EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
So it is a matter of working that out and that is one of the things that I'll probably discuss when I have an opportunity to meet with him in a couple of days.
The second review that was mentioned in the budget is a program review.
An internal program review, the Government of Nunavut itself through the Premier’s office with the involvement of the Department of Finance with respect to what programs we have now.
Whether those programs are meeting the needs that we expect.
As members know we inherited a lot of the programs from the GNWT. We have made some modifications and some changes.
We have implemented some additional programs.
So now after two full years of operation, fairly shortly, I think it is a good opportunity.
The timing is right, given our fiscal circumstances, to review the programs that we have to see if they are adequate.
And, if not, to see where we would might want to make some changes to existing programs.
That answers my question.
The first part with the federal government, that’s the finance minister’s job to look for more funding and I am surely aware that he's aware of our situation in regards to housing and other needs.
But getting back to the other part of it where we are going to evaluate ourselves.
We are just coming on the eve of two years of being created as a new territory of Nunavut.
Do we have the experienced staff to do an evaluation of our own programs at this point.
Well certainly, Mr. Speaker, there is enough of a corporate history and experience now, internally, from staff whether it is Finance with actual expenditure control or else through Executive & Intergovernmental Affairs on some of the policy initiatives.
But having said that, I can foresee there would be some outside requirements, some expertise brought in, possibly organizations or individuals that have undertaken this type of initiative with other jurisdictions.
So, we would look at, obviously, bringing in as much expertise to the table as possible in trying to certainly identify the issues and make recommendations on a program review.
I don't want to take a knock at our government about program reviews and things like that.
But in the past we know sometimes the whole picture is not taken into account and that sometimes programs in the communities out there are the last ones to find out about programs that are to be cut.
Will this side of the House be involved in the final decision on program evaluation and if cuts are coming.
Members will note that question period is now over.
Following my understanding of the rules, I'd like to extend the question period for another half hour.
Speaker: The member will need unanimous consent to extend the question period.
The member does not have consent, question period will not be extended.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): I apologise, I made a mistake.
I apologise I missed an item.
I'd like to return to item 10 on the Orders of the Day.
Speaker: The member will require consent to return.
We have agreement.
Mr. Speaker I'm glad I can speak about the budget address, for 2001-2002.
Mr. Speaker I'd like to make a short response to the budget address.
I realize Mr. Speaker that the money or funds are not enough.
I know that government officials are working very hard in order to for us to make ends meet.
First under the Department of Education, when we were first elected we spoke about working on the Education System.
I still do not see the government implementing Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit in the schools.
I am saying that I would like to see it in next year’s budget.
Mr. Speaker, there are some issues in the communities that we are working hard towards, like the addition to a school in my riding.
It has been mentioned as something that will be done by the government, but I am still not confident about it.
Mr. Speaker, I was going to make a short reply to the budget address but I'd like to talk about Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
I realize that Culture, Language, Elders & Youth is a new department but we need to start seeing results. Under the Department of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth, the money put aside for Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit is only 1% and I would encourage that the government increase the 1%.
I say this because, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, if we are going to encourage Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit in the workplace it's very important that we provide for this to happen.
During our community consultations, we heard from people that they were encouraging us to struggle with Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and supporting this area.
Therefore, I encourage that more money be put into this program.
Petition 003 - 1(5): Support for NEU Contract Negotiations
I'd like to table a petition regarding the Northern Employees’ Union contract negotiations.
Speaker: Item 12.
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills. Item 14.
Item 15. Notices of Motions
Motion 004 - 1(5): Adjournment – Notice
I will move the following motion; I move seconded by the Honourable Member for Cambridge Bay that notwithstanding Rule 4, when the House adjourns on March 9, 2001 it shall be adjourned until March 15, 2001 1:30 pm.
Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Havioyak. Item 15. Notices of Motions.
Item 16. Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills. Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills.
Item 17. Motions.
By the authority vested in me by Motion 002-1(5), the Committee of the Whole will stay in session until it reports itself out, with Mr. Puqiqnak as Chairperson.
Before we proceed we’ll take a 15 minute break.
We can begin our afternoon session.
Just before we begin, I would like to let the members know that during questioning of the minister, we have to remember that we have 10 minutes for opening remarks from the members.
Please try not to go over 10 minutes because there are other members that would like to speak.
On Friday when we adjourned, we were on page 9-9.
Department of Education, Corporate Services.
I would like to ask the members if you wish to continue.
I would like to continue with the Main Estimates on Education.
Main Estimates 2001-2002.
Chairperson (interpretation): Do we agree that we do the Main Estimates.
