EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Before I ask my question, I would like to say that I was so happy and proud of my fellow residents this morning that I forgot to say “good morning” to the people of Nunavut.
I say “good morning” to the people of Nunavut and Pond Inlet.
Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the new Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, as the minister is aware, I have advocated strongly for the construction of much-needed new housing in Pond Inlet.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s 2015-16 capital estimates included funding for the construction of three new two-bedroom five-plexes in Pond Inlet.
Last fall, I was proud to have voted in favour of funding for ten new public housing units to be constructed in Pond Inlet during the upcoming 2016-17 fiscal year.
Can the minister confirm where the Nunavut Housing Corporation is currently at with respect to the tendering process for Pond Inlet’s new housing units?
Let me first ask that question.
I sincerely thank the member for that question.
It gives me an opportunity to clarify a response that I made a couple of days ago to Mr. Qirngnuq and the Kugaaruk construction.
He confused me a little bit with the re-tendering term that he used in his question and I had spoken to Mr. Qirngnuq a little bit earlier that the closing date for the tenders in that community is March 11.
I would just like to confirm to the member asking the question today with regard to Pond Inlet that two five-plexes have been put out to tender with a closing date of March 18.
As the minister will appreciate, some families are larger than others.
Can the minister indicate whether or not the ten new public housing units for Pond Inlet will all be two-bedroom five-plexes or will there be a mixture of housing sizes?
I thank the member for asking for clarification on the size.
With the staff housing program, all the five-plexes will be two bedrooms, but we recognize the need for larger units to address some of the size of families across the territory and the need specifically in Pond Inlet whereas each five-plex will contain two three-bedroom units and three two-bedroom units.
There will be a total of four three-bedroom units and six two-bedroom units out of the ten units that are going to be constructed in Pond Inlet.
Thank you for clarifying that, Mr. Minister.
However, you said staff housing units, but I think you meant to say social housing, not for staff.
I don’t think that we will be receiving any staff housing units in Pond Inlet. I understand that you are talking about social housing.
Mr. Speaker, when the Legislative Assembly approved the housing corporation’s 2016-17 capital budget last fall, witnesses from the corporation stated that “Combining construction projects by community has been shown to help reduce the costs of construction.”
I would like to ask the minister: can you describe what specific actions you have been taking in such areas as housing design and tendering practices in order to reduce costs?
I just wanted to clarify that I realize that there’s no staff housing being built in Pond Inlet, but across the board, the design that we’re using for staff housing across the territory for the 2016-17 builds are all two bedrooms. I’m just generalizing it.
With regard to the member’s question on the affordably and design modifications that have been made, in addition to looking at combining the community tenders to basically look at maximizing the effectiveness of any builds going on in the community to take advantage of cost savings, there has also been the use of a supply, ship, and erect model of tender, which has alleviated a lot of pressures of marshalling, construction, and the material provision to the contractor.
In addition to that, what I would like to make special note of is that there’s a lot of efficiency design put into the construction as well.
We are looking at LED lighting going forward with all new construction, including any major renovations to existing stock, recognizing that the power and fuel constitute over 35 percent of the annual cost to maintain a unit.
We have some energy-efficiency ratings that have been in the design model that are very exceptional. Probably the only way to increase that would be to take the units completely off grid and be self-sufficient in power. The efficiency there is very encouraging to me.
We’re also looking at the design itself. That will be a topic of discussion going forward with the blueprint for action. We’re not stopping where we are right now with our design models on efficiency and assistance in alleviating the costs of construction using the tender models and design concepts.
We’re not stopping there. We’re not happy yet. This will also be a topic going forward within the blueprint for action that we’re currently taking a look at with stakeholders and there will be consultations out in the communities in the future on that.
Question 175 – 4(3): Mental Health Facility (Sammurtok, A)
Mr. Alexander Sammurtok (interpretation): Good morning, people of Rankin Inlet and Nunavut.
(interpretation ends) Qujannamiik, Mr. Speaker. I would like to direct my questions to the Minister of Health.
Mr. Speaker, as my colleagues are aware, this House approved capital funding to renovate the children’s group home in Rankin Inlet into a mental health transition facility.
To date, it is not clear that any work has progressed in this initiative. In the meantime, suggestions have been put forward to renovate this building into an elders facility instead.
Can the minister provide an update on the status of the proposed renovation to the old children’s group home in Rankin Inlet?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) As I said before, plans have not changed. We need the mental health facilities wherever we can throughout Nunavut.
