EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
We waited for 20 years for that increase and we don’t want to wait another 20 years while the cost of living is rising up here in the north.
I solicit the minister to lobby the federal government to ask for this deduction to be tied into the cost of living rate of Nunavummiut without waiting another 20 years.
This should be planned down the road.
I further urge the minister and his northern counterparts to lobby the federal government to make these improvements in the future.
I thank Mr. Okalik for that question.
Mr. Speaker, in the Second Assembly, I would like to congratulate Mr. Okalik. His government was in support of the regular members who passed a unanimous motion that called on the Government of Canada to increase the Northern Residents Deduction for Nunavummiut.
And I will continue to stress that to the federal minister.
I think the last increase came after 20 years, so we don’t want to wait 10 years and it’s important to Nunavummiut.
Question 076 – 3(2): Status of the H1N1 Virus in Nunavut (Schell)
Mr. Speaker, I am confident that the minister will have had his daily briefing on the current status of the H1N1 virus across Nunavut and will be willing to share the latest information with us here today. Can the minister provide the most recent update on the number of cases of confirmed H1N1 virus in the territory?
The only information I can give you was the briefing that we got on Friday and there was an update on Saturday. The press and CBC have all of the information.
In totalling all of the cases in Nunavut with the H1N1 virus, 164 was the last count with swine flu. We haven’t received any new information since Saturday and the most recent number was listed as 164 cases.
The minister has indicated that all of Nunavut’s cases to date have been confirmed in the Kivalliq and Kitikmeot regions.
Can the minister confirm that no H1N1 cases have been identified in the Baffin region and explain what kind of testing is taking place to ensure that no cases are being identified in the Baffin?
Nunavut cases to date have been in the Kivalliq and Kitikmeot regions and to date, there have been no cases in the Baffin region.
If anybody has any flu-like symptoms, they are being scrutinized just as closely as the Kivalliq and Kitikmeot regions.
Where people are suffering serious cases, they have been medevaced to larger centres. The swabs are sent out to a lab for analysis.
But to date, there are still no cases of the H1N1 virus in the Baffin region.
That’s all I can say at this point, Mr. Speaker.
The spread of the H1N1 virus has taken Canada by storm.
News reports indicated that in some aboriginal communities, schools are being closed; residents are being advised not to visit other nearby communities and to avoid exposure to those who are sick.
Residents of our Nunavut communities are wondering if they should be taking precautions as well, such as avoiding large gatherings or community events.
Can the minister advise the House and the listening public if Nunavummiut should be taking extra precautions to prevent the spread of H1N1 and if so, what should they be doing?
Hon. Tagak Curley: Thank you. (interpretation) Mr. Speaker, one thing I can say is that the plan being followed is the pandemic flu plan, which we have been using since May 28 for Nunavut, in order to keep the numbers low and to lessen the spread of the virus.
Our staff have been very busy in dealing with the spread of this virus.
Precautionary measures have been sent out to all communities in Nunavut to keep personal hygiene a priority and to protect oneself by washing.
It’s obvious that we cannot stop the spread of this virus as it’s spreading throughout the world.
Due to this fact, we have to undertake personal hygiene and take precautionary measures in order to try and slow the spread of this virus.
What I can state, Mr. Speaker, is that the mayors of affected communities have been given advisories and are included in the briefings.
We are working very closely with them and if they require assistance, we will do that cooperatively.
However, to date, no precautions have been implemented in Nunavut and we are hopeful that the spread of this virus is slowing down.
That is why we haven’t closed any schools or events.
In our neighbouring territory, the NWT, a “flu hotline” has been set up where people can call if they have symptoms of the flu and get advice on what to do.
Can the minister inform this House whether consideration has been given in setting up a similar service in Nunavut and if not, why not?
Hon. Tagak Curley: Thank you. (interpretation) Mr. Speaker, we have been giving advisories to all of our health centres and they state that if individuals have the symptoms, they should call the health centres that receive daily updates.
If they are too sick or if they have severe flu-like symptoms, they need to call the local health centre because if people called a flu hotline, it would not assist that person.
The quickest way to get treated is by calling the local nursing station to make an appointment because they have to prepare the centre in order to accommodate you.
Question 077 – 3(2): The Spread of H1N1 Virus in Nunavut (Okalik)
I would like to supplement the questions that were posed by the member to the same minister.
At the beginning of the session, we were told that there were just five people who had flu-like symptoms or had the H1N1 virus, but the total number went up to 164 in less than two weeks.
It’s a major concern to the people of Nunavut and we have to look at how we slow the spread of this virus. I would like to ask the minister to take further action to try to curb it.
