EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I would love to be able to answer that question for him, but I’ll have to defer that question to my colleague at Community Government Services.
Hon. Lorne Kusugak: Sorry, I was reading other documents.
Could you rephrase the question, please?
Chairman (interpretation): Sorry about that, Minister Kusugak.
What I was asking was if the minister would be able to tell me and Baker Lake what are the criteria for a health centre replacement.
Is it a 20-year lifespan or a 25-year lifespan, or is it more or less for services required?
Thanks for repeating the question.
Unfortunately, it’s the same answer.
I don’t have the information on lifecycles of hospitals and that knowledge before me, but I could find out for the member.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister Kusugak. Mr. Aupaluktuq.
I’ve got an oral question now for this week for the Minister of Health and Social Services.
Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Aupaluktuq. Mr. Arvaluk.
This capital carryover for $10.5 million doing that, (interpretation) where did I see it… (interpretation ends) Mr. Chairman, I think a better place to ask these carryover questions will be on page 12. I will wait until we get there.
I am a little worried that capital carryovers cost money because in the following year or years, the prices go up and the carryovers are never really true. I’ll just make a general comment now on that because I’m a little bit scared.
For example, one of the capital carryovers is $10.5 million for renovation and equipment for the Qikiqtani General Hospital.
Bill 29, which we will be dealing with down the road, I don’t know when, requests to reallocate $8.5 million from the Qikiqtani General Hospital renovation and equipment projects to the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
What I am afraid of with carryovers or deferring the construction for the renovation of the Qikiqtani General Hospital is that costs will go up.
How do we control that?
Is there any way to forecast exactly what it will cost then when we decided to use $10.5 million eventually for the Qikiqtani General Hospital here in Iqaluit?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Arvaluk. (interpretation ends) I take that as a general comment. (interpretation) I believe that you were going to ask your question on page 12. (interpretation ends) Total Directorate. $14,930,000. Agreed?
Chairman: Total Department. Not Previously Authorized. $14,930,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Page 11.
Environment. Capital. Not Previously Authorized.
Total Program Management. $845,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Total Department. Not Previously Authorized. $845,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Page 12.
Community and Government Services. Capital. Not Previously Authorized.
Capital Planning. Are there any questions on page 12? Mr. Aupaluktuq.
I would like to ask the minister a question while he is here. The Baker Lake Community Hall is listed under capital estimates in the amount of $394,000. I would like to formally ask the minister for the record when the construction of the community hall is to start.
Could he perhaps clarify his question or give us the name of the project?
Minister Peterson, I’m looking at page 12 of the supplementary appropriation.
I would say almost three-quarters way down, you have Baker Lake Community Hall listed.
My question was: for the record, when is this community hall going to be built?
We don’t have that level of detail in our briefing binder.
I defer that question to my colleague, Minister Kusugak, if he has that information available and if he doesn’t, we can certainly find that information for him.
I understand that the construction of the facility is supposed to start this fiscal year and an anticipated completion sometime late fall, Mr. Chairman, from what I understand.
If that information is inaccurate, I will be more than happy to update the Member for Baker Lake, but from what I understand, the construction of the addition to the new facility is supposed to start this summer.
I also thank the hon. ministers for answering that. We already knew in Baker Lake that we were expecting to receive a community hall and I understand that a lot of these buildings have criteria of being replaced when they have a 20 to 25-year lifespan.
Our recreation centre was built in 1984 and the Baker Lake Community Hall is way too small.
So regardless of whether it is previous members that have coordinated this, I thank their efforts for this as well, but it should also be known in Baker Lake that a lot of people enjoy going to Baker Lake for the square dancing and there are some really good jiggers there. I would encourage the hon. minister to come and attend the opening of the community hall when it’s built.
Minister Peterson, if you wish to respond to that.
Do you would want to jig?
I thank Mr. Aupaluktuq for that comment.
I would love to come to Baker Lake as long as I don’t have to jig. I am not a very good jigger.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.  Chairman: Thank you, Minister Peterson.
I am very pleased that Lorne Kusugak and I will be going to Repulse Bay in the month of July. I am very pleased that we’re actually going there to celebrate.
(interpretation ends) The Repulse Bay four-bay garage for $794,000 (interpretation) gave me an idea.
