EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
441 - 1(5): Clarification of Mr Nutarak’s Member’s Statement (Iqaqrialu) 2620
442 - 1(5): Issue of Health Care on East Kitikmeot (Puqiqnak) 2621
443 - 1(5): Passing of Father Franz Van de Velde (Alakannuark) 2621
444 - 1(5): Day-care Centre in Pond Inlet (Nutarak) 2622
445 - 1(5): Support for Canadian Rangers (McLean) 2622
446 - 1(5): Family Violence (Williams) 2623
447 - 1(5): Chesterfield Inlet Facility Proposal (Arvaluk) 2623
448 - 1(5): Relocation of Hall Beach Graves & Compensation for Workers (Irqittuq) 2624
449 - 1(5): Homelessness in Nunavut (Tootoo) 2624
450 - 1(5): Chesterfield Inlet Care Facility Commitment (Arvaluk) 2626
451 - 1 (5): Assistance for People with Special Needs (Alakannuark) 2628
452 - 1(5): Letter Regarding Compensation for Grave Workers (Irqittuq) 2629
453 - 1(5): Staff Guidelines - Kitikmeot Boarding Home (Puqiqnak) 2633
454 - 1(5): Update on Grizzly Bear Survey (McLean) 2635
455 - 1(5): Iqaluit Positions Advertised - Unavailable Staff Housing (Tootoo) 2637
456 - 1(5): Expansion of Pond Inlet Day-care Centre (Nutarak) 2640
457 - 1(5): Member’s Statement on Safe Shelters (Iqaqrialu) 2640
458 - 1(5): Staff Housing Policy (Tootoo) 2643
081 - 1(5): Commission on MLA Compensation (Tootoo) 2646
082 - 1(5): 1996 Excerpts from NWT Hansard (Tootoo) 2646
083 - 1(5): Pension Administration Report, March 31, 2001 (Speaker) 2646
Bill 21 - Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act - First Reading 2647
Bill 22 - Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act - First Reading 2647
Bill 23 - An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act - First Reading 2648
Bill 22 - Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act - Second Reading 2648
Bill 23 - An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act - Second Reading 2649
Bill 19 - Supplementary Appropriation Act No. 3, 2001 / 2002 - Third Reading 2679
Bill 20 - Interim Appropriation Act, April 1 to June 30, 2002 - Third Reading 2679  Wednesday February 27, 2002
Honourable Olayuk Akesuk, Mr. Ovide Alakannuark, Mr. James Arvaluk, 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. Puqiqnak to say the prayer.
Speaker: Item 2. Ministers’ Statements.
Minister’s Statement 157 - 1 (5): Community Land Administration Certificate Program
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce to the Legislative Assembly the start of the Community Lands Administration Certificate Program.
This training program was developed to provide training to Community Land Administrators working in the communities.
The program will give them the basic knowledge required to administer municipal lands.
This will ensure that development and management of municipal lands happens in an orderly fashion and respects the interest of the community.
This training opportunity is being funded by the Department of Community Government & Transportation and was developed in partnership with Nunavut Arctic College.
Thirteen students from across Nunavut began attending the year long course in Cambridge Bay on February 18th.
We wish them success with their studies.
Mr. Speaker, it is my intention to ensure that we make these types of training opportunities available to the communities to improve their abilities to manage their affairs.
Minister’s Statement 158 - 1 (5): Announcement of a Joint-use Research Laboratory
I would like to announce today that the Nunavut Research Institute in conjunction with the Federal Department of the Environment is currently finalizing arrangements for the location of a portable laboratory in association with the Iqaluit Research Centre.
This temporary facility will be fully equipped and staffed by Environment Canada, and will provide testing for the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program. Mr. Speaker, the new facility will not only provide opportunities for training and capacity building but it will also provide a state of the art laboratory for northern research.
The construction of this facility is timely, given the growing concerns about environmental testing and contaminants that may be present in our oceans.
