EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
The first one is the heritage centre as to what funding sources we may be able to find under the federal government but the other matter that we’ve been working on for quite a while now is the language, Inuinnaqtun and Inuktitut, because for us to use this in trying to promote the language we have recognised that we need a lot of financial support from the federal government.
So, I’m just giving this information to the Member to highlight a couple of the areas that we’re currently trying to work with the federal government, to try and obtain more dollars but right now, our capital budget is not match by federal dollars.
The question that I would like to ask is about community heritage, elders and youth.
How many communities have heritage centres?
At this time here in Nunavut, there are four that have been recognised that are dealing with community heritage centres.
Mr. Alakannuark (interpretation): Maybe if I can ask another question.
Which communities are they located in?
Those four that I stated were in Cambridge Bay, Kimmirut, Iqaluit and Kugluktuk.
Those are the four communities.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. $569 thousand for total headquarters region and community, heritage, elders and youth.
I wonder if the Minister can tell me if that $569 thousand will be used for community heritage centres.
The 569 thousand, as I stated in my opening remarks, is going to be used for elders and youth and for community heritage centers.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): That 569 thousand is for capital, capital for culture, language, elders and youth.
I don’t want to confuse the Member; I will try and elaborate and explain; it’s for minor things, even though it says capital, it is for minor capital projects to renovate and to do other minor works for the heritage centres and the elders and youth centres. Those are for minor renovations for those capital projects.
Total Grants and Contributions. 569 thousand.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. Going back to page 8-4.
Departments Summary.
Total Capital Expenditures. $569 thousand.
Does the Committee agree?
Chairman (interpretation): The department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth Capital Estimates are complete.
The Minister for Justice, you can now go ahead with your Opening Remarks, if you have any.
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to appear before the Committee to present the Department of Justice 2004/05 capital budget.
First of all, the Department of Justice is pleased to provide an update on the project to construct a new justice building in Iqaluit.
The planned completion is for 2005/06 with expenditures of $6 million, 500 thousand in 2004/05 and $3 million, 450 thousand in 2005/06.
In the current fiscal year, consultants have been hired to work on the design of the new Justice Centre on behalf of the Department of Justice.
In early September, the consultants were in town on an information gathering session and met with the various user groups such as the judiciary, court administration, and the RCMP.
Meetings were also held with the City of Iqaluit, Nunavut Arctic College.
The plan is to locate the building on the Nunavut Arctic College property, between the college and the City of Iqaluit, Arnaittuq Arena Building.
The consultants are currently developing design options for this site and will be returning to Iqaluit in November to present those to justice officials and others who will be using the building.
The project is scheduled to go to tender in April of 2004, with completion expected in 2006.
Currently, the Baffin Correctional Centre is over capacity and there is significant costs in housing inmates outside of Nunavut.
Additional appropriate correctional facilities are required for all Nunavummiut in custody of Nunavut Justice Correction.
This is because corrections facilities in Nunavut do no meet current needs and are not able to handle the future growth.
The population of the territory is projected to rise as rapidly in the future as it has in the past, so the limitations imposed by the current facilities will become much worse.
There are no short term capital solutions to the serious problem of overcrowding caused by a severe shortage of appropriate facilities.
The longer term solution, posed by the department’s 7 year capital plan will, hopefully, be recognised in future Government of Nunavut capital allocations.
In the more immediate term, a unique opportunity to open a correctional healing facility is currently being undertaken in Kugluktuk.
A surplus hamlet building has been made available and will be operational in the new fiscal year.
This will only require minimal capital of 235 thousand in 2004/05 in order to upgrade to the required building standards.
We are pleased to be able to enhance the quality of our programs and services to better serve Nunavummiut and to do our best to incorporate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
These are my comments.
I will be able to respond to any questions that the Members may have.
I would like to ask the Chairperson for Ajauqtiit if he has any comments.
