Nunavut Canada LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NUNAVUT 5th Session 1st Assembly HANSARD Official Report DAY 19 Thursday March 22, 2001 Pages 932 - 1017 Iqaluit Acting Speaker: Mr. Donald Havioyak, M.L.A. Legislative Assembly of Nunavut Speaker Hon. Kevin O’Brien (Arviat) Ovide Alakannuark Hunter Tootoo Hon. Jack Anawak (Akulliq) (Iqaluit Centre) (Rankin Inlet North) Minister of Community Enoki Irqittuq Hon. Ed Picco Government and Transportation (Amittuq) (Iqaluit East) Deputy Chair, Committee of the Minister of Health and Social Hon. Manitok Thompson Whole Services; Minister Nunavut (Rankin Inlet South-Whale Power Corporation Cove) Uriash Puqiqnak Minister Responsible for Nunavut (Nattilik) Hon. Paul Okalik Housing Corporation; Minister of Deputy Speaker (Iqaluit West) Public Works and Services Premier; Minister of Executive Glenn McLean and Intergovernmental Affairs; Hon. Olayuk Akesuk (Baker Lake) Minister of Justice (South Baffin) Minister of Sustainable Hon. Kelvin Ng Donald Havioyak Development (Cambridge Bay) (Kugluktuk) Deputy Premier; Minister of Jobie Nutarak Finance and Administration; James Arvaluk (Tunnuniq) Minister of Human Resources; (Nanulik) Government House Leader David Iqaqrialu Hon. Peter Kilabuk (Uqqummiut) Hon. Peter Kattuk (Pangnirtung) Deputy Chair, Committee of the (Hudson Bay) Minister of Education Whole Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth Rebekah Williams (Quttiktuq) Officers Clerk John Quirke Deputy Clerk Clerk of Committees Law Clerk Sergeant-At-Arms Hansard Production Leona Aglukkaq Nancy Tupik Susan Cooper Joanisie Arreak Innirvik Support Services Box 1200 Iqaluit, Nunavut, X0A 0H0 Tel (867) 975-5000 Fax (867) 975-5190 Toll-Free (877) 334-7266 Website: www.assembly.nu.ca Table of Contents Opening Prayer ............................................................................................................... 932 Ministers’ Statements...................................................................................................... 932 Members’ Statements...................................................................................................... 935 Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery............................................................................ 939 Oral Questions ................................................................................................................ 941 Written Questions ........................................................................................................... 956 Replies to Opening Address............................................................................................ 957 Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters .......................... 959 Report of the Committee of the Whole......................................................................... 1016 Orders of the Day.......................................................................................................... 1016 A. Daily References Thursday March 22, 2001............................................................................................... 932 B. Ministers' Statements 042 – 1(5): Long Service Awards (Ng) ......................................................................... 932 043 – 1(5): National Social Work Week in Nunavut (Picco) ........................................ 933 044 – 1(5): Science Summer Experience Program (Kilabuk) ....................................... 933 045 – 1(5): Nunavut Sealing Strategy (Akesuk)............................................................ 934 C. Members' Statements 137 – 1(5): Congratulations to Maggie Gordon (Picco) ................................................ 935 138 – 1(5): Traditional Life & Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (Alakannuark)........................ 936 139 – 1(5): Long Service Award – Maggie Gordon (Iqaqrialu).................................... 936 140 - 1(5): Charles Ward’s Lawsuit Against Federal Government (McLean) .............. 937 141 - 1(5): Language Barrier in Application Forms (Irqittuq) ...................................... 938 D. Oral Questions 165 – 1(5): Fur Price Assistance for Fox Pelts (Arvaluk) ............................................. 941 166 – 1(5): Mining Opportunities and Employment (Iqaqrialu) ................................... 942 167 - 1(5): Staffing Competitions and Capacity (Tootoo)............................................. 944 168 - 1(5): Communities Eligible for Training (Williams) ........................................... 945 169 - 1(5): Fur Price Subsidy Limit (Nutarak) .............................................................. 946 170 – 1(5): Staff Housing and Decentralization (Irqittuq)............................................. 947 171 - 1(5): Court Challenge by David Ward (McLean) ................................................ 