The Iqaluit Research Centre of the Nunavut Research Institute is one of the oldest government buildings in Iqaluit.
The Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development turned over the research centre to the GNWT in the 1980’s.
The building has served many purposes and currently serves as an office, laboratory and research library.
The changes I am announcing today will provide Nunavummiut with access to new technology and modern equipment, and will allow testing to take place in Nunavut, rather than in southern Canada.
Member’s Statement 441 - 1(5): Clarification of Mr Nutarak’s Member’s Statement
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the statement made the other day by the Member for Tunnuniq and to help clarify it.
Mr. Speaker, we are not opposing any women going to safe shelters anywhere in Nunavut.
We are looking for ways to make the system better for those couples who break up and those individuals that go to the safe shelters.
I would like to say that these individuals go to the shelter and their children are left behind, so they are hurting as well.
Once these children grow up they will repeat the same behaviour.
We need to rectify this because if this young person repeats the same behaviour when he or she grows up, whether it is physical or emotional abuse, this will have to be improved because it is very important to us.
Even though, as Nunavut residents, we would like to see the youth in social programs, our children will be raising their own children.
When we hurt our children they in turn repeat the same behaviour, whether it is the mother or the father.
We don’t want to see this continue.
We want to see the problem eradicated and at the appropriate time I will raise questions about this.
I was thinking about asking the minister responsible to reply to the questions but he is not here, but at the appropriate time I will raise this issue.
Member’s Statement 442 - 1(5): Issue of Health Care on East Kitikmeot
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to the issue of health care for my constituents in the eastern Kitikmeot.
Mr. Speaker, I have spoken before on several occasions in this House about the need for the long awaited improvements to the Kitikmeot Boarding Home to move forward.
This week I received a disturbing letter from one of my constituents in Taloyoak.
In February a group of people from Taloyoak encountered a number of problems while trying to seek care at the boarding home.
The problems started at the Yellowknife airport when nobody from the home met them at the airport.
Mr. Speaker, one of these people is disabled, he is deaf.
They were then informed that the home was full and they would have to stay overnight at a hotel.
Although they were eventually admitted to the home, it was a bad experience for them.
Mr. Speaker, I have heard too many stories about unilingual Inuit encountering difficulties while travelling to Yellowknife to seek care.
I have heard too many accounts of patients being dropped off at the airport and left to fend for themselves.
Mr. Speaker, I call on the Minister of Health and Social Services to strengthen the standard of care and compassion for my constituents.
At an appropriate time during question period I will be asking questions on this issue.
Member's Statement 443 - 1(5): Passing of Father Franz Van de Velde
Mr. Speaker, I stand today to talk about the passing of a well-known and respected individual who resided in Nunavut.
His name is Father Franz Van de Velde, an Oblate Missionary who spent over 30 years in Kugaaruk passed away this month.
Mr. Speaker, Father Van de Velde had a very generous spirit.
He tended the sick and was the advisor to many residents.
He helped everyone in many ways in Kugaaruk.
Mr. Speaker, I ask those who knew him to pray for his family and friends.
Member's Statement 444 - 1(5): Day-care Centre in Pond Inlet
I would like to express my appreciation to the hardworking people from Pond Inlet who run the day-care centre.
Although it is overcrowded, it’s operating very well and it’s been running this way for about two years.
The board and the staff should be recognized for running a successful day-care centre.
>Applause
Member's Statement 445 - 1(5): Support for Canadian Rangers
Uqaqti, today I would like to raise the issue of northern security in an uncertain world.
Uqaqti, the events of September 11th have shaken us to our core and have refocused our attention on the needs to safeguard our sovereignty.
In Nunavut we all depend on air travel.
Uqaqti, I was pleased to see Canada’s Minister of National Defence indicate this week that there will be a review of northern security needs.
There is a tremendous shortfall of resources and financial support for defence in the north.
This is long overdue, in today’s uncertain world we need to ensure that unique northern issues and needs are adequately addressed.
