EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to acknowledge a group of people from all around the territory, right from Kugluktuk, Sanikiluaq, Grise Fiord, and all over the territory that are in town this week for a workshop and that’s all the managers of the Local Housing Organizations and Local Housing Authorities.
Some of these people I had the pleasure of working with during my time at the housing corporation and I just wanted to wish them all the best in their meetings and say hello and I’m glad they have the opportunity to get together and to share information.
Another event that is going to be going on later this month here in everyone’s capital city is the teachers convention.
I know Mr. Lou Budgell is the president of the Federation of Nunavut Teachers.
They’ll be hosting his last president’s reception and I urge all members if they’re in town to go out and participate and welcome all these visitors to our capital city with open arms.
Member’s Statement 322 - 2(2): Bad Gasoline Issue
I’d like to say hello to my constituents.
Many relatives in Nunavik usually watch the session in progress.
I would like to say hi to them.
My statement is in regards to the bad gasoline issue that was recently raised by the Minister.
I’m sure there are more than 179 people that made complaints in regards to bad gasoline but I wanted to say something in regards to Shell Canada and the government on fouled spark plugs with regard to vehicles and skidoos; of the 179 that had to get maintenance done, they had to get their cylinders done and their fuel pumps done, many of their fuel pumps were damaged, during the time, the snowmobiles were 198.
ATVs were 35 and outboard motors were 12 and the vehicles were at 7.
Maybe because of the fact that there was some short notice on this, there’s probably more that may be out there.
The fact that gas will have to be replaced is not hard to figure out.
Shell Canada and the Government of Nunavut have not been able to reach an agreement; they kept indicating that according to the government regulations and specifications, they kept saying that the gas was alright.
There is damage occurring to many engines and snowmobiles, I will be asking the Minister, while the Government and Shell are trying to reach an agreement the men will have to be compensated for having their vehicles and their equipment damaged.
The Member for Arviat. Mr. Alagalak.
Question 399 – 2(2): Update on Fish Quotas
My question is to the Minister of Economic Development, when we were talking about fishing and the support that he had given, he had indicated that he would find out about the quotas and have a talk with Fisheries and Oceans.
FFMC used to buy fish in the summer, and sometimes in the winter.
They had noted that they bought fish one time from Repulse Bay that were not gutted, the operation finally ceased due to air freight costs, regardless of this people would still like to pursue this.
I am wondering have you considered exactly what you will be doing, spring is approaching fast.
I wonder how much work you have done to date.
Speaker (interpretation): The Minister responsible for Economic Development and Transportation. Mr. Simailak.
I think that they would be able to get some funding from the part of $100,000 that we currently provide to the communities, if they are going to do a pilot project. If they were willing to buy some fish then we would be able to help.
The surveying of the lakes would probably fall under the responsibility of the Department of Environment.
That is as much as I know at this time.
Speaker (interpretation): First supplementary. Mr. Alagalak.
This seems to be going back and forth between the two Ministers.
I truly believe that one Minister can start implementing and the other with the quotas.
Even though I am not a Minister I know that the Hunters and Trappers Organizations in the community are willing to work with you if they can be given the quotas for a pilot project.
We know that there are all kinds of different fish and there is an abundance of them in the Kivalliq Region.
Transportation is no problem at all, in the winter time we go back and forth to Churchill.
They are capable of implementing pilot projects in the different communities.
I am more than willing to assist them if they need my assistance.
It’s starting off really slow but this past winter, during this new fiscal year, the funding is available.
In Rankin Inlet, with the caribou harvest, they are provided with funding.
Why are they slowing down and they can’t even give $1 when it comes to fishing.
I would like to ask the Minister again to start now because you can only get them in the winter time if we’re going to sell un-gutted.
Can they start planning with the development corporations in Rankin Inlet and Arviat to see if they can start with a pilot project for next winter?
My colleague raises an excellent question and this would undoubtedly help many communities. I can assure the Member that we will look into this matter immediately.
We will work with the Department of Environment and try to proceed with the pilot project that he has in mind.
If it has to be extended to a year or more, then we will do it.
I will ask my staff to try and initiate a pilot project that the Member has in mind.
Speaker (interpretation): Second supplementary. Mr. Alagalak.
I thank you for that response, and that it will no longer be held up.
I look forward to seeing the correspondence this fall, before the sea freezes over.
If, in communities like Baker Lake and Arviat; they fish for Jumbo Whitefish, if this is going to proceed as a pilot project in some of the communities, I think this will be a worthwhile project once the plans have been defined and the financial requirements established.
