EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Again, I strongly urge the member, if he’s making these types of allegations in the House, that he back them up with documentation so that I can take it forward to the Power Corporation and have these supposed customers credited back onto their account.
The minister does not have to go far in asking for information.
He can request that information from the Power Corporation because the billing problems continue with NPC.
I would like to ask the minister: what qualifications are required by NPC to carry out the duties of power metre readings in Nunavut on a monthly basis?
Minister of Energy, Minister Ed. Picco.
The reading of a power metre is done by internal training within the corporation itself.
We actually have two usual types of power reading. In most of the smaller communities, the manager of the plant and their assistant read the metres locally.
In larger communities, for example, like Iqaluit, you actually have a dedicated metre reader and that’s what that person’s job would be.  The training, the expertise, the administrative knowledge as well as the logistic supports for that position are provided internally and locally at the Power Corporation in the given community.
Oral Questions. Member for Hudson Bay, Mr. Kattuk.
Question 279 – 2(4): Gasoline Subsidies to Communities (Kattuk)
My question is directed to the Minister of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs, the Premier.
Recently, we have heard that the price of gasoline will be going up.
Now, prices differ in the communities in Nunavut when compared to the south.
Gasoline is used to obtain food for families and generate family incomes and allows young people to go out and follow their fathers out on the land and thereby gain land skills.
Gasoline is able to better the lives of the people in our communities. But looking at the gas prices going up in the communities, I want to ask the Premier if subsidies have been requested from the federal government to the communities to help out with the gas prices within the communities, and if he has not, why not.
Minister Paul Okalik.
Fuel prices are not controlled by any single consumer in the market place, and so we don’t really have any say in it.
However, its importance is considerable and is much utilized in the communities in Nunavut as we are all aware.
We subsidize its price to achieve a cost reduction because of the importance of this product in maintaining our livelihoods, particularly in the communities.
The federal government has repeatedly stated that it does not get involved or subsidize the price set by the private sector. We are going to subsidize the fuel cost.
It wasn’t very good to hear that we are saying that the fuel cost is going to be expensive; it is already expensive.
Can he ask the federal government for subsidies to help the communities because the fuel cost for gas is too expensive and the fuel cost is very high in the communities?
Paul Okalik.
I remember that the Quebec government assisted with the price, but they still pay more in Quebec and southern cities compared to us.
We are looking after our people better than they do down south.
I don’t think he answered my question. I am asking, maybe the Premier himself could ask the federal government to get more help pertaining to the fuel cost in subsidies.
First, as I said earlier, that the government were told and asked and they just continued to say that these oil companies are owned by the private sector.
For that reason, for ourselves, as the Government of Nunavut, we are trying to assist our people in the communities. I know it would be a lot more expensive if we didn’t assist the communities.
What I was saying is that the use of gasoline in Nunavut is unique.
It helps the family to get more food and it gives them a brighter future.
I believe that the Nunavut Government has to provide more assistance and help because our life up here is unique.
Down south, people use gasoline to go to work.
These are people who are in the work force and do not appear to be in as much need for subsidy.
What I’m saying now is that in Nunavut, gasoline is assisting the family to be together and go hunting.
Perhaps, I would like to suggest to the Premier that he put this into consideration.
Question 280 – 2(4): Recruitment and Retention of Government of Nunavut Employees (Tootoo)
Mr. Speaker, earlier this month the minister issued a news release in which he indicated that on March 31 of this year the GN had achieved 50 percent Inuit employment.
This is good news. However, Mr. Speaker, these figures are now six months old.
Can the minister indicate to the House when he will release the GN’s employment figures for June and September of this year?
Minister of Human Resources, Honourable Louis Tapardjuk.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Yes, in regard to his question on the report on the employment figures, I will look into that for the months that he just asked, if they are available.
Once they are available, I’ll be very pleased to table them in the House, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Minister. (interpretation ends) Your first supplementary, Mr. Tootoo.
I believe that having current, accurate figures helps us in looking at our recruitment and retention, and problems that we have in the government.
I look forward to finding that out from the minister when that will happen.
Like I said, it’s almost six months overdue now.
Mr. Speaker, the government’s new Staff Housing Policy was announced over two years ago.
The minister’s department has been working with the Nunavut Housing Corporation to measure the impact of this policy on the GN’s recruitment and retention of employees.
Can the minister indicate to the House whether the Staff Housing Policy has had a positive or negative impact on recruitment and retention?
Although we had done a review on the GN employees who have resigned their jobs, we put out a questionnaire to find out why they had quit their jobs.
We still have not obtained the whole report.
We wanted to test this out for a whole year.
