EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
It is not my intention to respond to every article whether favourable or negative about our government.
But, to set the record straight.
Where we are being reported upon, if we are asked questions, we’ll respond to them.
It is very difficult to respond to every article that is written because we are too busy governing.
Just want to caution members once again, if you wish to ask a question about an article in a recent newspaper, table the document first and then you can pose your question to the appropriate minister.
Question 047 - 1(5): Assistance to Polar Bear Outfitters
I can’t speak in English any more so I’ll be speaking in Inuktitut and I’ll be directing my question to the Minister for Sustainable Development.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister was quoted on the radio as saying that they would try and help polar bear outfitters.
He was also quoted as saying that there would be no financial compensation but maybe, maybe, there would be some training courses for guiding for taking out tourists and fishing for shellfish, however, they won't be able to give any money.
Mr. Speaker, it's not good enough.
It's not a good enough answer for me.
My question is Mr. Speaker, how exactly does the minister plan on helping these polar bear guides and hunters.
What plans do they have.
Mr. Speaker, I'd like to get a response.
I don't like the answer maybe, that is not an answer.
I apologize if I didn't make myself clear on the radio about the quota that was set.
We visited three communities that have been impacted the most.
Our staff in the three communities have started working on this issue.
This will be better clarified later on. We will discuss it again at the May session in Cambridge Bay and I will be able to provide an amount of dollars that we will use for assistance.
I'd like to thank the minister for clarifying this and that we will be dealing with it in May at the Cambridge Bay session.
I don't have a question, I just wanted to make that comment.
Speaker: No question, just a comment, so we'll move on.
Question 048 - 1(5): Education Infrastructure Requirements for Iqaluit
Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, in the Committee of the Whole the minister outlined, his staff outlined the process that the department used in developing their 5-year Capital Plan.
Mr. Speaker, having reviewed that plan, I noticed one thing that's missing. Mr. Speaker, that is the fact that there are no dollars allocated to looking at any infrastructure or development or upkeep or studies or anything for the educational facilities here in Iqaluit.
Mr. Speaker, I'm sure all members can sympathize with the fact of how fast our community is growing and the need for infrastructure that I mentioned in my statements and comments yesterday.
I'd like to ask the minister if there are some plans within the department to take a look at the infrastructure requirements and capacity here in Iqaluit prior to the end of this 5-year Capital Plan.
Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Tootoo. Just a gentle reminder to the members that when something has been put into Committee of the Whole we normally wait until the Committee of the Whole to address questions on it.
Once again if the minister wishes to respond.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk: Here we go Mr. Speaker. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to respond by saying that we are presently dealing with this in Committee of the Whole.
I would like to remind members that in Iqaluit we are building a French School.
The first French School in Nunavut. It will be for the students in Iqaluit.
We had a priority list that we went through.
If Iqaluit members would like to look into this further then I can meet with them.
Mr. Speaker, I unintentionally never mentioned the French school and I would like to thank the minister for mentioning that.
It reminds me of the fact that the French school, we as a territorial government are contributing a very small portion of that and a lot of those funds for that infrastructure are coming from the Federal Government and Heritage Canada.
It is my understanding Mr. Speaker, and maybe the minister can correct me if I am wrong is that the class space that is going to be freed up as a result of the French school being built next year, the predictions are that those spaces will be full in the next school year, Mr. Speaker.
I guess my concern is the fact that I know how fast our community is growing and I don’t see any money at all in the Capital Plan over the next five years to address this need.
Even in the way of a study or looking at the requirements that are going to be necessary here in that capital plan.
I would just like some assurances from the minister that these issues have been taken into consideration in the development of their plan.
I would like to explain clearly that the capital plans have been put together over a period of time and we are constantly reviewing the plans.
I know that a lot of the communities are growing, the population is growing in a lot of the communities in Nunavut.
We will consider the population growth in Iqaluit.
Mr. Speaker, the minister also indicated yesterday that input was sought from the local District Education Authorities.
Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the minister could indicate if he received any input or priorities from the Iqaluit District Education Authority in relation to its priorities on the capital needs of the community.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I cannot say whether we got input from this community.
They’ve been done.
We’ve been putting the plans together for a while.
Since the drafts were done, at this moment, I can’t say whether the DEAs have given their input.
Mr. Tootoo: You’re doing that on purpose.
Mr. Speaker, I know the minister indicated yesterday that they did seek input from the DEAs and that input was taken into consideration and I look forward to further questioning the minister in Committee of the Whole.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the minister, one of the things, other than capacity problems here in Iqaluit, you are looking at a couple of schools that are over 30 years old.
