EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Maybe there is something wrong through the land claims agreement too that the Federal Government were going to continue their responsibilities that they held for the wellbeing of Inuit.
Except for specified articles of the land claims, I would like to pursue that some more through some other means.
The member is correct, we are on a budget debate and this is probably not the place to discuss that, but it does have budget implications, as explained.
I think, Mr. Chairman, having a lawyer as a premier, who has been in those meetings with me and I was with him when we had the meeting with the three premiers, from the Yukon and Northwest Territories, being the only health minister from the north there, it was quite emotional.
So, Mr. Chairman, if I may, I will ask the premier to address some of the issues around the fiduciary responsibilities of the Federal Government and the issues around health.
Yes, we had discussed this before under the land claims agreement; there is a proviso in the agreement that permits Inuit of Nunavut to benefit as any other aboriginal people in Canada.
That includes health and education.
We are trying to utilize that clause and we have been working with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and it is on one of the lists that we have to work with on the Clyde River Protocol.
So, we are working on it.
We are going to keep working on it until we have the same benefits as any other aboriginal person in the country.
Health and Social Services, Health Insurance Programs. Total Operations and Maintenance. $28 million, 226 thousand dollars.
Health Protection. Total Operations and Maintenance. $3 million, 424 thousand dollars.
Under health protection, it is stated in the explanation, but compensation benefits covers 2 million 148 thousand dollars.
The rest for the different line items, for health protection, whether it be different sexually transmitted diseases or TB, there does not seem to be anything else besides those explanations.
Can you clarify what this health protection section of the budget is.
Mr. Chairman, it is a very important part of the department’s budget on health and health protection.
The services that you see there, I think it is $3.42 million, includes things like sexually transmitted diseases, STDs, TB that mentioned in the house, a part of that, Mr. Chairman, is also the chief medical health officer as well the assistant medical health officer.
That is your top medical health person in the territory.
Every jurisdiction has one.
Also, Mr. Chairman, it includes minor capital for testing equipment for environmental health.
So, for example, Mr. Chairman, when we had to evacuate the hospital, we didn’t have the proper testing device on hand at the time and through this budget we have a small device and also at the same time Mr. Chairman, there are monies there for public health nursing support services and expert positions for doctors support for TB. I hope that clarifies some of the details for the member.
Chairperson (interpretation) Mr. Iqaqrialu.
There must be a lot of staff because there’s $2 million 148 thousand dollars.
How much staff is covered under that line item?
Mr. Chairman, we’re just getting that information for the member.
If the member wanted to go to another question, or if we come back to that, we could answer the question later.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Do you expect to have that response right soon?
Chairperson (interpretation): They’re still looking for it.
If you have any other questions.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Materials and supplies, $575 thousand dollars and there’s an increase of up to $808 thousand dollars for these materials and supplies.
That’s probably due to increased costs for compensation and benefits.
Whether it is for STDs or TB testing, or environmental causes, and if it’s for that reason, he must have quite a few staff in the communities and these are very important information.
I’m just wondering if he’s doing the right thing by having so many staff for this.
There are approximately 26 PYs.
It reflects the increased cost of providing vaccines to the territory, to Nunavut.
It also includes the new initiatives for TB that we’ve talked about but it does not include condoms Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 26 staff and looking at the materials and supplies for the health protection branch, is this according to the different regions.
Is that why that line item is so much, because it’s for the three regions of Kitikmeot, Kivalliq and Baffin?
That’s part of it.
Just under health protection, TB, Hepatitis C, STDs, trichinosis, environmental cases, how much is your department, I think you told me $344 thousand dollars but is that in fact correct that you’ve got $344 thousand dollars earmarked for TB this year.
Mr. Chairman, as the member has indicated, we have put extra money into extra support for TB and that’s for some travel as well as for some extra PYs in the budget.
It doesn’t include an actual amount right here but it’s included in the total amount that’s given in the protection amount.
In your Minister’s statement today, you said the TB rates are 14 times higher than the national average.
What’s the bench mark or what’s the stat before we finally call something epidemic up here.
Chairperson (interpretation): Mr. Picco.  Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, we follow the World Health Organization and other guidelines that as most jurisdictions when you look at what is an epidemic, it is based on the numbers, the occurrences, the ratio, the median per for populations, and so on.
That is how you look at it, if it is an epidemic proportion.
On that issue, TB is a slow epidemic.
Like I said, we are at 14 times the National average, and it is not something where you eat something, or you get food poisoning, RSV and pass away, or something like that.
It is just that I find it uncanny.
I was just reading an article that the Canadian Government, that the Government of Canada just gave India $2.14 million dollars for Tuberculosis prevention.
Not that I want to take anything away from India, I think that they need all the help they can get, and I have to thank the Federal Government for being so kind to a poor country.