After interviewing the staff that are leaving, we will be reviewing the survey that was done with the Nunavut Housing Corporation along with Human Resources. We will be reviewing that information. We’ll have to provide a report of those results to the Cabinet.
To date, we have not completed the review yet because the housing issue is very difficult. That’s where we’re at today.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Minister. (interpretation ends) Your second supplementary, Mr. Tootoo.
The report he referred to, for the March 31 numbers that the minister released; the last one that has been released; indicates that there are 725 vacant positions across the GN’s departments and agencies.
Mr. Speaker, 312 of these vacancies are in the Department of Health and Social Services.
Can the minister indicate to me and to Members of this House what issues his department has identified with respect to recruitment and retention of positions for the Department of Health and Social Services?
Minister of Human Resources, Louis Tapardjuk.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): In regard to his question on the staff of Health and Social Services, we’ve had various problems as the minister keeps stating that they have a strategy on the employees of Health and Social Services, so therefore, I cannot respond to the strategy right now.
After we’ve reviewed that information, then we’ll be able to provide more assistance and make a recommendation to resolve this issue. After we review the results, then we will be able to come up with the information.
But at this point, I am not able to do that.
We all know now that’s been over a year since the GN’s collective agreement with the Nunavut Employees Union expired. We also know that there are a lot of problems with the retention of employees.
Can the minister assure the House that the GN’s offer to the union will be sufficiently generous to ensure that we encourage our existing employees to stay in their positions and their jobs with the GN, and also attract people to apply for the vacant positions that are out there?
By the way, that was your third and final supplementary.
To date, the negotiations have been going with NEU and GN but they have not talked about the dollar figures.
I understand next month, in the month of Christmas, they will be talking about the figures and start negotiating the numbers and that’s when we’ll find out how that will be.
To date, in regard to funding, I am unable to speak about that issue, Mr. Speaker.
Question 281 – 2(4): Table Consultant’s Report on NDC (Curley)
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Economic Development.
Last year, during our session in January 2006, the minister offered a reply to the House after I questioned him in regard to the consultant’s report on NDC. We now know that they were completed last January but when will the minister table that report?
The minister had already said during winter that he would table that report in the spring but spring has passed already.
I was wondering when the minister can table that report.
I apologize that the review referred to was delayed.
The report has finally been completed and our department had reviewed that information.
At this time, we have set up a group of staff consisting from the Departments of Economic Development and Finance. They are reviewing the report at this point to determine what else should be included in the document.
Mr. Curley: Thank you. (interpretation) My question was that the minister had already made a commitment during the standing committee that he would table the management consultant’s report after it has been completed and after it had been reviewed by his staff.
I would like to thank the minister that they have already done the review. The minister had already made a commitment to the House and after that statement that he would table that information.
Can the minister tell me that he will table that report as soon as possible because he has to follow through with his commitment which he have made in the winter of 2006?
Yes, I made a commitment to table that information or that report in the winter time.
But that review did not look as if they could put it into one.  So what I’m saying is that our staff and the Department of Finance are not reviewing it again with those two departments working together.
They’re reviewing that again, and I will look at the report to find out if it’s ready for tabling in the House.
I want to be quite clear. The minister made a commitment to table the report and I think that that commitment should be honoured once it’s made that the action will be taken.
The minister has assured us more than once that he will table the report to the House, to the legislature. Now, the minister, in his response to me, is saying the report is now being implemented and so on.
That’s fine and dandy, Mr. Speaker, but I think the commitment to honour by the minister is much more important.
So is the minister retracting his commitment to table the report, or will he table the report soon?
No, I did not say that the report is being implemented now.
I said that the issue was not examined to the satisfaction of the interdepartmental working group in terms of amalgamating the two Crown agencies. So that whole issue is being revisited.
As I mentioned, the issue was not examined to the satisfaction of the working group that the initial study that was done ran outside contract or consultant in terms of the amalgamation of the two Crowns.
But I did commit to the member a little earlier that I will revisit that report that we have now and see about tabling it in the House. I did make that commitment to revisit that issue.
Mr. Curley: Thank you. I appreciate the clarification.
Mr. Speaker, this assimilates the interest in the final report prepared by the consultant.
Whether or not it’s acceptable to the departmental officials is really not our concern. We are interested in the final product. Will the minister, again, make a commitment that he will table the report shortly?
Hon. David Simailak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have stated twice that I would look into this issue right away.
Speaker: Oral Questions. Member for Cambridge Bay, Mr. Peterson.
Question 282 – 2(4): Hedging Policy Used in 2007 Resupply (Peterson)
Mr. Speaker, we’re all well aware that regulations to allow the Government of Nunavut’s new Fuel Price Hedging Strategy to be implemented were published earlier this year in the Nunavut Gazette.
