EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I will be asking my question in English, as I am not sure about the Inuktitut terminology.
(interpretation ends) The community of Grise Fiord has been concerned about a rocket that is supposed to be orbiting to launch a Japanese satellite.
It was supposed to be yesterday but it was delayed.
Can the Minister update the community and this House?
The Nunavut Emergency Measures employees were informed that on October 22 the Russians would be launching a rocket.
It would orbit around our planet and yesterday we were told that the launching of this rocket has now been delayed due to weather problems.
Supplementary. Mr. Speaker.
That is a good update for the community.
The Community was concerned about the environmental damage or impact.
Can the Minister reassure the community and Nunavut that this is possible or that there is not going to be any environmental impact?
And why isn’t the northern command centre in Yellowknife, why didn’t they communicate with Grise Fiord themselves?
That’s the other question because the community is concerned that they didn’t hear it from the Department of National Defence.
If those were the concerns, and the lack of communication between Yellowknife and Grise Fiord with DND, I can inform the communities of Grise Fiord, Resolute Bay, Arctic Bay, Nanisivik and Pond Inlet.
They were informed and we were also told that the RCMP and Search and Rescue were also informed about the launching of this rocket.
We informed the hamlets because it would have had an impact on their communities.
The second part to my question was the environmental issue.
Can the Minister elaborate on that, please?
I am sure that took one of the questions and I apologize.
In regards to the launching of this rocket, we were concerned about the lack of information that was given to us in regards to the launching of the rocket and what kind of impact it will have on the environment.
Since we received the news we were told that there would be no environmental impact, but then again, we have also been told that the equipment that is no longer used will fall back into earth and of course, it would have an environmental impact and I would like to inform the people out there that if they do find some equipment not to touch it.
Question 670 – 1(6): Update on Decentralization
We have heard that some of the positions that were going to be moved to Pangnirtung and the Wildlife Division of people do not want to move up to that community.
I would like to get a status on that.
In regards to decentralization, it has had an impact on quite a number of employees.
We have been decentralizing for the past three years and it is at the discretion of the staff people whether they want to move to the community or not and if they do not want to move, they can try for positions within the Government or resign from their positions.
We have checked this progress and it is going to be ongoing, but these positions are open to anybody who would like to try for those positions including the local people.
Well, I have just heard and I am not sure whether it is a fact or not, but from what I heard, all of the employees do not want to move to Pangnirtung and the Wildlife Division personnel do not want to move either.
So my question is how many people declined the move and how are they going to be replaced?
There are going to be six positions that will be affected and it will be an open competition for the community of Pangnirtung.
I am not sure about the numbers for Sustainable Development, but once we get the information, I will give it to the Member.
Mr. Anawak (interpretation): I am not sure if we are on target with the number of positions here in Iqaluit, but when we are, the Premier, I believe, said the six positions, six employees are not moving up.
So my question is, are they going to be filled locally or are they going to be filled from people over here because of course you need to have qualifications and training to fill these positions.
And do you know that they have qualified employees up there but they do have to have specific responsibilities?
When you’re going recruiting what using or are you going to from Nunavut or are you going to delay filling these position while the candidates are going through training.
We’re just going to keep using the same methods we’re using to see if we can fill these positions with Inuit as we place a hiring priority on Inuit.
We are continually posting job openings through the media; we will continue to use that as well looking for qualified people.
I have no doubt that there will be people who are willing to relocate.
To date we have relocate a little over 400 positions within the government.
There are qualified people that have relocated and I am not overly concerned about not being able to fill those positions.
I am envious that he is not overly concerned, but it does have an impact on the employees when they are required to move to another community, or either find another job or to resign from their positions.
In regards to the employees who do not want to move, are they given adequate information?
Are they told that if they don’t want to move, that they would have to look for another position or resign from their positions?
I’ll say in English. (interpretation ends) I guess my question would be, in the case of Statistics Nunavut because these are specialized positions and what other jobs if they refuse to move to Pangnirtung?
As well as the wildlife officers who have to be decentralized, have they been told that they don’t have a choice and if they choose not to, they either get jobs elsewhere but again these are specialized jobs. What is the mind set of the government that those jobs are filled by the northerners, long time northerners or Inuit?
Whenever we decentralize positions we are aware of affected employees concern and that’s why we introduced a policy, to provide them with the first opportunity to continue on with a job in another community and if they don’t want to, then we assist them in finding alternate employment.
We have been fortunate here in Iqaluit for example for there have been lot of vacancies since we have formed as a government.
It has given us more flexibility for the employees who are affected.
If they choose not to work for the government then that is their choice.
But we try to do our utmost in helping them out.
