EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
However, the Canada Transportation Act Review Report, which the federal Minister of Transport released late last week, did not specifically recommend that air service to the High Arctic be subsidized.
My position is that the High Arctic is in a unique situation which requires special consideration.
Is my position shared by the Government of Nunavut?
Hon. Monica Ell-Kanayuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also thank the member for being observant about this process.
Yes, we have met with our counterparts from various levels of government departments in Canada. We have discussed with both the federal minister and our provincial colleagues about the fact that we face extreme costs in our territory, seeing as how we can only use aerial transportation since we have no interconnecting roads, especially when we want to go to other communities.
We have no alternatives other than air transportation to travel between communities.
Part of your question related to the study, which we are currently reviewing by canvassing other jurisdictions, such as in Alaska or other northern countries, on how they deal with their northern transportation issues.
We are aware that some northern regions have airline subsidies that they receive from their version of our federal government, as they are the only ones with nationwide authority if we wish to emulate other northern regions. The subsidy is for flying in remote regions and it applies only where no other alternative to air transport is available such as here.
With the lack of alternatives we face in Nunavut, we are also faced with an infrastructure deficit in that we have no ports or small craft harbours. During winter months, our citizens can only travel via air transportation. That is what we are conveying to our colleagues now and in the future.
We are looking at options to try to urge a federal subsidy to lower the costs we face or alternatively, to amend legislation if required.
We are studying the various options that we may be able to review, as the list is quite long of issues we can request to be studied, and look at how we can reduce the costs of transportation. We would like to look at options from other jurisdictions and then modify it.
Mr. Shooyook (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also thank the minister for the response outlining the plan I wanted to hear about that is in the works. I am proud of that initiative.
When will the minister be next meeting with her federal counterpart to discuss the issue of air service and airport infrastructure in the north?
Hon. Monica Ell-Kanayuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the member for that question.
On January 28, I had a meeting with the ministers of transportation in Ottawa.
Question 179 – 4(3): Design of Housing Units (Rumbolt)
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s most recent annual report indicates that the corporation’s five-plex design was, and I quote, “…revised and resulted in a $700,000 savings for each building.
The NHC is continuing to review other options for more energy efficient and economical solutions for the construction of housing.”
Can the minister describe some of the specific changes that have been made to the design of its standard five-plex units?
I welcome the member to the proceedings.
Basically in a nutshell, there have been some design changes to maximize the space and, in some cases, make the footprint a little bit smaller, which created a little bit more effective construction costs.
In addition to that, there has been more standardization of the technology inside; the lighting, the fixtures, and that type of thing. It puts a little bit less strain on the LHO for maintenance in addition to warehousing.
In addition to that, there was a fairly recent decision with regard to a back porch that was part of the initial design and it was found that the small porch increased the cost of construction by nearly $30,000, so that was removed.
We are trying to maximize the impact through the tender process to make sure that going forward, the housing designs are efficient, and every dollar that we can save in construction helps us build more units across the territory.
One of the initiatives that the Nunavut Housing Corporation started as part of the Nunavut Housing Trust Delivery Strategy was to ensure that its new five-plex design included two exits.
In fact, the Nunavut Housing Corporation itself stated that, and I quote, “The new 5-plex design has two exterior exists, a modification that community members have long emphasizes as important.”
Mr. Speaker, I can certainly say from personal experience that this was a major concern in my community of Sanikiluaq.
However, from what I have seen with my own eyes, the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s new public housing multiplex units in Sanikiluaq only have one exit.
Can the minister explain why the Nunavut Housing Corporation removed this safety feature without consulting the local housing organization?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) The Hon. [Minister] responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Hickes.
Once again I thank the member for bringing that to my attention.
When we removed the back porch requirement, to be honest, I was not aware that the backdoor was removed from the design as well on the two-bedroom public housing units.
It’s something I will look into immediately and get back to the member at a later date.
I’m pretty sure that there is no backdoor in these five-plexes that were built. I know that the minister mentioned this a little bit earlier, but I will ask my question anyway for further information.
As the minister will recall, another one of the initiatives that the Nunavut Housing Corporation started a few years ago was to incorporate a country food storage and preparation area into the design of its five-plex units.
Again, from what I have seen with those new units that have been recently constructed in Sanikiluaq, this feature is no longer a part of the design.
Can the minister explain why this design feature was also removed?
With regard to the country food storage and preparation space, I would have to get a little bit more details from the corporation on why it was removed in all units.
