EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
As of now, the Government of Nunavut, along with the Government of the Northwest Territories, has struck a joint committee to deal with the intent of having a NEBS bill drafted by the fall of 2013.
On November 5, 2012, the minister tabled a copy of the memorandum of understanding that the GN and the GNWT have entered into concerning the Northern Employee Benefits Services Pension Plan.
This document indicated that both governments planned to finalize a legislative proposal by March 31 of 2013.
Can the minister confirm if this work has been completed and can he indicate when a copy of the proposal will be made available to MLAs and municipalities?
Yes, I will make the copies of the draft agreement available when I can.
The memorandum of understanding also indicated that an actual bill concerning the Northern Employee Benefits Services Pension Plan will be drafted by the fall of 2013.
As the minister knows, our general election will be held in October of this year.
Can the minister indicate whether this bill may be ready for introduction in our Legislative Assembly during the final sitting before the House dissolves?
In terms of the bill and the legislation, there are some discrepancies that are trying to be ironed out by this joint committee tasked with drafting the bill, such as GNWT is more favourable into a voluntary plan and, as you understand, this government is seeking more of a mandatory participation in the plan.
Hopefully those issues will be ironed out. I don’t anticipate that we will be able to introduce the bill during the life of this government.
I anticipate that it would be something that would be brought forward hopefully shortly after the forming of the next government.
Question 635 – 3(3): Polar Bear Management Planning (Ugyuk)
Mr. Speaker, during last week’s sitting, the minister delivered a statement concerning polar bear management planning.
Mr. Speaker, the minister indicated that comprehensive community consultations will be conducted this fall.
For the benefit of the listening public, can the minister provide details on the schedule for these community consultations, and will he commit to ensuring all communities are provided the schedule information well in advance to ensure full community participation?
The MOU has ended currently, as the Department of Environment is working on a Nunavut-wide management plan.
All communities will be informed starting this fall.
We will send information to all the communities and we look forward to collaborating with all of the local HTOs.
Ms. Ugyuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) Can the minister indicate if it will be his departmental officials who will be conducting these community consultations or if his department will be issuing a request for proposals for a company to conduct the consultations?
Currently, our staff from the Department of the Environment will collaborate with the HTO boards in every community.
We have been able to work with the HTO boards. It is only after an agreement is reached with the local HTO that we can move forward on these issues.
We will keep them informed as that date approaches and ensure lines of communication are open.
It is clear that we will be collaborating with the regional wildlife organizations as well, including the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board and Nunavut Tunngavik.
As the minister is aware, a moratorium was placed on the McClintock Channel polar bear population.
During the minister’s appearance before the Committee of the Whole’s consideration of the 2013-14 main estimates, he indicated that the community of Gjoa Haven “can get some assistance if they want to go to the Gulf of Boothia, and it is called the community hunt.”
He also indicated that he would get back to me with information concerning how many polar bear tags are issued for the Gulf of Boothia.
Can the minister provide me with this information? If not, will he commit to providing me with this information before the end of this current sitting?
If I don’t answer all the particulars of my colleague’s question, I can meet with her at a later date to discuss these matters.
The population study for the McClintoick Channel was supposed to have been initiated in 2015, but it has been moved up to start in 2014. Our officials have met with representatives from Gjoa Haven, Taloyoak, and Cambridge Bay.
We’re also working with their local HTO boards on this issue and we have come to an agreement as to how this initiative will be undertaken.
I will be able to provide information on the other matters for my colleague prior to her departure from this session.
Question 636 – 3(3): Status of Relocation of Pangnirtung Airport (Oshutapik)
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, the government’s 2012-13 capital estimates included $1.5 million in capital funding for the airport relocation project in Pangnirtung. $421,000 of this funding was subsequently carried over in a supplementary appropriation.
Can the minister update me today on the status of the airport relocation project for Pangnirtung?
Mr. Speaker, everybody in Nunavut is aware that the Pangnirtung Airport airstrip is undersized for the capacity of the community and we have been working on doing some preliminary data and this includes weather data.
We should be receiving the weather data that we have been waiting for soon.
As soon as I get that, I’ll make that available to the Member for Pangnirtung.
Mr. Speaker, the government did not include any new funding for this project in its 2013-14 capital estimates.
Can the minister indicate if his department is looking at including new funding for the airport relocation project in next year’s capital estimates?
Mr. Speaker, we continue to do the design and preliminary work, the scope of work, and just to get an idea of the cost of constructing a new airport on the plateau.
The member is well aware that there is no construction money available for the project. We do have to acquire that through the federal government.
