EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
There are many programs geared for adults at the different stages of learning. It is up to students, with the support of their family, to take advantage of the opportunities to learn, to acquire skills, and to achieve the formal recognition of that learning.
Mr. Speaker, the concept of self-reliance is an important one in many cultures and traditions. Self-reliance requires that an individual step up and take on personal responsibility.
By taking personal responsibility for what we do, what we learn, and what we strive for, we can each contribute to society as a whole.
Mr. Speaker, it is important that each person take a stand towards solving their own problems.
Earlier this sitting, my colleague from Nattilik provided a good example of the kind of action I am referring to.
She very eloquently noted that victims need to stand up and refuse to take abuse in order to stop being victimized.
Mr. Speaker, there are many programs and resources available that can support our individual efforts. We simply need to work better with the resources that we have.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage the residents of Nunavut to stand up, reach out, and seek the support they need to help them achieve their goals and dreams.
I also call upon the government to ensure that programs and services are well advertised and easily accessible.
We hear a lot about “false barriers,” which are unintentional obstacles that prevent individuals or groups from accessing what they need.
I am confident that the more effort we make to reach out and access the supports and services that are available out there, then the quicker we will be able to break down those barriers.
The opportunities are out there; it is up to each and every one of us to reach out and take them.
Member’s Statement 271 – 3(3): Search and Rescue Issues and Arctic Sovereignty (Ningark)
The Government of Canada recognizes the Arctic as part of Canadian sovereignty.
I believe the population of Nunavut is about 30,000 to 33,000 while the population of Canada is around 34 million, which is widely recognized.
The weather is very nice in the spring, but in the wintertime, when the days are short and there are blizzards in Nunavut and hunters get lost, searches have to be made. Where is the federal government when we need them?
Mr. Speaker, when people get lost in Nunavut, they often don’t return home. Communities try to conduct searches without government support, even from the Nunavut government. They fundraise for themselves when there needs to be a search.
Yes, I truly support the Nunavut government in pushing for devolution because we need empowerment in the communities.
However, when hunters are lost on the land, we don’t get assistance and they don’t want to help. (interpretation ends) Every member of Nunavut counts. We are about 30,000 to 33,000.
When it comes to talking about sovereignty, where is the Government of Canada?
Are there any nays? There being none. Please proceed, Mr. Ningark.
Mr. Ningark: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, my colleagues.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, this winter in Kugaaruk, a very young man attempted to travel from Kugaaruk to Taloyoak alone and failed to return. This was due to bad weather and blizzard.
Up to today, searchers are still out on the land trying to recover his body. They have yet to find him, although they have found the snowmobile he was using.
I would like to express my appreciation to the residents of Taloyoak for their assistance to the search and rescue team from Kugaaruk. Additionally, we thank the Gjoa Haven people who provided help.
I would also like to thank the people of Repulse Bay for their invaluable assistance.  Conversely, I don’t have much to thank our Nunavut government for in this instance.
This applies equally to the federal government. Even though we requested assistance from the two levels of government to conduct further searches, we were not successful. It was only through the good graces of the local people of these communities that we were able to fund the searches.
Mr. Speaker, when the governments again mouth off about sovereignty, their foundation in this argument is the Inuit people. Only then are we seen to count and be recognized for this contribution, but we are being exploited in this regard.
Additionally, Inuit have been exploited for quite a number of generations in the name of sovereignty.
However, whenever an individual Inuk requires assistance, we have to start putting this on equal footing with this exploitation under sovereignty. An Inuk should be worth more than what they spend on sovereignty.
Should one of our fellow Inuit in Nunavut disappear, we have nobody to turn to. The Government of Canada no longer understands our value; they have distanced themselves and are no longer listening to Inuit.
When we request assistance, helicopters are no longer available, although they are still servicing the southern latitudes.
The Canadian Coast Guard no longer has ships available at those times.
At the appropriate time, Mr. Speaker, I will be raising questions on how the Nunavut government and the federal government can give us more support in this regard.
Question 376 – 3(3): New Birth Certificates (Tapardjuk)
I will try to make this a very short question. I’m directing this question to the Minister of Health and Social Services, (interpretation ends) Hon. Keith Peterson.
(interpretation) I was very happy to hear the minister make an announcement about the new Nunavut birth certificates.
One issue that requires clarification is the reference to the child being eligible to receive these new birth certificates, which is that they have to be born in Nunavut.
My question is: what about those residents who were born in Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal, or even Yellowknife? Does that disqualify them from birth certificates that show they weren’t born in Nunavut?
It’s a good question; it’s a question we all struggle with in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, when we were a part of them.
My own children were born outside of Nunavut. I just consider them born in Nunavut.
