EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
If a contractor has been submitting a claim and is not getting money, I would encourage the contractor to contact our district office and escalate it accordingly, but we cannot advance funds for work not yet performed.
All of the payment terms and conditions would have been outlined in the original tender.
I guess the person will now be asking the contractor to do the work and then he can claim what he has done the work for.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s proposed 2016-17 capital estimates include $12.5 million in funding for new public housing construction. As of today, for the viewing audience, which communities are being considered for the new public housing units?
Under the proposed new construction, we expect that in Arctic Bay, they would construct five units for staff housing and five units under the public housing. In Gjoa Haven, there would be five units allocated for public housing and five staff housing units.
In the community of Igloolik, there would be five units allocated for public housing and five units for staff housing.
For Kugaaruk, there would be five public housing units and five staff houses.
The other communities are Pond Inlet with ten public housing units as well as Naujaat with ten public housing units and staff housing.
That’s the breakdown (interpretation ends) for fiscal 2016-17. Thank you.
These units that are allocated will be in the communities in the summer of 2016 and built that year.
Hon. George Hickes (interpretation): Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. In fiscal year 2016-17, we would be doing our planning and would be tendering the RFPs to the contractors. Once they open the tendering, we will just follow the schedule that we have for 2016-17.
If we’re going to start the construction, we expect the materials to arrive in the communities during the sealift season in the 2016-17 fiscal year.
I hope that was clear. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
Just so that I can understand, it will be the summer that the materials will be going to the communities.
Hon. George Kuksuk: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) I thank the member. (interpretation ends) No.
In the summer of 2016, sealift materials would be in the communities. The construction would begin, let’s say, between summer of 2016 and winter of 2017.
That’s how we’re looking at it.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s current five-year capital plan indicates that its annual capital budget for the construction of new public housing units will increase by $2.5 million per year for the next five years.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s projected budget for the construction of new public housing units in the 2020-21 fiscal year will be $22.5 million.
How many additional public housing units does the Nunavut Housing Corporation anticipate being able to construct with this annual budget increase?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) Hon. Minister of the Nunavut Housing Corporation, Mr. Kuksuk.
To give it a short answer, I would like the person who works on this daily, Ms. Kimball, to answer the question.
If we used today’s pricing, because I can’t speak for what inflationary factors will impact between now and 2021, we would be able to deliver over 50 units with $22.5 million.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation has indicated that it has developed a needs-based allocation methodology for staff housing.
Can you describe how this methodology differs from the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s public housing allocation methodology?
The allocation method applies to both public housing units and the NHC staff housing.
Since you referred earlier to it and if I am correct in that you mentioned staff housing earlier, the Nunavut Housing Corporation has developed a policy when it comes to the (interpretation ends) private sector (interpretation) construction. Since part of this answer doesn’t apply to the question, I will just skip that part for now.
After the entire staff housing issues have been (interpretation ends) analyzed (interpretation) for that community, as we had to take into consideration many factors related to allocation of staff housing, some of the things that we had to consider, for example, were student-teacher ratios, (interpretation ends) forced shared units, and the increased PY count across Nunavut, (interpretation) which is the increasing number of staff members that work for the Nunavut government.
The staff vacancies in various government departments were also looked at. People who built their own houses that can be made available for rent or (interpretation ends) the private housing market in each community (interpretation) were also looked at.
After these factors were analyzed, we looked at the allocation methodology. After all the reviews of each local criterion, we based the allocation of houses on these parameters.
I was asking what the difference was with the allocation methodology between the staff housing and public housing allocation.
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): Mr. Chairman, if it’s for public housing or staff housing, it’s the most appropriate method. If there is a big difference in need for staff houses and public houses, I may not be answering your question properly, so I would like Ms. Kimball to completely respond. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
For public housing, we look at the waitlist and we compare that to the existing stock as a ratio. We do the same thing.
