EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
These three areas have all now been addressed by the addition of 350 thousand dollars to the budget for the Legal Services Board.
Legal and Constitutional Division
(interpretation) The next area where we have increased the budget is the Legal and Constitutional Division.
We have added some new money here, and have also re-allocated some from elsewhere in the department, to support the creation of two new positions.
One of the new positions is an additional legal counsel position, which is needed to make sure that ministers and departments of the Nunavut Government have access to legal advice as they operate government programs and implement changes to reflect the priorities of Nunavut.
The other new position in Legal and Constitutional Division is a bilingual clerk in the Public Trustee’s office.
As you know, this office administers estates, and handles the financial affairs of child beneficiaries.
This work involves considerable contact with Nunavummiut, and the ability to provide this service in Inuktitut is essential.
Court Services
The single level trial court is different from the court structure elsewhere in Canada, where there are two separate levels of court which are each limited in the matters that are brought before them.
The unique streamlined court structure was designed specifically to address the critical need of access to Justice for Nunavut.
(interpretation ends) Regardless of the model of courts that we have, the reality is in Nunavut that our courts have to travel constantly, and this is expensive.
Although we are constantly strengthening the JP program with a view to having more local persons trained to hear cases within their own communities and own language, this is a gradual process, and the circuits of the Nunavut Court of Justice are a fundamental part of our court system.
The costs of operating the courts were roughly estimated prior to Division, based on information from the GNWT.
Experience since then has shown that our operating costs in Nunavut are higher.
We have therefore increased the budget for Court Services Division by 427 thousand dollars, which includes new money, approved by the Financial Management Board, and money re-allocated from elsewhere in the department.
This funding will also cover the costs of the staff support for the third judge of the Nunavut Court of Justice, who we expect will be appointed during the fiscal year.
The increasing workload of the Court necessitates this appointment.
(interpretation) Akitsiraq Law School is the most exciting and innovative new item within the Department of Justice’s budget.
The Department of Justice will be contributing 206 thousand dollars for the Akitsiraq Law School.
Our intention is that this funding will be given to Nunavut Arctic College for the administration of this program, which will be offered in conjunction with the University of Victoria Law School.
(interpretation ends) This program model is monumental as it is post-secondary education for Inuit students located here in Nunavut.
They will begin their course in September of 2001 here in Iqaluit, and will study for four years, with their academic schooling interspersed by work opportunities in either the Department of Justice or other legal settings.
They will graduate with a law degree from the University of Victoria, equivalent to any law degree in the country.
(interpretation) After a one year articling period and successful completion of the bar admission examinations, they will be lawyers qualified to practice law in Nunavut.
This will fill a very important gap that currently exists in Nunavut, as we have no lawyers offering services to the public or appearing in court that can communicate in Inuktitut.
(interpretation ends) It is our hope that these individuals' cultural knowledge and legal expertise will help to continue the process of growth and healing within our legal system and to make it more responsive to the people of Nunavut.
Corrections and Community Justice
This is another area where you will see changes in the department’s budget in the Corrections and Community Justice Division.
You will remember that in the budget for the current year, we put new funds into the development of a community corrections program where community positions are dedicated to providing probation and other community supervision services.
(interpretation) I am pleased to say that for next year, we have re-allocated money within the Corrections budget, money that was originally intended to pay for inmates to be incarcerated in Yellowknife, in order to support the further development of this program.
With the staff already hired, and the additional recruitment in the next few months, we will have dedicated community corrections workers in Rankin Inlet, Arviat, Iqaluit, Cambridge Bay, Kugluktuk, Igloolik, Baker Lake, Cape Dorset, and either Pond Inlet or Arctic Bay.
These locations were selected based on analysis of the workload demands.
(interpretation ends) Within the Corrections and Community Justice Division, we are continuing to build on our commitment to Community Justice and its members in the small communities as we are adapting to their needs and improving the programs.
We have re-allocated 120 thousand dollars from Corrections into the Community Justice contribution funding.
This will allow us to increase the funding provided to Community Justice Committees.