And as soon as we have an announcement, we provide them with all the information and finding out alternatives.
Question 671 – 1(6): Policy on Medical Travel Escorts
I would like to ask, Mr. Speaker, if there is any Legislation on the parents when the children are going for medical travel.
Is there a policy that states that they have to be escorted by their parents?
How old does a child have to be in order to be escorted, well, rather, how old do they have to be when they no longer require an escort?
Mr. Speaker, we have said in the House here before, about two years ago, we actually standardized and put in place a new Escort Policy that would be uniform across the Territory.
There is a Policy in place based on the age of the child and it depends on the individual circumstance of that child.
So, for example, Mr. Speaker, if a child is under the age of 16, the child would be expected to be accompanied by an adult.
There are also, Mr. Speaker, rules in place by airlines, for example, when unaccompanied children are on the plane.
So, those types of things play into the granting of an escort for a child who is seeking medical assistance.
When an individual turns 16 years old, then they can travel on their own during medical travel and I understand that reply.
Since there is a policy like that, Mr. Speaker, how about when young women have to travel when they are pregnant and underage for medical purposes, do they have to be escorted also?
Mr. Speaker, we have had instances, for example there, a young person who could have been 14 or 15 who was pregnant, and we also provide an escort for that person.
Again, Mr. Speaker, it is based on the individual circumstances and I would suggest to you, Mr. Speaker, ninety nine percent of the time, where a person is a child who is 14 or 15, for example, who was having a baby, they would of course, be accompanied by an adult.
A mother had sent correspondence to me as their Member of the Legislative Assembly from my constituency of Taloyoak.
This individual who was supposed to leave to go for medical leave to have a baby wanted to be escorted by her mother and it was the first time that she was going to have a child.
But apparently she was told that the mother was not allowed to escort the young pregnant woman because they said that she was of age.
Because it was the first time that she was ever pregnant she really wanted to be with her mother.
Would it have been possible to escort a pregnant young lady after the age of 16?
Mr. Speaker, each case as I said before could be looked at independently.
For example, Mr. Speaker, if a person who is sixteen was flying from their community and was going to another community to have a baby, for example, if they had a sister or if they had relatives in the other community they may not want an escort.
Mr. Speaker, when the patients requests the escort then we do everything we can to facilitate that through the guidelines and regulations that are in place.
Mr. Speaker, if the person is an adult as definition by law, then there may not be an escort, but again it depends on the extenuating circumstances.
I do know Mr. Speaker, that we have had escorts with young mothers, fourteen to sixteen who were having babies, depending on the unique circumstances.
Some cases, Mr. Speaker, the young mother may be in a jeopardy situation where the pregnancy is at risk, because of that, the medical professional has requested a medical escort.
Sometimes you have an escort based on the emotional state of the young mother as an example.
What I would do Mr. Speaker, in the case that the Member is talking about is to find out exactly where the person was originating from and other information and if the Member could make that available to me then I could actually do a Ministerial review of the case.
I would also like to thank the Minister for his response.
Yes, I will provide you with all the information that I have.
I tried calling earlier this morning but I hadn’t realized that my constituency is two hours behind.
I will try to provide you with the information today.
This is a very sensitive case.
I know that when an individual is over the age of sixteen, under the individual circumstances I am sure that they could be provided with escorts.
I will provide the Minister with the information today from my constituency.
Question 672 – 1(6): Municipal Training Policy – Search and Rescue
I would like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for Community Government and Transportation.
In regards to the Minister’s Statement regarding the Municipal Training Policy, I would like to be clear on my question on Search and Rescue funding.
It states here on the Municipal Training Policy, and I know that the HTO’s are responsible for search and rescue, they search for hunters when they don’t return at the time indicated.
Who can we utilize further for search and rescue funding because when there is a lost hunter, the municipality and the HTO work together?
Perhaps the Minister responsible for Transportation can explain how this is set up.
In my Minister’s Statement I spoke about the departmental policies.
Yes, the Municipality can work with an entity as long as it is recognized or designated as an Inuit Association, for example, the HTO’s.
I know that the Search and Rescue is under the municipality and they are both registered as a society and they can be provided with funding.
Did he reply to me by saying that the designated Hunters and Trappers Organization, if there can be an agreement between the Hunters and Trappers Organization and municipality with certain rescue funding that they could have an agreement between the two so that they could use the funding?
Yes, just to elaborate further about Search and Rescue, if there was a hunter lost out there and if this was an emergency case, the funding for Search and Rescue, is to the designated Inuit association, and is the recognized Hunters and Trappers Organization who is going to take part and the start up point is community-based Search and Rescue activity up to $5 thousand dollars based on actual costs, whether it be hamlet council, Search and Rescue, they can obtain the funding and use this funding.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you. Yes, although he explained that to me and it is clear to me, does that mean all of the communities are given that information so that they can have a clear understanding?