I would like to ask a further question with respect to Fisheries and Oceans, the previous Department of Sustainable Development or the Department of Environment, according to what you know, I think that you may have discussed this with them, what have the departments discussed in respect to this matter.
I believe the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and our department have discussed this in the past as to what type of plans that they may have, I really don’t know.
I have not heard what Fisheries and Oceans thinks about this but I will pursue this matter with them.
I know that there is a possibility of much travel to Churchill.
What the Member is saying is of importance and if it were to be set up right it looks to have a good future.
We will look into this further.
Speaker (interpretation): Final supplementary. Mr. Alagalak.
I will support this.
I know that the DFO in Winnipeg also deals with this.
I am pretty sure that you have the names of the fishing places, this was discontinued because air freight was too expensive.
Do you have the names of the lakes where they were fishing?
No, at this time I don’t have the names of the lakes where they did the fishing.
Question 400 – 2(2): Government of Nunavut Purchasing Computers
My question today is for the Minister responsible for Community and Government Services.
I believe it is his department that controls and handles all the purchasing and tenders that is put out by the government.
The question that I have is in relation to the IT purchasing policy, if there is one.
When they put out tenders for computers, how do they do that?
Is it just put out there saying we need a computer that can do this, this and this, or do they specify what type or what brand of computer that they require to bid on.
Speaker (interpretation): The Minister for Community and Government Services, Minister Kilabuk.
The discussions that I have had with the IT people, technical staff is when the government considers purchasing computers for any department, or even Community and Government Services, itself, the considerations that are factored to determining what kind of programs they will be looking at, the purchases are based on these.
From the history of the last kind of programs they need for better collection of information and this is just one factor in determining what type of programs they will look at and the computers that they will purchase.
So there are a number of factors that are considered before purchases are made, and tenders are put out for the purchase of the government.
Speaker (interpretation): First supplementary. Mr. Tootoo.
Is it the policy of the government or the department to specify a brand name when they are asking for computers, or not.
I stand to be corrected but no, not that I am aware of.
I am sure that the Minister won’t be corrected on that.
Where there are cases, as the Minister indicated, it isn’t a policy of the government to specify brand names when going to tender for computers.
I understand that there are a lot of cases where they are specifying what type of computer brand name that they want to be quoted on in the tender, or the RFP, or whatever it is that they are putting out.
What circumstances, if any, would warrant going around the normal policy of the government or just bring it out there without identifying a brand name to allow the government, or anyone to put out a tender specifying a brand name of a computer, such as only Dell for example to be quoted on a tender.
That would depend on the department’s need and if it was for a specialized program that only a certain company would offer the program for software.
So in my response to my colleague, it would depend on the special requirements of a certain department in going to specific companies for the program.
Mr. Speaker, I want to make it clear that I’m not talking about tenders for software but for the actual computer itself.
I know with technology there are so many different companies out there with different components and things like that, that all provide the same thing.
They’re all getting smaller, faster, lighter, everything.
There are certain companies just like there are dealers for say Dell, IBM, or HP. There are many different brand names out there.
If they’re only specifying in their request for proposal for a particular brand name, then really what they’re doing is they are sole sourcing in a way and also any supplier of computers in Nunavut can go through Dell but they’re all buying it at the same price from them.
So, if you want to get competitive pricing, one would think that you would want to keep it open and say that we want a computer that will do a list of these things that you will require that computer to do and leave it open to the different suppliers throughout the territory to be able to sharpen their pencils and compete.
If you’re narrowing it down to one specific brand name, no one is competing.
They are all undercutting each other.
They’re not undercutting the supplier in the south.
I’m just wondering if the Minister would look at how many incidences where this has actually happened and look at rectifying that situation if is has.
I think that request falls right in line with some of the requests that I’ve been hearing during Committee of the Whole for improvements.
Yes, I agree with my colleague that there should options considered by this government to look at a more competent process that will both deliver the programs and services to the government but also at a competitive price that is available.
Please try to make your questions and your replies brief because there are a number of people who wish to ask question.
Question 401 – 2(2): Bad Gasoline Report
I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Community and Government Services in regards to the document that was tabled by the Department of Community and Government Services.
I brought engine parts here to show the Members of the difficulty that people were experiencing.
The residents of Sanikiluaq went through was that there were two ATVs.
We have to line up to be seen and the person right in front of me said there were three or four parts that were broken.
It only states two here.
Speaker (interpretation): The Minister for the Department of Community and Government Services. Minister Kilabuk.
