EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
We also saw on TV last year some students being interviewed.
One thing that we found was that there are not enough Inuit teachers at the high school in Iqaluit.
That was one of the concerns that the students had when they were being interviewed.
Iqaluit, as a capital, I believe should have Inuit teachers at the high school level.
There are more and more people coming down to Iqaluit looking for employment.
There is also forced growth being experienced by Iqaluit.
Of course there is an extreme shortage of housing here in Iqaluit, I believe that part of the solution would be to hire Inuit from Iqaluit who already have housing.
Those are the main comments that I wanted to make Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman (interpretation): There are no questions.
Any comments from the witness table.
It is very good to hear, I fully support that our future endeavours will be looked at in a positive way.
For example the Pond Inlet School has good news and as well we also have Inuinnaqtun slowly growing.
I would encourage the department and the minister to strongly recommend that we create more Inuit teachers.
As my colleagues are aware I have stated in the house, in my region in the Kitikmeot, in the communities where we speak Inuinnaqtun, write in Inuinnaqtun it is a slow process.
I want to ask a question in regards to that.
Speaker (interpretation): Did you have a question there Mr. Havioyak.
I know we are trying to get some teachers into our school through the programs you have today.
One thing that I want to ask you was, earlier on during this session, I asked about some type of an agreement with an some university, before they entered into the Teacher Education Program. They have a working relationship with the McGill University, I'm not sure, is there some policy in there that, or do you have a copy of this policy if there is or an agreement.
Speaker: (interpretation): Mr. Kilabuk.
Mr. Kilabuk: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
We are working with McGill University through an agreement.
We can get hold of the policies if you would like to review them and these policies are used for the education students.
Yes, I would like to see a copy of the letter.
(interpretation ends) The reason I'm asking that question is that in my community some of the students are very interested in becoming a teacher, that's why they enrol and not being in the school system for at least 1st level, 2nd level and so on.
But during that time they have a hard time getting through, they might have failed one or two subjects and the rest of the subjects they do okay but because of that one subject they will repeat it next year.
But on the final year, they say because they have failed this second time maybe I think that how it goes, correct me if I'm wrong, that you will not be in that system again because you failed.
But still the student is very interested in becoming a teacher and in that, correct me if I'm wrong I'm just saying this so you can elaborate on what I want to have clarified.
They state in that policy you can only enter again in three years because you have failed that subject.
In the future we want change it so the students that fail could continue right after the lesson instead of waiting three years.
If they have to wait for three years, they're going to lose interest because they are going to forget about what they did learn.
So I just want some clarification on that, if I'm wrong you can correct me.
I apologise, in response to your comments we want to look into it further and once I get the information we will let the member know.
I don’t know if there's such a line in there but I will give my Deputy the opportunity to respond.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you. Mr. Rich.
Mr. Rich: As far as I'm aware there's no direct policy under the NTEP program that would have the three year prohibition if you fail.
I think what you might be referring to is when a person is enrolled in a University course and is getting student assistance through FANS and there if you fail a term or fail a year there is a three year waiting period before you again qualify for the FANS support.
Now that's something that's being looked at as part of our overall review of the FANS policy but the NTEP is a different type of program and operates on a course by course basis.
It doesn't have that same three year ban, unless a person has gone to take a University program some place.
As far as I know anyway.
We will do some further checking to see.
I don’t want to sound negative about it but I'd like to see this resolved for the future.
Then we can work together to get more people in the school to work in the school so I want to work with you on that, I do have some letters to go into but I'll leave that at this point, and we'll work together on that issue.
We will look forward to your letter and I do know that this is not the first time this issue has been brought forward.
We do provide information to the public and I’m sure there are some that are not easy to understand.
But of course our department is open if you would like further information on any of the educational issues.
Chairperson (interpretation): Do you have any other comments.
I do have a question.
I’ll make it as brief as possible and if I make a mistake please tell me.
It will be something to do with the Inuit culture.