(interpretation) Those are the main areas I wanted to convey to you with respect to Department of Justice Main Estimates for 2001-2002. (interpretation ends) Those are the highlights for the budget of the Department of Justice. I can now answer any questions you may have.
Mr. McLean. Opening comments from the committee.
The Standing Committee on Community Empowerment and Sustainable Development has carefully reviewed the budget estimates and business plan of the Department of Justice for the upcoming fiscal year.
The department's emphasis on reforming the justice system in Nunavut to be more reflective and supportive of the unique needs of our communities and residents has pleased members of the committee over the past year.
Members believe that initiatives like the Akitsiraq Law School are deserving of our support.
Members will be particularly interested in learning how the department will be assisting the Law School in providing a sponsorship program that will enable these students to stick with their program.
Moving forward with community-based and alternative justice initiatives has been a major concern for members.
Members are concerned that adequate resources and training be provided to Community Justice Committees and Justices of the Peace.
Members also wish to see the role of elders in the justice system being respected.
Members are also concerned that community-based groups be provided with the training necessary to enable them to handle sensitive personal information and files.
Members were pleased to hear from the minister that the department has been negotiating with the federal government for additional resources for JP training.
Members were also pleased to hear the minister express willingness to find the dollars within the department's own allocation, if necessary.
The issue of growing backlogs in the court system in a number of communities has also been a concern to members.
The need for Nunavummiut to be aware of their legal rights is important.
We look forward to the department coming forward with initiatives to ensure that the public has access to legal information.
The committee has also suggested that when the court is travelling to communities, the opportunity should be taken to provide such basic, but important, information and assistance to residents as the drawing up of wills and other documents.
Mr. Chairman, corrections has been an issue of concern to members for some time.
The issue of future correctional facilities in Nunavut is one about which members have held discussions with the minister.
Keeping prisoners closer to their families and communities plays an integral part in the healing and rehabilitation process.
We will be seeking further detail on where any potential facilities might be located, and how they will be funded.
Mr. Chairman, the committee noted that a further 100 thousand dollars has been allocated in 2001-2002 towards the planning for a new courthouse facility, on top of the 50 thousand dollars spent in 2000-2001.
This is an area that requires additional clarity from the department with respect to the final costs for this facility and the timelines for its construction.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to conclude today with the theme of public safety.
Over the past couple of months, a number of tragedies have taken place in Nunavut, tragedies that have shocked us all.
Members have expressed concern to the department and the minister over whether the police presence in our communities is sufficient to meet the public safety needs of our residents.
We know that the men and women in the RCMP detachments in the communities are working tremendous hours, and deserve our support.
The committee understands that the GNWT has formally requested the RCMP to do an assessment of policing needs in communities.
We would urge our government to do the same, so that our part of the north remains a safe and secure place in which to live and raise children.
Mr. Chairman, we will be looking to the department to continue to work hard with the RCMP to provide the training and support to our community constable program and Inuit policing program.
We also would like to see every effort made to ensure that the recruitment efforts for these programs serve to build a representative presence in our communities.
Are there any general comments from the members.
At this time we have Mr. Iqaqrialu.
I think this department will take a while and I think we did very well today, and I think we should start this off with a fresh mind, so I would like to report progress.
Four opposed, four in favour.
Can you listen please.
On this side some of the members weren't listening and did not vote.
Three abstentions. So we have four and four.
It is difficult when there is a tie and some members refuse to vote.
As the Chair I have to break the tie.
You were out of the chamber.
We voted.
Could the Premier move to the witness table.
The Premier has taken his seat at the witness table.
His witnesses could join him.
Mr. Premier, could you please introduce your witnesses.
Seated with me on my right is Nora Sanders, my Deputy Minister.
On my left is Simon Awa, a well-known individual, he is with the policy and planning department.
We are on Justice, program summary.
Page 5-5.
My question is on the opening remarks from the minister, during his opening remarks where would I find the Inuktitut and English.
When he talks about Akitsiraq Law School, it does not seem to be included, could he clarify where that may be.
Chairperson (interpretation): For our committee to run smoothly I would ask the minister.
