EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
The Kitikmeot Corporation is one of the joint venture partner owners of this company.
Mr. Speaker, this joint venture idea came up during a brainstorming session in a coffee shop in Whitehorse, Yukon, back in 1997, long before there was a producing diamond mine in Canada.
Today, Diamonds International Canada holds the valuation contracts for the Ekati, Diavik, Snap Lake and Tahera diamond mines. They are all located in the north.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the Members of the House to join me in congratulating Kitikmeot Corporation and their joint venture partners Beh Cho Ko and Nishi Khon Enterprises from the Northwest Territories, and WWW International Diamonds Ltd. from London, England on the success of their company, Diamonds International Canada Limited.
Mr. Speaker, bright days lie ahead.
Member's Statement 061 – 2(3): Letter to CRTC – Call Display Services to Gjoa Haven (Aglukkaq)
I have recently written a letter to CRTC, Canadian Radio and Television Commission, in reference to call display services for Gjoa Haven.
This letter is in addition to letters from the community, from the hamlet council, as well as a number of petitions from residents of Gjoa Haven. Last year, the CRTC denied the application by Northwestel to install call display service. At that time CRTC ruled that it would not be economical for Northwestel to provide such services.
Mr. Speaker, these types of services are available to all communities of similar size in Canada.
Once again we are not being provided equivalent services. Currently a number of my constituents have been calling me and expressing complaints, concerns I should say, about constant harassment calls and crank calls all throughout the day, evenings and all through the night.
I have also experienced that personally.
Unfortunately without the use of call display services, we have no other alternative but to contact the local RCMP to install tracers on our phones.
Mr. Speaker, I believe we have better use for our RCMP officers than tracking down people that make nuisance calls.
When the complaint is filed it becomes a long process of attempting to trace the callers.
Currently there are a number of active files dealing with these types of complaints and I’ve had an opportunity to sit down with the local RCMP and at one point in one month there were over 20 files.
Mr. Speaker, call display would discourage these types of harassment and would identify the caller that initiates these calls.
I encourage the CRTC and Northwestel to reconsider the application for call display services as soon as possible.
Gjoa Haven residents are entitled to harassment free Northwestel services.
Member’s Statement 062 – 2(3): Weather Information Services in Nunavut (Kilabuk)
Mr. Speaker, as we all know as Members of this Legislature, Pangnirtung has strong winds.
The forecast for Pangnirtung for land and water…I have been talking to people in Edmonton in regard to the storm offshore.
I understood that the federal government deals with the offshore and then tells the ships to be cautious with storms offshore.
I think as we all know as Members of the Legislative Assembly and as a public whenever the ice does not come in early there are hunters that go out hunting.
They want to be able to hunt and the hunters are in a dangerous position and we have to be able to find out what the weather is going to be.
I would like the members and the people of my constituency to be aware so that they can have a safe hunt.
Member’s Statement 063 – 2(3): Iqaluit Music Society, Coffee House (Tootoo)
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to bring the Members’ attention to a joyful event, a fun event that is going to be happening this weekend.
The  Iqaluit Music Society is going to be hosting a coffee house Saturday evening at the Inukshuk High School.
Mr. Speaker, these coffee houses have been going on for a number of years now and they showcase local talent, be it traditional or contemporary artists.
All amateur.
So I understand that is why Mr. Picco hasn’t been invited to perform at this event because it is an amateur event and they want people to show up, so I encourage all Members if they want to see some excellent upcoming local talent to come Saturday evening to Inukshuk high school and participate in the coffee house.
Member’s Statement 064 – 2(3): Regular Medical Check-ups (Barnabas)
Mr. Barnabas (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker and good afternoon.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to represent my constituents and my constituents have said quite a while ago the CD Howe Medical Ship used to come in to the communities to do medical checkups on the people in the communities of Nunavut, but, today, we have the hospitals that we can go to and the doctor to check us out.
The older people in the communities will not go to the doctors themselves to get a check up, even if they get sick.
For that reason, they should have regular medical checkups just like they did years ago, because sometimes the people that have sicknesses don’t go to the doctors regularly.
Because they don’t go to the doctors regularly, they find out much later that they have cancer and I would like that to continue; to go get checkups by the doctor.
Orders of the Day for today. Item 4.
Under my minister’s statement, I talked about the elders.
I would like to name the Elder’s Council: Elijah Erkloo from Pond Inlet, and behind him, Leoni Qunnullu and Anthony Qunnullu from Igloolik.
Those are advisors or councillors in regard to Inuit traditions and they do some healing work.
As well, the person who is now living in Iqaluit that works for the Department of Justice, Lucien Ukaliannuk will be helping out as well.
