EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Honourable Olayuk Akesuk, Mr. Ovide Alakannuark, Honourable Jack Anawak, Mr. James Arvaluk, Mr. Donald Havioyak, Mr. David Iqaqrialu, Mr. Enoki Irqittuq, Honourable Peter Kattuk, Honourable Peter Kilabuk, Mr. Glenn McLean, Honourable Kelvin Ng, Mr. Jobie Nutarak, Honourable Kevin O’Brien, Honourable Paul Okalik, Honourable Ed Picco, Honourable Manitok Thompson, Mr. Hunter Tootoo, Ms. Rebekah Williams.
Speaker (Mr. O’Brien): I would like to call on Ms. Williams to say the prayer.
Speaker: Ullukkuut.
Good afternoon, Mr. Premier, members.
Minister’s Statement 037 – 1(5): Minister Absent from the House
Mr. Speaker, I would like to advise members that the Honourable Manitok Thompson will be absent from the House today to attend meetings in Rankin Inlet.
Minister’s Statement 038 – 1(5): Harvester Support Policy Review
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be able to report to this House the progress of my department in its review of current policy and programs used to support our harvesters in Nunavut.
(interpretation ends) As most members are aware, the Department of Sustainable Development administers a number of policies, which are used to support harvesting, and our traditional economic activities on the land.
Program spending for harvesters made under the authority of these policies will amount to over 2.4 million in this current fiscal year.
Our programs support harvesting activities in three general ways.
To support Hunters’ and Trappers’ Organizations and Regional Wildlife Organizations.
To support resource development programs, such as support to outpost camps and the purchase of sealskins under our Fur Price Program.
To support individual harvesters and community groups for subsistence harvesting.
Most of these programs originated in the 1980s, and are in need of revising to better suit the needs of our Nunavummiut harvesters.
To understand where changes need to be made, my department conducted a survey of harvesters, and representatives from the RWOs and HTOs, NTI and our own Wildlife Officers.
Harvesters told us that our programs helped them, but that the Government of Nunavut should consider changes.
We were provided with a number of excellent ideas about what these changes to our harvesters’ support policies could be: for example, many suggested support for training for hunters to ensure our young people can maintain the traditional way of life on the land for generations to come.
With limited government financial resources, we will need to make choices about what policies to keep, and what policies to abandon.
These choices will allow us to direct more funding to the current needs of our harvesters.
To assist us with these decisions about which policies to keep and which to abandon, I have asked department officials, to organize a panel discussion in eight communities.
We will ask representatives from RWOs, Regional Wildlife Officers, Hunters’ and Trappers’ Associations and women’s sewing groups to join my staff on this panel.
Panel members will receive advice from our harvesters about the choices we need to make to improve our harvester support policies, including our support to sewers who are currently funded under our Grants to Small Business Program.
Panel members will report directly to me, what they will learn in the community meetings.
With this information, changes to our harvester support policies can be made later this year.
Mr. Speaker, later today, I will table the information supplement we are providing to all harvesters which examines the issues around our harvester support programs.
Member’s Statement 127 – 1(5): Nunavut Wrestling Team
Mr. Arvaluk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to rise today and recognize two outstanding athletes from my constituency.
Mr. Speaker, Tony Eetuk and Joseph Nakoolak of Coral Harbour along with Daniel Young from Iqaluit and Shawn Kowetak from Arviat have been named the Nunavut Wrestling Team that will compete at the 2001 Canada Summer Games being held in London Ontario this August.
It is inspiring to see our young people focusing their efforts on something positive and earning for themselves a chance to compete at the national level.
Mr. Speaker, the Canada Summer Games has a rich history.
It began in 1967 in celebration of Canada’s centennial and has been held every two years since then, alternating between summer and winter seasons.
The vision of the Canada Summer Games is to advance the Canada Games legacy of building Canadian unity, fostering personal excellence through sport and enriching community life.
The sport of wrestling has always been a part of our culture Mr. Speaker, as a test of strength, skill and endurance.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to see our young people excelling in this area and I would like to wish them the best of luck at the Canada Summer Games.
Member’s Statement 128 – 1(5): One Nunavut
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about Nunavut, the Keewatin, Kitikmeot and Baffin.
When we talk about Nunavut in general we talk about it being split into three regions.
But Nunavut is one.
We wanted Nunavut to be created so that we could live in one territory.
In our way of life and tradition, Nunavut is already one.
Mr. Speaker, all the people of Nunavut should work together including on capital projects.
This is our responsibility so that our younger generations will benefit from it.
Mr. Speaker, in conclusion I would like to stress to my colleagues that we should all support each other in our endeavours.
