EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
In such a case, and even though this individual is young, and I’ll read it in English: (interpretation ends) “Because of the treatment I got from KBDC, I have decided not to proceed with our application at this time.
My personal opinion is that our government is there to support all residents of Nunavut to achieve self-sufficiency through the many programs that you deliver.”
(interpretation) So, I would like to tell the minister that if there was such an employee in the government, being funded by the government, they should be fired.
Who is going to be fired in this case?
As I said earlier, this individual works for KBDC.
They have their own board of directors, and the board of directors are the ones who deal with such cases.
In this case, I felt it was best left to the board of directors of KBDC to deal with.
But if we can provide any kind of support, we will do so.
We will provide whatever support we can while that individual is under question.
To make a supplementary, the director in Rankin Inlet responded to the article by saying this: (interpretation ends) “...I also wish to say again that KBDC is emerging from a difficult period of rehabilitation, which was headed by the person in question, a senior advisor, with the supported direction of the community steering committee.
Because of the success of this exercise, the senior advisor may feel protective of the organization."
(interpretation) I don’t believe that is true.
This individual is not like that because he thinks it is successful, but I don’t think that any individual should be that unprofessional.
If they were in the Baffin or with the government, then they would be fired.
I would urge the minister to look into this matter again.
Hon. David Simailak (interpretation): Yes, Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We can look into it again. I will have a meeting with the staff in order to come up with the facts and also have a discussion with the board of directors and make sure that everything is factual.
We’ll look into this matter as a department.
Question 026 – 2(2): Explanation of Funding to Qulliq Energy and the Utility Rate Review Council
My question is for the Minister of Finance, and it comes on the heels of her fiscal update that she made to the House yesterday.
On page four of her update, it talks about this government committing to examining the books and operations of each of these important government agencies, meaning Qulliq Energy Corporation and Petroleum Products Division, and making the necessary transfers to ensure that these operations are appropriately resourced to carry out its responsibilities in the current year.
From April 1, 2005, when the new energy rates come into effect… . I’m just wondering if she could elaborate a little bit more on exactly what that means.
Does that mean the government is going to be providing some more bail-out money for the corporation, and if so, how much?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Finance, Ms. Aglukkak.
In the update yesterday, yes, I did state that.
Currently, as it stands, we all know that the power corporation operates with not enough resources to operate.
We know that, which is why they put forward a General Rate Application out to Utility Rate Review Council to seek public input into what they are proposing.
Once that is put forward, as mentioned yesterday, the minister responsible for energy will be reviewing that recommendation.
Having said that, that rate becomes effective April 1, 2005.
We know they are under tremendous strain as it stands now.
We expect that we will need to deal with the shortfalls in the meantime.
Is the minister indicating that on the day that the rates kick into place on April 1, 2005, that the corporation will have no debt carried over, that the rates will be based on current operating costs from that day forward?
The rates that are being proposed only factor in the best guesstimate of the organization’s operations and maintenance requirements, capital requirements.
The rates being proposed do not factor in the current debt of the corporation.
Those are two separate issues.
They are being approached as parallel, simultaneously.
What we are committed to do is to review what is being proposed by the URRC and look at their financial needs from this fiscal year on forward, and to try to assist the corporation so that when the new rates come into effect, they are moving forward in dealing with its current financial situation.
If I’m interpreting what the minister is stating, it is that the government will, in fact, cover off any debt incurred by Qulliq Energy Corporation and Petroleum Products, so that on April 1, 2005, there will be no debt to carry forward; they will be starting with a clean slate.
As I mentioned earlier, we are looking into all possible options and that is one option we are considering.
We need to look at what is being proposed in the current financial requirements of those two and the impact that will have on our resources.
So, we’re looking at all the options, and what we will consider, and will move forward with this up until 2005.
Hopefully it will be reasonable.
The government commits to examining the books and operations of each of these.
Having been around for a little while, I know that the Auditor General has pointed out a number of concerns.
I would assume that the government has already been examining the books very carefully for these organizations.
Given that, I’m sure that they have some very good information on what their needs are.
Could the minister indicate an idea of approximately how much we may be looking at for those two organizations over the next couple of years.
In terms of the concerns made by the Auditor General, yes, we are addressing those and, yes, we are working with the corporation in assisting in getting the concerns made by the Auditor General addressed.
One of the things that the Auditor General of Canada recommended to go forward with, was the general rate application; when the report was done, she recognized the fact that the rates did not reflect the actual operations and maintenance requirements of the corporation.
