EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Speaker, I don't have any plans to put up a heritage centre but the Department of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth as I indicated has grants and contributions in the amount of half a million dollars for heritage centres.
As the honourable member Mr. Tootoo asked this question earlier it's apparent there have been some funds targeted towards a heritage centre in Cambridge Bay.
Once the departments' budget comes up before the House and more detail can become available and more discussions surrounding that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
And this will be only in Cambridge Bay this half a million dollars?
Mr. Speaker, again I don't have that information.
I indicated that obviously there is some commitment or intention to provide some funding for Cambridge Bay out of that 500 hundred thousand dollars and once again when the departments estimates comes before the House there can be more discussion on that.
Question 329 - 1(3): Heritage Centre Commitments
Mr. Speaker I believe my question can be directed to the Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker or you can pass it onto the appropriate person if I picked the wrong person.
Mr. Speaker my questions is the fact that he has indicated that there has not been a commitment on behalf of the government to build a heritage centre anywhere, Mr. Speaker, and in light of some of the questions that were raised earlier this week by Members.
I'm just wondering, if there hasn't been a site picked yet where this heritage centre is going to be located, will all the communities in Nunavut have an opportunity to apply for this funding.
Mr. Speaker the department may have made some commitments for projects but they would all be subject to Legislative Assembly approval at their proper appropriations in each department I mean that's the normal course of business that all departments undertake.
I think I made that quite clear when we spoke about the interim appropriations Mr. Speaker.
Having said that, and being familiar with the Cambridge Bay project, there is an option as a portion of the Killiniq High School/Community Library replacement project, there are some options outlined provided again that there is some funding available.
I think that it is important to recognize Mr. Speaker, that there is also not just Government of Nunavut funding targeted for some of these enhancements there is some private funding as well.
Once again, the projects come before the House and substantive discussion can take place.
Again, Mr. Speaker if the Minister wishes to pass this along to a more appropriate Minister please feel free to do so.
Mr. Speaker in January the regular Members had an opportunity to hold a retreat in Cambridge Bay and we were quite welcomed there and I appreciate the Minister at the time being there and welcoming us to his community.
At the time when we were there I noticed that Cambridge Bay has a very beautiful visitors’ centre which at the time was closed.
I asked about it and I was informed that they had this building there that is used as a visitors’ centre, it is used for historic artifacts and displays a lot of nice cultural artifacts and things like that Mr. Speaker and clothing.
Mr. Speaker I'm wondering, if the department allocation of funding for a heritage centre to Cambridge Bay is it based on… what criteria is it based on.
What will happen if in fact they already have a facility there that seems to serve the same purpose.
Mr. Speaker, I'm not the Minister of C.L.E.Y. and I have no intentions to be Minister of C.L.E.Y. and hope the Premier hears this.
Mr. Speaker I would like to say that under the policies the Department of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth has, that any contributions would have to be approved and authorized subject to those policies that have been approved by cabinet.
So, I can't speak of what is or isn't in those policies because that is not in my realm of responsibility.
Mr. Speaker based on the Minister's comments it would have to follow policies developed by the Department of C.L.E.Y. again earlier this week it was inquired as to what those policies were.
It was indicated by the former Minister those policies were yet being developed.
Mr. Speaker, I am wondering how cabinet can approve something like that if there is no criteria for the allocation for those dollars.
Hon. Kelvin Ng: It seems to me I will be the C.L.E.Y. Minister.
The allocations Mr. Speaker were obviously based on existing grants and contributions policies that Culture, Language, Elders & Youth has within their area of responsibility, cabinet approved policies.
The Honourable former Minister was alluding to the development of a policy for youth centres and there is no capital contribution policy for youth centres currently within the Department of C.L.E.Y. from my understanding Mr. Speaker.
Question 330 - 1(3): Capital Projects for Smaller Communities
Mr. Speaker, I'm just trying to refresh a question that was asked yesterday of the Minister for Community Government.
I would like to re-ask a question that was asked by my colleague Mr. Alakannuark who represents the smaller communities where we'll have no new government staff.
In listening to his response, he seemed to be evasive in his answer and so I will ask the Premier exactly how will he be helping to promote job presence in the smaller communities.
Under the main estimates you plan to build new arenas, new schools, renovations to schools and etc. with other capital projects and how will you help the smaller communities by way of projects.
Speaker: Premier Okalik.
This is not a new issue as we are all aware it's been ongoing for a long time.
We have not forgotten the smaller communities.
We try to find opportunities we can grab hold of and if it's an opportune thing for us through building schools for smaller communities then we try to plan for accommodation of those projects.
We try to plan for their future and this will be an on-going process.
