EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Are there going to be some grants and contributions given to Apex schools.
I don't think I made it clear enough.
Each individual school is not usually provided with funds.
If you could look at the information Items, we usually give the three regions some money, Keewatin, Kitikmeot and Baffin, we usually give the core funding to Divisional Boards of Education.
Iqaluit would be the main for Baffin, Bake Lake for Kivalliq, and Cambridge Bay for Kitikmeot.
Those are the three regions we provide money to.
Okay I already know this but under expenditures there has been some indication that the amount of money that Apex schools has is not listed here.
So I am just wondering if Apex schools are included in the amount of money that is provided for the Iqaluit district.
Hon. James Arvaluk (interpretation): Yes that is the case.
Under page 9 – 11.
Are there any more comments or questions from the members.
Okay 9 – 11 and 9 – 12 Department of Education. Mr. Iqaqrialu.
There is 1 million 335 thousand.
Is that for all of Nunavut. That's Early Childhood programs.
Hon. James Arvaluk (interpretation): Yes Mr. Chairman.
Page 9 – 11 and 9 – 12. Early Childhood Education and School Services.
In 1999/2000 there was 50 million but now there is 52 million 224 under territorial schools.
The reason why there is an increase is because the students' ages are going up and they have to enter the school so there is an increase of 1.2 million.
As well there is an additional 357 thousand because of the increase in school children entering the school programs.
Under territorial schools the funding of 52 million 224 thousand.
I guess under this figure there is a student teacher ratio.
Is that how this funding is pegged. Is it part of it.
Hon. James Arvaluk: Mr. Chairman, it is more of a general formula but as I stated before it is about 20 pages long so I would like to have Bob Moody respond to that.
I didn't really want 20 pages James, because I won't read it I'll tell you ahead of time.
But on this figure of 52 million, am I correct in assuming that our school population will go up by 10% this year.
I am being told that the best estimate so far is 3 to 4%.
So this 52 million 224 thousand and the 50 million 651 thousand, is that what this increase is taking into consideration when you increase it that much, the increase in student enrolment.
Is that part of the reason this increase has happened.
Hon. James Arvaluk: Yes, Mr. Chairman.
Information 9 – 11 and 9 – 12.
Chairperson (interpretation): Page 9 – 10. Going back to 9 – 10.
Branch summary, Early Childhood Education and School Services.
Operations and maintenance, total operations and maintenance, 80 million 72 thousand.
Total expenditures, 80 million 72 thousand.
Total expenditures. Mr. Nutarak.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Which page are we on Mr. Chairman.
Chairperson (interpretation): We are on page 9 – 10.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Eighty million 72 thousand total expenditures.
What is that for.
Does that include 76 million 946, grants and contributions.
Hon. James Arvaluk (interpretation): Yes, that includes 76 million 946 thousand dollars and it is for Divisional Boards operations and maintenance.
Yes that includes that amount.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Under 9 – 10, if we can get back to it under grants and contributions, 76 million 946. Seventy six million 946 thousand under grants and contributions.
It seems like the total capital is also included in there and the total is 80 million 72, I just wanted to find out whether total capital is included in that 80 million 72 thousand.
Hon. James Arvaluk (interpretation): No it is not included.
This is just for operations and maintenance only. It has no capital.
Chairperson (interpretation): Okay, 9 – 10. Total expenditure, 80 million 72 thousand.
Chairperson (interpretation): Page 9 – 13, Department of Education, branch summary, income support, operations and maintenance.
Total operations and maintenance, 2 million 24 thousand.
Chairperson (interpretation): Total expenditures, 2 million 24 thousand dollars.
Chairperson (interpretation): Page 9 – 15, Department of Education. Field operations, information.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Under total contributions I think the number seems less than what we talked about in the previous pages.
I just wanted to find out why the 2000-2001 total grants and contribution is less.
Maybe if we can go back to 9-13.
Chairperson (interpretation): We will go back to 9-13 for a few minutes.
What are you talking about the total being less.
Which ones are you talking about.
Which pages.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Chairman. 9-13, 2 million 24 thousand dollars we agreed to that.
Under 1999-2000 it used to be 2 million 641 thousand and the Main Estimates under 1999-2000 is 2 million 176 thousand under the revised is 2 million 641 thousand but now it is only 2 million 24 thousand.