There are students out there who I fully support because of course they will have to be educated in the future before they get into the job market.
Then there are the elders who are unilingual but can teach Inuktitut.
They can teach about the environment and Inuit lifestyles, the tools and so on.
As you probably know there are fewer and fewer elders out there who have this knowledge.
What is your department doing about including the unilingual elders in the school system so they can teach the students about Inuit culture, language and so on.
With Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit we do want to include the elders and that was one of the goals that we set up when we were first created in 1999.
We have always welcomed elders in the school environment.
They are repeatedly asked to return.
But when we’re talking about federal money, that funding doesn’t come to us any more.
What we have tried to do within our department is to include the elders and have them do Inuktitut instruction.
They did that in one of the communities.
We do know they are very experienced and there were quite a number of individuals who were able to get certificates and did good work from this group.
Mr. Chairman, when you look at this minister’s statement it talks about the success that they had in Pond Inlet as being able to have all Inuit staff.
I’d just like to ask the minister what levels of Inuit staffing there are right here in Iqaluit.
In Iqaluit we are at 38 percent Inuit staffing levels.
I know there has been a push in the government departments as a whole to try and attract teachers and they are putting them through this program.
I would like to ask the minister if he's aware of how many teachers, how many Inuit teachers they've lost, that left the system in the last couple or two years.
I apologise to the member, I do not have the numbers here.
But teachers move, there have been Inuit teachers who have moved on to other jobs, including the government.
They are extremely experienced teachers but I can't tell the member exactly how many have moved on to other jobs.
But there are teachers who have moved on to other jobs and some of them are working with our department.
Mr. Chairman, I am aware and we are concerned that we are losing Inuit teachers, experienced Inuit teachers, from our system.
I think part of it and I'm not saying all of it because I don't know, but a good contributing factor to this, is the fact that you look at the numbers of class sizes that they are having to deal with.
You know those are numbers that I know that both yourself and your Deputy heard at the annual meeting of the DEA here in the last couple of weeks.
Daunting numbers like 31 kids in a class and one teacher.
Who in their right mind would want to do that or go to work from 9-5.
I think we have to take a look at addressing some of these issues so that we don’t lose these teachers.
It's here and it's going to happen more in the other decentralised communities as the population grows and good jobs come in and not only the decentralised but all the communities.
That's becoming a growing factor that we have to deal with.
I think dealing with the conditions that these teachers work under is something that we're going to have to deal with in order to ensure that we retain these teachers and also make it more attractive to students that want to go into the education field to be able to want to go and work.
That's more a comment Mr. Chairman.
But I urge again, and other people have urged the department and it's a good thing the Minister of Human Resources is here listening too, we have to find ways you know to make that profession and those public servants within government to make it an attractive and affordable place to work. That includes good benefits and the conditions that they work under.
Going back to the recruiting and hiring of Inuit teachers and principals, vice principals.
Who is responsible for the hiring of these positions.
Is it the department does that or is it the Department of Human Resources.
Who is responsible for the hiring and interviewing of those teachers, principals, and vice principals.
The Department of Education does the hiring but we work with DEAs to recruit staff.
Mr. Chairman, when the department and the DEAs in the communities are looking at hiring the principals and vice-principal and teachers.
Are there any special treatment or consideration given to Inuit applicants.
The beneficiaries of Nunavut are considered as a priority and so that’s in the policy where we try to hire Inuit first.
Mr. Chairman, when the minister states that there’s like a priority one or a P-1 or whatever they’re called, is that just based on the results of the interview or are there specific, may I rephrase that question.
Do you base those results based on the results of the interview.
I’ll get my Deputy to reply.
The specific government priority hiring guidelines are used, and essentially what happens is the interview panel when it’s formed considers the job and sets a pass mark if you will.
They set a percentage mark, which is the minimum requirement of any candidate to qualify for the position.
And then the candidates are interviewed for the position and all of those who score above the acceptable mark are considered and then there’s, according to government policy, there’s a number of things that are looked at.
