EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Yes, we would have to look for money and also work with CGS in order to do the work and review the situation in the hamlets in the communities, the sewage lagoons in particular. We will work with them closely to find the funds.
Question 507 – 2(4): Contaminated Juice in Nunavut Stores (Curley)
I want to thank my colleague from Baker Lake because he recently told me that the Canada Food Inspection Agency has identified that certain juices contain certain compounds that may make them dangerous for children, compounds which are contaminated or dangerous substances.
For that reason, can the minister look into this issue since these juices may have made it up to our territory, and if that’s the case, if it can be dealt with as soon as possible?
If the minister can look into this matter and update the House on what the situation is?
Which minister are you directing your question to?
Mr. Curley: Thank you. (interpretation) Mr. Speaker, to the Minister responsible for Consumer Affairs at CGS. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Curley. (interpretation ends) Minister of Community and Government Services, Honourable Levinia Brown.
I can look into this issue, especially if there are any contaminants in the juices sold at the retail outlets, because I certainly would like to know. If there are any recalls on juices, we’ll make sure that they’re not present in Nunavut, even if they’re food or toys.
I understand exactly what the member is referring to.
There are also expiration dates on the food items that we should be watching closely as well.
I will speak with my staff on this issue and deal with it urgently.
My question to the minister: the Canadian Food Inspection Agency doesn’t put their bulletins out in Inuktitut and the information doesn’t come up here most of the time.
We have many retail outlets but it’s mainly the Loblaws chain that has these food products.
So if Northern or the other retail outlets buy from the same company, there could be a recall on certain juice products.
Would the minister commit to looking into this issue?
If this is under my portfolio, I don’t even know what Consumer Affairs in Inuktitut is, but we will have to make sure that the information gets out to the public.
If this case is urgent, I will make sure that my staff is directed to deal with it right away.
Question 508 – 2(4): Baker Lake Sewage Lagoon (Simailak)
Earlier this week, I tabled disturbing photographs in the House which showed caribou drinking from Baker Lake’s sewage lagoon.
Mr. Speaker, as you and other members will appreciate, I am concerned that this poses a risk to the health of our caribou, which my constituents rely upon for nutritious country food.
I would like to ask the Minister of Community and Government Services, Mr. Speaker, if she can indicate to the House what criteria her department uses when deciding to fund fencing projects around sewage lagoons. What are the criteria used when deciding to fund fencing projects?
Minister of Community and Government Services, (interpretation ends) Honourable Levinia Brown.
We discuss a lot of issues and we try to ensure that we plan ahead for anything requiring immediate action.
When we’re planning for capital projects, we ask the hamlets what their priorities are, and it costs quite a lot to do fencing projects in any community.
I’m trying my best to answer your question.
Mr. Simailak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the minister for her response.
With regards to fencing around the sewage lagoon and the dump, the hamlet has repeatedly requested that they get the project going and the usual answer is always it is too expensive.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, the 2007-08 Capital Estimates used gas tax funding for a fencing project in one of our communities.
Would the minister commit to reviewing whether there is a possibility of using federal infrastructure funding to support a fencing project around the Baker Lake sewage lagoon?
CGS and our consultant are planning to do a presentation to the Hamlet of Baker Lake on March 25, 2008 of recommended changes and upgrades, and getting the hamlet’s responses.
Also, the consultant has proposed a new fence to prevent caribou from entering the sewage lagoon during the winter period.
I am very pleased that you’re going to be coming to our community on March 25. (interpretation ends) Can the minister indicate to the House how her department works with the Department of Environment to ensure that sewage lagoons do not pose a risk to the health of our communities and the surrounding land and animals?
Our officials are always on constant consultation with each other; they’re always consulting each other and they work very closely.
In this particular incident, the Department of Environment was involved with our department, collaborating together, to make sure that everything was safe and will continue to do so from time to time.
Question 509 – 2(4): Community Development Agreement (Peterson)
Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, the Prime Minister was in the north, he was in the same area code but a different postal code. He was in the Northwest Territories for the Arctic Winter Games but while he was there, he made a speech to the NWT business leaders and one of his quotes that was in the news release, it says, “Our government believes in northern economic development now and in the future. The Great White North is as much a part of Canada’s identity as the red Maple Leaf.”
He also made an announcement in Yellowknife that the Government of the Northwest Territories and Ottawa have agreed to be partners in the Community Development Trust.
That’s the program I mentioned last week in the House, $3 million to help workers in communities suffering from economic hardships in mine closures and things like that.
