EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Perhaps it may be this summer where the successful applicants will be notified and identified.
Keep in mind, as per my previous remarks, that we received 82 applications and we only have 25 spots for these applicants.
Once it is clear, out of that group that number will be selected. However, we anticipate that this summer.
The start date is in the fall and September 2017 is when the first scheduled classes will commence.
Question 675 – 4(3): Delays in Obtaining Driver’s Licences (Mapsalak)
Mr. Speaker, I was informed by Naujaat’s SAO that they’re quite concerned that when you want to renew your driver’s licence or do your first test, it takes an extremely long time to get the licence back.
One person, perhaps a long-term hamlet employee whose licence was going to expire, has had to wait for over a year. There are also people who have been waiting for more than six months.
I will ask the minister: if someone is from the Kivalliq, where are the driver’s licences processed?
My department is always working diligently on dealing with driver’s licences and photo IDs.
The local GLOs are the ones who deal with driver’s licences for all communities and they deal with the applications.
I am well aware of the position that administers the applications, as people approach the GLO.
My question relates to the process after the application. When the GLO submits the application, for example, if they are from the Kivalliq, where do they send the application for the renewal of their driver’s licences?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Economic Development and Transportation, Ms. Monica Ell-Kanayuk.
The government liaison officers in the communities work in partnership with the motor vehicle services division that administer this program. They operate out of Gjoa Haven, here in Iqaluit, and in your case it would be sent to the Rankin Inlet office. There are also offices in Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk where these applications are processed.
Now we have daily flights, with some days having two flights between Naujaat and Rankin Inlet, and I believe that is the case for the entire region.
With that number of flights to Rankin Inlet, as I seemed to understand that the Rankin Inlet office receives these applications if you are from the Kivalliq region, are the motor vehicles employees working at that office sufficient to handle the number of applications?
Is this due to a capacity issue?
To my information, they have sufficient staff.
The difficulties arise when the paperwork is not done properly and then returned to the community.
They have to ask for more information on some applications.
All the information is required for the application to move forward.
Question 676 – 4(3): Annual Bulk Fuel Resupply (Enook)
The Petroleum Products Division of the department is responsible for Nunavut’s annual bulk fuel resupply.
In recent years the government has attempted to save money by pre-purchasing fuel early in the year before the summer resupply season.
My first question is: can the minister confirm today how much of this year’s bulk fuel supply has been pre-purchased?
To date we have purchased 100 percent of our gasoline supply for 2017-18 and 100 percent of our jet-A fuel for the same year.
We have not purchased any diesel P50 yet.
We’re still waiting and analyzing the market.
It is my understanding that the government’s current supply and transportation contract with Woodward’s Oil Limited for delivery to Eastern Arctic communities expires after this year’s resupply season.
Will the government be issuing a new request for proposals for bulk fuel resupply or will it be exercising its option to simply extend the current contract for an additional one or two years?
I don’t have that information in front of me. I don’t know exactly what the contract says, but usually at the end of any contract, if there are provisions for extensions, they may or may not be exercised.
If they’re not, then an RFP would go out.
Question 677 – 4(3): Problems in Obtaining Driver’s Licences (Enook)
I would like to get clarification in regard to problems with obtaining driver’s licences.
In my community at least, I know that there’s a very dire problem and sometimes they have to wait up to a year to obtain a new driver’s licence.
Without telling the applicant that their application is not written well enough or is missing information, sometimes they have to wait a year for their driver’s licence.
What is the cause of this problem?
Maybe I didn’t quite understand part of the member’s question, the reason why they have to wait a year for their driver’s licence.
Perhaps you can work with the individual who has been waiting too long and send him or her to our office. There could be a number of reasons for the delay.
We do work in conjunction with the GLOs and if there is a capacity or training issue, we try to provide training, as well as processing applications.
I would want to meet with the member to ensure I completely understand the case and how we can move forward.
Another factor is the changes to the driver’s licence applications, as by fiscal year 2018 the Motor Vehicle Information System will be made available to all communities.
The preparations are underway to have a smoother process related to the driver’s licence process when everything is up and running.
As the minister knows, we have been talking about this problem or issue for many years and I know that this is not the first time we mentioned it.
I believe it has been four years that I have been participating in trying to resolve this issue and it has not been resolved.
In the communities we don’t know exactly what is wrong.
Perhaps your department knows.
What is the cause of this problem and why do people have to wait a long time?
Many of us are not informed that the application is not written well or is missing information, and this is without letting the applicant know.
Sometimes the applicant will have to wait a year because they have no idea what the problem is.
I would like to ask the minister: what is causing the problem of having to wait a year for our driver’s licences?
