EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
From my experience with the Summer Student Program, and I stand to be corrected, the way I understand sometimes what happens is applications go in from students to the government as an example without specific jobs associated with their applications. Resumes are sent in general for students to apply on any job that comes up under the Summer Student Program.
What I would really like to see this government accomplish is matching up students with their academic studies like it states in the annual report from the Public Service Act. I just think it’s a win-win for everyone involved if we can enhance our students’ academic studies with positions associated that relate to their studies.
Instead of having somebody in their fourth year of engineering working on some backlog of filing at some department somewhere where they aren’t learning anything.
I know there can be advancements made in both these programs. I truly hope that the minister will speak to some of her colleagues to encourage that type of action. It’s more of a comment.
I do have a question that is not related to it. So I’ll get to it. Also within the FANS funding model is there funding allocated for childcare for students while they’re attending school outside of the child care subsidy?
I’m glad that the member is speaking his mind in regards to finding jobs for the summer students.
The Minister of Finance is more responsible for that so we will try and work closely with that department in regards to students.
The member is asking about daycare.
I’ll have the Director of the Income Support come to the witness table to respond.
Chairman (interpretation): If the officials can trade seats. (interpretation ends) Mr. Grant, if you could go to the witness table.
Mr. Grant: Sorry, Mr. Chairman.
Can the member repeat the question in regards to income assistance and daycare?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Mr. Hickes, can you repeat your question?
I think the minister may have requested the wrong witness.
I’m actually asking if there is childcare funding available under the FANS program for students while they are attending school to help offset some of the childcare costs?
I’m going to ask which official is going to respond to your question.
Yes, we have been told that under FANS there is no such thing.
According to the list of names I have, Mr. Enook.
I believe we are on page D-7 in English.
Mr. Chairman, let me ask about the Summer Student Program.
I believe it was in the Third Assembly that we discussed this matter. Many communities were not involved with the Summer Student Program. The majority of the communities in Nunavut are smaller communities and did not have that program available.
It seems like this program was more available to the larger centres. Have you made any amendments to this program?
The Summer Student Program is the responsibility of the Minister of Finance. If he can come here to respond to that question.
The Minister of Finance is going to appear before the committee at a different time.
Mr. Enook if you’d like to ask your question again.
I did not quite understand the minister’s response. I was trying to read at the same time the minister was trying to respond.
Can the minister repeat the response please?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Summer students are the responsibility of the Department of Finance. (interpretation) That’s how the minister responded.
Mr. Enook (interpretation): So the minister won’t be responding to me, is that what you’re saying Mr. Chairman?
Chairman (interpretation): She responded by saying, (interpretation ends) “Summer students are the responsibility of the Department of Finance.” (interpretation) I was just repeating her response to you, Mr. Enook.
Let me move on to the next topic. I believe it is written in here. This topic is written in here.
I’m not sure if I’m going to get the same response.
It states here in English, apprenticeship support is included there. Deliver apprenticeship support is under Family Services.
So therefore, I’d like to ask a question that they stated that it is very difficult to deal with this, Mr. Chairman, when they are trying to work.
Especially in the smaller communities when they are trying to hire summer students and they can’t even get the hours that they worked. They can’t make hourly wages in the communities.
How was this resolved within your department?
I think the member for his question about the apprenticeship program.
We realize the problems that we have had. Especially what we wanted to do was work with the people of Rankin Inlet with apprenticeship programs.
I just want to get more clarification. This problem for apprenticeship have been having problems with getting their hours because they have to have so many hours of work.
Has this been resolved and what is the resolution?
The people that are taking apprenticeships have to get their hours. They have to work together where they are taking their apprenticeships.
There are two things. If one or the other is not being used properly then we have a problem that the person who is taking the apprenticeship has to have a good future.
That’s what I can say.
I’m not trying to be on that same topic on purpose. I just want to get a clear picture.
That the people who are taking apprenticeships have to get as many hours as possible. There are also some people who already took their apprenticeships who are not working, or are not employed full-time.
For people who don’t have a full-time job, they stay in the apprenticeship for a long time, especially in the smaller communities.
That’s why I’m asking that question.
How can you assist them more or have you thought about changing something to make sure they aren’t in that situation so they can finish with their apprenticeships.
They take their apprenticeships for a long time because they aren’t getting enough hours. They don’t get hired.
I would like the Director of Social Assistance to respond to that question.
Can the member please repeat the question, please?
Mr. Enook, can you please repeat your question?
