EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Speaker, saying that we will work on accessing funding year to year is not good planning.
We need to develop some long term planning.
We need to secure long term funding.
We need to fill our wellness coordinator position on the secure long term basis.
Mr. Speaker, I urge the Minister of Health and Social Services to look into this matter at the earliest opportunity and to look at new ways to make these kinds of positions more secure in Kugluktuk and in other communities across Nunavut.
Member’s Statement 755 – 1(6): Gems Found in Kimmirut
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today to make a Statement on the development of the mining sector in one of my Constituencies.
My other Constituency is now being recognized as having a potential for mining.
Simiga Aqpik and Mr. Nowluk back in 1998 found a gem called sapphire when they were walking just outside the community of Kimmirut.
They are now recognizing that there are blue sapphires; they are the lighter colour blue sapphires and they have found those gems around the community Kimmirut.
The funding that is provided for the Prospectors Program is very beneficial and we are starting to see the benefits of that program.
In South Baffin they have also found a very beautiful gem called the true north gem.
They have discussed how they should be mining sapphires.
The two brothers, I am sure, who had found those gems are extremely happy.
There are many economic opportunities here in the North, especially in the mining sector.
I would like to congratulate the two brothers in Kimmirut for finding the sapphires.
Member’s Statement 756 – 1(6): Examination of Patients by Community Nurses
I would like to thank the community nurses in the community.
I do not envy their job because that job is one of high stress.
They have to examine people who are ill, especially children.
Some patients are not examined properly.
At times some patients are diagnosed with illnesses too late.
I know that this will continue.
The community nurses need to provide thorough examinations to people who are ill, especially children who cannot speak, or talk about their illnesses, or about their pain.
Some nurses tell the parents just give them Tylenol, or a painkiller.
I would like to encourage the communities to be more careful and knowledgeable about these things.
Member’s Statement 757 – 1(6): Kitikmeot Tahera Project
Mr. Speaker, the Kitikmeot Inuit Association and the Tahera Corporation have announced that they have reached an agreement in principal for Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement for the Tahera project, the Jericho Diamond Mine.
This agreement establishes a precedent for future IIBAs with respect to water compensation and protection of the environment.
It is also the first, Mr. Speaker, for a diamond mine in Nunavut, and represents a lot of hard work by the negotiators on both sides.
Mr. Speaker, both Tahera Corporation and the Kitikmeot Inuit Association should be commended for reaching an agreement in principal, which really lays the groundwork and the foundation for jobs and economic opportunities of Kitikmeot residents and Nunavut residents.
Member’s Statement 758 – 1(6): Igloolik and Hall Beach Airline Transportation
I would like to make a few comments about the transportation from Igloolik to Hall Beach, which will probably never be resolved.
First Air is a very busy airline, especially when it comes to the Hall Beach and Igloolik routes.
The Minister for the Department of Health was asked by me whether he can do something about the airline routing, but there has always been some patients who are left behind and have to wait.
I will be asking the Minister of Health questions during question period on that issue and I also have to get some more information from the Minister in regards to First Air and Hall Beach-Igloolik routes by First Air.
Member’s Statement 759 – 1(6): Access Road In Pangnirtung
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker for recognizing me.
Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to send my regards to my family, Charlie Akpalialuk and the others.
Mr. Speaker, in October, I invited three Members to Pangnirtung and it was televised at that time.
I would like to also announce today that the access road was built in that area and is being utilized by the people of Pangnirtung and they can also use their boats in the wintertime in that area where the access road was built.
I would like to tell the Members that the people of Pangnirtung are still using their boats in the wintertime and to say that I would like to thank everybody for being able to have the access road built in Pangnirtung.
Mr. Speaker, the Members’ Statements were short and Ministers’ Statements was a bit long, so we were not able to recognize the members of the MYAT, the Ministers’ Youth Action Team.
