EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
A proposal for funding can be routed either through the hamlet or a different organization to our department as long as that organization is a non-profit body. You can actually have an individual submit a proposal to incorporate elders and activities or to look at some kinds of elders and youth programs.
We do have funding specifically for elders that can be geared towards those kinds of initiatives.
All they basically have to do is put together a plan, write up a proposal and submit it to our department.
In most communities, there are local people able to provide that service.
Mr. Tapardjuk (interpretation): It’s unfortunate that it’s already my final supplementary; I’ll try to use it wisely.
I would like to get this clarified because he didn’t respond to this question.
Some communities don’t have elders’ societies or committees.
When a community doesn’t have an existing committee and they want to create a committee, how can they get support or where can they get information? The CLEY department should inform the communities with no elders’ committees how they can be given assistance. My question is: how can they create a committee?
They need support to create a committee.
I tried to answer that part but I guess I didn’t answer it directly. If elders don’t have a society, there is a process laid out where they can seek to establish a society that leads to a committee.
If there is no committee, they can use the hamlet council to create a society or an association. Based on the current criteria, an association, society, or individual can make an application to get funding so long as they are non-profit entities.
These bodies can submit a proposal based on a variety of options to try and apply for this funding for elders.
These programs can be dealt with in this manner and this also applies to joint applications between elders and youth, or youth groups can submit a proposal for their elders in partnership for their community. That is another option.
Question 054 – 3(3): Capital Funding for an Elders Facility (Ningeongan)
I would also like to direct my question to the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth.
With respect to what my colleague from Amittuq just spoke to, I also was approached by an elder to see if I could find out how these committees could be established in our community. He wanted to find out the process, including the type of requirements, if they were to offer such programming as on-the-land programs.
There are problems in trying to determine which facility elders and youth could borrow because there is no facility identified specifically for that.
My question to the minister is: is there any way that every community could set aside a facility that would be available either to the elders or other interest groups? I’m wondering if there is any funding specifically to undertake that.
I apologize that we can’t agree to any kind of application that includes the purchase of a facility.
There is funding specifically for renovating an existing facility and there are also programs that are geared towards rehabilitating a facility to allow for its use.
Unfortunately that’s a limited fund.
We do have various options geared towards elders and youth facilities, but we don’t have funding for new facilities.
I believe the process has to be simplified and improved.
The way it is right now, elders don’t feel needed and it seems they are cast off, but if we had an opportunity to open up an adult education centre, it would allow elders to have a set place to meet.
This would allow them to have a schedule where they could actually meet and talk about issues.
If there is no facility that’s set aside for their use, what process could we undertake to ensure that our elders are welcome and we let them know that their contributions are needed?
Perhaps the ministers or cabinet can look towards some kind of policy directive to try to bring back elders so that they participate fully in their communities.
Hon. James Arreak (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Speaker.
It is unfortunate that there are some agencies or bodies in the communities that don’t appreciate the elders and a lot of us consider our elders as an ultimate resource and professors.
I would urge every community and body to ensure that they assist elders and not let them feel unwanted.
In terms of new facilities, currently that’s not allowed under the policy.
During our cabinet meetings, I can ensure that we bring this up and we try to look at the policy directives.
Member for Hudson Bay
Question 055 – 3(3): Polar Bear Management Issues (Rumbolt)
Yesterday the minister updated the Legislative of Assembly on the status of polar bears in Davis Strait.
As the minister is aware, hunters in my community of Sanikiluaq are affected by decisions taken with the province of Ontario.
Can the minister update me today on the status of Nunavut’s polar bear co-management activities with the province of Ontario, including an indication of whether the two jurisdictions have any plans to conduct polar bear surveys in the near future?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) I also heard two questions again.
Minister for Environment.
I thank the member from Sanikiluaq for that question.
Nunavut is very active in polar bear management in Ontario.
We share the southern Hudson Bay population with Ontario.
We have been heavily involved in surveys that have taken place.
The last detailed complete survey was completed in 2005. We also contributed to that survey on an annual basis and we also participated with human resources. So we are very heavily involved with the southern Hudson Bay polar bear management and we will continue to do so.
In March of 2009, a major Nunavut Wildlife Symposium was held in Rankin Inlet.
One of the topics discussed at the summit was ways to make polar bear population surveys less invasive and I applaud our government for moving away from the use of tranquilizer drugs.
Can the minister indicate to me if the Province of Ontario is also moving in this direction?
Another very good question.
The member is absolutely right. Since that wildlife symposium in Rankin Inlet, in all of our survey work and wildlife capture work, we are looking at less intrusive methods to do this type of work.