We look at the number of GN vacant positions in each community relative to the amount of staff housing we provide, but in addition to that, we look at those factors that the minister mentioned, things like what expected changes are coming for student-educator ratios, how many units currently are forced shared, so those are additional units that are needed, what is the GN planning or what are all the departments and agencies planning in terms of additional staffing as we go forward with these budgets.
We look at the priority levels of the different positions that are vacant as well. We look at the condition of the marketplace in each community.
One of the things that we are targeting is to build in non-decentralized communities because there is no market that is going to come in and fulfill that need whereas when we get into places like Iqaluit, we generally would not build staff housing; we would rather lease it because the private sector can provide those units.
Mr. Akoak: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for the response.
Is there a difference between a needs-based allocation and waitlist? I don’t think the waitlist is working. When you’re on a waitlist, you’re there for five or ten years.
All of a sudden, there’s somebody homeless with a family or somebody who has left and they don’t own a home anymore.
That person would somehow all of a sudden become on top of the list, but we have people waiting for five or ten years to get a home. Is there a difference between a needs-based allocation and waitlist?
Part of what he’s asking, there are many factors in that there are some people who are not at the top of the waiting list that do get units, and he is aware of that.
There are different reasons for that happening and that is why you see that happening once in a while.
For example, if I’m on a higher line than a different person and that other person gets the house first, there can be many reasons for a family or others being moved up on the list.
What’s the difference between the waitlist and the needs-based allocation? I’ll have Ms. Kimball respond to that part of the question, if you don’t mind, Mr. Chairman. I can’t remember part of your question, so I would like Ms. Kimball to respond to that part if that’s okay with you, Mr. Chairman.
She can respond to (interpretation ends) the second part of your question.
We consider waitlist versus need to be the same thing.
We don’t use the hard numbers in a waitlist because, for instance, Whale Cove’s waitlist is always going to be smaller than Iqaluit’s waitlist.
What we do is we look at the wait list numbers as a percentage of the existing stock and that equalizes things so that we can priority rank evenly and fairly across the territory.
In this upcoming annual report, you will see that we’re publishing each community in one of four categories as greater than 40 percent need, 35 to 40 percent need, 30 to 35 percent need, and less than 30.
That is allowing everybody to see where the different communities fall into.
We are encouraging all of the communities to get the residents to put their names on the waitlist.
This helps us champion the cause when we’re doing our lobbying efforts for additional funding. The more people we can get coming forward that can legitimately apply for housing, we want to encourage them to do that because it’s going to help us advocate for the funding that is desperately needed to address the housing crisis.
We do have a lot of people who apply every year.
We have been asking and I went on the local radio to make sure everybody applies and puts their name in. The local housing association has also been doing that.
These people who have been applying are now frustrated. They don’t want to apply anymore. They’re tired of applying.
That’s why I brought this up.
I lost the page I was going to go to next.
Yesterday, you guys talked about replacement funds for burnt units. You mentioned that you only replace units that are totally demolished by fire. That’s what I heard yesterday.
Now, we have some buildings that have been damaged by fire, such as smoke damage.
I’m just wondering if that is part of the replacement fund.
With the replacement funds, those units could be replaced and repaired. It’s in the repair and replacement funds.
However, with the other one that he is asking about, I totally agree with him that there is a shortage of housing in Nunavut. Right now, there are over 3,000 families in Nunavut that need housing.
There are over 3,000 families that don’t have a home that need a home that we need to find for them, but we just don’t have enough money to do it for all of them.
We can’t fix the problem ourselves. We need to work together on this and we have to work on this as a government. We have to make a lot more considerations and planning for this important issue.
That’s how NHC looks at this. It’s very important. There are over 3,000 families who need homes.
We are planning with the new government in Ottawa and our new MP down there to try and work closely with them. Once we know who the housing minister will be, we will be able to work on homelessness in the north and Nunavut.
I’m just adding that in regard to shortage of housing. It is part of what he was asking about.
In short, yes, repairs and replacements can be done through that program, through the money that we have announced that is available through the Fire Damage Replacement Fund. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
I couldn’t find the page I was looking for, but I’ll try and do it by memory.