From what I understand, the cost associated with providing that space increased the construction cost fairly significantly and it wasn’t utilized by all tenants of all units. Therefore, I’m going to have to look into the actual for sure reasoning behind it in all of the units, but maybe it’s something we can look for in having it maybe in some units versus removing it in all.
Question 180 – 4(3): Response to the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Joanasie)
Mr. Speaker, as you aware, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its final report on December 15, 2015.
On the very next day, December 16, 2015, the Premier issued a news release stating that he looks forward to reviewing the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in great detail and working with the federal government to move forward in a new commitment to healing and to become stronger than ever.
Can the Premier specify when he plans to complete a detailed review of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report?
Mr. Speaker, the Truth and Reconciliation executive summary was released in June of 2015 and that encompassed 300 pages of that.
Again, in December of 2015, the final six-volume report was released to the public. Within that report, there are 94 recommendations. I have indicated through my Minister’s Statement that we’re looking into this and Canada, the Prime Minister has committed to actioning all the 94 recommendations that came out of this commission.
Mr. Speaker, in the past, we all know that residential schools have had a lot of impact on Nunavummiut who went through the system.
Mr. Speaker, also, the Prime Minister has indicated that he’s going to be looking to have some action items taken to the United Nations of Indigenous Rights and also asking for an apology from the Pope in some certain circumstances.
Mr. Speaker, we have gone through the report and we’re looking at it. We’re making some final revisions on our position on it. I can’t say when that’s going to be going through the cabinet, but we hope to do that some time in the short future.
I also thank the Premier for his response.
Mr. Speaker, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report addresses a number of important areas of concern and calls to action directed at territorial and federal governments.
As such, the Government of Nunavut’s response should be provided from its highest level of office.
Can the Premier indicate if the Government of Nunavut’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action will be led by himself or will the response be led by another minister in cabinet?
This is going to be led by myself. Mr. Speaker, we already have initiatives out there that are ongoing. Last year, we already put the residential school history in the education curriculum.
We do, in fact, lead the country in language preservation actions that are within the recommendations.
We’re quite proud of that and we intend to do more of this in collaboration with the federal government in ensuring that all action items are carried out.
Mr. Speaker, a greater knowledge and understanding of our history will guide us to wherever it is that we want to go in our future.
The Premier has stated that, and I quote, “Nunavut will continue to ensure the history of residential schools is taught in our schools so that our students understand the full extent of this period in our territory’s history.”
Can the Premier indicate at what level in our schools do Nunavut students begin learning the history of residential schools in Canada?
Again I thank the member for that very good question. Mr. Speaker, I can’t speak on behalf of other jurisdictions within Canada, but in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, we put in this curriculum for understanding the past in residential schools and that starts at grade 10 and we intend to carry that forward.
Mr. Speaker, also in the past, I think all the residential school survivors that participated in this commission went through a lot of emotional stress. We made it quite clear to the Department of Health and we ensured that they got more resources to help out in this.
Mr. Speaker, we continue to ensure that the process is going to take place and we will be working on the 94 action items along with the federal government and ensuring most of these recommendations, if not all the recommendations, are carried forth within the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Member for Rankin Inlet South, Mr. Tom Sammurtok.
Alexander Sammurtok.
Question 181 – 4(3): Long-term Care Needs for Elders (Sammurtok, A)
Mr. Speaker, I have risen a number of times in this House to ask the government to consider establishing a long-term care facility in the community of Rankin Inlet so that our elders are not required to leave their home communities for long-term care.
I have kept a close count of the numbers of elders who are currently placed outside of Rankin Inlet and it is clear that the need for long-term care for my community alone continues to grow.
Can the minister clarify how many long-term placements for residents from a single community would be enough to justify establishing a long-term care facility in that community?
The care of elders today is split and it is taken care of by more than one department.
Once they have established more care facilities for elders, we would like to deal with it more.
With it being divided up, it is challenging to make plans.
We’re going to have to look more closely into it.
I cannot respond right now on exactly what we’re going to do. Once the cabinet agrees on something, we will be better able to deal with it.
Mr. Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) Nunavut is not the only jurisdiction which is facing a growing need for long-term care.
I note that the minister of health in the Northwest Territories was recently quoted in the media as saying that the needs for long-term care beds for seniors in the NWT will grow fourfold over the next ten years.
I am certain that Nunavut is facing a similar situation.
Can the minister provide an update on what steps have been taken to measure and anticipate the future growth in long-term care needs in Nunavut?