So, that is one recommendation she has recommended that we proceed with immediately, to minimize the potential financial negative impact, and we are addressing it.
We are working very closely with the corporation in the interim to try and find out what their financial requirements will be, along with their minister.
In terms of what their financial requirements will be for the next two years, I can’t predict that.
I don’t have that figure in front of me.
We all know things change from one day to the other.
In terms of the details, what the corporation needs for funding, the minister responsible for energy will be better to answer that question.
Question 027 – 2(2): Non-insured Health Benefits Contract
My question is also for the Minister of Finance, relating to her fiscal update yesterday.
On page 2, the minister said that with this new funding provided with the recent signing of the non-insured health benefits contract, 50 percent of our medical travel costs will be paid for by the federal government.
Would the minister tell us what specifically has changed in the new non-insured health benefits contracts?
Will the minister deal with that contract in the House?
I’m just trying to find the area that he has referenced.
Under the non-insured health benefits contract, 50 percent of the medical costs... . I don’t have a copy of that contract and from what I understand, in terms of the arrangement for that, the federal government agreed to cover the travel costs of patients referred to medical centers.
Non-insured benefits also covered, I believe, medication and what-not, but this is an added element to that.
Perhaps the minister responsible for the non-insured health benefits would be able to speak to that more clearly, but from what I understand, this arrangement before travel was not covered under the non-insured health benefits.
On the same fiscal update on page 3, the minister said that at the second First Minister’s meeting, major transfers to the territories and provinces were discussed.
As a result of this meeting, new territorial formula financing equalization frameworks were announced.
My question to the minister is: when will the new formula financing agreement be signed?
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq: I think probably within the month or so.
The dollar figures that have been announced to do that, the $1.9 million, the $2 million, the 3.5% increase in the health funding, that’s all been worked on and within the next few weeks, I imagine, there will be some.
Same fiscal update, page 4.
To ensure that health care to Nunavummiut is maintained, we will be proposing to increase the budget for the Department Health and Social Services.
My question for the Minister of Finance: is this a one-time increase or an increase to the department’s base budget?
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq: Mr. Speaker, it’ll be ongoing.
And then again on page 4: as well, additional funding is being proposed for the Department of Education to fund the increases in the costs of school operations.
The question, again to the Minister of Finance: is this a one-time increase or an increase to the department’s base budget?
Speaker (interpretation): Ms. Aglukkaq
The next few days I will be tabling the supplementary appropriations act for these increases.
The department ministers responsible for those organizations will be able to answer those details more specifically.
I provide the general overview, so I don’t have all the background material for these details, to address your question, that are ongoing.
Oral questions Mr. Netser.
Question 028 – 2(2): Student Accomodation Funding
My question is for the Minister of Education who is doing a very good job of ensuring that his community is filled with the noise of new Government of Nunavut construction projects.
Mr. Speaker, according the government’s five-year capital plan which was tabled yesterday, close to $6 million has been allocated for the new Nunavut Arctic College student accommodations in Iqaluit from now until 2010.
Close to $1 million is being spent this year in Cambridge Bay for the Nunavut Arctic College student accommodations.
My question for the Minister of Education is this: how much has his department budgeted in the five-year capital plan for the Nunavut Arctic College student accommodations in Rankin Inlet, to serve the people of the Kivalliq?
The capital plan for the Department of Education is based on needs and allowances.
Right now, for example, in Iqaluit we are renting over 30 apartments and units in the community at a high premium and rate; the White Row housing is an example, and we’d like to be able to move out of them.
That has been the plan for the department for the last several years.
The need right now is in Iqaluit for new accommodations, family accommodations.
Many of the members are aware that we have not been able to accept students into programs or to have them be able to come to the community for programs because there is no housing available.
In Cambridge Bay, that was the case. A new residence has been budgeted, and is nearing completion in Cambridge Bay, to deal with the lack of educational requirements for student housing in that community.
In the Kivalliq Region, Mr. Speaker, that is something that we need to be able to look at also; we has to be able to do it in tandem and that is what we are trying to address.
Nunavut Arctic Colleg in Rankin Inlet regularly is being attended by people from Chesterfield Inlet and other communities, and they have to board with their relatives because they have no accommodations, and that becomes a problem.
The government wants education to be a priority, and they want to target it for 85 percent.
Because of the lack of accommodations, some of the students can’t go to attend Arctic College.
Is there a way that the government could have a good plan for student accommodations for Nunavut Arctic College in Rankin Inlet?
We do have, as the member knows, accommodations available in that community.