We’re also aware that the price of a barrel of oil is now over $90 U.S.; six months ago I think it was around $70 U.S. My question for the minister: Can the minister tell the House if the policy was able to be used for the 2007 resupply?
Minister of Finance, Honourable David Simailak.
Hon. David Simailak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) No, the Hedging Policy was not used for this summer’s fuel purchase.
Speaker: Thank you, Minister. Your first supplementary, Mr. Peterson.
Can the minister tell the House if he’s 100 percent certain that the Hedging Strategy will be used for the 2008 resupply?
I cannot give 100 percent guarantee that it will be used for next summer’s fuel resupply.
We use experts in this field from outside of government and a lot of our decisions in the future will naturally be based on those recommendations by those experts in the hedging business.
It was interesting that we passed the Hedging Policy and it wasn’t used. The minister is mentioning using experts.
Mr. Speaker, all members are aware that this strategy has some risk. While we could save some dollars, we could also bid the wrong way and actually pay more for our fuel.
Our Government Operations and Accountability Standing Committee publicly offered comments on this critical issue earlier this year in March 2007.
Mr. Speaker, it is important that the minister be candid with the public on this point. My question for the minister: can the minister indicate how much risk the Government of Nunavut is prepared to tolerate under the Hedging Policy?
Minister of Finance, David Simailak.
We now have a process in place to work with financial hedging instruments which would be limited to exchange trade and options contracts on both the New York and Chicago mercantile exchanges.
Those transactions will be guided by annual projected fuel volumes, consideration of working capital requirements, and management’s concerns regarding the cost of fuel.
It’s certainly encouraging to know that the minister’s department is working on the Hedging Policy, getting instruments in place that can help us and that they have experts advising them.
My question for the minister: can the minister tell us how well the Government of Nunavut’s Department of Finance is working with the Petroleum Products Division on moving forward with the Hedging Strategy?
Hon. David Simailak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) Yes, the two departments work very closely together because of the necessary information and background that is required.
So yes, both departments, PPD in CGS and also Finance, work very closely together on this issue.
Question 283 – 2(4): Recruitment & Retention Strategy FMB Proposal (Tootoo)
I would like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for Finance, who is also the Chair of the Financial Management Board.
Mr. Speaker, earlier today, the two ministers indicated that an important decision on implementation of the Nursing Strategy is hinging on a meeting with the Financial Management Board. Can he give us an indication on when they plan on having this meeting to look at that proposal?
Hon. David Simailak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I believe our next meeting is on November 5, or whatever the Thursday is of that week. I believe it is November 5.
Can the minister indicate if he is aware if that submission from the Department of Health will be on the agenda for that meeting?
No, I don’t know what’s on the agenda. I have not seen the agenda for the next FMB meeting yet.
I think it causes a little bit of concern if this government has something as important, such a good news story as the Nursing Recruitment and Retention Strategy that they’re talking about and other things the Financial Management Board has to look at.  It is my understanding that this policy was approved by Cabinet, so they should know if that’s something that they’re going to be looking at.
So I would like to ask if he can look into it and find out, and let us know if that’s something that’s going to be on the agenda.
No, as I mentioned in my earlier reply that I have not seen the agenda as yet. I will certainly look into it.
My next question is: who knows what’s on the agenda? When do you know? When is it determined?
These are some issues I’m sure that FMB deals with are issues that have been around for a while and they were issues that were brought up as a result of Cabinet decision.
Do we just wait until we walk into a meeting that morning and find out what we’re dealing with? Is that what happens?
No, we normally have the agenda set about 48 hours before the next meeting.
So again, I don’t know what’s on the agenda at this point. We can only deal with items as quickly as the departments can bring them to the FMB.
I have two more minutes of Question Period but I have no more names on my list.
Question 284 – 2(4): FMB Submission for Recruitment and Retention Strategy (Tootoo)
I would like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for Health.
Based on the Minister of Finance’s comments, can she indicate whether her department will have the submission ready to go forward to FMB earlier than November 5?
She said that would be the plan. Is that submission complete yet, or when do they anticipate having it completed?
The goal is to meet the deadline before the FMB meeting. Once that process is done, we’ll be dealing with the files on November 5 at the FMB meeting. Once that’s done, I’ll be glad to release the Nursing Recruitment Strategy.
In terms of what’s finalized, there’s work in progress related to the submission, and once that’s done, it will be submitted to FMB.
I believe it’s no secret that my former colleague from Qamanittuaq would say that our healthcare professionals were in a state of crisis here in Nunavut. When you look at the exorbitant demand that we have on agency nurses and the cost implications of that, this is something that is long overdue and needs to be implemented.
I urge the minister and all the FMB members that this is something that they need to address as quickly as possible.
Is that the direction in which the minister will be pursuing with her colleagues at FMB?
