EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
So Mr. Speaker, that’s the first time we’ve heard it, if there is an operational requirement, then we will put a nurse in Igloolik.
That’s what we’ll do.
Question 085 - 1(3): Funding Assistance for Sled Dog Races
Mr. Speaker, earlier I talked about the dog team owners’ organization in my community.
I would like to direct this question to the Community Government & Transportation Minister. I have not really dealt with this before and therefore do not know the history on whether they have ever received assistance.
I have been given a letter from my community to see if they can get funding to help them out with the activities I talked about in my statement.
There is an organization that represents dog team owners and we contribute funding of approximately 13 thousand 800 a year.
I am aware that they raise their own funding also.
I believe we have also contributed some funds for the Rankin Inlet dog team racing organization and I think there was some money given to the Igloolik dog racing organization that are organizing the major race that one of our colleagues talked about the other day, although I'm not really sure exactly how much.
If the member wants to pursue funding for the event he talked about, we can explore that.
I have received a fax from the dog team organization in my community and the board of directors has started their membership and they have been having dog races for quite some time now.
They have been trying to fundraise by themselves to operate their organization.
They have said that they have collected some money through fundraising but that money is not going to be enough and they wanted to request some funding through me from the government.
Their goal is to raise 25 thousand dollars, they have collected some but they have not reached the amount yet.
So they have requested that I ask the minister if they can get some funding before April.
I was chuckling a bit because when I was about sixteen or seventeen years old, I used to be involved in dog team racing, but for very short distances within a community.
Today they go from one community to another, involving very long distances.
I just wanted to tell the member we feel that, events like these dog team races, are very important to us.
I will check my department and I will inform the member as to where he can get some information for funding.
However, I just wanted to tell the member that I feel that this kind of recreation is important to the community and we will give them information as to who to talk to.
I thank the Minister of Community Government and Transportation.
The dog team race will be around Easter weekend and even perhaps before that.
We would be very happy to receive some money from you at that time, we will jump up and down for joy.
We'll try to make him jump up and down, just before Easter.
Question 086 - 1(5): Allocation of Fuel Subsidies
Mr. Speaker, this is a question to the Minister of Finance and I wanted to ask him some questions yesterday but I didn't have time.
Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Finance.
Since there has been an increase in the price of fuel oil and subsidies are being handed out to individuals, I think it would be better off that instead of subsidies to the individuals perhaps it would be better if the high cost of fuel oil was lowered instead.
I wondered if there's going to be something done like that.
The member raises a good point and in fact the Department of Community Government and Transportation had allocated some additional funding to the municipalities in this current fiscal year and also put in their additional amounts in the upcoming budget here that we are reviewing now for increased O&M costs for municipalities.
Yes, it's okay to give subsidies to each community but I know that the subsidy program will no longer be in existence next year.
I know that everything is going to be increasing in price not just fuel.
However, I believe that in the long run it would be better if the price of fuel were lowered instead of subsidies.
I wonder if that would be agreeable.
Mr. Speaker, in fact there is in the current structure of the petroleum division, that's why we have the stabilization fund to try and mitigate any sharp increases or decreases in oil prices as we receive the fuel oil for distribution.
If there is something like that already could that stabilization fund be increased.
Mr. Speaker, the stabilization fund hasn't been increased, in fact that was one of the reasons why we implemented some adjustments to the fuel oil prices.
I have not seen anything in the paper that states that it's a stabilization fund that lowers the cost of fuel.
I have not seen anything of that kind that has benefited the people of Nunavut.
I just wondered if he could explain a little further.
Mr. Speaker, as members know on a couple of occasions when the fuel price increase was put in effect by the government, there was great detail of discussion took place about the whole petroleum products division.
The amount of subsidies, stabilization fund and all aspects of petroleum products.
I would anticipate once the Public Works budget comes forward again that there would be more discussions on that matter.
Question 087 - 1(5): Rent Scale Review
This is a question to the Minister of the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
There was a housing task force that was established to look into all aspects of housing.
I think there were 15 recommendations that the housing task force produced, and they talked about the rental scale review.
Has the review been done.
Hon. Manitok Thompson (interpretation): Yes, Mr. Speaker, I had a recent question about this.
I responded by saying that the Nunavut Housing Corporation wrote the local housing associations in every community asking for input.
We also did a review of all types of rental housing in Canada and elsewhere.
On March 19th in Rankin Inlet, we will be holding a meeting of all the local housing authorities’ Chairs and our staff.
In that workshop and in the conference that they are going to have they are going to be talking about the rent scales in Nunavut.
As you have said they'll be meeting in Rankin Inlet with the Chairs of the housing associations, are you going to come up with the results after your Rankin Inlet meeting.
We have to hear from the Nunavut residents as to what they think of this issue and we have to consult with them on where we are.