Also, here in the Gallery today, Raigilee Piungituq from Clyde River, who is going to be working with this group, also the assistant, Jake Gearhart.
Also, Louise Haulli from Igloolik, who will be doing some work as well in Igloolik. I would like to recognize them.
I rise today to welcome, at this time, they couldn’t leave to go to Keewatin and they are weathered out here.
Bernadette Dean is one of them.
I won’t be able to name all of them.
There are six people from the communities that have gone down to Concordia University in Montreal to attend a youth leadership workshop for one week.
I would like to welcome all of them to Iqaluit and thank them.
Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say that they had to apply and fill out a questionnaire from Chesterfield Inlet, but nobody applied from Chesterfield Inlet, but they are from Naujaat and Rankin Inlet.
They are going to have another workshop.
Maybe one of these days they will be sitting here and become Deputy Ministers.
I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome to the gallery an individual that is no stranger to Iqaluit, but is probably finding it strange since she used to live here many years ago, I think when it used to be called Frobisher Bay, that is Sheila McPherson.
Ms. McPherson is a lawyer of a law firm out of Yellowknife that has done a lot of outstanding work on human rights cases in the north.
I’d like to acknowledge her on behalf of those individuals that she has helped. Also with her is Mr. Brad Armstrong, who is also with the law firm.
Recognition of Visitors in the gGallery.
Orders of the Day. Item 6.
Question 070 – 2(3): DEA Responsibilities (Tootoo)
My question is for the finely tuned, vocal Minister of Education.
Earlier this week the minister tabled a working draft of the Nunavut Adult Learning Strategy.
I noted that proposed action number 2.3 within that strategy is to transform District Education Authorities into Community Education Councils, which would have added responsibility for coordinating all community-based learning activities.
Can the minister clarify for this House how he expects the District Education Authorities to take on additional responsibilities when many of them, if not all of them, are struggling to meet their current responsibilities with limited support, funding, and resources?
As the member mentioned the Adult Learning Strategy is a draft.
The idea of tabling it is to get feedback from not only the members in the House, but of course, the constituency at large, which is all Nunavummiut.
The clarification that the member requests concerns the issue of DEA operations, which are also, of course, part and focus of the Education Act review that is underway.
What has happened in the past Mr. Speaker, in some communities the usual K to 12 principal and various education officials from the school attend regular meetings with the DEAs. Some community’s work with the Adult Educator, and the Community Learning Centre is not as well defined.
The opportunity in the strategy is to look at a coordination of all adult learning in the community and have that facilitation encompass what occurs with the local DEA.
Mr. Speaker, I’ve had an opportunity to meet with all the DEA chairs across Nunavut in the past twelve months, and I can honestly say to you that some of the DEAs, I would say a minority, have some issues with the logistics, as well administrative processes within their operation.
But Mr. Speaker, the majority of our DEAs are working very well and I believe they would be able to look at enriching their role on the total learning that occurs in our communities.
I am glad to hear the Minister indicate that. I know that’s a message that the government has been sending out since the dissolution of the Divisional Boards of Education that they wanted to give the District Education Authorities more responsibility and authority.
Mr. Speaker, does the Minister agree that when allocating responsibility that there should be a commitment to provide adequate resources, funding and more importantly, authority to enable a body to meet those responsibilities.
Mr. Speaker, again if we just refer back to the Adult Learning Strategy, which is a draft paper, what we are trying to say in that draft is that there are opportunities within bringing forward a new way of looking at the way we deliver education in Nunavut. That is a fundamental shift.
That includes all the learners from K-12 and the adult learning side. The Adult Learning Strategy suggests that there is a role for community development programs in communities, through our local District Education Authorities, to be able to coordinate that in probably a more efficient way and to facilitate that at the local level.
If that comes to pass and if that is accepted as part of the Adult Learning Strategy and logistic and administrative and financial needs are brought forward that the District Education Authorities need, then that would be encompassing on the government to be able to do that.
Mr. Speaker, it sounds like the Minister is having a hard time with his words.
Mr. Speaker, if and I know that this is just a draft Mr. Speaker, but if the proposed action 2.3 which is on page 22 of the strategy is adopted by the department, the Minister indicated that it would be…the government would move on it.
Would the Minister now then commit to providing adequate resources, funding and authority to enable these newly formed community education councils to realistically meet their responsibilities?
Mr. Speaker, I don’t want to preclude the information that will be forthcoming from the different groups, stakeholders, communities and the District Education Authorities on the strategy, which is a draft.
The Member said if this goes forward and so on. That is hypothetical. If I got $5 million tomorrow I could give it to the Member, then that would be a nice thing.
