EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I would like to welcome Ms. Williams as our newest Member of the Legislative Assembly.
I would like to thank my community and I would like to tell them that I think of them every day.
As members, we often travel away from our home communities.
However, we are not the only ones that are away from our families.
I would like to recognize people that escort students for sporting events and other activities who often travel away from their homes to be with young people.
For example, my sister Mary Porter is traveling with a dance group from Gjoa Haven this week.
She takes very good care of the dance group who are called the Nunavut Performers.
They do travel not just for fun or to get away, they are much needed to take care of our children.
The same is true of the members who have two or more constituencies, they have much travel to these communities to be able to speak to them.
>>Applause  Speaker: Members’ Statements.
Member’s Statement 005 - 1(5): Budget Deliberation & Nunavut Needs
Mr. Speaker I am pleased to arrive today to welcome back all the Members of the Legislative Assembly for our first sitting of the 2001 year.
Mr. Speaker, the public spotlight will be on us for the next several weeks as we begin our deliberations on the 2001/2002 budget.
Mr. Speaker, expectations on us have never been higher.
This is the third budget of the Government of Nunavut that has been presented to the Legislative Assembly.
Our first budget was basically done prior to the creation of Nunavut, last year’s budget was largely a status quo budget.
This year Mr. Speaker, we need to make choices.
We need to choose whether to make the investments that are necessary to truly address the housing crisis that afflicts each and every one of our communities.
A crisis that continues to see waiting lists of months and years for public housing.
Mr. Speaker, the government is trying to fight a good fight when it comes to making our legitimate case to the federal government for investment and housing.
I applaud this.
We cannot just sit back and wait for assistance that may or may not be forthcoming at some point, possibly now, possibly later, but maybe never.
We need to act decisively ourselves and demonstrate the Bathurst Mandate’s commitment to making housing one of the two primary commitments of this government’s mandate; a commitment that is backed with hard dollars that will put roofs over families’ heads.
Mr. Speaker, another choice that needs to be made is whether our employees will get a fair deal or not.
It is heartening that the negotiations between the NEU and the government will resume in April.
I would again urge the government not to approach these talks as though a material gain for our employees is a loss to the government.
As the government has itself acknowledged we are losing good staff to the federal government, to Inuit organizations, and to the private sector.
We are not even bronze medal winners Mr. Speaker.
We are in fourth place.
A fair deal to our employees will address the deficits and programs and service delivery that we are currently suffering from.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek and ask consent to conclude my member’s statement.
Mr. Speaker I urge the ministers to talk with their front line staff and to listen to some of the innovative ideas and valid concerns that they have.
Mr. Speaker, my constituents are asking where our spending priorities are as a government.
As we go through the budget in the weeks ahead, we need to ensure that departmental plans and promises can be achieved with what is in the actual figures.
Mr. Speaker, members know that the issue of fuel costs has hit all Canadians.
We know that the efforts of the federal government to assist lower income Canadians have not been fully thought out.
We know that the money was to help a family in Vancouver would not go very far in Ausuiituq, Taloyoak, or Iqaluit.
Mr. Speaker, I would anticipate that we hear a lot of positive announcements over the coming weeks concerning our government’s plans to help the most vulnerable Nunavummiut avoid having to make the choice between heating their homes and feeding their families.
That is a choice Mr. Speaker, that we must not force our constituents to make.
Mr. Speaker, members are hearing that their homeowner constituents are having to consider moving back into public housing because they simply cannot afford the sky rocketing costs of homeownership.
As my colleague mentioned earlier, this is a terrible step backwards.
Mr. Speaker, we all have an excellent chance to work together in the coming weeks as Members of this Legislative Assembly in the spirit of true consensus to reach solutions and make choices.
I am hopeful that we can demonstrate to our constituents the commitment that I know members have to building a plan that moves us forward and leaves no one behind.
Member’s Statement 006 – 1(4): Meeting Nunavummiut’ Expectations
June 4, 1993 was a very important day in Ottawa when I was an MP, because we approved the NLCA as the federal government, with Brian Mulroney.