Mr. Speaker, the construction cost is phenomenal. It’s well over $40 million at the lower end of the estimates.
Once the design and scope of work is done, I’ll surely let the member know.
Although the community has been waiting for many years for the airport to be relocated to a more suitable location, we recognize that this project is a significant undertaking.
Can the minister indicate what the most current cost estimates are for new airport relocation in Pangnirtung?
I’m well aware that the project has been ongoing for many years and Pangnirtung has waited for many years.
The existing location of the airport is one that the geology restricts any kind of expansion of the airport.
As you know, Mr. Speaker, the airstrip cuts right through the community of Pangnirtung along either side of the mountains and on the outside of the ocean, so it’s very difficult to expand in any direction.
So we have been looking at having a look at some of the data that’s needed to move the project forward.
Again, the estimate that I have quoted of well over $40 million is a figure from 2004.
Mr. Speaker, as things move along, I’m sure the estimate is going to be looked at. One of the things that we try and do as a government is to try and come up with class “A” estimates.
Mr. Speaker, to get to the construction point, we do have to find funding for that, which, as I have indicated, is going to be over $40 million, that’s an old estimate, and come up with a real plan to submit to our working partners.
Question 637 – 3(3): Internal Transfer Agreements (Enook)
My questions will be directed to the Minister of Human Resources.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, my question is in regard to staff relocation from one department to another.
I would like to ask the Minister of Human Resources: when do the employees have internal transfers from one department to another? What is the reason for internal transfer of staff?
Just for the record, we don’t have a Minister responsible for Human Resources. It falls under the realm of the Department of Finance, so I’ll direct the question to the Minister of Finance, Minister Peterson.
I have only been the Minister responsible for Human Resources for five or six weeks, so it will take me a little bit of time to wrap my mind around all the human resource issues.
Some of the reasons for internal transfer arrangements or agreements between departments would be to temporarily fill positions in another department, to facilitate an employee in getting some experience, or they have some skills that the other department requires on a short-term basis, or you might want to fill a position on a short-term basis when someone is on maternity leave for, I believe, six months up to a year, and also to build capacity within our government to help people with their career development and gain experience, and make them better employees going forward.
Mr. Enook (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the minister for his response. Even though he has had that portfolio for a short time, I will be asking another question.
Whenever there’s an internal transfer from one department to another, the position that was held before is now vacant. For instance, if it’s an internal transfer from Social Services, the position is now vacant. Is that the case?
Mr. Speaker, every internal transfer arrangement or agreement is different. There are different lengths or periods of time. It could be as long as three years or as short as a few months.
Typically, if it’s a longer term of transfer, the original department where they come from is authorized to do what they call a backfill on a term employment up to the expiry date on the transfer arrangement.
So if an employee decides to come back, then that person on term would be let go and then the employee would have their job back.
That’s the way I understand it, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Enook: Qujannamiik, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation) What about the community that the employee was transferred to? If a person is transferred under the agreement to Pond Inlet, then maybe they’re in their position for six months, a year, or two years. Once they complete that time, the position becomes vacant.
Hon. Keith Peterson: Mr. Speaker, although I have been Minister responsible for Human Resources for a short while, I have instructed my human resource officials in the Department of Finance to review the Internal Transfer Policy to ensure that there’s rigour and consistency with the policy and to ensure that departments are following the policy.
I want to assure Mr. Enook, all MLAs, and all ministers that it’s very important that we do have this policy so that we can build capacity and so we can fill key positions that need immediate staffing. We don’t want a department to leave a position vacant for a long period of time while a person is on an internal transfer arrangement.
So we are reviewing the policy to ensure that it is meeting the goals of the Government of Nunavut and at the same time, helping the departments and employees deliver programs and services for the government.
Question 638 – 3(3): Update on Funding for Patient Wait Times (Elliott)
Two years ago, the Government of Nunavut received funding from the federal government to improve the patient wait time at our health care facilities.
Can the minister update the House today on the status of this funding?
Boy, Mr. Elliott’s really challenging my memory, but I believe there’s $4.5 million that we received from the federal government under the Patient Wait Times Guarantee program. We are purchasing a CT scanner and some diagnostic equipment with that funding.
I believe I mentioned in either the fall or winter sitting just past that the CT scanner will be purchased and flown into Iqaluit for the Qikiqtani General Hospital this year.
I believe the diagnostic imaging equipment has been purchased and is being distributed to the health centres across Nunavut.
The minister is correct because last year, we did approve $4.5 million in supplemental funding and earlier this sitting, which was last week, we approved $4.5 million in capital carryover funding to purchase new diagnostic and mobile equipment.