When do you expect to start the construction of the four-bay garage in Repulse Bay with funding of $794,000?
Again, in our briefing materials up here, we don’t have that level of detail. Perhaps my colleague, Minister Kusugak, may and if not, again we will endeavour to provide that information to Mr. Ningark.
Hon. Lorne Kusugak (interpretation): They were supposed to start the construction last year, but the fall was upon us. I believe that the construction will start this coming summer.
I apologize, Mr. Chairman. I keep calling you Mr. Speaker.
So if what I said changed, I will inform Mr. Ningark and I will also see him in Repulse Bay for the opening. I am very pleased to be travelling with him in the future.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister Kusugak. (interpretation) Are you finished, Mr. Ningark?
(interpretation ends) Are there any further questions on page 12? Page 13.
Are there any questions? Agreed?
Capital. Not Previously Authorized. Total Capital Planning. $43,584,000.
The indication for Item 3, “To provide the Government of Nunavut’s 25 % cost share of the Building Canada Fund for the following…” From the previous pages, from 12, 13, and 14, you did not identify whether some of these are, in fact, 25 percent of Nunavut’s share of the Building Canada Fund and 75 percent of Canada’s share. How are they identified?
Where is the Building Canada Fund part of the budget?
Mr. Chairman, we can only vote our 25 percent share of the Building Canada Fund. Seventy-five percent of that is Canada’s share.
We can only vote on our 25 percent share.
I understand from Item 1 and it continues on page 13, Item 2, Item 3, and Item 4 are all of your 25 percent, not including the Building Canada Fund totalling 75 percent.
Mr. Chairman, those are carryovers.
These are carryovers. However, the Government of Canada has already given you their 75 percent before you even started building these projects. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Hon. Keith Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman I thank Mr. Arvaluk for that question.
Mr. Chairman, as I understand it, the Government of Nunavut has to approve our 25 percent share and then the Government of Canada will approve their 75 percent share.
There are over 50 capital projects that have been carried over.
That concerns me. This is very high.
I heard from the grapevine, actually from a quite reliable source, that the Building Canada Fund or a stimulus program for capital infrastructure provided by the federal government might end by March 31, 2011. Once that happens, there might not be infrastructure funds from the federal government.
That 75 percent is a lot of money.
If we have dreams of these… on page 12, $26 million, page 13, $35 million and another $1.6 million, and on page 14, $5 million, for a total of $43,584,000 and you can see three-quarter times that or you can say three more times $43,500,000 is what the federal government is going to contribute.
If we continue to delay or carryover, isn’t there a possibility that we may end up with nothing from the federal government at the end?
Hon. Keith Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank Mr. Arvaluk for that question. I appreciate him for pointing out those issues.
There is an issue identified in my opening comments that there is a record level of capital carryover projects for Nunavut.
The trend seems to be increasing. We had hoped it would go down this year, it has gone up.
Mr. Chairman, with respect to specific questions about Building Canada Fund monies, those funds and that program, I believe, expire in 2013-14 and we can accelerate that program. I think there’s $26.1 million per year. It’s a little bit different than the Canada stimulus programs.
This Building Canada Fund was a seven-year capital program to help us with capital projects in Nunavut.
I don’t know if that answers his question, but I would like to assure him that on this particular program, building capital is not in imminent danger of expiring on March 31, 2011.
So that is signed, sealed, kissed, and whatever, that it’s going to continue until 2014 and there is no danger of losing any of that.
However, I still have a concern that carryovers are quite a bit here and I understand that the government is trying to remedy the situation.
Has the situation improved since that time?
What steps are the government taking in addressing this issue?
If you wish to respond to that, Minister Peterson.
Hon. Keith Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I again thank Mr. Arvaluk for that question.
He is keying in on a very critical issue. As I indicated in my opening comments, the capital carryovers are increasing.
Last year, I believe the number was $82 million and I’m not sure of the numbers prior to that, but they’re turning up and we’re at $96.7 million.
As I had indicated in my opening comments, it might even be… I know politicians don’t like to talk like this, but slow down capital approval of the capital projects so that our officials and contractors can catch up in Nunavut.
That’s actually what you have, Mr. Chairman, roughly $100 million and you’re carrying over the entire capital projects a year.