There is a decrease somewhere.
Chairperson (interpretation): We are now at 9-15 and we are going back to 9-13. Is that OK with the members.
Will the minister please respond to the question.
The operations we always try to make less money for operations & maintenance.
Is this operations & maintenance for the Headquarters.
It has nothing to do with income support.
All together we have not decreased the funding for operations & maintenance. The only the reason is because the travel cost and other expenses for the Department is the reason why there is a decrease. From the previous year and from the revised estimates.
If we do not expend the amount we put it into the Main Estimates.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Chairman. 9-14 I just have a question on the fuel operation.
There was 365 thousand in 1999-2000 but now we have 3.6 million.
I just wanted to find out why this compensation and benefits is a lot more than the previous years in the revised estimates.
Chairperson (interpretation): I just wanted the Members to know that we are under 9-15.
I also have a question under 9-14 after they finish replying 9-13.
Chairperson (interpretation): We are under 9-15. We are on an information Item.
We have not gone to 9-14 yet.
I would like to go back to 9-14.
Chairperson (interpretation): We are now under 9-14.
I apologise. We could refer to that page later.
At this time we are in the grants and contributions and I am sure we will get back to that after this information Items.
The Standing Committee on Culture, Education, and Health will have to meet with the Minister of Education this evening, so I would like to make a motion to report progress.
Chairperson (interpretation): There is legislation that states a motion to report progress is not debatable.
We have a quorum including myself. I am going to ask the committee again.
There was a motion to report progress.
We will report progress before we do that I would like to thank the Minister of Education and his support staff.
Speaker: Returning to Orders of the day.
Report on committee of the whole. Mr. Puqiqnak.
Your committee has been considering Bill 13 and tabled document 41-1(3), 51-1(3), 60-1 (3), 61-1(3), 68-1(3) and would like to report progress.
And Mr. Speaker I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.
Speaker: There is a motion on the floor. Is there a seconder, Mr. Nutarak.
Motion is in order all those in favour.
Item 21 third reading of Bills. Third reading of Bills.
Item 22 orders of the day. Mr. Clerk.
Item 21: Orders of the Day
Mr. Clerk (Mr. Quirke): Thank you Mr. Speaker.
Meeting of the Standing Committee on Culture, Education, and Health immediately following the conclusion of today’s sitting.
Meeting tomorrow at 8 o’clock in the morning for regular members caucus and brief them on the Nunavut Transportation Strategy. 10 o’clock Nunavut Leadership forum here in the Chambers.
Regular members caucus at 11:30 am on Cambridge Bay school design briefing.
Orders of the Day for Wednesday April 12, 2000.
This House stands adjourned until Wednesday April 12, 2000, at 1.30 p.m.
DAY 33
Wednesday, April 12, 2000
Pages 1396 - 1435
Tel (867) 975-5000 Fax (867) 975-5190 Toll-Free (877) 334-7266  Tabled of Contents
Opening Prayer 1396
Ministers’ Statements 1396
Members’ Statements 1398
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 1399
Oral Questions 1399
Written Questions 1415
Tabling of Documents 1415
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters 1416
Report of the Committee of the Whole 1434
Orders of the Day 1435
Wednesday April 12, 2000 1396
108 - 1(3): Integration of Regional Health Boards (Picco) 1396
109 - 1(3): Ikajuruti Inungnik Ungasiktumi Network (Picco) 1396
305 - 1(3): Income Support Policy Review Committee (Barnabas) 1398
306 - 1(3): Election to Ministerial Position (Kattuk) 1398
307 - 1(3): Best Wishes to Margaret Gardner (Picco) 1399
430 - 1(2): Gymnasiums Standards and Criteria (Nutarak) 1399
431 - 1(2): Baffin Regional Hospital (Barnabas) 1400
432 - 1(2): Gjoa Haven Soapstone Quarry (Puqiqnak) 1403
433 - 1(3): Workers’ Compensation Board Jurisdiction (McLean) 1404
434 - 1(3): Government Suicide Prevention Programs (Irqituq) 1406
435 - 1(3): Schools Without Gymnasiums (Iqaqrialu) 1407
436 - 1(3): Gymnasiums for Smaller Communities (Iqaqrialu) 1408
437 - 1(3): New School for Pond Inlet (Nutarak) 1408
438 - 1(3): Status of Polaris Mine (Barnabas) 1410
