EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Once the staff members have been transferred, this is where they will be transferred to. It is slowly moving ahead, but there are a lot of issues that we need to deal with.
With regard to the funds, I expect that we may have to start cutting funds, especially in areas where the money is not going to be used.
Will the funds for the office be cut if the office isn’t transferred?
With regard to the deficit cuts, the budget was already approved and it will proceed.
I met with the Qikiqtaaluk representatives during their meetings and we stated at that meeting that we needed to deal with medical travel for all of Nunavut.
There will now be a manager for medical travel in Nunavut for the Kivalliq and the Kitikmeot regions. That person will review all of the issues associated with medical travel in all of Nunavut.
What we can state for the Baffin region is that at this time, there are two offices that are kind of separate that are working.
Once the proper training manuals have been completed, they will be transferred, but I would like to assure the member that the budget will not be impacted.
Question 361 – 3(2): Status of a New Daycare Facility for Chesterfield Inlet (Ningeongan)
Mr. Speaker, when we last met, I urged the minister to look into the possibility of accessing federal programs and services to provide new daycare infrastructures in Nunavut.
The community of Chesterfield Inlet desperately needs a new daycare building from which to deliver early childhood education programs.
Can the minister indicate whether he or his staff have looked into what federal programs or services may be available to support the creation of daycare infrastructure in Nunavut?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the member for posing those questions.
The issue of daycares is an ongoing concern for our department, especially not having daycare workers.
In communities that do have existing daycare centres, we have provided funding support for operations and we have increased the amount that they can apply for related to operations.
However, with regard to capital items and as it relates to daycare centres, our policy hasn’t changed as a government.
Whenever a government will create a facility towards government facilities, they include those capital funds.
We haven’t set aside a lot of funds for capital projects or future daycare centres.
It is an issue that we recognize and it’s included in our Tamapta mandate as a government.
However, we are still dealing with these issues and trying to resolve them. We are still looking for funds that we can provide these daycares.
We are still working on a lot of details, especially as it relates to capital issues.
There are a lot of things you have to do in preparation prior to being able to complete a daycare centre. There are a lot of communities that are short of daycare centre space.
That is all I can provide an answer to at this time, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Ningeongan (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) In April of this year, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami issued a media release following the national early childhood education gathering in Labrador. Can the minister update this House on how many Nunavummiut early childhood educators attended this gathering?
In regard to the actual figures, I cannot state exactly how many people were attending the meeting, but I will get back to the member on how many Nunavummiut were included in that because I don’t have the figures in front of me.
I would like to take his question as notice, Mr. Speaker, if you don’t mind.
Question 362 – 3(2): Seismic Testing in the High Arctic (Elliott)
My questions are directed to the Minister responsible for Nunavut Arctic College, the Hon. Daniel Shewchuk.
Mr. Speaker, the Nunavut Impact Review Board recently sent its screening decision report of May 21, 2010 to the minister. This report concerns the Geological Survey of Canada’s proposal to conduct seismic testing in Lancaster Sound, Jones Sound, and Baffin Bay titled the “Eastern Canadian Arctic Seismic Experiment.”
Can the minister indicate when he will make his final decision on this proposed project?
He is absolutely correct. There is an application that has been reviewed by NIRB and they have come back to the Nunavut Research Institute with a recommendation on the screening criteria.
At present, that application is being reviewed by me and it has been held off, as the member well knows. Starting on May 31, the proponent has agreed to do further consultations with all five communities involved and as we speak, those consultations are going on, Mr. Speaker.
So this application will not be reviewed until that consultation is complete and a report is received.
As the minister said, the communities of Arctic Bay, Resolute Bay, and Grise Fiord are being consulted, actually, this week. Each of my communities does not support this project.
In light of concerns raised by the communities, can the minister indicate if this project will still go ahead or will it listen to the concerns of the communities?
I’m very glad to hear of the concerns and the views that the member has from his communities. I believe those communities will relate those views in the consultations that are taking place. They will be in that report and it will be reviewed at that time.
It’s interesting that there is a lot of concern and talk. I was lucky enough to receive, actually, a document from DFO today. It was sent by my mayor.
Just a couple of quotes are that “Seismic shooting kills plankton, including eggs, larvae of many fish and shellfish species...
There is evidence, based on laboratory studies, that fish and/or marine mammals near an air gun array could suffer permanent hearing loss from exposure…” and this loss could affect their survival.
“Whales and especially Pilot Whales may be particularly sensitive to noise created by” this activity. And, “The implications of a seismic survey across a fish or whale migration pathway are unknown.”
It’s almost like we are not sure what it could do, but we are going to be doing it.
