MINUTES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MEETING 616
April 20 and 22, 2004
in St-Laurent
MINUTES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE KATIVIK SCHOOL BOARD
MEETING No. 616
04-20-04
RESOLUTION
ITEM
ANNEX
1
Quorum and opening of the meeting
2
Notice of meeting
3
Appointment of Chairperson
4
Adoption of the Agenda
5
Supper with Students
6
Who should attend the Education Council Meeting
and the Technical Advisory Committee Meeting in Kangirsuk
7
Executive Committee Meeting in May
8
Request from a Student
9
Student Taxation
10
Graduation
11
Geela Echalook's Request
12
Student Concerns
13
Update on Self Government
I
Adjournment
Update on Self Government Continued
14
Principals and Centre Directors Leaving the Community
at the same time
15
Teachers Leaving
16
Kuujjuaq, Kangirsujjuaq and Kuujjuaraapik requests
17
Sick Leave
18
Principal
CLOSING OF THE MEETING
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MINUTES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE KATIVIK SCHOOL BOARD
MEETING 616
Minutes of a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Kativik School Board, for the School year
2003-04, held in St-Laurent on April 20, 2004.
PRESENT:
Sarah Aloupa
George Haukai
Willie Keatainak
Alacie Nalakturuk
Charlie Alaku
President
Vice President
Executive Member
Executive Member
KRG Representative
Quaqtaq
Kangirsuk
Salluit
Inukjuak
Kangiqsujjuaq
ALSO PRESENT:
Annie Grenier
Rita Novalinga
Director General
Secretary General
The following persons from time to time, and upon the invitation of the chairperson of the meeting,
attended or took part in the deliberations of the meeting:
Lana Desmarchais
Sore Moller
Alain Gauthier
Gilbert Legault
Director of Human Resources
Director of Teacher Training
Associate Secretary General
Consultant
ABSENT:
Sarah Aloupa
Attending Pita Attami's Discovery on April 20 and 21
GUESTS:
Mark Peacock
Piere Yves Trudel
1
Legal Counsel
Legal Counsel
QUORUM AND OPENING OF THE MEETING
With a quorum of the members of the Executive Committee of the Kativik School Board
being present at 9:30 a.m. on April 20, 2004 The meeting was opened with a prayer by
Willie Keatainak.
2
NOTICE OF MEETING
The President ascertained that all members of the Executive Committee have received
notice of this meeting.
3
APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRPERSON
George Haukai, the Vice President is appointed to chair this meeting.
4
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
The Agenda was modified and adopted as attached to the minutes as Annex I.
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5
SUPPER WITH THE STUDENTS
George first of all informs the Executive members that Sarah Aloupa is in court. They
have a discovery for Piita Attami at the court house so George is chairing this meeting
and Pierre Yves Trudel will be here on Thursday.
Annie says that this meeting will be a bit different from other meetings. The Executive
members will be having supper with the Post Secondary Students in Point Claire tonight
at 6:00 p.m.
Charlie Alaku would like to know how many students there are. Annie Grenier says about
30 to 40 students will attend the meeting, probably not all of them will come but that is
approximate.
Alacie Nalakturuk says it is to ask about any problems they may have, if the level of
education is too low compared to other students down south, to motivate and encourage
them, how the Board can assist them, what needs they have etc. Willie says to also
encourage them and that they are important to their community especially when they
graduate.
Charlie Alaku wants to know if they can also mention student summer employment at
Raglan. Annie says sure, they have the right to know.
6
WHO SHOULD ATTEND THE EDUCATION COUNCIL MEETING AND THE
TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING IN KANGIRSUK
So far it is decided that Alacie Nalakturuk, Alain Gauthier and Mary Aitchison will attend
the meeting of the Technical Advisory Committee in Kangirsuk. It still has to be decided
which meeting Sarah Aloupa will attend. She is concerned that the Education Council
delegates will want her to attend their meeting in Umiujaq.
7
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING IN MAY
Lana Desmarchais has asked that the meeting dates for the Executive members be
changed because she will have to give five day notice to teachers who will be dismissed.
After discussions it is decided that the Executive members will have a conference call for
Lana Desmarchais items on the 17th and continue with their scheduled meeting on May
26 to 28, 2004.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 10:00 am for the day and resumed again on April 22, 2004 with
a prayer by George Haukai.
8
REQUEST FROM A STUDENT
Paul Khatchadourian explained that Sarah Alaku's semester ends in three weeks. She is
taking a summer course June 1st. There is a two week period when she will not attend
school so she is requesting a trip home.
There are three trips and the third one is used during the spring break. This would be her
fourth trip. The government gives us only three trips.
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First trip is to come down, the second is Christmas and the third is the March break.