Right now, and a good example, is the number of students attending the college in Rankin Inlet. From the numbers as of October, last month, there were 59 students taking programs at the college in Rankin Inlet.
So, we know there is a need there. But at the same time there is a greater need, for example, in Cambridge Bay.
We are able to complete a new residence there because what was there was not acceptable.
We know, for example, here, we are putting millions of dollars into leasing accommodations for students.
That money would be better transferred to the college itself to have their own accommodations.
So that is what we are trying to attempt to do.
I do not want to be misunderstood by the government.
I am in favour of Iqaluit Arctic College accommodations.
We are very happy and supportive of that, but we would also like to be included as the people of Kivalliq.
I understand that, and that is why we are trying to, like I said, stage projects under the capital plan based on need, and those two communities had a higher need.
For example, once the Cambridge Bay accommodations issue is taken care of, which will be very shortly, then we will be able to look at the other two major campuses, one being Nunatta Campus and then the Kivalliq Campus.
So there is no procrastination or trying to delay; it is based on the priorities of the department and based on that capital plan.
Question 029 – 2(2): Search and Rescue Funding
My question is directed to the Minister of Community and Government Services, Minister Kilabuk.
Last year, we spoke with each other in regards to search and rescue.
You stated that you would deal with this in June, and you also mentioned that the people that are searching for an individual, that there would be a plan in place for the people who are searching for an individual. I have not had a response from your department on whether this has been acted upon.
You also stated that the government’s plans are in place through the electronic satellite locators.
I just want to ask the minister at what stage they are at this point.
The member and I did discuss the issue of search and rescue and those satellite signaling devices.
When I met with him at that time, I told him that the plan was going to be reviewed by my department.
I would like to say to the member, that at this time, I apologize. I have to look at my staff and talk to my staff to see which stage we’re at on that issue.
I just want to state to the minister that there is already a device such as the one that I’m talking about.
It’s a satellite signaling device and they tested it this summer and it was a success.
There are always people getting lost out on the land, and I would like to say to the minister that if you were to use those devices, they should be made available to the residents by the department.
I would like to assure the member and the members of this House that we are trying our best to try and use devices that are better for the searching of the hunters or people who are out on the land.
We would like to proceed with those.
I think there was only $1,000 allotted for search and rescue, but we have raised the money up to $5,000 that can be utilized by the search and rescue team in each community.
Those are the types of things that we were talking about, and I will give more information to the member and the members of this House on that.
Question 030 – 2(2): Medical Travel Policy on Escorts
I asked a question yesterday, and I would like to thank Mr. Netser and Mr. Peterson in regards to the department of health’s proposal for medical travel.
I would like to direct my question to the minister of health.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, earlier this session I questioned the minister about her department’s medical travel policy.
In all three communities that I represent, constituents are concerned that elders and youth who travel out of the community for medical reasons are being denied escorts.
This is especially a concern for our unilingual elders.
I would like to ask the minister why medical personnel are not following the department’s policy which clearly states that they may approve an escort if the client needs an escort to interpret for them.
Yesterday I responded saying that the elders and other unilingual individuals who are on medical travel will always have an escort.
I’m not exactly sure why they were denied that, and I will look into it.
I thank the minister for looking into it.
Can the minister tell this House what kinds of policies or guidelines are in place for the nurses to follow and for the doctors to follow, for the more remote communities, in regards to those types of guidelines when they go on medical travel?
The client travel policy states that the department may cover the cost of escort travel with minors.
The decision is made on a case-by-case basis.
The client travel policy defines a minor as an individual under the age of 19, generally speaking.
Escorts are provided for minors when they are under the age of 16 or it has been determined that they cannot sign a consent form and require a patient or legal guardian to do so.
A physician would normally determine whether or not a minor is capable of making their own decision and providing their own consent to treatment.
I thank the minister for responding, because my constituents are asking that question and they would like to know what kind of policies the government has.
I’m sure that Nunavummiut have a better understanding that the policy should be followed.  I ask the minister if she can have a goal so that her staff can review the policy in the High Arctic for medical travel.
Yes, your comment is well taken.
We can take that into consideration.
Perhaps we can publicize the policy to Nunavummiut. Because there is a lack of understanding about the policy, that is why questions have been posed.
Our staff can publicize that through the media and perhaps through the CBC.
If that is your question?
We have staff that is bilingual. I thank you for your question.
Question 031 – 2(2): Homeowners Program in Sanikiluaq
My question will be to the Minister of Energy.
I’m reading the Hansard from yesterday; you stated to me and to the House and Nunavummiut that there might be 15 homeowners in Sanikiluaq at the most.