One of the things is if only one of those is a beneficiary and they’ve met the minimum standards then they would be the person that would be offered the position.
It is based on the interview and obviously that’s also looked at their qualifications, etcetera and the reference checks.
So that’s how it’s done.
If there would be let’s say two beneficiaries that would both achieve the minimum required mark then it goes on which of those two had the highest score on the interview.
Mr. Tootoo: Thank you, Mr. Chairman and thank you, Mr. Rich. That’s a very good explanation. So I guess when people are being interviewed the questions for the interview and the circumstances don’t change with the candidates.
The same questions and same circumstances to all the candidates that are being interviewed and how they’re graded at, if they’ve passed that’s considered.
Under no circumstance you have special questions for any candidates, special questions or circumstances for other candidates.
That they’re all always consistent for all candidates.
Yes, the department uses very consistent working guidelines in the interviews and I can assure the member that there are no special questions for different candidates.
Just briefly, this is a concern from my community.
We are planning for, we're waiting for the Education Act, and the minister spoke about it just recently.
We're anticipating it to be tabled.
The plans will benefit the people of Nunavut but even with that we will have to bring out our concerns.
The population of Nunavut is growing.
Amendments will have to be made one time or another.
In the past, students would quit their schooling at grade eight or ten.
For example in the Kitikmeot, when the jobs are open, when there is an job opportunities they usually ask for a grade 12 graduates.
When students want to attend to high school they were often sent to Yellowknife, to attend or complete their grade 12.
Quite often when the students were homesick they just quit and returned home.
In my constituency, in the year 2000 there were I think three or 4 graduates, they have gone through to higher education.
They had applied for college or university, I think because there wasn't enough space in the program they weren't able to attend, for instance, Nunavut Sivunitsavut.
There was a student/graduate that applied for Nunavut Sivunitsavut and because there was no space available he or she couldn't attend.
There are other students, other people that have applied for the renewable resources officers programs.
There are people that have grown up not being able to see or have deformities.
I think we have to start considering what we can do. I have a deaf/mute child, a daughter that I adopted and she's gone to Vancouver for school because there's nothing available in Nunavut for what she needs to train in.
My question for the minister today is if a disabled person wanted to learn sign language, is there a program like that available in Nunavut.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you. Mr. Kilabuk.
In Nunavut we are aware that disabled persons, whether they are disabled mentally or physically, need more assistance and it doesn't matter where you are from.
The teacher would have to have certain qualifications to deal with, it depends on what kind of disability individual has.
We work with Department of Health and Social Services and when a person is disabled it has to be they would have to be seen by a doctor and identified as to what the needs are.
Within the school year we are able to plan on what kind of programs should be available for an individual who has a disability.
For instance we don’t want them to just sit in class, when a child is in a classroom it has to be meaningful.
As the Department of Education we are aware that there are a lot of areas that we need to deal with.
We have professionals that are able to respond to what is needed and to identify what is available.
Chairperson (interpretation): You want to continue. Mr. Puqiqnak.
As parents we know what is needed in the communities and it's for the betterment of the individual and child.
When a student has completed grade 12 and there's really no programs available graduate to further their education, I think we should provide as much opportunity as we can for graduates as a government.
I know you as a graduate would want to have something available but quite often there are problems we come across problems in trying to get into programs.
There are a lot of stumbling blocks that we have to work on and I am in agreement with the member’s concern as well but we also have to look at the reality as to what these stumbling blocks are.
One of the big problems that I often hear about further education not being available in that communities is the communities do not provide education past grade twelve. As well we always hear that students decided to further educate themselves, past grade twelve that is too far to go out of their community as well.
Also that the student that do go up to grade twelve are leery because there's not a large amount of students in some communities if one student wanted to get educated in a specific field.
There would be only one or two students and than the student would have be taught up to four years in order to become a qualified professional in a certain field.
For carpentry they would have to take up to six years and this is more of a popular program because it helps in respect to economic in the community, there are also other problems that do arrive, with in respect to your concerns.