Is there a representative from your department travelling around with this consultation process?
The member brings out very important concerns. These concerns will be listened to and hopefully heard about and see what mitigation measures can be put into place.
To answer the question: is there a representative from the Arctic College’s Nunavut Research Institute?
Yes, there is a member of our staff there.
As I stated yesterday in the House, many communities feel as though their concerns are not being taken into account when decisions are being make on projects throughout Nunavut.
Has the minister reviewed the research licensing process and if not, will the minister commit to doing so today?
The licensing process that is outlined in the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement is very clear. There has been consultation done with these communities prior to the application, during the application, and now after the application, it has been recommended for the screening decision.
So the process is clear. It’s up to us at this point in time to recommend that further action be taken or further review be taken and that is exactly what is taking place right now.
Question 363 – 3(2): Implementation of Qanukkanniq Report Card Recommendations (Ugyuk)
On October 1, 2009, the Premier was presented with the Qanukkanniq GN Report Card, which presented 93 recommendations, including several which focused on addressing social concerns at their roots.
Can the Premier update this House on how many of these 93 recommendations have been directly implemented to date?
I would like to thank our colleague for posing that question.
With the Qanukkanniq GN Report Card, it is considered very important by this government and it has a lot of issues covered.
The departments are implementing quite a number of these issues, including the ones that are in the Qanukkanniq GN Report Card.
I will have to look into the 93 recommendations and inform the House as to how many of these recommendations have been implemented.
Ms. Ugyuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) Recommendation #61 of the Qanukkanniq Report Card states, “Ensure that a culturally appropriate treatment centre is established in Nunavut.” This is one of the priorities that I identified in my Member’s Statement yesterday. Can the minister describe what kinds of additional or supporting information was provided by North Sky Consulting Group to the government with respect to this specific recommendation?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Ms. Ugyuk. (interpretation ends) Madam Premier.
This is one of the important issues we hear from the people of Nunavut, such as an appropriate treatment centre to be established in Nunavut.
The North Sky Consulting Group was given direction by the government on what is considered to be a priority.
When we were newly elected and when we were making our priorities as a government in our retreat in Cape Dorset… the establishment of a treatment centre is mentioned in Tamapta.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Premier. (interpretation ends) Your second supplementary, Ms. Ugyuk.
Ms. Ugyuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) When will a Nunavut-based substance abuse treatment centre open its doors to Nunavut clients?
If the funds are available and the staff are available, we would be more than pleased to open a treatment centre, but if we do, it has to go through the government budgeting system and we have to get positions established.
Since it is under Tamapta, it is one of the priorities of the government, but I’m sorry to say that I don’t know when the treatment centre would open its doors in Nunavut, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Premier. (interpretation ends) Your final supplementary, Ms. Ugyuk.
Ms. Ugyuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to know when we will get some funds to build the treatment centre and when it would open its doors.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Madam Premier.
It is part of the government’s priorities and it is under discussion by this government.
Question 364 – 3(2): New Research Vessel (Schell)
Mr. Schell: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Hon. Minister of Environment.
It is nice to see that we’re getting a new ship here, a research vessel here in Nunavut, and I see anything that’s new here, we always need a contest, of course, to name it.
Now, I am just wondering if there’s an age limit or how old you’ve got to be to enter the contest.
Minster of Environment, Hon. Daniel Shewchuk.
I’m not sure if he wants to enter or not, but I don’t have that information in front of me right now, but as soon as criteria and guidelines are set out for the contest, I will advise all of the Members of the House.
On a more serious note now, I was just wondering if the crew for the ship is going to be selected from Nunavut.
My understanding is that we do have training ongoing in the fisheries industry right now. It was very successful training beneficiaries and Nunavutmiut.
Part of this crew will be from Nunavut and others will be scientists with DFO and other jurisdictions that will be involved too, but part of the crew is definitely going to be from Nunavut.
Mr. Schell: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The other question is: where is the cost of maintaining the ship going to be coming from? Is it from the Government of Nunavut or from the federal government?
At present, the cost will be shared both by the Government of Nunavut and the federal government.
Their negotiations are ongoing with long-term operation funding for this vessel.
Mr. Schell: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Where is that ship going to be stored for the winter? Is it going to be rented to the Canadian Navy or something like that?
The vessel is being designed to be stored on the shores of Iqaluit beach, on the shores of the Arctic.
However, another option is to lease or rent the vessel out to other jurisdictions to use for research also.
Question 365 – 3(2): New Food Mail Program (Okalik)
I would like to raise a question to the Premier today.