Getting close to the age of the poor school in Baker Lake which is finally getting replaced this year, Mr. Speaker.
I know in the past a lot of the capital projects have been put through based on health and safety and code requirements.
I’d like to ask the minister if he is aware if Public Works has received or reviewed any technical status, or evaluation reports on both Nakasuk and Inuksuk schools.
I know our staff have been looking at these buildings.
We realize the schools in Iqaluit have been up for many years, and we are aware of the areas that might be in need and we will be reviewing them.
Question 049 - 1(5): Liquor Act Review Report
I’ll direct my question to the Minister of Finance. (interpretation) Last week I raised a question about which communities the Liquor Board will be visiting when they review the Liquor Act and I will be asking another question relating to that.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask if he would agree or commit to providing a copy of the panel’s report and recommendations to the members or Standing Committees for comments and input before Cabinet makes a final decision.
Speaker: Mr. Ng, I believe we heard two questions there.
We would be willing to. Thank you.
I thank him for his response.
I’d like to ask the minister when the panel will have the report ready.
Mr. Speaker, as the members may recall, I committed to getting that information and reporting back.
We're just in the process right now of finalizing a statement.
However, having said that the timeline generally is to try and get it done by March, early April so they will hopefully make some recommendations certainly by the end of April, May.
So then I can give members an opportunity to provide some additional input on what recommendations might be coming forward as a result of what the liquor board hears during its consultative process.
Question 050 - 1(5): Fuel Subsidy for Businesses
I want to direct my question to the Minister for Sustainable Development.
(interpretation) We are aware there will be a subsidy given to the hunters for the fuel price increase.
I am aware that the money is being given to the HTOs for distribution to the hunters for fuel costs.
For those people that are on their own and are trying to be self-sustaining and those that are running their own businesses, I wonder if these people in business will be given that same assistance.
They need fuel to be able to continue to provide income.
I wonder if the minister can respond to this question.
The fuel subsidy that we are putting together, we are now identifying who would be eligible to receive the subsidy.
I will bring it up to the Cabinet and I will be able to identify or let the members know who would be eligible.
I'm glad to hear that response.
In reviewing your comments as to who would be eligible, will we be able to see the details of the review.
Speaker: That's a concise answer.
If you keep answering yes, that's very good.
I'm happy with your response.
When will these reviews be done.
Can we have a date.
Perhaps next week.
I will be able to bring it up next week but I can't say which exact date.
Question 051 - 1(5): Review of Education Act
This is a question for the Minister of Education. If I make a mistake, I’ll learn from it, I’m sure Mr. Speaker.
It has been known for some time that the Education Act does not suit Nunavut.
My question is will the Nunavut Government and NTI be reviewing the Education Act.
Is that what is happening.
The Education Act is being reviewed and, in response to the member’s question, the review is still in progress at this time.
I just wondered when that review is going to be done.
Can the minister state that.
First of all, I would like to say that we are pretty happy about what has been done to date, since they started the review of the Education Act.
It has been under review for two years and we are doing the amendments now.
I think it was under review by the previous government for seven years or something if I am not mistaken.
If we go smoothly, perhaps this part of the year it will be provided to the House.
Yes, I understand him clearly.
I know that as well since I have been receiving letters from the minister’s office.
Before the review of the amendments starts by the Legislature, I just wondered if we could have a meeting to plan out the process for that.
Perhaps if I could clarify.
First of all, it will be given to the Members of the Legislative Assembly two times after the review and we will be giving it to the House for them to be able to have the opportunity to review it as well.
Question 052 - 1(5): NHC Fuel Subsidy
I had some more questions yesterday but we finished our question period.
I would like to get some clarification from the Minister of Housing about that rebate of 450 dollars.
Is that going to be for one individual, the rebate.
That is one per household, one per fuel tank.
She said one per fuel tank and they have different sizes of tanks in each community.
Has the department been looking at the size of each tank because they are different sizes.
We try to make the fuel cost a standard price and I think the price of heating fuel was lowered in Pelly Bay.
What we have is an increase of 13.9 cents per litre and that is what we are basing it on.
I thank the minister for the response.
When the price of fuel oil increased in Kugaaruk I think it is about 204 dollars for a barrel.
It was less than that before the increase.
This would be enough for one week only.
That is why I asked the question.
There are 3, 600 public housing units that we pay the fuel for.
We have provided a subsidy for them.
That 450 dollars is going to be given to those people that were not given the subsidy.
We have not said that we would cover the whole cost of fuel for homeowners, this is to help them cope with the increase.
Question 053 - 1(5): Re-Examination of Fuel Subsidy Criteria
My question is directed to the Minister for Petroleum Products.