April 1, 1999 was a proud day as well because we had our Government of Nunavut and became elected Members of the Nunavut Legislature.
At that time on June 4, we knew that it was expected by the people of Nunavut and the negotiators at that time, just before April 1, 1999 when we were planning for the Nunavut government we all realized the people of Nunavut were expecting something very great for their home.
I was involved in the planning for the Government of Nunavut.
So today, Inuit in the Nunavut area are the only reason why we have government, because the Inuit are here.
For that reason, at that time the people expected to have the Government of Nunavut realize their expectations.
I wonder what the people think today about what we can do as the Government of Nunavut, what more can we do to help them and assist them.
I feel this has to be asked of us as a government.
The people’s needs and expectations have to be met.
How can we help the people of Nunavut so that the expectations are met.
We have to think about that as a government and as elected leaders.
We know the things needed in the communities as a government, the people will be expecting the things that they need.
For example, NTI has their own agenda and we have to start working with those organizations.
I know things are going to be asked of us that have nothing to do with the Nunavut Government.
For example, Nunasi, QC, Sakku, and the Kitikmeot Corporation, those are the corporations that are said to be owned by the Inuit people.
But they are going to be asking us as government what is happening with those corporations.
As leaders of the Government of Nunavut we are going to have to help the people of Nunavut, so we can achieve their expectations.
For instance, they ask us if the Nunasi Corporation is under the Government of Nunavut.
People do not realize that this is not our responsibility.
Even though it is not our responsibility we have to try and help those people.
We have to explain things to them and work with the organizations so that the needs and expectations of the people are met.
Member’s Statement 007 – 1(5): Nanook School Volunteers & Education Council
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you and this House about some dedicated volunteers here in our community.
Last week I met with the Apex Education Council at Nanook School in Apex.
Mr. Speaker, the dedicated parents who serve on this council take no honoraria for their meetings.
Mr. Speaker, the honoraria monies are put back into programs for the students of Nanook School and the children of Apex.
Nanook School is one of the smallest schools, student population wise in Nunavut.
It boasts dedicated students and active involvement by both teachers and parents.
Mr. Speaker, that combination spells success.
Eva Michael, the Chairperson and her dedicated council consisting of long time member and vice chair, Jacopoosie Peter, Mark Arsenault, Martha Koovianaktoo, have integrated a family and community first school program that integrates Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit as well as the holistic approach to the educational development of the students.
The long serving principal of Nanook School, Hilary de Silva, should also be mentioned for his ongoing work and his enthusiasm for the past several years at Nanook School.
Mr. Speaker, at our meeting last week, we had a wide ranging discussion of education, past, present and future and although Mr. Speaker, we didn’t agree on all aspects of the education system, I did leave the meeting with profound sense of pride for the work, commitment and leadership shown by the Apex Education Council.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Picco. Members’ Statements.
Ms. Thompson.  Member’s Statement 008 – 1(5): Polar Bear Cup Hockey Tournament
I’m glad to be back in the House with the members and would like to welcome Ms. Williams into the House and it’s nice to see that all the constituencies are represented now.
I would like to rise today to talk about the Polar Bear Cup hockey tournament that was held in Rankin Inlet just this past weekend.
There were hockey players from Repulse Bay, Coral Harbour, Chesterfield Inlet, Rankin Inlet and we were very glad to see the community of Hall Beach being represented.
There was a team from Iqaluit who took first place, second place was Rankin Inlet, and third place was Coral Harbour.
One of the highlights of the weekend was that the Stanley Cup was in the community and people were invited to the hotel to have their pictures taken with the Cup.
We really appreciated the work of the organizers and the parents that got involved in making the weekend very successful.
I’d like to recognize the volunteers in the communities that do a lot of work, organizing hockey tournaments and other events. It helps the community, not just physically but also mentally and we’d like to encourage more to get involved.
I would also like to recognize the coaches and the referees that were in the community.