Mr. Speaker this government is the one that initiates programs and presents them to the communities through the MLA's with our support and they are supposed to seek input.
Are we going to see this happening.
Are we going to continue to see ongoing job presence in the smaller communities.
Yes, if we can get help from the elected representatives of the smaller communities regarding any opportunities for their futures or developments in their community we are more than willing to listen.
We're not interested in short term plans we want longer term plans because it's a good thing to see the developments happening in smaller communities.
Speaker: Mr. Barnabas.
It's been over seven months since we held sessions in this House and our tenure has been for that length of time.
Mr. Premier keeps indicating plans of his government but when are they actually going to be initiated and implemented when will we see these things happening.
To this day it is a really good thing to be able to visit the communities in person and I have watched them sit down and try to decide what they want to do in their communities for themselves by themselves.
They want to see Parks, they want to see schools, they want to see the other developments keeping in mind their future.
I visited my friend's constituency and I know there is a mine in that area and it will be shut down.
I am not afraid to suggest that it be reverted into a school but we do try to find opportunities for development, we are open to the communities, their ideas.
If they want further information or if they want more assistance through the Department of Sustainable Development.
Question 331 - 1(3): Changes to Igloolik Decentralization
I had asked the Finance Minister before, I don't think it was in the House but this is what I asked him.
I knew by then that all the jobs in the communities would not be fully staffed so I asked him regarding the jobs in the communities had they made earlier plans to ensure that they have salaries and benefits to go along with the jobs that would be posted.
When I asked him that question he said that yes, the salaries and other benefits were in place but this was very close to the end of the fiscal year when we were expecting some new jobs to be relocated to 72 and a half positions in Igloolik.
But those positions were cut and most of the jobs were eliminated or turned over to part time positions and I think, as I understand it there are going to be 17 positions in Igloolik and there will still be some left over positions that won’t get filled.
There was a bunch of those positions that were not filled, so how much of that money is still left over Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker if I understand the Member's question there were jobs vacant as we all know within government we are not fully staffed up included in those vacancies are decentralized positions.
The funding is there but because of the fact that those positions weren't filled we have the surplus situation.
For the upcoming year as we move into staffing up the decentralized communities those dollars for the positions are there. The dollars for the recruitment and relocation of those employees are there.
It's a matter of identifying individuals now that some of the office space some of the housing is becoming available and moving individuals to start staffing up those positions.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Supplementary.
The surplus is what I am asking about I'm just wondering about how much you have saved from not staffing those positions.
How much is a surplus from not filling those positions.
Mr. Speaker, I don't have the specifics of just decentralized positions if that's what the honourable member refers to.
The 34 million dollars that's projected for surplus at the end of the year two days from, three days from now.
Whatever it is Mr. Speaker, is a result of all unfilled government positions throughout the Government of Nunavut and all unexpended funds as a result of the support for some of those positions.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Mr. Irqittuq.
I know that this is complicated but I would like to see the levels because it's very obvious that the allocation and the numbers would be different.
You get so many offices here and you get so many positions there.
They're all budgeted differently for each community.
Whatever was not used should be able to be printed out.
How many positions were filled, how many positions weren't filled.
I'm sure you have that information available.
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the information may be available but my concern is the amount of work required if we were to break it out community by community, position by position.
You know our responsibility is to recognize globally, Nunavut-wide where our fiscal position is.
I guess in more detail once the departmental budgets come forward again next upcoming fiscal year.
Then we can get into more positions and where they are slated to be going.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Oral questions. Mr. Akesuk
Question 332 - 1(3): Kimmirut Arena Location
I thought you would never get to me.
My question will be directed to the Minister of Finance.
I am happy to see some of the figures have been made public including for the arena in Kimmirut.
But there seems to be a shortage of space.
I understand that they found an alternate space for this project and it has been moved.
I'm wondering if you'll be able to provide the full funding for the arena considering it has been relocated to another spot.
Mr. Speaker, the delivery for the project of the Kimmirut arena rests with the Community Government & Transportation department.
I understand there are some problems in finalizing a site I believe.
We feel the minister's put forward an adequate appropriation for the project to proceed in a substantive way, this coming fiscal year.
If there is more progress than expected, if it accelerated to the point where it might require more funds than what is allocated for this current appropriation, for this upcoming year, the minister would bring forward some request for some supplementary appropriation to deal with that, just what we have been doing, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: Mr. Akesuk.
Mr. Akesuk: Mr. Speaker if you allow me ask a question to the Community Government and Transportation. (interpretation) Thank you Mr. Speaker.
My question is directed to the Minister of Community Government, & Transportation.