I am trying to emphasize, with your statistics, that is the 14 times higher than the National average, and that is just the sporadic testing.
It could be higher, it could be 25 times higher, that is why I am trying to emphasize on you that a need to maybe be a little bit more vigilant in testing to see exactly where we stand on this illness.
That is just basically a comment.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $3 million, 424 thousand.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $69 million, 199 thousand.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. $25 million for Travel and Transportation.
Is that for air travel or other means of travel?
It was $29 million in last year’s Estimates, and now a reduction down to $25 million, 959 thousand.
Can you please elaborate as to what that means with the reduction?
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Minister.
Mr. Chairman, one of the things that we have been discussing over the past couple of years on the submission of Medical Travel.
I just gave an indication of the $250 co-payment.
Part of the reflection here is the negotiations that we are having ongoing with the Federal Government in the reductions of our medical travel, in trying to increase some of the allowable amounts from them.
For example, under the dentistry side, we have actually been able to get an increase to some of the amounts available.
That is reflected here in the amounts here at the same time.
However, Mr. Chairman, after saying that, we also will have savings that we will be announcing over the next few days, with regards to our Medical Air Contract.
We expect to be able to pay several million dollars over five years with the awards for Medical Air Travel that we will be announcing over the next few days on that contract.
Chairperson (interpretation): On page 10-12, there are explanations on the next page, on page 10-13.
This $25 million for Air Travel.
Can you make an announcement as to which Airline will benefit from this?
Sorry I was wrong. 10-13 is separate from 10-13.
Mr. Chairman, part of the, when we say medical transportation, it also includes, for example, the position travel costs, sending a doctor into Clyde River or a dentist or so on.
So, it is also inclusive of that.
No, Mr. Chairman, I am not in the position to announce the successful winners of the Medical Award Contracts yet. I would hope to be able to do that in the next couple of days.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you. Materials and Supplies were $3 million and an increase of up to $4 million and just below it was 739 thousand, an increase up to $1 million.
There are increases in almost each of the line items and as well contract services.
Can you please explain what the increases are for and how they were formulated?
Those are increased to reflect the actual cost, the realistic cost of what was being done and they increased the same, of the health centers as well as the medical and the surgical supply delivery equipment.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you. Contract Services was $9 million and now they are at $10 million.
Looking at the $25 million for Travel and Transportation, this $10 million for Contract Services, what is that for?
Mr. Chairman, the Contract Services include family physicians, those are doctors we have on a contract, the catering services, that is the food, miscellaneous laboratory services, that is when you get the special blood treatments and have checks and so on. Miscellaneous radiology services, Mr. Chairman, Canadian Blood Services, that is for the Canadian Blood Supply we talked about earlier, facsimile, photocopiers, janitorial and so on.
Treatment Programs, $69 million, 199 thousand.
Chairperson (interpretation): Detailed work information on the other pages.
Go back to page 10-4, Details of Expenditures, Total Operations and Maintenance, Mr. Iqaqrialu.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): 10-13, I have a question, if we are allowed, I would like to ask questions.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Mr. Chairman, is that okay with you?
Chairperson (interpretation): Go ahead with your question, Mr. Iqaqrialu.
It is regarding the funds from Health Canada.
Funding for the Brighter Futures, Building Healthy Communities, Silent Abuse Programs, National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse. $9 million, 619 thousand, can you please explain that money from the Federal Government as to how it is set up?
Mr. Chairman, there is some detail there on the information under these detailed work reformed on behalf of third parties.
First of all, Mr. Chairman, Brighter Futures under that $9.6 million, Brighter Futures, that the Member is aware of, that is the money that is given to every community in Nunavut for Brighter Futures and Community Wellness Programs, the Hamlets themselves and the Minister.
Mr. Chairman, there is also $4.9 million dollars, a huge amount that we’ve put into the home and community care and that’s where we’ve trained home care workers in every community in Nunavut to deliver home care to our elders.
I know the members are aware of that one.
So, we’re counting now, for 90 percent.
The other large one there that the member was talking about is under solvent abuse programs.
That’s for dealing with people with solvent abuse, sniffing gas and propane and so on.
We have over $200 thousand dollars in that program.
We also have under the National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse program, about $300 thousand dollars that we’ve put into specific programs.
All together, Mr. Chairman, under all these different programs for the Federal Government, there’s about $9.6 million dollars and those are monies that go right into communities on a regular basis.
Mr. Arvaluk: That was my last question but I get curious on the distribution on 10-14, under the contract services.
What the headquarters contracted out was $33 million dollars when everybody else is comparatively, quite small.
What do you need for the purposes of contracts?
Or $33 million dollars should have distributed also to different regions.
It’s not that I really care, it’s just that, why is it placed under headquarters.