The initial estimates for renovations for the mental health facility in Rankin Inlet were under what we needed. We have been working with CGS to come up with accurate figures so that we can start renovations for this very important project in Rankin Inlet. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
In January of this year, I received a letter from the Kivalliq Inuit Association acknowledging the need of a 24-hour palliative care and elders facility in Rankin Inlet and supporting the initiative to use the former children’s group home for this purpose.
Can the minister confirm whether or not he has considered any alternative suggestions or proposals to renovate the old children’s group home in Rankin Inlet into an elders facility?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) We will continue to work on elders’ care and I look forward to tabling an assessment on elders’ care later on during this day.
I look forward to more discussions on the issue, but at the same time, we are tackling mental health and the decision that we made to convert the former group home into a mental health facility will not change.
We will continue to tackle mental health and do whatever we can to support those in need. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I noted that the children’s group home in Rankin Inlet is being used by the local elementary school as the location for their mentorship program.
Would the minister consider repurposing the children’s group home so that elders living there could also provide mentorship to the children and grandchildren of their community?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) All I can commit to at this time is that more work is being done on the actual cost of renovating the facility into a mental health facility. That is ongoing and I look forward to making more progress on that. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Member for Netsilik, Mr. Qirngnuq.
Question 176 – 4(3): Replacing Air Terminal Buildings (Qirngnuq)
I say “good morning” to my colleagues, ministers, and the people watching the proceedings in Kugaaruk and Taloyoak. I say “good morning” to all of you.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask a question regarding airport operations and airlines.
The airstrips in the smaller communities are used for more than one year.
The airport in Kugaaruk was built in the 1990s, but it was just a dirt airstrip before that.
With respect to operational issues, can I get information about the average lifecycle of an airstrip? What are the timeframes between improvements made to an airstrip? The airstrip requires maintenance, but it may need resurfacing.
That is my question about airstrips. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Minister of Economic Development and Transportation, Monica Ell, is not in the House at this time. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Premier Taptuna, (interpretation) can you respond to the question?
As our Government House Leader has indicated, the Minister responsible for Economic Development and Transportation is absent from this House.
With the information we’re trying to provide to the Member for Netsilik, of course, that will be responded to as soon as the Minister of Transportation is in the House.
As the Minister of Economic Development and Transportation is not here at this time, I’ll move on to the next member who would like to ask questions.
Question 177 – 4(3): Public Agencies Council (Angnakak)
According to the information that is currently on the Department of Finance’s website, the work of the government’s Public Agencies Council is, and I quote, “critical to the development of the Government of Nunavut’s service delivery capacity,” as it provides our Crown agencies and territorial corporations with, and again I quote, “advice, information and support necessary to promote good governance, continuous improvement and accountability for results.”
Does the Public Agencies Council still exist and, if it does still exist, what are its priorities for the upcoming year?
I thank Ms. Mikkungwak for the question…
…or Ms. Angnakak. Sorry, Mr. Speaker.
I have been battling a serious illness all week here, so I’m not quite my normal self, but I appreciate the questions.
As I think I have mentioned before somewhere, possibly in a standing committee meeting, we made a decision on this side to dissolve the Public Agencies Council.
That was an internal organization or committee set up back in 2003 on the recommendation of the government of the day to address some concerns that the Auditor General of Canada had with our public agencies.
We have determined that the public agencies we have in the Government of Nunavut have matured to the point where they can operate on their own without significant oversight from us.
Through the Department of Finance, we still provide advice and recommendations to the public agencies.
The minister responsible for oversight with respect to public agencies will report to the Financial Management Board directly, and then as a cabinet, we would be able to question the appropriate ministers about their organizations.
One of the tools that the government has used to help ensure “good governance, continuous improvement and accountability for results” are its annual letters of expectation to the chairs of the boards of directors of our major Crown agencies and territorial corporations, which the minister has tabled in the House on an annual basis.
It is my understanding that the Public Agencies Council has coordinated this process.
Now, will these letters of expectation continue to be produced and, if not, what will replace them?
Mr. Speaker, yes, the letters of expectation will still be sent to the appropriate public agencies. We have people in the Department of Finance that work with the public agencies. They have been working in conjunction with me and the ministers.
We will produce the letters of expectation.
I believe they’re currently under development right now.
