EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Speaker, my colleagues will recall the subject of an estimated surplus was disclosed to my colleagues earlier this month.
During yesterday’s question period my honourable colleague for Arviat accurately noted this fact.
However Mr. Speaker, the CBC reporter failed to reflect this accuracy in her story, but chose instead to report that members had not previously been informed of this matter.
Mr. Speaker, the notion that my colleagues were frustrated and upset by this does not in any way accurately reflect the proceedings of this chamber.
Mr. Speaker, when media misrepresents the proceedings of this House it is something that all members of the House should be concerned about.
It is a violation of parliamentary privilege that all members of this Assembly take seriously.
Mr. Speaker, this morning’s distortions of the truth as reported by the CBC radio are irresponsible, unacceptable and do not respect this House, or the members of this House that work diligently to serve the people of Nunavut.
I humbly request that Hansard be reviewed once it is published and I further request that you come back to this House with recommendations on how we can ensure that members’ privileges are not violated.
It is only in the best interests of this Assembly to have accurate representations of its proceedings.
>>>Applause
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng for your point of privilege.
As members of this House are aware, the fact that we are sitting in Rankin Inlet has resulted in the delay of the usual practice of producing the Hansard blues the next day.
When the blues are received we will review them and report back to this House in a timely fashion.
Before we proceed to the orders of the day, I would like to give special recognition to Anthony Maningnaluk, the Sergeant at Arms for the remaining portion of this sitting.
Mr. Maningnaluk has served the Canadian Rangers since 1992 and we are pleased to have him here with us today.
We are also pleased to welcome our new pages from the Alaittuq High School; they are Silu Ittinuar, Charlotte Kusugak, Tamora Nahangululik, David Niveatsuk, Pam Pilakapsi and William Tiktak.
Speaker: To ensure the Hansard is correct, Mr. Maningnaluk has served the Canadian Rangers since 1942.
Minister’s Statement 57 - 1(3): Federation of Nunavut Teachers Negotiations
Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise to update my colleagues on the latest developments of our efforts to conclude an agreement with the Federation of Nunavut Teachers.
Late Monday night Mr. Speaker, the negotiating teams of both the Nunavut Government and the Federation of Nunavut Teachers reached an agreement for the FNT membership to ratify.
If ratified, teachers across Nunavut will benefit from salary increases of 3.5 percent effective September of 1999 and a 2.75 percent increase effective September 2000, and another 2.75 increase effective September 2001.
In addition, the union membership will benefit from a one time professional allowance.
This one time payment recognizes the value our government places on the important role that teachers play in our communities and in our classrooms.
Mr. Speaker, members of this House acknowledge that it is very important for this agreement to be ratified.
With this in mind it has been agreed that specific details of the tentative agreement will not be released until after ratification.
Speaker: Thank you, Deputy Premier, Mr. Ng. Ministers' statements.
Minister’s Statement 58 - 1(3): Municipal Health & Social Services Committees
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you. Mr. Speaker, from the release of the document Footprints through to today, there has been wide support for the integration of the three regional Health and Social Services Boards with the Department of Health.
In a few weeks, on April 1, 2000, the operations of the Health and Social Services Boards will become part of the Department of Health.
The reason for this integration Mr. Speaker, is reflected in the Bathurst Mandate. In particular the themes of simplicity, unity and building healthy communities.
A tremendous amount of planning work has gone into the first part of the integration, which is primarily administrative.
Staff from all three regions and headquarters have been working together to design health and social services as a single organization.
They have been developing and getting ready to operate with new systems and they have come to an agreement with central agencies like Finance and Administration, Public Works and Housing as well as Human Resources, for the provision of a range of administrative support.
Mr. Speaker, both my cabinet colleagues and staff from all these agencies have been very helpful in bringing us to the point where we are confident that the integration will occur without the disruption of services to the public.
Mr. Speaker, although we officially integrate on April 1, the bulk of work is still in front of us.
