Legislative Assembly briefs
MLA forceful on Rankin need for elders' home
Casey Lessard
Northern News Services
Friday, June 5, 2015
IQALUIT
Rankin Inlet MLA Alexander Sammurtok is not taking "maybe" for an answer, again expressing his concern that the government still has not acted on his community's need for an elders' care facility.
The government committed on May 26 to undertaking a long-term care needs assessment.
"I do not understand why we need to wait for further studies," Sammurtok said May 29. "Currently, six Rankin Inlet elders are in the care facility, but none in their own home town."
The elders are housed in Baker Lake, Gjoa Haven and Iglulik, he said. Four others are getting to a point where they will need care.
"It's going to be an expensive matter," Health Minister Paul Okalik said, "so we have to set it up properly so that it can operate well into the future."
Okalik would not commit to tabling the assessment during the 2015 fall session.
Employers grab job grant
Two months into the new fiscal year, more than half of the money for a new Canada-Nunavut Job Grant is spoken for, Family Services Minister Jeannie Ugyuk told the legislative assembly May 29.
"We have received numerous applications from all across Nunavut," Ugyuk said, noting 10 employers have applied for funding to train 43 people. "Our commitment to date is $149,384, which is over half our funds designated to this program for the 2015-16 fiscal year."
The funding gives employers access to up to $10,000 per employee. Employers must contribute one-third of the training cost.
Law program by 2017
The government plans to introduce a law degree-granting program by 2017, deputy commissioner Nellie Kusugak noted in the Commissioner's Address. The move comes as part of the plan to establish a university in Nunavut, Kusugak said.
"The purpose is to enable access to higher education at home that represents our diverse land," she said.
Later, she noted that the government is hoping to launch a hunter education program focusing on sustainable harvesting skills.
MLAs met for only six days before adjourning for the summer. The fall session will begin Oct. 21.