Bill 1-Appropriation Act 2001-2002, Department of Education, Main Estimates.
Page 9-9.
Thank you. Minister Kilabuk you could perhaps go to the witness table with your officials.
You seem to know exactly where to go, so, thank you for that.
Mr. Minister, I wonder if you could introduce your officials again.
I would like to welcome an individual that was not here on Friday.
Mr. Moody is back with us today. He was away for a while.
On my left is Bob Leohr with finance, Department of Education.
Just for the sake of the members.
I would like them to recognize the Chair before and after you speak.
If the members could look at page 9-9.
Main Estimates for the Department of Education.
Any questions from the members on page 9-9.
If we can turn the page to 9-9, Department of Education.
Total O&M, 1 million 671 thousand dollars.
I am sorry. I made a mistake.
It is 1 million 671 thousand dollars.
Total expenditures, 30 million 991 thousand.
I just wondered if we could deal with the other ones first and then return to this 30 million 991 thousand dollars.
Perhaps that would be better Mr. Chairman.
I think this is the total expenditure.
Perhaps you can let me know Mr. Chairman.
Perhaps if we could take a look at the description first.
It is not the total.
It just includes the Capital.
Turning the page to 9-10.
Department of Education, branch summary.
Total operations and maintenance, 1 million 865 thousand dollars.
Under income support, I would like to ask a question about whether a study has been done yet.
I just wondered if the minister has done that or his department has done an evaluation.
Also, after the evaluation whether they have any idea what is happening with those people that go out trapping if they make too much money or people that go on commercial fishing, sometimes when they make quite a bit of money they reduce their assistance.
When are these things going to be addressed.
About the evaluation on income support, we have finished the review but we are waiting for the translation and approval by the Cabinet.
As soon as we can have that available after the Cabinet has approved it within about 5-6 weeks from now, we will be bringing it to the House.
I think I'm on the wrong page.
Perhaps I'm not supposed to be asking a question on 9-10.
I don’t think the total of expenditures for income support is on this page.
I think it was about 29 million but I'm not really sure what page it is on, and I will ask the question of the minister at that time.
We are on 9-10 at this time.
Therefore, I would like to ask a question.
Are they going to be using their staff, or are there going to be contract people doing the evaluation or the review.
Chairperson (interpretation): I just want to let the members know that the income support, I think we will be seeing it in the coming pages.
I think it's on 9-18.
I think you can ask that question at that time.
Just to make it clear to the members, I just want to ask the minister if income support is on 9.18.
Is that the page.
I want to ask the minister.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Yes, the income support money is on 9-18.Thank you.
Just before we go to 9-18, my question is about the review on the Income Support Program.
Will your staff do that or will it be under contract services.
Will it be done by contractors or by your staff.
Under contract services, there is 598 thousand that's going to be used. Are you going to be using contractors or are your staff going to do the evaluations.
The review has been done in five communities.
We have an individual that deals with the policy analysis, and some of my staff will be involved in the evaluation, but the five communities have already been reviewed.
Mr. Chairman, just to clarify. This section right here only deals with the administration portions of income support.
Yes, under 9-10, Income Support, that is just for the administration of the program.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Kilabuk.
Again, Mr. Chairman, the question I asked last week on Compensation and Benefits, is this amount under compensation and benefits based on 100% capacity.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Tootoo.
Mr. Kilabuk.  Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
We made it clear that there might be one or two, we’re short by one or two staff so I will ask my official to answer the question.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Minister.
Mr. Leohr.
Mr. Leohr: Mr. Chairman, there are six positions in this section of the branch.
Of that, all positions are filled.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Leohr.
I’m just wondering if there is an increase in PYs in this area over last year.
Just looking at the increase in numbers, I’m just wondering if there were additional PYs added to this area.
There is no increase in positions, it is for their Northern Allowance increase.
The money was put into the Northern Allowance.
This is the administrative section of Income Support so it does not, it doesn’t include all the Income Support Workers.
I’m just wondering, you know, there should be a lot more than six out there and I know that’s something maybe they’ve been looking for a lot people.
There always seems to be ads in the paper for Income Support Workers.
But I’m just wondering, and would like to ask where those, I would assume as part of the administrative function of providing that support, why they’re not listed in this area and where they are located.
Yes, Mr. Chairman, the Income Support is on 9-10 and we have a page 9-18, where you will see the Income Support Workers.
Compensation and Benefits under 9-18.
This sounds like the administrative section of that.
How come it doesn't reflect the income support workers in that area.
I'm just wondering if there's a rationale as to why, it seems a little confusing if you have the workers in one area, the field workers in one area and the administrative support for the program listed in a different area.