The members have ten minutes for general comments.
Would the Premier like to respond before general comments.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): I will have Simon respond.
Chairperson (interpretation): Mr. Awa.
Mr. Awa (interpretation): In Inuktitut on page 5, it talks about the Akitsiraq Law School and it seems, on the bottom of page 5, that's where it talks about it.
Then you go to page 6 and it continues in Inuktitut.
I am not aware of the documents or the opening remarks.
It is hard to read as they are not following each other.
I think that needs to be corrected, if they differ from each other.
I think that needs to be corrected before we continue.
Chairperson (interpretation): We will take a five-minute break to have the staff look at it.
>>Committee recessed at 7.50 p.m. and resumed at 7.55 p.m.
Chairperson (interpretation): I think we can go ahead again. 5-5.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): I'd like to report progress, I make a motion to report progress.
Chairperson (interpretation): There's a motion on the floor that cannot be debated.
My opening comments are going to be very brief, based on the business plan, it seems that the Justice System is bursting at the seams with inmates.
Correctional centres are overcrowded, we're still continuing to send inmates south, I don't think they're being looked after in the south the way that they should be, they're throwing them in general population and I don't really think there's too many programs that are helping them.
The inmates that I see coming back to the community from the southern institutions, they really haven’t learned anything and I don't know if the rehabilitation has been good to them. They don't seem like anything's really happened to them to rehabilitate them, I think they're just being warehoused, and I'm hoping that down the road, when we're in a better fiscal situation that we'll build some correctional facilities up here. Then maybe we can take better care of them.
So that's about all I want to say on Justice today but I hope some time in the future we'll build our own facilities, so we don't have to warehouse people down south.
Who else. Anybody else.
Hon. Paul Okalik: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to make a brief response.
Currently we don't ship any prisoners south, and the only people that head south are federal inmates. We don't have a federal penitentiary in the territory, that's why we have to ship them outside of the territory.
There are some inmates who go to Yellowknife on occasion when there is no room in our territory.
The majority of the inmates are territorial and they go to the Iqaluit facility here.
Chairperson (interpretation): We are on general comments.
The members have 10 minutes each to make general comments, if there are no general comments we can go on to the estimates.
I left my glasses so, I'm trying to look at the pages, we're on 5.6.
Page 5.7.
Somebody's gone to get my glasses and I have to be able to read what I'm looking at.
At this time, the Department of Justice, branch summary.
Total Capital expenditures 121 thousand.
Justice Department, branch summary.
Registries and court services for building and works.
Total headquarters region, 121 thousand.
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): Just for further clarification under building and works what are they really even I though I read the details.
There are quite a few explanations and from 2000- 2001, 43 thousand 400 thousand to 350 thousand under community justice and corrections.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): I am sorry Mr. Chairman, I thought we were on page 5-7 and I did not realize we were moved to 5-8.
Perhaps after we agree to it then we will move on.
Mr. Arvaluk: Perhaps I could suggest that we go to 5.9 or 5.10 first or 5.9 first before we go back to 5.8.
In that case, I would understand what they are for.
Chairperson (interpretation): Justice Department, branch summary.
Registries and Court Services, Building and Works.
It is carried. Total Building and Works, 121 thousand. Do you agree.
Chairperson (interpretation): Opposed. None. It is carried.
Total Capital Expenditures, 121 thousand.
Chairperson (interpretation): Page 5-8.
Department of Justice, branch Summary.
Community Justice and Corrections.
Page 5.9 Building and Works.
Total headquarters region, 350 thousand.
Chairperson (interpretation): It is carried. Total building and works, 350 thousand. Do you agree.  Some Members: Agreed.
Chairperson (interpretation): Equipment Acquisitions.
Total headquarters region, 29 thousand.
Chairperson (interpretation): Total Equipment Acquisitions, 29 thousand.
Chairperson (interpretation): Total Capital Expenditures. 379 thousand.
Chairperson (interpretation): Page 5-10 information.
Did you have a question Mr. Arvaluk.