Uqaqti, security means more than just military preparedness, we also need to push the Federal Government into dealing with the issues of environmental security.
We need to ensure the health of our residents and protect them from pollution.
We need to safeguard our natural resources so that we can control their use.
Uqaqti, some members of this House are decorated veterans of the Canadian Rangers and I applaud them.
We need to work with the Department of Defence and provide adequate resources for our Rangers.
In my community of Baker Lake, we have a sizable Ranger contingent of 28 and they deserve the best possible support for the important roles that they play.
I ask all members to join me in pushing the Federal Government for more training and financial support for our Canadian Rangers.
Member's Statement 446 - 1(5): Family Violence
I rise today to make a brief statement on the issue that we’ve been discussing during the week.
This is in regards to family violence.
Yesterday, I made a member’s statement in regards on that and I would like to make a statement about women that are abused physically and mentally. This is a difficult issue to deal with.
Mr. Speaker, I have seen cases where when an abuser is left behind by their spouse, many of them realize their need for help and start seeking it.
Often they will try to change their ways and start going to church regularly, for example.
Some couples do resolve their differences, even after a separation like that.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague was talking about this the other day and he was telling the truth.
Yes, the children involved do get hurt when the parents are not getting along.
We have to find ways and programs to help these families before someone has to be sent to a shelter.
Member's Statement 447 - 1(5): Chesterfield Inlet Facility Proposal
Mr. Speaker, my Member's Statement today is regarding the Chesterfield Inlet home-care facility.
I spoke to the Chesterfield Development Corporation and they told me that they have yet to get a response from the Nunavut Government for the revised new facility.
They asked representatives to go to a meeting in Rankin Inlet on December 8, 2001.
They told them in the meeting that the regional proposal was too big, 20 beds.
So Chesterfield went back to the drawing board and they cut down to 10 to 13 beds.
Yet it’s been three weeks since they have sent back the revised design.
To date, after three weeks, the department has still yet to respond to the proposal.
They are running out of time, Mr. Speaker, if the building is to be constructed this summer.
I will be asking questions to Mr. Picco as to why there has been no response from the department to date.
Member's Statement 448 - 1(5): Relocation of Hall Beach Graves & Compensation for Workers
When I was elected I told my constituents that I would not give up on important causes.
Since I became a Member of the Legislative Assembly, I have been requesting assistance for this issue and the government has been responding by being difficult.
The issue that I have been pressing for is the relocation of the graves in Hall Beach.
When I met with the minister, I was told that they would be able to get paid.
I became happy at the time.
We ran into a problem, the Hamlet of Hall Beach gave a letter of support for the Federal Government to pay the workers rather than the GN.
The relocation of these graves was back in 1960, but Minister for Health and Social Services wanted to get a letter of support from the Municipality of Hall Beach. The Municipality of Hall Beach thought that they were requesting a support letter to get funding from the Federal Government.
They misunderstood that.
If they had approached me, I would have given them more information.
I am standing up to give my apologies to my constituents.
This mistake of the Municipality was used by the Nunavut Government to refuse the funding they promised previously. We won’t be able to get the funding to compensate these individuals who relocated these gravesites.
Also, I have seen victim support services even though the government can’t give compensation for issues that happened many years ago.
I will not give up until my term is up.
Speaker: Thank you, Mr, Irqittuq.
Member’s Statement 449 - 1(5): Homelessness in Nunavut
Mr. Tootoo: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform the Members of this House of an important meeting that will be held here in Iqaluit next week on the issue of homelessness.
Mr. Speaker, I have spoken out on many occasions about the need for government at all levels to tackle homelessness head on.
It is an outrage that we have constituents in this day and age…
A Member: Shame.
Mr. Tootoo:…who have no permanent housing.
We are one of the wealthiest people in the world and there is no excuse for us to have people on the streets.
Mr. Speaker, the face of homelessness in Nunavut is uniquely painful.
Traditionally homelessness was never a problem in our communities.
It is a recent problem that only now are we beginning to recognize.