Nunavut has gone away from the mark and recapture method to do polar bear surveys, with a whole polar bear just watching us do that too.
We’re involved with the polar bear world and these methods are being proven to have worked in some areas, so we’re encouraging all of our partners to move towards this method.
I would encourage any southern Hudson Bay work that is done in the future that the HTO and the community involved be involved and voice their concerns also.
As the minister is very much aware, residents of our communities have concerns about consuming the meat of polar bears that have been tranquilized.
In Sanikiluaq, local hunters work with their HTO and the conservation office to manage a system of meat credits, and I understand that the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board also plays a role.
In Sanikiluaq, if a hunter shoots a bear and discovers that it has been tranquilized and tagged within the last 12 months, they receive compensation due to the meat being inedible.
However, when hunters take a bear that was drugged at an earlier point in time, they do not receive compensation even though it is accepted that the meat still cannot be eaten.
Will the minister work with the HTO and other stakeholders to review this system to see if compensation can be offered for other tranquilized bears?
This concern, however, was brought up in the past too and I remember this in my wildlife management days.
I want to assure the member and the community of Sanikiluaq that polar bear meat as well as any other meat, there have been many tests done by Health and Welfare Canada, and I would just like to go through the process of some of this testing.
Using the drugs that are used on polar bear mark and recapture methods, drug levels are undetectable in the blood within 24 hours; drug levels are undetectable in the muscle tissue within three days; drug levels are undetectable in the organs within five to seven days.
Mr. Speaker, however, Health and Welfare Canada says that the meat is safe to eat after 45 days.
The Government of Nunavut says that we will compensate you with a time of up to one year in not eating this polar bear meat, so we feel that it is very safe and very effective.
I will also stress, Mr. Speaker, that very few jurisdictions are using this method anymore, as the member has referred to.
Nunavut has gone completely to less intrusive methods, and we will work with our co-management partners and other jurisdictions that we share polar bear populations in moving forward in this way.
Question 056 – 3(3): GN Communication Strategy (Elliott)
It was clear in the exercise of the report card that Nunavummiut wanted to hear clear, concise communication from the GN. In her department’s 2010-11 business plan’s list of priorities, her department was to develop and implement the GN Communication Strategy.
I was wondering if the minister could update the House on this priority.
Communication is a very important aspect of government operations and further, the information is being uploaded into the website and it is also being updated so that it is current.
It makes it easier to navigate the website, especially when one is looking for information, and this allows people to gain easier access to the information.
Our government has also completed a communication strategy that outlines the process for disseminating public information and to ensure that the information is readily available.
Additionally, this strategy has been worked on since January, but it’s not quite complete, although it is in the final stages.
I will ensure that we keep our colleagues informed on the status of the process.
With the communication strategy being completed in January and as part of the same priority with the implementation plan, could the minister explain how and when the implementation plan will start rolling out?
I stated that the communication strategy is not completed yet, it started in January, but we will be able to table it in the House once it is completed and gets approval of the cabinet.
My next question was actually whether the Premier would be tabling those documents, so I thank you for committing to that, but when exactly will the strategy and the implementation plan be completed?
Once it has been completed and approved by the cabinet, we would be able to provide more details as to the timeframe.
I used to enjoy your monthly e-newsletter that came out; I have not received a copy of it for a couple of months.
Is that still being produced on a monthly basis?
I am glad you noted that you look out for that e-newsletter.
Our employees have been extremely busy in the last couple of months in trying to see whether or not it would be more practical to have a quarterly e-newsletter to allow us to fulfill our mandates.
Question 057 – 3(3): Elders Program Coordinator for Pangnirtung (Komoartok)
I would like to continue with the line of questioning of my colleagues from Amittuq and Nanulik.
In our community, we have an elders committee and I attended their January meeting to hear their concerns.
The elders committee is an actual committee and they have a secretary who is actually one of the elders.
I asked the elders whether or not they had any kind of assistance or if they had any kind of forms or applications.
They told me that they had no one to do their paperwork and they had no organization that they could approach to assist them. They didn’t even have a computer to write up their minutes.
They were very happy that they had gotten together with the youth committee and the youth secretary had agreed to come and assist them.
I would like to go back to this situation where the elders committee exists but don’t have any administrative support. Elders are very creative and imaginative, and they are able to come up with a lot of ideas, but the only real obstacle they face is they don’t have a lot of administrative support or the ability to write up proposals.
I would like to ask the minister if there are any funds available to hire a secretary or assistant so that the elders committee can operate more smoothly in our community.
I also thank the Member for Pangnirtung.