I have received a letter from the Hamlet of Kimmirut stating that they now have an alternate site for the arena and I want to ask the minister if you have considered this and are your plans now to build the arena in Kimmirut.
Speaker: Minister of Community Government and Transportation.
Since the creation of Nunavut we had slated 2000-2001 for the construction of the arena in Kimmirut, recognising that arenas are very beneficial to young people and the youth, they have something to do and the crime rate lowers in the communities.
For that reason we have allocated 900 thousand for the construction of the new arena.
We want to finalize the location come April 1.
We will have to find out who will be designing and constructing the building.
We also have to consider the shipping season.
Therefore, we will be dealing with this matter in an urgent way. In an urgent manner and we have already allocated some funding for that project.
Oral questions. Mr. Tootoo
Question 333 - 1(3): Staffing Levels of GN
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister responsible for Finance, Administration and Human Resources.
Mr. Speaker, the minister in his budget address indicated that our staffing levels are not fully staffed.
I guess everybody recognizes that and the hard work the staff do.
Can the minister inform us what the percentage the government is staffed to right now.
I believe I made a statement to clarify the numbers during our recent Rankin Inlet session.
The percentage is approximately seventy five percent.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Supplementary, Mr. Tootoo.
Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to be refreshed on that.
I appreciate the minister bearing with me.
Could the minister tell me if the government’s plan is to be fully staffed by the end of the next fiscal year.
We try to plan on being aggressive and actively pursuing as much as possible recruitment of employees where there are vacant positions.
Speaker: Mr. Tootoo
Mr. Speaker, I don’t believe the Minister answered my question.
I understand all departments have been aggressively trying to recruit members.
Is it the projection of the government to be fully staffed by the end of the fiscal year was my question.
I would like to get an answer to my question.
Mr. Speaker, we hope to make as much significant progress as possible.
Mr. Speaker, given the minister's response that doesn't sound like they do plan on being fully staffed by the end of the next fiscal year.
Mr. Speaker, I'm wondering then if he could indicate, as you know the surplus that we have this year is based on vacancies, if they're not projecting to be fully staffed or they think that they are not going to be fully staffed by the end of the next fiscal year.
If the budget that has been developed and tabled is based on being fully staffed, if that's not the intent that seems to indicate it isn’t going to be possible.
Why is it done like that and are we going to be looking at another surplus next year.
Mr. Speaker, one has to recognize that we factor some of the training needs and some instances we may be overstaffed in some particular areas because of the specific training requirements.  I can speak to some of the needs that are going to be identified and there is some funding coming forward for the Inuit employment plan and the department of Human Resources.
So, right now although we would like to be staffed as much as possible to the hundred percent level, I don't that is realistic, we intend to make as much progress as possible.
I know it will be significantly more than seventy five percent but I'm really reluctant to try and make a commitment that we'll be hundred percent staffed up because I don't think that is realistic Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Just a comment to members we have some members that have one question, some have two, some three and in all fairness, we're trying to get back to the member that asked one question.
It may appear the members are being put further down the list.
We’re just trying to be fair with the process.
Next oral question. Mr. Puqiqnak.
Question 334 - 1(3): Public Housing Arrears
Mr. Puqiqnak (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Speaker my question is to the minister of the Housing Corporation.
While I was sitting as the acting speaker, I thought I understood that she stated she would be able to help those people who are running into large arrears and who are living in public housing.
I also would like to welcome you back and congratulate you.
You haven't said a thing for a long time so I almost lost my voice.
In regards to his question. I had stated that the Housing Corporation if there was an incident where a private home owner could not pay for their home ownership or their mortgage that they can go to Housing Corporation and ask for a councillor to help them out to pay for their mortgage.
When that happens they can review their mortgage again so that the person can be helped.
I'm not saying that we would be supplying them funds, but they borrow money or they get a loan for their mortgage from the banks. If they are unable to keep up with their payment for their mortgage, we do have staff within the Housing Corporation that can help these people who are unable to pay for their mortgage any longer.
Therefore, we have staff that do that kind of work.
We do have those counsellors too to help these tenants, private homeowners to keep up with their mortgage payments.
I was talking about their mortgage payments.
They'll be able to negotiate their mortgage payments again through the bank.
Supplementary, Mr. Puqiqnak.
Thank you for your adequate response, Minister of Housing.
I'm sure that is not the only problem that my constituents have. I'm sure there are other communities with the same concern.
In one of my communities, I received a letter from one of the clients.
I will not name them but I'm sure there are more people who have had a major problem with mortgaging their homes.
There are also some people who have a problem dealing with the banks and they have to pay their mortgages on top of that they have to pay their loans with interest.