I will make mine very short and bitter, short and sweet.
I never how this expressions used.
Mr. Chairman, we still treat our NTEP students not very good, there's a whole lot of improvement over the years. The subjects that are being taken are very good but housing, accommodation, allowances are still not good.
If you are not completed determined, makes you want to just quit and go home.
The things that I like to talk about are assignments to new teachers.
In the olden days the new teacher would be given the worst class, most number of pupils in that class like an initiation to becoming a new teacher. What happens is that the teachers that have been there longer make reservations with the principal with the time of experience that she or he has get favourable classes in the new year in the new school year.
I hope this is not happening in Nunavut.
This is completely discouraging for new teachers.
Some of them quit early because of that.
Some of them get new jobs elsewhere.
How can they become teachers.
I hope that the department and the government make a practice of you know of having a policy of fairness for new teachers to encourage them to stay.
And when they get the experience then they will love it.
And some of them stay just because they got courage and want to succeed.
I would like to you know have this department to inform their principals and DEAs that this kind of practice in the olden days is not being practiced in Nunavut school.
That’s all I have to say and it’s just a comment, Mr. Chairman, thank you.
Chairperson (interpretation): Do you have any questions.
Would you like to respond, Mr. Kilabuk.
I understand my colleagues concern or comment.
I think it was two years ago I went to Pangnirtung and met with this teacher and the teacher wanted to learn very quickly.
This teacher I interviewed had gone to Pangnirtung and the other teachers were introduced to him and then he found that it was very difficult to teach in a northern community like Pangnirtung.
I understand very well what the member is talking about.
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): I move that we report progress.
Chairperson (interpretation): Are you agreed that Minister's Statement 096 – 1(5) is concluded.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Minister and your officials for appearing before us.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Thanks to all of you also. I wanted to remind you of this important occasion of the Pond Inlet School having an all Inuit staff. We want build on that and are very proud of that.
Carried. I will rise and report progress.
Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 12 and Bill 18 and would like to report that Bill 12 and 18 are both ready for a Third Reading and further your committee has considered Minister's Statement 96-1(5) and would like to report that Minister's Statement 96-1(5) is concluded.
Mr Speaker, I move that the Report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.
Mr Speaker: There is a motion on the floor, is there a seconder for the motion.
Motion is in order, all those in favour.
Bill 12 - Appropriations Act No. 1, 2002/2003  - Third Reading
Hon. Kelvin Ng : Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I move seconded by the Honourable Member for Hudson's Bay, that Bill 12 Appropriations Act No. 1 2002/2003 be read for the third time.
Mr Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Ng. The motion is in order.
Bill 12 has had third reading. Third Reading of Bills.
Mr Ng.
Bill 18 - An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act  - Third Reading
Hon. Kelvin Ng: I move seconded by the Honourable Member for Baffin South, that Bill 18, an Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act be read for the third time.
Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Ng. The motion is in order.
Bill 18 has had a third reading.
Orders of the Day for Friday November 30th, 2001
015 - 1(5)
016 - 1(5)
We are now adjourned until Friday November 30th, 2001.
>>House adjourned at 5.55 p.m.
