents for the upcoming Christmas season, and I would ask that members join with me to also remember our colleague Mr. Kattuk in Sanikiluaq, and I think on behalf of all the members, we look forward to seeing Peter again in the New Year.
Member's Statement 092 – 2(3): Best Christmas Wishes (Okalik)
Since this is going to be our last day today, I would also like to say thank you to all our staff for having an excellent meeting and accommodating us while we were here.
I wish you all the very best and have a safe journey home and enjoy the time with your families.
I wish to extend that wish to all of Nunavut. Of course I’ll be doing some visiting during the Christmas holidays to the people. I wish them all the very best during the Christmas holidays.
Member's Statement 093 – 2(3): Best Christmas Holidays (Evyagotailak)
Today, I offer my best wishes for the holiday season to my constituents in Kugluktuk.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, I’m sure that all Members of this House are looking forward to spending time with their families and constituents in the upcoming weeks. In Kugluktuk, Christmas games and other activities will be held from December 19 to January 3.
This is a time for our entire community to get together in the spirit of the season.
Mr. Speaker, Christmas is a time for healthy activities.
I want to encourage the community to have a safe Christmas. This is especially a time for our children and they deserve good memories of the holiday season.
Mr. Speaker, also, I’m looking forward to going home. I also look forward to working with my colleagues in the New Year.
We have many challenges ahead of us and I know that the upcoming budget session will be busy.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to say Ho, Ho, Ho and not humbug.
I wish all Members of this House, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Member's Statement 094 – 2(3): Merry Christmas Wishes (Arreak)
I would also like to say Merry Christmas to all my colleagues in this House. We won’t be seeing each other for quite a while.
I would also like to extend Merry Christmas wishes to the employees of the government and also for us. I would also like to extend my wishes to Broughton Island, and especially the elders.
I wish you all the very best during the Christmas holidays. With the youth and the middle age, please spend the time with your families and relatives and be together in harmony.
During the Christmas holidays we will be with our families. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Member’s Statement 095 – 2(3): Merry Christmas Greetings to Nunavummiut (Akesuk)
Again, I would like to rise to extend my wishes to the communities that I represent: Kimmirut and Cape Dorset, and also my relatives from all over Nunavut.
During the Christmas holidays, please have a safe holiday and spend some time with your family as it makes us closer when we spend time together.
For all of the people of Nunavut, please have a safe holiday and a happy New Year in 2006.
I would like to thank my colleagues; there was cooperation in the past years and we look forward to working together again in the New Year.
I think it would be best if we don’t forget that Christmas is celebrated on the birth of Christ. I think we are looking more into the commercial side of Christmas than the true meaning of Christmas.
Merry Christmas, Mr. Speaker.
Member’s Statement 096 – 2(3): Working Together in the Legislative Assembly (Tapardjuk)
I think we all know that there’s an international conference in Montreal on global warming and climate change.
We all know, and I would like to inform the people of Hall Beach, that something unusual is happening over there.
There has been a flood in Hall Beach and two boats have been wrecked.
I think that we will have to take seriously the issue of global warming and climate change.
I regret that there has been a mishap, but since we can’t do anything about the changing weather now, we have to look at ways and means of how we can change the trend.
Since today is going to be our last day, I would like to thank the Members of the Legislative Assembly. We don’t agree all the time, but we were elected to represent the people of Nunavut and we were given the task of handling the responsibilities.
I would like to say thank you to every individual Member of the Legislative Assembly, especially the staff and the interpreters; I would like to thank them very much. Even when I’m speaking in Inuktitut, the unilingual English are able to understand what I’m saying, and also, that they can get the information out to unilingual Inuit.
It has drawn us closer through the use of language and has been a link between the two cultures.
I would like to also thank Sheila and Diane, who run around while I’m sitting here in this House.
I wish them the very best and I will say thank you to the other staff in another way.
Member’s Statement 097 – 2(3): Wishes a Happy Christmas Season (Simailak)
I’m happy to say that it’s going to be good to go home, as well, to see our family.
I’m very happy this is the end of this session without anything happening.
I’m very happy to say that I will spend some time during Christmas in my hometown of Baker Lake and the churches will be overjoyed with songs.
I would like to say Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to my relatives and to the people of Nunavut.
Minister Akesuk, I say Merry Christmas to you.
Orders of the Day. Item 4.
Return to Oral Question 092 – 2(3): Passports for Arctic Winter Games Participants (Tapardjuk)
This was asked by the Member for Kugluktuk Joe Allen Evyagotailak; 92 – 2(3).
In response to the question raised on Tuesday, November 29, 2005, about the steps the department is taking to ensure that participants to the 2006 Arctic Winter Games have obtained their passports.
