EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Members’ statements, Mr. Curley.
Member’s Statement 114 – 2(1): RCMP Emergency Telephone Line
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the CBC’s reporting in regards to the RCMP telephone emergency system.
It states in the computer that the telephones….
People calling from smaller communities…. It seems like the communities are concerned that the only changes to the telephone system…. If it’s not an emergency they have to ring 0123, and if it’s an emergency the community’s prefix would be used and then dial 1111.
That is the only change, and emergency calls are still being received by the Iqaluit RCMP.
This is not a change at all, and it does not improve the telephone system for calling the RCMP.
According to CBC reporting, they said it’s going cost half a million dollars.
I don’t think we as members should learn of this through the CBC news.
It is not something that is improving the system.
I will be asking a question to the Minister of Justice during question period on this issue.
Speaker (interpretation): Member’s statements, Hon. Leona Aglukkaq.
Member’s Statement 115 – 2(1): Gjoa Haven Preschool Program Graduates
I am pleased to announce to the Assembly that we’ve recently had a huge graduation in the community of Gjoa Haven.
On May 20, we had 22 graduates from the Gjoa Haven preschool program.
As you know, Mr. Speaker, these are the first steps on the road to knowledge for these young graduates.
I would like to read out the names of those individuals. They are: Rudy Aaluk; Andrew Ameralik; Ryan Angotittaruq; Claudia Apiana; Brendan Porter; Samson Kaloon; Vicky Ann Kirnik; Johnny Kununak; Jennifer Tavalok; Jeremy Ukuqtunnuaq; Johnny Keanik; Wilma Magaknak; Danny Nalungeak; Devon Pauloosie; Jimmie Jr. Pauloosie; Breanna Pooyatak; Brent Puqiqnak; Donovan Qingnatuq; Courtney Takkiruq; Cory Putuguq; Alice Kogvik; and Anika Lafitte; Keith Putuguq; Desmond Hiqiniq; Bradley Qierngnuq Makkittuq; Melissa Arqviq; Marla Rose Porter; Michael Eleeheetook; Brad Tiriganeak; and Sergei John Jr. Tucktoo.
I wish to wish them all congratulations.
Members’ statements. Hon. Peter Kilabuk.
Member’s Statement 116 – 2(1): Recognition of Youth
I rise today to say hello to some kids.
First of all I would like to say hello to Kevin who is from Qikiqtarjuaq.
I am impressed with the children in Nunavut because they watch us on live TV as we debate issues in this House, and it is good that they are listening to us and looking at us on TV.
I would like to say hello to my son, Josephie, who brought me this tie from Ottawa.
I would like to say hello to my daughter, Jenna, as well and Kadlak, Christa Kulluarlik, who is the daughter of the individual I talked about who capsized their boat recently. I would like to tell them that I will be seeing them in June.
And I would like to say hello to my sister, Mary Kilabuk.
When I was supposed to be visiting her, she was always doing the Hansard.
So, I would like to also say hello to the rest of the Hansard people at Innirvik.
Return to Question 017– 2(1): School Safety
I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Tootoo on May 14, 2004.
The oral question is in regards to school safety.
In response to the member’s question, I am pleased to provide the following information:
The Department of Community and Government Services perform routine maintenance and inspections to schools, through their settlement maintainer, in all communities except Cape Dorset, Pangnirtung, and Pond Inlet.
Cape Dorset, Pangnirtung, Pond Inlet, Baker Lake, Repulse Bay, Cambridge Bay, Gjoa Haven, Kugluktuk, Kuugaruk, and Taloyuaq have community transfer initiatives, so hamlet employees maintain the schools.
Baker Lake recently terminated their agreement with the Department of Community and Government Services.
Iqaluit schools are maintained and inspected by a combination of Government of Nunavut employees and as-and-when contractors.
Snow build-up on school roofs was checked on the seventh of May 2004 in all communities.
The roof of Qaqqalik School in Kimmirut was shovelled on May 7, 2004.
Snow was removed from the roof of the entrance-way of Ataguttaaluk Elementary School in Igloolik.