The question that I had was at times there has been a situation whereby people who are taking apprenticeships have to try and make as many hours as possible.
In smaller communities they cannot fulfill their hours.
For instance, if I’m trying to get a certificate for carpentry, if I don’t have a job I won’t make any hours but maybe if somebody comes over to my community then I could get more hours.
People that are taking apprenticeship programs take a long time to finish their apprenticeships. For so many years, they are still in the apprenticeship program.
The question that I have is: have you considered how those apprenticeships can be better treated?
It was talked about by the Third Assembly.
Is there anything that you have done to help those people?
Chairman: Minister Ugyuk
The people who are taking the apprenticeship have a place to work to get their hours. They are signed by the people they are taken apprenticeship from.
I’m not exactly sure.
Obviously the Department of Family Services always looks at ways in which we can support people in Nunavut, including apprentices. Our department works closely with private business and municipal governments. The employers of apprentices who are seeking training.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) We will now break for lunch and we will come back at 1:30.
I’ll recognize you, Mr. Enook, with your time remaining.
(interpretation) Sergeant-at-Arms, (interpretation ends) please escort the officials out of the witness table.
>>Committee recessed at 12:01 and resumed at 13:30
Chairman (interpretation): Good afternoon, people of Nunavut.
We are going to proceed with the Committee of the Whole. (interpretation ends) Branch Summary. Family Services.
Career Development. (interpretation) Following my list, Mr. Enook.
My question just before we had a break. I have forgotten my last question. Can I repeat what I think was my last question?
I was trying to ask, I’ll summarize it: In communities with a smaller population, apprentices who need to accumulate hours, people who are trying to become tradesmen like a carpenter.
They have to earn hours in order to get their apprenticeship.
In the smaller communities, they say it is very difficult to accumulate apprenticeship hours if you don’t have a job.
I ask, Mr. Chairman, if this has been looked into to see if you can help that.
Thank you to the Member for Tununiq for asking that question about the accumulation of hours for apprenticeship programs.
The hours that they have to accumulate.
They have a booklet that they fill out as they work the hours.
The employer has to sign off on the hours that the apprentice has completed. That person has to complete a certain number of hours before he can go back to classroom instruction.
The apprentices themselves handle that booklet.
The employees that are in the apprenticeship program, many of them don’t have jobs per se.
If they manage to get some work with the Nunavut Housing Corporation or with the hamlet then they can add to those hours that they are trying to combine with apprenticeship training.
We expect that they are going to be building a dock to service the airstrip work here in Iqaluit and I believe that there will be a number of apprenticeship positions opening up with that project.
We expect that in the Department of Family Services.
I apologize if my words don’t come across straight.
I would like my deputy minister, Simon Awa, to add to my response.
What the Member of the Legislative Assembly was saying is very true. In the smaller communities it is very difficult to find apprenticeship work when you don’t have a full-time job.
We can also consider how we can help those apprentices who need to accumulate hours so they can earn more hours.
We can look into that. We can look into seeing how we can help them. We can look at that apprentice in one community, if there is a job available in another community and that person is willing to move temporarily to that other community to take that apprentice position we can look into that.
We can help with transportation, like airline tickets. Maybe we should look into that.
If that person is unable to find a job in the smaller community and an opportunity exists somewhere else and if that person is willing then maybe we can help them go there.
I totally agree with the deputy minister.
Sometimes we just get stuck in one spot. We get stuck in the paperwork and we can’t move forward.
Yes we have to do what you’re suggesting. Apprenticeships today, people trying to get more proficient in their work and in the trade they want to get into.
They have to add hours to that while they are learning. People are losing interest in apprenticeship programs because they take so long to complete. They spend a long time doing nothing, just waiting for the next project.
I can even say that from my knowledge when it was the Northwest Territories when the whole apprenticeship program was held by the government I believe it ran very well compared to now.
I can say that it ran a lot better. I’m trying to think outside the box.
Would it be totally impossible to also consider the government contractors?
The main contractors for the government, such as Qulliq Construction. They are the only ones that seem to access government construction contracts these days.
Maybe you can add it to the agreement where they are required to hire apprentices. Can you look into that?
Thank you to the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Tununiq for talking about the operation of the apprenticeship program.
In order to have the apprentice progress they need to have a job.
Because of the lack of jobs in Nunavut that is slowed down.
It is because of the lack of jobs that they cannot progress further.
We have a general lack of jobs in Nunavut. That affects that.
I know the other ministers from other departments are listening. There is an Apprenticeship and Skills Act that is going to be reviewed to see how we can improve it.