It’s unfortunate that they had to be born in the south.
My understanding is if you’re born in another jurisdiction, you apply for a birth certificate from that province or territory.
I just want some further clarification. There are lots of people who have been born in health centres outside Nunavut.
If that person was born outside of Nunavut, do the parents have to then apply to that jurisdiction? Who do they apply to do that? Do they apply to the Nunavut health services department or do they have to apply specifically to the province?
Who specifically looks after that?
Mr. Speaker, the reason why I raise that is because a lot of parents have had difficulty trying to get birth certificates for their children who were born outside of Nunavut and some of them are unable to get SIN numbers and other identification.
Can the minister clarify how these parents would be able to apply for a birth certificate?
Would they have to apply to the Ontario government?
Could he at least clarify the process so that Nunavummiut will understand, Mr. Speaker?
Based on my own experience and the experiences of many my constituents, they would have to apply to the jurisdiction where the child was born. I’m sure the Department of Health and Social Services has people who can assist people to apply.
As I mentioned the other day, the government liaison officers in most communities should be able to assist people as well.
Mr. Tapardjuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the minister for providing that response and for clarifying the situation.
A lot of people have experienced difficulty trying to get identification.
Let me ask this last question, Mr. Speaker, if I may.
What about people who were born in Nunavut, even though their residency was outside of Nunavut, such as in southern provinces?
Would these people also experience difficulties or would they have to apply for identification through their Ontario government?
Let us clarify that process so that people don’t have to undergo this experience, Mr. Speaker.
My understanding is if you’re born in Nunavut but you live in Alberta, for example, then you would apply to our Government of Nunavut for your birth certificate.
Question 377 – 3(3): Status of Government Liaison Officer Positions (Rumbolt)
On February 29 of this year, I asked the minister for an update on the status of filling government liaison officer positions across Nunavut.
At that time, she indicated that a criminal records check was underway for the applicant in Sanikiluaq.
Can the minister update me today on the status of the GLO position in Sanikiluaq?
I’m happy to say that the individual has been told when she will start, which is on June 11, 2012.
I thank the Premier for her answer.
It’s good to hear that the position is finally filled. When does the government anticipate having all of its GLO positions filled throughout Nunavut?
Minister of Executive Intergovernmental Affairs, Madam Premier.
When these positions are first opened, it’s very difficult to know when they will be filled.
We had thought that they would be filled earlier.
We need to do criminal record checks and this process makes it longer to fill the positions.
Also, sometimes when we can’t find any applicants, the vacant positions are re-advertised. There are various reasons why these positions are not filled.
What I can say is that in the communities, CGS now has a supervisor in Pond Inlet, a GLO in Arctic Bay, Hall Beach, Repulse Bay, Coral Harbour, Chesterfield Inlet, Kugaaruk, and Taloyoak, and the successful candidates’ starting dates have been identified in Qikiqtarjuaq, Pangnirtung, and Sanikiluaq.
I already indicated when the GLO in Sanikiluaq will start. The positions in Qikiqtarjuaq and Pangnirtung positions have been finalized.
(interpretation ends) Staffing is underway or almost completed as follows: Grise Fiord, Resolute Bay, Kimmirut, Cape Dorset, Igloolik, Arviat, Whale Cove, and Gjoa Haven. (interpretation) That is where we are.
We’re working very hard to fill all of these GLO positions because they are crucial for communication between the territorial government and the communities.
Since they are very essential and important, we have been working very hard to fill these positions.
I thank the Premier for the update.
Earlier this year, a number of GLOs travelled to Iqaluit for training and orientation sessions.
Can the minister indicate whether further training sessions are planned to take place during the current 2012 calendar year?
Training our new GLOs is of utmost importance to us and as they are recruited as government liaison officers, training opportunities will be provided to them.
We would like to have all of our GLOs trained as they join our government.
How we will probably roll it out is that they will have a certain number at a time before a training date will be set.
Can the minister indicate what priorities her department has established for GLOs who are now in their positions?
The priority for the GLOs that are in place, of course, right now is to ensure that they are settling into their new offices. You have to remember that these positions are new positions within our communities and the office spaces, computers, and so on are new.
So the GLOs that are in place right now are making themselves familiar with how the computers work and all that.
The priority, of course, is also connecting our communities through better communication. To achieve this end, the GLO positions are created, of course, throughout the territory.
One of the priorities for the GLOs is also training them so that they can do their job in a way that they are set out to do.
Question 378 – 3(3): Environmental Protection Activities and Reporting (Aupaluktuq)
My questions are for the Minister of Environment, (interpretation ends) Hon. James Arreak.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, I want to follow up today on the questions that I asked on October 28 of last year concerning the issue of environmental protection.