Mr. Chairman, the $33 million 98 thousand dollars under contract service includes the reciprocal billings that we just talked about earlier and that’s because you’re dealing with out of territory hospitals and so on.
And also under the NIHB, that’s under headquarters because that’s where it’s administered.
Let’s go back to page 10-4.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $151 million, 593 thousand dollars.
Last year you were budget $150 million 983 thousand dollars.
So you’re happy that $150 million was enough last year and that you want another $151 million which is a slight increase, less than a million dollar, or $151 million, 593 thousand dollars.
So are you happy that last year’s budget was sufficient enough for you to budget $151 million this year.
Well Mr. Chairman, the chairman of the health committee is sitting across from me.
I’ve never been happy with the amounts that are available but we can only work within the context of what’s available to us.
I have no real comment on that.
I will rephrase my question.
In reality, from last year, $150 million 983 thousand dollars, was manageable, you didn’t need to go under or over that amount so therefore, you need another $1 million dollars this year to have relatively the same expenditures, relatively the same expenditures from last year with a small increase.
I’m not asking for the Minister’s opinion, whether he likes it or not, I’m talking about the potential actual expenditures from last year reflected in this year’s budget.
I’ve enjoyed serving the people of Nunavut for the past four years as your Health Minister.
I look forward to working with the members in this house in any capacity that the premier puts me in and that includes working with the budget allocations that are given me.
With that Mr. Chairman, I think we can work with the budgets that are foreseen with a realistic business plan that’s in place.
Chairperson (interpretation): Are you being removed?
Let me try this one.
Working within the budget, so, maybe you will working this year, 2002-2003, will be working within the budget of $150 million, 983 thousand, with that working within that budget, then for 2003-2004, you will need $151 million, 593 thousand.
Mr. Chairman, not at all, Mr. Chairman.
I think the $151 million, 593 thousand is what we estimate will be the expenditures of the Department for this year based on the programs and services that we are trying to deliver.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): I am sorry, Mr. Chairman, thank you.
Contract services, $28 million, 200 thousand dollars and we talked about contract services, I am sorry, I made a mistake, Mr. Chairman. $28 million, 200 thousand dollars, there is a reduction from $33 million dollars down to $28 million dollars.
Mr. Chairman, I think that was clarified earlier on the amounts that were available and budgeted for and reduction to take in and account the difference, logistics as well as the administrative pressures that were on the budget item.
In the previous years, we have seen increases in Compensation and Benefits and here there is a reduction, don’t we see any problems with this being reduced?
Hon. Ed. Picco: No, Mr. Chairman, what we are trying to do is reflect some of the anticipated savings that we have worked out within the Department itself and when you anticipate your expenditures, you base them on previous year’s expenditures, but also things that you know is going to occur.
So, we know we have been able to negotiate a better price, for example, uptakes from the Federal Government, for the Dentistry Travel.
We know that we have got a very good negotiation in place for the airline travel and so on.
So, we believe we are expecting that, as I said earlier in the budgets, but again, we have no control over fuel’s cost increase and so on, which they drive up ticket prices. So, it is based on the best information available to it.
We believe that is what the expenditures are.
That budget is, that is the very best guesstimate of what the expenditures will be in a given year.
Chairperson: McLean.
Just under Travel and Transportation, last year’s budget was $33 million, this year’s budget, well, estimate is $28 million and last year, I was looking at last year’s numbers for the Kivalliq.
It was over $13 million and this year, you are budgeting $10 million, which is a $3 million dollar reduction.
Mr. Chairman, we looked at the Total Budget Expenditures by category, in this case, it is travel.
We tried to anticipate what we believe are the pressures on the travel budget itself and we are trying to reflect over a period of time, what those savings will be under the contract that we have had out on the RFP.
We know that there are going to be some savings there.
Some of the other things that we have done, we also believe, based on the pressures that we faced last year and knowing the best information available to us, that there will be savings presented.
However, you still can control, for example, as the members talked about before, an RSV outbreak in Baker Lake where you may have to medivac 50 kids.
You can’t control that, so the best estimates that we have to bring forward based on the cost contingencies that are in place.
When you have a reduction of $3 million dollars in a region, there’s a very good reason.
Can you assure me as the Minister of Health, that nobodies safety is being compromised?
Hon. Ed Picco: Yes, I can, Mr. Chairman.
It’s not a reflection of saying someone can be medivaced or medical travel.
What we’re saying is, we could have taken the $3 million dollars and divided it among the three regions.
Overall, when we look at the total budget of the department for the travel amounts, we believe there are some economies of scale there.
We know that contract services are in place.
We know we’re negotiations with the Federal Government on the co-payments and so on.
So we believe we’re realistically reflecting what those cost contingencies will be.