In the past, we used to take precautions like asking people to avoid large groups, community events, and to stay at home while the virus is growing. Is it possible for the minister to make sure that we take precautions such as this in order to keep the numbers down in the community while they are trying to fight this virus?
I would like to thank the member for expressing his concern and for asking the question. What I can say is that my deputy minister and the emergency plan committee have daily meetings on the influenza plan.
We also have contact with the mayors on a daily basis to make sure that they’re aware that we’re ready to help them at a phone call’s notice. We have to keep in contact with the mayors, especially with any new directive to lessen the spread.
However, we hear that the numbers seem to be declining to date. We keep communications open with the Kivalliq and the Kitikmeot, and we are looking forward to the decrease in the number of cases.
Due to this fact, we have not taken precautionary measures, such as not having large gatherings, community events, or closures. If we were to take measures like that, it may backfire with people asking why they aren’t allowed to attend events.
Daily, as we hear the numbers jumping rapidly, it’s hard not to get concerned.
What are the parameters that this government has set to initiate precautionary measures, such as avoiding large gatherings or community events?
Is it when the number is up to a certain number, based on the plan that they are following, that they will implement closures? I would like to hear what that limit is.
The total population of Nunavut is only 30,000 and within a two-week period, we already have 164 cases of H1N1 virus infections across Nunavut. This is becoming almost disconcerting for Nunavummiut.
What other measures is the government contemplating to slow the spread of this sickness in your plan?
Mr. Speaker, if we knew the best way is to have communities that were closed with no large gatherings allowed or meetings and if we conduct school closures to slow the spread of this virus, then it would be up to the chief medical officer to make that decision.
The H1N1 virus can’t be totally eradicated.
The World Health Organization has stated that it enters a population even when there seems to be no people suffering with the symptoms. Due to the inability to stop the spread, we have not enacted any closures of any gatherings or gathering places.
We still haven’t heard whether or not closures would stop the spread of this virus.
We’re not advising you to close the schools or anything that drastic, but we have to look at ways to slow the infection rates because if you touch someone or sneeze, the virus can be spread and everyone knows this.
When there are large gatherings, people spread the virus around.
Could your department make plans and take precautions by telling the people to avoid large gatherings in the affected communities in order to decrease the number of H1N1 cases? I would like to know if they are monitoring the situation.
We’re told that we haven’t reached the threshold yet.
So what is the maximum number of cases before you start telling the people of Nunavut to take precautionary actions?
I thank the member for his concern.
In regard to the decimation of this H1N1 virus, every household in Nunavut is aware of the virus and are taking precautionary measures. They are avoiding visiting or going to gathering areas, some are keeping their children at home, and through local radio announcements, they know about keeping clean and washing their hands.
We put out advisories on the radio and through the health centres, where the community health representatives are responsible for making sure that the information goes out to their communities in all of Nunavut.
They make sure that if you take these precautionary measures, the numbers will start decreasing, but we have yet to see any changes.
There’s not even any medication for the H1N1 virus, but hopefully we will get one soon.
Based on our past experiences, we have to look at a strategic plan. To cite an example, last session, my colleague on my left was struck with the flu and the very next day, I caught the cold.
I didn’t like him for a few days because he was the one who gave me the cold.
It’s very simple to spread the virus just by being in the vicinity and through touching, sneezing, and so on.
So I’m urging the government to make sure that there’s a plan. If we see the cases continuing to climb, we will have to take an emergency response.
The number of cases is increasing every day and we don’t seem to see a decrease yet. So I’m urging the cabinet to ensure that this government has a strategic plan in place in order to combat this epidemic.
I thank you for your caution. The committee includes CGS and all of the public health representatives.
Dr. Sobol, our Chief Medical Health Officer, holds meetings daily and they are available at a moment’s notice.
We are in constant contact with the mayors and I also have been in contact with them. So if we have to take an emergency response, we will be ready to go.
The federal minister indicated to me that if we need help or if Nunavutmiut need any help, she is readily available. We have to work in partnership on this epidemic.
Just recently, we heard that the numbers are starting to decline. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 078 – 3(2): H1N1 Virus Update (Schell)
My question is also for the health minister.
Like in the other areas over there, the districts there, there were a couple cases and then it went up to 164.
So my question is: in Baffin, there are no cases now but if we get two or four cases, what happens?
How many people are calling the health centre and they’re basically telling them, “Yes, it looks like you have flu-type symptoms, just stay home and you will get better and drink lots of fluids.”?
How many people have it and are not being tested?
Yes, we are sympathetic and understand that concern, but when we don’t know they have it, we cannot make snap decisions and the doctors can’t make that diagnosis until the swabs arrive at the laboratory and tested for this virus.