Can the minister update the House today on how much of that funding has actually been spent, especially if we carried over the same amount that he just quoted?
I don’t have that detailed information in front of me, but as Mr. Elliott will recall, the capital carryover process is there to… . If there are contracts or contractual obligations in place, we can carry over the funds to meet our obligations and approvals in the House. If there’s a contract out of place, but we intend to spend the money within the first 90 days, we would also carry over the funds.
I want to assure Mr. Elliott that it is still the intention of the Department of Health to purchase this equipment and bring it to Nunavut.
During the winter sitting, he did give us the update that he talked about earlier in terms of an RFP that was let out last summer, there were submissions received, and a proposal was accepted for the CT scanner. As well, he did update the House on the fact that it would be flown up.
The thing that he didn’t update in terms of a timeline was he did mention that it was supposed to be operational by September of this year. Could the minister confirm if the timeline is still on track?
I thank Mr. Elliott for the… . I should get my briefing notes from Mr. Elliott.
He can be pretty detailed.
Mr. Speaker, I can’t say for sure if it’s going to be installed and operational by September 22, 2013 or something like that, but what I want to say is that we hope it will be operational within this current fiscal year.
We know we’re experiencing some problems right now and Mr. Elliott… .
Oops, there it goes.
At the [Qikiqtani] General Hospital, we’re under renovations.
There are some issues up there right now, but it is still the intention… . Do you want another pen to flip up?
It’s still the intention to get this equipment.
There’s a vendor demonstration, I believe, at the end of May to demonstrate the CT scanner.
We are moving along.
I don’t know if it’s a good thing that things are slipping through the fingers of the Minister of Health and the Minister of Finance.
Question 639 – 3(3): Fur Production and Design Program (Ugyuk)
My question is for the Minister responsible for Nunavut Arctic College.
Prior to my question, I want to welcome Susan Hillier. She is a teacher for Gjoa Haven for 22 years and is a resident of Gjoa Haven.
Bernadette O’Brien has been a teacher for eight years in Gjoa Haven.
I want to welcome them to the House. They always support the residents of Gjoa Haven.
The minister informed me that there are women’s sewing groups that are involved in fur production and that they have a training program here in Iqaluit. A lot of people are interested, but not enough positions are available.
Will there be a training program in the Kivalliq and Kitikmeot regions?
When will the Fur Production and Design Program be available in those regions and people are able to showcase their products? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Of course, she brings a very important subject up, that is, the Fur Production and Design Program.
It has been very successful where we have promoted it and instructed it across the territory.
I don’t have the specific numbers on how many courses we have done, but I know we have done courses in Iqaluit and other outlying communities.
In the Kivalliq, I know it was offered in Arviat a couple of years ago.
How we recognize where and promote where to have these courses is through community input, when we do assessments every spring what the community would like to see offered for programming through Arctic College in the communities.
So if it is a priority for the community, we would surely take a look at this and try and offer that program where we can.
I thank the minister for his response. (interpretation ends) Fur production and design is offered here in Iqaluit and it’s more contemporary than the ones that are held at the community request.
My question is: are we going to see the same program that is delivered here in Iqaluit in the two other regions?
When we do provide these programs in communities and in the regions, as I say, if communities are interested, we will seriously look at providing these programs to them.
It would definitely be with, hopefully, local seamstresses and be relevant to the tradition and culture in the community. So we would organize and implement the curriculum with that information involved.
My community of Taloyoak has a local sewing shop and I would like it to be seriously considered for a fur production and design course.
Filter it.
It’s more of a comment, but if you would like to respond, Minister Shewchuk.
I assure that my officials are watching and we understand it’s a priority in your community.
Question 640 – 3(3): Update on the Study of Peary Caribou (Elliott)
Mr. Speaker, as everyone is aware, the High Arctic is a very fragile ecosystem. The communities have been very vocal about preservation of the land and the wildlife. To that end, a lot of participants have been involved in different activities, whether it’s the Lancaster Sound Marine Sanctuary or some of the other activities that are going on, through work with the HTOs, the hunters, and other community organizations.
In the department’s most recent business plan, it talks about doing a study on the Peary caribou.
I was wondering if the minister could update the House on this activity.
A study has been undertaken on the Peary caribou.
Right now, they’re going to conduct another assessment this fall. That will be determined when the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board has their next meeting in the winter of 2013.
