EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Speaker I would also like to say again, that some of these issues that I just spoke about, I want the members to know that I will be directing questions about them to the Health and Social Services Minister.
Moving to Item 4. Returns to Oral Questions.
On behalf of the Premier I'd like to recognize seated behind Mr. McLean, Mr. Mike Sheridan who is the Assistant Chief Statistician for Statistics Canada and accompanying him is our own Nunavut Chief Statistician, Mr. Jack Hickes.
Speaker: I would like to recognize some visitors in the gallery from Manitoba.
Jack Wilson with Manitoba Hydro, Harold Westall, Chairperson of the Communities’ Economic Development Fund. Ross Thompson, Tony Woodward and Bruce Andrews with Amatrack Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize an individual from my riding, from the community of Taloyoak.
David Totalik and Larry Umingmak.
I'd like to recognize them for being here and would also like to thank them for being here.
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Ma'na Uqaqti.
I would like to recognize the staff who have been working hard all week.
I would recognize, since this is their last day as pages, my daughter Saimaiyuk Akesuk and my nephew Makitutak Salomonie who have been pages for the week.
Mr. Alakannuark (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my younger brother who’s in Iqaluit for a training course.
He is taking the x-ray technicians course.
I would like to welcome the Manitoba delegation that is here to discuss co-operation issues between Manitoba and Nunavut.
Speaker: I just wanted to make a correction.
It is Tom Woodburt, CEO of the Regional Health Authority in Churchill, welcome.
Question 059 - 1(5): Vending Machine for Tamartirvik
The people from Parnaivik buy pop and order snacks to be delivered.
I was wondering if he could come up with a vending machine in Parnaivik.
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the translation said Parnaivik, I believe what the Member is referring to Tamartirvik, which is the hospital boarding home in Iqaluit.
Maybe if I could get some clarification.
I apologize it was my mistake, I was supposed to say Tamartirvik which is the boarding home.
I took the wrong note, I'm sorry.
I apologize Mr. Speaker.
At the Tamartirvik boarding home, I was trying to speak to the Tamartirvik boarding home and I'm sure he understood my question.
Mr. Speaker, the Tamartirvik boarding home, under contract, provides three meals a day for all the people that are staying there.
In most cases, those are escorts and patients that are going to the referral services at the Baffin Hospital.
They also provide, Mr. Speaker, in the morning a snack as well in the afternoon.
If there is a requirement being brought forward by some of the constituents of the member that they would like to have a vending machine available on site, Mr. Speaker, that's something I can approach the management of the boarding home about.
Question 060 - 1(5): Labour Market Development Agreement
There was an agreement between the Federal Government and Nunavut Government called the Labour Market Development Agreement.
It will be implemented so that Nunavut can take on that responsibility more.
When are you going to implement the agreement and what will the impact on the communities be.
In regards to his question on the Labour Market Development Agreement, it has already been implemented.
The communities are now starting to be aware of that and we have three officers in the communities that deal with this issue, one in Pangnirtung, Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay.
Yes, this agreement is now in use, it’s mainly geared towards Inuit who want to take on trade skills.
I heard that Community Government and Transportation could help the hamlets get projects together along with Sustainable Department under the Community Initiatives Program.
Using the agreement, can the Department of Education, with the direction of the minister, help communities to initiate these projects.
Using the application process under the Nunavut Government, using these three departments, we can help the communities apply to this program for partnership programs in the department.
I'd like to thank the minister for answering my question clearly.
Can the communities and the hamlets apply to this program directly to the Department of Education or to one the three offices in Pangnirtung, Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay.
If they don't know how to do the application form properly, there is assistance available from the three offices.
I encourage applications to this program that can be used for training in different fields through the Department of Education.
Question 061 - 1(3): Social Workers for Arctic Bay & Nanisivik
I’d like to direct my question to the Minister of Health & Social Services.
Are you aware or have plans to deal with the shortage of social workers in our communities, in particular the two communities in my riding that do not have social workers.
There are foster children that require the assistance of a social worker in those communities.
I'd like to know if there is a plan to supply social workers to these communities of Arctic Bay & Nanisivik.
Mr. Speaker, first of all let me thank the member for raising this topic.
In the previous sessions in this House, one member continually hammered away at the Minister of Health & Social Services on social worker positions.
That was my colleague, Mr. Akesuk.
Mr. Speaker, as we have said over the past year and a half it is safe to say that our major focus for the Department of Health & Social Services has been to trying to retain and recruit health service staff in all areas including social workers and nurses.
I guess the focus has been on nurses.
At the present time we have 50 social worker positions in Nunavut.
Of that Mr. Speaker, 35 positions are filled, 15 are vacant, with an employment rate of 70 percent.
