Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll be abstaining from voting on the motion for a couple of reasons. Number one, the work that’s outlined in here is already underway. We’ve already been briefed in Standing Committee on Social Programs on the review of the Medical Travel Policy. So, reference to the Auditor General and the report and all that, it’s already happening.

To the issue of us determining who should get a non-medical escort, it’s taking that decision out of the hands of the medical professionals and I don’t think that’s our role. So I’ll be abstaining from voting on the motion. Thank you, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have watched government for a long time and I know that there have been instances in the quite far past now of Ministers that were travelling with Regular Members and that there became a question after the fact about whether the people who were sponsored with taxpayers’ dollars to go to some of these events actually ever did attend them. Do we have any mechanism in place to ensure that when people do travel on government business that they do indeed attend the functions that they are travelling for?

I’d ask the Minister, then, if the same rigorous and strenuous monitoring and checking of expense claims for the Ministers that Minister Miltenberger has spoken of, if that would also apply to Regular Members, because, as I said, I think the public is very interested in being assured of that and knowing that that is the case.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Hay River South constituent Germaine Michel, who is here today with my friend Melody McLeod. It’s hard to believe that they’re auntie and niece. They look like sisters.

Also, yes, our former constituent Lisa Buckmaster-Balmer, who is in the Nursing Program here and, yes, wouldn’t it be great to have these gals come home?

I thought I heard Sarah Pope as well. I don’t know if she’s there today or not, but if she is, I’d like to recognize her.

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Page 7, Health and Social Services, administrative and support services, not previously authorized, $302,000. Community health programs, not previously authorized, $30,000. Nursing inpatient services, not previously authorized, $1.023 million. Total department, not previously authorized, $1.355 million. Agreed?

Agreed. Thank you. Bill 59 is now ready for third reading as amended. I’d like to thank Minister Ramsay and his officials for their attendance here today and I’ll ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to please escort the witnesses from the Chamber.

Does committee agree to move on to Bill 62, An Act to Amend the Coroners Act?

That sounds good. Any more general comments?

So, although we can say that we have a streamlined process, there are these one-offs and these unusual circumstances which do occur at times. For this particular case, I am asking this government, again appealing to these Ministers for discretionary latitude to help this family out now with this debt that remains for an initiative that they took to get the treatment that they needed and are now living a happy and healthy life. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Your 10 minutes was already up, but I looked at the clock and it said 4:43, and I thought you had four minutes and 43 seconds, so that was a bonus, okay? So I’ll take that as a comment. Thank you. We’ll move on. I’m going to call the page again and people can still put their hand up and speak to it. This is detail remember. This is not general comments anymore.

Finance, deputy minister’s office, not previously authorized, $22.129 million. Total department, not previously authorized, $22.129 million. Mr. Bromley.

Agreed. Thank you. Then we will ask Minister Ramsay if he has opening comments on Bill 59. Minister Ramsay.