It was on the topic of allocating houses to communities for both public and staff.
Now, I read somewhere that you are also somehow buying public housing for staff housing or from the public, personally owned by a company.
Are you buying those buildings for staff housing?
Your question is clear. Mr. Kuksuk.
On the subject of purchasing privately owned homes that are slotted to be staff housing, if I understood your question, there are different options that we can utilize if we were going to purchase some homes for staff housing.
First of all, the Nunavut Housing Corporation would buy a private home (interpretation ends) for staff housing in communities if there are none available for lease. (interpretation) That would be the route that we would take.
We would buy privately owned homes to be used for staff housing. To add further, we have been using that system since 2012 and we have five private homes to be used for staff housing.
We only buy private homes for staff housing purposes if there is no other option. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
Some government people are in NCC buildings. That’s what I was asking about.
Are you planning to purchase those buildings from a private company in the future?
You asked a question about NCC.
No, we haven’t purchased any homes from the Nunavut Construction Corporation. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
In light of the fact that there are still several more people who want to ask questions and the fact that we have other meetings this afternoon, I would like to make a motion to report progress at this time.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) We have a motion on the floor to report progress and that motion is not debatable.
Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) I will now rise to report progress to the Speaker.
Speaker (interpretation): Moving on.
Your committee has been considering Bill 3 and the capital estimates, and would like to report progress. Also, Mr. Speaker, I move that the Report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.
Deputy Clerk (Ms. Tupik) (interpretation): A reminder to members that at 1:30 this afternoon, there will be a meeting of the Regular Members’ Caucus in the Nanuq Boardroom.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Madam Clerk.
This House stands adjourned until Monday, October 26, at 1:30 p.m.
Monday, October 26, 2015
Pages 199 – 256
Opening Prayer 199
Ministers’ Statements 199
Members’ Statements 201
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 209
Oral Questions 210
Revert to Item 5: Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 234
Report of the Committee of the Whole 255
Orders of the Day 255
Monday, October 26, 2015 199
014 – 4(3): Qikiqtani Inuit Association 40th Anniversary (Taptuna) 199
015 – 4(3): CITES Animal Committee Decision on Polar Bear Trade (Mike) 200
016 – 4(3): Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit (Ugyuk) 200
042 – 4(3): Baffin Fisheries Coalition 2015 Test Fishery (Shooyook) 201
043 – 4(3): Converting Children’s Group Home in Rankin Inlet (Sammurtok) 202
044 – 4(3): South Baffin High School Graduates of 2015 (Joanasie) 203
045 – 4(3): Sanikiluaq’s Table Tennis Team (Rumbolt) 203
046 – 4(3): PRIDE Celebration in Iqaluit (Okalik) 204
047 – 4(3): Successful Environmental Clean-up in Constituency (Keyootak) 204
048 – 4(3): Opening of the Office of the Representative for Children and Youth (Quassa) 205
049 – 4(3): 40th Anniversary of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (Ell-Kanayuk) 205
050 – 4(3): Impact of Codeshare Agreement (Enook) 206
051 – 4(3): High School Graduates in Whale Cove (Kuksuk) 207
052 – 4(3): Nunavut Tourism Event in Iqaluit (Mike) 208
053 – 4(3): Happy 75th Birthday to Johnny Lyall (Peterson) 208
047 – 4(3): Nunavut Suicide Crisis Announcement (Shooyook) 210
048 – 4(3): School Bus Inspections (Joanasie) 211
049 – 4(3): Converting Children’s Group Home in Rankin Inlet (Sammurtok) 213
050 – 4(3): Status of Fuel Price (Sammurtok, T) 214
051 – 4(3): Baffin Island Caribou and Polar Bear Studies (Keyootak) 215
052 – 4(3): Inspections of Domestic Heating Fuel Tanks (Angnakak) 217
053 – 4(3): Medical Examinations to Obtain Driver’s Licences (Hickes) 218
054 – 4(3): Status of Sanikiluaq’s New Sewage Lagoon (Rumbolt) 219
055 – 4(3): Update on Arviat’s Water Pump Station (Savikataaq) 221
056 – 4(3): Swimming Pools in Nunavut (Mapsalak) 222
057 – 4(3): Need for Improved Adult Basic Education (Akoak) 223
058 – 4(3): Tax Policy (Mikkungwak) 225
059 – 4(3): Baffin Island Caribou (Enook) 226
060 – 4(3): Baffin Island Caribou (Shooyook) 227
061 – 4(3): Baffin Island Caribou (Keyootak) 230
062 – 4(3): Status of Hospital Board of Management Review (Angnakak) 231
063 – 4(3): Status of Nunavut-wide Strategy on the Responsible Use of Alcohol (Mikkungwak) 232
017 – 4(3): Nunavut Housing Corporation’s Proposed New Construction List for 2016-2017 (Kuksuk) 234
018 – 4(3): Photograph of Chesterfield Inlet Air Terminal Building (Sammurtok, T) 234
006 – 4(3): Extension of Question Period (Mikkungwak) 224
Bill 03 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2016-2017 – Nunavut Housing Corporation – Consideration in Committee 235
Mr. Quassa, can you say the opening prayer, please.