I just wanted to point out, for the record, that we had 16 members of the Ministers’ Youth Action Team on tobacco and they had to leave the Assembly to go complete the TV ads and commercials they are doing in support of anti-tobacco and I think every Member here should be very proud of youth like that who are trying to stem the tide of tobacco, so I wanted to introduce them to the Assembly.
Mr. Speaker, I also would like to take this opportunity to introduce to the Assembly and welcome to the Assembly a well-known politician, lawyer and business person and friend, Mr. Dennis Patterson.
Dennis served the people of Nunavut for 16 years as a Member of the Legislative Assembly and any person who has served more than one year as a Member of the Legislative Assembly knows the type of work that it takes.
Dennis stayed in for 16.
He was a former Premier, Minister of Education and many other portfolios.
Mr. Speaker, I wanted to say that I could go on and on about Dennis Patterson; he could tell you about the time.
All the Members know what a great fisherman I am and when I was in Yellowknife, I believe I had the record; in one day, in one hour, I caught two large northern pikes; I think it was in Phosperous Lake.
The record is still in place, one was 47 pounds and the other one was 53 pounds.
Dennis could tell you about that success.
Anyway, Mr. Speaker, I want to welcome Dennis to the Assembly. Dennis is here all the way from British Columbia to pick up a copy of my CD. So, welcome....
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to welcome to the Gallery, Mr. Chris West and Ms. Alison Rogan, who are here with the daycare groups.
Alison is a long time family friend of our family.
So, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Alison to the Gallery and Chris and also sitting behind Minister Akesuk, a well-known educator with the Nunavut Arctic College, a long time Nunavut resident, Mr. Bruce Rigby.
I was on that fishing trip and I do not think it was 47 pounds.
And without even knowing the people involved, I would tend to and more than likely agree with you on that.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize four individuals in the Gallery today with the childcare here in Iqaluit.
We have, and as Mr. Picco pointed out, Mr. Chris West back here who is a president of Aakuluk Daycare.
Joyce Trainer is the treasurer for Aakuluk Daycare.
Elizabeth Sherlock is running the after school program at Joamie School.
Patricia Doucet is the vice-president of Aakuluk Daycare and Alison Rogan is the member-at-large for Aakuluk Daycare.
I would like to welcome them here in the Gallery today.
Mr. McLean: Thank you, Batman, I mean, Mr. Speaker.
I am lingering and you know.
I would like to recognize two constituents.
The fine Mr. Portly, Robin and Mr. Picco must be the Joker.
But anyhow, I must reason out.
Anyhow, Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize two gentlemen who I have known for a very long time and I went hunting with them on occasion; I met them on the lake many times and they have done a lot of work on the Wildlife Act with the terminology.
They have been at various regional meetings and they are very, very good hunters and fishermen when they are around the fish.
I would like to recognize David Aksaani and Harold Atagoyuk from Baker Lake.
I hardly ever recognize people in the Gallery.
I would like to recognize the long time Member of the Legislature, Mr. Dennis Patterson and we were also provided in Kugaaruk with a school when he was a Minister of Education and I would like the Members to welcome Mr. Dennis Patterson.
Mr. Tootoo: Again?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I just want to recognize a couple of people in behind me. I know he is not my constituent, but I house sat for him when I first moved back to Iqaluit and thank him for his wonderful contribution for allowing my move back to Nunavut, Bruce Rigby.
I know him well, please be welcome.
And I also want to recognize the former Premier of our Territory in the past and who represented Iqaluit very well and spoiled my constituents, so I am having a tough time trying to keep up with his record in my own Riding and I think he misses that, the job of being Premier very much.
Last night we were visiting a common friend and he had the good fortune of leaving earlier than me and stole my shoes.
So, I think he misses walking in the Premier’s shoes.
So, I had the good fortune of running into him first thing this morning and commented on his shoes and unbeknownst to him he did not know that he was actually walking in my shoes.
So, thank you, for enjoying my shoes this morning.
Speaker: Welcome to the Gallery, Dennis and by the way, Ed’s fish was only 12 pounds.