The Municipal Council is also comprised of elected members from the community and hamlet council members change every time there is a general election.
Perhaps you can provide that information to the Municipalities.
My staff have told me, from my Department that this new departmental policies has been communicated back to the communities and I am going to be open to my Colleagues if they have any further questions and if they wanted to look at our policy, I am open to them.
Question 673 – 1(6): Replacement of Boarding Home in Yellowknife
In the Kitikmeot, in Cambridge Bay I know that we are going to get a hospital in that region; we will get a regional hospital there.
When the new hospital is being utilized, and I know for sure that Kitikmeot residents will be travelling on medical travel, my question is there is a boarding home in Yellowknife and the boarding home is overcrowded and there is hardly any space and there is no recreational facility for children or for children to play in.
When are you going to replace the boarding home in Yellowknife?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Member’s question on the boarding home.
I had an opportunity to tour the boarding home with him and the Member from Kugluktuk this past summer.
Mr. Speaker, two issues here, one is that with the new facility going in Cambridge Bay, we believe that the number of patients going through Yellowknife will actually decrease.
That’s why we need to be able to review actually what the size of the facility is, and what we need to have in that facility in Yellowknife.
That’s part of the request for proposal that we’re putting forward.
Secondly, on the facility for Cambridge Bay, we have allocated money within the Capital Budget to look at the student hostel there and actually have a good boarding home in place in Cambridge Bay for patients from the Member’s community who will be staying there.
So that’s what we’re doing on the boarding home front in those two communities.
We need to be able to ascertain how many people will be travelling to Yellowknife, because of the new facility in Cambridge Bay, we’re hoping to be able to lower that amount and then we could know what size of facility we’ll need.
I know that our executive director in the Kitikmeot, Sharon Iqaluak, has been working vary hard on the processes as well as the issue itself.
My question is, has there been any consideration given to replacing the boarding home in Yellowknife?
Mr. Speaker, we looked at the boarding home a couple of years ago and I believe that it is safe to say that the current boarding home is not conducive to some of the needs that have arisen for the facility, for example, the Member talked about playroom space for children.
If we could extricate ourselves expeditiously in a manner that would allow us to have your return on an investment because the lease that is in place is costing us a lot of money, then we could probably move away from it.
At the same time we have a long term lease on that building and I would have to find the money then to be able to lease a new building or have another building built.
I don’t have that in the Capital Budget.
I'm not sure what size of a facility that we need.
That’s why we wanted to be able to look and say do we need a new facility in Yellowknife, or can we find an alternative facility and at the same time how long do we need to continue with that facility.
We have a four year lease, if I try to break that lease it’s going to cost us $3 million should I pay out the lease of $3 million or should we move forward on another one?
Thank you to the Minister of Health for his response.
It has been a couple of years since we met with Kitikmeot leaders regarding the boarding home and the concerns raised.
You would expect that after the one year since the concerns were raised that we would at least see some new considerations for alternative space for boarding homes.
We do know that we will always send patients to Yellowknife, regardless of the new centre in the region.
Has there been any consideration for a new boarding home in Yellowknife?
Mr. Speaker, since April 1, 1999, I think it’s important to point out that this Government, Mr. Speaker, has moved very fast on boarding homes.
We’ve put a new boarding home in Ottawa, we’ve put a new boarding home in Winnipeg, we have a new boarding home in Edmonton, we’re in the process of actually putting a facility in Cambridge Bay, and, Mr. Speaker, we’re moving forward on a plan for Rankin Inlet, at the same time we have a building in Yellowknife.
I'm suggesting to you Mr. Speaker, that I realize there is a situation with the facility in Yellowknife.
I understand, Mr. Speaker, there is an issue around the facility in Yellowknife.
We are Mr. Speaker, trying to see what, in the best way logistically, administratively and financially we can move forwards for the patients.
We are going to have a boarding home in Yellowknife and as the Member had pointed out, we need to continue to send patients to that community and we need to have the best facility available.
Right now, it does not seem to be the Lena Pederson Home and that is why I am suggesting to you that we need to look at what we will need, what is the size of that facility is, and the amenities that will be in it, and that is something that hopefully we will be able to do in the New Year.
So, Mr. Speaker, for the benefit for the Member and the Constituents in the Kitikmeot Region, that is something that we are moving on right now and we hope to have that analysis done in the coming weeks so we could actually move on the plan.
Regarding the boarding homes that he just listed, in Winnipeg, I also toured that place and it is a beautiful facility and very adequate for patients.