Member’s Statement 129 – 1(5): Safe and Drug Free Communities
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to raise an issue that has been brought to my attention by many of my constituents in Kugluktuk.
Mr. Speaker, these communities are drug free communities.
Over the past while we have heard of several good initiatives on the part of the RCMP to fight the scourge of drugs in our communities.
Mr. Speaker, it is no secret that the postal system is often used by narcotic traffickers to smuggle in their poison to the north.
This is a tactic that needs to be cracked down on.
The residents of Kugluktuk would like to see better co-operation between law enforcement officials, Canada Post and the local people that deliver the front line postal services in small communities, such as mine.
They want to see stronger action in stopping these shipments before they reach our youth.
Mr. Speaker, I call on our ministers and the Department of Justice to work with their federal counterparts to make clear the need to take stronger action in this area.
Member’s Statement 130 – 1(5): Harvesters Support Policy Review
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the Harvesters’ Support Policy review.
When we hear about this policy review, and for myself personally, it is something that affects me deeply.
It is something that I think is very important and it is also something that the youth would like to learn, because the youth are asking to learn about traditional skills and knowledge.
I have worked with youth for the past seven years and taught them about the Inuit traditional skills and knowledge.
It has affected me a lot when children around 7 to 9 years of age are with you and they are grateful to you for teaching them the Inuit traditional skills and knowledge and they are extremely proud of learning the traditional skills and knowledge.
Programs like these could decrease the number of suicides that we see every year.
We would like to see the rate of suicide go down and it is up to us to each of us individually.
I am very happy that the Minister of Sustainable Development is going to be doing this Hunter Support Policy Review because it affects us all.
Mr. Speaker it gives me a great pleasure today to recognize a constituent of mine.
I would like to recognize a resident of Iqaluit and also the Chairperson of the Nunavut Social Development Council Ms. Mary Wilman, and with her is Lena Evic Twerdin.
I would like to recognize an individual from Pond Inlet who is in the gallery today and she works for Sustainable Development in Pond Inlet, Lesley Qamaniq.
She is here in Iqaluit attending a meeting.
I would like to recognize two individuals who are in the gallery, although my colleague recognized them.
Mary Wilman who has worked very hard not just in the community of Iqaluit but also across Nunavut.
She has been working on social issues very hard.
I also would like to acknowledge her and also Lena Evic Twerdin who for many years now has been working on social issues for all Nunavut communities.
Thank you Lena and Mary.
Question 143 - 1(5): Home Care Services
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Social Services.
I do not really know how to phrase it but I hope the minister will understand.
The social workers have to work with individuals who require counselling and other difficult duties.
I was wondering if you can reconsider the set up of their offices because the social workers and the RCMP officers have to work together to help the people at the community level.
I was wondering if the social workers offices can be put under the hamlet councils because their offices are often away from the public.
Speaker: Minister of Health and Social Services. Mr. Picco.
Mr. Speaker, what we've been trying to do in the Department of Health and Social Services, is to co-ordinate and amalgamate different services offered through the department.
We've had some success in some of the larger communities, for example, Cambridge Bay, where we've been incorporating not only the mental health worker and the wellness worker but also the social worker under the same building.
Specifically in the situation in Pond, I want to take the opportunity to thank the long time serving social worker in Pond Inlet as well as the new position we've put in there.
I also understand Mr. Speaker, we've actually put a probation worker in Pond now dedicated to work with the RCMP, so that's something that we're doing.
The federal government, Mr. Speaker, has their own dedicated offices, like for the RCMP, and specifically, I have not as the Minister of Health and Social Services, approached them about co-ordinating any of our service delivery with theirs.
What we've been trying to do is co-ordinate our delivery through the health centre and through the other wellness centres that we have on the ground in most communities.
Although I understand the minister has already reviewed the matter, I was wondering when it would actually be implemented in the communities.
Some communities are not like that but once the mental health workers are in place, will this be when you will implement this.
Mr. Speaker, in the majority of our communities, it is almost 80% right now, we have different categories of social services as well as mental health and health services available through the staff in those positions.
Where possible, Mr. Speaker, what we've done is co-ordinate the delivery of all those services and those professions under one roof.
So you'd have almost a one roof, one stop shopping kind of deal in place.
And that's what we're trying to co-ordinate.
For example, right now, in Pond, the last time I was there was in June, the social worker’s office, for example, has been located in a building that is dedicated to that individual and the staff.
But again, I have not approached any other delivery agent of services, for example the RCMP about co-ordination at that level in the community.
That's something Mr. Speaker, that I think bears some thought.
Something that we could look into.