In Nunavut homelessness is hidden from view in the form of severe overcrowding.
Mr. Speaker, the City of Iqaluit will be holding its second stakeholders meeting on homelessness on March 4 at 3 p.m. at the City Council chambers.
The City administration has been working hard to bring together key stakeholders in this area.
Although the resources that are being devoted to this issue are inadequate, Iqaluit residents are thinking creatively to find solutions.
Mr. Speaker, homelessness is something that we can’t afford in Nunavut.
We cannot afford the human misery that it brings and we cannot afford the problems that it brings to our communities.
Mr. Speaker, I also look forward to our Homeless Minister either attending or having one of his staff attend the meeting on his behalf.
If there are no further Members’ Statements we will move on to item 4.
At this time I would like to welcome and recognize the Grade 9 students from Inukshuk High School and also their teacher, Favi Godine.
Also I would like to welcome all the students to the gallery and also Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize and welcome the job entry class students from Nunavut Arctic College and one of their instructors, Moe Kilabuk. Welcome.
I note I can see some former pages that are here today.
So welcome.
I would like to recognize an individual that was living in Rankin Inlet but now lives in Cambridge Bay.
He is visiting Iqaluit, Jennifer Anawak.
She is behind me.
(interpretation ends) She is my first cousin’s daughter.
Question 450 - 1(5): Chesterfield Inlet Care Facility Commitment
This question is about the time when the minister came to Chesterfield Inlet and agreed to the building of a new handicapped home.
Do you still agree that this building should go up?
Mr. Speaker, as I said in Chesterfield and said in this House, and as the Premier has reiterated, and again last week in questioning in this House, Chesterfield Inlet is recognized as a have not community and smaller.
This home is a major employer in that community, St. Theresa’s Hospital.
Because of the problems with the facility itself, we need to be able to put a better facility in there.
That’s why we did the RFP.
The government still maintains and stands by the RFP that was issued and the collaborative and the good work that has been done with the Chesterfield Development Corporation on the building of a new facility in Arviat.
So yes, Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes.
I am glad he is still committed to that. Can he tell us that, is there still a danger of the Fire Marshall closing the existing facilities down.
Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that there is still a window available to us on the facility itself.
We are working towards that timeline.
Just a caution to the members about hypothetical questions, unless you have facts to support the question that you are asking.
This one is not a hypothetical question. Mr. Speaker, why hasn’t there been a response from your department, especially from the Rankin Inlet office about this requested revision to a ten to thirteen bed facility.
When the Chesterfield Development Corporation did that, why haven’t you responded to that design yet?
The time is becoming very short for this summer’s sealift.
Mr. Speaker, as we said last week in questions that the member had asked.
The original proposal that was sent by the Chesterfield Development Corporation was above and beyond the scope of the project that we are envisioning.
Therefore and thus Mr. Speaker, negotiations had to take place between the proponents and the Department of Health and Social Services on the RFP.
As a result of those meetings and negotiations, as the member has just said, the proponents have sent a different floor plan and that floor plan has been received by the Department of Health and Social Services.
Now it has to be costed out.
We need to be able to do the financials and the logistic as well as the administrative work on that floor plan.
As soon as that is complete we will have a better idea of the dollar value that needs to be spent.
That’s the work that is going on at the present time Mr. Speaker.
So it is not because we don’t like the plan or anything like that.
We need to be able to cost the plan out itself and see if there are available funds available for it.
Regardless what has to be done with the costing, design approval etc, can the minister assure us that the materials will arrive during this summer’s sealift so that it can be built this fall.
Mr. Speaker I can assure the member that the department is working as expediently as possible to be able to meet the time frame and the time lines.
At the same time Mr. Speaker, we have to look at the dollar values of this, of the program itself and the leases that would have to be put in place for the new facility. That’s something that I’m not able to commit to before I have this year’s budget approved in this House and that Mr. Speaker, the member knows and the members of this House know.
