Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform my colleagues about the support the Government of Nunavut has provided to communities in Eastern Canada who have been impacted by hurricane Fiona.
On Saturday, September 24, hurricane Fiona hit Nova Scotia, eastern Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The storm left many without power and tremendous debris throughout communities. Storm surges swept away homes. I was saddened to hear there were lives lost due to this historic, extreme weather event.
Mr. Speaker, I want to extend my heartfelt sympathy to those impacted by hurricane Fiona in… read more.
Mr. Speaker,
I rise today to announce the successful completion of the Nunavut Elders and Seniors Strategy.
When it comes to our Elders, time is running out. That sense of urgency is something that our government has heard loud and clear from Elders. We need to act now to make their lives better. It was with this urgency in mind that our government took on the work of developing an Elder and Seniors Strategy that addresses the needs of aging Nunavummiut.
We have 89 action items identified within the strategy. And, Mr. Speaker, I am truly happy to announce that we are taking immediate… read more.
Mr. Speaker, I’m excited to demonstrate our government’s commitment to Inuit employment at the highest levels of the public service. Each department and agency can now assign an Associate Deputy Minister to work as a core member of their executive team.
The new role is structured to enable qualified Nunavut Inuit to assume senior level responsibilities over time, and to gain experience and essential skills through a program of mentorship, structured teamwork and focused preparation. Each associate will shadow and report directly to the deputy head of a department or agency.
The creation of… read more.
Mr. Speaker, On May 5, ahead of the Northern Premier’s Forum, Premier Ranj Pillai, Premier R.J. Simpson, and I met with three federal ministers in Iqaluit. The meetings with Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly, Minister of National Defence Bill Blair, and Minister of Northern Affairs Dan Vandal, as well as Parliamentary Secretary Yvonne Jones, were an opportunity to jointly discuss the needs of the North.
Minister Blair briefed us on the Our North, Strong and Free: A Renewed Vision for Canada’s Defence, while Minister Joly updated us on the International Arctic strategy the Government… read more.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the long public service of Deputy Commissioner Rebekah Williams.
A Member of the Legislative Assembly for Quttiktuq from 2000 until 2004, Rebekah retired from a career with the Government of Nunavut, and was sworn in as deputy commissioner in 2019.
Originally from Arctic Bay, Rebekah lives in Iqaluit with her husband Glenn, and together they have children and grandchildren.
She spent many years working on the frontlines as a Community Social Worker, and as a Community Justice Specialist.
Mr. Speaker, 25 years ago, Rebekah Williams was asked by Nunavut… read more.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform my colleagues about the Council of the Federation (COF) meetings I attended in Halifax from July 15-17.
Mr. Speaker, the annual Council of the Federation summer meetings bring together premiers from across Canada to advance joint priorities by working collaboratively.
We made history this year, for the first time the gathering included three Indigenous premiers, Manitoba’s Premier Kinew, Northwest Territory’s Premier Simpson and myself. This shows the advancements made by Indigenous communities across Canada.
Mr. Speaker, it is also important to note… read more.
Mr. Speaker, when we celebrate our territorial holiday this year, we will mark three decades since the Nunavut Agreement Act and the Nunavut Act passed in Parliament on July 9, 1993.
On that day, the Crown recognized Nunavut Inuit harvesting rights and land and resource management rights over 1.9 million square kilometres of Canada’s Arctic. Canada also formally transferred ownership of 351,000 square kilometres of land to Inuit.
Mr. Speaker, our land claim is with us every day. It determines the acts of government, the relationship between government and Inuit, and the role we play in… read more.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share with my colleagues important updates regarding our ongoing collaboration with the Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq
In November, I visited the Winnipeg Art Gallery, which currently houses the Government of Nunavut’s arts collection, the collaboration between the Winnipeg Art Gallery and the department has been mutually beneficial. We continue to work together on several key initiatives and are committed to providing training and creating opportunities for heritage workers and artists from Nunavut. Jointly, we facilitate the long-term care of art through loan… read more.
Mr. Speaker, Qulliq Energy Corporation is pleased to announce the approval of four indeterminate apprenticeship positions within the organization. This is a significant and timely step coming after the Inuit employment arbitration decision of March 25, 2023. It is a demonstration of QEC’s commitment to supporting the Inuit Employment Plan and increasing the number of Inuit employees within the corporation.
These apprenticeship positions will provide valuable training and experience to individuals interested in pursuing rewarding careers in the energy industry. Each of the four positions will… read more.
Mr. Speaker,
I rise today to announce that the Nunavut Agreement Implementation Contract renewal has finally been approved.
The Contract is between Nunavut Tunngavik, Government of Nunavut and Government of Canada and will cover the period of April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2034.
This is the first renewal of the Nunavut Agreement Implementation Contract since 1993. Mr. Speaker, this ratification signals an injection of $1.5B in Nunavut. $588M of these funds will be allocated to the Government of Nunavut.
These funds will enable the full implementation of the Nunavut Agreement – and… read more.