She said that she would be giving the 450 dollar subsidy to those homeowners because they have to have it now.
They have to get the subsidy now.
I think it was the EDAP program where the money that they receive from their employment is how they are going to determine the amount of assistance.
First of all, Mr. Speaker, there is going to be a ceiling of 125 thousand dollars of household income.
Some people make 40-50 thousand dollars a year and some of them have a lot of children and they have to buy groceries for their table.
There are also people with no children at all.
First of all, I know that this is an urgent requirement but at the end after they give the subsidy are you going to review it again, to see whether these other clients that have more people in their family than the others can get a higher subsidy.
The subsidy is a one-time subsidy because of the increase in fuel costs.
Yes, I understand the member’s question and we will review it.
I am not sure if we are going to be giving another subsidy, but in the meantime, this is a one-time thing because there were a lot of requests for the subsidy.
We will be reviewing it again to see what kinds of things we can do.
However, I know that the people that use social assistance or are on the income support program, they are reviewing the policy at this time to see how best to do it.
The review that was done on income support, after we hear about that then we will decide what to do.
The income support clients usually receive other subsidies as well, so we will find out what happens after the review.
The Minister of Finance said that this week he would be bringing the information about a lump sum subsidy, because when Mr. Tootoo asked the question that was his response.
So do we now know that, I think she is talking about the 750 thousand dollars.
She said that people who own their homes will be getting a one-time 450 dollar subsidy and there are others as well.
My question is, when the Minister of Finance brings this information to the House, in trying to help others that need help, will they consider another subsidy so these programs are more streamlined.
I think we fail to remember that we are already subsidizing 3,100 public houses that we pay fuel for in this government.
We are already subsidizing the fuel that is going into the hands of the consumers.
We are subsidizing quite a lot as a government.
The review has already been done that was requested by the members on PPD.
That report is with FMB staff right now to be analyzed.
Yes, I recognize and appreciate that there are a lot of subsidy programs being initiated by the government, including the 3,600 that she is mentioning.
But there are also a lot of people that are trying to become independent of the government with their lifestyle.
Those are homeowners, those are hunters, and those are the carvers who are trying to live independently.
However, because the government has chosen to raise the fuel prices, but subsidize those who are dependent on the government, like schools and public housing and etc., that puts the burden on those who are trying to live by their own means.
My question was, Mr. Speaker, after she reviews that, if the subsidy program is too high a price to pay, would she consider, reconsider bringing the fuel down to the price where the public, all the public in Nunavut can afford it.
We have to understand that in order to operate a home you need a job.
The bigger picture here is that you need job creation for people to own their own home.
And there are other things in the house besides fuel that you have to be able to look after as a homeowner.
We have programs already for potential homeowners if they want to buy a home, and we will have programs so that people who want to be independent and self-sufficient can have access to those programs.
I already said that a review was done on PPD and the subsidies.
It’s with the finance staff and it’s being analyzed, reviewed, we’ve already done that.
Just a reminder to the members to keep their preambles on the question short.
I will try to make this very short.
I hear, maybe agree, but the Government of the Northwest Territories already initiated the homeownership programs where sweat equity is considered by the potential owner, or the new owner on the construction of that.
Some of these people are now old age pensioners, they have no jobs, there’s some in my community.
Yes, they were working but they’re now pensioners.
They are still paying for the fuel and they are being assisted by the extended families, especially during the wintertime.
My question has not yet been answered by the minister.
That is, if the subsidy program by the government, for certain items of the government programs or that other projects are subsidizing on fuel, if that is, if the price is too high, would she consider bringing the prices back, so that everyone in Nunavut can afford it.
The gas prices, as we know, are driven by the market prices and I can’t control the world at this time.
But I can consider lowering the prices, but that’s it, a consideration.
That was your final supplementary, Mr. Arvaluk.
I just want to remind members about your preambles, I’ve been fairly flexible to allow members to continue beyond what is reasonable and in the future if members still continue to make statements out of questions before the questions, I will cut you off.
Question 054 - 1(3): Negotiated Contracts Policy
I hope that wasn’t a warning for me today. But Uqaqti my question today is for the Minister responsible for the Nunavummi Nangminiqaqtunik Ikajuuti.
Nunavummi Nangminiqaqtunik Ikajuuti has now been in effect for approximately a year, a year and a half.
I’m trying to follow the business community in my region on their thoughts about Nunavummi Nangminiqaqtunik Ikajuuti.
To date, I haven’ t heard anything from this government on negotiated contracts.
Does this government or does the minister’s department have a policy on negotiated contracts.