In the meantime, we would be approving more.
So it creates a lot of workload for our officials.
As Mr. Arvaluk pointed out in earlier comments, when you carryover from one year to the next, the costs of capital projects could increase due to inflation and other factors.
So it’s something we, as ministers and MLAs, should be cognizant of, that it is getting very high.
I believe CGS is looking at ways to address that.
I don’t have any more names for this one.
Total Capital Planning. $43,584,000. Agreed?
Chairman: Total Department. Not Previously Authorized. $43,584,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Page 15. Are there any questions on page 15?
The Iqaluit airport, which is around $1 million, I would like to ask what the status of that project is.
Could Mr. Okalik clarify which? Is it the Iqaluit Air Terminal Building P&D for $2,165,000?
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ll see if I can find it in my pages.
It is expected to be a multi-year project. There are a number of core studies and consultations they are working on together. The current status of the airport master plan is complete, depending on a departmental review.
I know my colleague from Economic Development and Transportation and his officials have been doing a lot of work on this project.
I think it might even be something they’re discussing as a P3 type project.
Mr. Chairman, if Minister Taptuna has any information that he can add to whatever I provided, I would encourage him to provide it.
Hon. Peter Taptuna: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the member for that question.
We anticipate for the planning and design to be complete by 2011.
It is still going to be ongoing, of course, if it is under the Building Canada Fund.
The estimates and the projects are going to be delivered through the Building Canada Fund, like I mentioned. One of the things that we are looking at is December for the completion of the design and the planning, December of 2011.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister Taptuna. (interpretation) Mr. Aupaluktuq, are you finished?
(interpretation ends) Are there any other questions?
Mr. Ningark (interpretation): Are we on page 15?
Thank you. (interpretation ends) Under Item 2, an equipment shelter, is that for a granular crusher or strainer? What are these equipment shelters for airports?
Mr. Chairman, I’ll ask my colleague, Minister Taptuna, if he wants to respond to that question.
The equipment shelters that we’re trying to provide to these communities are exactly that: equipment shelters for the maintenance of the airports/airstrips. As you know, our temperatures in some of the communities are well below minus 30 or minus 40.
For the new types of equipment that we’re getting these days, it’s the cold that does a lot of damage. It’s not the wear and tear for the most part.
It’s the cold starts that do a lot of damage to these equipment and we want to extend the life of these equipment at the airports.
We’re hoping that we could see at least two, three, maybe up to four years of extended life just because of the shelters.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister Taptuna. (interpretation) Mr. Ningark, thank you.
I almost forgot an item on page 15, the Iqaluit Regional Marine Facility, $532,000.
I would like to ask what that is to be used for.
We have so many capital carryover projects that it takes us a bit of time to be able to find the briefing notes on it.
It’s for design work, community and stakeholder consultations, and their developing cost estimates.
If my colleague, Minister Taptuna, wants to provide any further level of detail, I invite him to do that.
Exactly that as my colleague has indicated and for the design and consultations. At this time, we’re trying to get a better estimate on the overall costing.
Mr. Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) So nothing will happen if we just use this money. (interpretation) That is it.
Hon. Keith Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank Mr. Okalik for that comment.
As members know, it’s important to do planning and design because we get accurate costs. You have to have stakeholder consultations, particularly with this community. So we’re hopeful that by doing a lot of planning, design, and consultations, we will get a project that will be viable for the community.
On page 15.
I would like to recommend that we conclude this page and adjourn for the day.
We’re almost done with this, so I would suggest that we complete it and then we can adjourn.
Is that okay with you? Mr. Ningark.
Are you recommending that we extend the hour until we conclude the whole bill?
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. No?
Chairman: Mr. Ningark, I would like to ask you if you are, in fact, moving a motion to report progress.
Mr. Ningark: Thank you. I was suggesting that we conclude to page 15 and then recognize the clock.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Thank you, Mr. Ningark.
It’s a learning curve for me.
Are you in agreement to conclude this page and then to report progress?
Chairman: Given that fact, we will continue with the review of Bill 28 in Committee of the Whole tomorrow.
Thank you. Pardon me.
Mr. Okalik (interpretation): I’m sorry. (interpretation ends) We’re at page 15, right, and there’s just one more page after this, so could we just do that?