In response to my colleague, and in fairness to the process that was in place, I really do not have idea as to why a certain constituent of my colleague, or any constituents of my colleagues from other communities, the information that they passed on to the Members of the Legislative Assembly, would not have been included in the collection of this report.
To his specific question regarding his constituent’s number of ATVs that he had reported to the Member of the Legislative Assembly, I really couldn’t tell you why that would not have been included in this information if that individual had been in line to present his case.
I don’t know if this report is true.
For those people who went to the communities because they said that there were three or four ATVs that were broken down.
It states here that there were two in Sanikiluaq.
That is how I understand it anyway.
My next question is those people that went to the communities also left behind a form that they can fill out for those individuals who didn’t have an opportunity to actually meet with them and be interviewed, will those forms that have been filled out be looked after?
As I stated earlier in my statement that the results of, especially with those individuals who had their machines broken down, I was also concerned that maybe they were not completed so I had to give it back for them to double check.
I can inform my colleague about those forms that were left behind.
If there are still some in the community, we will want to see them and will include them with the other papers.
Question 402 – 2(2): Rent Scale Review
I would also like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
As I stated earlier in my Member’s Statement I have a question to the Minister in regards to the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
In 2002 the new rent scales were implemented and from then on the Minister stated that the rent scales would be reviewed periodically.
If there are any changes to be made the Minister stated that would be done.
Could the Minister inform the House if there has been a rent scale review, and has it been completed?
Speaker (interpretation): The Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation. Minister Kilabuk.
For the information of my colleagues since the implementation of the new rental scale, it has been in effect.
We stated in the House that there would be a review periodically. If there are changes required there would be a review done on the rental scale.
There won’t be any changes if there were no changes to his income level.
I would also like to thank the Minister for responding to my question.
Could the Minister table a copy of the review on the rental scale.
I am a little confused.
I made a statement stating that there would be a review on the rental scales.
For example, if an individual’s income hasn’t changed, the amount of money that he is paying for rent wouldn’t change.
We said that there would be an ongoing review on the rental scale to make sure that they are not paying too much.
If I understood the Member’s question and if he would like get further information, I could have a discussion with the Member, personally.
This is going to be my last question.
If he is going to do a review of the rental scale, could the Minister speak to the House when the VTAs are included when they are doing rent assessments?
I just smiled as this morning I had a meeting with the Secretary Managers when they were here in Iqaluit.
We had a meeting in the Navigator Inn. Returning to the Member’s question, one of the Secretary Managers had an exact same question.
I wasn’t expecting this, but since it has come up, I can say we had stated that there would be an ongoing review of the rental scales and if there are changes required, we will make the changes.
I can’t today tell you if there were any changes or not.
Question 403 – 2(2): Dental Therapist
I stated earlier that I would ask a question to the Minister of Health and Social Services.
In Coral Harbour, usually the dentists comes in to provide dental services.
My question is, are these dentists employees of the government, or are they contractors?
Speaker (interpretation): The Minister of Health and Social Services. Minister Brown.
We have three companies that provide the services.
I believe they are contractors.
Nunavut Dental Services is one; Arctic Circle Dental Clinic is another; they are contractors and they provide services to the Nunavut communities.
When they come into the communities, they just come in for the weekend.
Usually they leave the community in less than a week and if some individuals are not seen then their appointment is made for the next visit.
Usually by the time that they are seen by the dentist there are extractions required.
What policies do you have on dental services?
The dentists usually go to the communities to provide a certain number of days and there is an agreement between the federal government and non-insured health services.
It states specifically how many days they would be in the community.
(interpretation ends) Dentist visits occur approximately every six to eight weeks, for a duration of six to ten days, depending on the size of the community.
The Minister stated that it would be from six to ten days.
Usually there are many postponements, when there is a re-appointment made, usually it creates a problem when they only come in for a few days.
Is there a dentist based in Rankin Inlet?
There was one in Rankin Inlet but we don’t have enough dentists here.
There are three companies that now have a contract with the Nunavut Government.
There is one in Rankin Inlet.
As I stated earlier, there have been delays and one of our Member from Clyde River isn’t here, but we have been asking for additional dollars so that there are more dental services provided in Nunavut that they can stay longer in a community.
Is it possible to make changes so that proper services are provided in our communities?
I could look into this further and make any changes if they are required.
If the Member would like to have a meeting with our department regarding this matter we are open to that.
Question 404 – 2(2): Compensation for Bad Gasoline
I rise today to pose a question to the Minister of Community and Government Services in regards to the gasoline survey and follow-up that was done.
