EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I apologize to the members for not making it this morning.
There are a couple of reasons. One, I was too sore from my physical activity that I did this weekend on my snowmobile; my body is not used to that anymore and I’m not as young as I used to be.
The other reason that I didn’t show up is because I wanted to make sure that the cabinet side won, and I know that they would have been in a foul mood if I showed up and we would have won.
Just wanted to make sure they were in a good mood today.
I would like today to inform the House about an event taking place tomorrow here in Iqaluit.
May is Speech and Hearing Month across Canada.
It is established that one in ten people across Canada have some form of speech, language, or hearing problem.
Many people have had to overcome significant personal challenges in order to be fully active in their communities.
Iqaluit’s Royal Bank branch will be hosting a bake and book sale tomorrow from 10 am until 3 pm.
All proceeds from this event will be donated to the awareness of speech and hearing needs within the community.
It is important that our healthcare system provide care for people living with speech and hearing difficulties.
Audiologists and speech therapists are two kinds of caregivers whose services are in very limited supply here in Nunavut.
The Legislative Assembly is a place where language and speech are of paramount importance.
For members of this House the ability to communicate clearly is a vital gift.
I ask all members to join me in supporting the Speech and Hearing Month fundraiser and I encourage all members to either bake something, or drop off some books, or go and purchase something at the bake sale tomorrow.
Orders of the Day, Item 4, “Returns to oral questions.”
Today I would like to recognize my cousin who is visiting from Yellowknife for the long weekend: Casey Adlem.
Orders of the Day, Item 6.
Oral questions. Mr. Arreak.
Question 091 – 2(1): Clyde River Breakwater (Arreak)
I would like to direct my question to the minister responsible for transportation.
There was going to be a breakwater. The blueprint was already made, and they were going to do this over the next three years.
They have started the wharf for boats.
There was going to be a vehicle that was going to be used, but somehow the money was not available; the funding was not available after it was approved for the breakwater in Clyde River.
Which community are you talking about please?
Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Arreak.
Clyde River.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister responsible for transportation.
Hon. David Simailak (interpretation): Yes, this summer we will review the survey on how much fish there is in that certain spot for the breakwater.
After you look at this will you be making the blueprints and getting the funding for this?
We will be testing to see how many fish there are, and after that we will be working very closely with…. There will be, helping us, ….
Speaker (interpretation): Supplementary, Mr. Arreak.
I thank the minister for this.
I would like to ask another question: how many years would it take to build?
I am not certain yet, but I will take this as notice and I will come back to the member.
Question 092 – 2(1): Number of Students Enrolled for the Translator Program (Curley)
I would like to thank the minister responsible for Nunavut Arctic College for his statement that they will be teaching Inuktitut interpreters. I feel that there are very few interpreters right now and yet we need more.
I would like to ask if, this spring and summer, for the program they would have to enroll; will there be new enrollment, or will there be more people that could be enroled?
The Inuinnaqtun interpreter-translator program that we’re speaking about has been worked on with the Department of Culture, Language, Elders, and Youth.
We believe that it’s a good step forward to be able to put more Inuinnaqtun-specific translators in place, not only in government offices but in other locations.
For example, we’ve seen a big need for Inuinnaqtun especially for the mining industry and so on.
We want to put out information to people, especially in western Nunavut.
The enrollments themselves will be based on the number of people applying.
The standard class would be between 10 and 20, depending on the number.
As well, the access year is important because we need to be able to bring some of the standards of Inuinnaqtun up, depending on the level when the student applies.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Thank you for your explanation.
So, this is going to be for Inuinnaqtun, and they will be trained.
Where will this be held?
Will it be to Iqaluit that they would have to go?
From the Kivalliq we have to come to Baffin. There’s already an enrollment list that is already full.
The ones that come from Kivalliq…. I would like to know why they don’t have something like this in the Kivalliq.
The program that we’re speaking about, the Inuinnaqtun program, is in the Kitikmeot campus program.
The college has been looking at other programs that may be available, for example, in Inuktitut.
I was just there a few months ago at the graduation of the medical interpreter-translator program in Inuktitut, which is a specific program for medical terminology, and so on, in Inuktitut.
So, those programs continue under the college.
They’re based on need.
For example, this program in Inuinnaqtun is a program sponsored with the help of the Kitikmeot Inuit Association as well as, as I said earlier, the Department of Culture, Language, Elders, and Youth.
Speaker (interpretation): Second supplementary, Mr. Curley.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): I will ask this again.
I know that there have been a number Kivalliq people that wanted to take this course, but it was apparently already full. They were told that they would have to wait for the next year or the year after.
They are here in Iqaluit.