My question for the Premier: can the Premier tell the House when the Prime Minister will be in Nunavut to sign a $3 million Community Development Agreement so that the residents of Cambridge Bay can begin to receive relief from the closure of the Tahera Mine?
Premier, Honourable Paul Okalik.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I believe that as soon as the monies are approved, then we will get the $3.8 million to address our own issues, in particular, the ongoing challenges faced by Nunavummiut with the strong Canadian dollar as well. Those are some of the decisions that we’ll have to make, along with other interests. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We certainly look forward in the Kitikmeot to early signing of that agreement.
There are a lot of people and some businesses that need some relief.
Mr. Speaker, it’s no secret that Nunavut requires a major investment in infrastructure and we need that help from Ottawa to support economic development.
The Prime Minister’s comments to the northern business leaders in the Northwest Territories were very heartening; there’s an indication that they recognize that we can’t do it alone.
My question for the Premier: can the Premier tell the House if he has held meaningful discussions with Ottawa concerning investing in major port and road infrastructure in the Kitikmeot to support economic development in our region, and if so, what did the Prime Minister tell him?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I know that the current Prime Minister has been quite open in our discussions and he realizes the challenges that we do face. He has been here a number of times and saw the challenges we face firsthand.
So I’m hopeful that we can make some progress on those major files, but as I said, there has been a little bit of movement. The Building Canada Fund is an improvement from past practices where the funding was strictly per capita basis; this funding was not.
So it’s recognition on the part of the federal government that we do have special challenges that can’t be addressed strictly by national programs.
So we’re moving in the right direction, but at this pace, it will be slow but we have to keep working away with our federal partners to make more progress on the other files, particularly in the big projects like the Bathurst Inlet Port and Road.
I will continue to press our issues with our Prime Minister and the national government on those other matters. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It certainly seems like, when we’re dealing with Ottawa, we have to operate at glacial speeds. I can remember, when I was with the Nunavut Association of Municipalities, it was a challenge to make a case in Ottawa for economic development in the north.
I don’t know if there’s enough recognition of the value of the north to Canada.
Mr. Speaker, there are only two jurisdictions in Canada that do not have regional development agencies.
One is Northern Canada and the other is Southern Ontario.
Over the years, Western Premiers have expressed their support to Northern Premiers to lobby Ottawa for the establishment of a regional development agency for the north.
So my question for the Premier: can the Premier tell the House what the current status is with the Northern Premiers’ efforts to convince Ottawa to establish a regional development agency for the north?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) There has been some progress and some money was set aside in the previous government’s budget for northern development.
There’s still no agency for the north, so we continue to stress that we expect the same treatment as the rest of the county, and particularly, when our situation is a lot worse than the rest of the county in terms of economic development.
We continue to work with our sister territories on this matter, along with other unique challenges that we face as northerners. So we’re planning another Northern Premiers Conference this coming year and we look forward to more discussions with our federal partners on this challenge. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I certainly hope that the Northern Premiers keep up the lobby efforts and the Western Premiers support them. We can’t give up in pressuring Ottawa to make a case.
Canada is a large country, so there’s lobbying efforts from all over the country for particular reasons and jurisdictions.
I agree with the Premier that the north and Nunavut is a special area.
Mr. Speaker, Ottawa established a northern program called the Strategic Investments in Northern Economic Development that came into being in, I think, 2004-05. There was $25.1 million in funding set aside for Nunavut and that program expires next year.
My question for the Premier: can the Premier indicate to the House if the Government of Nunavut is currently in discussions with Ottawa to establish a new economic development program with funding for Nunavut?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) That is exactly what we’re doing with our sister territories; is to find ways to address that fund and other programs that were initiated.
So we’re going to continue to work as partners and push our federal partner and get some movement so that we can stimulate our economy. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 510 – 2(4): Uranium Policy on Nuclear Energy (Barnabas)
I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Energy, Minister Picco.
We have heard through the media that the three mining companies are exploring for uranium in the Baffin region.
Peregrine Diamonds have found uranium between Iqaluit and Kimmirut.
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada had given permits and Uranium North is working in the south of our community, north of Igloolik.
Global Union has been working and they had attended the mining symposium in the 1970s.
My first question is in regard to nuclear power in Nunavut.
What kind of uranium policy do we have within the Energy Strategy?
The member is correct and it is a good question. I’m sorry, I didn’t raise it.
Mr. Speaker, the Energy Policy of Nunavut, along with NTI, as an example, have endorsed, and the Government of Nunavut has endorsed the safe practice of mining of uranium to ensure that all of the criteria, all of the standards, and all of the environmental processes are in place for that. In the Energy Strategy itself, we endorsed the mining of uranium in Nunavut given those conditions that I have just outlined.