Paul says there are a few students in cases like this who have one or two week gap
before their summer courses start.
Charlie Alaku would like to know if we have ever given the fourth trip. Paul says no
because there are other students in the same situation.
Willie is wondering if it is possible to get assistance from our Airlines.
Alacie says at least a discount. Alacie thinks that the mother would pay for the ticket
anyway. Paul just saw this request this morning. Paul would like to see her files first. He
wants to know why she is going to take a summer course. Students don't take summer
courses unless they have a few more credits they need before they graduate. Or if it is a
prerequisite.
Alacie says that she thinks that she needs it in order to graduate in December.
Annie says that the Directors have to be careful all the time with the budget. We have to
be careful not to go over the budget. We should not be making a presidence because
there are students who are going to take it. If one students finds out it would be a
snowball effect.
Charlie Alaku says they get these requests from the employees and if it is a good request
we approve them. If the request is not legitimate we don't approve it. We have to watch
the budget and sometimes we have to say yes and sometimes no. He agrees to get
requests from students, we don't have to say yes all the time because they are the
decision maker.
Paul will work on it.
9
STUDENT TAXATION
Paul says the last time we discussed it with Makivik with Victor Mesher. They met with
the Federal Government and Makivik had several items on the agenda to meet with them.
At the time, the response to the request was to look at it to make the trips non taxable just
like the Quebec Government has done that for years. The Feds were to look at the
national level.
The students get their T4 from Quebec, the Federal shows more income because the trip
is on it and it does not show in the Quebec T4 slip. It can be a big chunk showing. The
dollar different is not that big. Makivik has more details on the students because they do
their taxes.
Willie says that maybe we should contact them to see where this file is.
Sarah says at the AGM in Aupaluk, she reminded Anthony Ittoshat about the taxation file.
10
GRADUATION
The graduation will be June 9th on Wednesday. John Abbott convocation will be 10th.
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11
GEELA ECHALOOK'S REQUEST
Geela Echalook is requesting additional sponsorship until her child is out of school which
is until end of June. It was explained to her about how it works. She was told that the
Board doesn't stop sponsorship until the child is finished. But in the meantime, they ask
the students to take one credit courses so she doesn't waste time. Gail Richardson, her
counsellor, was asked to explain it again to Geela.
12
STUDENT CONCERNS
There was a student who wanted to take a summer course. Paul says they go by the
Student Policy, as mentioned earlier, if they are going to graduate or if it is a prerequisite
they can take summer courses.
Paul says there are students who would rather stay in the summer and not go home at
all. Paul thinks that the Executive Committee should have a discussion about this item.
The student wants to stay in Montreal and doesn't want to go to Kuujjuaq. She was
complaining that her work load was too heavy with 8 courses. She wanted to take two
summer courses so her workload would be lighter.
Sarah would like to see all the requests so that we can make a policy.
Alacie says that it would be good to inform them there is an appeal committee.
Paul says one thing can lead to another. For example, Jeannie's request to take the
summer course can lead other students to want to do the same. The apartments would
be used, they would need supervision and the staff would not have holidays. It can have
a snowball effect.
Charlie says that if a student has to have reason to take a summer course, KSB can say
yes. He likes this policy and Annie mentioned earlier that if we get this request there are
some students who only want to stay for the summer.
Paul says the ministry finances us for when the colleges are open. They finance us for
the 10 months. If a students says for 11 months, we are not covered. The only time MEQ
accepts is if they have to graduate or if it is a prerequisite.
Sarah says that there are students who would like different levels in Inuktitut. There are
students who cannot speak Inuktitut at all and some are fluent.
Paul says there is a huge gap in the Inuktitut. Some are fluent and some have very low
Inuktitut. Paul says that there student we don't register and they work individually with
George. It is a problem that they are trying to deal with.
Annie says the Implementation Committee should look at some of the items.
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13
UPDATE ON SELF GOVERNMENT
Mark Peacock and Piere Yves Trudel joins the meeting. They would like an update on the
field trip up north.
Sarah and Alacie went on the radio to give them an up to date info. on Capriolo decision
in court. Only two communities didn't call the radio to give feed back, Tasiujaq and
Kangirsujjuaq.
Sarah says there were some people who support Makivik and some supported the Board.
So it is hard to know exactly where we were. Sarah did the history and where we are
today. Sarah thinks they have a better understanding of our situation. Some said we
should have gone on the field trip at the beginning. Some said we should have tried to
work with Makivik instead of going to court.
Alacie says a lot of people thought that we were doing that just for the sake of opposing
self government. People are still mixed in their opinion.
The Board wrote a letter to agree to meet with the Executive members of Makivik.
There is only the main action since we didn't appeal the injunction.