Yes, as Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Ajauqtiit, I am pleased to have this opportunity to make Opening Remarks as we begin deliberations on the 2004-2005 Capital Estimates.
Mr. Chairman, the Department of Justice has a Capital Budget of $7 million, 182 thousand representing 6.7 percent of the Government’s overall Capital Budget.
The majority of this budget $6 million, 500 thousand is directed towards a new justice center for Nunavut.
Mr. Chairman, Members learn that allocation has been identified for the new justice center and would like to again, stress to the Minister the need for the design to not be excessively lavished.
I am sorry, Mr. Chairman, I am not really clear on that one.
Members were pleased to learn, however, that the Government of Nunavut will own the facility rather than leasing it.
Members look forward to receiving information from the Department on the final design of the justice center.
Mr. Chairman, Members continue to express strong concern as to the lack of facilities for female offenders in Nunavut.
Last year, the Department promised in writing to the communities that it would bring a plan forward in the next capital planning process, but Members have seen little progress to date.
Members continue to be told that Nunavut deals with predominantly male offenders.
The Committee would still recommend that the Department put a plan forward for female offenders as soon as possible.
Mr. Chairman, Members were extremely pleased that funding has been identified for a new correctional healing facility in Kugluktuk as this has been an area of concern in the past.
Mr. Chairman, Members would like to see inmates repatriated from the Northwest Territories and other jurisdictions to Nunavut.
Members are aware that the Department has signed an agreement with the Government of Northwest Territories to house Nunavut inmates at a cross of close to $1 million a year until 2006.
Members, at the very least, would like to be kept informed about such agreements directly from our Minister and continue to stress the need for a new correctional facility that would replace the aging and inadequate Baffin Correctional Center.
Mr. Chairman, Members look forward to seeing small correctional facilities like the one planned for Kugluktuk in more communities.
Members continue to support efforts to expand on the land programming and outpost camp facilities for offenders.
Mr. Chairman, Members continue, Mr. Chairman, Members continue to urge the Government Department to carefully and prudently evaluate the need for purchasing new vehicles.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my Opening Remarks I anticipate the individual Members will have questions and comments as we proceed.
Minister Okalik, you may go down to the Witness Table, and if you have officials you can bring them down to the Witness Table.
Sergeant-at-Arms can you escort them?
We also would like to be introduced to your officials.
I am sure that you know the people here.
To my right, Nora Saunders, my Deputy, and also to my left, our Director of Finance, Pierre Chartrand.
During the Committee of the Whole we will deal with the Department of Justice under details and expenditures.
If there are general comments from the Members you have 10 minutes for general comments.
I have no names on my list.
Just very briefly, our Chairperson of Ajauqtiit, just to reiterate what was in the Standing Committee report, I believe that we need to give support to the women of Nunavut.
As we already know that some women do commit crimes and even after going through the court system they do not even have any place to go to for remand.
There is no place for remanded female offenders.
After the female offenders have gone through the court system, they are sent back home.
The spouse, if there was a problem with the spouses, the other spouse is taken or is referred to the homeless shelter.
I know that there are remand centres for women or correctional facilities for inmates.
This new court house, in English they have a proper name in English, but there is no Inuktitut name for it, and this new Nunavut Court Justice Centre is going to be very expensive.
Perhaps let us house the inmates better, and the correctional facilities are deteriorating and they are overcrowded.
I am not trying to say let us send every offender to jail.
That is not what I am saying.
As the Minister had stated yesterday that there are only 12 probation officers in Nunavut, although we have 25 communities in Nunavut.
The Kugluktuk Healing Centre, BCC, Outpost Camps, and also the institution just outside of Yellowknife, male offenders facilities are situated all over the place.
I am very proud to say that there are no female offenders incarcerated at this time and I am very proud that.
I am aware that the Justice Department is not giving real support to the communities; the RCMP does provide some support by way of drunk tanks.
They also utilize these facilities in the communities and what I am trying to say is that we need to give support to the community justice committees.