I would like to know why you don’t use the Nunavut Arctic College in the Kivalliq to enroll these students that would like to take the training. Because there is not enough room here in Iqaluit.
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It depends on the number of programs that each campus would be funded to run, number one, as well as the number of programs that are requested.
On many occasions, depending on the number of programs that have been requested, there may not be, for example, the spaces the member has indicated, nor the budget to be able to run that program.
Their plan, as the member knows, is almost a year in advance.
I would suggest to the member, Mr. Speaker, that if there is a need for this type of program in the Kivalliq, that is something that I would direct the college to see, if there is an opportunity to facilitate a program like the Inuinnaqtun interpreter-translator program in the Kivalliq.
Question 093 – 2(1): Update on Whaling in the Sanikiluaq Area (Kattuk)
In my member’s statement I talked about whale hunting.
I would like to ask the Minister of Environment….
In the 70s, I think, the people of Sanikiluaq were going to be given a quota for killing whales, belugas.
They were not included in the eastern Hudson Bay stock.
What we wanted in Sanikiluaq was that before we got a quota, we wanted a study done on the James Bay beluga to find out whether those whales were from James Bay or Hudson Bay.
I would like to ask the minister if he has any information on that.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of the Environment, Mr. Akesuk.
The federal government is responsible for issuing quotas and doing their counts and studies on beluga whales.
I know a little bit about what they have been doing in regards to doing studies on belugas in the Sanikiluaq area.
Perhaps I can work with the member to find out information from the federal government’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans so I could give him better information.
In regards to the…. I feel that this is the concern of the people, and the people are usually very concerned when it affects their food.
Is the minister saying that the federal government’s biologists here offer the…. Find out what the information is….
I will work with the member and find out from the federal biologists the status of the study of the beluga whales in the Sanikiluaq region.
I will work with the member to get some more information from Fisheries and Oceans on that. They will be doing a study on the mammals in the Sanikiluaq region.
I apppreciate the member’s response.
I think it was in the 1980’s…. I think it has been about 15 years now that there has not been a study on the beluga whales in our area.
I just wondered if the minister or his officials have any information on the study that was done in the 80s.
Perhaps the minister is saying that, it is just a comment that I am making…. Will the minister be working with me on that?
Question 094 – 2(1): Capital Investment Plan by Region (Peterson)
My question is for the minister responsible for the Power Corporation and it concerns the Power Corporation’s capital investment plan.
I noted that in the Auditor General’s report, she mentioned that the Nunavut Power Corporation has spent $20 million since April 1, 2001 on investment and infrastructure buildings and so on and so forth.
I am wondering if the minister could tell the House if the Power Corporation has prepared a capital investment plan by region and by community for the next four to five years.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister responsible for the Power Corporation.
Yes, there is a capital plan by community.
Mr. Peterson: Well, that is good to know.
I am wondering if the minister will provide that information to us.
But I am also wondering if the Power Corporation is prepared with assessment of the plan, the capacity of major centres, being Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay, indicating the year when those power plants will reach full capacity due to addition of major infrastructure such as hospitals we have been talking about, new schools, office buildings that we have….
Especially Iqaluit will receive lots of office buildings and major hotels.
Has that assessment been done?
Yes, that assessment has been done for all of the major centres, not all of the communities.
Mr. Peterson: That is really assuring.
I know the investment plan is done, the assessment is done.
As far as we know, the Power Corporation does not have any money for that.
They have got some problems.
So, I am wondering now if the Power Corporation…. How they can finance by an expansion in the Nunavut communities in light of the Auditor General’s assessment of their finances, since the Auditor General indicates that in terms of generated funds to finance the planned expansion or construction, if they cannot do that then they have to borrow.
But if there is nothing out there that they can borrow, so….
They do not have the money. So, I am wondering how they can do all of this for the next five years.
Yes, priorities are set, based on whether considered emergency or situations or based on what needs there are in terms of emergencies or top priorities.
Certainly, you know that I am not from Iqaluit, but I am going to ask this question for Iqaluit because since I have been here I have seen a lot of major infrastructure.
There is a big hospital coming, there are office buildings, I think their power plant capacity is 14 megawatts; it probably reached eight this winter.
Only a few years after these facilities are built, new facilities will come onstream.
So, I am wondering if the new buildings come onstream and reach maximum capacity, 14 megawatts…. Does the Power Corporation have an emergency plan to deal with brownouts or all of those power outages in Iqaluit when it reaches its plant capacity?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister Responsible for the Power Corporation, Mr. Simailak.
Yes, it’s worked on based on a contingency basis.