We have to get a clear understanding from them.
So after the meeting in Rankin Inlet, I will be able to share the results.
Perhaps when we come back for the fall session.
Is that the time that you would be tabling the minutes.
Yes, I will be able to pass the information on to the members if we are not in session.
If we are in session, my department will prepare something for the MLAs to review.
Question 088 - 1(5): St. Theresa’s Home in Chesterfield Inlet
The long standing home for the disabled in Chesterfield Inlet, who is running it now.
Mr. Speaker, first of all I'm going to say that, I want to thank on behalf of the people of Nunavut the service the Catholic Church has given to the people of Chesterfield Inlet and also the people of Nunavut in the running of St. Theresa’s home.
In January of this year, I received communication from the Hamlet of Chesterfield Inlet telling me the Catholic Church as of March 31, April 1 of this year will be pulling out of running Saint Theresa’s Home.
We've had ongoing discussions, are undergoing discussions with the most reverend Bishop Rouleau for the diocese about trying to get a contract extension with him for the next six months to a year, to be able to do a proper evaluation of the facility, the physical infrastructure on the ground.
As well as how we can best serve the patients and that I guess, Mr. Speaker is the major concern for us, for the patients to make sure that they’re treated properly and to see where we go with that.
We put approximately 900 thousand dollars, I believe Mr. Speaker, into running that facility at the present time.
I know that April 1 is coming very shortly, it' s only about three weeks away.
How are you proceeding on these negotiations, will be you be extending it for another six months to a year.
Mr. Speaker there are several factors here, one being the age of the facility.
It is quite an old facility and although it's structurally very sound, it is not up to code.
If the Government of Nunavut, it is my understanding if the Government of Nunavut, if I go in there and take over the facility immediately and run it as a government facility then it has to be brought up to code.
It seems to be cost prohibitive, so that kind of work has to be undertaken right now by Public Works and Services.
We've had discussions with Bishop Rouleau, he's favourable to the request to extend the running, the Catholic Church running the facility in the short term for at least six months.
We're trying to get some discussions ongoing to see if we could do it longer than that, to give us an opportunity, to give us that window, to actually get a better feel of logistically as well as administratively and financially, what we could do to help out the facility itself.
Bishop Rouleau is very, my understanding is very open to that.
Yesterday in discussions with the operational, to the Deputy of Minister, doctor Keith Best, he's been in contact with Bishop Rouleau.
Late yesterday afternoon, he was supposed to speak to him on the phone.
I haven't had an update since yesterday, but the discussions to date have been favourable that indeed Bishop Rouleau will help us run the facility for at least the next six months.
We are trying to get an extension for at least a year.
Since this building is very old, if it needed to be replaced and Chesterfield Inlet residents are requesting that this facility stay in the community because it creates job opportunities and that they would like to use this for training purposes.
Can the minister tell me even if you’re going to replace that facility, would you be committed to leave it in Chesterfield Inlet.
Speaker: Mr. Minister. Minister Picco.
Mr. Speaker the facility is owned by the diocese.
It's not owned by the government.
We provide a contribution agreement to help with the running of the facility.
As the member knows, we have several patients in there.
It's a residential care facility for severely developmentally delayed adults and children.
I do know there's an economic impact for the community of Chesterfield Inlet, I believe there's six to eight full time positions, as well as about 300 thousand dollars that's pumped directly into Chesterfield Inlet through groceries, for buying things and so on for the facility.
So it would be a major economic impact.
That's why we're requesting Bishop Rouleau to give us some extra time to be able to look at the situation on the ground to see what the best situation is to move forward.
Like I said if the government takes it over, preliminary results from the Department of Public Works tells us that it would be cost prohibitive to actually renovate the facility.
I don't have any monies as the members know, in the capital plan for a new facility there.
That's something that we would have to look at depending on what the evaluation is and how the discussions go with the Bishop.
Mr. Arvaluk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, quite clearly, the facility is old, so if we could get a one-year extension in the contract it would be great.
We don’t have the money right now to build a new one in Chesterfield Inlet.
With the understanding that it has an economic impact especially through employment and grocery shopping etc., is the minister saying to me that because of these prohibitive, no financing for capital to replace it, is he saying to me that they will have to find another readily available facility now elsewhere in Nunavut.
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker that's a good question.
Mr. Speaker, as I've tried to explain we were only notified about six weeks ago at the end of January, and it was actually not correspondence directly from the Bishop but from the secretary manager from the Hamlet of Chesterfield Inlet in a fax to my office that indeed they were looking at pulling out of that facility.
So in that six weeks period I've asked for an evaluation from PWS which has been done.
A preliminary one.
We're trying to look at the budgets, we've been in discussions with Bishop Rouleau and Mr. Speaker, again, we understand the economic impact on Chesterfield Inlet.