I thank Mr. Picco for his response.
Since the cost of fuel and cost of living is increasing, we have to look for alternative forms of energy which would be more cost effective.
I would like to ask the minister in English. (interpretation ends) If you went in and bought the SLOWPOKE reactors for 25 Nunavut communities, it would be much cheaper.
Why not do it, Mr. Speaker?
Canada is on the leading edge and has been for several years in nuclear technology and exporting that technology to different countries. We know, for example, that a majority of the energy used currently in Ontario is from nuclear energy.
Mr. Speaker, we have not looked at nuclear energy in Nunavut in any serious fashion.
We have had some cursory looks at opportunities within that field. However, Mr. Speaker, at this time, we have not looked at bringing forward nuclear generators in Nunavut, although I know that there have been articles in the paper released or at least letters from the editor in the paper suggesting it. It’s something that may, in the future, come forward.
Although I know that the department did not discuss this, our government should start working on that because the communities are growing in population.
Every community in Nunavut is experiencing a population increase. There is forced growth in the communities, and it’s evident right now in Iqaluit that, due to forced growth, sometimes there are power outages during the session because of generator overloads.
That also occurs in the communities.
In regard to uranium, as the Minister is responsible for Energy, could he encourage his staff to start speaking with the companies to see if this can be developed?
The problem with nuclear energy is this: if we had a nuclear reactor, and we all know what happened in Chernobyl, I’m not saying in any case that that’s going to happen, but in the case of a problem with a nuclear plant, in our case, a nuclear generating electricity plant, let’s say it was the middle of winter and we were having a blizzard, and we had a huge problem, we had a catastrophic breakdown like what we saw in Chernobyl, then how would we get the people in to help us fix that problem?
If a diesel generator goes down, then yes, that’s an issue, and we have mechanics, linemen, electricians, and people on the ground, and we’re usually able to use local resources.
In a case of a nuclear problem, we’re not in Ontario or some of the largest provinces in the south where you could get the armory, the military and other resources. So in our case, if you had a nuclear generator creating electricity in a small community and there was a problem, how would you get that immediate response?
That’s one of the concerns that we have with nuclear power, Mr. Speaker.
So I take the member’s question seriously and it’s something that we need to do a little bit more work on. I know, as I said earlier, we have done some cursory work on it and we will follow that up.
Nowadays we have much better nuclear equipment now, which are newer than what was used in Chernobyl.
If it’s impossible for us to get nuclear power, I know for a fact that they use wind power but people don’t like the sound of them because you can hear them from quite a distance.
Have they considered getting energy using the ocean tide? Has the minister already considered this?
We saw, just recently, in the last 24 hours that a price of a barrel of oil has gone to record levels well over $106, $107, or $108.
We know that we have an awful addiction to fuel, oil, and diesel here in Nunavut, so we need to look at alternative energy sources.
We’re trying to look at ones that are readily available to us.
We are, for example, in the process of doing a hydrological study on possible hydro sites in the Kivalliq region after April 1; we’re looking at some hydro issues right here; we have completed a wind map with Environment Canada to look at the potential for wind.
We have not looked at tidal in a serious way; we do have some very good tides here.
There are some problems with tides and that’s, in this case, when you have six or seven months of ice, how do you get at the generator below the ice and so on. So those are problematic for us.
We’re looking the best economies of scale when it comes to providing that alternative energy. So tidal, wind, hydro, nuclear; these are all avenues that, in the Energy Strategy that we have tabled, we would be looking at.
Question 511 – 2(4): GN Agreement with Fuel Delivery Contractors (Kattuk)
Yesterday, during Committee of the Whole, I asked this question.
I want to reiterate it to the Minister of Community and Government Services by asking this question because we have concerns in my constituency with regards to the experience that the people had when the fuel delivery truck broke down more than once.
One thing that I would like to get clarification on is the contractor for fuel delivery. What kind of agreement does the Government of Nunavut have with the contractor when the fuel delivery truck breaks down? Is there an agreement for that?
We do hold contracts with the communities in Nunavut for fuel delivery and sometimes the Co-op Stores and some private companies are contracted out.
There should be a process or a provision in the agreement on how or what they should be doing when the fuel delivery truck breaks down. There should have been a provision under the backup plan if there were no more vehicles to deliver the fuel.
There would be a breach of contract if there was no backup plan.