So let’s encourage them to continue to do a good job.
Members’ Statements. If there are no further Members’ Statements, we will move on to Item 5. Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery.
Mr. Speaker, I wanted today to recognize the Sergeant-at-Arms. He's Mr. Simon Sigyareak, who is a well-known singer, welcome to the Legislative Assembly.
I would also like to welcome members of my community who are here to meet with government officials.
Our mayor of Gjoa Haven, Joseph Aglukkaq, Ralph Porter and David Ijji, welcome to the Legislative Assembly.
I would like to recognize a visitor.
I along with Mr. Iqaqrialu hardly ever have the chance to recognize anybody.
But I would like to recognize my daughter Angela Nutarak who is in the gallery and her friend Nathan Tigullarak who is on the other side of the gallery. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to recognize two members from my constituency.
Pitsiulak Pitsiulak, and Oloota Kolola and I would also like to recognize the chair of the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, Ben Kovic, and my secretary Oleena Nauyuq and Jane Cooper.
I would like to recognize an individual that I just met with, the mayor from Gjoa Haven, Joseph Aglukkaq.
I met with him earlier and I recognize the hard work that they are doing and they are sitting in the gallery.
I would like to recognize a member from my constituency Eva Onalik and from Maliganik Qimmirujit Jonah Kelly and last but not least interpreter Mali Curley.
Today is also her birthday, so happy birthday to Mali Curley.
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome to the gallery first of all Mr. Ben Kovic, who is a good friend of mine and a person who's tried for endless hours to help me with my hunting skills.
We succeeded about a year ago but I managed to lose my gas can again and my kamotik box on the way back.
I just wanted to thank Ben publicly for helping me.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to welcome to the gallery Ms. Dorthe Kunuk who works at our Wellness Centre here and the spouse of our Assistant Interim Commissioner, Mr. Joe Kunuk.
Also, on the other side of the gallery Mr. Speaker, I would like to start off by welcoming three wonderful people Mr. Speaker.
Anne Hanson and her lovely daughters Kathy and Mary Hanson-Akavak.
I should also point out Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity to visit Anne during Christmas and I found out that Anne is quite a Scrabble player.
Also, sitting close to Anne that you see around a lot in Iqaluit.
He’s here from western Canada, Mr. Albert Lagowski, who I’d like to welcome to the Assembly.
I don’t see anybody from my constituency.
I’d like to recognize my staff member Kathy Hanson who is my executive assistant and from Kugluktuk John Komak who is from the Language Bureau, welcome.
I want to recognize a person now living in Kugluktuk, John Komak who is working with Culture, Language, Elders & Youth.
I’d like to recognize a staff member from the Housing Corporation in Arviat who is in the gallery, Mr. Jim Fennel.
I would also like to recognize Kojo Koomee.
He is going to be living in Arviat.
Mr. Speaker, I’d also like to recognize the Chairperson of the Gjoa Haven Housing authority, welcome.
Mr. Speaker as members know, our legislature is the only legislature that has a separate section for elders to sit.
I am very pleased to recognize a couple of elders, Inuapik who had the honour of lighting the qudlik and Iqaluk who are here from my constituency in Iqaluit.
Thank you, Mr. Tootoo.
There are no others, I’d like to recognize, along with Ms. Thompson two constituents of mine, Jim Fennel, from Housing Corporation headquarters in Arviat and also a new employee, Kojo Koomee who is going to be in Arviat.
We have borrowed him on a permanent basis from Cambridge Bay.
And, lastly I’d like to welcome a good friend of mine the Sergeant-at-Arms this week.
Simon Sigyareak who is better known as Arviat’s very own Johnny Cash.
We’ll break for a few minutes now.
>>Assembly recessed at 2.50 p.m. and resumed at 3.26 p.m.
Question 001 - 1(5): Update on the Education Act Review
Mr. Speaker I hope I can remember how to do this.
It seems like it has been a long time.
Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister responsible for Education.