I don’t mean to disagree with that, I'm just wondering, maybe there's a good reason for that.
I'm just wondering if the minister or his staff could explain that.
Last week I mentioned that all my staff couldn’t be here.
If you don't mind Mr. Chairman, if I could ask the individual that works with income support services.
The individual is not here right now.
If I could call upon him.
Chairperson (interpretation): The individual that you said was not here, where is that individual Mr. Minister.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Yes, Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The individual is in this building but they can’t all be in the House at the same time.
We could have the individual come in.
Mr. Tootoo would you like to speak on 9-8.
The minister is saying the individual that deals with income support and the question at hand at this time, the minister would like to invite that individual.
Do the members agree.
Maybe it might be simpler to wait until we get to that.
I'm sure that the minister will have the income support person here when we do income support stuff and maybe I'll ask the question at that time.
I won't bother wasting time now.
I'm just surprised that they need someone else to answer that question.
So, I can wait and I'll ask that question when we get to 9-18 if that's okay with the rest of the members.
At this time, there is a bit of confusion here, so in order to get this going, Mr. Minister I think you had your hand raised first.
I'll let you speak first and then I'll continue on.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk: The reason why I asked to get our Director down to answer some of the income support questions was because I didn't know how much detail we were going to get into between page 9-10 and 9-18.
So, Mr. Chairman, I fully agree with the members that if we skip the current page that we are working on I'll make sure that we have our Director answer some of the detailed questions when we get on to 9-18.
Chairperson: Thank you, Mr. Minister.
In order to coordinate the meeting, page 9-10 and 9-18, we will have to get back to these pages.
Perhaps we can move on to 9-11.
You don't move mind moving to 9-11.
I had a question on 9-10.
Chairperson: (interpretation): Mr. Iqaqrialu.
I don't ask many questions on the Main Estimates.
However, I do have a question on this page.
It states this program strives to enable individuals to make productive choices according to their health, abilities and efforts from among the community.
What does this really mean.
It goes through the Department of Education.
What does it really mean.
It seems to be redundant. It seems to be twofold.
Perhaps this is trying to encourage people to start becoming self-reliant.
Perhaps the minister can clarify this for me.
We make our programs available to the individuals so that they can be productive and so that we could help them to make productive choices and so that they can become more self-reliant.
As we are all aware, this program strives to enable individuals so that they can make productive choices according to their health, their ability and their efforts from among the community though healing, education, training, and work opportunities.
That is how I can elaborate to you.
The reason I asked this question, in here it is under contract services, according to what you said.
You talk about contract services on the same page.
Therefore, I felt this did not fit the section.
Perhaps if he could elaborate further, Mr. Chairman.
I will try to elaborate further. I will try and explain this.
The main estimates were done through the Department of Education.
We analyze the income support programs regardless of the source of funding even if it goes through the consolidated revenue fund.
You'll be able to see revenue coming in and during our review of the main estimates under contract services, the contract services main estimates from last year were 599 and this year it's 598.
Perhaps the member has a different understanding than I do.
This 598 thousand to me I understand it as private, it gives support or initiates private businesses.
Is that what it means.
I will have my official elaborate Mr. Chairman, if that's okay with you.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you. Mr. Leohr.
Mr. Leohr: This 598 thousand dollars is program intervention and case management funding which is a contracted service.
The program intervention is compliance audits on the support payments and programs.
So that would be through outside agencies and consultants, and contracted workers.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Leohr.
This 598 thousand, would the communities be able to apply for funding from this program in order to become more self reliant, through the Department of Education.
Are the communities able to apply for funds through this program.
I know that we'll reach the applications in the other pages, we don't have detailed information for the 598, Mr. Chairman if that's okay with you.
So that it'll be easier to understand when the Director for the Income Support Program is in attendance, you may ask that same question at that time.
Page 9-10.
If not, we'll go on to the next page.
Education branch summary, Adult Education and post secondary services.
Total Operations, 9 million 406 thousand.
I did not really see the figure 19 million 406 thousand.
In here, it says adult education and post secondary services and that this mission will be accomplished through the focus areas of Nunavut Arctic College, apprenticeship trades education, to promote active participation in the family, the community and the workplace.
When the programs are geared towards adults would this program be part of the nursing training program or professional training programs.
I was wondering what these funds are geared towards because we have adults who are taking training courses and they are covered under student support services although it says here trades education.
So, I was wondering, could you clarify to me which one you are talking about.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Iqaqrialu. Mr. Minister.
On page 9-11, I will try and elaborate on those services.
