Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On March 27, 2014, employees who are members of the Union of Northern Workers received a notice regarding the 2014-2015 northern living allowance rates that were going to be implemented on April 1st. In that message that they got the notice there was a link showing which communities increased and which ones decreased. As a result, we had numerous communities across the Northwest Territories who are employees of the GNWT decrease in the amount of northern living allowance, one of them being my community of Inuvik. Employees ended up losing about $383 at the end of the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During the week of March 15th to the 22nd, athletes, coaches, volunteers, youth ambassadors, cultural delegates, territorial officials and leaders as well as parents from throughout the Northwest Territories will embark on the city of Fairbanks, Alaska, and participate in the 2014 Arctic Winter Games.

The Arctic Winter Games is a high profile circumpolar sport competition for northern and Arctic athletes. The Games provide an opportunity to strengthen sports development in the participants’ jurisdictions, to promote the benefits of sport, to build partnerships and...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Earlier today the Standing Committee on Social Programs tabled its report on Bill 4, Health Information Act. Bill 4 is the product of work undertaken over the better part of a decade to develop health-specific privacy legislation for the Northwest Territories.

The Standing Committee on Social Programs commends the Minister for developing the bill. With its passing, the Northwest Territories will join a growing number of Canadian jurisdictions that have enacted legislation of this kind.

During the review, written and oral comments were provided by numerous stakeholders and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your Standing Committee on Social Programs is pleased to provide the Report on the Review of Bill 4, Health Information Act, and commends it to the House.

Bill 4, Health Information Act, is the product of extensive work undertaken over the better part of a decade to develop health-specific privacy legislation for the Northwest Territories. The Standing Committee on Social Programs commends the Minister of Health and Social Services for developing the bill. With its passing, the Northwest Territories will join a growing number of Canadian jurisdictions that have enacted...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that Bill 4, Health Information Act, be moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today the Department of Education, Culture and Employment did do a news release in regard to the Beaufort-Delta Education Council’s program, the e-learning program that they have within the Beaufort-Delta region and it is one-time funding to explore e-learning in more of the communities across the Northwest Territories.

I’d just like to speak to this again. This method of course delivery helps the Beaufort-Delta Education Council, and hopefully the Department of Education address many of the challenges that our schools face, such as high teacher turnover, limited course...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As I mentioned in the opening comments, committee did put a lot of work into the report and working with the Minister and his staff, and I just, at this time, want to thank the Minister and his staff for all the hard work that has gone into getting to us to this point of the clause-by-clause review of the bill in Committee of the Whole and all the work that has been going into this. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank all the stakeholders and all those that came and did written and oral presentations, and although we couldn’t get everything into the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Dolynny.

The Standing Committee on Social Programs strongly urges the following courses of action:

1)

that the Department of Health and Social Services develop and implement a comprehensive public awareness campaign;

2)

that the Department of Health and Social Services provide extensive training for health information custodians and health care providers;

3)

that the Department of Health and Social Services ensure the quality of patient care is not unduly compromised when a patient withholds, withdraws or places limits on consent;

4)

that the Department...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 12 on the Order Paper, reports of standing and special committees.

----Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Social Programs has reviewed Bill 4, Health Information Act, and wishes to report that Bill 4 as amended and reprinted is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.