However, after saying that, I still can’t control if there’s outbreaks and so on.
We’ve seen costs increase.
After this war for example, will the cost of air travel increase by 40 percent.
We believe we’re bringing forward realistic amounts based on some of the factors that we know.
On that reduction, is that just a number that’s plugged in there.
Like at the back, the Baffin, $10 million 800 thousand, the Kivalliq, $10 million 300 thousand, and the Kitikmeot, $5.9 million, is that based on any realistic figures because there’s a reduction of $5 million dollars.
Is that in actual fact, the true cost or are you just putting $28 million dollars in there and it will show up as $36 million dollars.
Is this a true reflection of what you’re going to spend this year?
No, Mr. Chairman, there’s a combination of the way the department puts together the analysis on the travel expenditures themselves.
So what’s reflected there are actual expenditures plus you have the three regions to look at, in differentiation.
In this case, Mr. Chairman, some of the travel would be filled out to headquarters.
So, when you do that, you account that as part of the Baffin region because of Iqaluit’s headquarters.
So that’s just to explain how the budget process is done.
At the end of the day, you say you’re going to spend $28 million dollars in travel.
You may spend $25, or you might spend $33.
You try to put together a realistic budget based on the dollars that are available to you, $151 million dollars, is what’s available to us and then you build your budget around what’s available.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $151 million 593 thousand dollars.
Chairperson (interpretation): Do you agree that the Department of Health and Social Services is completed.
I know that you were on TV that time live in Iqaluit when you were saying tavvauvutiit to me so I appreciate your very kind words.
I appreciate working with the members of the committee.
I want to especially thank the members of the health committee that I’ve had a chance to work with for the last four years.
You’ve been not only an inspiration but you’ve given us some very good direction.
So, with that, Mr. Chairman, I take my leave of the Committee of the Whole for this fiscal year.
I would like to move onto Housing Corporation please.
Mr. Chairman, as I stated during the budget address, there’s an acute shortage of housing through out our territory and as the principal supplier of housing in the territory, the Government of Nunavut plays the lead role in trying to find innovative solutions that would alleviate the chronic shortage of both privately owned and public housing units.
For fiscal year 2003/2004, Government of Nunavut funding to the Housing Corporation will increase by $1 million, 309 thousand dollars, from $76 million, 207 thousand dollars to $77 thousand dollars 516 thousand dollars.
The increase is made up of an increase of $1 million, 269 thousand dollars to local Housing Organizations for new public housing construction.
An increase of $140 thousand dollars to the Local Housing Authorities specifically targeted to pension costs.
This initiative is in cooperation with the Department of Community Government & Transportation.
And a decrease of $100 thousand dollars for funding for contract services from 2002/2003.
There is a further funding reduction from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation of $22 thousand dollars.
This is a small reduction in funding from the $58 million dollars per year that the Housing Corporation currently receives.
But it is significant in that it marks the start of yearly funding reductions from CMHC.
As all members are aware, a new partnering arrangement with the Federal Government is needed to resolve the problems that will be created by the declining federal funding and the chronic housing shortage that have historically plague our communities.
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to report that the implementation of the new public housing rent scale is on track and progressing well.
Our Local Housing Authorities have the significant task of reassessing the income of almost $4 thousand households.
We’ve also held public consultations in every Nunavut community to explain the changes to the rent scale.
Feedback from the public has been very good to date with consistent comments that the rent scale is easy to understand, fair and represents a positive step forward for public housing.
For 2003/2004, the Housing Corporation has projected a full staffing complement.
We currently expect the full salary allocation to be used during 2003/2004, with any savings from vacancies used by casual and other temporary personnel measures.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation expects to end the year within it’s budget, however, for budgetary purposes only, the travel and contract services lines have been adjusted downward slightly from 2002/2003 levels in order to present a balanced budget.
Mr. Chairman, in all the other material respects, the main estimates for the Nunavut Housing Corporation, remains unchanged from last year.
In closing, I would like to point out that we do not as of yet have a full operating year of experience with the staff housing portfolio.
Once the 2002/2003 fiscal year results are in, the corporation will be able to predict with more certainty, the ongoing Operations and Maintenance of managing this portfolio.
Mr. Chairman, we’ll be pleased to answer any questions the committee may have regarding the Housing Corporation’s main estimates at a future date.
Chairman of the committee.
As chair, of the Standing Committee on Community Empowerment and Sustainable Development, I am please to be able to provide opening comments as we begin to review the 2003/2004 main estimates of the 2003/2004 business plan for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Mr. Chairman, the standing committee has had the opportunity to meet with the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation and has carefully reviewed the corporation’s main estimates and business plan.
Mr. Chairman, members are encouraged by the corporation’s creation of a perpetual training fund for corporation staff, LHO staff and board members.