It was a fish story.
I would like to recognize my staff who have helped me a great deal in the work that I do.
I would like to recognize Ulluriaq Hanson-Comeau and Joanne Manning, who are working for me in my office upstairs.
And also to recognize an individual sitting over there, one of the pages, Joanasie Toonoo and he is from my Constituency and also over there, behind Mr. Iqaqrialu is my daughter, Shaimaiyuk Akesuk.
And Mr. Speaker, I too, wish to recognize a former Colleague from the 12th Assembly of the Northwest Territories who Mr. Picco and my Colleague Premier Okalik have recognized, Mr. Dennis Patterson.
We sat together on the Standing Committee on Finance and also on the Special Committee of Division.
I think from the Premier’s comments, he may be encouraging him to come back and run for re-election.
It is very cold in this Chamber.
I am not really sure which thermostat that we have to put up.
It is getting really cold in the Chamber.
Some Members already recognized Bruce Rigby and I would like to recognize him for helping me with the Adult Learning Strategy that my Department is doing.
I would like to recognize Bruce Rigby.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, in 1995 I sat beside Mr. Patterson when I was just getting into territorial policies and I would like to say my appreciations to him in forming my questions to the Ministers on the other side when I was a regular Member.
I appreciated his help during my first sitting in the Legislature and also with my Members’ Statements.
At that time, Jeannie Marie Jewel did most of the talking on bird dogs, which Dennis kept explaining to me that they were not birds in the sky or whatever it was bird dogs, that was all being discussed at the time.
I would also like to thank the daycare board for being here.
I recognize my old Constituent Chris West.
He smiles all the time whether it is good or bad and he has got a good face, so, maybe that will flow through to the rest of the crowd over there and we have the board here from the daycare society and I wish the rest of the board from Nunavut were here too because I know they have the same concerns.
Mr. Speaker, he was recognized already.
First of all, the two residents from Baker Lake for being here and their contribution to the proposed Wildlife Act and it is apparent now that we are dealing with a made in Nunavut Bill.
With the good contributions from the residents of Nunavut, I thank them for their contribution.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize a former Taloyoak resident, Sylvia Lyall, who lives in Iqaluit now.
She seems to be at home in Iqaluit and I would like to welcome her to the gallery.
I would like to thank the Member for Iqaluit Centre for having hired Sylvia Lyall; I recognize Mr. Tootoo.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize that in 1999 when we were first elected, during our first sitting in Iqaluit at the very first Legislative Assembly, it was quite hard and we received some good training from Mr. Patterson.
I would like to thank him for giving us a good start and providing us with confidence.
I also remember Goo Arlooktoo, our late friend, for his contribution along with Mr. Patterson as well as Lootie.
I know Mr. Patterson very well.
As the Premier for the NWT he used to travel to Gjoa Haven and I should say Uqsuqtuk and not Gjoa Haven.
I would like to recognise someone who has also contributed a lot to the work of Bill 35.
Two in particular, Abraham Kaunak and Joe Tigullagaq as well as others that have put many hours into Bill 35.
They are here to see what we are going to do with Bill 35, the Wildlife Act.
I too would like to recognize my good friend, Dennis Patterson.
He has been a great help to me over the last eight years with his advice and wisdom.
Good fishing buddy, racket ball player and we’re pleased to have you here in the Chamber.
Welcome Dennis.
Are there any further Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery.
Question 716 – 1(6): Amount of Investment on Day Cares
Mr. Speaker, as indicated in my Members’ Statement, I am sure that the Minister of Education has been anticipating my question.
I would like to ask the question to the Premier, or the Finance Minister, whoever might have a better idea.
They can decide amongst themselves who would like to answer the question as they know how much money the Department of Education has invested in daycares, and the percentage of their budget that makes up.
And if I stall a little more, Mr. Speaker, I guess I can direct my question to the Minister of Education.
I know that it is chilly in here.
I would like to ask her if she could indicate how much money her Department has invested in day cares.