One of the processes in place to ensure that very fragile areas are preserved is the establishment of territorial parks. Currently, the Government of Nunavut has been working with the communities of the High Arctic on the Napaaqtulik Territorial Park. I was wondering if the minister could give the House an update as to what’s happening with the movement on the establishment of that as a territorial park.
We have been working in partnership with Parks Canada officials. We have consulted with the residents of Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord.
We also consult with the public related to the preservation of this area called Napaaqtulik.
Negotiations have commenced with the communities in the High Arctic and we will continue our discussions with the communities as we work towards establishing this territorial park.
For my final question, I want to continue on with my theme of preserving the pristine land and wildlife of the High Arctic.
For my last question, the minister is well aware that last week, I tabled correspondence from both Grise Fiord and Canada Coal in regard to coal exploration in Axel Heiberg.
In terms of that letter, there are leases that are being held in the value of $60,000 for Axel Heiberg, so the exploration could not go on.
The community has actually been asked by Canada Coal whether they should give up those leases.
If the community agrees to have Canada Coal give up those leases, is it possible to have the Department of Environment work towards establishing another territorial park on Axel Heiberg to support this?
Speaker: You’re cutting it pretty close there, Mr. Elliott.
The correspondence tabled by Mr. Elliott has been reviewed and read. Further, we reviewed the assessment of the situation.
As per our past statements, we continue to work with the communities and we will continue to work with them towards this goal.
If we are also tasked to undertake the establishment of this new territorial park, then we would have to initiate negotiations with other organizations and we would be open to further discussions. However, they would have to conduct baseline studies prior to the establishment of the park, especially for economic development opportunities, either natural resources, petroleum or mineral occurrences. This is called a MERA assessment.
This is a mineral and energy resource assessment process.
It is only after this type of assessment is completed that a territorial park could be established.
At the present time, I can’t state whether or not the Department of Environment would proceed with this establishment on its own. However, we have to conduct deliberations with impacted people in the High Arctic, in Nunavut, the federal government, and the communities of the High Arctic in particular. We would have to negotiate with these parties.
Question 641 – 3(3): Application Process for Courses in Smaller Communities (Enook)
Mr. Enook: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation) My question is directed to the Minister responsible for Nunavut Arctic College.
As most members are fully aware, every spring, the school year starts to close down, especially in the smaller communities. This winding down can occur even in the month of May.
The students, especially those who are on the verge of completing grade 12, initiate their planning for the upcoming fall and whether this includes further courses or classes elsewhere.
This includes consideration of funding assistance should they take that route, such as FANS.
At the current time, smaller communities experience problems related to this issue.
It is only in June or thereabouts that Nunavut Arctic College releases their planned fall courses for the local centres, although the main facility in Iqaluit releases their planned courses in the wintertime for the upcoming fall season.
Mr. Speaker, I want to ask my first question on this issue. Why aren’t the planned fall courses for the local centres released earlier before spring arrives?
I know there has been some difficulty in administrating FANS through the Arctic College system and beyond too.
As the member knows, the FANS system is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education.
We’ve had discussions on how we can streamline FANS availability to provide students with lead time so that they can apply for FANS funding and be accepted into receiving it and go to the proper programs that they want to go to in the fall time.
I know this system needs to be looked at further.
However, it’s very difficult to plan what programs are going to be taking place in smaller communities until the assessment is done with the community to see what they want offered in those communities.
The majority of the FANS funding is provided to students that we have courses that are set in place, mostly in the regional campuses, and that’s where they’re set up and structured that they make that FANS money available.
I do know that there are difficulties in providing FANS funding in smaller communities with programs that are unknown that are going to take place in the fall.
We will ensure to look into the matter further and see what we can do.
If my question wasn’t clear enough, I apologize since your response wasn’t really relevant to my question.
Perhaps I should reword my question to clarify, Mr. Speaker.
The FANS program is not the cause of my concern. The program seems to be running much better compared to last year. We haven’t been privy to as many complaints about the program.
What I am more concerned about is this issue which I tried to raise. The potential graduates currently in grade 12 are preparing for their futures, especially those students who wish to pursue further education. Right now, the students would have to leave the community in order to plan for their fall classes if they wish to further their education because Nunavut Arctic College has yet to release their fall courses in the communities.
What I’m trying to point out is this fact: prior to the advent of the spring season, the college should release the fall courses in the community at an earlier date in the event that students wishing to take further courses in their community can remain in the community and take their chosen courses.
At this current time, there isn’t enough leeway for them to do this.
In many of the programs, the curriculum is available and the schedules are available on the Nunavut Arctic College website. There are programs that are developed later in the springtime that are offered in communities that are not always available on the website when those dates are going to take place.