Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled Action Plan 2012-2016, 20/20: A Brilliant North – Public Service Strategic Plan, July 2012.

Thank you, Madam Chair. On my right is Mark Aitken, the acting assistant deputy minister for the attorney general branch. On my left is Kelly McLaughlin, the acting director of legislation.

I’d certainly be interested in talking to Cabinet and committee about that possibility and discussing it in more detail with the Member.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The intent of the program is to encourage safe workplaces, which we stand by completely and support wholeheartedly. Our concern is about the actual administration of the program.

As I indicated before, based on the Q1 performance update 2012 balanced scorecard on WSCC’s website the 2012 target for time loss claims per 100 workers is 2.42. The GNWT currently rates at 1.8. We already exceed what their targets are, yet we continue to get some significant claims.

Our other concern is the fact that we are assessed as one GNWT as a whole, our whole payroll, and it wasn’t until...

Thank you. We obviously want a safe work environment. The last thing we want to do is see workers get injured.

With respect to health and social services, the three health and social services authorities with the large number of claims, Stanton, Beaufort-Delta and Fort Smith, have acute care facilities that have successfully passed an accreditation review by Accreditation Canada. So those require them to have certain practices in place to assist, avoid injury.

But there are a couple of other things. Although we see significant value in the intent of the Safe Advantage program, we do have some...

Acting director of legislation. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The data that was provided actually came from the WSCC. They are the ones who actually track all the clients’ costs and claims incidences.

With respect to late fees for late filing of incidents, I share the Member’s concerns completely. When I saw that data, the first thing I did was direct the department to start digging in to find out why we are late, because it seems to me that we should never be late. That information hasn’t been fully compiled. Once I have that information, I will share that with the Member and committee. I would like an opportunity to sit down and...

I do, Madam Chair.

I mentioned health authorities. The two highest claims areas in the Government of the Northwest Territories are the Stanton Territorial Health Authority and the Fort Smith Health Authority, followed closely by Justice. I indicated authorities and I should have said both.

With respect to claims, the claims change regularly. Every department is different. Some departments are higher; some departments are lower. By way of example, in 2011, HR had $3,400 in claims. So far, third quarter of this calendar year, 2012, they have $86. We do have a wide range of different fees per employment area.

With...

Thank you, Madam Chair. With me today is Mark Aitken, the acting assistant deputy minister with the Department of Justice.