What percentage of their budget does that make up?
Speaker: The Minister responsible for the Education, Minister Thompson.
Hon. Manitok Thompson (interpretation): I was in a big rush.
Yes, it is cold in here. $1 million, 773thousand of funds is set aside for childcare facilities in my budget.
That is a small amount, however, that is the set amount on an annual basis that is set aside for daycare within Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister had indicated that is a small amount.
I believe that if my calculations are correct, just a mere 1.2% of the budget is allocated towards licensed daycare facilities throughout Nunavut.
It is something that I am sure all of us would like to see changed given the critical growth in that area.
Mr. Speaker, we know here in Iqaluit, we have seen over the last five years, we have seen an increase in population of approximately 25%, and the numbers of daycare spaces that we’re short here is quite staggering and the demand is critical; there is a big need for it.
I would like to ask the Minister responsible for Early Childhood Development what she intends to do to address these critical shortages that we face here with licensed childcare spaces here in Iqaluit right now, and the ongoing costs to maintain them.
And, although given, as I mentioned earlier that this is something that is happening here now because of the rapid growth that we face, but it will be an issue facing the other communities throughout Nunavut as well over the years to come.
So I would like to ask the Minister what the Department intends on doing to address that.
I can say that the problems that are being faced by Iqaluit daycares, are the same problems that are being faced by all daycares in Nunavut.
Some communities do not even have day cares.
We have six of them in Iqaluit, and a major portion of our budget that is allocated for day cares in Nunavut goes to Iqaluit.
What we need to do is review the funding formula and from there we can figure out what we need to do in terms of funding day cares in all of Nunavut communities.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister was quite clear in pointing out that there are six daycares here and as she was listening to my Members’ Statement she indicated we have just about half as many spaces we need here in Iqaluit.
The demand is double of what we have and as also indicated that something that we are also facing in other communities.
I would like to ask the Minister responsible, how does the Minister expect her existing budget for childcare to address these issues here in Iqaluit and what specifically will her Department do to invest in our families and our children?
Hon. Manitok Thompson: Mr. Speaker, I just indicated that we need to review the funding formula for daycares.
As the Member knows, we also have a need for getting more funds for teachers in the classrooms and as I indicated, some communities do not even have daycares because of lack of funds or lack of resources or lack of infrastructure.
Mr. Speaker, I already said that I recognize the problem, we will review it, and if there are any more funds we can cut from somewhere to put into daycare, we will do that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I know full well the fiscal restraints that all of the Departments are facing.
I think what I am trying to get at is instead of just reviewing a formula financing for childcare facilities, we need to come up and develop some kind of a strategy to address this issue on a broader basis given the limited resources that we have.
I am wondering if the Minister could commit to have her staff look into developing a strategy, and some of the things that they could look at, the possibilities to create something like a junior kindergarten as maybe a pilot project and see how it works and maybe that is something that could be expanded to the other communities as well and also to look at trying to implement daycare facilities into existing infrastructure and new infrastructure that is in place right now to save costs for constructions and operations if they have shared costs in doing that.
I would like the Minister to have her staff commit to doing that.
Hon. Manitok Thompson: Mr. Speaker, we will do a strategy as the Government specializes in doing all kinds of strategies.
We will commit to doing a strategy on daycares and see where we need to make improvements with the daycare programs across the boards.
I cannot commit to pilot projects like the junior kindergarten here in Iqaluit because there are other communities that have the same priorities right now.
I could not commit to Iqaluit.
I have Rankin Inlet, Arviat, Baker Lake, Cambridge Bay, Pond Inlet, and Pangnirtung who also would like this same program.
So, we will have to do a strategy first to see what we can do, what the problems are. We already know what the problems are in terms of funding, but we need to know where the funds will come to go into daycares.
I also have a problem with funding formula on teachers.
We need more teachers, we need more daycares, we need more roads, we need a lot more housing in Nunavut and with that in mind, I agree with the Member.
