Bob Bromley

Thank you Mr. Chairman. My first question is, though I recognize we have come a long ways in our extended health benefits discussions and that the grandfathering that was provided in the past has been dropped as of I believe this April, or maybe it has been already, and I am wondering if we know what sort of savings that will provide. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m just about there, but I don’t think things were clear yet on that last question and I’m interested in that too. The $79 million provided to hospital services for primary and secondary emergency care by physicians in hospitals is obviously much greater than the $47 million referred to on page 8-21. I would just like to get clarification on whether that $79 million is for physician services or not, including or excluding fee-for-service. Thank you.

I’m sure the department knows much better than I on the appropriate categories, so I will leave that to the department.

I know I see a physician regularly and a lot of us do. I know that there are collective agreements and so on. My request is for what we are paying our physicians in terms of salaries and benefits compared to other jurisdictions within whatever categories are appropriate.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, February 10, 2011, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that this Legislative Assembly recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment reinstate the policy of sponsoring a placement in the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine;

And further, that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment fund that placement;

And furthermore, that the reinstatement of this policy includes a requirement for return of service by the graduate...

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister’s comments there. I think they are essentially what I had said as the introduction to my question, that I realize it’s the lead of the Department of the Executive. I was referring the Minister’s commitment to play a key role.

Mr. Speaker, the consequences of a failure to address poverty are that people fall more and more into poverty and start getting into social issues and eventually mental and physical health issues. I know that this Minister’s staff has a huge amount of experience in this area. On that basis, I am asking how the Minister is drawing on...

Thank you. Again, I appreciate those comments from the Minister and I do think it is worthwhile to consider doing this work in consideration through the Capital Area Development Plan. What this section of highway really needs is a safe walking path that’s appropriately lit and an appropriate crossing place. So I would ask that the Minister do work through the Capital Area Development Plan and consider myself a resource if he needs assistance working with the City in coming up with a plan to finally take care of that section of road that’s our problem. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just can’t leave it hanging like that. I think this is too big a question. I think, you know, I’m not disagreeing with anything that I heard from the Minister. I think there was solid agreement amongst everybody that we figure out a way to cover people who were not covered now, be that a universal plan or defining the working poor. That came through in the Joint Working Group principles. I guess I would just say we need to have that debate and we need to decide which way we’re going to go on that one.

I just want to say in response to the Minister’s remarks that if...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Transportation and I’d like to start by expressing appreciation for his adjustment of the speed limit on the highway from the Explorer Hotel to Niven Lake area, a part of Weledeh where we have safety issues. Those safety issues do remain, though, and what I’d like to request of the Minister is would he consider or put in place lighting that would take care of that safety issue. As the Minister knows, during a large part of our year it’s dark there. It’s very unsafe for people walking along there and we have families walking there...

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the Minister’s comments. I assume from that, that obviously she is a participant on that committee and that she would express that sentiment strongly that we would fight. I always think it is progressive to the Minister on my recommendation to the Minister to take it or leave it, would be to write and be on the record right now of the Prime Minister and whoever the Minister is dealing with on these negotiations.

My next question is on the specific issue of macular degeneration. It is an issue that leads to blindness in people. It has come up amongst my constituents. I...

Thank you Mr. Chairman. My other question, my second question, is, I think that the working group and Members agreed to a number of principles and high amongst those principles is making sure that everybody is under the fold somehow to get coverage. What is the plan going forward for providing coverage to those who don’t have coverage now and is that going to be part of the 2011-2012 activity and budget? Thank you.