A visual check of schools in Iqaluit is done on an ongoing basis.
Snow was removed from the roof of the Aqsarniit School on May 15, 2004.
I will also file with the return a schedule of daily inspections on all schools, weekly inspections, monthly inspections, and yearly inspections.
Just for example, on the weekly inspections the fire pump is tested as well as the generator; on daily inspections, outside air temperature, in-service boiler pressure, boiler fluid gas temperature, flame check visual, heating systems supply temperature and supply return temperature, all pumps, heat systems, adequate accommodation air, glycol levels, AHU-supply air temperature and return sprinkler systems, fire alarm panels, fire pump status and attends that they are also part of the daily inspections, and I will file those with the Clerk.
I would like to recognize for the House Daniel Lavoir-Degamme, who is an ambassador for Belgium.
I would like to recognize an individual who is the mayor of beautiful downtown Rankin Inlet, Lorne Kusugak.
Lorne is our mayor in Rankin Inlet and works very, very hard.
I would also like to say that our municipal council is running very smoothly, even though we have a lack of funding. The new senior administrative officer, John Hodgeson, stand up, please.
The new SAO used to work for MACA as a manager of property assessment, when we had MACA at that time, also, as director of public safety in Yellowknife.
He has a lot of experience and he recently came in from Ontario from a First Nations community.
He had worked there for 11 years. I would like to welcome him.
Recognition of visitors in the gallery, Mr. Barnabas.
I would like to recognize for the House someone who everybody knows, Simeonie Amagoalik.
Simeonie Amagoalik was a High Arctic exile.
Akpaliapik Arnakallaq, Japitie Amagoalik included… .
Simeonie was recently recognized during the Baffin Leaders’ Senate by Ivaluarjuk because he was the first mayor of the hamlet settlement council.
Simeonie is an elder in Resolute Bay and has supported the community of Resolute Bay, and I would like to welcome him to the House.
Recognition of visitors in the gallery, Mr. Peterson.
I would like to recognize a Mr. Steve Mercer, who is sitting behind me.
Mr. Mercer is from Ontario, but he used to live in Cambridge Bay with his wife Brenda for many, many years.
He is still considered…. When you’re from the Kitikmeot you’re from the Kitikmeot.
Steve is in town doing research for a book he is writing about us. If you have any interesting information to provide him, I’m sure Steve is quite willing to listen to your stories.
Recognition of visitors in the gallery, Hon. Levinia Brown.
Mr. Curley already recognized the person that I was going to recognize.
Also, I would like to recognize Mayor Quassa Kusugak, also John Hudson, the SAO.
Also, next to Quassa is Emily Irniq. I would like to recognize her. Please, let me be the first, next time.
Recognition of visitors in the gallery, Hon. Leona Aglukkaq.
Mr. Peterson has beaten me to that, but I also want to recognize in the gallery today a good friend of mine, former colleague. Steve Mercer, welcome to the gallery.
Your colleague in Rankin Inlet has tried to take the pleasure every day of being able to recognize a family member in the gallery, and it’s not that often I get to do it here in Iqaluit.
I would like to recognize my cousin Emily Irniq sitting back here. She works for NTI. I also would like to take this opportunity to welcome Lorne to the gallery.
Lorne and I go back a few years, the same time when Emily, Lorne, and I used to hang out in Yellowknife in Akaitcho Hall.
There’s lots of fond memories around those times, so I’d just like to welcome them.
Orders of the day, Item 6.
Question 115 – 2(1): Vacant Staff Housing Units
My question is for the minister responsible for the Housing Corporation.
I know that the minister is going to recall something I have asked about before in past, and that is we have a severe housing shortage for staff housing, especially here in Iqaluit.
I would like to ask the minister if there is, of the inventory that we have right now in Iqaluit, any vacant staff-housing units here.
The records that I have got: as of May 7 this month, we had three vacant units and also three pending, well, three being held for competitive positions.
So, those were back in May 7 and I really do not know if I can still confirm those same numbers today.
Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Tootoo, supplementary.
I would just like to ask the minister…. I know that because of this shortage in housing that there has been a committee of some sort put together in allocating staff housing units.
I am just wondering if the minister could explain the makeup of that committee and the criteria that they use in allocating units to the staff members that are eligible for staff housing.
My colleague is right, there is an allocation committee that reviews the assigning of staff housing to the Government of Nunavut employees.
Unfortunately, I do not have the makeup of the committee in front of me, but I will be more than happy to forward this information to my colleague once I have had discussions with my staff.
I am just wondering if the minister is aware of how often the allocation committee gets together in allocating units, if he is aware if that is something that is done on a weekly basis, bi-weekly, monthly…? I am just wondering how often they get together.
Well, I am sure that unfortunately they do not meet as often as they would like because they do not have that many staff houses to deal with.
But, as part of my commitment to forwarding the other information, I will provide the number of times this committee meets to deal with the housing issues and if it is on the applications that are forwarded to them for distribution.
Speaker (interpretation): Last supplementary, Mr. Tootoo.
I appreciate the minister’s response and I look forward to getting that information.
I am just wondering if the minister is aware if there is any special criteria or consideration given to beneficiary employees working for the government to be allocated staff housing units.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of housing. Kilabuk.
As part of the staff housing program, all staff are given the opportunity of presenting their cases and, depending on the units available and the level of position that is in question, those things are part of the review process.
I would like to thank my colleague for raising a very serious issue, because right now we have a need for about 444 additional staff units throughout our territory to meet the growing need.
So, this file is definitely getting the attention that it deserves.
Question 116 – 2(1): RCMP Changing the Emergency Telephone Numbers
I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Justice in regards to the changing of telephone numbers in all of the communities.
Zero-one-two-three for emergency… . I feel that it should be 111. I feel that when the people have to use this… .
When they are in danger, what is going to happen?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Justice, Premier.
If you happen to be in an emergency situation, in any of the communities, and these will be the same in every community, especially for the people that are travelling….
Yes, we’ve been having a lot of problems for emergency telephones calls, and we have been meeting regularly with the RCMP officials on this matter.
Even if it is in the different communities, the local detachment will be available right away.
This is for emergency purposes.
The changes of the numbers is going to cost $500,000.
Who is going to be paying for this? And, where is the funding coming from?
The federal government is going pay for these.
They will be coming from the federal government for this.
We know that they have to work with whoever is in danger, that they would know exactly what number to dial, no matter where the RCMP constables are.
We are able to hear them everywhere.
Question 117 – 2(1): Issue of Chesterfield Inlet School
The Victor Sammurtok School in Chesterfield Inlet is facing serious limitations due to a lack of space.
Expansion work needs to be done both inside the school to allow for storage of materials and outside the school where a cramped playground leads to problems. On top of that, there isn’t enough housing for our teachers.
So, I don’t know which one… . Maybe I’ll ask him this question.
I would like to ask the minister whether funding is available from his department to make our school playground safer for our children, especially in Chesterfield Inlet.
First of all, I would like to thank the member for approaching me over the last couple of weeks in written form and so on, on this issue.
I think the member is doing an excellent job on behalf and for the people of Chesterfield Inlet in bringing the issue forward on the Victor Sammurtok School.
I’ve asked the department to follow up and to see if there is an opportunity within the existing operations and maintenance budget to be able to facilitate some of the changes that the member has talked about.
There are issues in the school that the member has indicated. Storage space, the shortage of housing for the teachers is something that is ongoing and that the Department of Education is working on, plus there are some other communities that we’re dealing with the same issue on.
I will make a commitment to the member to be able to look at, specifically, the playground issue and to see if I can find within the existing O&M budget some monies to enhance and deal with some of the issues around the playground at the Victor Sammurtok School.
Speaker (interpretation): Supplementary. Mr. Netser.
When are we are going be hearing from your department in regards to the Chesterfield Inlet playground?
As the minister that is always the toughest question to answer: when.
The member had written me earlier on it.