So, we’re hoping Mr. Speaker, that we’ll be able to have an acknowledgement to the Development Corporation in Chesterfield before that time frame.
I’m optimistic Mr. Speaker that we’ll be able to do that.
Question 451 - 1 (5): Assistance for People with Special Needs
This is subsequent to my Member’s Statement on people with specials needs in my communities. There are people with handicaps and some of them tend to stay home because of their handicap.
Mr. Speaker, what programs and services are available to help families with special needs in Nunavut? For example, like respite care.
Mr. Speaker, successful negotiation with the Federal Government has brought over the past several months now an excellent plan to sponsor over 4 million dollars to the Government of Nunavut to begin the process of training community homecare workers in all communities in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, to date we’ve trained, I believe it’s over 44 people throughout Nunavut to be homecare deliverers delivering services for the handicapped, for the disabled, for shut ins, and for elders at the community level.
And Mr. Speaker that’s the plan and that’s the program that is, that will be rolled out over the coming months, and in some communities we already have it in place.
That type of program Mr. Speaker, will be in place to help the member’s constituencies.
Thank you very much for your response to my question.
Could the minister tell us if there is going be any funding made available to so that these people with special needs can be taken out on the land for out on the land programs.
Mr. Speaker, under the community homecare program we provide, we hire people at the community level.
We train them to be able to work in the community with the shut ins and the disabled.
Mr. Speaker, there may be an opportunity within that program to take people, where possible out on the land.
But Mr. Speaker, I don’t know specifically if that is a component of that program we just spoke about.
I understand that there are monies available for people with special needs.
When will we see these programs take place in communities?
That is my final supplementary.
Mr. Speaker in most cases those programs are occurring right now in the majority of Nunavut communities.
Specifically in the member’s two communities.
That’s something that I’ll be able to get for the member.
Question 452 - 1(5): Letter Regarding Compensation for Grave Workers
Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct my question to my dear friend, the Minister of Health and Social Services.
At times unexpected things happen and we hear unexpected things.
At times we understand from the responses to our questions that particular things or events are going to be happening in the future and sometimes those things don’t actually happen.
Mr. Speaker, this is a question that I directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services and it is about the relocation of graves in Hall Beach.
Is everything you said was going to happen still going to be happening.
Thank you Mr, Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I want to sincerely say that I appreciate the member’s comments.
I think that I can say that it’s the dogged determination that he has shown moving forward on this issue, which should be well noted by his constituents.
Just before Christmas Mr. Speaker, this past fall, I was in Hall Beach, I met with the Mayor and Council and indeed, we discussed the situation on the graves being moved.
At that time I committed to providing a wellness counselling workshop as well as providing money for a feast in the community.
Mr. Speaker, it’s my understanding that has taken place.
At the same time Mr. Speaker, I committed to the Mayor and Council and we had a good discussion, not only in Hall Beach but also the Mayor met with me here in Iqaluit in my office about this situation on the graves.
We had a good discussion and Mr. Speaker, after further investigation into this matter, a letter was written from our department, from me, to the Minister of DIAND, the Honourable Robert Nault, who subsequently responded with a letter that was also sent to Nancy Karetak Lindell, who is our MP for the Government of Nunavut.
It actually ascertained who the persons were that had ordered the graves to be moved.
It is a long story Mr. Speaker, so to keep my answer short Mr. Speaker, the Department of DIAND came back and indicated that one of the potential people that were being looked at had died, another person I believe who was involved and was named in the letter, suffers from Alzheimer’s and can’t recall the event.
Mr. Speaker, it also points out that the events had occurred as the Premier has said as the Minister of Justice, prior to the Government of Nunavut or even indeed the Government of the NWT being formed.
Therefore and thus, it would become a federal responsibility.
So the things that I have said would occur, have occurred in the community, and now Mr. Speaker, we need to aggressively follow up with the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs and Minister Nault as well as our MP, Ms. Karetak Lindell.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the people in your department for having that feast in Hall Beach.