Speaker: Minister responsible for the Department of Public Works. Ms. Thompson.
We don’t have a policy as far as I know from the department for negotiated contracts and we have not had serious talks about negotiated contracts in this government, as far as I know.
The only policy that we have is the NNI policy.
I am not an expert on Article 24 of the land claims agreement.
But what comes to mind in the article and I read it briefly in parts of Article 24 it says that they will help develop and encourage Inuit businesses to grow and to start.
On that, negotiated contracts are sometimes put in place to help small companies start and to build capacity into communities.
This is not a slight to the minister, but in my region alone small business development has come to a standstill.
Would the minister, and I know there is an upcoming review coming, look at the possibility of negotiated contracts in the new policy revision.
I do know in the past in order for small businesses to get some contracts in the communities, we did do some negotiated contracts to make sure the small businesses didn’t lose in their home town.
We can consider looking at this negotiated contract policy.
I must press the minister again.
Negotiated contract is not a dirty word.
I think it is a vehicle that we can use in smaller communities, if not larger communities to start developing more of an economic base in the communities.
Whether it is the carving industry or taxi business or small service contracts, supply contracts.
Can the minister be more exact when she could let the House know if she’ll bring some sort of, we are getting into the contracting season this year, because there is 71 million in capital projects coming this year.
Can she commit to having negotiated contracts looked at this contract year.
I don’t know if I will be able to do it at this time because this contracting season is just about to close for the summer season.
They are just beginning.
They are just working on some of the contracts, consulting with the people and so on.
But, I can certainly look into possibilities of where we can help the local businesses.
Final supplementary. Mr. McLean.
I wasn’t keeping track of my supplementaries.
I am glad I have one left.
Would the minister be willing to open her office to small businesses out there that want to talk to her about negotiated contracts directly for this year.
I have an open door policy in my office and if there is anybody that would want to talk to me about a matter in their community, they can do so in this regard, negotiated contracts for a specific project.
If it is a small item for our communities.
Question 055 - 1(5): Assistance for Community Radios
I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
This fall I asked him a question about the community radio stations.
The local community radio stations are solely using the Inuktitut language.
I directed my question to the minister this fall and asked him if he could set aside some capital dollars to be used for the local radio stations.
That is my question to the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth.
Minister Responsible for Culture, Language, Elders & Youth.
It is true that the local radio stations were given financial assistance from the previous government.
We took on that responsibility when we became the Government of Nunavut and our department can give support if the stations apply.
You stated that you would review the whole radio station structure.
Have you done that yet.
To date we hear more and more about the local radio equipment breaking down or getting obsolete.
We have considered options as a department on how we could help.
The Minister of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth just said that he has considered ways to help.
In my part of the country, you only consider things when you lay down to rest or sleep.
You have considered it but haven’t taken action on it.
Well, I don’t do much work when I am sleeping other than dreaming.
What I am saying is that we have looked into the matter and have found out that the local radio equipment is getting obsolete and breaking down. We are trying to see how we can better structure it so there is better equipment available in the communities.
My final supplementary.
Since you are going to be reviewing this, could you tell me how long you will be reviewing this.
Are you going to be reviewing this for a whole year or will you have the answer by tomorrow.
Speaker: Minister Nutarak…
…or Minister Kattuk.
Hon. Peter Kattuk: Yes, somewhere in between okay. (interpretation) Well at this time, I cannot tell you the timeframe.
What I am saying is that the communities, some communities can’t hear the CBC programming.
So we are looking at how we can improve this.
I cannot give you a timeline.
It won’t be tomorrow but it will be some time in the future.
Question 056 - 1(5): Additions to Private Homes
I thought I was going to be out of time before you reached me.
Mr. Speaker, I will be directing my question to the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation.
I think this it is her day today, Mr. Speaker.
For the private homeowners who got their houses through the Access Housing Program, do you have any policies if they wanted to make extensions to their homes.
Are they allowed to make any extensions after so many years of living in a private home.
My microphone didn't come on for a long time.
There's a program for home improvement but I’ll have to look at what the real situation is as we don't know the detailed information when and where they will need additions to their private homes.
I only know that when these individuals apply for homeownership programs they're asked various questions and ahead of time they are asked how many rooms they'd like to have.
They know that they will hold the mortgage for fifteen years.
I'm sure I can respond to you in a number of days and perhaps even tomorrow.
Question 057 - 1(5): Staff Housing Shortage
I want to direct my question to the Premier in regards to decentralization.
The staff housing shortage is a big subject.
As the Premier knows there are some increases in some decentralized communities.
There's an increase in staffing.
My community is experiencing that.