Justice distribution of budget total capital expenditures, 379 thousand.
Chairperson (interpretation): It is carried. Going back to page 5-5.
Justice. Program Summary.
Total Capital Expenditures, 500 thousand.
Chairperson (interpretation): We are complete with Capital Estimates.
Would you like to continue. Mr. Arvaluk.
I would like to report progress. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, do you agree.
We'll see you again tomorrow Mr. Premier and your officials.
The speaker can be asked to come into the House now.
Speaker: Thank you. Back to the Orders of the Day.
Your committee has been considering Bill 1 and would like to report that Bill 1 is still under consideration.
I would like to report progress and Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.
We need a seconder.
We'll carry on.
Orders of the Day for March 23, 2001:
Before we adjourn for the day I will take this opportunity to thank the pages who have been assisting us for the past week and who are returning to school tomorrow.
They are (interpretation)…if I say your names improperly, I'm sorry, Nujaliaq.
Can you stand.
Dennis Tigulliarak.
Halley Anawak.
Again thank you.
This House stands adjourned until tomorrow, Friday March 23 at 10:00 a.m.
>>House adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
Friday March 23, 2001
Pages 1018 - 1060
Joanasie Arreak  Hansard Production
Friday March 23, 2001 4
046 – 1(5): Minister’s Absence from House (Ng) 4
047 – 1(5): Human Rights Consultation Workshop (Okalik) 4
048 – 1(5): Arctic Science Summit Week April 21-28,2001 (Kilabuk) 4
049 – 1(5): World TB Day, March 24, 2001 (Picco) 4
142 – 1(5): Weekend Trip Home (Irqittuq) 4
143 – 1(5): Public Works & Services Portfolio (Thompson) 4
144 - 1(5): World TB Day (Nutarak) 4
145 - 1(5): Pangnirtung Athletes (Kilabuk) 4
146 – 1(5): National Social Workers’ Week (Williams) 4
147 – 1(5): Sanikiluaq Dialect (Kattuk) 4
148 – 1(5): Recognition of John Quirke (Picco) 4
149 – 1(5): Toronto Maple Leafs to Win Cup (McLean) 4
150 – 1(5): Recognition of Full-time Specialized Hunters (Arvaluk) 4
151 - 1(5): Discipline and Suicide (Iqaqrialu) 4
152 – 1(5): Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens (Akesuk) 4
Return to OQ 097 - 1(5): Staff Housing Rental Rates (Thompson) 4
177 - 1(5): Status of M’Clintock Channel Polar Bear Tags (Tootoo) 4
178 - 1(5): Support and Assistance to HTOs (Iqaqrialu) 4
Bill 6 - Nunavut Power Corporation Utility Assets Transfer Confirmation Act – Notice (Picco) 4
Friday March 23, 2001  Nunavut Hansard
Honourable Olayuk Akesuk, Mr. Ovide Alakannuark, Mr. James Arvaluk, Mr. Donald Havioyak, Mr. David Iqaqrialu, Mr. Enoki Irqittuq, Honourable Peter Kattuk, Honourable Peter Kilabuk, Mr. Glenn McLean, Honourable Kelvin Ng, Mr. Jobie Nutarak, Honourable Paul Okalik, Honourable Ed Picco, Honourable Manitok Thompson, Mr. Hunter Tootoo, Ms. Rebekah Williams.
Acting Speaker (Mr. Havioyak) (interpretation): I would like to ask Mr. Kilabuk to say the prayer for us.
Ministers’ Statements. Minister Ng.
Minister’s Statement 046 – 1(5): Minister’s Absence from House
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise members that the Honourable Jack Anawak will be absent from the House today.
Speaker: Thank you, Minister Ng. Mr. Premier.
Minister’s Statement 047 – 1(5): Human Rights Consultation Workshop
Mr. Speaker, I would like to advise the Members of this House of the progress our department has made in moving ahead with human rights issues in Nunavut.
I would like to thank my colleague, the former Minister of Justice for taking the initiative this fall to announce in the House that Nunavut will be moving to have its own “made in Nunavut” Human Rights Act.