There is no support although there is a little bit of support, yes perhaps they are given honoraria support but there is no infrastructure set up for them, and there are no building for them or offices.
I know that some of you are getting tired of this, you didn’t have to hear this but sometimes they just have no space so they go to the furnace room to meet to deal with the offender.
This community justice committee is actually meet in the furnace room to try and help the offender and the Minister has never mentioned one thing to make sure they are given proper infrastructure and give them proper offices.
In view of that we already have a court house here in Iqaluit although Government of Nunavut might not own it, it belongs to Nunasi Corporation and yes it’s a priority to set up a Nunavut justice centre and we’re not setting our priority at the community level.
We’re not supposed to prioritize one community; we’re supposed to support all the communities and I know that, Nunavut-wide, inmates go to BCC in Iqaluit but what I'm talking about is community justice committees; they should be given more room, more space to work with so that way they can give adequate support to those in need.
If they are given proper facilities and proper offices and I'm sure there’d be less people having to go through the court system.
So I would urge the Minister to seriously look into this.
I'm not trying to tell you what to do but that’s the meat of our communities.
Thank you to the Minister of Justice and his officials.
People tend to commit many crimes and go to jail but I know some people can’t help it if they commit crimes and tend to go to the jails.
Regardless it is happening today as I speak, but I am happy that the Standing Committee Ajauqtiit chairman had mentioned that they are happy to see that there will be a facility in place in Kugluktuk.
Once the facility is open in Kugluktuk I would like to remind the Minister that when people commit crimes that are not serious and are taken out to outpost camps, I think it would be better for some convictions that have been committed be sent to those outpost camps rather than sending them to jails because jails don’t seem to be improving peoples lives.
But I will be asking the Minister regarding this matter that once that facility is open, once it’s in operation all our people won’t have to go outside of Nunavut.
I have no more names on my list for general comments. Would you like to go line by line now?
We are on page, for the Department of Justice.
We’re on page 4-5 and page 4-6.
Department of Justice Branch Summary. Registrar, Court Services, Capital Tangible Assets, $6 million, 500 thousand.
Chairman (interpretation): Total Tangible Assets. $6 million, 500 thousand.
Pages 5-7 and 5-8, Corrections and Community Justice.
In 5-8, maybe perhaps the skidoos and motors, was that supposed to be for outpost camps?
If they’re not used, maybe we could use that equipment to haul these offenders to the outpost camps.
At this time, those are for the existing outpost camps and we’re always available if you would like to submit a proposal to establish an outpost camp for inmates.
Mr. Havioyak: Okay, for example, for the completion of the Kugluktuk Healing Facility, will there be some kind of equipment that falls into the capital or how do you plan to deal with that?
Like I said in my comments earlier, we do need some kind of equipment to get the inmates who are trying to heal themselves and improve their lives and going out on the land makes a big difference for them and that will help them heal better.
What we have been focussed on is the actual facility itself for this fiscal year.
Once we have it finalized, then we can focus on other issues for this facility.
So, that’s what we normally do, we look at the needs for the facility and what we will require for the coming year.
In this particular case, it’s the outpost camps that have been in operation for some time and they have submitted their request for equipment.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. 5-7 and 5-8 are one page.
On the top of page 5-8, (interpretation ends) Regional Community Corrections Facility, $100 thousand for this year, next and up to 2009, in Inuktitut it says Community Correctional Facility.
Can the Minister clarify what that thing is?
From what I can read in English Regional Corrections Community Facility, so both say Community and Correctional Facility, so hopefully we can find a gem like we did in Kugluktuk and build another facility like that in another community.
It is budgeted one hundred thousand for the next little while, can the Minister clarify, and I can read in Inuktitut also.
Can he clarify if they have a plan where they’re going to put this facility?
Chairman: Thank you. Mr. Okalik.
I will try to use his money to try and find a location and a facility.