Friday November 30, 2001
2269 – 2315
Opening Prayer 2269
Assent To Bills 2269
Ministers' Statements 2269
Members' Statements 2272
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 2280
Oral Questions 2280
Tabling of Documents 2297
Motions 2298
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 2298
Report of the Committee of the Whole 2314
Orders of the Day 2315
Friday November 30, 2001 2269
127 - 1(5): Archaeological Exhibit (Kattuk) 2269
128 - 1(5): M'Clintock Channel Polar Bear Moratorium (Akesuk) 2270
129 - 1(5): Nunavut Arctic College Annual Report (Kilabuk) 2271
130 - 1(5): Interdepartmental/Interagency Suicide Prevention Committee (Picco) 2272
357 - 1(5): “Grind and Brew” Relocation (McLean) 2272
358 - 1(5): Cough Medicine (Arvaluk) 2273
359 - 1(5): Nanisivik Mine Closure (Williams) 2273
360 - 1(5): Assistance by Catholic Priests to Kugaaruk (Alakannuark) 2274
361 - 1(5): Arrival of Police in Inuit Camps (Irqittuq) 2275
362 - 1(5): Arts and Crafts Producers (Puqiqnak) 2275
363 - 1(5): Polar Bear Zones (Iqaqrialu) 2276
364- 1(5): Meaning of Quickstop (Kilabuk) 2276
365 - 1(5): MLAs Vs. Women’s Hockey Team Challenge (Tootoo) 2277
366 - 1(5): Above and Beyond Magazine Owned by Inuit (Anawak) 2278
367 - 1(5): Hunting Experiences in Hall Beach (Picco) 2278
368 - 1(5): Recognition of Cape Dorset & Kimmirut Pages (Akesuk) 2279
369 - 1(5): Role of DEAs Working with the Department of Education (Tootoo) 2280
370 - 1(5): Allocation of Extra RCMP Positions (McLean) 2282
371 - 1(5): Artifacts Exhibition (Nutarak) 2284
372 - 1(5): Ensuring Patients Have Room in Boarding Homes (Iqaqrialu) 2285
373 - 1(5): Funding to Replace Polar Bear Hunts (Irqittuq) 2286
374 - 1(5): Traditional Hunting Techniques (Alakannuark) 2288
375 - 1(5): Loss of Revenue from Carving (Puqiqnak) 2289
376 - 1(5): Number of Grievances Filed (Tootoo) 2290
377 - 1(5): Working Group (Williams) 2292
378 - 1(5): Study of Grizzly Bears - Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit & Biologists (McLean) 2293
379 - 1(5): Urgency of Polar Bear Issue (Iqaqrialu) 2294
061 - 1(5): Nunavut Arctic College Annual Report (Kilabuk) 2297
062 - 1(5): Letters & Press Release Regarding Nanisivik Closure (Williams) 2297
063 - 1(5): Response to Tabled Committee Report on Income Support (Kilabuk) 2297
064 - 1(5): Report on Payment of Indemnities, Allowances & Expenses (Speaker) 2297
015 - 1(5): Referral of Language Commissioner Annual Report to Ajauqtiit (Alakannuark) 2298
016 - 1(5): Referral of Information & Privacy Commissioner's Report to Government Operations (Nutarak) 2298
Bill 12 - Appropriation Act No. 1, 2002/2003 - Assent 2269
Bill 18 - An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act - Assent 2269
Bill 13 - Supplementary Appropriation Act No. 2, 2001/2002 - Consideration in Committee 2299
Speaker (Mr. O'Brien): I would like to call on Minister Kilabuk to say the prayer.
Speaker: Good morning. Ublakkut.
Good morning members before we start on the Orders of the Day, I would like to ask the Clerk to ascertain if the Commissioner of Nunavut, Mr. Irniq, is prepared to enter the chamber to give assent to bills.
Good morning Mr. Speaker, Deputy Premier Mr. Ng, Members of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut.
As the Commissioner of Nunavut I am very pleased today to assent to the following bills.
Bill 12 - Appropriation Act No. 1, 2002/2003  - Assent
Bill 18 - An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act  - Assent
I am pleased to have been able to assent to these bills this morning.
To all Nunavut residents I wish you the best Christmas season and a safe trip home to all the Members of the Assembly.
Minister's Statement 127 - 1(5): Archaeological Exhibit
I would like to inform the members about an important educational project created in co-operation between my department and the Canadian Museum of Civilization.
We have prepared an archaeological exhibit called the Ancient History of Nunavut.
Twenty reproductions of tools, hunting implements and art objects are copies of those recovered over many years prior by archaeologists studying Tuniit and Thule sites in Nunavut.
This beautiful exhibit encourages us to recall with pride the skills and knowledge of our ancestors.
People who thrived for countless generations by finding all they needed from the land.