Mr. Speaker, with this commitment in mind, my departmental officials and the Deputy Minister of Justice concluded a very successful first phase of human rights consultation with a workshop in Iqaluit this past weekend.
The workshop was very well attended with great interest. I know this, as I was there myself at the beginning of the workshop.
The workshop participants included representatives from the Nunavut Council for People with Disabilities, Nunavut Employees Union, Maligarnik Qimirujiit, NTI, Nunavut Social Development Council, Legal Services Board, Maliganik Tukisiniakvik, the Languages Commissioner, Department of Justice and some community representatives that included youth and elders.
(interpretation) This workshop was the first in a series of positive steps that the Government of Nunavut is taking to develop human rights legislation that is truly reflective of the needs of Nunavummiut.
During the workshop, special attention was given to the unique situation of Nunavut including the small population in many scattered communities and how to incorporate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit into Nunavut Human Rights Act.
Participants also discussed the terminology that is used to describe human rights, and suggested that the term “Makimatjutiit” would be more appropriate than “Inuit Pijunnautingit”.
Makimatjutiit refers to standing up within your rights.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, the workshop participants also made it very clear that however we structure the Nunavut Human Rights Legislation, that the process should be efficient, less time consuming than other jurisdictions in Canada and most of all be user friendly, and as much as possible, not be intimidating.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to quote Peter Kanayuk from Pangnirtung who was one of the participants, he said and I quote “I am very pleased to be part of this process to develop human rights legislation, to us this is the reality of the Nunavut dream”.
Ministers’ Statements. Minister Kilabuk.
Minister’s Statement 048 – 1(5): Arctic Science Summit Week April 21-28,2001
Hon. Peter Kilabuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Nunavut will be hosting an annual gathering of approximately 200 senior science, education and research representatives from around the circumpolar north.
The meeting, to be held in Iqaluit, anticipates representation from over 25 countries, including delegations from Russia, China and Korea.
The Summit is co-ordinated under the auspices of the International Arctic Sciences Committee, the major science advisory body for the Arctic Council. The "Summit" or "Arctic Sciences Week" is actually a collection of meetings of various arctic sciences bodies, held over a one week period in different location each year.
Meetings include the national logistics and operators’ agencies, national and circumpolar funding and priority setting bodies, and a "Sciences Day" which is organized on a specific theme or topic.
This year's topic is "Science and Technology for Sustainable Northern Communities."
Mr. Speaker, the Summit is self-funded, with support coming from eleven participating federal government departments and corporate sponsors. A contribution of 88 thousand dollars is expected from the federal government. Participants pay their own costs of attendance.
Hosting the "Summit" will provide an ideal opportunity to showcase Nunavut science, research and post-secondary education programs, and to present fellow circumpolar countries with our approaches to Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, a topic of great interest at the Arctic Council and to other circumpolar countries. The Summit receives extensive national and international media coverage.
The Summit is being organized through the Nunavut Research Institute and  Nunavut Arctic College, in consultation with a national and local organizing committee.
Mr. Speaker, detailed information about the Summit can be found at www.nac.nu.ca/nri.
Ministers’ Statements. Minister Picco.
Minister’s Statement 049 – 1(5): World TB Day, March 24, 2001
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to inform you that tomorrow, Saturday, March 24th, 2001, is World TB Day.
As you know, Mr. Speaker, TB, or tuberculosis is well known to Nunavummiut.
Early in the last century, Inuit experienced epidemics, Mr. Speaker, epidemics of TB, many persons spent years in hospitals in the south, and Mr. Speaker, a great number never came home.
Mr. Speaker, TB is still with us.
About 15 years ago, TB prevention programs were reduced, because it was felt that the antibiotics had eliminated TB. In northern Canada, and elsewhere in the world, nurses and doctors ceased vigilance for tuberculosis.
Then, unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, as the population aged, the disease reappeared.
But there are some notable improvements, Mr. Speaker.
Even though our TB rates here in Nunavut are 10 times higher than the rest of Canada, very few Inuit have died of tuberculosis in recent years.