Does that mean that there is no further homeowners program provided by government? If so, why not?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Energy, Mr. Picco.
What I was trying to point out yesterday is that outside of the three major regional centres of Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay, we don’t have the number of private home ownership that you see in those larger communities.
So, when a rate increase would occur, it would be 80 percent of the government paying that type of an increase, meaning that we don’t have the private home ownership, or private people, paying the bill.
I was taking an estimate and saying there may be 15 private homes in Sanikiluaq.
There might be 25.
I was just using that as a number.
It has nothing to do with how many homes to built in Sanikiluaq, and it has nothing to do with any process.
I was trying to use the example as an illustration of the impact of the rate increase on the private home market and how we don’t have enough of them to generate the kind of revenue that the corporation was expecting or talking about.
I believe the minister was not supposed to use that figure in his example. The way that I understood it was that there would be no more homes built.
We have to forecast our budget. We don’t know how much increase there will be and I know that there will be changes, when it’s required, to the rate. This is just a comment.
I’m concerned about his statement in regards to homes not being built.
I believe what the Hansard points out is that I was trying to explain that on any rate increase outside those three major centres, there is a very small customer base.
For example, in the majority of our communities, when you look at our power bills, the electricity being paid, the housing association, which makes up the majority of our homes in communities, the health centre, our schools, hamlet operations, and so on, receive their grants and monies from the government.
If the power corporation increase was 80 percent or 10 percent, no matter what that amount is, the majority would be paid by the government.
In the member’s community, I was trying to point out, there is only a small group of private homeownership in the community.
In no way did I try to state that there would not be any housing in both of the communities.
Indeed, we will be dealing with the capital estimates for all departments including housing and I am sure we will be able to ascertain the number of units that have been built.
So as the Premier has said in the Throne Speech, we have built over 300 units since 1999.
Question 032 – 2(2): Inuit Social Workers Needed
Although I am very pleased and happy that they are providing social workers to the communities, we are lacking Inuit social workers in Nunavut; we have to import social workers into some of the communities in Nunavut.
At times, we import non-Canadians to be social workers and they need interpreters, even though they are dealing with confidential matters.
Will the department try to obtain Inuit Nunavummiut social workers?
Yes. I want to say yes to that question because the government is responsible and is committed to educating Nunavummiut.
Looking at the percentage, we have to increase the number of Inuit people in the government workforce.
Within the Department of Health and Social Services we do some training, and we are increasing the number of Inuit social workers.
Yes, I can respond by saying that.
The training program is continuing and there are 49 percent of Inuit workers within Health and Social Services.
Although we are targeting 79 percent, there are 49 percent Inuit working in the department.
This 49 percent that the minister states, are they in the management level?
Although there might be some Inuit people who do not want to work at the senior management level, there are some Inuit people who would like to get into it.
So, I was wondering: are you seeing more people at the senior management level?
Yes, I can say that the training program is ongoing and there are also some Inuit working at the senior management level in some communities.
Question 033 – 2(2): Health Facility Update
This fall, we had a conversation in regards to the fire that was happening around the health facility in my community because there was no fencing besides the building, and the kids would go underneath to start the fire.
I was told that the department would look into this, but I haven’t heard anything as of today.
I would like to ask the minister: what is the process as of now?
Will this building be fenced?
It will cost some money, but what has been done to date?
I have not forgotten about the concern.
I’ve had discussions and I’ve responded to you formally and I gave a directive, but I apologize that nothing has happened as of yet, although I had given directions.
Perhaps they didn’t listen to my directives; I’ll look into that.
Speaker (interpretation): Oral questions Mr. Peterson.
Question 034 – 2(2): Installing Explosive Detectors
Recently in the Northwest Territories, the government of the Northwest Territories announced that they were going to install an explosives detector in the Yellowknife airport and they’ve had discussions with the Government of Canada in that respect.
I’m wondering if the minister could tell us if the Government of Nunavut representative has had discussions with the Federal Government about installing explosive detectors in any Nunavut airports.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Department of Economic Development and Transportation, Hon. David Simailak.
Hon. David Simailak: I’m sorry, Mr. Speaker, what kind of a detector was he talking about, sorry?
It’s an explosives detector, you run your luggage, take your suitcase and put them through this detector and it’s supposed to detect explosives.
Discussions are ongoing with the federal government on possibly installing one such piece of equipment in the Iqaluit International Airport for in the future.
I’m not sure if that’s good news or bad news to folks in Nunavut.