Economic Development on page 15. Transportation. Capital.
Not Previously Authorized. Transportation on page 16. Total Transportation. $13,948,000. (interpretation) Do you agree?
There is a question. Mr. Aupaluktuq.
Mr. Aupaluktuq: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, colleagues.
This won’t take too much time.
Under the Baker Lake Airport Improvements, $1,250,000, just a little bit of brief history.
Our airport terminal was built in 1983. It is 26 years old.
There is no sitting space for people in the lounge and during the winter, most people wait in their vehicles because there is no space to sit in the lounge. There are three airlines crowded for counter spaces. One airline’s check in space even overlaps a scale and also sits right in front of the main luggage compartment.
As Mr. Taptuna indicated, some communities get well into the minus 40 below. Baker Lake is well known to get into the minus 40 to minus 50 degree range.
Under this one, Mr. Chairman, I do have one question.
We are spending $1.25 million in funding to improvements to the Baker Lake Airport. This represents the GN’s 25 percent cost share through the Building Canada Fund. What is the scope of work for this project and when is it scheduled to be completed?
Mr. Chairman, just to clarify, the $1,250,000 is our 25 percent share of the project, so it’s a much larger project.
To the scope and details of the project, I will ask my colleague, Minister Taptuna, to answer.
Mr. Aupaluktuq: What I wanted to ask, as I understand, the minister told me that this is part of a scope of a larger project.
My question specifically was: when is it scheduled to be completed and what is in this project?
I don’t have that level of detail. I’ll ask my colleague, Minister Taptuna, to respond.
Hon. Peter Taptuna: I apologize, Mr. Chairman.
I’ll have to get back to the member with the appropriate information.
I would like to ask a question in regard to the Pangnirtung Airport Surfacing, $300,000.
Will they be resurfacing it with gravel or tar?
What is the Pangnirtung Airport Surfacing project and what does it contain?
I thank Adamee for that question. It’s a very good question.
I have been to Pangnirtung and the airport is right in the community, so I hear your concern with dust. It’s very unusual for an airport to be right in the middle of a town in my experience.
I don’t have that level of detail here, Mr. Chairman, so I’m going to again ask my colleague, Minister Taptuna, if he can answer and if he can’t answer that question, we will certainly provide the information as early as possible.
I will now recognize the clock.
In order for us to do a little bit of housekeeping here, I will now recognize the clock.
I will now rise. We will again be able to continue with Bill 28 in Committee of the Whole.
(interpretation) Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort Minister Peterson and his officials out.
(interpretation ends) I will now rise to report progress.
Mr. Ningeongan: Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bills 33, 34, and 28 and would like to report that Bills 33 and 34 are immediately ready to be called through for third reading.
The motion is in order. All those in favour of the motion, raise your hand, please.
Bill 33 – An Act to Amend the Integrity Act – Third Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Iqaluit Centre, that Bill 33, An Act to Amend the Integrity Act, be read for the third time.
Bill 33 is ready for assent.
Bill 34 – An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act – Third Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Iqaluit Centre, that Bill 34, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, be read for the third time.
Bill 34 is ready for assent.
A reminder for a meeting tomorrow morning at 8:30 in the Nanuq Room [with] the Standing Committee on Legislation, again at 8:30 in the morning.