This could be a very expensive thing to make house payments, food, clothing, what kind of assistance will these types of people have.
Thank you for the member clarifying his question as well.
I'm reviewing the rent scale too. I wanted to give out information on that and give it to the task force committee.
I wanted to give some kind of recommendation from the task force considering housing survey and I'm still awaiting the response and recommendations.
So I'm not sure what kind of review or response they will have.
Hopefully I will be getting information next week from the task force survey.
But, I can say that whoever has a major problem with their mortgage payment can go to the Housing Corporation and my officials or staff can help those people who have problems because there's a program in place that will assist the people who have difficulty with their mortgage payments.
When we did the survey, we were hearing from the people that they wanted the rent scale program reviewed so I'm expecting to get some information coming from the task force.
But to date I haven't heard from them.
Within the next week I'll be expecting to hear from them.
Question 335 - 1(3): Language Services Division Location
I'm going to direct my question to the Premier.
During the Baffin Leadership Summit they had agreed in that meeting that the language services are going to be transferred to Igloolik but the headquarters was going to be in Cambridge Bay.
Why is that the case.
We dealt with that for quite some time.
We dealt with this.
We're trying to decide which positions would go to the communities.
Prior to us becoming a government, all these things were pre-planned.
So we were reviewing whether we should follow the pre-planned ones like we were going to move this program into one community.
We didn't even know whether they were going to operate efficiently and we were going to move the Health staff to Pangnirtung.
If we did that it wouldn't have been viable.
So we had to be very careful in planning how to be effective.
So that's why some of the decisions that were made previously had to be changed.
If this had been reviewed, I know that it's evident that we are running into problems here especially when the language services are stationed in Igloolik and the headquarters in Cambridge Bay.
Are you going to move the Headquarter to Igloolik.
Time for question period is up.
I'll allow the minister to answer the question and also allow the supplementary questions to the member since his question started before the time was up.
Decentralization is a very hard task. It's not an easy task.
All the communities are anticipating positions and programs and they are expecting to have these transfers take place.
If we try to go ahead, I know it's going to cause problems, but I'm going to review your question and take it as notice.
Speaker: The Premier took the question as notice.
No further supplementary.
Turning to the orders of the day.
Written question from Mr. Irqittuq.
Question 12 - 1(3): Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Review Committee
Mr. Speaker, according to my understanding the Premier was going to take all the responsibility of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth.
So, my question is in regards to that.
My first question is to the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth.
What kind of procedure will the review committee follow since our Rankin Session on February 28, 2000.
Where are the members of this review committee going to come from.
Number 3: how long is the duration of the review committee for and when does the minister expect to make a report to the House with the results of the review committees.
Number 5, how will this review committee stand in regards to Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, this review committee was struck in September during the workshop on traditional knowledge in Apex.
When will the minister table the report from the September workshop on traditional knowledge in Apex.
Moving on to Item 8.
Returns to written questions. Return to written questions.
Item 9. Replies to opening address.
Replies to opening address. Item 10 replies to budget address. Replies to budget address.
Number 11 petitions. Petitions. Item 12 report of standing and special committees.
Item 13 report of committees on the review of Bills.
Tabled Document 50 - 1(3): Arctic College Annual Report
Tabled Document 51 - 1(3): Department of Education Three Year Business Plan
I have two documents to table. (interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker I wish to table this document titled Arctic College annual report 1998-99 as I described earlier in my statement.
Mr. Speaker if I may I'd like to table another document titled Department of Education 3-year business plan 2000-2001, 2001-2002, 2002-2003 as requested by the standing committee on Culture, Education and Health.
The business plan of the department of Education forms the bases of our operations for the upcoming year and provide a strategic planning tool for the following years.
This business plan contains the description of program and services provided by the Department of Education to meet the needs of Nunavummiut.
In accordance with motion 14-1(3), the business plan for education is referred to committee of the whole.
Tabling of documents Mr. Barnabas.
Tabled Document 52 - 1(3): Nunavut Employees' Union
Mr. Barnabas: Thank you Mr. Speaker.
I wish to table documents that are coming from my constituency concerning the direction and tone of negotiations between Government of Nunavut and the Nunavut Employees Union.
Tabling of documents Mr. Kattuk.
Tabled Document 53 - 1(3): Letter from Hamlet of Sanikiluaq
Tabled Document 54 - 1(3): Letters regarding Contract Negotiations
I have two documents I wish to table.
First a letter from Hamlet of Sanikiluaq and second letters regarding Contract Negotiations Thank you Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Kattuk .
Tabling of documents. Mr. Iqaqrialu
Tabled Document 55 – 1(3): Clyde River Nunavut Employees’ Union