After our meeting, I talked to my officials and they told me that Sanikiluaq had no more fuel delivery truck, although there was another vehicle available but it was too old.
Both of those fuel trucks were broken down, so therefore, the community of Sanikiluaq will have to look at alternative ways.
I don’t know if I understood the minister but I do want to ask the minister another question.
Are you saying that the government has already had an agreement with the contractor and that if they breached it, they have to order and maintain the vehicle themselves? Is that what she’s saying?
There was only one fuel delivery truck when there should have been a backup available because there must be delivery done in all of the communities, but that’s what we found out in the community of Sanikiluaq.
When the vehicle broke down, there was a backup but it was a very old, deteriorated vehicle.
My officials told me that the old fuel delivery truck was so old it could not be used.
My officials and the contractors must have discussions on the possibility of being able to deliver the fuel.
We already know what the problem is, so we know what to do now.
Since she is saying that they will remedy this, how are they going to resolve the situation with the fuel delivery trucks?
It’s obvious that any kind of vehicle will break and even when they order parts, it takes a while for them to go to the community.
We can’t predict how it will break but there should always be a working one as backup.
Even if the backup vehicle is old, it should also be in working order and order parts for it ahead of time.
There should be a backup in working condition for the newer vehicle that was purchased in 2002. They will have to make more plans in the future because we might have to disregard that old one.
Of course, we will have to find out if we’ll have enough funding.
If I understand, the backup one... as she stated before, the fuel delivery truck was purchased in 2002 and the one that she keeps referring to as the backup one, they stopped using the old one, and since then, it hasn’t been used.
If they try to keep it in working order, it might require a lot of work.
Mr. Speaker, this is not a question but I just wanted to clarify that to the minister.
This is merely an information item. (interpretation ends) Oral Questions.
Question 512 – 2(4): Cost of Charter to Vancouver (Tootoo)
Mr. Speaker, I know some questions were raised on the statement that the Premier made in regard to the agreement that was signed in Vancouver for the Inuksuit.
I’m just wondering if he could indicate if he’s aware of what the costs and how many people went on that charter.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Tootoo. (interpretation ends) Premier of Nunavut, Honourable Paul Okalik.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) This agreement took about three years to negotiate and I would normally have flown regular economy class, but the fact that we were in session, it was decided that the best course of action was to charter with a Nunavut-based company.
The approximate total was about $43,000 for the trip but it’s a once in a lifetime agreement for Nunavummiut and I am very proud of it, and I would do it again and again and again. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
That’s three lifetimes I guess.
I’m just wondering if the Premier indicated that it is a good agreement, I’m not saying that it isn’t, but would he commit to tabling or providing that information on that agreement in the House?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I can’t commit to it; it’s an agreement with an outside party. What I can disclose, I will. I will undertake to do that, but we usually require consent of the other parties.
I must say that this is a very special agreement.
Hon. Paul Okalik: No other agreement has ever been signed like this.
Nunavut products will carry the Olympic Logo, so companies pay a lot of money for that and I’m very proud of this very special arrangement that was reached. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the Premier for that.
I’m not saying that it isn’t a good deal but these are questions that are being asked of me to ask on behalf of the people I represent.
Mr. Speaker, what the Premier indicated, he didn’t answer the second part of my first question which was: how many people went on that charter?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) In light of the questions I was anticipating, he kept it very short and small. There were three of us on this flight. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
If there were three people on that flight, and I think last week, the Premier indicated that there were two other officials from the Development Corporation that went down on scheduled airlines, were there any other government officials that went down for that event as well?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) There were some of our officials who were doing work down there, so they took part and helped out on their other duties. Other than that, those were the officials that were there from other communities in Nunavut.
Question 513 – 2(4): Update on Initiatives to Address Bullying (Peterson)
Mr. Speaker, last year, I raised the issue of bullying in schools in response to concerns from some of my constituents. The minister indicated that he would work with the school to address the issue.
In fact, some workshops were held in Cambridge Bay to discuss bullying.
My question for the minister: can the minister update the House about any further initiatives that the Department of Education has implemented in Cambridge Bay to address bullying in the schools?
Hon. Ed. Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As committed in the House and as the member indicated, there were some workshops in the community to deal with the issue of bullying.
In other cases, Mr. Speaker, we have put a program in place through all of our schools about how to deal with bullying, aggressive behaviour of the students, and so on. This has continued in PD, or professional development, workshops with teaching staff in different localities throughout Nunavut.
I have received many emails from people across the north in response to my questions last year about bullying and congratulating me in asking some important questions and they’re quite complementary to the minister that the Education Department was doing something about it.