We were able to find a facility in Kugluktuk and that was very good.
We are continuing to look for other communities that can also provide additional support for the facility.
Chairman: Thank you. Mrs. Williams.
Mrs. Williams: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, I listed down on my comment where the facility for men to be placed.
Can this be for women?
Currently with the demands we face right now, it’s for males only.
But, like I said in the past, we continue to look for ways and planning for female facilities in the future.
But for time being it is for male but in a longer term we’ll likely find a female facility.
Did you have further comments Mrs. Williams?
We were sitting in Pangnirtung and the Minister was advised even to go on supplementary appropriation to have female facility.
Even the girls have to stay at the boys’ facility in Iqaluit.
I don’t know what else to say, but this Department doesn’t seem to want do anything for the women.
We were even prepared to approve some supplementary appropriation to come with some sort of house facility for women or girls.
I’ll just the leave it at that.
But I know the Minister and his Department don’t see any need to help the females in Nunavut.
I must take exception to that.
We have been trying.
The Member is confusing the facility for remand facility.
We have been doing our up most in trying to work with female groups here in Iqaluit to try to find a facility that we can use for the remand.
Unfortunately it hasn’t developed so far.
So we have been trying our up most on that particular facility the Member is implying that we haven’t done and we don’t care about.
We have been doing our best.
In terms of a long term facility, unfortunately we don’t have the numbers to justify a stand alone facility for inmates that are serving time.
But for remand, I agree with the Member that we are trying to do our best.
Mrs. Williams: When we look at BCC, we don’t see it as a remand unit or other.
So that’s what I mean about.
I might have mixed the remand unit and other facility or BCC or correctional facility.
Thank you, for this correction on that.
I still think, I’m not going to stop even, though I might be, I might be getting to be some kind of a, I don’t know.
But I will not stop looking for ways to help the women who are in need in Nunavut.
They do not need to be shipped out; they do not need to be at the RCMP lock up.
They could also have a facility as they can.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. Minister Okalik.
We will not give up.
So, we are trying to do our best and we can talk to the wall and then we will not get anywhere on the subject with what has been discussed, but we are trying to do our best.
Ms. Williams?
Perhaps I have a misunderstanding here.
It says the Correctional Healing Facility; there has been a greater call for women’s facility more so than the men’s facility.
Is it because that there is due to the lack of space for men or why does there seem to be a greater need for a men’s facility when the call has been more for women’s facility?
To date, we are not caught up for providing space for men offenders so we have to send them out of Nunavut and we would like to keep inmates in Nunavut as much as possible.
That is why we were looking for more space for men’s facility and I have said time and time again that yes, we do know the need for a women’s facility.
Perhaps there is one woman inmate at this point.
And we have to pay for any inmates residing outside of the Territory in other institutions and if we had only one female inmate, we would have to provide a budget for operation of a whole facility.
But because there is a greater need for a men’s facility, we would like to have them stay within Nunavut and that is why we were, we are providing more spaces for men in Nunavut.
And thank you, for his explanations.
The people see a women’s facility being considered or is that not in consideration at all to provide a facility for women inmates?
What we are doing today is dealing with immediate needs and the need for a women’s facility is not a priority because there is no need at this point.
Perhaps in the future we will have to look into the matter.
If we see more numbers of women inmates and the other one there also women that get remanded before their court dates, that is a concern that we are aware of and we have met with the women’s groups to try and come up with a solution as to how remanded women should be dealt with.
We are on Page 5-7, Corrections and Community Justice and 5-8, Detail of Capital, Total Headquarters Region, $100 thousand.
Chairman (interpretation): Total Qikiqtaaluk Region, $347 thousand.
Regarding the men’s Correctional Healing Facility, will it be an addition to BCC or is a separate stand alone facility?
Yes it is a part of the $100 thousand.
I’m always asking why they don’t just put the two together.
So, what I can say is its total of $200 thousand for the planning and to find out what the needs are for this facility.