In the minister’s Budget Address that he delivered yesterday, he stated that the NNI Policy will be “reworked.” An ongoing question concerning Crown agency governance is whether or not the new NNI Policy will apply to the contracting and procurement activities of all Crown agencies and territorial corporations, including the Qulliq Energy Corporation.
Can the minister clarify what position the government is taking on this issue?
I thank Ms. Angnakak for the question. Mr. Speaker, I’m well aware that QEC has been exempted from NNI for as long as I can remember. I was formerly the minister, in fact, and I did not direct them to follow NNI.
The official government position on this at this point is that we don’t have a position on QEC.
We are waiting for the NNI Policy to be reviewed and approved and then we will take it from there.
Tabled Document 078 – 4(3): Continuing Care in Nunavut, 2015 to 2035 (Okalik)
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) As per my commitment yesterday, I would like to table the following document: Continuing Care in Nunavut 2015 to [2035].
Bill 10 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 4, 2015-2016 – Second Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Aggu, that Bill 10, Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 4, 2015-2016, be read for the second time.
The motion is carried and Bill 10 is referred to the Committee of the Whole.
Hon. Minister of Finance, Mr. Peterson
Bill 11 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, No. 2, 2015-2016 – Second Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Aggu, that Bill 11, Supplementary Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) Act, No. 2, 2015-2016, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill makes supplementary appropriations to defray the operations and maintenance expenses of the Government of Nunavut for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016.
The motion is carried and Bill 11 is referred to the Committee of the Whole.
Bill 12 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 1, 2016-2017 – Second Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Aggu, that Bill 12, Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 1, 2016-2017, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill makes supplementary appropriations to defray the capital expenditures of the Government of Nunavut for fiscal year ending March 31, 2017.
The motion is carried and Bill 12 is referred to Committee of the Whole.
Bills 10, 11, 12, and 13 and Tabled Documents 73 – 4(2), 116 – 4(2), 140 – 4(2), 149 – 4(2), and 70 – 4(3) with Mr. Enook in the Chair.
>>House recessed at 10:40 and Committee resumed at 10:57
First of all, those watching the televised proceedings and listening to the radio broadcast, welcome to your committee.
We will proceed with our meeting today. We have the following items to deal with: Bills 10, 11, 12, and 13 and Tabled Documents 73 – 4(2), 116 – 4(2), 140 – 4(2), 149 – 4(2), and 70 – 4(3).
Mr. Mikkungwak: Mr. Chairman, we wish to continue with the review of the 2016-17 Main Estimates of the Department of Health.
Do members agree that we resume our review of the main estimates for the Department of Health?
Bill 13 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2016-2017 – Health –Consideration in Committee
Do you agree to have the minister’s officials go to the witness table?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you and good morning, Mr. Chairman.
With me again to my right is my Deputy Minister, Colleen Stockley, and to my left is Assistant Deputy Minister Rosemary Keenainak.
Mr. Chairman, before we proceed, I would like to respond to questions that we couldn’t answer. I will appreciate it if you can give me an opportunity to respond.
Yesterday when we adjourned for the day, we were on page H-6. Ms. Angnakak was the last one to ask questions, so I will give her the first opportunity.
However, I would like to give Minister Okalik an opportunity to answer some questions he received yesterday. (interpretation ends) Hon. Minister, (interpretation) you have the floor if you wish to respond to the earlier questions.
With respect to the tobacco legislation that was queried about yesterday, I was unable to respond forthwith, so I apologize.
I can now respond to that question.
These are the particulars: anyone selling tobacco products to individuals under the age of 19 is punishable by a fine starting from $4,000 up to $100,000.
Any retailer who is caught selling tobacco products to underage individuals can be fined anywhere from $15,000 to $150,000.
These are the particulars listed in the tobacco legislation.
In trying to support the legislation, we provided inspectors to enforce the law through educating retailers and employees that they can sell tobacco products to anyone over 19 within Nunavut. Most retailers have been visited by our inspectors since this fall. They are provided with the legal obligations they must follow, as well as limiting infractions from sales to minors.
The inspectors will also be visiting the communities this spring to ensure that retailers are in compliance with this legislation.
That is my response to one of yesterday’s questions I promised to provide.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much, Minister Okalik, for responding to that question.
We will then proceed where we left off yesterday with Ms. Angnakak.