949 172 - 1(5): Elders Societies and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (Alakannuark) ..................... 950 173 - 1(5): Payroll Division and Turnovers (Tootoo).................................................... 952 174 - 1(5): Job Competitions for Decentralization (Irqittuq)......................................... 953 175 – 1(5): Delay of Court Cases (Iqaqrialu) ................................................................ 954 176 – 1(5): Income Support Deductions (Nutarak) ....................................................... 955 E. Written Questions 012 – 1(5): Nunavummi Nangminiqaqtunik Ikajuuti (Tootoo) ..................................... 956 F. Replies to Opening Address Reply 001 – 1(5): Mr. Alakannuark................................................................................ 957 Thursday March 22, 2001 Nunavut Hansard 932 Iqaluit, Nunavut Thursday March 22, 2001 Members Present: Honourable Olayuk Akesuk, Mr. Ovide Alakannuark, Honourable Jack Anawak, Mr. James Arvaluk, Mr. Donald Havioyak, Mr. David Iqaqrialu, Mr. Enoki Irqittuq, Honourable Peter Kattuk, Honourable Peter Kilabuk, Mr. Glenn McLean, Honourable Kelvin Ng, Mr. Jobie Nutarak, Honourable Paul Okalik, Honourable Ed Picco, Honourable Manitok Thompson, Mr. Hunter Tootoo, Ms. Rebekah Williams. Item 1: Opening Prayer Acting Speaker (Mr. Havioyak) (interpretation): I would like to ask Mr. Iqaqrialu to say the opening prayer. >>Prayer Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Iqaqrialu. Item 2. Ministers’ Statements. Minister Ng. Item 2: Ministers’ Statements Minister’s Statement 042 – 1(5): Long Service Awards Hon. Kelvin Ng: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the last two evenings, the Department of Human Resources hosted a reception and a banquet to recognize and thank numerous government employees in Iqaluit for their long service to public service. The department is hosting award ceremonies across Nunavut to honour employees who have reached five, ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five and thirty years of public service. Recognition ceremonies were held earlier this year in Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk. We are currently planning to hold long service award ceremonies in the rest of Baffin, Kivalliq and Kitikmeot communities during the month of April. I was pleased to be there along with the Premier and many of my colleagues to recognize the Government of Nunavut’s valued employees. These individuals have worked continuously over the years to build much of the public service that exists today. Mr. Speaker, as the Government of Nunavut’s longest serving employees, these award recipients have been part of monumental change in the North – in not just one but two territories. Many of these employees were part of the building of the public service in the early days of the Northwest Territories. And now, they are in the early days of building the public service within the Government of Nunavut. Mr. Speaker, the collected wisdom of these employees, the experiences they have had in their years of service, is not something that can be learned through textbooks – it is Thursday March 22, 2001 Nunavut Hansard 933 something that can only be gained through hard work and experience. We consider ourselves fortunate, as politicians and leaders, to be able to rely on their advice and experience as our fledging government continues to grow and develop. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Government of Nunavut, I want to thank our employees for the dedication they have shown and for the commitment they have demonstrated in building something that will set the stage for the future of our public service. >>Applause Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Ng. Ministers’ Statements. Ministers’ Statements. Mr. Picco. Minister’s Statement 043 – 1(5): National Social Work Week in Nunavut Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a few minutes today to recognize National Social Work Week in Nunavut. There are few among us whose lives have not been touched by the contributions of social workers. While many of us take the work they do for granted, it is during the difficult times we are reminded of the important role they play in our lives. They are there when children are born or adopted. They are there in difficult economic times and during times of illness or death. They can be found helping parents cope with an unwell child, or assisting elders and families through times of transition. Mr. Speaker, Social Workers provide the government with a hand of compassion with which to reach into communities to provide vital services to people and indeed Mr. Speaker, families in need. As the Minister of Health & Social Services, I would ask that you join me in this House in recognizing March 19-25, this week 2001