This House stands adjourned until Tuesday, June 8, at 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Pages 2246 – 2306
Opening Prayer 2246
Ministers’ Statements 2246
Members’ Statements 2249
Oral Questions 2249
Written Questions 2265
Replies to Opening Address 2266
Petitions 2267
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills 2268
Tabling of Documents 2269
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 2270
Point of Order 2280
Report of the Committee of the Whole 2304
Third Reading of Bills 2304
Tuesday, June 8, 2010 2246
170 – 3(2): Agnico-Eagle Meadowbank Mine Official Opening This Month (Taptuna) 2246
171 – 3(2): Child and Family Services Review (Curley) 2247
172 – 3(2): Teacher Education Program in Gjoa Haven (Tapardjuk) 2247
173 – 3(2): Kitikmeot Tour (Taptuna) 2248
266 – 3(2): Community Concerns Regarding Seismic Testing in Lancaster Sound (Elliott) 2249
402 – 3(2): Support to Municipalities to Hire Summer Students (Ningark) 2249
403 – 3(2): Status of Polar Bear Co-Management Agreements (Rumbolt) 2250
404 – 3(2): Status of Gjoa Haven High School Renovations (Ugyuk) 2252
405 – 3(2): Nunavut Housing Trust Audit (Ningeongan) 2253
406 – 3(2): Akitsiraq Law Program Funding (Okalik) 2254
407 – 3(2): Training Options under Nunavut Housing Corporation (Komoartok) 2256
408 – 3(2): Status of Nunavut Housing Corporation Responses to Standing Committee Recommendations (Schell) 2258
409 – 3(2): Nunavut Outfitters Liability Protection Fund (Elliott) 2261
410 – 3(2): Wage Subsidies to Hire Summer Students (Ningark) 2262
411 – 3(2): Status of Municipal Funding Review (Ningeongan) 2264
019 – 3(2): Department of EIA’s Contract for Work Related to the Suicide Prevention Strategy (Elliott) 2265
005 – 3(2): Petition to Hold a Public Inquiry into the Wisdom of Allowing Uranium Mining in Nunavut (Elliott) 2267
011 – 3(2): Bill 15, Legal Treatment of Apologies Act (Okalik) 2268
012 – 3(2): Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Judicature Act (Okalik) 2268
013 – 3(2): Bill 17, Justice Statutes Amendment Act (Okalik) 2268
014 – 3(2): Bill 26, Securities Transfer Act (Okalik) 2269
015 – 3(2): Bill 32, Forgiveness of Debts Act, 2010 (Okalik) 2269
171 – 3(2): Dry Cargo Resupply Program Activity Summary – Shipping Year 2009 (Kusugak) 2269
172 – 3(2): Knowledge Sharing Forum: A Review of Child Welfare Practices in Nunavut, December 15 to 17, 2009, Final Report 2010 (Curley) 2270
173 – 3(2): Nunavut Outfitter Liability Protection Fund Annual Report, 2009-2010 (Peterson) 2270
174 – 3(2): Final Report: A Training and Development Perspective – A New Reality: Financial Operations in the Government of Nunavut (Peterson) 2270
175 – 3(2): Natural Resources Conservation Trust Fund (Shewchuk) 2270
Bill 28 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 1, 2010-2011 – Consideration in Committee 2271
Bill 30 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, No. 1, 2010-2011 – Consideration in Committee 2273
Bill 31 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, No. 2, 2010-2011 – Consideration in Committee 2286
Bill 27 – An Act to Amend the Workers’ Compensation Act – Third Reading 2304
Bill 28 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 1, 2010-2011 – Third Reading 2305
Bill 30 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, No. 1, 2010-2011 – Third Reading 2305
Honourable Eva Aariak, Honourable James Arreak, Mr. James Arvaluk, Honourable Tagak Curley, Mr. Ron Elliott, Mr. Adamee Komoartok, Honourable Lorne Kusugak, Mr. John Ningark, Mr. Johnny Ningeongan, Mr. Paul Okalik, Honourable Keith Peterson, Mr. Allan Rumbolt, Mr. Fred Schell, Honourable Daniel Shewchuk, Honourable Louis Tapardjuk, Honourable Peter Taptuna, Honourable Hunter Tootoo, Jeannie Ugyuk.
Speaker (Hon. James Arreak) (interpretation): Before we proceed with our orders of the day, I would like to ask Mr. Shewchuk to say the opening prayer.
Good afternoon, Premier, Ministers, Members of the Legislative Assembly, and Nunavummiut.
Minister’s Statement 170 – 3(2): Agnico-Eagle Meadowbank Mine Official Opening This Month (Taptuna)
On June 18, later on this month, Agnico-Eagle Mines will be conducting the official opening and dedication of the Meadowbank Mine near Baker Lake.
It is a visit and ceremony that I look forward to attending.
This is yet another milestone in transforming the recognized mineral wealth of Nunavut into new opportunities for Nunavummiut and as many as 1,200 people at a time were employed during construction, with about 20 percent being Nunavut hires.
Mr. Speaker, 330 people are on staff as the mine settles into normal operations and already 25 percent of these are Nunavummiut.
That percentage is certain to grow as more skilled tradespersons take advantage of the many training opportunities.