Wendy Bisaro

Thanks to the Minister. I appreciate that we have a great, very long line-up of legislation that is waiting to be done. I really appreciate the fact that it is on the radar for the Department of Education. I look forward to getting something back in the near future.

The Minister mentioned that there is a policy. I would like to know from the Minister, is this a policy that directly addresses bullying or is it a different kind of policy. If I can get a bit of an elaboration on what policy does exist within the department that schools are asked to implement. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my very great pleasure to recognize and welcome the Grade 5 class from N.J. Macpherson School. You guys look great in your pink. Thank you so much for coming.

I have some Frame Lake constituents that I would like to recognize specifically. Maybe you guys could stand up when your name is called so we know who you are. Diana Rockwell; Elaine Cronk, and mom Carolyn Cronk is also here; Michael Elms, instigator of this event today – way to go, Michael – and his mom, Megan Holsapple; Liala Noksana; and their teacher, Carrie Heldman, also a wonderful Frame Lake resident...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we know, Wednesday, February 29th, is Pink Shirt Day across Canada. Since the House will not be in session on the 29th, Members are acknowledging the importance of that initiative today. And we’re not alone, Mr. Speaker. In the gallery today is Ms. Carrie Heldman and her Grade 5 class. They walked here from N.J. Macpherson School wearing their pink shirts to join us today and to highlight bullying along with us in the House.

I’ll use the words of one of my constituents, Michael Elms -- Michael is in the gallery today – to explain the importance of maintaining or...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My usual question to the Minister: If we’re developing a strategy, when are we going to see it?

Thanks to the Minister. I’m pleased to hear the department is doing some work. I guess I’d like to know from the Minister what kind of timeline we’re on to do this work and to get the coverage that’s required for the people who are not currently covered in terms of our health program. Can he tell me when Members will be advised of the work that the department is doing and what kind of a time frame we can expect to see this coverage in place?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It was several years ago now, although it seems like just yesterday that the GNWT decided to implement the Supplementary Health Benefits Policy. The intent of the policy dated September 2007, was to provide consistent health benefit coverage for NWT residents who were not covered. But it also proposed to change the GNWT Extended Health Benefits Program to an income-tested model. Not surprisingly, there was considerable consternation, especially among seniors and residents with medical conditions requiring extensive treatment with expensive prescription drugs. There was...

I guess I need to ask the Minister my usual question as to timing. I did ask that question a year ago and I was advised that the Minister would check his findings and get back to me. I haven’t heard anything in the ensuing 12 months, so I would like to again ask the Minister when I might expect to get some information from the Minister and the department as to how we will have steady, and planned, and regular increases to minimum wages in the future.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some questions today for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. I would like to ask the Minister to give us a bit of an update on minimum wage. It was a year ago on April 1st, and it wasn’t a joke, but we had our second planned increase to minimum wage. It took effect on that day. A year prior to that, at the time of the first increase in February of 2010, the Minister told us that he was considering ways to implement future minimum wage increases. At the time of the second increase, the Minister advised that there was work that needed to be done. He...

To the Minister, I guess if the Minister is needing costing, I have umpteen documents in my files which I can provide to him. That work was done when the Joint Working Group met over a year and a half, two years ago. One of the recommendations in the report was to look at a pharmaceuticals plan for the NWT and/or to work with Western Canada provinces and territories to try and develop a plan to reduce the costs of our drugs. It’s well known that drugs are our most expensive cost. Can the Minister tell me whether or not any work is being done to develop a pharmaceuticals plan either within the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Health and Social Services and I’d like to follow up on my statement. The issue of changes to the Extended Health Benefits Program was extremely contentious and it was a couple of years ago that we went through great upheaval and discussion about the changes. The policy was rescinded, but there were some recommended changes and some of those actions were put in place. I’d like to ask the Minister if he can advise the House and the Members and the public where things are at on the rest of the recommendations that were...