The concerns of the people are true, the hunters from the communities were not able to go hunting because of this.
It stated that they were scared to go hunting too far from the community because of the potential problems that could occur on their snow mobiles.
They had fouling of the spark plugs.
The government stated that there are spark plug problems. It states that the crank shafts and piston were also braking down.
Even if there is negotiations with the Territorial Government or Shell Canada, I’m sure that they’re looking at their liability insurance.
But I would like to ask you, as the Minister if there is going to be compensation provided for Nunavummiut who had engines break down, that is the first question.
If they are going to be compensated, what type of compensation are they going to receive?
Speaker: Minister of Community and Government Services. Mr. Kilabuk.
I identified the major problems here, in my statements.
In regards to people who had engine breakages, we are still negotiating, and we realize that engine parts are expensive.
At this time as the Government of Nunavut we are negotiating with Shell and we are looking at how best to resolve this problem, and what kind of compensation would be provided.
We do believe that there were motor breakages because of the quality of the gasoline, and Shell also believes that that is the case here in Nunavut.
We are concerned and I’m very pleased that after there questions raised and that the members were able to help us during that time.
We will continue working on it.
Speaker: First supplementary. Mr. Curley.
I would like to thank the Minister for doing something about it but the government has to be efficient in regards to the individuals who had breakages, I would like to hear the government say that they will help the people.
The government and Shell Canada are just blaming one and other, we have to follow the Canadian General Standards, but it states here, in your own summary of the tabled document 136-2(2) in the first page, (interpretation ends): comment and field samples from ICB, Shell reported that the deposit control additive injected in this Scotford gas was accidentally higher then required.
(interpretation) As well it sounds very nice, and we know that the quality of the gasoline wasn’t good, is there going to be compensation provided to those individuals who had snowmobile breakages, that’s what the people of Nunavut are looking for.
At the time we are doing a survey involved, and yes we would like to help the people of Nunavut.
But at this point, I can’t tell you what kind of compensation will be provided, we are discussions with Shell Canada this week, but I do believe there should be more done by this company where we now know that Shell Canada will be giving vouchers and that’s an indication that they would like to help the people of Nunavut, and that they do believe that there was a inferior quality of gasoline provided to Nunavut.
Speaker (interpretation): You’re second supplementary Mr. Curley.
I thank the Minister, because there is something being done.
There were breakages in snowmobiles and mechanical problems that weren’t just sparkplug related, there were also crankshafts breaking.
They are not only looking at Shell Canada for compensation.
If Shell Canada can’t pay for 100 percent, is the Government of Nunavut going to provide financial compensation.
I know that new monies will not be provided, we already know that and that you wouldn’t be providing new vehicles or snowmobiles. If Shell agrees to some compensation could the Government of Nunavut say that they will provide financial compensation?
We did the gasoline survey and follow up in the Nunavut communities.
The Cabinet Members were well aware of what was happening.
Once we get all the information there will be a full update provided to Cabinet Members.
We are working hard on it, but as the Minister alone I can’t tell you if there is going to be compensation provided by this government.
I will have to have discussions with Cabinet Members first of all, but there will be updates provided to the Members as they arise.
So do I understand that there will be another study done and are you looking at having Shell Canada pay 100 percent or could you say that we will pay for 60 percent or 100 percent?
Is it possible for the Government of Nunavut to at least provide 60 percent?
We will do all we can to see what we can get from Shell Canada but I will have to have a discussion and get the support from Cabinet Members before anything is done and address the concerns that were raised.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Oral Questions. Member for Cambridge Bay.
Question 405 - 2(2): Update on Discussion for Airport Improvements
My question is for the Minister Economic Development and Transportation.
Mr. Speaker, last year I asked the Minister about the improvements being made at the Yellowknife airport and raised some concerns and issues from my riding about those improvements.
Last week, Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to travel to Yellowknife and saw the airport construction beginning so it reminded me to ask the Minister if he could provide an update on what his discussions have been with his Northwest Territories counterpart in respect to how the changes will affect people in my riding in Cambridge Bay.
Speaker (interpretation): Minister Responsible for Economic Development and Transportation, Mr. Simailak.
I have not heard what my officials have done in regards to the Northwest Territories Department of Transportation.
As to where the discussion is, I have not heard any new updates.
Mr. Speaker, I have a copy of a news story from CBC North dated April 22 with the airport manager over there.
It says the new security system scans for the presence of explosive material in a region where a mining driven economy expects to see a number of false alarms.