The short answer right now is we are trying to get an extension on the contract from Bishop Rouleau for them to continue the running of the operation for at least six months.
We are hoping to try and get a year so that we can do a proper evaluation to see what the next steps are and we would be involving the member representing Chesterfield Inlet in those discussions and I will keep him up to date as we move forward.
I guess the short answer Mr. Speaker, is that in the short term nothing is going to change in Chesterfield Inlet or for the patients, which is our major concern.
If we have to bring the facility to a closure and the funds weren't available and so on Mr. Speaker, then we will identify other locations for example, Baker Lake where we have a similar facility where we would be able to wrap up to take care of those patients.
Again Mr. Speaker, our major concern right now is with the patients and with the operation of the facility itself.
That was your final supplementary Mr. Arvaluk, next time.
Question 089- 1(5): Inuktitut Forms in Baffin Regional Hospital
Ms. Williams (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to direct this question to the Minister of Health & Social Services.
Here at the Baffin Regional Hospital, I visit up there quite a few times and many times when I'm visiting up there they use me as their interpreter/translator.
When are you going to translate the consent forms.
Mr. Speaker, we have several different types of consent forms.
I wonder if the member could specifically tell me which of the consent forms that she has been dealing with have not been translated so we can get some clarification.
The majority of the patients are Inuit people.
Why don't you have all the documents that have to be signed by patients translated.
When do you expect to have them completed.
Mr. Speaker, there are several different forms.
When you do the admission form Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that is translated.
Mr. Speaker, when you arrive first to the hospital you meet the receptionist at the desk.
She finds your health card number and provides that information if it is a bilingual person.
I myself was at the hospital two nights ago until about 12 o'clock.
I had to bring my sister in law there so I am aware of that situation Mr. Speaker, and my wife was there recently.
On the ward Mr. Speaker, depending on what medication is given to the patient, if there is a medical procedure that has to be done that is communicated both verbally and in written form.
However, Mr. Speaker, the member does make a good point.
If there are forms that are being used at the hospital that are not being translated at the present time Mr. Speaker, then they should be translated and we will see to that as soon as possible, Mr. Speaker.
I think those forms should have been done a long time ago.
There are the prescription forms, there are the consent forms that are used for surgery and treatment.
I think that all forms should be translated and I thank you for looking into it right away.
This is the Government of Nunavut and we have been in place since 1999, and if there are forms that need to be signed by residents of Nunavut then they should be translated Mr. Speaker, into Inuktitut. We will see to that immediately.
Question 090- 1(5): Term Employment on Geo-science Project
I want to direct this question to the department of Sustainable Development Minister. (interpretation ends)
Last month he was in Kugluktuk and I want to get an update on the ladies that work at the business service centre, sorting minerals.
This project is supervised by the Kitikmeot Corporation and the Geo-science project I guess.
If you recall, the Kitikmeot Corporation is heading that and they are sorting out minerals and they look for indicators that there could be gold or diamonds in the minerals.
We have had about three ladies working in there for the last four years.
I am wondering if the minister will assist these individuals to make sure they have enough work in that community.
The reason why I am saying this is if there is not enough work in that place, they will be unemployed within a month or two.
Can the minister update me on that.
Thank you very much for your question Mr. Havioyak.
We’re looking into the whole thing and we’re looking at how we can offer further assistance to the people who are working at the Geo-science facility.
We’re looking at how we can improve the structure and I will be talking to the prospectors, the developers, and so on, so we can find out what minerals are out there.
This year you are reviewing the process that’s here with the ladies working.
How soon will we get information on those ladies working and the whole process.
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): We had a meeting on how we can improve the structure, Steve has already started and once he has written his report, we’ll give you the information.
I heard a report being mentioned.
When will that report be available and given to us.
I can’t give the exact date it will be available.
If I try to set a date, it might not be available by that date so when I know and when I get the report, I’ll inform the member.
Speaker: Final, final supplementary.
I raised this because the ladies that are employed there in the lab, they need an answer as to what the future holds for them in terms of employment.
They might be looking at no employment at the end of the month.
There needs to be that review soon so that they can keep on with the employment.
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation):Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We’ll deal with it as soon as possible because of course it’s very important, and we’ll have to deal with it because of course, we don’t want to increase the number of people who are on unemployment.
We’ll work on it as soon as we can.
Question 091 - 1(5): Doctor for Baker Lake
Mr. Speaker, my question today is to the Minister of Health and I’d like to thank him for his kind words about Baker Lake all the time.
But today, Mr. Speaker, my question to him is in regards to doctors, and what it takes to get a doctor established in your community.
Three years ago, I asked the Honourable Minister if he would look at establishing a doctor in Baker Lake and I think yourself you also wanted to establish one in Arviat.