We heard on the news recently from the federal government that they have created a plan with respect to Nutrition North, the new program that is replacing the Food Mail Program that will now be used by the vendors.
Based on the news, it seems like only some of the vendors will be able to get the subsidy for nutritious foods and it seems like some of the stores will not be eligible for this program.
Have you checked into how the operations will run down the road in the future?
That is my first question to the Premier.
I would like to thank the Member for Iqaluit West for asking his question.
We have been made aware with the federal official coming to Iqaluit to identify how the Food Mail Program will be done.
The Food Mail Program was initiated back in the 1960s and it’s an old program.
I am very pleased to say that it has been updated.
The concern is in regard to only some of the stores benefiting from the Food Mail Program and I have asked the same question. All of the stores could use this program if they wanted to.
There are quite a few concerns expressed by business owners and they have brought them up with me at meetings.
How will this especially impact those people who order their own food by mail? I would like to ask that question now as to how it will impact people who personally order their food.
Individuals who order their food and individuals who would like to order their groceries will continue to do so.
The system will not change and it will continue.
The only change that will occur is that there will be more outlets that they can order from, not just from Montreal. They can order from other outlets if an agreement is struck with the stores down south and the federal government.
What I’m trying to get at here in this House is that we also identified whether a country food subsidy could be included, especially when we’re talking about trading country foods between the communities. Here especially, we hardly have any caribou now but a lot of us enjoy maktaaq. However, it’s kind of hard to get a subsidy or ship country food to different communities.
How will country foods be included in Nutrition North in the future?
We work hard on behalf of country food. We wrote a letter to the federal government when they were reviewing the Food Mail Program.
We included country food since it’s very important to us. It is nutritious and less expensive in Nunavut.
For example, some communities lack arctic char or caribou meat in some years and following the seasons.
We spoke about country foods and asked them if they can include them in the Food Mail Program.
We understood that they can include country foods through the new program that they established, but it could be used for commercial outlets only.
I would like to see more opportunities.
The federal government had made an announcement that they will be implementing the new program on April 1, 2011.
Prior to April 1, 2011, we will be using the same Food Mail Program until that date arrives in April.
Also, part of the change is that consumers will be able to know how much savings they will get.
A committee will be established and the chair is going to be Elizabeth Copeland, but they haven’t filled the other positions in that committee.
When I heard that, I was satisfied with it. We will just use these in the interim until April 1 so that we at least have somebody to voice our concerns to the committee that is going to be established. If anyone feels that we need to improve or add more to this program, then they can approach the committee that is going to be established.
I also thank the Premier for providing an adequate response.
I also want to further support her because when you look at it day-to-day, there are probably three food plants in all of Nunavut.
There are a lot of other smaller communities, so if we’re going to use that, it will only help those three food plants and communities that don’t have food plants.
Therefore, I further encourage the Premier to push forward recommendations that will allow communities to create country foods.
Mr. Speaker, maktaaq is readily available in some communities, but not have processing plants. We want to see this situation improved so that all communities can benefit from this program.
Although I didn’t hear a question, you may respond, (interpretation ends) Madam Premier.
Ordering groceries and the Food Mail Program is very important to us. The issue of inter-settlement trading for country food needs to be considered.
Now that we have heard from the federal government, I believe that we have more room to include country food and to make sure that the federal government hears our concerns.
To elaborate further, they will be able to use commercial outlets for inter-settlement trade, but it does not include families sending meat out to another community to family members.
We can also consider and work on that.
Question 366 – 3(2): Fuel Supply in Pangnirtung (Komoartok)
I want to raise a question to the Minister of Community and Government Services, (interpretation ends) Hon. Lorne Kusugak.
(interpretation) Last year, we ran out of petroleum products in our community. Actually, we ran out of gasoline. Hunters couldn’t go boating and Hondas and vehicles couldn’t go because we ran out of gasoline.
Last year, the ice broke up on June 18. Apparently, they are already boating in front of our community now and they are starting to use gas-guzzling vehicles.
I would like to see how much more prepared you are now to meet our needs to ensure that we don’t run out of gasoline and how you will look to resolve that.
I also thank my colleague for raising that question.
In regard to the petroleum and gasoline issue both in Nunavut and in the growing communities, we are running short on petroleum products, especially before the sealift.
Last year, we did go through that with your commitment to that community.
What I can state is that the Petroleum Products Division has completed a study on how we can deal with gasoline, how much is left over, and how much of it is being used. So they looking into all of the details within the community of Pangnirtung so that they don’t face the same shortages they did last year.
Mr. Komoartok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also thank the minister for his response.
We have heard that there is going to be a strategy and that there would a tanker that would come up earlier. So my question is whether the tanker could be sent up earlier once there is no more ice.