Before I respond, the purpose of adult education is to promote active participation in the communities through Arctic College.
This program is for apprenticeship trades education or career development. Student financial assistance, has the majority of the budget under 17 million 619, grants and contributions.
There is 3 million 442 for student assistance; 13 million 664 for curriculum development; 150 thousand 673 for career development.
This is the detailed information.
In order to clarify the contents of this page if there should be any questions, 17 million 619 if you look on page 9-12, this is information for grants and contributions.
Mr. Iqaqrialu do you have further comments.
On page 9-13, this is an information item.
It's part of 9-12, so 9-12 and 9-13 are information items.
Thank you for clarifying that to me.
On page 9-13, it's total grants 17 million dollars.
We're now dealing with 19 million 406 thousand for total operations and maintenance.
This is a huge amount of money.
I'm sure it will be used by Nunavut Arctic College in Nunavut as a whole.
However, do the college operations in the communities apply to Nunavut Arctic College for this money if they want to run programs in the communities.
Do they apply for funding from this 17 million dollars.
Chairperson (interpretation): The 19 million 406 thousand, I'm sure that we are clear on that because 9-12 and 9-13 information items are for the 17 million dollars.
Would anyone like to respond.
Yes, in regards to the question that was posed whether the communities apply for funding through that.
Perhaps I can respond by saying that the communities’ adult education is given a lot of budget money and also the three larger campuses go through here too. So this funding is used to pay for the programs and services at the community level.
We are on page 9-11.
On the trades program it's part of that 17 million dollars, you have 673 thousand dollars in there.
I'm just trying to get a clearer picture where we go with this.
When we are talking about community-based or regional-based training programs.
Is this where you can do a partnership type of a trades program.
Is that clear.
I'm just trying to say a good example again is my home town they had this program just completed a couple of weeks ago on the cooking and carpentry and so on training with the DIAVIK and hamlet.
Is this where funding is available for those types of programs.
Which of you would like to answer this question.
The way the budget is allocated for partnership programs is that funding is provided to other field agencies that do job training related to this particular branch.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Minister. Mr. Havioyak.
Mr. Havioyak: The reason that I am trying to get some clarification is that I know most communities would like to have that type of program.
Again, we want to do that in the upcoming year.
I just want to, I guess, hear from you that this is going to be ongoing.
That there is ongoing funding for this type of project in the future.
I'd like to thank the member for asking this question.
In the last year, there was no funding for this particular program.
However, since we have made this program available for adult education it's been going quite well and people have been welcoming the program and there have been some applications from some communities to this particular program.
But last year the operations and maintenance should have been reviewed further and we hope next year that we might be able to get more funding for it.
However, at this time I have no exact figures for this year, for the last year.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Kilabuk. Mr. Havioyak.
Mr. Havioyak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to make clear, as years go by this should be the way it is controlled because we worked really hard on this from the communities.
When education takes place in communities, people tend to complete rather than going to other places.
This is not really a question but this needs to be taken into consideration when programs are available in communities.
Adult Education is complete.
People complete their education.
I just wanted to make this comment, this needs to continue yearly and not be forgotten.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you I didn't hear any question here, this is probably just a comment.
I have written down Mr. Nutarak next.
Under the 17 million there was a question posed earlier.
Before we are through with 9-11, I would like to ask questions on page 9-12, as well as 9-13, on the program descriptions summary.
I stated earlier 9-12 and 9-13 are the summary of this program under 19 million 406.
Page 9-12 and 9-13 are described in the total operations and maintenance.
These two pages are together.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Under 17 million 619. 9-12. 9-13.
Under 9-13, thirteen million are exactly the same as 9-12.
Moving to 9-12 on the top page, student financial assistance is 3 million.
For last year it's the same thing, and for the main estimates for this year, the same.
What do they use this budget for. How many students are budgeted for, maybe probably 10 students or is it just for operations and maintenance for the Student Financial Assistance Program.
Can the minister answer this question.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Nutarak.
This grant is to support about 300 students.
These are developed using last year’s revised estimates for operations and maintenance and also the grants given to individual students.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. Mr. Nutarak.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Further down, teacher education strategy.
There’s no funding available there.
Why is there no funding available this year.
Chairman: Thank you.
As I stated earlier, these two budgets have been moved over to the Early Childhood Education and School Services program.
This funding has been moved over to that particular program.
Chairman: Mr. Nutarak.
Turning the page, on 9-13, 673 thousand dollars.
This funding was introduced, we welcome that but this amount of funding, would this be destined for communities or is it just headquarters funding.
I’d like that explained further.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you.
The money will be spent in the communities.