EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Item 2, Ministers’ Statements. Mr. Anawak.
Ministers' Statement 15 - 1 (2): Weekend Fire In Iqaluit
Mr. Speaker, a fire broke out in a six-apartment social housing unit in Iqaluit early Sunday morning.
Despite the concerted efforts of the Iqaluit Fire Department to save the unit, the unit was totally destroyed.
As a result, 20 people are now homeless.
Thanks to the Iqaluit Fire Department, we are fortunate that there were no serious injuries or loss of life.
Fires such as this are always tragic events. I want to extend my sympathy to those who lost their homes so suddenly over the weekend. I want to assure them that I will be working with the Iqaluit Housing Authority and my colleagues to find alternate accommodations as quickly as possible.
Ministers’ Statements, Mr. Okalik.
Ministers' Statement 16 - 1 (2): Decentralization
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to make something very clear to the members of this house, and the people of Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, the Nunavut Government is firmly committed to decentralization.
Our government was founded on the basis of bringing government closer to the people and make no mistake, Mr. Speaker, we will do just that.
We are proceeding with decentralization as we speak.
In Arviat, the four employees of the Department of Education will soon be joined by twenty-three others.
Currently, the department is in the process of advertising for these positions, which will come on stream once the office space is available over the coming months.
Three staff from e Department of Community Government, Housing & Transportation are in place and two more will be out for competition shortly.
The Department of Sustainable Development has moved the four regional positions that were scheduled to be transferred into this community.
Mr. Speaker, the residents of Baker Lake can rest assured that decentralization is moving ahead in their community.
The Department of Education will soon be hiring four additional staff to complement those already on the ground.
The department of Community Government, Housing & Transportation currently has three of its Baker Lake positions out for competition and three more will be out before our next sitting.
In Igloolik, the Department of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth has six employees, and they will soon be joined by approximately twenty more in the coming months.
In addition, one position from Community Government, Housing & Transportation is out for competition.
Further west, Mr. Speaker, Cambridge Bay has already begun to see the benefits of decentralization.
Positions in the departments of Human Resources, and Culture, Language, Elders & Youth have been staffed.
Rankin Inlet, Mr. Speaker, also has begun the staffing process.
Employees in three departments are based there, including two of our Assistant Deputy Ministers.
The Department of Health and Social Services is currently increasing its staffing level from nine to thirteen.
One person has been hired from Community Government, Housing & Transportation to work in Gjoa Haven and five more positions are currently out to competition.
For Kugluktuk, two positions from the Department of Community Government, Housing & Transportation are staffed and three more are out to competition and will be filled during the next few months.
All of the Regional positions with the Department of Sustainable Development except two have been moved into Kugluktuk.
One position from Cape Dorset is out for competition right now and six more will be advertised within the coming two months.
Mr. Speaker, the communities of Pond Inlet and Pangnirtung will soon be receiving jobs as they are transferred out of Iqaluit.
This process will take place over a varied time frame, depending on Departmental planning, and infrastructure.
These positions I have mentioned, Mr. Speaker, are just the beginning.
Mr. Speaker, the Nunavut Implementation Commission and the Office of the Interim Commissioner developed our basis for decentralization.
As decentralization is an important issue that affects all departments, the Department of the Executive has been assigned the difficult task of co-ordinating our decentralization efforts and ensuring that decentralization is implemented.
And, Mr. Speaker, this will be a difficult task.
We are setting out to decentralize in a manner that no government in Canada has ever done.
We will decentralize, but we must ensure that our programs and services to people in Nunavut are not adversely affected.
We must do this in a thoughtful, well planned manner that allows communities to prepare for the inevitable social impacts.
This, Mr. Speaker, takes time.
Decentralization was never intended to take place overnight.
We as cabinet understand the importance of decentralization to our communities.
But, it is important to realize that not all pieces of the puzzle are in place.
Our people are not fully trained to take many of the positions that will flow from decentralization.
Mr. Speaker, in the coming weeks and months, we will present to the Regular MLA's and the people of Nunavut, detailed implementation plans which will outline exactly how decentralization will be accomplished.
In this house I mentioned that the Department of the Executive would be studying the options for implementing the decentralization plan.
Regular MLA's will be involved in this process.
Mr. Speaker, I thank those Members who brought this issue to the forefront.
We as cabinet look forward to working with them to ensure that community concerns are properly addressed.
I am confident that if we all work together, we will do what is right for Nunavut.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Okalik.
Ministers' Statement 17 - 1 (2): Western Premiers Conference
I would like to update the Assembly on my attendance at the Western Premiers' Conference (WPC) in Drumheller, Alberta.
First, I would like to thank the Honourable Ralph Klein, Premier of Alberta, and his officials for their kind hospitality and in welcoming my officials and I to the WPC.
