Bill Braden

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. That's fine. That's what I was hoping the answer would be. That's all.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Committee would like to consider Bill 12, Garnishment Remedies Statutes Amendment Act, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today. Thank you.

So, Mr. Speaker, do I have this right then? Is the WCB continuing to interfere in Mr. Valic's due process before the Appeal Tribunal? So, Mr. Speaker, while we have a new chronic pain policy based on 2004 going forward hopefully, we're still arguing on an old chronic pain policy that has been rejected and is common knowledge that it goes against best practice and what other WCBs are doing? Mr. Speaker, are we still continuing to subject this worker to old, outdated, outmoded and, obviously, an unconstitutional process, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to see if I get this straight now. So the WCB has decided not to take the direct step of going to court and checking its work out, it's instead going to go to stakeholders and add yet more months, perhaps even longer, to getting a policy that is constitutionally correct, Mr. Speaker?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Last Friday the Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board tabled in this Assembly a glossy version of the various activities of the WCB in the last year. The Minister related to us the cover story of this magazine which featured an inspirational story of a man who entered into Canada from Czechoslovakia who, after a serious work-related injury persevered and, through determination, returned to work.

Mr. Speaker, I'd remind the Minister that there is, in too many cases, a very unglossy version of affairs to do with the cases of some injured workers in our WCB...

Mr. Speaker, considering that there’s been, for those families and employees affected, considerable reduction in the level of service, considerable increase in inconvenience, and to our own government because we’ve got more paperwork to process now, is the premium that we’re paying, the cost that we’re paying for this health care coverage, is that at least being reduced, considering the impact on the level service to us, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's a mystery, I guess, as to why this change in billing procedure is happening. Constituents of mine brought it to my attention, I think it was either very late in July or early in August just as this came into effect. So it came as a surprise. I made enquiries at that time and still haven't got any answers. So I guess the question that I'd like to see if the Minister can help me with is why this change in billing procedure. Why are our employees and their families being inconvenienced this way?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This morning I would like to speak about health care plans, Mr. Speaker. It’s something that every employer, including this government, counts on very heavily to be a major benefit and a part of recruiting and keeping people and helping them through their lives.

Mr. Speaker, up until this summer, when employees of this government needed doctor-prescribed medical supplies, there are things like materials that help them manage diabetes or perhaps walkers or mobility assists or specialized dressings, they were able to get good service through our life insurance or our medical...

So in other cases, Mr. Chairman, with the Workers’ Compensation Board where forgiveness is the logical thing to do, is the Workers’ Compensation Board actually involved in going through that process and making that decision, or do they punt their bad debts over to us for management? Who looks after bad accounts on the part of the WCB, Mr. Chairman?