I would like to ask the minister if he can update this House as to the progress the department has made at reviewing the new Education Act and where things are.
We checked on the progress of the review of the Education Act at the end of last week.
Their report has not been submitted yet.
After the review is presented to us then we will be giving it to the Law Review committee.
I will let you know when the report is given to me.
I would just like to ask, he mentioned they just received a survey this week and it was, I do not know if I caught it right in translation or not.
Is the minister talking about the report that the education review committee did and returned to him.
Is that the report that he is talking about.
Or is it the new revised Act based on that report that he just received and sent off to Justice.
I was trying to report on the recommendations that are coming forward which were reviewed by the working group, which consisted of the people from NTI and also the Government of Nunavut.
Once those recommendations have been brought forward, I will be taking them to the committee, cabinet committee on legislation and will be advising the members of our next step.
Mr. Speaker does the minister have any indication of a time frame or when we may expect to see a revised draft that has been approved by the cabinet for members to have a look at.
As a matter of fact we were just reviewing the time tables the other day and to the best of our predictions, depending on if there are any delays in the process, we are looking to have these out to the DEAs, and community stake holders hopefully by the month of July, rather June, sorry.
I didn’t hear that the first time.
Mr. Speaker, in regards to the input or the recommendations from the task force.
I understand the department did a survey, received some input from the DEAs as well on some of the concerns that they had.
I am wondering if the minister plans to, at some point, table and provide members of this House with the results of those surveys and the task force reports.
I apologize that I did not mention the Members of the Legislative Assembly.
We will be forwarding the paper to all the Members of the Legislative Assembly, also the DEAs and the stakeholders.
This will be in June when we forward them for more consultations.
Question 002 - 1(5): Status of Regional Health Centres
Earlier I talked about health, the nurses and doctors.
Last year Minister Ng mentioned that there would be three health centres built; one in Iqaluit, Kivalliq, and the Kitikmeot.
I just want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services what is the status today of those three health centres.
Mr. Speaker, this file has a long history, I’ll try to keep it short.
As all members know the 1988 agreement with Health Canada indicated the renovation of the Baffin Regional Hospital was necessary.
In 1998 there was a study done by the GNWT by Medimerge, which indicated a need for two regional facilities, one each in Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay.
The capital dollars were not available under the GNWT.
Remember Mr. Speaker, the GNWT went through a major cutback and deficit reduction.
Therefore and thus, the GNWT tried to move forward through P3 initiatives.
Mr. Speaker the only P3 that we have done, and have some concern with, is the facility in Arviat.
I understand that in the next 6-8 weeks it will open.
Mr. Speaker, the government has moved forward for a leaseback agreement with the three development corporations: Sakku, Qikiqtaaluk and the Kitikmeot.
At the present time, Mr. Speaker, we are reviewing the RFP for the functional program review for the facility here in Iqaluit and also in Cambridge Bay.
Sakku has come forward now and they have new figures for the construction of the facility.
I just want to ask again as you mentioned GNWT in terms of the hospital in Iqaluit and the hospitals in Kivalliq and Kitikmeot.
The Nunavut Government to date, how are they dealing with this whole process.
Will they be reviewing and making sure that information is available to all communities.
We are a new Nunavut Government to date in terms of the ten-year review; we need more information to bring out to the communities about our plans.
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have met I believe it is on two or three different occasions, with the Premier at one point, with the leadership of the Kitikmeot about these facilities.
I have also met with the Hamlet in Cambridge Bay just this past summer on the facility. There is support in the Kitikmeot for the facility.
We believe Mr. Speaker, we could make a point, a business case for the facility.
I don’t think Mr. Speaker, it is acceptable to have patients from Pelly Bay travel two thousand miles away, to deliver a child.
I don’t believe it is acceptable in 2001, to have a child medivaced to Edmonton, four thousand miles away from their family and so on.
Twenty percent of our total health budget is medical travel.
That’s twenty million dollars a year. Mr. Speaker, if we had those facilities closer to the ground that is money we could save and spend here in Nunavut for these facilities.