I'm not just talking about Pond Inlet, I was speaking about Nunavut as a whole because the social service workers work under difficult conditions, perhaps the minister could come up with more co-ordinated structures.
Could he inform me when this can be done.
Mr. Speaker, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the member.
Not only as the member, but also as the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Health and Social Services, he's not only a critic but an advocate also for the department.
He makes a good point and that's something that we'll take under review.
Question 144 - 1(5): Update on Funding for Access Roads
Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct my question to the Minister for Transportation.
When you were making your opening comments, you said you might be receiving federal funds to build access roads.
I was wondering if the minister can tell us in the House where you're at now with the money you're trying to get from the federal government for access roads.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I did not really get the question, I was wondering if he was talking about access roads or breakwaters but I can tell you that we tried to get some money from the Federal Department of Transportation, to improve docks and breakwaters and expect that around April 1 that we'll be getting additional funds.
In my opening comments regarding access roads, I was stating that we don't have an agreement on it but at this time we're working the federal government.
But we expect that, once this is completed we'll getting some funding for docking facilities but an agreement has not been reached at this time. Thank you.
I'm not asking about docking facilities, I was asking about the access roads that the hunters can use.
I wanted to get clarification on that.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): The access road program was developed in the GNWT days, and it was popular then and I'm sure it is supported now.
We will continue to work on this issue as the Department of Transportation along with the assistance of the Department of Sustainable Development, on the access roads going out of the community.
Yes, we'll start dealing with that but at this time we don't know if we can get some funding, but with the assistance of the Department of Sustainable Development, we'll look into it.
Mr. Speaker, I understand his response but I would like to get further clarification because communities vary from each other, some communities have very different conditions and some can build good access road while for others it is very difficult.
In my other community of Qikiqtarjuaq, the terrain is very rough and it's very hard to build access roads, and some communities’ terrain is not as rough, so it's easier to build access roads.
Would you be able to give support to a request of the community to build an access road.
At this time we don't have any money that is set aside for access road extensions but we would like to talk to the communities and I know that some of the communities have been requesting more access roads because they know what their needs are in the communities.
Although at this time we have no money for access roads, we will talk with the communities about their needs.
But it is a program that we would like to explore with the communities.
I didn't think I was going to have another question.
I understand the response that the minister gave me as he stated that the community knows what they want and the department would talk to them.
I am more concerned about one of my communities of Qikiqtarjuaq as they have a difficult time going to their caribou hunting grounds as it is very far.
How can they go about getting help for that.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not exactly sure how we can do this but I would tell the member that I will tell my officials to talk to the Hamlet of Qikiqtarjuaq either with the SAO or the Hamlet Council. Although nothing is going to be done right away we can consider their needs, the need of that community to have access to their caribou hunting grounds.
We will work the communities.
Question 145 - 1(5): Social Worker Position for Arctic Bay
A couple of weeks ago I asked the minister about the vacant social worker position in Arctic Bay.
When will that position be filled.
Mr. Speaker after the member raised the question in the House, through the department, we began recruitment for social workers. Not just for Arctic Bay but several communities.
Mr. Speaker I do not have the date of when a social worker would be in Arctic Bay but I do know Mr. Speaker that the department is recruiting actively for that and also some other positions that we do not have filled at the present time.
I would like to further ask the minister, I am just talking about the one for my community, a social worker for Arctic Bay and I would like to ask the minister again whether it might be in three months time or a six month time frame that the position of social worker will be filled in Arctic Bay.
Speaker: Minister responsible for Health and Social Services. Mr. Picco.
Mr. Speaker, as I said I cannot, the member wants me to give her an exact date, say on the 27th of March there would be a social worker in Arctic Bay. If I could I would be able to do that.
I am not lying to the member.
I am not trying to mislead the House.
I honestly do not know when the position will be filled.
I have said Mr. Speaker, that the position as well as several positions, right now we have 70% of our social workers 35 out of 50 filled.
We are actively recruiting the other 15.
Specifically when the social worker position would be filled that is I say I do not know but I do know that we are recruiting for that position at the present time.
Further to the Minister of Health and Social Services, for the social worker in Arctic Bay I want find out if that advertisement has been released for the competition.
Mr. Speaker I have not seen the advertisement in the local newspapers.
That is something Mr. Speaker that I will have to check and see when, if, the ad is in place or if it is going to be in this week’s paper or next week’s paper or when that ad would go out.
Generally Mr. Speaker what we have is a list.
We do an advertisement for a position, that position is staffed through Human Resources, not staffed through the department.
We staff nursing positions.
We have retained within the department the ability to staff the nurses not for the other positions within the department.
That is something we will have to check on.
Just to add to my question, I'd like the department, I encourage the department to fill that position as soon as possible.