So we are 70 percent staffed with our social workers.
What we are going to do Mr. Speaker, this year coming up when we have an opportunity to discuss the budget of the Department of Health & Social Services is do a program review of social services and social service workers.
As well, Mr. Speaker, we have set up a practice unit in Kugluktuk that I have had a chance to talk to his House about. They will be reviewing not only the work and direction of social workers but also to see what makes up a classification of a social worker and how we can bring more Inuit into that job training field.
I did not ask him how many social workers there are in the whole of Nunavut.
But my two communities, I was concerned mostly with my two communities.
While you are doing your studies there are piles of cases that require help, while we’re waiting for these positions to be filled, is there a way of alleviating some of the numbers of faces waiting to be looked after.
Mr. Speaker, in general Mr. Speaker, hearing the question I tried to answer to given the overview of what we are trying to do and I’ve said Mr. Speaker, that we don’t have enough social workers in place in Nunavut.
We’re at 70% and we’d like to be at 90% or 100%.
That’s where we are trying to get to in the Department of Health and Social Services.
In one of the communities that the member represents, Arctic Bay, and I’ve had the opportunity to discuss it with her, the position has been vacant for quite a long time.
Mr. Speaker, we’re trying to fill that position.
My understanding is that the social worker left quite some time ago.
As for, Mr. Speaker, the issue of foster children, foster care, if the social worker is not in the community, what we’ve tried to do, Mr. Speaker, and I understand in the member's community, like in other cases, we provide a social worker from the regional office that actually goes in to do some of the social work that needs it.
For example on foster care and so on.
That is not acceptable Mr. Speaker.
As Minister for Health and Social Services, I would be the first person to say that.
What we need to be able to do is get more social workers in the communities like we’ve been trying to do with the nurses.
Ms. Williams: I will ask the question in English.
I would like to know, until they assess the work or the responsibility of the social worker in Kugluktuk, could the minister tell me what immediate arrangements he will make for this community that has no social worker.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, where there is no social worker presently in the community, then the regional office for that region, for example, the Baffin region, in Iqaluit, for example would make sure that on a regular basis, a social worker is brought in to that community to do the case load that is in the community.
That’s what is occurring, Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier that is not acceptable, we need to be able to get full time employees into this department and into that job in specific communities.
Speaker: Thank you, Minister. Supplementary. Final supplementary.
We have, in Arctic Bay, two nurses, and two RCMP officers and we would like to have two social workers in the community. Maybe that could be worked out with Health and Social Services because the social worker will provide services to Nanisivik and Arctic Bay.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member’s comment about the staffing in the community and the recommendation to put an extra social worker into Arctic Bay.
Again, Mr. Speaker the position numbers, the staff, depends on the caseload in each community.
That’s something the department will have to review to see if the need warrants it, to see if we could put in an extra position in the community.
Maybe join in the discussion in the Main Estimates in Committee of the Whole to see exactly when we look at our budget, for example, if we can entertain the suggestion.
Question 062 - 1(3): Student Financial Assistance Rates
For people who are taking the teachers education program.
I was told by one of the students it's very difficult to live with the amount of assistance they receive even though they are provided with housing and a food allowance.
But the amount of money that they can use for personal purposes is only 170 dollars for the whole month.
What kind of policies do you use to decide on the formula to give the students this assistance.
This is not the first time that we have heard the amount of funding is inadequate for teacher education program students.
They've always had a hard time making a living out of this assistance because of the cost of living rising.
There are examples of where students who are going through a hard time financially have received assistance from income support after their need was assessed.
Does the Arctic College board of directors know about this situation and can they be directed by the minister to provide support.
We work closely with the Arctic College and also with the students.
But since they are under school services, possibly what I can do is give you an overview of the program in regards to the student allowances.
I'll use an example. When student programs, student support services were provided by Yellowknife they were given one cheque per month.
But today they have been able to get two cheques per month and the students pay for their rent through income deductions, through their financial assistance.
For the information of the member, Mr. Speaker, we work very closely with Arctic College and we will keep working closely together.
We haven't fixed all our problems but we are working on them.
Just to give you some information and I'm sure if I'm going out of line Mr. Speaker will discipline me.
I was told by some of the students that they all have the ambition to keep going to school but because of the small student financial assistance, they give up hope and want to go home.
Of course, we want to have adequate money to feed our family and stuff like that.
Could I ask the minister if he could look into this student financial assistance program prior to the end of the school year.
In response to the question, we have been working on it on an ongoing basis.
But because of the budget, we have to follow through with the rates that we currently have.
Mr. Speaker, it's not only the Department of Education, we are working closely with the Federal Government and also Inuit organizations to provide additional assistance to students, which is very good to see.