Mr. Speaker, what I am suggesting to you is that once the Adult Learning Strategy is complete, we have all the information from the different stakeholders and different organizations throughout Nunavut, we’ll be able to look at some of the positions and points in the strategy and then be able to develop a way to facilitate that.
In that context, Mr. Speaker, then the answer would be in the affirmative. If, and again if because it is a hypothetical question, if that has to occur if that goes forward. So I hope that helps clarify the Member’s questions.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to let the Minister know if you had a million or $5 million I would settle for a million and he can keep 4 for himself.
Mr. Speaker, I guess what I am looking for here and I know the communities through community empowerment experimented in the past and with the DEAs and the dissolution of the Divisional Boards of Education, there was a view of these bodies the government was just offloading responsibilities to the communities and to these different agencies that they were looking at giving responsibility for things with no resources.
Will the Minister commit that if this process goes forward, he will pursue it in a way that it would not be…and ensure and communicate well to those groups the DEAs, that it will not be an offloading process but they will actually get some resources and authority to go along with the responsibility, if that is the way that they so choose to go. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
This is really a separate model from what we saw with the Community Transfer Initiative, or CTI, which is brought forward not by this government, but actually was brought forward by the Government of the Northwest Territories in 1995 and 1996.
At that time, Cape Dorset was the model we were looking for. A lot of money was put in place to be able to facilitate the transference of programs and services.
This is not really what we are talking about in the Adult Learning Strategy.
The Adult Learning Strategy is outlining an opportunity, a strategic plan to be able to develop a coordinated approach to education and have that fundamental shift. So, once you’ve gone through the K-12 process in your community, the next step would be the adult learning side.
The adult learning side may be post-secondary, heavy equipment training, mines training and so on.
And what we’re suggesting in the adult learning strategy is that the local education authority should be in the process and in a place to be able to deal with those issues.
So, that’s the type of commitment we would bring forward, again, depending if the draft goes forward when we hear all the feedback from the different people like the member, and like the standing committee who might want to make those types of suggestions.
Then we would take those suggestions seriously and move forward from that point.
Question 071 – 2(3): Workshop on Shamanism (Netser)
I’m happy to see a person from Salliit. I’m not so homesick now.
I would like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth. How many departments have been taught about shamanism?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister responsible for the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, Mr. Tapardjuk.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. From what I know, there was none. That is not being taught to the departments.
As a Member of the Legislative Assembly, we are given all kinds of different things.
On November 4, I have a copy of a... there was going to be a course done on Shamanism, Wicca….(no interpretation)
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time I cannot respond. I’ll take the question as notice.
Speaker (interpretation): The minister will take the question as notice.
Question 072 – 2(3): Correspondence with Unsuccessful Job Applicants (Evyagotailak)
Mr. Speaker, I frequently hear concerns from my constituents when they apply for jobs, and they are unsuccessful.
Mr. Speaker, I realize that the government is supposed to hire on merit, however, there are times when local people apply for jobs but do not even get the interview.
They get frustrated when they never receive a clear explanation for why they don’t get an interview or the position.
Mr. Speaker, my first question for the minister; when local residents apply for jobs but are unsuccessful or do not even get interviews, does the department provide advice to the unsuccessful candidate about how they can improve their chances the next time they apply.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister responsible for Human Resources, Mr. Tapardjuk.
We have a policy that we have different priorities for people who apply for government jobs.
We abide by those policies. It’s also stated in Article 23 that the Nunavut beneficiaries will be given a priority when selecting employees.
After they go through the applications, if we feel that they are not qualified, but we also look at the long-term Nunavut residents and then we go outside.
Our policy is if the applicant is not successful then they are given time to appeal. They are given that time if they apply and if they are not successful. There is a time where they can appeal.
If somebody appeals we have the Inuit Employment division and they can be told maybe that person can be told if you had done your resume better.
We try to follow those policies and use the standards that we use for government.
Speaker (interpretation): Your first supplementary question, Mr. Evyagotailak.
For people already employed by the government there are familiar processes employed to deal with appeals and grievances.
Is there any way that a regular person outside of the government to appeal when they believe that they are unfairly denied the chance to be interviewed or hired to the position?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When we open a position we place ads and we advertise what the position requires and what kind of qualifications are required. Then the applicants that have the qualifications are interviewed.
At times the applicants, even though they are beneficiary Inuit, their experience and their qualifications are a bit too low, because we need to have a government that operates and functions properly.
These procedures are followed and it varies amongst the departments. For example, as the Department of Human Resources we try to assist the other departments in all variety of ways by way of positions and qualifications and also the interviewing process. It’s up to their discretion as to what kind of qualifications they want.