439 - 1(3): Commercial Licence for Clam Divers (Iqaqrialu) 1410
440 - 1(3): Empowerment Review (Akesuk) 1412
441 - 1(3): Igloolik Language Specialist (Irqittuq) 1412
442 - 1(3): Soapstone Quarries (McLean) 1413
73 - 1(3): Grade 12 Graduates by Year 1987-1999 (Arvaluk) 1415
74 - 1(3): Inuit Teachers-Current Staff (Arvaluk) 1416
75 - 1(3): Education Capital Projects for Pond Inlet (Nutarak) 1416
14 - 1(3): Ministerial Portfolio Responsibilities (Barnabas) 1415
57 - 1(3): Deferral of Kitikmeot Department of Education Capital Estimates 1425
58 - 1(3): Amendment of Committee Motion 38 - 1(3) 1427
59 - 1(3): Amended Motion 38 - 1(3) 1428  Wednesday April 12, 2000
Wednesday April 12, 2000
Mr. Ovide Alakannuark, Mr. Olayuk Akesuk, Honourable James Arvaluk, Honourable Jack Anawak, Mr. Levi Barnabas, Mr. Donald Havioyak, Mr. David Iqaqrialu, Mr. Enoki Irqittuq, Honourable Peter Kilabuk, Mr. Peter Kattuk, Mr. Glenn McLean, Honourable Kelvin Ng, Mr. Jobie Nutarak, Honourable Paul Okalik, Honourable Kevin O’Brien, Honourable Ed Picco, Mr. Uriash Puqiqnak, Honourable Manitok Thompson, Mr. Hunter Tootoo.
Speaker: Good afternoon, moving on with the Orders of the Day.
Item 2. Ministers’ Statements. Mr. Picco.
Minister’s Statement 108 - 1(3): Integration of Regional Health Boards
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and good afternoon.
I rise to acknowledge a major event for Nunavut Health and Social Services.
On April first, all three health boards were officially integrated within the Department of Health and Social Services for all of Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all employees of the boards who have been the backbone of our health system for a number of years in our communities.
I have absolutely no doubt that they will continue to demonstrate their dedication and service to the citizens of Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker we are exited about the new arrangement and the possibilities it affords us to serve Nunavummiut better in an integrated fashion.
Change is never easy and I am proud of the employees in the regions and here in Iqaluit at headquarters who are dedicated to provide and improve the delivery of health care here in Nunavut.
Ministers’ Statements. Mr. Picco.
Minister’s Statement 109 - 1(3): Ikajuruti Inungnik Ungasiktumi Network
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you Mr. Speaker and thank you for the encore.
Mr. Speaker I am very pleased to inform the members of this assembly that two Memoranda of Understanding on tele-health, one with the province of Newfoundland/Labrador and the other Mr. Speaker with Queensland Tele-Medicine Network in Australia.
Mr. Speaker these MOUs will allow us to freely share experiences with, and exchange information about, this promising community based health, social and educational tool.
Mr. Speaker, our neighbours in Newfoundland and the people of Australia have benefited from the use of telehealth in the remote communities, which have extreme environments much like our own.
I am looking forward to working with the people from Newfoundland and Queensland telemedicine network in Australia on this exciting initiative.
Mr. Speaker this promises to be an important year for the IIU Network here in Nunavut.
In our proposed budget we have allocated funds to expand the IIU network within Nunavut. As you know Mr. Speaker, the IIU network has been running in Pond Inlet and Cape Dorset as a pilot project for some time.
Mr. Speaker we are already implementing a Prenatal Visitation Program using the telehealth technology.
Using this program allows expectant mothers, who have left their communities and speak to their families every week.
Pond Inlet in February and Cape Dorset will begin in April.
This is an exciting development that will ease the sometimes lengthy separation between mothers and their family.
Mr. Speaker, in the next fiscal year we will be expanding the speciality services that are available to connected communities through telehealth.
Patients will receive consultations without leaving their communities.
These services include dermatology, internal medicine, orthopaedics and cardiology.
Mr. Speaker we plan to expand the counselling and psychiatry services and increase the mental health training for our practitioners on communities connected to the network.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to expanding the network to Cambridge Bay and Gjoa Haven this coming June.