If their driver’s licence expired, they can extend it for another year by going to the office where they can extend the driver’s licence again.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to say that nobody has come to my office to complain about their driver’s licence not coming in. There has been only one case of someone who came to my office to say that they can’t wait any longer for their driver’s licence.
At the time we worked with the individual and they obtained their driver’s licence right away.
When we don’t know the cause or the reason why the individuals are waiting long, I can say that we’re willing to work closely with people.
I’m stating the facts.
In my community and I believe all of us, and I can see nodding of the heads, we are told that the process is not satisfactory because they wait a very long time.
We have no idea what the problem is.
Your department should know why there is a problem with the process because we don’t know.
We just wait for our driver’s licences.
In Pond Inlet we believed that the process took so long because they were waiting to get many applications before they sent them out.
The reason why I’m asking this is because a couple of months ago in Pond Inlet many received their driver’s licences at the same time.
We started thinking that perhaps they wait to send the applications in bulk.
There are many interrelated factors that can result in delays.
In addition to completing the application forms, we need to send out these applications.
As we all know, the postal service isn’t very speedy, but it is required to send and return the licences.
I can concur with you on this matter, as I went to the (interpretation ends) Canada Bank Note (interpretation) Company down in Ottawa, where they also produce the newest form of driver’s licences. The office is quite complex and the production of driver’s licences involves several steps.
They can’t just produce a single licence as it is designed for bulk production. They have procedures that disallow the production of a single licence and they can only produce them in bulk.
That can be the factor resulting in these delays.
Question 678 – 4(3): School Security (Okalik)
I am very sorry to say that the school in Kugaaruk burned down and was totally destroyed.
It’s not the first school that was totally destroyed and having to see these kinds of incidents is not good because the schools are very beneficial to the communities.
Now that they are being burned down, I think it’s time to look at measures or something to protect the schools.
I have visited many communities outside of Nunavut and I saw that they have fences at some schools.
Perhaps the schools should have fences around them. That way we could protect them better from arson and vandals.
Can the minister commit to looking into these kinds of measures?
At this time we have reviewed various ways of how we can protect our schools.
In regard to the member’s question we had reviewed this issue on how we can protect our schools because we value them.
We have looked at that aspect.
When we are constructing schools or when we’re making additions to our schools, those are the issues that we consider.
Education has a limit.
When will the Department of Education finish reviewing and when are they going to start implementing the protection plan so that there won’t be another school burning down? Schools are very valuable to Nunavummiut.
I can tell my colleague that nowadays some of our schools have fences under them because they are built above the ground.
As I stated, we wanted to build a fence all around the schools and we’re looking at options on how to keep the schools safe.
Perhaps building a regular fence around the schools is another option that we had wanted to try.
In some communities they are starting a neighbourhood watch. We have discussed this matter with the neighbourhood watch, the municipalities, and municipal by-laws if they could do more supervision.
We looked at various options and we have been working on them, but we have already started building fences beneath the schools and foundations.
If we’re going to be constructing new schools, we carefully look at the foundations of the schools.
For example, in Cape Dorset the school is closer to the ground so that people can’t crawl underneath it.
These are some of the things that we’re doing to keep our schools safe.
If he completed his response, I wasn’t going to add another question, but now I’ll ask it.
This is not the first time a school has been burned down. Perhaps your department has looked at and started to learn why the children commit arson so that we can stop it from happening to the schools.
At this time we have already started working on parental engagement.
We definitely need to involve the parents and we have to discipline and provide advice to our children.
We also base our work on parental engagement. That’s all I can say.
We need to involve the parents more so that they can start talking to their children.
We have already started parental engagement with DEAs to involve the parents.
Perhaps they can hold meetings to discuss this matter because the whole community is involved, not just the Department of Education.
The whole community has to be involved, especially the parents.
Committee Report 022 – 4(3): Bill 28, An Act to Amend Certain Acts Respecting Codes and Standards (Sammurtok, T)
I wish to report that Bill 28, An Act to Amend Certain Acts Respecting Codes and Standards, has been reviewed by the Standing Committee on Legislation and that the bill, as amended and reprinted, is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Bill 28 will appear on the order paper on Friday, March 10.
Tabled Document 276 – 4(3): Report on the Community Transportation Initiatives Program 2016-2017 (Ell-Kanayuk)
Today I am tabling the Community Transportation Initiatives Program 2016-17.
Tabled Document 277 – 4(3): Department of Environment’s Nunavut Fisheries Strategy, 2016-2020 (Savikataaq)
Today I would like to table the Department of Environment’s Nunavut Fisheries Strategy 2016-2020.
Notices of Motions. (interpretation ends) Item 15.
Member for Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet, Mr. Tom. Sammurtok.