During my private sessions with my colleagues and at the official sessions of the WPC, I raised the issue of highway and road connections from the rest of Canada to Nunavut.  In conjunction with the issue of a National Transportation Strategy, there was acknowledgement and support by the Western Premiers for Nunavut's aspiration to physically join the nation through the development of a highway system.
I am also pleased to say that the WPC made a commitment on the following;
"to work together to facilitate cross-border trading relationships and the commitment to encourage closer working relationships when dealing with trade-related matters, such as trade policy, agriculture, marine products, transportation, economic development, energy, and the environment, and to establish direct working relationships with their border-states, regional counterparts and circumpolar neighbours."
Mr. Speaker, I will have the WPC communiqués translated and, once completed, I will have them available to the Regular Members.
I also met with the Premier of the Northwest Territories, and the Premier of the Yukon.
We discussed the establishment of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between our three territories.
We have instructed our officials to develop discussion documents that will be used to formulate a draft MOU.
Topics which may become part of the MOU include economic development strategies, plans to retain royalties which currently flow to the federal government from mineral exploration and development in the North, federal-territorial funding formulas, and relations between the federal government and the territories.
The plan is to meet in Iqaluit on August 6 and 7 to finalize the MOU, prior to our departure to the 40th Annual Premiers Conference in Quebec City.
Following the Orders of the Day, Item 3, Members’ Statements.
Item 3: Members’ Statements
Members' Statement 58 - 1 (2): Appreciation of Premier's Statement on Decentralization
Mr. Speaker I wish to thank the Premier for his strong commitment and assurance that decentralization will take place in the smaller, less fortunate communities in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, decentralization is the corner stone for a better quality of life, for all the people in Nunavut.
These Statements today by our Premier take a heavy burden off our youth, who are now seeing a ray of light and hope for future employment with the new of the government of Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, the Statement today, re-affirms to me that the Premier is a man of his word.
Members Statement Mr. Tootoo
Members' Statement 59 - 1 (2): Weekend Fire in Iqaluit
Mr. Speaker, I would like to rise this afternoon to express my most sincere sympathies for the families who were so tragically rendered homeless on Sunday in this community by a fire.
I am gratified for the Ministers' response to this tragedy, however, this unhappy incident clearly demonstrates that contingency plans need to be in place to deal with incidents such as these.
No one can predict when something like this will happen, and while we should all be grateful nobody was killed or seriously injured, the burden on these people is still tremendous.
Those Iqalummiutait who have opened their hearts and their homes to the victims deserve our greatest respect.
Item 4, Returns to Oral Questions. Returns to Oral Questions.
Thank you, Item 6, Oral questions, Mr. McLean.
Question 71 - 1 (2): Secondary School Design for Baker Lake
My question is to the Minister of Education regarding the Jonah Amitnak secondary school in Baker Lake that was built 1957 and added to in the 60’s.
According to the current building codes, it is not worth renovating and it’s not up to standards.
There was 300 hundred thousand put in the budget this year for designing a new school and I was advised by the Baker Lake District Education Authority, that the project was scrapped this year.
Can the Minister answer me as to why this project was scrapped this year.
I think you heard, in the different Departments and also the Minister of Finances' statements, that from the recommendations, and because of the reduction in the capital budget, that the programs or capital projects that were put in the 5 year forecast have been deferred for this year only, except in areas where there is a safety issue, the contractual arrangements have already been signed and commitments were made to order material for construction.
I will be addressing this issue later this week in my budget presentation, then I will go into more detail , because Baker Lake is not the only issue in this area, Mr. Speaker, there are other issues in capital projects in other communities that are also in that category.
Nakurmiik.
I’ve seen the letter that came from, I think it was the Minister of Finance regarding capital projects.
My community feels strongly that there are safety and health concerns regarding the Baker Lake Jonah Amitnak School and I’m wondering if the Minister would consider looking at this right away.
Speaker: Thank you, Mr. McLean.
Minister of Education Mr. Arvaluk.
Mr. Speaker, yes I will look at that right away and report back to the Member.
Oral questions, Mr. O’Brien.
Question 72 - 1 (2): Western Premiers' Conference
Mr. Speaker in the Premier's Statement regarding the conference of Western Premiers, the Premier indicated that there was some discussion regarding a Memorandum between the Premiers, which alluded to a road connection between Nunavut and Manitoba.
I’m wondering if the Minister could elaborate a little more to, I guess the discussions as related to the road and also the power grid that we spoke about a number of weeks ago between the Keewatin and Manitoba.
Speaker: Qujannamiik Mr. O’Brien.
Premier Okalik
The only agreement that was discussed was with the Premier of the Northwest Territories and the Government Leader for the Yukon Government.