This program is divided.
I envy the NWT because they have one office running the program and they can carefully plan for the future.
As I said, we’re working on this. Once it is controlled by one entity for elder care facilities and it’s controlled from one place, we will be able to manage it better.
I tabled a report on that.
It doesn’t really matter which office it is controlled from, but with so many departments dividing it up, it’s almost impossible to make plans.
I thank the minister for the response. (interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, it is a sad fact that some of our elders are even sent out of Nunavut for long-term care.
Can the minister provide an update on the current shortage of long-term care beds in Nunavut?
I can state that there are 44 people to date and we are continuing to build care facilities in Cambridge Bay.
For those who have needed to go outside of Nunavut, I cannot respond today on the exact number. I’ll look into it and then I can table it in the House.
Question 182 – 4(3): High Costs of Pharmacy Products (Angnakak)
I would like to direct my question also to the Minister of Health.
Mr. Speaker, one of the benefits that we share with other Canadians is access to universal health care coverage. Unfortunately, we also share the lack of access to universal coverage for pharmaceutical products.
As residents of Nunavut, if we want to buy pharmacy products, it seems that the prices of those products suffer the same huge markups as other products do.
Can the minister clarify what efforts are being made to work with the independent pharmacies across Nunavut to ensure that the costs for necessary pharmacy products are kept as low as possible?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I fully agree with my colleague that the cost of some pharmacy products is out of reach for a lot of our citizens.
We’re working with our colleagues from the rest of the country to try to find a way to manage the cost of pharmaceuticals throughout our country so that we can reduce the cost for all our constituents throughout our country.
This is an ongoing discussion we’re having. It has reduced some costs for some pharmaceuticals so far and I look forward to more progress on this. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It kind of leads me right into my next question.
Mr. Speaker, during recent meetings with his federal, provincial, and territorial counterparts in January of this year, the Minister of Health addressed the need to improve the affordability and accessibility of prescription drugs.
Can the minister provide an update on what kinds of measures are being considered to reduce pharmaceutical prices in Nunavut and across Canada in some more detail?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) A lot of the pharmaceutical needs of Nunavummiut are covered through NIHB, but for those who aren’t covered by NIHB is where we are concerned primarily because that is a cost for Nunavut residents who are not covered.
We are participants with our colleagues in looking at ways to reduce costs.
Some have been done through bulk purchasing with other jurisdictions to reduce costs. We’re continuing to work with our colleagues as to how we can reduce some of these costs. We can’t do much about some, but we can reduce others through volume like purchasing with other jurisdictions. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 183 – 4(3): Appointment Process for Senior Officials (Sammurtok, T)
(interpretation ends) Section 8 of Nunavut’s Public Service Act is very clear: deputy ministers of our government’s departments are appointed on the recommendation of the Premier.
Mr. Speaker, this is consistent with how things are done throughout the country.
However, as we learned last week, the process by which the president of the Nunavut Housing Corporation and the president of the Qulliq Energy Corporation are appointed is not so clear.
Mr. Speaker, the statutes which establish the Nunavut Housing Corporation and the Qulliq Energy Corporation both define a formal role for the corporations’ boards of directors in recommending the appointments of the presidents of the corporations.
Can the Premier clarify how his role differs from that of the boards of directors when it comes to appointing the presidents of the Nunavut Housing Corporation and the Qulliq Energy Corporation?
Every deputy head goes through the Premier’s Office for contract signing.
That’s throughout every other jurisdiction in Canada.
The corporation heads are considered deputy heads of the entity as the deputy minister is considered a head of a department.
Every hiring does go through my office.
Mr. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) On November 27, 2015, the Premier announced the appointment of a new president of Nunavut Arctic College.
Section 19 of the Nunavut Arctic College Act provides that the president shall be appointed by the minister responsible for the college in consultation with the college’s board of directors.
Can the Premier describe how the college’s board of directors was involved in the most recent appointment process?
I don’t personally get involved in the process of hiring deputy heads. They go through a process through the Senior Personnel Secretariat and eventually they do come up through my office for signing of the contract.
Throughout the whole process, ministers and members of the Senior Personnel Secretariat are involved in this.
Mr. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) Can the Premier indicate whether or not the government will introduce amendments to the Nunavut Housing Corporation Act, the Qulliq Energy Corporation Act, and the Nunavut Arctic College Act to make the appointment processes for these entities’ presidents more clearly consistent with the process for appointing deputy ministers that is currently provided for in the Public Service Act?