It’s for the planning phase of this project.
Total Qikiqtaaluk Region $347 thousand.
Chairman (interpretation): Kitikmeot Region, Total $235 thousand.
Chairman (interpretation): Total Tangible Assets, $682 thousand.
Go back to 5-4, Department Summary for the Department of Justice, Detail of Expenditures.
Total Expenditures, $7 million, 182 thousand.
Is it agreed that we have concluded this department?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Minister, Nora and Mr. Chartrand.
Chairman (interpretation): Bill 46 is part of Capital for 2004/2005.
The review of supplementary bills starting first with Bill 44 followed by 45, 47 and 48.
Chairman (interpretation): Bill 46 is part of Supplementary Appropriation 2004-2005.
No.1.
Chairman (interpretation): Carried. 3-2.
Chairman (interpretation): Carried. 3.
Chairman (interpretation): Those against. Carried. 4.
Chairman (interpretation): Those against.
Carried. 5.
Chairman (interpretation): Is it agreed that Bill 46 as a whole is concluded with?
Bill 46 is now ready for third reading.
At this time we will now go onto 44.
Supplementary Appropriations for Operations and Maintenance #1 2003-2004.
Do you have it in front of you?
Minister responsible for Finance, do you have any Opening Remarks?
Bill 44, Supplementary Appropriations for Operations and Maintenance No. 1, 2003-2004.
This Bill provides $15 million, 99 thousand in additional net appropriations.
Following my Minister’s statement of October 22, 2003, this includes an increase of $26 million, 267 thousand to the budget for the Department of Health and Social Services and a net reduction in the operating budgets of other departments of $11 million, 168 thousand.
The reduction in the operating climates of the other departments is the net of the increase in program spending of $5 million, 67 thousand and restrained measures of $16 million, 235 thousand.
Increases on program spending are comprised of $2 million for the implementation of the Nunavut Association of Municipalities insurance exchange. $1 million, 675 thousand for the legal services board, courts services and correctional services, including funding for the Kugluktuk Healing Centre.
$625 thousand for the implementation of a Nunavut development training program, $445 thousand for increased land, increased lease costs for leased office building and $322 thousand for the revised Nunavut northern allowances for non-union employees.
The restraint savings will be realized through efficiencies in government operations and, Mr. Chairman, not through changes in programs that directly affect Nunavummiut.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman; I would be pleased to answer any questions on these appropriations.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Minster Ng. Regarding your Opening Comments, you may go to the witness table.
If you have any officials, Sergeant-at-Arms, can you please assist the Members.
Minister Ng please introduce your officials for the record.
Mr. Ng, please introduce your staff.
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, to my right is Mr. David Akeeagok, Assistant Deputy Minister; to my left is Mr. Paul Reddy, Director of Expenditure Management with the Department of Finance.
Welcome to the House Mr. Akeeagok and Mr. Reddy. 2003/2004 Supplementary Appropriation, Operations and Maintenance, No.1, Page 4.
Legislative Assembly Operations and Maintenance, Office of the Clerk, Total $554 thousand. Any comments?
The $5 thousand you mentioned, can you please repeat that?
I didn’t catch it the first time.
Chairman (interpretation): Total for office of the clerk, reduction, reduction of $524 thousand.
Thank you. $524 thousand.
Chairman (interpretation): Total Department. $524 thousand, reduction.
Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs, Total Directorate, $81 thousand. Reduction.
I just have a general question on most of these departments.
Can the Minister tell us, maybe he already said it, if there would be any lay offs or how are they reducing the costs of most of the departments?
Maybe they’re not buying too many pens or travel.
What are the most reductions in the departments?
The Member is right.
It is in respect of discretionary travel.
For example, per/diems, the use of consultants, some of the purchases that may not be required, computers, vehicle use and those things.
None of it is going to impact any of the program deliveries for Nunavummiut as I said earlier in my statement.