The only issue that we discussed regarding a road was with the rest of the Premiers, we just wanted to make sure that we had support from all the Premiers in the Western part of the country for a highway system to Nunavut and that’s what we got in the communiqué.
Speaker: (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Premier.
Mr. O’Brien
I thought we heard the Premier of Manitoba just last night on the radio indicating that he strongly supported the road linkage between Manitoba and the Keewatin, or Nunavut.
Can the Premier tell me whether or not these discussions took place and in what degree.
Speaker: (interpretation): Thank you Mr. O’Brien.
Our Premier Mr. Okalik.
Hon. Paul Okalik: I discussed it briefly with the Premier of Manitoba, he is a very strong supporter of a road to Nunavut, but we did not get into detailed discussions.
I was more focused on getting support from all the Premiers in Western Canada and that’s what we received as a Government from all the Western Premiers, for a highway to Nunavut from Southern Canada.
Speaker: (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Okalik.
Third question Mr. O’Brien.
Mr. Speaker it’s my understanding that there’s been a committee active, I guess for the last two years, that was comprised of the GNWT and, I believe, the Interim Commissioner's Office at that time and the Manitoba Government.
They were basically put together to study a road linkage and power grid and the result is a study apparently finished sometime in March.
I wonder if the Premier is aware of any of the conclusions or the decisions that were made upon the completion of the report.
The question was directed to the Premier, would you like to answer.
Hon. Paul Okalik: The Minister of Transportation will be able to reply in more detail on that report.
Minister of Transportation, Mr. Anawak.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): I apologize Mr. Speaker, I don’t have the documents in front of me.
Possibly what I can do is get the documents and hand them over to the Member who asked that question.
Final supplementary, Mr. O’Brien.
Mr. Speaker I wonder if the Minister will be so kind as to get a copy of the conclusions of the report, so that we could have some active discussions on it in the House.
Speaker: Thank you. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Anawak.
Hon. Jack Anawak: Yes, I will do that Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: Qujannamiik.
Oral questions Mr. Tootoo
Question 73 - 1 (2): Government Response to Fire in Iqaluit
Mr. Speaker this weekend, the public housing inventory in Iqaluit took a six unit hit as a result of a fire.
The current waiting list is around 70 right now for public housing and as we just heard from the Minister responsible for housing earlier, there are now 20 more people that are homeless.
I would like to ask the Minister if there are any preliminary plans as a result of this prior to looking into replacing those units.
Hon. Jack Anawak: Thank you Mr. Speaker.
The Superintendent of Community Government, Housing and Transportation for the Baffin Region is presently meeting with the local Housing Authority to discuss what plans can be implemented as a result of the fire over the weekend and I will be able to provide more details very shortly.
But I can assure you that the department is doing everything it can to at least respond to the people who are left homeless, but also in the long run to respond to the severe housing shortage.
Question 74 - 1 (2): Repatriation of Artifacts
My question is for the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
Mr. Speaker our Nunavut fathers have had their pictures taken since the 1800’s by people from around the world who travelled here by whalers and other ships and somewhere in the 1900’s by dogteam.
A lot of pictures have been taken since that time in the Nunavut area and these artifacts are outside of Canada and I believe that they should by rights be here in Nunavut.
I believe that there are many photographs that have been taken by the Southerners, I feel we should get all our artifacts and photographs and this should be a priority for the Nunavut Government.
I believe that we must bring our artifacts and photographs, which have been taken many, many years ago, back.
These are part of our homeland and I am seeking an answer from the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth about bringing all of these artifacts and photographs back to our homeland.
Mr. Havioyak, Minister of Culture.
Hon. Donald Havioyak (interpretation): Yes I do understand your questions quite clearly and I do appreciate you very much for asking that question.
All of my employees and staff members are working on all these issues to get all our artifacts back and also the photographs that you are talking about that are in museums.
We all know that they are elsewhere and I know that we have to have a building in place first before we can start collecting these.
We are beginning to have talks right now and also we do have communications with the Inuit Heritage Trust on how we can get together and work on these artifacts and all the artifacts that have been taken out of Nunavut.
These are our major concern as well and all the people that I have spoken to are concerned about this matter.
Second question?
Mr. Puqiqnak : Mr. Speaker today our new generation and our younger people want to know what is their culture, with their own eyes.
Today older people talk about their culture by telling them a story.
Just by talking.
Our younger children, today's generation want to understand and they want to see their fathers.
Without a museum in Nunavut, Mr. Speaker it is going to be difficult for us and for the new generation.
Will the Minister tell us what his plans are to ensure that the young people in each community can see with their own eyes their history and culture.
Hon. Donald Havioyak (interpretation): Yes this is part of our work as well and right now I would like to let you know that we are not just working here in the House, we are also working with other organizations as well.