Speaker (interpretation): Good afternoon, my fellow Nunavummiut. Members, ministers, and (interpretation ends) Premier, (interpretation) welcome.
Going to the orders of the day. Ministers’ Statements. (interpretation ends) Hon. Premier, Mr. Taptuna.
Minister’s Statement 014 – 4(3): Qikiqtani Inuit Association 40th Anniversary (Taptuna)
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to offer my congratulations to the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) on their recent milestone anniversary. As you know, QIA represents over 14,000 Inuit from the Qikiqtani region, from Quttiktuq to Sanikiluaq.
On October 6, QIA hosted a feast and concert at Inuksuk High School here in Iqaluit to mark their 40 years as a strong advocate for Inuit rights and values.
Mr. Speaker, QIA was formerly registered with the Government of Northwest Territories corporate registries in 1975 as the Baffin Regional Inuit Association.
Since that time, they have worked tirelessly to promote social policy and lands management, as well as community and small business economic development and corporate development in the Qikiqtani region.
Mr. Speaker, the work of Nunavut’s regional Inuit organizations is fundamental to the economic development and self-determination of our territory and our people.
The Kitikmeot, Kivalliq, and Qikiqtani Inuit associations and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated are all partners with the Government of Nunavut in working together to make our territory a success.
It’s through our shared goals and hard work that we will make Nunavut a better place for our future generations.
I ask my colleagues to please join me in congratulating QIA on their first 40 years, and wish them all the best in the years ahead. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister’s Statement 015 – 4(3): CITES Animal Committee Decision on Polar Bear Trade (Mike)
I’ll be making a statement on the CITES animal committee decision on polar bear trade.
Mr. Speaker, today, I will discuss an important determination that has been made regarding international trade in polar bear parts.
(interpretation ends) Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or CITES, a group of international experts called the animal committee determines the impact of trade on a species.
The animal committee recently conducted a review of the trade in polar bear parts.
Their conclusion was that trade is not a threat to polar bear conservation. (interpretation) This is welcome news for Nunavummiut. It confirms what we have known and been saying for many years.
Mr. Speaker, in both 2010 and 2013, attempts were made to uplist polar bears to Appendix I of CITES.
This uplisting would have effectively ended international trade in polar bear parts. Department of Environment staff worked actively with co-management partners to oppose these proposed changes to CITES. (interpretation ends) The attempts to uplist polar bears are unwarranted and would have negative impacts on the livelihood of harvesters who rely on the economic value of a polar bear hide to supplement their harvest activities.