The facility that is planned for Cambridge, the facility that is planned for Rankin, those are smaller facilities where we would be able to do minor surgeries, we would be able to do more referrals where we would be able to do deliveries as an example.
Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to visit the Kitikmeot at the invitation of the member, to go to the Kitikmeot to discuss again the facility.
We have had discussions with the Regional Development Corporation there that are our partners in the Kitikmeot.
I believe there is strong support over there.
Your government Mr. Speaker, is moving forward to bring these facilities to fruition as expediently, expeditiously as possible.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to mention, for instance in Kugluktuk they go to Yellowknife and Edmonton for medical reasons, to see the doctors.
For those residents in Kugluktuk that is appropriate for them, they don’t mind that.
But they are worried that if it is moved to Cambridge Bay, there is a concern that those who go to Yellowknife, it might be difficult for them.
Has he heard about these concerns in the Kitikmeot or made any plans to deal with that.
Mr. Speaker, I haven’t had any communication with anyone in Kugluktuk concerning the facility being in Cambridge Bay.
I do understand Mr. Speaker, that if all the resources are in one place, will that mean lesser resources for Kugluktuk.
I would suggest to you Mr. Speaker, that if you had three or four doctors based in Cambridge Bay, you would have more medical opportunities for referrals to Kugluktuk with residency based doctors in that region.
Right now Mr. Speaker, we have a contract with Stanton Regional Hospital for services to the Kitikmeot.
We are in the process Mr. Speaker, of trying to renegotiate that contract.
But that is another territory, another jurisdiction.
Mr. Speaker, if the Stanton in Yellowknife and the GNWT says tomorrow we don’t want to renew your contract, we don’t have enough staff for our own people.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Nunavut has to build the capacity like we are doing with our nursing program, training our own nurses, and we need to get doctors, qualified medical people based in Nunavut.
I would prefer Mr. Speaker, hopefully in five or seven years to have most of our facilities and our procedures and our services delivered right here at home.
I would suggest to you Mr. Speaker, that Kugluktuk would not lose out on services, I would disagree with that Mr. Speaker, because I believe that Kugluktuk will receive enhanced services, by having the facility there.
So instead of having to send someone by plane three hours away, we could send them to Cambridge Bay.
But again, I would make a commitment to the member to go to Kugluktuk to meet with the Hamlet to hear their concerns about the regional facility going into Cambridge Bay, if that concern is from the Mayor and Council.
Mr. Havioyak (interpretation): I keep asking questions about this.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, thank you for the response.
I hope to make this clearer.
If this facility is to be in Cambridge Bay that is fine, if it is running well that is good, I don’t really have a question, but I thank him for that information on that facility.
There is no question, just a comment.
Ms. Williams.
Question 003 – 1(5): Training for Homeowners
Ms. Williams (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to ask a question of the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
A number of years ago there was training given to people who would like to own their home about maintaining their heating systems.
As a government, we would like to make sure that the people in Nunavut can get their own home and I think it would be good to have that training again for those people.
My question is, is training going to be given to those people who want to own their own homes.
Speaker: Thank you. Minister Thompson.
In the communities where they have homeownership, I realize that they have a hard time whenever their furnaces break down, but in some communities, there are people that know how to provide furnace maintenance.
They know about home maintenance, all parts of the home.
We would like as a department to have more people capable of maintaining privately owned houses.
What we can do is to make sure that a homeowner can be assisted to get training in maintenance.
Homeowners that fix their own furnaces and other maintenance items, we can consider this suggestion and there are also a lot of people that can receive financial assistance to repair their furnaces or to get home maintenance done.
Speaker: Thank you, Ms. Thompson. Oral Questions.
Question 004 – 1(5): Assistance for DEAs During Education Act Review
Mr. Speaker, again my question is for the Minister responsible for Education.
Earlier the minister indicated that he would be providing copies of the revised legislation, targeted for June some time to get that out to the DEAs for their review.