We have drafted a response for the member.
And indeed, some of the other issues that the member has raised today… .
We are still in the deliberations on the education budget.
I would hope that in the next couple of weeks, after the budget process itself is complete, then I will be able to go back in to see what availability that there is in the existing O&M budget to see if we can help the situation in Chesterfield Inlet.
Question 118 – 2(1): Aging Arctic Bay Health Centre
(Interpretation ends.) Last Thursday I made a statement regarding the aging of the Arctic Bay health centre and tabled a set of photographs showing the current working conditions and the deteriorating structure of the facility.
Can the minister inform this House about what criteria are used to evaluate health centre facilities and to prioritize their needs for renovation or replacement.
Speaker (interpretation): The Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Brown.
We follow the departmental plans, that’s the process that we use.
Usually what we do is we base our decisions on the capital planning, and it seems that for prioritizing, we follow as such.
Can the minister give us a listing of when the facilities are going to be renovated or replaced.
Can she tell us when the Arctic Bay health facility will be reviewed and renovated, replaced, or a new one built.
In regards to the capital projects, or capital plan, the Arctic Bay facility is not included in the five-year capital plan.
I believe that there is a planning committee that prioritizes these issues.
Can the minister tell us when they are going to be considering the Arctic Bay facility either for the renovation or the replacement.
And when will she be able to tell us when they will be going to the capital plan?
Thank you very much for bringing this up.
I could direct my staff to look into this issue and ask them when they will be included in the capital plan, or in the business plans.
Question 119 – 2(1): Broughton Island School Issue
In Broughton Island, or Qikiqtarjuaq, the school is way too small for the school population.
It is included here in the capital plans for 2004-05, and they have set aside $25,000.
In 2009, there is nothing that is included for the Qikiqtarjuaq school.
They will just be doing a study on it, but there are no plans in the capital projects.
There are some issues with the enrolment in Qikiqtarjuaq, and as I said earlier, I had an opportunity to meet with the staff and the principle and actually had an opportunity to tour the school and physically look at some of the issues there; we had talked earlier about the issue around the computers.
The new capital budget for this program for this government comes forward this fall.
I am hoping to have an opportunity to review some of the issues in the capital plan, including schools like Qikiqtarjuaq to see if we can move them up into capital plan and deal with some of the issues.
I note the school enrolment in Qikiqtarjuaq has gone from 128 students in the year 2000-01 to over 157 this year for 2003-04.
That is an extra over 30 children attending the school, and that in itself is quite an increase in that short period of time.
So, that is something that we will have to review when we are doing the capital substantiation program for the department.
Question 120 – 2(1): Status of Community RCMP Telephone System
This is a question I referred to earlier, and it was directed to the Minister of Justice.
He had told me earlier that the RCMP will be getting their own lines instead of having the calls referred to the Iqaluit RCMP detachment.
What is the status of the phone system that is currently being used by the RCMP?
As I stated earlier, the RCMP are setting up the new systems.
If it is an emergency call, the local RCMP detachment would be notified immediately and they can be contacted from anywhere in one of the communities.
The call would go to the Iqaluit RCMP detachment, but the local RCMP detachment will be contacted immediately.
There will be a communication link in there with the Iqaluit RCMP detachment and the local RCMP detachment.
In my community of Sanikiluaq, this is a major concern.
I was told that when they called the local RCMP detachment…. That was an emergency situation where he called the local RCMP detachment, and they needed the aid of the RCMP right away.
But, this individual was told that they cannot be dealing with them right away. This is something, this is the type of service that we shouldn’t tolerate up here.
Why is it that the calls are referred to the Iqaluit RCMP detachment? And, why is it that the RCMP at the local level cannot respond to calls?
What is the reasoning behind it.
Why is it that the communities cannot talk directly to the local RCMP instead of being referred to headquarters?
Well, we do try to make adjustments or improvements in the services that we provide.
The calls are responded to at the RCMP detachment.
The local RCMP will be notified immediately if it’s an emergency situation.
It will go to the Iqaluit RCMP detachment, but the local RCMP detachment will be contacted right away.