To be clear, this recent decision made by the CITES Animal Committee does not preclude a third attempt at uplisting polar bears in 2016, but it does give strong support to our position that trade is not harmful to polar bears.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, Canadian stakeholders, including Nunavut, NTI, ITK, and the federal government, as well as our neighbouring jurisdictions, have collectively and successfully opposed previous attempts to list polar bear on Appendix I of CITES. (interpretation ends) It is our intent to use the decision of the CITES Animal Committee to successfully oppose a possible third attempt in 2016. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister’s Statement 016 – 4(3): Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit (Ugyuk)
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that the Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit has increased from $175 to $200 per month.
This increase is based on the current consumer price index and became effective April 1, 2015.
As of September, 521 eligible seniors are receiving this monthly benefit.
Pensioners who are receiving the federal Guaranteed Income Supplement or Spouse’s Allowance will receive the Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit.
My department would like to encourage all Nunavummiut to complete their federal income tax return so the Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit will be automatically applied to their monthly allowance.
Strong support for our elders is a cornerstone of Family Services, and the supplement increase ensures that our elders can continue to enjoy a comfortable standard of living without sacrificing any of their basic needs.
Member’s Statement 042 – 4(3): Baffin Fisheries Coalition 2015 Test Fishery (Shooyook)
Mr. Shooyook (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good day to my colleagues, the television audience, and all the people of Nunavut.
I rise today to talk about very good news that has helped Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, in my community of Resolute Bay, the HTO co-owns the Kiviuq fishing ship.
They are very happy in the community right now because they got good help.
Mr. Speaker, it is co-owned by four communities that own two ships called the Suvak and the Kiviuq.
The communities who co-own these fishing vessels are Qikiqtarjuaq, Arctic Bay, Grise Fiord, and Resolute Bay through the Arctic Fishery Alliance.
This past summer, the Kiviuq did an exploratory fishery in Arctic Bay waters, a place called Akuliaqattaq. They did a sea-bottom survey looking at shrimp and snails.
Mr. Speaker, there are things on the bottom of the sea that we didn’t know were there.
We had some people from our community learning how to work on the ship called the Kiviuq and we’re proud of that.
They were left with 25 buoys and if they want to, they can use them after the ice forms.
My statement is almost done.
The Kiviuq also helped when people were hunting beluga or narwhals on the other side.
There was bad weather and they got stuck. There were children there and they had run out of milk.
The Kiviuq was able to go during a big gale to deliver help to those people and that ship really helped us.
We have been very grateful to the ship called the Kiviuq.
There was a third instance where they took five hunters to Devon Island.
Mr. Speaker, the Kiviuq has helped Arctic Bay a lot. We don’t have any caribou and that really helped us.
We even had a feast of shrimp from the Kiviuq.
The Kiviuq is run by the HTO in Arctic Bay and benefits the HTO and the community.
It also helps because freight rates are really expensive now.
If I want to buy a boat or a snowmobile, the Kiviuq can bring it up for free.
People ordering don’t have to pay any freight at all.
That really helps our community.
For Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord, the Kiviuq can bring up things for the stores and the prices don’t have to be further increased.
We’re buying frozen food too and that really helps.
We’re really grateful to the Kiviuq.
Member for Rankin Inlet South, Mr. Alex Sammurtok.
Member’s Statement 043 – 4(3): Converting Children’s Group Home in Rankin Inlet (Sammurtok)
I rise today to encourage the government to reconsider its plans for the children’s group home in Rankin Inlet.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, as you will recall, this Assembly approved $1.5 million to renovate the former children’s group home in Rankin Inlet into a mental health transition facility.
To date, no work has been done on this project, except for a consultant’s site analysis, which indicates that even more money will be needed to actually renovate the building.
It is not clear to me that this mental health transition facility is a capital priority based on an urgent and well-defined need.
Mr. Speaker, Rankin Inlet is in desperate need of an elders home.
At the moment, there are six Rankin Inlet elders living in facilities outside of the community and they want to be home.
We have a well-established need for a known group of clients.
The children’s group home would be a perfect facility to convert into an elders home.
In addition, the need for a medical boarding home in Rankin Inlet has long been recognized.
I have also raised this issue with the Minister of Health a number of times.
Mr. Speaker, the government needs to invest its resources where they are most needed.