Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thanks for the explanation. There’s lots going on and I understand that much of it is probably efficiencies as opposed to savings, but I’d appreciate an explanation from either the Minister or the deputy minister as to sort of what the expectations are. Will all these changes end up basically allowing us to spend the same money for more, or are we anticipating that we’ll get some savings through these changes? Thank you.

I’m referring to the text on page 8-16, the last paragraph.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thanks for that clarification as well. I did wonder in terms of the medical travel review and I certainly support an evaluation of sort of the clinical decisions and how we do that, but it’s my understanding that the Program Review Office is also undertaking to look at medical travel and efficiencies there. I wondered if these two reviews are being done in conjunction. Thank you.

Thanks for the explanation. It does go back to a pet peeve of mine, which I’ve been harping on since I got here. We’re being asked to approve $1.1 million basically without any kind of other information. So could I get a breakdown, please, of what the $1.1 million of THSSI funding is being used for? Thank you.

So does that mean that it is a shuffling of the money from one pot to another and nothing has changed, the totals haven’t changed? I need an interpretation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I beg your indulgence and ask if we can return to page 8-13.

Okay. Have we made changes, then, to the implementation of the program, or was it in anticipation and they may perhaps not be needed?

Mr. Speaker, I am having a very hard time. I guess it is a matter of semantics. But in my mind, I really don’t know how the department is going to accomplish all of the things that they have in the strategic plan that the Minister talks about.

I would like to ask the Minister to tell me... I am going to give an example from the Foundation for Change. The action is: expand respite care for families of children and youth with special needs. The expected result is families and caregivers are provided with relief time. I would like to know from the Minister how those two statements tell me how the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just one question in relation to the contract services on page 8-17. It’s increased about $500,000 or so. Could I get an explanation why?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I have to take from the Minister’s answer that there are no specific recommendations from the Child and Family Services Act review which are dealt with in the Foundation for Change. I asked about actions. I didn’t ask about intent and I didn’t ask about direction.

My last question to the Minister is: I would like to know whether the Foundation for Change document has been re-evaluated and/or updated in light of the Child and Family Services Act report. Does it reflect the recommendations in the report, and, if not, will it be updated?