We send them to Alberta before we can get the diagnosis and this takes several days since it has to be sent out from here to Alberta. Only when the lab confirms the case can we determine that the patient has that sickness. It takes two days and over, sometimes it takes up to four days to get the diagnosis after we have sent them out.
What we can state is that once Dr. Sobol gets the information from Alberta via phone, he tallies up the numbers on the day that the lab had completed the testing. We will state the cases as they are confirmed, but we cannot make guesses on things we don’t know anything about, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Curley.
In Cape Dorset, about a year ago, we had a lot of cases of TB and a medical officer came down there, Dr. Sobol, and we had a meeting with the hamlet council and everything, and discussed the same issue.
It was getting close to Christmas there.
“Should people stay away from going to the community hall? Should we do this, should we do that?” And we basically said, “No, there is no more danger going to a community feast or somewhere rather than staying home.”
And guess what? The cases increased by about 50 percent.
The same thing could happen with this. I was told that when you get the second case of H1N1 that comes around, which will probably be happening in the fall when the weather gets bad again, it’s going to be more severe.
So my question is: what is the hospital doing to prepare for it?
I know they have ten beds here, but if we, all of a sudden, get ballooned to a couple of hundred cases here and worse off yet in the communities where they have three or four nurses and a couple of them get sick, what would happen?
Hon. Tagak Curley: Thank you. (interpretation) I can’t respond to your scenario, but with the TB cases and the number increasing up by 50 percent, I don’t have that information handy and I don’t have the medical report either. So I can’t respond to your question about the TB cases that you just mentioned.
Mr. Speaker, what I can say is that our department has a pandemic plan and it’s being used.
If there should be an increase in the number of cases and we need more room, they are prepared.
We will be distributing that plan, but we will not panic and rush into anything.
We will only start making choices when the cases are confirmed since we’re going to utilize the plan which outlines different levels.
I want Nunavutmiut to know that this is being handled professionally. All we are doing at this time is to ask residents to ensure that everything is kept clean and to wash their hands because that is the only way to protect oneself since there are no vaccines to fight and stop this H1N1 virus. We cannot state that if you do such-and-such a thing that you will not get sick.
There is an aboriginal community in northern Manitoba which had a lot of cases of H1N1.
What they did is they mitigated any unnecessary travel, made sure that there were no big gatherings, and were taking precautions for this.
I guess my question is: why isn’t some of that done in Nunavut knowing that, especially in the two other areas, the cases have gone up?
Even though you’re saying they are going down, it seems like there are more cases every week.
So as a precaution, I don’t know why the minister is not suggesting that some of these precautions should be taken, which have been taken in northern Manitoba, which is also an aboriginal community that has the same issues that we do in Nunavut of overcrowding.
We know that there have been some big meetings cancelled by other organizations and there have been fewer activities in the communities.
We all know that there could have been more done, but the spread has slowed down in communities where they undertook that. However, we haven’t discussed all of the options, such as closing everything down, and we can’t really tell the communities to do that.
I’m sure that there would be a decrease in the numbers if there was an advisory put out to increase efforts on personal hygiene and washing properly.
Dr. Sobol is taking the lead in this case.
If we were to know that there would be an increase in infections and it was just arriving into the territory, we could take precautionary measures such as those suggested.
The assessment of our medical team is that it is slowly declining, but as of Friday, there were two additional cases.
We anticipate that based on past flu epidemics, there’s going to be a gradual decline in these flu-like symptoms and we haven’t implemented any closures.
I guess in two weeks, there’s supposed to be some big event happening here in Iqaluit and I don’t know if it’s a music festival or whatever.
What I’m kind of worried about is that there’s going to be a lot of people coming from down south and different parts of Canada.
If there are going to be some cases either coming into the Baffin or if some of these people from down south are going to get cases here in the Baffin, I’m just wondering if a large gathering like that should actually be happening or if it should be postponed.
Since there have been no cases of H1N1 virus in the Baffin region, the pandemic influenza plan doesn’t suggest stopping such festivals.
If we talk to the Alianait! Arts Festival planners and if they’re concerned, we might possibly consider it.
Other than that, we’re not going to be stopping the Alianait! Arts Festival.
Question 079 – 3(2): Rules for Use of Health and Social Services Vehicles in Communities (Elliott)
My question is directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services, the Hon. Tagak Curley.
On Thursday, I asked Question 58 – 3(2): Rules for Use of Health and Social Services Vehicles in Communities.
The hon. minister, in asking about the use of vehicles, answered, “The reason is that there are liability issues and there would have to be a licensed operator to handle all of that. So in view of that, we are very cautious to get into that kind of stuff until we have clarified all of our policies and procedures that we are currently reviewing at the moment.”