Yesterday, I asked a question of the department on how they are going to roll out their new program - let’s see what it is called here - specifically to expand and standardize community-based mental health and addictions options. I asked how they were going to roll that out and if the schools were going to be involved. Looking at the Blues today, you did go into that you are going to be working with Education very closely on this matter.
I would like to just get a bit more information on how exactly you are going to be working with the schools. You say here that three PYs will be hired for child and youth outreach workers in Igloolik, Coral Harbour, and Kugluktuk.
Are you saying that it’s only in these communities that this program is going to be addressed or used, implemented, whatever the correct word is?
It is a new program and it’s going to be a pilot project. Once that is completed, we will work out the kinks. What we usually do when the program is set up properly is that we implement it in the other communities.
We will use it as a pilot project, straighten out the problems, and then consider implementing it in the other communities. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I note that you say, “social-emotional training program for children and youth.”
One of the things that we heard when we were doing the Education Act review, when the committee was hearing different presentations, we had somebody who had been a principal at the Cape Dorset school. He had some very interesting things to say about this area. They were doing some kind of special project or pilot project there.
I’m wondering if the department has looked into that of what they were doing. I don’t know if it’s currently being done, but I know it did and it had a great impact on violence in the school with the children. There was a very positive impact.
Is that something that you would look at as well?
The Department of Education is responsible for school operations with their own independent boards and we worked with the organizations to launch these future programs.
We have to collaborate with the Department of Education as they are responsible for education.
My question is: has that happened in regard to the program they have at the Cape Dorset school, if it still exists?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): At this time, I cannot respond immediately on this matter. However, we work closely with the Department of Education on various initiatives that cross our paths.
We’re talking about mental health clients at the Qikiqtani General Hospital and the current practice.
I’m reading from your opening statement on page 2, “The current practice of using contracted security guards to observe mental health clients…” You’re going on about how you want to change that where you will be replacing the contracted security guards with life skills workers.
What is the timeframe for implementing this change?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) The timeline will be determined once we pass the budget, and then we can initiate staffing with Human Resources and hopefully we can provide those employees with proper training and get that going as soon as we can. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Can the minister maybe describe a little bit about what a life skills worker is? What does that mean? Is that like an attendant?
What kind of training would they have to have to do this work?
I guess it would be 24/7 because I think that if there’s a client in the hospital that needs that service, it’s also during the night.
So if you can explain that a little bit more.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) The life skills workers provide all kinds of assistance to those in need. They educate the client of any day-to-day challenges that they may face in their current capacity and assist them in gaining the confidence to survive and thrive on their own.
That’s their main task.
They provide basic training, such as skills that we take for granted that the client may not have. It creates skills for those who need them and provide them with an opportunity to become productive members of our communities. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I’m thinking that these clients are there because of serious mental challenges in whatever way like mental stress or any other way.
Would these life skills workers also be trained to address mental health issues?
What does that mean in terms of training? I think the Mental Health Worker Program was a two-year course. I’m just wondering how you’re going to work around that.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) There will be support staff for the mental health workers.
They provide support and make sure that they identify the signs and provide the clients with the proper support mentally. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I’m going to go onto something different again.
You talk about an increased risk of vandalism and break-ins in health centres across Nunavut.
You’re looking for approval of $2.24 million for improving security measures in 10 communities and you want to contract out these services.
Why only 10?
Why isn’t it going to all communities?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) As always, this is a start and we will see how the work progresses.
These 10 communities have been identified for past vandalism and break-ins, so that’s where we’re starting from. Once this program is in place, we will monitor how it’s progressing and see if we need to expand it.
Hopefully not, but we will be ready for any potential. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Are you talking about security measures meaning video or somebody there 24/7? What do you mean by providing these kinds of securities? What kind of measures are you putting in place?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) It will be 24-hour security. (interpretation) Thank you.
The department is seeking approval to create a continuous quality improvement program. You want to improve the delivery of quality, cost-effective health care and you want to do it by improving service access and patient experience.
When we think and talk about that, how will this program address the improvements in the areas that you say that you want to improve by hiring these three PYs?
What exactly are they going to be doing so that these improvements are actually achieved and where will the PYs be placed?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) As I said yesterday, there was an external review that took place and it identified gaps on the checks and balances needed to make sure that we’re delivering the best health care in our communities. We are implementing that recommendation to make sure that these communities are monitored properly and that the services they are providing are up to standard.
There will three PYs out of this and they will be here in Iqaluit. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Can the minister tell us where the three PYs are going?