We recognize the urgency of getting the Nursing Recruitment Strategy released. We have been working on that for a good year now.
During our summer session in June, we had tried to put some money towards the Nursing Recruitment Strategy which was rejected in the House. So based on that, we are working to try and finalize this plan, more in detail...
An Hon. Member: A Point of Order.
Speaker: Ms. Aglukkaq, a Point of Order has been called.
Mr. Tootoo, go ahead with your Point of Order.
My Point of Order is that the minister is providing incorrect information to the Members of this House.
The department did not try to put any money towards the strategy in June and there was a ruling on that already.
So that should be withdrawn.
Ms. Aglukkaq, to the Point of Order.
This June, we had put forward a request to use some funding towards the kick-start of the Nursing Recruitment Strategy.
It is in the Hansard in June, during the Committee of the Whole, the allocation of the $1.5 million definition in this House was changed to remove any allocation of savings towards the Nursing Recruitment Strategy.
We tried to allocate money but that definition was changed in the House that we were not able to allocate any funding.
So this process that we are under is going to try and address the process of trying to get the funding for the Nursing Recruitment Strategy.
That is in the Hansard. The funding itself was approved but that funding was approved with a narrower definition was to only use the funding for agency nurses.
On October 26, the Speaker delivered a ruling which applies to the Point of Order just raised here. I find there is no Point of Order.
Oral Questions. (interpretation) The time for Question Period is now over. (interpretation ends) I’m sorry.
Did you have a final supplementary, Mr. Tootoo?
There will be none.
Committee Report 001 – 2(4): Interim Report on Review of Bills 6, Official Languages Act and Bill 7, Inuit Language Protection Act (Mapsalak)
I am pleased to have the opportunity today to provide the House with the Interim Report of the Standing Committee Ajauqtiit Review of Bill 6, the proposed Official Languages Act, and Bill 7, the Inuit Language Protection Act.
The Standing Committee Ajauqtiit held a public meeting on Bill 6 and Bill 7 in the Chamber of the Legislative Assembly from October 18 and 19, 2007.
A number of themes have emerged during the standing committee’s consideration of the bills. During the public hearings, a wide range of diverse perspectives and recommendations were articulated by witnesses.
In some cases, recommendations on certain issues differed between presenters. The report articulates these differences.
The standing committee looks forward to continuing its work on the review of Bill 6, the proposed Official Languages Act, and Bill 7, the proposed Inuit Language Protection Act.
The standing committee’s next step will be to invite the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth to appear before the standing committee during the week of December 3, 2007 to address issues emerging from the committee’s review.
This appearance will be held in public.
This will be the first time that a minister will appear in public before the standing committee at this stage of the legislative process regarding proposed legislation that has been brought forward in the House.
The standing committee strongly believes that such an appearance is warranted.
Language is very complex if you’re in Nunavut and many presenters strongly argue that the bill should be amended.
The standing committee looks forward to having the opportunity for a full discussion with the minister on these issues.
Mr. Speaker, that concludes my summary of the report of the standing committee and I know that the report be received by the House and that the report be printed in its entirety into Hansard.
Do members agree that the report of the standing committee be received and reprinted in Hansard?
Tabling of Documents. Mr. Peterson.
Tabled Document 131 – 2(4): Letter from the Minister of Finance re. Alcohol Education Committees (Peterson)
I wish to table the Minister of Finance’s letter in reply to my recent correspondence concerning the issue of support for Alcohol Education Committees and I thank him for his response.
The information contained will be of use to my community.
Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Peterson. (interpretation) Please bring the documents up.
(interpretation ends) Tabling of Documents. Mr. Mapsalak.
Tabled Document 132 – 2(4): Standing Committee Ajauqtiit on Bill 6, Official Languages Act and Bill 7, Inuit Language Protection Act – Written Submissions, October 2007 (Mapsalak)
I would like to table today a collection of written submissions that were provided to the Standing Committee Ajauqtiit on Bill 6, the proposed Official Languages Act and Bill 7, the Inuit Language Protection Act.
Tabled Document 133 – 2(4): Kugluktuk School – Photographs of Deteriorating Condition (Evyagotailak)
I wish to table a series of pictures that clearly shows the poor condition of the high school in Kugluktuk.
Our children should have a safe and comfortable learning environment.
Some Hon. Members: Hear, hear
Mr. Evyagotailak: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.  Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Evyagotailak.
Tabled Document 134 – 2(4): Ikummatiit – Government of Nunavut’s Energy Strategy – September 2007 (Picco)
It gives me great pleasure today to be able to table the following document; the much anticipated Government of Nunavut’s Energy Strategy, September 2007, Ikummatiit.
I would like the documents brought forward, please.