We are seeking to establish strong relations between the minister and communities and this is our goal.
We want to build an effective, sustainable system that is both clinically sound and consistent with the values and knowledge of Nunavummiut.
We are determined to put our efforts into a new partnership between the department and Nunavut communities.
Mr. Speaker, following consultation with many members here today, I have held a series of discussions with all the Mayors of Nunavut about the formation of Hamlet committees on health and social issues.
The response has been very positive and I expect that most if not all communities in Nunavut will soon have established these committees.
These committees will facilitate discussion in their communities and between their communities and the Department of Health about their own community’s priorities.
They will also be able to work with us to make the best use of resources on behalf of Nunavummiut.
Mr. Speaker, when I say resources I mean the knowledge and skills of our staff, of community members and other agencies and financial and physical resources of all the agencies working in Nunavut communities.
These discussions will be critical in determining how we will structure the system in the future; what role communities may play and how they may organise themselves to do it, and how we should organize the department to make it work best.
Mr. Speaker, these committees will also capture concerns and issues that local residents have today about program and service delivery, so there will be an immediate accountability link from communities to the department and from the mayors directly to the minister.
My department will support the work of committees with a financial contribution as well as information and orientation.
Our regional staff will be dedicated to helping communities build up their own capacity.
Mr. Speaker, this working relationship with communities will form a major contribution to the reform of programs and services, which is the final goal of integration.
Like every other jurisdiction in Canada, it becomes more and more challenging to maintain the same level of service that we enjoy today, let alone improving it.
Clearly we need to be certain that we are supporting programs and services that have the greatest impact on the wellbeing of our communities, families and ourselves, and we need to be sure that we are working in ways that promote self reliance and continuing pride in who we are.
Mr. Speaker, as you can see, we are making progress towards making our health and social services system a made in Nunavut one.
I look forward to providing further updates to the members in the coming sessions.
Minister’s Statement 59 - 1(3): Early Childhood & School Services Workshop
Hon. James Arvaluk (interpretation): Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to share with members of the legislature an important workshop hosted by our Early Childhood and School Services Division in Arviat, from February 1 to 3, 2000.
The workshop was an initial opportunity for the Early Childhood and School Services Division program staff to meet with staff from the regional board offices, for instance, in the three different regions Kivalliq, Keewatin and Kitikmeot.
With July 1, 2000 approaching, the focus of this workshop revolved around looking at how these different staff will work collaboratively and effectively to ensure Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit will be the basis for what we do in schools to provide the best education for the students of Nunavut.
The workshop began with the process of creating a strong team, one that can work together and be creative, productive for the benefit of Nunavut students.
Facilitated by Jose Kusugak the team tackled the critical issues facing education in Nunavut.
Over the three days the team worked to develop common aims, a vision and action plans.
As Henry Isuaqnik, an elder on staff in Arviat noted, Inuit means people, thus enforcing the necessity for participants to see themselves as an important part of the team bringing about this change.
Work that had already been done by boards and by the department was shared in a celebratory evening highlighting old technologies like amautik making, language initiatives with a dictionary project, to the way of the future featuring the elders web site project.
The workshop produced a set of priorities and action plans.
Key are structural changes such as revising staffing policy to ensure that elders and knowledgeable resource people are able to be employed by schools.
The implementation of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit should be preceded by the development of strategy.
We will move into the restructuring strategy carefully, initiating plans first through selected schools in Nunavut as a pilot project.
This workshop marked a very strong and positive step to the work that will be done to reshape Nunavut schools.
Speaker: Thank you Mr Arvaluk.
Minister’s Statement 60 - 1(3): Summaries of Nunavut Statutes
Mr. Speaker, I am glad to speak about justice and the improvements for justice.
The laws and regulations have been summarised and a document showing the terms and terminology of justice has been completed.
The summaries are an important resource for Inuit who want to understand Nunavut's laws in their own language.
This the first time such a project has been undertaken in Canada and perhaps the first time in the world.