Discussions are also under way with the GNWT's Department of Health and Social Services, and we hope the sites will be fully operational by September of 2000. We are also installing three additional sites in the Baffin region, namely Mr. Speaker, Arctic Bay/Nanisivik, Igloolik and Pangnirtung by October 2000.
The Kivalliq is slated for implementation in the fiscal year 2001/2002.
Mr. Speaker, as a government, we are all committed to the health of our people, and making the best possible use of the resources available to us.
Mr. Speaker I believe that telehealth is just one of the tools that we can use to make health care and social services more accessible and more effective for all the people of Nunavut.
I will keep this house apprised of all the developments as this program develops.
Moving on to Item 3.
Member’s Statement 305 - 1(3): Income Support Policy Review Committee
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to hear from the Minister responsible for education that the income support policy committee will also be travelling to the communities of Arctic Bay and Arviat during its review process.
This is a major concern to the smaller communities where the cost of transporting goods has a major impact on the cost of living.
The initiatives in the area of income support are promising and they promote the spirit of self-reliance, but we must not forget that there are many people on social assistance.
Elders, people with disabilities and people suffering from addiction or abuse who have often have few alternatives.
In the smaller communities there are even less alternatives than in the larger communities.
There are fewer jobs and higher costs of living and in many cases limited opportunities for continuing with training or education.
I look forward to seeing the results of the income support policy review.
I hope following the review and the consultation process these issues will get the consideration they deserve.
Member’s Statement 306 - 1(3): Election to Ministerial Position
At this time I rise to make my comments following the process this morning in the house for our leadership forum.
I am humbled and thankful for having been selected as a member of cabinet.
For the person who nominated me, I extend my gratitude to Mr. Alakannuark, and to those who voted for me to the position and even to those who did not vote for me.
I know that the responsibilities I have taken on are for all of the communities.
I want the people of Nunavut to understand my commitment to all my fellow MLAs.
I will remain a friend to those I have been close to, I will not change.
I stand today to commit to work hard and make the government more reflective of the people's needs during my tenure as a minister of this government.
Speaker: Members' Statements. Mr. Picco.
Member's Statement 307 - 1(3): Best Wishes to Margaret Gardner
Hon. Ed Picco: Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to wish a long time Iqaluit and Nunavut resident a very speedy recovery.
A very good friend of ours Margaret Gardner, the wife of well-known retired reverend Mike Gardner, is recovering from a fall.
On behalf of the people of Iqaluit, this House and I am sure her many Nunavut friends we wish her a very speedy recovery.
Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to welcome to the gallery today a man who is retired but seems to be working harder now more than ever.
A great story teller, a well-known voice, a raconteur of some repute, a well-known and famous man, Mr. Jonah Kelly.
Hon. James Arvaluk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday we welcomed the pages from Coral Harbour and today I want to welcome their chaperone, by the way the individual is my aunt, Annie Eetuk.
I would also like to recognize a person who is also a teacher, Alexina Kublu from Nunavut Arctic College.
Speaker: Item 5.
Question 430 - 1(2): Gymnasiums Standards and Criteria
This is a question to the Minister of Education.
The schools in Nunavut have no gymnasiums and I just wondered how many students there have to be in order for the school to have a gymnasium.
Mr. Speaker there are different criteria that we have.
For instance, the criteria for smaller schools are not the same as the larger high schools.
If the school has grade 6 or grade 9 when there are not enough students they do not qualify for a gymnasium.
They usually have a place where they could go and do their exercises although it is not called a gym, it is an exercise room.
When they reach a certain number of students in a school, I don't have the numbers with me, that is when they finally get a gymnasium.
But for the high school students when they get up to about 100 students that is when they get a gymnasium.
Speaker: Supplementary, Mr. Nutarak.
So I understand that for the elementary schools if there are not a lot of students then they don't have a gymnasium.
I just wanted to find out how many schools have less than that number where they do not need a gymnasium.
Speaker: Minister for Education, Mr. Arvaluk.
I am not sure about that at this time, Mr. Speaker.
At this time the standards and the criteria is used and I do not have that with me and I will take that as notice.
Question 431 - 1(2): Baffin Regional Hospital
Mr. Speaker, I am going to direct my question to the Minister of Health.