That will be one of the aspects of the evaluation.
What I mentioned earlier, if we can’t think outside of the box then we won’t progress.
According to what the minister said, she mentioned some of the problems. We have the opportunity right now, you’re the new minister. You can bring your fresh ideas.
We are a new government. You, as the minister, you can remove these roadblocks. It will be better for the people of Nunavut.
I believe we have to do that.
We have young people that are getting more and more interested in education who want to join the workforce. There are so many of them.
We have to look at every way that we can support them. Don’t say that there are blockages or roadblocks and don’t say there are problems with roadblocks.
Instead, look to see where we can help them.
That’s what I wanted to say and I would like to thank the minister for the fact that they will be looking into these matters.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) I take that as a comment. (interpretation) Next on my list, Mr. Joanasie.
The first question I would like to ask is on the Financial Assistance for Nunavut Students on page 121.
If a person is going to school at Arctic College or other university or college outside of Nunavut, they have to pay a tuition fee to the university or college.
Does FANS have a maximum tuition allowance payment?
I would like the finance director to respond to that.
It’s a good question from the hon. member.
Under the FANS program under the basic grant, tuition and fees are eligible up to $1,850 per semester.
The tuition fees have to be paid to colleges. What if the tuition fee is over that amount, for example, $5,000 or something? Where could that prospective student get that funding for the more expensive tuition?
I thank my colleague, Mr. Joanasie, for asking that question.
The finance director will respond.
As mentioned earlier, the basic grant is for $1,850. If there are additional expenditures that are required, students can apply for loans.
There are primary loans, there are secondary loans, and there are also needs assessed loans to cover excess amounts.
Along the same lines, I would like to ask, for example, if a student is going to school somewhere and they have day-to-day expenses for rent or food or other expenses that they incur during school and they need to buy books and other things.
What if they run out of the financial support that they have received? Do they have to apply for loans?
I thank my colleague, Mr. Joanasie, for that question.
Basically, the information that I have before me is that people can apply for the loans.
There is some additional information, which I would have to get from the FANS office that we can forward to the hon. member to answer that question correctly.
The reason I am asking these question is because of my concern for the students. Nunavut students probably don’t have much money in their savings, especially students who may be depending on income support.
When it comes to the daily requirements of life and education that they need to pay for so therefore I need to encourage all of the students and all of the young people that they should be able to have their tuition fees and costs all covered.
Moving on to another subject, to page 2014-15 in relation to the priorities they will have relating to career development, they are going to review as to how the programs are being successful or not.
So how many employees do they have that work in the Career Development Branch?
There was a question relating to whether their money would be sufficient for students to complete their education even though they can ask for assistance from the Government of Nunavut.
There are also Inuit organizations such as KIA, QIA and the other KIA who also provide assistance to students and scholarships.
In relation to the question to career development, our Director of Finance will answer that please.
In the Career Development Branch there are 44 positions.
As of April 30, we are at 68 percent capacity within that division with a 77 percent Inuit employment rate.
For the career development officers… let me rephrase my question.
In relation to the income support workers, do they all have training in terms of career development training? (interpretation ends) Do they all have career development training?
The Career Development Branch works with Inuit organizations in relation to future work development potential.
In Cambridge Bay, for example, they have a regional office there including one in Kugluktuk.
The income support workers are being reviewed right now.
Do I understand then that the income support workers have not received training in career development counseling?
The Director of Finance will answer that question.
I do know that there has been training for career development officers within the branch.
I believe there has also been training with income support workers. I think as a department that wants to work together we will be looking at opportunities in which we can have cross training between various branches in the department.
I don’t think that’s the answer I was looking for, but I will move on anyway.
Your department administers over $4.7 million in labour market funding from the federal government.
What are these funds used for then?
If that question had not been asked yet, that is.
Thank you to Member of the Legislative Assembly Joanasie for his questions which will be answered by Simon Awa, the deputy minister.
In reference to this subject and the question relating to it. Funding received from the federal government then to be administered by the Government of Nunavut.
The funding is used for people who provide apprenticeship training.
For example, for companies and businesses. For example, such as the Nunavut Fisheries Coalition in who if they want to train people to train them to be deck hands or fisherman or to work in shrimp fisheries and halibut fisheries, then money could be used for that.
Any business could also be subsidized or given funding. These could then be provided to those companies that provide apprenticeship positions.
Does income support have agreements with other organizations then to set up apprenticeship positions?