Passports are the document of choice. Currently Canadian citizens are not required to have a passport to travel in the United States.
In the case that a participant does not have a passport they will be able to enter United States with a piece of photo identification and a birth certificate. Youth under the age of 18 also require a certified consent letter from the participant’s parents or guardians.
The 2006 Arctic Winter Games – Kenai Host Society recommended that athletes and coaches have valid passports to expedite the entry and departure from the United States; they are also currently working with their various agencies to streamline their processes.
The territorial sports organizations and the department are working together to ensure that all athletes and coaches are provided with the necessary identification requirements before the games.
Going back to the Orders of the Day. Item 5.
Many of my constituents that are in the background here, (interpretation) they are here for a soccer game. I will say their names.
First of all, my eldest daughter, Sylvia Inuaraq and her daughter. I would like her to stand up, Olivia.
That’s our granddaughter, my favourite granddaughter.
Also the other grandchild Jody and Rhoda Amitnaaq, Mavis Nakoolak, and Marion Bruce works a lot as a coach. We very much appreciate her for the good job that she has been doing. She is from Coral Harbour and a coach for the soccer team, Brittany Pudlat.
Kilabuk Gibbons, from the 18 and under soccer team from the Kivalliq region, although she is from Coral Harbour, my daughter, Malaya, and so I would like to say lay off to the boys.
Shauny Nakoolak, Ashley Etuk, Kathleen Netser, my brother’s daughter, Leanna Ell, Selma Angutialuk, and Kayla Kaludjak.
Those are the soccer team from Coral Harbour who are going to win the championship.
I’d like to recognize two of my constituents from Cambridge Bay. We don’t often get to recognize constituents from the Kitikmeot because it’s so far from Iqaluit, but I’m very pleased that they’re here today.
Sitting behind me is Wendy Avalak, a Community Health Representative from Cambridge Bay, and Nora Niptanatiak, she is also a Community Health Representative.
They are in Iqaluit for the Canada Pre-natal Nutrition Program.
I’d just like to add a special note Wendy was on the hamlet bouncil for a couple of years with me. She was one of the six ladies that kept me in line every week.
She works very hard. She is an aspiring future mayor and possibly an MLA for the Cambridge Bay riding.
I would like to recognize a person from Kugluktuk: Rosie Kaariak. She works for the Kugluktuk Health Centre.
It’s not very often that there are people from my constituency.
I would like to recognize this young person who has worked very, very hard and is a member of some groups. She is also the CHR in Kugaaruk, Theresa Kakianniuq.
Everybody knows her father.
So I would like to welcome my constituent, and to thank her for her hard work.
I would also like to recognize an individual that a lot of people know; who works very, very hard; from my community of Rankin Inlet, Sandy Kusugak.
Everybody knows Sandy Kusugak.
She has lived in Rankin Inlet for some time as a teacher, and as Nunavut’s Chief Electoral Officer.
We are very happy to have her working for us. She comes from a place where there is never a storm, Rankin Inlet.
It gives me great pleasure to welcome to the House those wonderful young people who have been serving us this week: the high school students from Inuksuk High School.
I want to make a special note of the gentleman that just walked out, my son.
I know some of the members have been writing me letters and telling me that he should get a haircut. I’ve mentioned it to him. He tells me that he might be able to make that happen in the New Year, so we are looking forward to that.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to welcome our Sergeant-at-Arms on behalf of myself, Mr. Tootoo, and Mr. Okalik. He is Paul’s constituent; a well-known guy around town; active in the community; I think he’s done an excellent job for us as the Sergeant-at-Arms again.
So let’s join with me in the House to congratulate and thank Mr. Kilabuk for an excellent job as the Sergeant-at-Arms.
I would like to acknowledge and recognize someone in the Gallery. I don’t know if I’ll get him in trouble if I say it this way. He is the right hand of our Chief Electoral Officer, Mr. Patrick Orr, sitting back here in the Gallery.
Also, Mr. Picco pointed out Mr. Kilabuk, I want to acknowledge and thank him for a beautiful carving that he made for me out of a walrus jaw that we had hunted together a few years ago.
I also would like to recognize and thank the interpreters in the booth and the ones in the back and I know that they are not all here. I’d like to thank them for all their hard work and without their voices I may not know what is going on here. It would be like some of the mayors in the Kitikmeot right now who don’t have the information on the language that they speak and they read.
Mr. Speaker, I also like to acknowledge the Pages for their hard work and Mr. Picco noted his son was one of them.
I am wondering if he gave him $20 yet to go towards his haircut. I’d also like to acknowledge our technical staff and also the media people as well.