As I noted, the GN and the GNWT maintain a 24-hour spill report line.
At that time, the minister informed the House that he was aware of five spills that had occurred in the Baker Lake area during the preceding year.
Mr. Speaker, would the minister commit to tabling information in this House during our fall sitting later this year concerning the number and circumstances of reported spills of fuel and other hazardous materials that have occurred in Nunavut over the past two years?
I would like to thank Mr. Aupaluktuq for posing his question. This is a very important issue.
The Department of Environment does a number of investigations into alleged hazardous spills.
We investigate approximately 150 spills each year to determine if they were hazardous.
Once I receive the report, I will be able to table that information in the House as soon as possible.
Earlier this year, the government responded to my written question concerning the enforcement of Nunavut’s Environmental Protection Act.
The response to my question indicated that a total of zero charges had been laid under the Act between April 1, 1999 and October 31, 2011.
Can the minister inform the House if his department has undertaken any investigations under the Act over the past two years?
He indicated that it was 150, but I wanted to ask if there ever have been any other further charges in consideration in the last two years.
We do investigate spills that are reported. As of today, there has been no charges laid under the Act, but we do investigate.
The major investigation we had done was in Baker Lake and we are investigating other spills in Nunavut.
Would the minister commit to tabling an annual report in the Legislative Assembly that describes his department’s activities under the Environmental Protection Act?
Yes, once I receive the report and it is approved by cabinet, I will be able to table it in the House.
Question 379 – 3(3): Update on Student Information System (Ugyuk)
Ms. Ugyuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Education  Mr. Speaker, in February, the Minister of Education indicated that the new Student Information System would be piloted in nine schools across Nunavut and be fully rolled out in the fall of 2012.
Can the minister provide an update on how well the pilot Student Information System has been functioning to date and, if it hasn’t been going well, what kinds of challenges are these pilot projects facing?
Hon. Eva Aariak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank my colleague for asking the question.
Those pilot projects are functioning well. The two systems that were monitored are functioning well, but I don’t have any information in front of me that talks about challenges or concerns.
If there are any problems, I will be providing that information to the member once I receive it.
There are two student information systems that are functioning well. Did I understand that correctly?
Yes, you understood correctly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Ms. Ugyuk: Can the minister confirm that the Student Information System will be fully rolled out in all Nunavut schools in the fall of 2012?
Again, I will let the member know when a full rollout timeline is available.
Ms. Ugyuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) We agreed to funding for nine pilot projects; she said there were two.
When will the other seven be functioning? What challenges are they facing if there’s only two rolling out when we approved nine?
Speaker: Thank you, Ms. Ugyuk. Minister of Education, Minister Aariak.
I mentioned that there are two student information systems. So if I was mistaken, I will look into it and get back to the member.
Question 380 – 3(3): Improvements to Pangnirtung’s Community Arena (Oshutapik)
Mr. Speaker, as the minister will recall from my first Member’s Statement in this House, the youth of Pangnirtung want the ability to use recreational facilities for longer periods of time during the year, which is why I support improvements to allow for artificial ice in our community’s arena.
As the minister is aware, his department’s 2012-13 capital estimates included funding for arena ice upgrades in the communities of Arviat and Coral Harbour.
Can the minister indicate if his department has considered the feasibility of making improvements to Pangnirtung’s arena?
Hon. Lorne Kusugak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the member for that question.
We have been dealing with, I believe, five arenas. Not exactly artificial ice, but they poured cement first and some material that facilitate ice formation.
We would like to continue this program in the coming years. Unfortunately, there were no funds for the project this summer, so we couldn’t continue with it.
When I talked with you this past winter in the House, I told you that Pangnirtung is on the priority list and this has not changed.
Thank you for your answer. (interpretation ends) Can the minister indicate if he is considering including funding in next year’s capital estimates for improvements to Pangnirtung’s arena?
Hon. Lorne Kusugak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said, it’s kind of difficult to try to find some funds and that’s exactly what we’re doing right now.
We’re reviewing how we’re going to put some funds and Pangnirtung has not been taken out of the list.
I thank the minister for the answer. (interpretation ends) Last week, the Legislative Assembly approved the transfer of funding to move responsibility for sport and recreation back to the Department of Community and Government Services.
I am sure that this will benefit his department’s capital planning process for recreational infrastructure.
Can the minister indicate how many community arenas in Nunavut lack artificial ice or other technology that allows for extended ice seasons?
I don’t know what this is because I still am not the minister responsible.
I understand that this will be transferred on July 1. Prior to that, if I should get any information, I will let you know.