This month the summaries are being distributed to the public libraries throughout Nunavut as well as the Members of the Legislative Assembly.
The summaries have already been distributed to the members of Maligarnit Qimmirrujiit.
Electronic versions will also be made available to the Nunavut Court of Justice Library Website.
The Department of Justice will be updating the summaries and translations as the laws of Nunavut are changed and in this way the summaries will continue to be useful.
I am pleased that the Nunavut Department of Justice has undertaken this initiative.
It is another way in which we are attempting to make justice accessible to all Nunavummiut.
Going down the orders of the day.
Member’s Statement 119 - 1(3): Recognition of Author Simon Tookoome
Today I rise with great pride to deliver a member's statement about Simon Tookoome.
Mr. Speaker, a book was placed in front of you today.
It is Simon Tookoome’s first book as an author, titled, “The Shaman’s Nephew”.
Mr. Speaker, I will read parts of the introduction.
Simon Tookoome was one of the last Inuit to live the traditional nomadic life in the far north.
Tookoome, as he prefers to be known, resisted government efforts to make him leave the land.
He continued to follow the caribou and seals, feeding and clothing his family from the land.
However, even he was compelled to join the rest of his people and he now lives in Baker Lake.
Nevertheless he has kept his sled dogs and continues to hunt and feed his family.
He has also kept his language and only speaks Inuktitut.
His people know him as a skilful hunter, a respected elder, a justice of the peace, a drum dancer and, as we witnessed in June, a master of the forty-foot whip.
The world knows him as an artist whose works are shown internationally and his art graces a Canadian stamp.
Tookoome is a leading artist from a generation of great Inuit artists.
Remarkably the Inuit had never before created art.
They did not even have a word for it.
The art developed during their time of great change as they entered the modern world.
For some, art was a product to sell but for others like Tookoome it was also a way to express an ancient way of living and seeing.
So Tookoome has produced a body of art that is strange and wonderful.
His story is equally strange and wonderful.
So I would encourage us all to read this Mr. Speaker.
And yes, he is here in the gallery today, and yes he will autograph your book if you approach him, and yes he will have some books for sale out in the lobby.
Member’s Statement 120 - 1(3): Travel to Ittuarturvik
I really enjoyed Mr. McLean’s member’s statement.
Mr. Speaker, there is a very special area near Taloyoak which has great importance to our residents.
This place, which is called Ittuarturvik, is cherished by our residents both as a traditional settlement of their ancestors and also as a place of beauty rich in natural resources.
My constituents tell me that this place has more wildlife in greater numbers than Taloyoak including marine mammals such as ujjuk’s, and whales.
In English this place is known as Lord Mayor Bay.
Inuit from Taloyoak last lived there about 25 or 30 years ago, there is still an old mission building there.
In recent years families have started to camp there all summer and I am very pleased that more and more young people are coming to know and spend time in this rich, peaceful place.
Mr. Speaker, as members know, Taloyoak is located on the Boothia Peninsula, Ittuarturvik is located on the coast on the other side of the Peninsula, so to get to Ittuarturvik from Taloyoak residents must first take a trail about three miles to Middle Lake, cross the lakes, further through shallow rapids, then continue travelling on the river.
At one point their boats have to be taken on the land along a difficult section of the river then to the ocean. To portage their boats a trailer is needed.
For years, community residents have used a small trailer, which was once owned by Department of Sustainable Development.
Mr. Puqiqnak (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the members if I could complete my Member’s Statement.
Speaker (interpretation): The member seeks unanimous consent to complete his Member’s Statement.
You can continue Mr. Puqiqnak.
As I said earlier, the trailer was once owned by Department of Sustainable Development and is small enough that it can be towed behind an ATV but big enough that it can support a small Lund boat, and an outboard motor.
The trailer was written off as surplus by the Department of Sustainable Development years ago it is quite old and is now wearing out.
Last summer, the trailer broke down on the trail I described.