There are foster parents and foster children in that community, they need assistance so I'd encourage the minister to deal with this as soon as possible.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member raising the issue and I know she is right that we do need a social worker in Arctic Bay and we do need to put the social worker positions that were vacant right now in the communities that have no social worker.
Mr. Speaker, I have through the Department of Health and Social Services, made that a priority and we will, Mr. Speaker, get that position filled and the member's questions, statement and comments, Mr. Speaker, are well taken.
Question 146 - 1(5): Harvester Support Policy Review
First of all, we are pleased to hear of the assistance that the hunters will be receiving.
I would like some clarification from the minister, in his statement he says “to support individual harvesters and community groups for subsistence harvesting”.
Can he clarify what he meant by that.
There are different activities under these Sustainable Development programs.
Not just for hunters but for those involved in activities such as garment making from animal products.
So it is geared for all of those activities.
My other question is the hunters that provide food to the community are left out of his statement, for example, in Igloolik, there are hunters who specialize in harvesting walrus from the moving ice in the winter, there are also some of those that do that in the minister’s constituency.
They are not large in number.
Would that assistance be available for those hunters.
I appreciate his question Mr. Speaker, on what other assistance will be provided and how we could better work with the individuals.
We would like to work with the communities and the harvesters to be able to provide assistance in ways that encourage people to go hunting.
I did not mention all of the ideas but we are considering many different ones.
We are looking at all those ideas.
We encourage the members to give us any of their ideas as well.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate his response.
I am talking about hunters in the community, harvesters that don’t have a permanent job that live by hunting.
They make hunting their way of life.
So is the Department of Sustainable Development going to be working with Social Services so that widowers could be provided with country food.
I could speak with the Minister of Social Services and look for ways we could provide country food to widowers.
I have another supplementary question.
Would the Minister of Sustainable Development consider that, as I said earlier, there are hunters in each community that work in dangerous conditions for example in Iqaluit, Cape Dorset, Igloolik, Grise Fiord and others.
Would it be possible to develop programs involving hunters and HTOs to train other less experienced hunters in the area of safety.
Yes, we could look at this.
There are different skills that they could be trained in.
Weather, navigation and about different types of ways to survive out on the land.
We could look into that.
Question 147 – 1(5): Nursing Staff in Igloolik
Mr. Speaker, yesterday during question period I raised a question and received a response regarding the vacant nursing position in Igloolik.
I asked the minister if they could bring in an extra nurse.
The minister responded by saying that they will be sending an extra nurse to Igloolik immediately.
I would like to ask him if that response is correct.
Mr. Speaker, as I said after the member had done asking the question on it, I received information from Igloolik, that there are actually four nurses in Igloolik.
My question is was that response that he gave me true.
So from the Hansard that the members' talking about and I quote "So at any given time, for example in this case, it's Igloolik.
If a job offer has been made or a person has been interviewed, I don't have that information with me but I do know Mr. Speaker, that when a position is vacant, especially on nurses, we're automatically trying to recruit”.
Mr. Speaker, after that question period, I provided to the member that we had four nurses in place, according to my staffing list for Igloolik, this calls for four community health nurses in Igloolik, as I informed the member there are four nurses. I actually gave him the names of four nurses in Igloolik.
I know that they should have four nurses in Igloolik, and looking at his response on the Hansard page 14, “… we are recruiting for that position, as we speak here”.
I'm just asking him about that response he gave, are you going to be sending another nurse there.
If the member turns to the next page, page 15, and see the conclusion of the minister's remarks, again Mr. Speaker, I reiterate what is in the Hansard and that we are currently and always, we have a dedicated staff person for nursing recruitment.
So when we have vacant positions we try to hire immediately and I informed the House that we had recently come back from the recruitment drive, where we were successful at actually getting X number of nurses in place and to hire and put those nurses into the positions that are vacant.
As I said in the House, yesterday Mr. Speaker there are four community health nurses in Igloolik and one is billed Mr. Speaker, 1.5 is billed as a casual.
Mr. Speaker, if there is a need, operational requirements dictate that we need an extra nurse in Igloolik, as the member is saying, Mr. Speaker, that's something that the Department would look at and if operational requirements needed another nurse, then we would put in a nurse and that's what I said.
Perhaps he made the first response I quoted by mistake, is that correct. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I can only say what I said, it shows in the Hansard again, when the position is vacant we automatically try to fill that position, and we had that capability and capacity in the Department of Health and Social Services.
Other positions for staffing, Mr. Speaker go through Human Resources for example as the member asked from Arctic Bay, social worker positions, mental health workers, those are not staffed by the department.