I imagine that they could now start planning to ship the first tanker. What I’m wondering is whether the fuel tanker could come in earlier to our community this year than it did last year.
Yes, as we spoke about this issue over the winter, the member may recall that I informed him that we would try to make Pangnirtung a priority, especially for a fuel tanker to arrive into the community earlier.
However, when fuel tankers start arriving to Nunavut and if ice conditions allow, one of the first tankers will arrive in Pangnirtung. That was one of our priorities and that is still what we’re planning.
If things change, I will keep the member informed, but based on my knowledge, Pangnirtung will be the first community based on last year’s shortages.
So the fuel tanker will be going to that community first, Mr. Speaker.
Question 367 – 3(2): New Research Vessel (Rumbolt)
My question is for the Minister responsible for Environment.
In regard to your Minister’s Statement, you talked about the new research vessel and from Mr. Schell’s questioning, you indicated that it would be based or stored in Iqaluit.
Will this research vessel be used throughout Nunavut or will it be concentrating on the Baffin region?
The research vessel will be designed to be used throughout Nunavut and it’s planned to do that too.
As the member knows, it’s a priority of the government to expand our new fishing industry not only to the Baffin region and the coastal waters of the Baffin region but also in the Hudson Bay area and in the western Arctic also. The research vessel will be used all across Nunavut.
We, as a department, are expanding our exploration by hiring staff in the Kivalliq and Kitikmeot regions of Nunavut.
So that is our goal, to expand the fishery industry throughout Nunavut.
I didn’t see it in the Minister’s Statement, but when do we anticipate this vessel coming into service?
The vessel completion date of building it should be in November. It will come into service not this summer but the following summer.
Given the fact that this vessel won’t come into service for another year, will your department be conducting any kind of surveys with HTOs to find out what kinds of species of fish are being harvested at present in communities, Mr. Speaker?
The plan is exactly that, it is to start the planning now on what research will be conducted involving the HTOs, DFO, the jurisdictions, and the fishery industry of Nunavut.
Question 368 – 3(2): Social Advocacy Office (Elliott)
Yesterday, I said in my Member’s Statement that I was going to look forward to working with the new Member from Nattilik, Ms. Ugyuk, and I really like the questions that she is asking.
My questions are directed towards the Premier and are based around the social advocate’s office.
I’m wondering if the Premier could give us an update as to what has happened since the last time we were in the House when I was asking what was up with that office.
Hon. Eva Aariak (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Speaker. I would also like to thank the Member for Quttiktuq for asking the question.
We are still working on this issue.
The Social Advocacy Office is to improve the lives of people, for example, policy and services, and to provide more social programs.
The Social Advocacy Office has been established within EIA and we are now working on hiring administrators. Ever since the member asked me that question last March, I believe, there have been four positions. Two positions are currently filled, the manager and the director.
I guess the next question would be in terms of your business plan and what is hoped to be done this year. With the lack of ability to fill those positions, is that going to slow down some of these programs that you are talking about?
Hon. Eva Aariak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’re going through with our plan and it seems like it won’t change.
Within the business plan, it speaks of the completion of the Suicide Prevention Strategy.
As we reviewed the O&M in the last session, there were a lot of different departments, not just EIA, that was… within the business plan, it actually said that they would be implementing the Suicide Prevention Strategy.
I’m just wondering if you could give us an update. Is the strategy completed? Are the government departments following through on implementing that?
When will you table that?
The Department of EIA was the lead for the Suicide Prevention Strategy and we contracted an individual.
The contract is now over and the Department of Health and Social Services has now taken on that responsibility.
During this session, I will provide more updates on this issue.
I didn’t quite hear. Is the strategy actually complete?
Hon. Eva Aariak (interpretation): The GN, NTI, and Isaksimagit Inuusirmi have jointly worked on the Suicide Prevention Strategy.
I will look into that to find out where they are at now.
Question 369 – 3(2): Seismic Testing in Lancaster Sound (Arvaluk)
I think we all know or most Nunavummiut know that Pond Inlet doesn’t want seismic blasting to be carried out in Lancaster Sound.
Is this an actual research initiative that has been undertaken to do seismic testing in Lancaster Sound?
That depends on the permitting status, as my colleague had indicated, the Hon. Minister of Environment.
The seismic work that is proposed by the proponent is approximately a 1,700-kilometre line.
The majority of the work that is being done is over 100 kilometres away from any community.
The new technology that is being used is about 180 decibels compared to the more devastating effects that they used in the early 1970s.
At this time, the project is subject to permitting by various organizations, including NIRB.