Hon. Jeannie Ugyuk (interpretation): Thank you.
Yes, our department has agreements with businesses and companies and whoever else provides employment.
My final question would be to students, again. To those who can be provided with FANS.
Why must income tax be deducted from that kind of money that the students receive?
That was my final question and I’m done.
I thank my colleague in relation to the question.
The Director of Finance can provide that answer.
The reason why the students would be receiving a tax receipt would be because they are receiving income from the Government of Nunavut.
Chairman: Thank you. (interpretation) Following the names on my list, Mr. Savikataaq.
My question is just continuing on from my colleague about FANS.
Does FANS pay for the airfare of students to their place of education?
The Director of Finance can answer this one.
Yes, under the basic grant, FANS does cover the cost of airfare within Nunavut to the nearest Nunavut Arctic College location offering the program that is eligible under FANS.
Or in the south, basically a gateway city that is closest to the school where the student is taking the training. Examples of gateway cities would be Ottawa, Montreal, Winnipeg and Edmonton.
Costs beyond these cities are basically deemed to be the student’s responsibility.
When the students’ airfare is paid, the monies that FANS spends to buy the airfare, is that considered income towards the student? Either their T4A or some documentation saying that have to claim it as income?
Director of Finance can answer this one.
Mr. Kolot: I believe it would be considered as income with an offset to what the expenditure would be.
Can the minister explain what the difference is between a government worker getting their airfare paid to go do their work and a student getting their way paid to go do their education, why one is considered income and the other one is not?
The finance director deals with that and the finance department.
Since the Minister of Finance is here, I would like to ask him the question then if possible.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) Mr. Peterson, are you prepared to answer the question?
Hon. Keith Peterson: Mr. Chairman, could the member repeat the question before I answer?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) Mr. Savikataaq, could you please repeat your question.
I asked the minister: the students, from FANS, when they get their airfare paid to the schools that they go to, the airfare is considered income towards students from FANS and I asked the minister: what’s the difference between a government worker getting their airfare paid to a place of work and the student getting their airfare paid to a place of education, why one is considered income and the other one is not.
As Finance is up in the hot seat later this afternoon, I would be prepared to answer that question then.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) I will exercise my discretion as your Chairman and recognize Mr. Enook one more time under this branch, Family Services, Career Development, D-7.
I thank you for recognizing me again.
I believe that we are on page D-7, right?
I just want to get back to apprenticeship programs.
In order for them to earn hours, perhaps our government... . In English, it’s (interpretation ends) apprenticeship support. (interpretation) Mr. Chairman, I don’t have the Inuktitut version here.
When they’re trying to earn hours through apprenticeship support, I would like to ask a question. Is there a limit? Are there maximum hours that the students can earn or how many of these can be supported or is there no limit for the students to earn hours?
Are you talking about apprenticeship support as to how many students they can be?
Chairman (interpretation): He’s asking about (interpretation ends) apprenticeship support.
He’s asking whether there’s a limit. According to my understanding, if there are students who would like to get apprenticeship support, is he talking the number of students?
Please clarify your question, Mr. Enook.
How many apprentices who are trying to earn hours, how much do you have for apprenticeship support funding to support apprentices?
Mr. Chairman,(interpretation ends) I know this is hypothetical but (interpretation) I’ll use myself for example.
If there are 200 students that are trying to get support, do you have the capacity to provide support to that many people.
I hope that is clearer. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I would like to thank the Member for Tununiq for asking for that clarification.
I don’t know if there is a limit on how many students can apply in the year. There isn’t a set policy. At this time, currently the students taking the apprenticeship program the last fiscal year there are 115 students under this apprenticeship.
Kitikmeot, 13. Kivalliq, 53. Baffin Region, 49 students.
Together there are 150. If we can go further and if there is space we will make that available. We are open to it.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) I have no further names on my list. Branch Summary.
Back to page D-3. Department Summary. (interpretation) Family Services.
Detail of Expenditures. Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $122,411,000.
Chairman: Do you agree that the Department of Family Services is concluded?
Minister Ugyuk. (interpretation ends) Closing comments.
I would also like to thank my colleagues for asking questions.
Since this is our first year to administer the Family Services Department and we expect that next year we will be more prepared.
Thank you for letting us know about the problem areas and also the question posed by Ms. Angnakak, she asked a question about the group home.
It cost about $565,000 per year to run the group home.
Also the Member for Tununiq’s question why there is no program for males. Or why there is more funding programs available for females.
We have not seen any applications from any male groups.