I have been asking questions regarding the proposed Regional Hospital for the Baffin region.
Mr. Speaker, is it true, from my understanding there are also two proposals for hospital-like facilities that will be built in Cambridge Bay and Rankin Inlet.
Are those proposals slowing our progress on the hospital in the Baffin region.
Mr. Speaker, I have responsibility in respect to the P3 process, the financing of some possibly facilities and infrastructure that our government is trying to provide.
But it is each department that is responsible for the terms and the parameters surrounding the services within those facilities, so this is not a financial problem it is more of a…sorry.
It's not a financial question so much as a programming one, and I think it is better addressed to the Minister of Health.
I think the honourable member noted that.
So I will defer to my honourable colleague, Mr. Picco.
If you would care to respond.
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you Mr. Speaker and I would like to thank the honourable Minister of Finance for that succinct explanation of the financing end of the P3 projects.
Mr. Speaker, the question on the functional program review and the functional program for the facilities has to be taken in a multi-step fashion.
In this case Mr. Speaker, we have to take a look at the facility, what we need in that facility for example.
Do you need operating rooms, do you need extra beds for chronic care and so on.
So if the member could be more specific on the program functional review then I could maybe give some more details on the functional review.
Supplementary, Mr. Barnabas.
Mr. Speaker, I think you remember when we were planning the building of the hospital at the very beginning of our tenure.
They already had this funding for the hospital to be built in the Baffin region, it was already planned.
When the other two hospitals were planned, one in Cambridge Bay and one in Rankin Inlet, I think there was 11 million dollars that was taken out of the Baffin region.
During this P3 process, has there been a problem that you have encountered.
Mr. Barnabas which minister are you directing your question to.
Mr. Speaker, I guess the Minister of Finance since he is dealing with P3 projects.
Speaker: Minister of Finance it looks like you're the man today.
Mr. Speaker, if the honourable member has asked in respect to financing in his first question, because he is actually asking two different questions here, not that I would interpret on your behalf Mr. Speaker.
But in respect to the honourable member's question there was never any designated funding targeted to the health facilities.
There was a financial agreement between the then Government of the NWT and the Federal Department of Health in respect to the Health Transfer Agreement that took place between the two jurisdictions in 1988.
Part of that agreement was that there would be federal contributions to the Government of the NWT towards a replacement facility for Inuvik and a renovation to the facility in Iqaluit.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Supplementary, Mr. Barnabas.
In the past as a regular member and as a social programs member, I understand there was funding.
There were also two new programs for hospital like nursing stations. (interpretation) I wonder what came up (interpretation ends) during negotiations when we are dealing with the Baffin Regional Hospital.
I understand those two programs were supposed to be located in Rankin and Cambridge Bay.
Speaker: Mr. Ng would you care to address that question.
Yes. Mr. Speaker, as you know when the Government of Nunavut came into existence on April 1, we assumed many responsibilities from the Government of the Northwest Territories. At that time the new cabinet, under the leadership of the Premier undertook a retreat to look at some current issues that were outstanding.
One of those issues, Mr. Speaker, was the Public-Private-Partnership themselves, whether or not the Government of Nunavut would adopt that possibility for looking at financing some of their infrastructure.
It was agreed in principle provided that there was a caveat that any public-private-partnership had to conform to Federal Auditor General requirements as a project.
That was what we followed along.
In conjunction with that Mr. Speaker, as we know there were four P3 projects in different stages of development, five I apologize Mr. Speaker, I forgot the Arviat Health Facility because that one is a signed off deal now.
There were five at the time at April 1, 1999 that came forward from the Government of the Northwest Territories to the Government of Nunavut.
Four of those were health facilities.
One being the Arviat health centre which we have resolved and the other three regional health facilities.
The member is correct, the Baffin hospital replacement here was one, a regional health facility in the Keewatin based in Rankin and a regional health facility for the Kitikmeot based in Cambridge Bay were the other three health facilities at that time.
There was also an Arctic College residence as a project that had been developed for the Kitikmeot campus in Cambridge Bay.
So those were the five projects that came out over to the Government of Nunavut.
For the new members can the minister provide the details on the process of the P3 process that was happening with the Baffin Regional Hospital and the other projects that are happening in other areas.