I will continue carrying out the process of hiring deputy heads and the signing of the contracts through my office.
That will continue until we see a reason why that’s got to be changed.
Mr. Speaker, throughout the process, I am not directly involved in the interviews.
That goes through the respective boards and the respective members of the Senior Personnel Secretariat and that will continue on for a bit.
Question 184 – 4(3): Airport Infrastructure (Qirngnuq)
Mr. Qirngnuq (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) My questions are for the Minister of Economic Development and Transportation.
Kugaaruk’s integrated community infrastructure sustainability plan, which was produced with the help of the Government of Nunavut, indicates that much of the airport’s infrastructure is aging.
Can the minister indicate when the airport terminal building in Kugaaruk is scheduled to be replaced?
With regard to the terminal building that is referenced in the question, which was built in 1975, there is quite a number of that type of infrastructure in Nunavut that need to be fixed. The 20-year capital needs assessment is going to be produced quite soon and it will explain how many of these will need to be worked on and will need to be put on a priority list.
I would like my colleague to be aware that the Kugaaruk terminal building was built in 1975-76. There is a plan to upgrade the mechanical and electrical systems.
There have been improvements made to the building.
We know that the building needs replacement, but we know that other terminal buildings have priority because of safety reasons. We have many old terminal buildings that need replacement.
Mr. Qirngnuq (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) The 2016-17 Capital Estimates for the Department of Economic Development and Transportation include $2 million in funding for the construction of a new airport terminal building in the community of Taloyoak.
Can the minister indicate what local training and apprenticeship opportunities will be available for the residents of Taloyoak during the construction phase of the new airport terminal building?
As a newly elected MLA, I’m still catching up on my reading. However, I note that the business plan of the Department of Economic Development and Transportation indicates that the department has completed a new 20-year capital needs assessment for Nunavut airports.
Can the minister indicate when she will be able to table her department’s 20-year capital needs assessment in the Legislative Assembly?
Speaker (interpretation): You just asked two questions. You have to ask one question at a time.
That was your third question. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister of Economic Development and Transportation, Ms. Ell-Kanayuk.
The 20-year capital needs assessment was approved by cabinet in December and I expect to present it to the House this session.
However, it hasn’t been completed quite yet. It just needs to be translated and as soon as that is done, I would like to table it in the House.
Your second supplementary, Mr. Qirngnuq.
Since I’m new to this, I’ll be making mistakes and I appreciate that I will be corrected.
Question 185 – 4(3): Appointments to Coral Harbour Housing Authority (Mapsalak)
Mr. Speaker, from my constituents of Coral Harbour, it was explained to me that the minister appoints the housing board of directors. They have been missing two members for a very long time now. Can the minister explain to us when he will be able to appoint new board members so that they can have a full quorum in Coral Harbour?
They have been missing two members for a long time now.
I thank the member for bringing that topic to the discussion here.
It’s one thing that I have undertaken since I was named Minister of the Nunavut Housing Corporation to go through all the communities that are under authority basis and make sure that the boards are fully complemented.
I did sign off on some authorizations last week.
I do not believe Coral Harbour was a part of that, but I will have to confirm with my records to check on that.
It is something that I’m very aware of and it’s something that the Nunavut Housing Corporation and I are working very hard on to make sure we get interested members of the communities to put their names forward to show interest on the board. If the member has some names he would wish to submit for me to consider, I would very much welcome so.
I was told that they have been missing two members for a very long time now. They are not able to hold meetings because of the lack of quorum. I understand the minister is saying he will look into it.
I hope that you will take care of this as soon as possible so that the board will no longer be missing two members.
I would appreciate it if you could appoint two new board members for the Coral Harbour Housing Authority.
I didn’t hear a question in there. Like I mentioned earlier, I will state that if the member has interested community members who would like to sit on the local housing authority, I would be very welcome to receiving a list of names from the member or the community at large so that I can vet through their resumés and appoint them to sit on the board.
Question 186 – 4(3): Country Food Distribution and Food Security in Nunavut (Akoak)
Good afternoon, (interpretation) residents of Gjoa Haven and all Nunavummiut. If my grandchild happens to be watching on television, I say (interpretation ends) “good afternoon.”
(interpretation ends) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Economic Development and Transportation.
Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, the minister acknowledged on social media on her own Twitter account the unbelievable costs of food in grocery stores across Nunavut.