Speaker (interpretation): Second supplementary, Mr. Kattuk.
It is a scary situation when you cannot contact your local RCMP right away.
When you’re calling on an emergency basis and you tell them that you need help now…. You’re talking many thousands and thousands of miles away. Then the call….
They get in contact with the local RCMP detachment and that can take as long as 10-20 minutes.
That is a long time when you’re dealing with an emergency situation.
What is the reasoning behind having those calls referred to the Iqaluit detachment instead of the local community?
We’re talking 600 or 700 miles.
This a major concern for all Nunavut communities.
When you need help now, you need help right away.
I would like the minister to take this seriously into consideration and make some adjustments.
Did you want to make a response, Premier Okalik?
Well, we’re trying to make an improvement to the services that are provided by the RCMP.
There is no doubt, of course, that they do not want to see anybody in an emergency situation, so we are trying a new system.
I would like to hear from the communities if they encounter any types of problems with this new system.
We will try to make improvements if there are any problems.
Question 121 – 2(1): The Federal Northern Strategy Fund
My question is for the minister of economic development.
I was very pleased to hear your statement today on the Nunavut Economic Forum.
It looks like we’ve got some good people on the board.
Recently the federal government announced a northern strategy, and they are going to finance it with $90 million for the north, for five years.
So, I’m wondering if the minister could tell the House how much of that $90 million for five years will be for Nunavut. How much will be in this current fiscal year, how we’re going to haul in that money in this current fiscal year to priority projects in Nunavut, so it makes a difference this year?
I haven’t been told yet about how much will be allocated to the Nunavut territory.
Three questions, but I only got one answer so….
I’m not sure I got an answer.
I just wanted to ask the minister… the North hasn’t had an EDA, an economic development agreement, since March 31, 1996.
We’re probably the only jurisdiction in Canada without having this financial instrument.
I’m just wondering if the minister could update us on the Government of Nunavut lobbying efforts in Ottawa to rectify this injustice.
Speaker (interpretation): Hon. David Simailak.
Hon. David Simailak: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Interpretation.) We are currently working on it, and we have placed a high priority on it.
In regards to the Economic Development Agreement, it is a high priority in our department. But, at this time I think the only way that we can get any progress is after the federal elections.
I’m wondering if the minister could update us on whether his department has projected the consequences for Nunavut if we don’t get some funding from this current fiscal year, from that northern strategy funding, and if we don’t get an economic development agreement soon to help get our economy rolling. The long-term consequences….
(Interpretation.) If we do not receive the money, I feel that we would have to wait for more funding and a new agreement. Yes, I’m well aware of the member’s concern.
Speaker (interpretation): Last supplementary, Mr. Peterson.
I hate to keep harping on this, but the Minister of Finance, in her budget speech, really keyed in on, “Let’s get our economy going, help our private sector administer themselves.” I don’t think we have the internal capacity to do that, based on what we read. We have to rely on some investment from the south, from the federal government, or the private sector.
I’m wondering if the minister could update us on what his department is doing to attract outside investment from the private sector.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister responsible for economic development, Hon. David Simailak.
My department has been trying to find more options to do more economic development for the people of Nunavut.
We also have in place some plans as to how we can acquire more funding from the federal government or the private sector.
Speaker (interpretation): Oral questions, Mr. Tootoo.
Question 122 – 2(1): Status of the Hardship Program
I know that the minister is aware that there was, I think it was the Hardship Program, or funding that they had for employees’ housing hardship, where they had a program run through the Department of Finance for employees making a certain amount of money and whose rent came to more than 30 percent of their income.
There was a subsidy provided by the department on that.
I’d just like to ask the minister if the program is still in place.
The Hardship Program was a program that was available to the employees, of course, that had to pay over 30 percent, as you say, from the NWT days. I used to administer this program, but I don’t know if that was one program that actually transferred over to the Nunavut Government.
So, I would have to look into that, Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I recall asking a similar question to the former finance minister on the same program.
So, I would assume that it was carried over.