We are working on this museum that you are talking about.
As I stated before, this is our main goal is to get our elders and youth and also our history, right now we do not have enough funding just from our own, we are seeking help from NTI and other Inuit organizations.
As I stated before we are working together so that our younger generation will understand our history.
Speaker (interpretation): Supplementary question Mr. Puqiqnak?
I do know that there is a shortage of dollars and as a Nunavut Government, I would like to see a museum in Nunavut because a lot of people want to see more about our culture, our history and our clothing.
There is a demand out there and it won't be very much if we have to go to Copenhagen to see our history, our culture and our clothing.
Usually the people who are not from Nunavut are the ones that are telling our history about the people of Nunavut.
I think it would be best if we had a museum here so that we could be the ones to tell the history and our people pay a lot of money to go to the museums in Copenhagen to see Inuit history and they are making money.
All the money is going to Copenhagen instead of going up to the Nunavut Territory.
With that in mind, Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister to tell us what he is doing to ensure that while people are spending money to see or learn about Inuit culture, are they spending that money to see it in Nunavut?
Mr. Speaker (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Puqiqnak.
I believe he answered that question but if he would like to make a supplementary response, he is free to do so.
Hon. Donald Havioyak: Many of these artifacts are all over the place and we know that they are not in Nunavut.
They are somewhere else and we need to repatriate those back from the NWT, the rest of Canada and even in Copenhagen.
Those are artifacts that we own and we, I think we are preparing to repatriate those back to Nunavut.
So we are making preparations at this time and I also mentioned earlier that we need to have a place for storing them so we can set up a museum so that these artifacts can be placed in Nunavut.
Today we are working at it at this time.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Mr. Irqittuq.
I am sorry we have a technical problem, so we will have a five minute recess.
>> Audio unavailable
Hon. Ed Picco: . . . as of March 31, so actually that person is in place.
Mr. Speaker (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Picco.
Question 75 - 1 (2): Status of Nurse Recruitment
This is to the Minister of Health and Social Services about the nurses in the communities.
When are you going to be recruiting more nurses in the smaller communities.
Many of the communities have only one nurse and sometimes there are two but when are you going to be up to par in the smaller communities for the recruitment of nurses?
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you Mr. Speaker the responsibility for the hiring and staffing of nurses right now is with the Regional Health Boards.
Indeed, Mr. Speaker the Health Boards are very active in trying to secure nurses for our communities.
From the Departments point of view, we are working on the recruitment and retention program for our nursing staff.
Mr. Alakannuark did you have a second question?
The reason I am asking this question, and I think I understand your response, but in the communities we have more chronic illness present and especially with babies that are getting sick.
So the nurses have to work around the clock in the health centres in the communities and once a young baby becomes ill, people become very concerned and they take their babies to the nursing station right away.
So we need to have adequate nurses in the health centres to deal with the viruses that are happening in the communities.
Speaker: Just a comment.
Question 76 - 1 (2): Capital Plan for Qikiqtarjuaq
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Speaker this is directed to the Minister of Community Government, Housing and Transportation.
One of the Communities that I represent which is Qikiqtarjuaq, according to the capital plan for 1999/2000 there are no projects slated for that community.
I wonder if that community has any projects planned for up to the year 2000?
We also noticed that there was nothing in his community and I would like to inform the member for Clyde River and Qikiqtarjuaq that we would like to meet with him to see what we have to change in the Capital Plan projects for those years.
We’ll be looking at the plans regarding these two communities.
Question 77 - 1 (2): Leave and Replacement Policy for Nurses
The nurses in the small communities sometimes take a long holiday or take long absences, do you have anything in place for replacing them?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity just to say that the earlier comment from the member from Pelly Bay is correct.
We realize that the nurses are under a lot of stress in our communities.
The department right now is working on a recruitment and retention plan to help those nurses.
In regards to the staffing situation in communities, that the Honourable Member from Pond Inlet just asked, indeed the Health Boards have a plan in place for when nurses are gone taking leaves of absence to replace them with other staff.
There are contingency plans in place.
If there was a specific problem in the community where there was absenteeism of a nurse or a requirement for work and there was no one there, then maybe we could specifically deal with that. But, in general, the Board does have a plan in place for when someone is leaving to have other people fill in for them so that we always have a certain level of nurses in the community as per the requirements.
Second question, Mr. Nutarak.
Some of the nurses are in the community for a long time.
They don’t change and do you have a program for how often a nurse should be taking leave from a community or before replacing them?
Is it just up to the nurse how long she wants to stay in a community or do you have some kind of policy in place for this?
Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that if a nurse chose to be in a community then it is up to her or him as the case may be.
If the nurse chose to move to another community, then the Health Board would try to make that accommodation.
But, again, it depends on the operational requirements and the need in the community.