For example, in some communities we’ve had to bring in portable generators to be used on stand-by.
I’m sure that kind of a situation would be put in place here in Iqaluit.
The staff are working on a long-term plan.
All of that is in the works.
The staff know the limits of the station here and they have forecasted when that maximum would be reached in Iqaluit, and they’re working on long-term solutions.
Speaker (interpretation): Oral questions. Mr. Tootoo.
Question 095 – 2(1): Minimum Standard of Condition on Contracted Houses (Tootoo)
My question is for the Minister Responsible for the Housing Corporation.
Last week the minister tabled copies of condition ratings for some houses that were leased in Arviat.
Two of the units were at 57 percent before the leases were signed.
I would just like to ask the minister: are there any minimum criteria that they have in determining whether to enter into leases on units in any condition?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister Responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Kilabuk.
I guess part of the answer would be, okay, 100 is good condition.
Then the scale is worked backwards, dropping down to whatever the figure is at the end of the day after the inspection.
In talking with my staff, the conditions of each unit are treated, work schedules are also developed, and time lines set to have the required work done.
If we look at the documents I tabled, the 57 percent when they did the condition ratings was to show that there was quite a lot of work required for those units. And even at that, it doesn’t necessarily mean that a similar unit elsewhere, per se, would be inhabitable.
It may be, but the schedule and the work required are also determining factors, when they determine what is inhabitable.
I know if the minister is indicating that a unit may be substandard or uninhabitable he saying that they may still enter into leases as long as there is a work plan in place.
I’m just wondering, why was a lease entered into even prior to those units being at an acceptable standard.
I know, Mr. Speaker, anyone could come up with a shack anywhere and say, I want to lease this to the government for staff housing.
I know there are a number of shacks here in Iqaluit that I’m sure the owners would love to lease out and make a promise to fix it up over a certain period of time, given the severe shortage of staff housing here.
Is that something that the Department would do?
Would that be acceptable for the government to enter into leases like that?
Say a unit is not habitable, but there is a commitment to fix it up to make it habitable?
I guess I’ll try and stick to the units in question and how they arrived at leasing these units.
The best information that I have was when they signed up the leases. A couple of factors were determining factors.
One was decentralization, that they had to try and identify immediate access in that community based on jobs that they were expecting.
At the time, to be very clear, it was identified that the units were not going to be immediately occupied at the time they signed the lease.
But, because of the expected jobs going into Arviat it was determined, when they signed the lease, they would have some work required on those units.
Those were the determining factors in the leases.
The date on the condition ratings for November 2002…. Were there any timelines or anything, or conditions of release for work that was required be done within a certain time period?
I mean if we’re paying for decrepit, uninhabitable units….
Surely there was a work plan, as the minister indicated, to bring these units to an acceptable level within a certain time frame.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister Responsible for the Housing Corporation, Hon. Peter Kilabuk.
Yes, it was the understanding that time was required to do the renovations.
Schedules were also developed, but for whatever reasons the set deadlines had been extended on previously agreed-to dates.
It had been based on a couple of factors, with the supplies and work required in those units, but they were scheduled and put forward at the time.
I would like to ask the minister if there are still any clauses within the lease agreement. If the work wasn’t done and the houses weren’t brought up to an acceptable standard by a certain time frame then the lease is to be terminated.
In responding to that question, I want to make one thing perfectly clear.
In cases like this one, where there is a high need for units, looking at the condition of the units was in the interest of both parties, to be flexible.
The units required would also be the scheduling.
I can assure the member that on the question of terminating these leases, our department has been working aggressively over the last 15-30 days in reviewing our options on these leases.
Question 096 – 2(1): Trades and Technology Program – Transportation and Boarding Covered (Curley)
It is in regards to the trades programs.
I would like to thank the minister for having got a trades-technology facility in Nunavut.
At this time, many individuals still go out of Nunavut to attend trade school.
Can the minister assure me that these individuals…. Whether it be welding or heavy equipment training, is the air-travel still paid for by the government as well as the room and board? Do the students pay for their own meals and board?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Education, Hon. Ed Picco.
Under the trades programs, depending on what trade and where the student would go….
For example, if a student was training to become an electrician and they were sent to NAIT, which is the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, or SAIT, which is the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, their transportation is covered when they go there, as well as their accommodations.
If a person was taking a program, for example, in Thebacha College in Fort Smith, then the same situation would apply.
In some cases the return travel and so on may be provided, based on the length of the program.
In most cases, most apprentices under the trades program can do a lot of the work here.