She would like to have other organizations Executive members be part of the meeting.
We can write to says that we would like to have other Nunavik Party and to meet in a
neutral place.
Mark says that we can says that we would like to set a process right now that we can
work towards. He wants to know if we should have a mediation at that meeting. It has to
be thought out. What do we expect to get out of that meeting. We have to explain what
our needs are.
Alacie propose that the Board extend the invitation for them to attend the May 28th
meeting.
Discussion on this item.
Gilbert will prepare for the TAC meeting. Annie would like to discuss what Alacie and
George will need.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned for lunch at 1:15 p.m. and resumed again at 2:45 p.m.
UPDATE ON SELF GOVERNMENT CONTINUED...
General discussion on whether Pierre Yves should go to the Education Council in
Umiujaq.
It is decided that Sarah Aloupa will be able to update the meeting in Umiujaq so Pierre
Yves will not have to travel to Umiujaq.
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Mary says that there is going to be another general meeting so there is a number of
people going to Quebec City. The meeting will be on social economic training health and
education. Mary is asking if anyone has heard about the Nunavik meeting to be held.
Sarah says no, where will it be and when?
Mary says she thinks it might be amalgamation. Social, economic, health and education
conference. They left for Quebec City today.
Mary would like to take a few weeks to study the documentation because she would like
to get feedback from Education Services. She would like an internal committee that could
look into that. Alain says that he agrees with Mary's approach. It is not a simple file and a
simple process. When the time comes, there has to be concrete amalgamations. For
example in Human Resources, they will have to be involved. Some people may not
realize the full extent of what is needed. We would have to sensitize them in certain
issues.
14
PRINCIPALS AND CENTRE DIRECTORS LEAVING THE COMMUNITY AT THE SAME
TIME
Gaston says it is a matter of finding a replacement when they leave. They sometimes
have to get the same information so they have to leave at the same time.
15
TEACHERS LEAVING
Teachers will have to give a medical paper if they have to have a medical leave but they
need a resolution from the Education Committee. There was some teachers that had to
have their pay cut.
Alaice says that it is very easy to get a letter from the hospital. Gaston says that maybe
we have to inform them that they are giving medical passes too easy.
Teachers don't have appointments when they go up north but when they come here they
have advance medical appointments.
Alacie says it is always a problem. Annie says they were missing 24 teachers the day
they were supposed to go back to work. Mary says when a woman gets pregnant, they
are also getting preventative leave so it puts us in an awkward situation.
Annie thinks that we should have a dialogue with the union.
16
KUUJJUAQ, KANGIRSUJJUAQ AND KUUJJUARAAPIK REQUESTS
KUUJJUAQ
Gaston says Kuujjuaq was asking for graduation trips. That request is denied. They
should be able to fund raise for this event.
KUUJJUARAAPIK - Teamatholon
The one in Kuujjuaraapik said that KSB is not involved anymore. Alain Brown came to
see Mary and the KSB name doesn't appear anymore and we are not involved anymore.
We don't have funding for that.
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KANGIRSUJJUAQ
Mary says that the Board doesn't want to give funding for the students going to France
from Kangirsujjuaq. Because it does not involve Inuit culture and they have leftover funds
from their student prize money of over $6,000.00. It is the same thing with Kuujjuaq for
student prize money.
The trends seems to be that students are going to holiday destinations, they are not
going to other Inuit societies like Greenland or Nunavut.
Mary would like to says that they can get it from their student prize money. They were
saying that it was going to be 4 students and 4 Adults.
It is decided that the KSB will agree to $300.00 per student. There will be no funding for
the adults. Gaston will respond to their request.
17
SICK LEAVE
Lana says that they are aware of the problem and she will take it to the Board committee.
The policy of the board is very clear, they can take their appointments during their
holidays.
Inukjuak had to close the school because there was not enough staff.
There are two teachers who have a long term leave. And Lana will get a medical expert
to check them. The board cannot dismiss someone who is not sick.
Alacie would like Lana to write up something for Betsy Epoo so they understand the
policy.
18
PRINCIPAL
There are many teachers who are threatening to resign in Salluit because they are not
happy with the administration. Mary would like to know if Willie knows which teachers will
not be returning to the community.
Willie says that they have not had a meeting for a while, the president is not in town.
Mary says that they are not happy for a year. We will have to be fully prepared for the
new school year because many teachers are not happy. She says that they will probably
have to take action and concrete planning for next year.
Lana says that the Education Committee makes the recommendation but the Executive
Committee has the ultimate decision.
CLOSING OF THE MEETING
The meeting was closed at 4:50 p.m. since the agenda items are completed.
Sarah Aloupa
President
St-Laurent
Annie Grenier
Director General
Rita Novalinga
Secretary General
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