But there are problems that have not been alleviated to date.
The minister stated that he's working closely with the federal government and also Inuit organizations.
When are you going to be having the next meeting with your counterparts and the Inuit organizations.
Since the Department of Education took on the student financial assistance program, we are working on it continuously.
I can't tell you today when we are going to be having our next meeting but these people work together closely at the administrative level.
Question 063 - 1(5): Capital Contributions for Heritage Centres
Mr. Speaker, my question today will be for the Minister responsible for Culture, Language, Elders & Youth.
Mr. Speaker, last fall, during the last session, I had asked the minister what type of a response they received for their contributions and grants programs for heritage centres.
I haven't heard any response and I'd like to ask the minister is there an update as to how that program was responded to and the number of applicants that were received and approved under that program.
In response to the member's question, for the past year we had money available but it wasn’t accessed.
That’s the only response I can give the member.
Mr. Speaker, is the minister indicating that no one applied for any of that funding that, under that program, the heritage centre capital grants and contributions.
That the department received no applications for that program.
There were some applications that were submitted.
The question that I asked before, one, were there any applications that were approved under this funding.
If so, where and how much they were for.
Would the minister commit to providing that information to this House for members to review.
I know it was an issue that the members were concerned about last fall.
I have been patiently awaiting this type of information.
Would the minister be willing to provide the information on people that have applied, the number of people that applied to the program, the number of applications that were approved.
How much was approved and where was it approved.
Also, the ones that weren't approved as well.
Mr. Speaker, I learned last time I got the same response to commit that information without the time frame.
Maybe if I could ask the minister if he could be more specific as to when that information will be provided because Mr. Speaker, I asked the same question in October and still haven't got the answer.
So I'd like to ask the minister if he could give us a specific date as to when that information could be provided to members.
I can provide that information before this session is over.
I don't have specific dates, but it could be before we finish this sitting.
Question 064 - 1(5): Positions Filled in Kugluktuk
Mr. Havioyak: Thank you. I want to ask the Minister responsible for the Department of Health & Social Services.
They have an office in Kugluktuk now and an ADM office slated for 14 positions there.
Can you update me as to what is happening there.
How many positions are filled.
Minister responsible for Health & Social Services. Mr. Picco.
Mr. Speaker, the decentralization plan as the Member for Baker Lake will attest to, is probably showing that decentralization is working, it is a good model to follow.
What will be done in Kugluktuk will be like what we did with the Power Corporation in Baker Lake.
We held a job fair.
We had over 38 people from Kugluktuk who are interested in applying to work with the Department of Health & Social Services.
We have 14 positions that we are trying to fill in there.
I believe over half of them will be filled from the people of Kugluktuk.
At the present time we require 2-3 individuals from the community.
I don't have that information right in front of me.
I know we’ve transferred another three professional positions like the Director for the Social Services Operation Unit that we talked about earlier in the question period.
Telehealth, we'll bring a doctor into Kugluktuk to look after Telehealth and some other operational issues.
So Mr. Speaker, the operation in Kugluktuk is moving forward.
Again the ADM, Dr. Keith Best who is with me here to join in the Main Estimates has also now moved to Kugluktuk.
So that is moving ahead quite well.
I'm glad it is moving along.
You mentioned about half of the positions will be filled by locals.
The other half will be I guess professional positions.
Does he have a plan in place where he can have trainee positions in management that he mentioned.
So will there be trainee positions in Kugluktuk for those.
Mr. Speaker, that is an excellent question.
What we did in Baker Lake is we actually ran a training program.
We had 16 people on that training program and as soon as the program was over those 16 people went directly to a job.
They are working right now for the Power Corporation.
In Kugluktuk, it is a little bit different because we are looking at putting different medical professionals in there.
As I talked about earlier Mr. Speaker, we have a doctor that will be going in there to coordinate our Telehealth program.
For the other positions, Mr. Speaker, we are looking at some opportunities for OJT, or On the Job Training, to maximize the potential of working and actually hiring people from Kugluktuk.
As the Premier has said Mr. Speaker, the idea is not to take X people from Iqaluit and plant them in Arviat, plant them in Kugluktuk.
The idea of decentralization, Mr. Speaker, is to take a job and be able to transfer a position so that someone in the home community can get that job.
Whether it be Mr. Tootoo who is over there, or Mr. Akesuk, who is next to me.
Whoever that person is Mr. Speaker, so that they have an opportunity for employment.
Not moving a body, but moving a job.
That is what we are trying to do in Kugluktuk.
The minister was in Kugluktuk last fall I believe, I can't remember exactly.
He said to me and to the Mayor that he expected to be fully staffed by, I can't remember the exact month but probably January or February.