When it comes to hiring casual workers does the government give preferences to local residents, and if so, how long does the person need to be in the community before they are considered to be local?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Yes. For example, the casual employees... we do run into a lot of... we do work hard on behalf of the beneficiaries.
For casual workers, we try to get Nunavut beneficiaries. Our priority is beneficiaries of the Nunavut Land Claims, using Article 23.
After that, if we can’t find a beneficiary, we call non-native, non-beneficiaries who are long-term Nunavut residents.
When they have lived here for a year, or as long as they hold a valid Nunavut healthcare card, then they can be recognized as Nunavut residents, if they reside in Nunavut for a year or so.
But all the others, they are not as high in our priorities.
Question 073 – 2(3): Status of Economic Development Strategy Recommendations (Peterson)
Mr. Speaker, I was very pleased today to hear the minister’s statement about the barriers to business study. I’ve spoken about red tape holding up business in Nunavut. I noted that he mentioned it was a strategic priority in the Nunavut Economic Development Strategy.
Mr. Speaker, there were 91 recommendations in that strategy and it was released in June 2003, and they were supposed to be completed by the end of the year 2005.
So, my question for the minister Mr. Speaker: can the minister update us on the status of the 91 recommendations that were supposed to be completed by the end of 2005?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister Responsible for Economic Development, Mr. Kilabuk.
Unfortunately, the most current update I could give my colleague, at this time, is that I am not certain of the status of the recommendations and if they are available at this time for me to share with my colleague.
But, I take my colleague’s question and I will most definitely Mr. Speaker, ensure that I get a chance to review this further with my colleague.
It was also mentioned in an earlier member’s statement that there seems to be a lot of strategies and reports authored there by the Department of Economic Development and Transportation.
Within the government, overall, there doesn’t seem to be a concerted focus, Mr. Speaker, on what we are supposed to be doing.
And, there is this report, the strategy, the Nunavut Economic Development Strategy, building a foundation for the future.
It was released over two years ago. It was referred to by the authors of the 2005 Nunavut Economic Development Outlook who said that economic development would be very important for the future of Nunavut.
My question for the minister: can the minister tell us if his department is taking a very, very serious look at the recommendations of the strategy and will he commit to implementing the recommendations?
Most definitely because that’s the whole intent of the strategies and implementing the changes that we are capable of within the department.
And further to my colleague’s comments to put some comfort about the commitment of this government, later on during the session, I hope to be tabling some of the strategies that my colleague is referring to.
So, Mr. Speaker, we are serious about the strategies and the review of the recommendations being forwarded to us by different groups in Nunavut.
I thank the minister for that commitment and update.
Mr. Speaker, the group that is behind the Nunavut Economic Development Strategy is the Sivumut Economic Development Strategy. Could the minister tell the House if that group still exists? Or, is there another group that is out there that is promoting this economic strategy?
I’m uncertain at this time because it’s the same group in fact.
In my earlier commitment in wanting to review this file further with colleague, that is also information that I will make sure is available for him and I to review when we discuss this further.
I thank the minister for that commitment.
Mr. Speaker, I think it’s very important that Nunavummiut know who is in charge of the economic future of our territory.
I know the government has an important role, but there are other groups. Obviously, this group that put this together did a lot of work.
I think we need to know today or certainly by the end of this sitting next week, who’s in charge and go from there.
With that in mind Mr. Speaker, can the minister commit to tabling an update on each of the 91 recommendations in this report that were supposed to be completed by the end of 2005?
I most definitely will commit to providing the update to the House an update on the status of these 91 recommendations my colleague is referring to.
But, I also, Mr. Speaker, agree that there will be a lot of key players and there are currently a lot of key players in developing the different strategies and also the future of our economic development programs in Nunavut.
So, with that Mr. Speaker, I most definitely do commit to providing my colleague and also the House an update on this strategy and also the other strategies that I’ve committed to during different standing committees and forwarding to the House at the appropriate time.
Question 074 – 2(3): Medical Follow-ups (Barnabas)
According to my member’s statement that I made earlier on, we know the kind of illnesses we have through our health records.
I would like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, the individuals that are known to have illnesses, how many time do they receive follow-ups within a year?
People that are diagnosed with cancer, the appropriate doctors examine those individual needs and provide the service and make appointments for those individuals on a case-by-case basis.
When the physicians arrive to the communities, they work non-stop, continually, the whole time that they stay in the community until it’s time for them to leave and they have to see other patients that they need to see.
What about some patients that don’t get seen by the doctor when the doctor has to leave? What happens to those patients?
From what I understand, the individuals that need to see specialist doctors, their appointments are made.
Either the doctor comes to the community, or the individual is referred to where that service is provided.
Question 075 – 2(3): Alternative Energy and Dams (Netser)