In terms of reviewing the policy at the moment, I would like to ask: yes or no, is his department reviewing the policy for use of Health and Social Services’ vehicles as a means of transporting individuals with disabilities?
I think the member should deal with the financial issues as well with respect to that question because a majority of the Inuit communities are covered by Non-Insured Health Benefits.
So when I say that we would have to look at our policy, as you know, our current transportation policy with respect to non-insured health beneficiaries is not a good example at the moment because the federal government doesn’t even allow for taxi fares in most communities.
So in that regard, we would have to consider the cabinet at least to look at a whole new policy arrangement if we were to try and expand the transporting of patients to and from health centres.
As the department, I can say to the member, we continue to do a review of practices, and so on, and consider where we can improve such issues with respect to including the transporting of elders and so on to health centres.
I realize there are probably some financial issues involved in terms of the non-insured and I’m assuming you were saying taxis within the communities, but that actually wasn’t my question.
My question was for the vehicles that Health and Social Services already have within the community and that the nursing station staff use.
You had mentioned the policy review and my question was: yes or no, is the policy review being looked at for having those vehicles used to transport people within the community?
No, Mr. Speaker, we’re not specifically looking at whether or not the administrative medical centres’ vehicles are the most appropriate equipment for transporting patients to and from health centres.
I think we would most likely have to look at a whole new arrangement.
We can’t take availability of certain vehicles for transporting whether it’s patients to the airport.
So it’s a kind of thing that the department will have to look at, the current vehicle policy as well as the whole new service to accommodate particular needs of not only single communities but most communities, I would assume in my view.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Minister. (interpretation ends) Your second supplementary, Mr. Elliott.
I just want to clarify to make sure that the minister understands what I’m actually asking him.
I’m not talking about having patients travelling up to the airport, I’m talking about if there’s someone with a disability, a person who is in a wheelchair, and has to go from their home to the nursing station.  In my Member’s Statement, I was mentioning if there was someone within the community who had a disability.
We’ve got some people in all three of my communities, some of our elders, who are sort of prisoners in their own homes because they’re not able to go to community functions. And right now, it’s the draw of other people to take them from their homes to functions within the community.
But specifically, in terms of health related issues, if they need to get from their homes to the nursing station, my question is directed towards that, not going out of the community but to have them be able to go from their homes to the nursing station to be able to go to their appointments that have been set up.
Right now, there’s no policy for them to do that, so it’s relied on putting them onto a four-wheeler or maybe a hamlet truck and then taking them over.
So I was wondering if the minister could make a commitment today to actually look at this and look at his policies to see if there is some way of helping people with disabilities to get to the nursing stations.
I will commit to reviewing all of our ground transportation issues.
The reason I mentioned to and from the airport or to the health centre as well is because we can’t make a single policy that says, “This is how it’s going for one segment of the community.” We have to look at the overall patient category to ensure that no one is left behind or that kind of thing.
That’s what I’m looking at, and I intend to review our policy and may have something on that in the fall.
Question 080 – 3(2): Probation Officers in Nunavut Communities (Elliott)
I’ll go first I guess; I saw Mr. Okalik had his hand up as well.
My question is directed towards the Minister of Justice, the Hon. Keith Peterson.
I was just wondering if the minister could let the House know how many probation officers we have across Nunavut.
If my memory serves me correct, we have either 14 or 15 corrections officers in 11 communities with plans to expand to other communities this year and next year.
You had mentioned that 11 communities have probation officers within them.
What happens to communities that aren’t serviced or don’t have a probation officer within the community? If the minister could tell us what happens there.
I have heard this question before. The first time, my predecessor used to get that question from the MLA for Gjoa Haven and I used to ask that question in the Second Assembly.
The simple answer is there’s a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Health and Social Services. So where there are no community corrections officers, the social workers would provide the probation services.
Both my communities of Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord do not have social workers.
So in that case, who is covering those two communities in terms of probation issues?
I again thank Mr. Elliott for that question.
In those situations, the person on probation would be required to call a community corrections officer in an adjacent community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
In just different conversations I’ve had with different people, I have heard some grumblings that possibly he had mentioned, through Health and Social Services and through the work of the social workers...
I realized that they must be really working hard in terms of doing their regular job and that as well, but it’s my understanding that Health and Social Services is going to be turning that back to Justice. Is that correct? Could he confirm that Health and Social Services will no longer be handling that?
I thank Mr. Elliott for that question. I don’t believe that’s correct. The Minister of Health has written a letter to me as the Minister of Justice.
There is a Memorandum of Understanding, so our departments would sit down and discuss the future of that relationship.
Question 081 – 3(2): Fisheries Allocations (Okalik)
I would like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for Fisheries.