Can I get an update as to when he expects to be fully staffed in Kugluktuk.
Mr. Speaker, we just held, as I said earlier, the job fair, which was delayed.
I want to point out Mr. Speaker, that job fair that we held and the work that we are doing in Kugluktuk, is being co-ordinated through the Department of Human Resources, the Department of Health & Social Services, as well as Nunavut Arctic College.
That job fair was held about two weeks ago, so Mr. Speaker, we would hope that in the next six to eight weeks, that we would actually have the positions in place.
For example, one of the positions that I am quite excited about is the position of a specialist in Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, that will be based in Kugluktuk and that will be a hire from there, that would be helping us with the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit within the Department of Health & Social Services.
So I would fully expect Mr. Speaker, given the timelines to advertise the jobs, given the time to have them in the newspapers and so on, giving people the opportunity to apply for jobs that we would be able to close within six to eight weeks.
I understand from some of the information from Kugluktuk and talking to the member, I believe that we have already hired six people already that are moving in transition to Kugluktuk or that are already there for the office.
Speaker: Members before we proceed, I would like to recognize a well-known gentleman from Pond Inlet and a former Member of the NWT Legislative Assembly, Elijah Erkloo.
Question 065 - 1(5): Medical Transportation Contract
Mr. Speaker, in the past when we were still under the GNWT, under the Kitikmeot Health Board, patients that were travelling to another area for health reasons, were able to be driven to the airport.
I think it was done through a contract.
They were driven from their home to the airport.
I would just like to find out how it is set up now.
Mr. Speaker, the member might remember that a year ago, Mr. McLean had been asking about, in Baker Lake, an ambulance for Baker Lake and transportation and we had a discussion then about the transportation from a health centre to the airport.
In some cases, Mr. Speaker, and each hamlet is different and each community is different, in some cases, Mr. Speaker, the previous health board had entered into contracts with the hamlets to provide transportation to the airport for patients.
In some communities, Mr. Speaker, the health centre has a vehicle and they actually transport the patients themselves.
In other communities Mr. Speaker, there's actually a contract with a private operator in the community to take patients from the health centre where needed to the airport.
Is the minister saying that there is transportation available in the communities.
Is that available in the communities.
Is that the response I am receiving.
Mr. Speaker, the response I am trying to give is that each community is different.
I'm not fully aware, I've been in Gjoa Haven, I was there to open up the health centre as the member knows, what the situation in that community is.
But I do know it depends if the health centre doesn't have a vehicle then they usually contract out to either the hamlet, in some cases it's a private contract with a taxi operator for example, or with other vehicles.
In some cases they actually transport patients themselves and it depends on each individual circumstance.
If there's a concern Mr. Speaker, in Gjoa Haven that there's no transportation being provided through the health centre and patients are being ill treated because of that Mr. Speaker, then the member could let me know that and I'll look into that specific incident.
Mr. Puqiqnak (interpretation): Thank you for that response.
The concern, the problem we have in our community is, I have received correspondence from my community and if you could look into this I would appreciate it.
In my community it doesn't seem to be working very well.
When a patient is going to be travelling outside of the community, the patient is not taken to the airport or there are no vehicles available to take the individual to the airport.
In the winter it's very hard, especially when you have to bring elders.
I appreciate that the minister will look into this.
Mr. Speaker, I didn't hear a question but I will, Mr. Speaker, confirm that I have staff right now in the building, I'm sure, seconded away in some room listening to these questions and so on.
On the break, Mr. Speaker, I will confer with them and make sure that the information requested goes to them and to the Kitikmeot, and to Gjoa Haven.
We'll have the answer Mr. Speaker on Monday at 1.30 p.m. for the member.
Question 066 - 1(5): Review of Student Financial Assistance
Uqaqti, my question today is to the Minister of Education.
Uqaqti, April 1 is coming up pretty soon.
It's the second anniversary of Nunavut. But what I'm getting to here is student financial assistance in Nunavut.
Over the last 4-6 months I have been getting e-mails and calls regarding SFA in Nunavut.
I have some calls from Inuit students in southern institutions that are having a difficult time making connections and getting help.
I know the minister is committed to helping students because when I call him he gets right back to me.
My question to the minister today is, has the minister considered doing a whole overview or doing some consultations with students about restructuring SFA to make it easier.
As a matter of fact Mr. Speaker, we now have established a student financial assistance team with student representatives and this committee works together in resolving issues relating to students from Nunavut experiencing either difficulties or inconveniences regarding SFA.
Uqaqti, restructuring and making things easier for the students and being responsive won't cost the government additional dollars.
Is there going to be a review to make it easier for students to inquire about SFA because in the last 3-4 months I had calls from people from the south saying they are having a hard time contacting and getting their applications approved.