It was used for many years, so, it’s starting to wear out. Fortunately a young man skilled in welding went on the land to the place where the trailer broke down, he took portable welding equipment and fixed the broken trailer on the spot.
I would like the Minister of the Department of Sustainable Development to help my community to avoid this kind of problem in the future.
I hope it will be possible for the minister to identify minor capital funds from his department in the coming year so this old trailer could be replaced.
Mr. Speaker, this is not a huge capital project but it could mean a great deal to the residents of my community.
Helping them to regain to their links to their past at this beautiful dwelling place of their ancestors.
Member’s Statement 121 - 1(3): Hunting Killer Whales
I will watch my time.
Last summer in my community we saw Bowhead whales.
Bowhead whales were observed and there were more than one and these Bowhead whales were dead.
I’m sure they were killed by killer whales and afterwards when I went to Iqaluit there were three more found dead which were killed by killer whales.
The Bowheads, the skin of the Bowheads which have muktaaq, the Inuit people took the best of the muktaaq for consumption.
I rise today to speak about this issue Mr. Speaker because, although us Inuit people don’t usually eat food that has been thrown away, we have been eating the muktaaq off the dead Bowhead whales.
Mr. Speaker, the killer whales are now killing the mammals in the oceans of Nunavut, if possible, we would like to see the killer whales being harvested when they are seen.
As Inuit people when we are not allowed to harvest Bowhead whales or hunt killer whales, and I know that we won’t be harvesting killer whales because they are hindering our subsistence food, at least we should be able to harvest killer whales once or twice a year.
Again I will be asking a question about this issue during question period.
Member’s Statement 122 - 1(3): Aqsarniit School Science Fair
Uqaqti, the first annual Aqsarniit School Science Fair took place last Friday in Iqaluit.
There were 77 projects from grades 5 and 6 and Mr. Speaker, from all accounts, the projects were first rate.
For the grade 6 class, Alexia Cousins and Karen Flaherty won first place for a project on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
In the grade 7 class, first place went to Jerry Horlick for an interesting project dealing with the effects of cold on motor oil.
Some of the other award winning science projects included “Lefty and Righty” by Nick Dunphy, the “Effects of Coca Cola on Substances” by Katie Sammon and “Refraction” by Sam Kinder and Enna Tikivik.
Mr. Speaker, these projects were by grade 6 students.
Not to be outdone, the grade 7 students turned in winners also.
The effects of smoking by Heda Jeffrey and Kylie Mark and a very, very interesting project by Lindsay Lloyd and Lorraine Tieman called the “Perfect Glove”.
Mr. Speaker, having judged several of these science fairs over the last two years, I know first hand the hard work and dedication students and indeed parents put in to these projects.
Mr. Speaker, Aqsarniit School is in its first year of operation and already school pride and school spirit is very much a part of the school atmosphere.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the participants and parents and the school staff for the excellent work on the 1st Annual Aqsarniit Science Fair.
Member’s Statement 123 - 1(3): Aqaumajuq Fisheries
Mr. Speaker, as the ministers were making their statements it was quite interesting to hear their comments and today I rise Mr. Speaker, under Members’ Statements to speak about an important project in my constituency of Broughton Island.
This project is having some problems.
This project is a business venture, Aqaumajuq Fisheries, which is the business arm of the Broughton Island Hunter’s and Trapper’s Organization.
Four of my constituents in Broughton Island have been working on this business for clams and selling them in south Baffin communities.
Four of my constituents were given training in diving and safety procedures.
We are very happy to be involved in this growing new business in diving for clams and selling them in Pangnirtung and Iqaluit.
We even dive for clams in the winter through ice.
I know there is a good market for clams, especially in winter.
This new business should grow and succeed.
I was very pleased that they were trained with the help of Sustainable Development and the Kakivak Association.
I also understand that safety procedures were developed and are being followed.
I also understand that their diving equipment has been maintained and kept in good condition with assistance of the Department of Sustainable Development.
I apologize today, I will ask you to excuse me, Mr. Speaker, I have been having problems with my nose all day.