Mr. Oshutapik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish it was July now.
>>Laughter  (interpretation ends) Uqaqtittijii, I was very pleased that our friends and neighbours in Pond Inlet opened their new arena in March of this year.
A portion of the funding was provided by the federal government.
Can the minister update us on the status of his department’s efforts to obtain additional federal funding for new recreational infrastructure in Nunavut?
I was also pleased that Pond Inlet was able to get a new arena.
It’s unfortunate that I was not able to come to the opening. Perhaps in the fall, I will try to be there and go skating.
Looking for funds from the federal government can be very difficult when we need very large amounts.
We are reviewing it, not just us but also in various regions in Canada, to see how we can have more funding for recreational and sports facilities.
We are still in the process of discussions.
We also had a teleconference the other day with federal ministers. If there’s any good news, I will not withhold from letting my colleagues know right away.
Item 6. Oral Questions. Member for Quttiktuq, Mr. Elliott.
Question 381 – 3(3): Encouraging Nunavummiut to Seek Support (Elliott)
Mr. Speaker, earlier in my Member’s Statement, I spoke of the need for individuals to stand up and ask for the supports and resources that are available to help them reach their goals.
At the same time, I noted that it is important that the government does a good job of letting people know what programs and services are available.
In April, the minister and his federal counterpart, the federal Minister of Health, announced a new way of handing out public money for community-based public health activities.
For the benefit of the listening public and to encourage them to seek out opportunities that are available, can the minister summarize how the new way of handing out public health money differs from past practice?
Mr. Speaker, that was a tremendous bit of news that we got from Health Canada. We worked for a considerably long time with the Department of Health and Social Services on this initiative.
I believe the concept originated in Cambridge Bay through a lady who actually applied on a regular basis to Health and Social Services for funding for the wellness centre.
I was the mayor at the time. I recall there would be 18 separate applications for funding programs to various governments, so then there would 18 separate accountings and 18 separate reports.
It kept a person occupied a considerably long time.
What this process will do, it allows Health Canada to flow funds to the Government of Nunavut Health and Social Services, and then the department works with each hamlet in Nunavut. They can work on a one- to five-year community wellness plan.
You sign one agreement and then you get the funds.
You get approved for your proposal, but you get one agreement and one report. It’s pretty straightforward.
I recognize that the government’s new way of handing out public health money relies in part on communities having community wellness groups.
Can the minister update this House on how many Nunavut communities currently have established community wellness groups?
Mr. Elliott is asking, “I’m the minister, so I should know all the details,” like down in the weeds, all the details.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health works with all communities.
The agreements are available to all communities. I believe most communities have, either through the hamlet councils or through their wellness committees, the possibility to negotiate agreements with the Department of Health and Social Services for health funding for their communities.
Also in the answer to my first question, the minister had mentioned that it is more accessible, easier, less burden on community groups in terms of reporting and proposal writing, which is great.  He also mentioned that funding was accessed through… .
I think it’s similar to what we have seen happen with Community and Government Services in terms of receiving funding for communities for infrastructure.
There’s a lot of emphasis put on the integrated sustainability plan that each community has, and kudos to CGS for getting all the communities online and having those plans created and done.
Similarly to this, Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health had mentioned community wellness plans. I was wondering if he could actually tell us: do all communities across Nunavut have community wellness plans completed?
Again Mr. Elliott is asking me a question where I don’t have all the details.
I’m not involved in the day-to-day operational activities of the department.
If I were, I would have to run over from the Legislative Assembly over to the department and manage. Mr. Speaker, it’s impossible for me to know that kind of information.
Mr. Speaker, what I can tell the member is that the Department of Health and Social Services is working with all communities to negotiate funding for community wellness plans. It’s simple as that.
Speaker: Thank you, Minister Peterson. Your final supplementary, Mr. Elliott.
Again, sorry to be upsetting the minister, but again, he is the minister of the department and should know details about what is going on in his department.
In the Budget Address, which the minister, under a different portfolio, gave this House in March, he had mentioned, and I’ll quote, “…new programs for breakfast and lunch at schools.
If our children hunger for anything, it should be for knowledge.” Mr. Speaker, I agree with that, but using his words, I have “gone into the weeds” and I have looked around down there and I have tried to find funding specifically designated as breakfast program money from the Government of Nunavut to provide breakfast programs to our communities.
Mr. Speaker, this is something that’s mentioned in here, which I think is part of the whole of government, not just his department.
Hopefully he can answer this: where’s the money for breakfast programs if my communities are trying to apply for it?
Hon. Keith Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank Mr. Elliott again.
I don’t know if I should be thanking him, but I will thank him.
He’s making me sweat over here.