The Kitikmeot also needs this type of space that is adequate for its patients.
What year does he expect to make it in the budget and when is he going to start reviewing what type of facility is required in Yellowknife?
Mr. Speaker, as Minister Ng has stated, right now, very eloquently, it is a good question by the Member from Kugaaruk and with the support of my Cabinet Colleagues and Minister Ng with the rebasing of my budget, I would hopefully be able to move forward.
But in reality, Mr. Speaker, the Capital Budget that we have here in the Legislative Assembly does not include monies for the leasing of the boarding homes because that is flow through money.
However, I had to work with our Federal partner when we put up a facility forward because that is under the NIHB.
I do not want to confuse the issue, but I would hope, Mr. Speaker, that sometime very early in the New Year, in the next six to eight weeks, we would be in a position to be requesting an RFP and an analytical review of what the needs are in Yellowknife for either a new facility or to ascertain if there is another building in the community of Yellowknife which we could have to facilitate our patients staying there when necessary.
As I said earlier, the Member is correct, Lena Pederson Home does not seem to be conducive to those needs right now and we need to move forward and we are trying to be as proactive as we can.
So, I want to let the Member rest assured that I would hope that in the next six to eight weeks that we would be able to move forward on that.
Question 674 – 1(6): Misdiagnosis at the Nursing Stations
I just want to forward my question to the Minister of Health and Social Services.
First of all, those patients who go to see nurses or physicians when they are not feeling well and they are examined as to what ailments or as to the reasons why.
Nurses and doctors, at times, prescribe the wrong diagnoses within Nunavut.
How can these nurses and doctors, once they make a diagnosis that is a mistake, how do you treat these people that diagnose patients in the wrong manner?
Mr. Speaker, in any given day in Nunavut we have hundreds, literally hundreds of people who are being treated in 26 communities, as well as the hospital here in Iqaluit.
When you have that number of patients going through a system, sometimes errors are made; I’m not trying to say that they’re not.
If the Member is aware of a misdiagnosis, in particular, where something has occurred, then he should make that information available to the Member.
I cannot speak on hypothetical situations that have occurred.
I can say that if the diagnosis has been made, if a patient has been damaged by some type of diagnosis, then there are rules and regulations in place.
For example, we have professional associations for nurses; we have the best practise unit in Kugluktuk that investigates those types of issues.
So there are mechanisms in place, like in every other jurisdiction.
If the Member has a specific complaint to make, then, Mr. Speaker, I would suggest that the Member would make that known to me in writing and then we would be able to deal with it.
There are many problems that Nunavummiut experience and those in my community.
You’re aware of nurses or doctors that prescribe or diagnose patients improperly.
How do you rectify the situation?
Do you remove or terminate their employment?
People in Kugluktuk want to hear and probably throughout Nunavut, Inuit and Qallunaaq alike.
They try and not make mistakes but these things happen.
I’d like to see, when there are mistakes being made, what is done to rectify those mistakes.
Mr. Speaker, I understand, I think the tact the Member is not trying to give an example of something hypothetical, he’s trying to say that when a misdiagnosis occurs, what are the ramifications of that.
Specifically, Mr. Speaker, when we’re dealing with medical professionals, they are a regulated body.
That means that they have regulations and rules that they have to follow on their professional conduct.
If a conduct unbecoming of that medical professional, including a diagnosis problem for example, that was serious was raised, then we would have the best practises unit that we have in Kugluktuk review and examine that case.
In every case, we bring an independent outside reviewer who would come in and review the case, and ascertain what has occurred.
If there was a violation, or a dereliction of duty, then Mr. Speaker, the proper steps would be taken to deal with that issue.
That is the way that it occurs.
Not only this jurisdiction but in every other jurisdiction.
The same types of regulations and rules on a regulated body like a professional in the medical field, it’s pretty standard throughout the country of Canada, and North America for that matter.
I realize his response being there are professional people who are always analysing that if there is such a situation, that they’re the ones who go about rectifying the situation wherever in Nunavut or in Yellowknife.
The public needs to know where they can write to or where they can direct their questions when a situation occurs throughout Nunavut.
Is there a place to direct their questions or written documents?
Mr. Speaker, on a regular basis, I wouldn’t say on a daily basis, on a regular basis, as Minister of Health and Social Services I receive complaints from across Nunavut from different individuals with regards to the way their health services or social services have been delivered to them.
In those cases Mr. Speaker, every time something is received, for example, in writing in a letter or it could be an email, then it is followed up and investigated.
It is reviewed and looked into to find out the veracity of the comments and indeed, what action that may have to be taken.