Motion 044 – 4(3): Extension of Review Period for Bill 29, An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act (Sammurtok, T)
WHEREAS Bill 29, An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act, received second reading on November 8, 2016;
AND WHEREAS Bill 29 has been referred to the Standing Committee on Legislation for consideration;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Hon. Member for Iqaluit-Niaqunnguu, that the period of time for the standing committee to report Bill 29 back to the House be extended by a further 120 days.
The Hon. Minister of Education, Hon. Paul Quassa.
Bill 37 – An Act to Amend the Education Act and the Inuit Language Protection Act – First Reading
Hon. Paul Quassa: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Arviat North, that Bill 37, An Act to Amend the Education Act and the Inuit Language Protection Act, be read for the first time.
The Hon. Minister of Justice, Hon. Keith Peterson.
Bill 40 – Corrections Act – First Reading
Hon. Keith Peterson: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Arviat South, that Bill 40, Corrections Act, be read for the first time.
[Consideration in] Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters. Bills 19, 26, 32, 33, 34, and 35 with Mr. Enook in the Chair.
>>House recessed at 15:30 and Committee resumed at 15:56
First of all, everyone listening or watching the televised proceedings in Nunavut, welcome to your committee.
In Committee of the Whole we have the following items to deal with: Bills 19, 26, 32, 33, 34, and 35.
Mr. Chairman, we wish to continue with Bill 34 and continue with the review of the main estimates of the Department of Finance, followed by the Department of Economic Development and Transportation and, if time permits, we will proceed to the review of Nunavut Arctic College.
At this time, Minister Peterson, would you like to have officials join you at the witness table?
Yes, I have two witnesses I would like to join me. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
To my right is Jeff Chown, Deputy Minister of Finance, and to my left is Alma Power, Associate Deputy Minister of Finance in charge of human resources.
Mr. Chown and Ms. Power, welcome to the House.
Before we get to our meeting, on behalf of my colleagues here, we have heard that Mr. Chown is celebrating his wedding anniversary, so we congratulate him.
Let’s now get down to business.
We are on page C-4. Finance.
We had the opportunity yesterday to comment on the opening comments.
My apologies. No, we did not have an opportunity.
The opening comments were made by Minister Peterson and the committee.
If there are any general comments, I now give you the opportunity to make them. Please note that the contents of the minister’s opening comments are covered under the different branches of the department and you can ask your detailed questions under the appropriate pages.
I don’t think anyone has general comments. We will go to page C-4.
It reads, Finance. Corporate Management. The first person wishing to speak is Mr. Okalik.
Mr. Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) Knowing that Mr. Chown is a good Habs fan, I noticed that the Habs waited ‘til past midnight to win their game last night, so they must have heard about Mr. Chown’s wedding anniversary and wanted them to celebrate properly.
They cost me a bit of sleep, but I’m glad that they won for you last night.
(interpretation) Mr. Chairman, we have to start reviewing what the corporate management is planning to do. It states here that the liquor commission is included there. I have questions on that for the minister.
(interpretation ends) In September of 2013 the minister made a commitment to the Assembly that yes, we would consult with neighbouring communities prior to opening a beer and wine store.
I would like to ask the minister if the neighbouring communities around Iqaluit have been consulted on the beer and wine store. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Hon. Keith Peterson: Mr. Chairman, that was a long time ago, but I believe those minutes or that one page was tabled out of context.
It was a large discussion at the time based on a letter from the mayor of Hall Beach, which was only sent to the standing committee, not to myself.
I recall something to the effect that Hall Beach had wanted a plebiscite with the neighbouring community of Igloolik to be consulted.
We said, “More than likely” or something like that, if they would be consulted, but the thing is we didn’t say they would be consulted before the plebiscite because there’s no point in having consultations if the local community has made their determination that they want to proceed.
Again, as I have said many times over the years, there was a task force going around every community for close to two and half years and made their recommendations. There were extensive consultations here in Iqaluit and a plebiscite.
I don’t want to revisit all that, but the people of Iqaluit decided that they want us to open up a beer and wine store pilot project, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Okalik, do you have another question?
We are starting to hear concerns from the outside communities and how they are going to be affected by the sale of beer and wine in our community.
What kind of a response are we going to provide for those communities?
What are we going to do so that they are not affected by the sale of beer and wine here in Iqaluit?
Hon. Keith Peterson: Mr. Chairman, we just discussed the Beer and Wine Store Regulations today in question period, but they were passed in 2015, shortly after the outcome of the plebiscite, which 78 percent of the voters who showed up voted in favour. The regulations would require any adult to make an application and then supply photo identification in their application. We’re still working on the application forms and thank you to the MLAs today for asking those questions because that helps us.
If they’re approved, they would be allowed to purchase one case of beer a day and two bottles of wine maximum.