While we are under recognition I haven’t had a chance to recognize someone that has been assisting us in the Assembly.
I would like to recognize Naimee Kilabuk-Bourassa, one of the interpreters. And I’d like to recognize those people who do the Hansard at Innirvik.
I’d like to recognize the Health and Social Services employees: the five ladies that are sitting behind me. Some of them have been recognized already.
Those individuals are hardworking CHRs that deal with the grassroots community initiatives and I’d like to welcome them to Iqaluit as well to the gallery and thank them to their dedication and commitment for this government.
Question 108 – 2(3): Administration Office Transferred To the Kitikmeot (Barnabas)
Mr. Speaker, during their minister’s meeting it was stated to my constituents in Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord that the administration and Capital Plans of the operations of the hamlets are no longer handled in Qikiqtaaluk but in the Kitikmeot. They have sent their requests to that area.
This kind of communication creates a lot of problems for the two hamlets.
I wonder why they were transferred to Kitikmeot to administer.
I haven’t checked into this further because my other minister handled it.
It has been tried out so it will have a smoother operation because a lot of times we encounter problems when it was handled in Qiqiktaaluk but I will certainly check into this and see how it is doing by asking my colleague, the Minister.
Maybe if they go through what the problems might be, because we know now that there are problems.
They can even go through the capital estimates, with the office being in the Kitikmeot for Resolute Bay or Grise Fiord.
If they see any problems or serious problems, will they be able to move it back to Qikiqtaaluk, to the Baffin region?
Yes, this is on a trial basis.
After the trial then we can review it again by our staff.
The Minister involved is not here at this time. We can certainly check into it.
Did the government explain to those two hamlet councils before their transfer took over?
I was told that they were advised before the transfer.
After I check how it is, and I’m pretty sure after a year of operation we’ll have a better understanding if it’s working better or not.
I thank the Premier for responding.
Will they have to make their budget without any material to refer to?
I’m not too clear as to the details of that, but I will try and keep them informed as to how it will be but I will certainly check into this.
Question 109 – 2(3): Nunavut’s Deficit Situation Resulting in Hiring Freeze (Tootoo)
My question is for the Minister responsible for Finance. As we all know the minister indicated that we are heading towards a deficit this year.
This morning on the news there was an indication that came as a bit of a surprise to me, that one of the reasons that a government official gave for not being able to have information translated for delegates for a meeting was because there was a freeze on hiring casuals.
My question to the minister is: has this directive gone out?
Is this part of cost cutting measures to try and reduce the deficit that has been forecast?
I haven’t heard anything like this, whether this is the cause of it.
This is the very first time that I have heard such a thing. I don’t even know where it is.
I recall, earlier this session that one of my colleagues, Mr. Peterson, asked the minister if the Financial Management Board has made any specific decision, or directives in regard to fiscal restraints, or hiring freezes.
At that time the minister had indicated that FMB had not made any decision yet.
My question is: is this something that they made a decision on?
Hon. David Simailak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, that is not the case.
We have not made a decision.
It still stands the way I said it before. (interpretation ends) I have just been informed by the Minister of Human Resources that no, the Government of Nunavut does not have a freeze on casual hires.
Just as someone else indicated there is a little bit of a thaw on hiring. Mr. Speaker, it’s obvious that we are heading into a deficit, is the Financial Management Board looking at putting any restraints in place to try and reduce the deficit that we are going to be facing this year?
The Financial Management Board has not made a decision; they are starting to consider how we can have a reduction in the deficit but we are not up to that stage yet.
I was a little surprised that the minister wasn’t aware of that issue that was aired this morning on the radio.
I would think that would be something that the staff would flag as an issue.
Given the minister’s response that they haven’t gotten there yet, are they planning on looking at restraints?
If so, when would he have an idea of when he will make an announcement, or bring any decisions that FMB makes forward to the Members of this House? When will they let the Public Service know what those restraints are?
The regional staff has checked how we can use our money better.
We want to see improvements.
We are not just sitting on this. This will certainly continue where we should make reductions in order to avoid a big deficit.
Question 110 – 2(3): Religion in the Schools (Netser)
Yesterday’s return to my Oral Question provided by the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth revealed that government facilities and public money were used to hold some form of workshop during working hours that involved the discussion of Shamanism.
We read in the dictionary that Shamanism is religion. Others may not think so, but that’s what it means.
I recognize that the government, likely, wanted to make its employees aware of this aspect of Inuit history.
We have talked a lot during our session about the need for good curriculum materials in our schools for our children.
However, people of faith in Nunavut often feel that they are under attack, especially by voices that seek to portray religion in as negative a light as possible.