You know, in the last few years it’s no secret in the Kivalliq that we’ve had many instances of heart attack, cancer, E-coli, RSV, tuberculosis is on the rise.
What is the minister’s stance on putting doctors into the larger communities.
On a good day, the minister’s stance is about 5 foot 8.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member bringing this question up.
What we've tried to do is, as the member knows, is place in the regional centres a variety of different doctors.
I should say Mr. Speaker, at this time the Kivalliq region, through the Northern Medical Unit out of Manitoba has indeed had quite a few doctors available, on call when we’ve needed them in the region and so on.
What we’ve tried to do Mr. Speaker is have doctors permanently placed in the larger centres in the region.
We have been successful, as I have said before, in having a doctor based in Pond Inlet as an example. That was her choice because of her circumstances.
We would like to Mr. Speaker, get to the point where we have more doctors in our larger communities for example, Baker Lake, Arviat and so on.
We have spent the last year and half, as you know, trying to get up to speed on our nursing situation and the recruitment and retention.
I think right now we are between 80-90 % staffed in that area.
So we are now trying to turn our attention to the recruitment of more physicians.
And, Mr. Speaker, that includes regional operations for more physicians, where possible.
I think 5 foot 8 inches is an exaggeration on the minister’s behalf even with his cowboy boots on.
We will leave it at that.
I would like to commend the minister on getting our nursing stations up to staff as far as nurses are concerned.
I know it has been a very difficult job for him and he has taken it upon his shoulders to try to help us out as much as possible, to staff the nursing stations and I know the nurses work very hard and we appreciate them fully.
But, like he said to me a year and half ago, two years ago that he would look at trying to base a nurse either in Arviat or Baker Lake because of the size of the communities.
Can the minister be more direct on if he is going to try to put a nurse in Baker Lake or Arviat.
Mr. Speaker, the member has requested it and it has been done.
The member has said twice now and I am sure the Hansard would back me up on it, that he wanted me to put a nurse Baker Lake.
Indeed Mr. Speaker, there are several nurses in Baker Lake for the past 22 months.
On his issue of a doctor for Baker Lake and for Arviat, we have to realize Mr. Speaker, that every community in Nunavut would like to have a doctor.
Mr. Speaker, I wouldn’t like to lie to people or lie to the members and I can't promise to put a doctor in Baker Lake today or tomorrow.
What I can say Mr. Speaker, is looking at the logistics as well as the other issues surrounding the case load in each community and see where a doctor would be best suited.
For example, Mr. Speaker, we got a doctor located in Rankin Inlet.
If there is a need Mr. Speaker, in Arviat for a doctor based on a caseload, then Mr. Speaker, that is something we would try and facilitate.
It would be based on needs and so on.
So I hope that helps answer the member’s question on both the doctor and Mr. Speaker, the nurse.
We will call it a draw on the nurse/doctor fumble today.
But, Mr. Speaker, the reason I asked is that there is a lot of medivacs out of our communities, Arviat, Baker and generally out of the Kivalliq.
The reason why I am asking for this is that it may help the government in saving some money if they can position a general practitioner to help the overworked nurses in the region.
They could diagnose probably earlier and maybe be a bit safer for us.
It could alleviate a lot of anguished people having to travel to Winnipeg if it is not necessary.
Can the minister be more direct on if he is going to look at this seriously and evaluate it, and place a physician in one of our communities.
Mr. Speaker, I would look forward to discussing it in the Main Estimates when we get to the Department of Health & Social Services.
Because what we have here Mr. Speaker, in Nunavut is a primary health care system that relies ostensibly on the good practices of our nurse practitioners and our nurses as our first point of contact.
The nurse evaluates you and then if you have to see a doctor you could be sent out or wait till the visiting doctor comes in if it is not of an urgent nature.
We're also trying to bring forward Mr. Speaker, as you know an initiative under telehealth.
We've applied for extra funding from our federal partner.
Mr. Speaker we're hoping to be able to make a very good news announcement very soon, on the success on that project to help us speed that up.
For example, Mr. Speaker, we could have a telehealth centre in Baker Lake where the doctor could make diagnoses as we talked about before.
So Mr. Speaker there are other options there, instead of just having a physical presence of a doctor and as I said before Mr. Speaker, I know that every community would like to have a doctor but we also have the opportunity for other initiatives like telehealth, which other jurisdictions by the way Mr. Speaker have put in place.
There is a shortage of doctors, a pandemic situation occurring not only here in northern Canada Mr. Speaker, but also across Canada, in North America with the specialists especially ENT, ear, nose and throat and so on.
So Mr. Speaker the quick answer is that we'll look at it, we will review it, and we'll try and do what we can. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 092- 1(5): Education Program Review