Speaker (interpretation): Perhaps, Mr. Iqaqrialu, I will let you continue later.
I will recognize someone else, I’ll get back to you later on.
Member’s Statement 124 - 1(3): Support for Inuit Cultural Institute
Although I have spoken about this since we arrived here, we’re quite proud to see the Sergeant-At-Arms.
She has worked very hard preserving sewing of traditional clothing, however, although we see how hard she has worked, we’ve never really recognized her enough, so right now I would like to recognize her again.
You see the kayak right in the middle of the floor there, it was made by the husband of the previous Sergeant-At-Arms who is Ollie Ittinnuar.
I just wanted to point out how hard she has worked and how hard Mr. Ittinnuar has worked preserving the culture and traditions of Inuit.
He has worked very hard on traditional hunting and I’m sure you have heard that he has been involved with the ICC, Inuit Culture Institute, to preserve Inuit cultures and traditions.
We have to recognize these people for all their work.
At this point, although the Inuit Cultural Institute still exists, they have been lacking funding, but currently they have been compiling and recording legends.
Mr. Ollie Ittinuar has also been the ICC Chairperson and has documented Inuit traditions and values.
Although we recognize his work, we should be more respectful and we should give him more recognition of all his work.
I know that if we’re going to be thinking of getting heritage centres, the Inuit Culture Institute has worked very hard in this area and Ollie Ittinnuar, I feel, should be involved in that area of work.
Sometimes, when they work together I know they have disagreements, and due to disagreements there is no working collaboration going on.
So if we are going to be reflecting Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, we should be giving more support to the Inuit Cultural Institute and recognize these people who have worked very hard in preserving and maintaining Inuit heritage.
I know that Mr. Ittinnuar values Inuit traditions.
I just wanted to state that.
Going back to Mr. Iqaqrialu’s member’s statement.
Member’s Statement 123 - 1(3): (Continued) Aqaumajuq Fisheries
I didn’t want to stop my member’s statement when I did.
I will just go ahead.
We’ll continue on with my member’s statement.
On February 21st, a safety officer from the Workers’ Compensation Board visited Broughton Island and he ordered the four divers to stop work.
The stop work order says they must stop diving for clams at the direction of workers’ compensation.
Mr. Speaker, this is an important project for my constituency and for the four men who are supplementing their income through this project.
They are anxious to find a way to keep working.
Today I will be asking the minister for the Workers' Compensation Board why this stop work order was issued.
The Department of Sustainable Development has provided training in support of this project, so I will be asking the Minister of Sustainable Development if he can assist my constituents to get back to work.
Member’s Statement 125 - 1(3): Members’ Visit to Whale Cove
I would like to thank Simon Tookoome for the book.
I know that I will finish reading it later on.
I would like to thank my colleagues who went to Whale Cove with me yesterday evening, and for those members who were unable to make it to Whale Cove, I thank them for meeting with the Youth Abroad.
Especially, I would like to thank you, Mr. Speaker, for going to Whale Cove with us, which is my constituency.
I also would like to thank our Premier, Paul Okalik.
I thank you very much for taking the time and opportunity to go to my constituency and also to the members who went to Whale Cove with me, I thank them.
Although we stayed at Whale Cove for a short period of time, we met with quite a few people.
Our visit was scheduled, we were fed fresh muktaaq and fish, caribou and fermented meat, so the feast was already prepared for us when we arrived to the community and the rangers did a performance.
The young people were taught in a short period of time and they gave us a performance, which we’re quite proud of.
I just want to thank these people who came along with me to Whale Cove and for the members who stayed behind to meet with the Youth Abroad.
Member’s Statement 126 - 1(3): Members’ Visit to Whale Cove
I’m very pleased to stand up today to announce how pleased I am about our visit to Whale Cove.
When we arrived in Whale Cove everything was scheduled and prepared and lots of people were waiting for our arrival.
They were prepared and waiting for us.