There is funding specifically for providing administrative support as long as it is used through a non-profit organization within their community.
Whenever a funding application is received, the limit is set at $15,000.
Again, we can’t provide funding unless a proposal is submitted, but we currently do have funds set aside for elders.
We know that there is funding available, but I believe you have to be notifying the communities and ensuring that that information is public knowledge. I believe there has to be a specific position that communicates all of these programs and funding available so that the communities can disseminate that to the elders.
When a group receives funding from another project, could they set aside funding for hiring a minute taker or somebody to look after them?
We do have funding applications that we make available and we also ensure that we put an advertisement out into the weekly newspaper about contact information to people.
Even if they can’t write up proposals themselves, there is funding available specifically for hiring someone to write up a proposal.
Don’t forget that there is also a toll-free number that elders can call to get more support.
It has been quite a while since we have identified a position that would be a valuable resource in the community and that specifically is the government liaison officer that we have identified in our past budget.
As well, the elders can also approach the constituency assistants in their riding to try and get more information and assistance.
I know that information is available digitally and via websites. I checked the website and it’s now up to date and the information is very relevant.
I thank the minister for clarifying and providing that information.
In some ways, the elders committees are hamstrung by the lack of support.
For a lot of bodies, the only way they can become successful is if they’re provided with the needed support.
In a lot of communities, the elders committees are very strong, but because they are elders, the majority of whom are unilingual and not formally educated, they don’t have a lot of understanding about the way bureaucratic processes work.
Elders also leave for meetings every year to Iqaluit, but if we were to start welcoming them and not treat them as an afterthought, it would really go a long way towards helping them.
That was just a comment, Mr. Speaker.
Question 058 – 3(3): Cape Dorset Health Centre Situation (Schell)
I don’t know if the minister is aware of the condition of the health centre in Cape Dorset.
A year ago, there was a fuel leak in the health centre.
Just in the last three weeks, they had a major sewer leak, there are still fumes coming from the x-ray machine, and apparently they are pretty well calling every day to the hamlet to get some work done on the heating system because it’s either too hot or too cold.
As a matter of fact, I went to the health centre a couple of weeks ago and I walked in and I just about fainted. I was talking to the head nurse and she said, “I’m sorry, the health centre is closed.”
I said, “Why?”
And then she explained all of these issues that they have and she said that it had been closed four or five days in February and there were other days when it should have been closed but they couldn’t close because, after all, it’s the same place where patients have to go to get their TB medication.
Mr. Speaker, there are patients who actually go in there and leave the health centre sicker when they go in there.
So my question is: what is the minister going to do with the condition of this health centre?
I think it’s becoming an emergency rather than a replacement in the future.
I think we take the safety of the buildings quite seriously and the fact that we must adhere to the standards that are established by the building codes, particularly the health centres.
To be on the safe side, I think the member knows very well that the Department of Health is not specifically responsible for the building repairs, and so on, and the condition ratings are the responsibility of CGS.
I do know that once the particular system fails in the health centres, we rely on our partners, CGS, to ensure that the buildings are put to a proper condition.
So it may be more appropriate that the member ask the Minister responsible for CGS.
I guess the point that I’m trying to make is I’m actually talking about the health of the staff that’s working there because they actually live at the health centre also and I don’t think it’s fair for the staff to have to put up with these conditions.
So what is the minister going to do to help the staff or do something with it?
I think it’s not a safe condition to be working in.
Mr. Speaker, the department is committed to ensuring that the buildings are safe, so we do have a partner, CGS, who is practically on, particularly when there is a problem that occurred with a facility.
They are repaired and they are put into proper condition.
The first responsibility that we have jointly is to ensure that the buildings are put into working condition, and that’s what we’re committed to so that the workers can work in a safe and healthy facility.
Is the minister going to commit to getting a hold of the staff at the Cape Dorset Health Centre to hear their issues as far as the condition of the health centre?
Mr. Speaker, I think the member knows very well that our regional directors are in touch and maintain the contact with the health officials throughout Nunavut on a daily basis.
I do know that once the work plan or an action plan is required to fix particular equipment or facility that are already in critical situation, they do report them directly to CGS and we’re working constantly to ensure the buildings are put up to code and that they are safe for our workers to work with.
Certainly I will ensure that our health officials at regional offices are up to speed on that and we will continue to do that.
Question period is now over. (interpretation ends) Item 7. (interpretation) Written Questions.
There being none. (interpretation ends) Item 8. (interpretation) Returns to Written Questions. (interpretation ends) Item 9. (interpretation) Replies to Opening Address.