I know the Member has brought this up more than once and I have also had Members from other communities bringing this up in terms of their daycares and some daycares that are not open yet, some daycares that need help.
I can certainly commit to a strategy and see what we can do with daycares.
Question 717 – 1(6): Igloolik and Hall Beach Airline Transportation
As I stated earlier in my Members’ Statement regarding medical patient travel, they seem to be travelling on standby fares or is that because the arrangements that they end up with standby fares.
I would like to ask the Minister of Health regarding his response last year.
What has he done to this date on that issue that I raised last year?
Mr. Speaker, there are different designations for fares from Airlines.
When we say a standby fare, that is why you go to the Airport, you do not have a reservation in most cases, and you are trying to get a cheaper ticket by going standby, and if you are standby, if the Member has a ticket for example, paid for it, we can advance and of course he takes precedent over the standby.
That is not what happens with the medical patients.
We have negotiated a fare, an airfare with the major airlines to transport our patients from the communities to whatever hospital that they are going to, or to their up flights.
For example, if they are going from Igloolik to Iqaluit, or if they are going from Igloolik, or Hall Beach to Ottawa, the medical travel fare is in place.
What does occur, Mr. Speaker, is if a patient, for example, goes to the health centre on Monday and is told that they have to be sent out on Wednesday, the flight might have already been full; in that case, people have already paid for their ticket and so on.
In that case the passenger would show up at the Airport, he has already paid for his ticket a week ago, I go there, because yesterday the nurse told me that I had to be sent out, in those cases, Mr. Speaker, depending on what the issue is with the patient, meaning if they had to get out faster, or if their appointment is later in the week, then, Mr. Speaker, in those cases there may be an opportunity for First Air to give him the next available flight.
That is my understanding of what has occurred in the past, as well as what is occurring right now with the airlines.
I am not saying that from Hall Beach to Igloolik going southbound, I am saying from Iqaluit going back home.
I can give him exact numbers how many people have been left behind in Iqaluit.
The Minister states that there are no problems regarding the airline tickets because they have been negotiated, but time and again I have always found that patients who were left behind in Iqaluit.
There are always patients left behind trying to go back home, either because the Department of Health, the airline First Air, I do not know how their contract is made up, but there have always been problems; they have always been bottom of the list when they are trying to travel back home.
Mr. Speaker, the Member raised this about a year ago, and we reviewed with First Air, because that was the airline that he was concerned about, the status of how patients are sent back to those two communities, Hall Beach and Igloolik from Iqaluit.
After reviewing it, Mr. Speaker, again it goes back to the story of when the ticket and everything was purchased.
So for example, if a person had finished their appointment on Monday, and their flight is on Tuesday, the flight might have already been oversold by First Air, and not just hospital patients would be waiting to go with the other people or other passengers.
Mr. Speaker, I think we have tightened it up pretty good.
If the Member is aware that First Air bumping specifically hospital patients and their seats, for example, are available on the plane or something, then that is a different issue that is something that we can talk with First Air about.
Mr. Speaker, I raised this question to him last year, questions regarding the First Air contract for medical travel.
I asked him how it was set up, whether it is negotiated to have full fare fares for patients or are medical patients a priority on those flights?
Mr. Speaker, it is not about the fare that arranges the importance of the patient.
What happens is, Mr. Speaker, the Government negotiated, anywhere in Nunavut, with the airlines when a patient is flying under a medical care, they get a certain rate.
That is not less than or better than any other rate or air ticket that people have paid for.
When we have investigated or reviewed cases, it is like I was just trying to explain, Mr. Speaker, you are a medical patient and we do not, and the way medical patients work is that your appointment may be Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, you may be finished on Friday.
Most people are booked, the Member, for example, is going to go back to Igloolik or Hall Beach from Iqaluit, he knows he is going to go back on a certain day and he can book a week in advance and his ticket is paid for.
It is the same thing with us, Mr. Speaker, at the Department of Health.