Now, if an individual is from another community or a restricted community and they’re here, we can’t stop them from drinking. They can just go to a bar. They can go to a lounge.
They can go to special occasions. We can’t stop them unless they’re on a court order where they can’t drink. It’s their responsibility to make sure they don’t breach their probation.
The alcohol education committees in their respective communities, if the community is prohibited, then the individual coming from a community must respect the local decision to be prohibited.
You can’t bring in alcohol and if you wanted to bring in alcohol to a restricted community, of course you would have to bring it in according to the permit that you would have to get approved by the alcohol education committee.
If you’re here, you would have to get a permit.
If you were in one of the communities, you would have to go to that alcohol education committee and get that permit.
One way or the other, you have to respect the local decision on how much alcohol you can bring into the community.
I grew up in a prohibited community, but we had more alcohol than free communities like Iqaluit.
How are you going to respond to the concerns of the prohibited and restricted communities about the opening of a beer and wine store? How are those concerns going to be addressed?
It has been well documented over the years what the intention of the beer and wine store is and that’s to make available affordable beer with 5 percent alcohol content and wine with 13 to 17 percent alcohol content.
The intention is to disrupt the bootleggers that exist, their business, and hopefully reduce the binge drinking.
Part and parcel with all of this, the Department of Finance has a social responsibility program which we’re almost ready to roll out, which will provide materials to all communities about social responsibility, drinking socially and drinking responsibly.
There is information that shows that 12 ounces of beer is equal to 5 ounces of a glass of wine or 1.5 ounces of hard alcohol.
You’re going to have to drink an awful lot of beer to get the same effect as a small amount of hard liquor. It’s 40 percent.
We have seen the evidence from Greenland over the years that when they introduced beer and wine stores, the drinking decreased and it became safer in their communities. There is evidence from Northern Quebec that it’s trending in the same direction.
Again, this is a three-year pilot project to be monitored by the government to see if there’s any impact on the local community, like any negative impacts, and then at the conclusion after three years it will be evaluated.
As I indicated earlier, I grew up in a prohibited community and there was alcohol available. We used to try to finish it as fast as possible, whether it was hard liquor or not. There’s a sudden effect when you’re drinking too fast, whether it’s beer or hard liquor.
It’s kind of hard to believe that low alcohol content will have less of an impact. I have blacked out on beer and wine. Even though that’s the case, they’re still alcohol.
The outlying communities are concerned about this issue. How are you going to respond to the communities’ concerns?
It’s very interesting Mr. Okalik asked a question like that, if they were in a prohibited community.
I have appeared at mayors’ meetings over the years and mayors of communities where prohibition is in place and they say they have a lot of serious drinking.
Some communities over the years have asked for additional police officers in a community that’s “dry.”
You know there’s a demand.
Where there’s demand, bootleggers will spring up to supply that demand by selling bottles of booze.
A 60-ouncer for some communities, I have heard, is $500 a bottle, a mickey is $300 to $350.
The beer and wine store is not hard alcohol; it is beer and wine.
Imagine, Mr. Chairman, if you try to hide a case of beer, which is 12 or a flat of beer which is 24 cans, in your suitcase, you could, but to what point?
The amount of alcohol in 24 cans of beer is probably half or less than a 60 oz. bottle of hard liquor.
Why would a bootlegger take that risk? Wine is the same. Small bottles of wine aren’t nearly as impactful as a mickey of hard stuff.
We will educate people and we will put that information out. We’re talking about a social responsibility program. We will put materials out.
People probably already know about the danger of alcohol.
The alcohol education committees do have materials. They do work with the communities. We have committed to providing additional materials, resource materials and training to support the good work that those committees do in their communities.
Mr. Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I didn’t get a response to my question. What are you going to be doing about the concerns of the communities?
It’s going to have an effect on their lives.
How are you going to deal with the concerns of the communities?
The beer and wine store is going to be open this year.
You’re downplaying that it’s just beer and wine, but I don’t agree with that at all because I have blacked out a lot of times by drinking beer and wine too fast.
We have to get the response as soon as possible.
When you are in a prohibited community, you try to finish the alcohol as soon as possible because it’s going to be taken away if they find that you have these products.
Can you respond to me as to how you’re going to deal with this so that the alcohol doesn’t go to the outlying communities?
Again, shortly after the plebiscite here in Iqaluit, as I said, 78 percent of the people who had voted that day voted in favour of opening a beer and wine store. The cabinet approved the Beer and Wine Store Regulations in which it said that any adult can apply for a customer account and supply appropriate ID.
We’re still working on the criteria, but that would limit any customer to purchasing and you would have to have a customer account to purchase one case of beer per day and two bottles of wine. It’s not going to be purchasing hard alcohol.