So, when they had to do the certification to get their inter-provincial or red seal, then on those occasions they are sent out of the territory and those costs are covered.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, the Government of Nunavut, the fiscal funding for that…. April 1 just passed us, and there are individuals who have gone down to Nova Scotia to attend trade school. I have heard that they have to pay for their own room and board.
They have no full-time job.
Why isn’t your department paying for those individuals at school?
I’m not aware of the specific case of students in Nova Scotia.
I’m glad that the member has brought it to our attention and if the member would communicate with the minister, myself, and the department, we’ll be able to follow up and see what the story is.
As a rule, if students are sent from Nunavut to southern-based or out-of-territory, it could be the Northwest Territories, as I said earlier, then those costs are covered.
In this case where students may be studying…. All students entering post-secondary institutions, as the members know in the House, are eligible for financial student aid under the FANS program.
So, the specific case of Nova Scotia students…. If the member could give us the details then I’ll be able to follow it up.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Oral questions.
Question 097 – 2(1): Reason Hamlets Are in Deficit Situations (Peterson)
I was pleased to hear that his department is working on helping hamlets with regards to getting out of deficit.
I’m wondering if the minister could outline, for the House and people that are watching TV here, what are the major reasons hamlets go into deficit in the first place.
If I understood the question correctly…. There are some reasons why different communities go and run into deficit situations.
In most cases records have shown that some do overspend beyond their budgeted figures. Some bring in costly projects without having secured the funding required.
There have been cases where a lack of proper staff with the required skills to responsibly operate the finances of some municipalities has led to difficulty.
So, there are different reasons why communities get into deficit situations.
Most hamlets hire senior administrative officers, assistant SAOs, or financial staff, or very well qualified people. It seems strange to most of us that they get into financial difficulties when they’ve got accountants working for them.
I wonder if the minister could outline what he means when he says full municipal financial operational evaluations will be conducted.
What will he be looking for?
Firstly, I think, do not be surprised to see how some communities have had difficulties in hanging on to properly trained people at their financial departments. But that will be used to highlight and point out the strengths and weaknesses of the municipality, and they use it as a tool to try and avoid running into deficit situations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
There seems to be a common problem with many organizations. I should mention that the Power Corporation did not have trained accountants.
So, it sounds like a problem the hamlets have faced.
Maybe, that is, a training program should be offered by Nunavut Arctic College, since there seems to be a common problem for all of us.
But I am wondering, can the minister tell us if they have plans to overhaul the, as I call it, arcane water-sewage subsidy program that we have inherited from the Northwest Territories? I know it contributes to these financial problems.
Regrettably, I did not catch my colleague’s first part of the question, but I can advise the House that MTO, the Municpal Training Organization, is working very hard to properly train the staff of the municipalities from these communities. But if I could get the member to clarify his question, please.
I would just clarify that I am referring to the water-sewage subsidy program that we inherited from the government of the Northwest Territories.
There seem to be a lot of policies from the last government of the Northwest Territories that are bothering us these days.
But, I am wondering…. Could the minister comment on whether during the course of these evaluations his department would recommend that downloaded government programs be taken back by the government of Nunavut and delivered by governments rather than by hamlets?
Speaker: Kilabuk.
Well, those options can definitely be explored between our department and the municipalities, depending, in most cases, on the request of the community and their wish to take on such responsibilities.
Question 098 – 2(1): Fuel Rider Update (Tootoo)
My question is for the minister responsible for the Power Corporation.
I certainly hope the minister is feeling better after his incident this morning.
I imagine it was not a fun thing to have happen.
My question for the minister…. Earlier this session I asked the minister about when the fuel rider would be put in place and the minister said he would get back to us.
I understand that this has been reported: officials from the Corporation and the minister have publicly stated that there will be a 7.5 cent-per-kilowatt-hour rider put in place to offset the $10 million of the overexpenditures, the result of the increased cost of fuel. And that the effect will be zero on the consumers, thanks to a subsidy put forward through the Department of Finance’s budget. And it also states that once that $10 million amount is reached, the rider will be taken off.
I would like to ask the minister just for an update on the question, that he said he would get back to me about earlier in the session, as to when that rider will come into effect and how long does he anticipate it to be in place before the $10 million is collected?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Energy. Mr. Simailak.
I think I remember taking that question as notice.
(Interpretation.) I think that I already took that question as notice.
I’m aware that I just asked the minister for an update as to when, on that question, when or how long does he need to be able to find that information out of there?
Have his officials looked into it yet? Or when?
I know it’s been over a week now, and there is still no response.
So, I’m just wondering if we’re going to hear it this week, next week, in the fall session, or when we’re going to hear it.
I understood his question the first time.
No, I have not heard back from my staff yet.
I will check with them again when we go into break and advise the member.