Reply to Opening Address 001 – 3(3): Ms. Jeannie Ugyuk (Ugyuk)
The Minister of Health and Social Services stated that they were working on the Child and Family Services Act since this is an integral part of dealing with family violence.
I thank the minister for the progress on the legislation update as this impacts many families in the communities.
Many residents are interrelated in the communities and they are impacted when a family becomes dysfunctional.
When a couple is in denial, their relatives want to provide support, but they don’t want any assistance.
In my personal experience as a former social worker for many years, I have seen firsthand what spousal assault does to a family, especially when the husband assaults the wife or vice versa.
The majority of these abusers are male and many male clients state that they would prefer to be counselled by a male social worker, and I want this noted.
I am grateful that the minister introduced the matter this morning.
We’re on Replies to Opening Address. (interpretation ends) Item 10. (interpretation) Replies to Budget Address. (interpretation ends) Item 11. (interpretation) Petitions. (interpretation ends) Item 12. (interpretation) Reponses to Petitions. (interpretation ends) Item 13. (interpretation) Reports of Standing and Special Committees on Bills and Other Matters. (interpretation ends) Item 14. (interpretation) Tabling of Documents.
Tabled Document 018 – 3(3): Arviat Retailer Grocery List for the Nutrition North Review Project Website (Shewchuk)
Further to the Member’s Statement from the MLA from Quttiktuq, I wish to table a copy of the prices of the items on the grocery list from the Nutrition North review website for the retail outlets in Arviat.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my constituent, Mary Pameolik, for providing me this information.
Tabled Document 019 – 3(3): Order of Nunavut Nomination Form (Elliott)
Further to my Member’s Statement of this morning, I would like to table a copy of the winning design for the Order of Nunavut and a copy of the nomination form.
I would like to congratulate Claude Rousseau, the local Iqaluit artist, whose entry was the winning design.
There are no more hands up. (interpretation ends) Item 15. (interpretation) Notices of Motions.
Motion 001 – 3(3): Extended Sitting Hours and Days – Notice (Ningeongan)
I give notice that on March 7, 2011, I will move the following motion:
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Rankin Inlet South and Whale Cove, that the Speaker be authorized to set such sitting days and hours as the Speaker deems fit to assist with the business before the House during the current winter sitting.
Notices of Motions. (interpretation ends) Item 16. (interpretation) Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills. (interpretation ends) Item 17. (interpretation) Motions.
Mr. Ningeongan: Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to deal with my motion today.
Motion 001 – 3(3): Extended Sitting Hours and Days (Ningeongan)
Motions. (interpretation ends) Item 18. (interpretation) First Reading of Bills. (interpretation ends) Item 19. (interpretation) Second of Reading of Bills. (interpretation ends) Item 20. (interpretation) Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters.
Bills 1, 4, and 5 will be reviewed with Mr. Ningeongan, Member for Nanulik, in the Chair.
Before we proceed to the Committee of the Whole, we will take a 15-minute break.
>>House recessed at 10:30 and Committee resumed at 10:49
In Committee of the Whole, we have the following items to deal with: Bills 1, 4, and 5.
We wish to continue with the review of Bill 1 and the Department of Education.
If time permits, we will commence the review of Community and Government Services. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Are we in agreement to continue our page-by-page review of the O&M budget for the Department of Education?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Does the committee agree that Minister Tootoo and his staff go to the witness table?
Chairman (interpretation): Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the minister and his officials in.
For the record, Minister Tootoo, please introduce your officials.
It just seems to be something that’s going around the last couple of days.
Mr. Chairman, on my left is Ms. Kathy Okpik, the Deputy Minister for the Department of Education, and on my right is Mr. David Pealow, Controller of School Operations.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister Tootoo. (interpretation) I welcome (interpretation ends) your officials. (interpretation) Yesterday we were on page G-4 during the page-by-page review under Directorate and there were still some questions to be asked.
Mr. Elliott is the first one on my list.
I want to start by following up on some of the questions from Mr. Tapardjuk.
In terms of the 67 positions that are allocated and elders being hired, how many new positions are being allocated for elders?
In this number, it doesn’t include the elders.
There is a separate $1.6 million, I believe, for the district education authorities to be able to use to hire elders in the schools.
The money that you are talking about and those positions, is that in conjunction with that release?
There was a media release about giving qualifications for elders in the schools.
Is that the same group of people?
As I indicated earlier, these positions that you’re referring to are separate from the elders.
There is $1.6 million in the budget for district education authorities to be able to hire these elders in their classrooms.
The news release that went out was just announcing that we developed a certification program for elders.