Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I did wonder on this page under details of other expenses, the purchased services has increased considerably from ‘10-11 revised estimates for ‘11-12. I just wondered if I could get an explanation as to why, please.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The professional development recruitment and retention increased significantly from main estimates to revised estimates in this current budget year and then we have estimated the same amount in 2011-2012 as the revised estimates from this current budget year. What was the reason for the huge increase from $1.6 million to $2.9 million in this current year? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister for her response. I would like to suggest that all that information in her response should be part of the Foundation for Change. That is the kind of detail that committee is looking for. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

A further question. The health services administration, is that not covered under the health and social services authorities agency administration, the $14 million at the bottom of the page?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to return and ask some questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services in follow-up to my previous questions.

The Minister defines the Foundation for Change as an action plan. I have to say that for me, an action implies that one would actually do something and it has some definition to it. The Minister sort of implied that she doesn’t know what it is that I’m asking for. Well, we can be in harmony, we can have the same philosophy, but what action is it that the department is actually putting in place? What definite action can the Minister tell me that...

Thank you. I was going to ask you to put me back on the list, but there we are. I’ll leave the question that I tried to get an answer to and ask another one.

The Assembly has passed the motion to the government asking for the development of an Anti-Poverty Strategy and I know that there is a working group that is currently doing some work. I’d like to ask the Minister two things: what kind of a priority is the development of this strategy for her department, and how is her department involved in the working group, or are they?

Thanks to the Minister for that commitment. I hope that we will see it sooner rather than later. If it’s in her office, I guess that means sooner.

To the Minister: if this is a strategic document and it guides the department, I would think that it should be reactive to new info and it should be a living and breathing document. So I’d like to ask the Minister what actions identified under the Foundation for Change document, the actions which presumably are on her desk, deal with recommendations from the Child and Family Services Act review report?

Can the Minister advise if there is any money within this budget within the department to start planning for that capital replacement?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Health and Social Services. In my statement I presented my perception of the Foundation for Change strategic document that the department is currently using. So my first question to the Minister today is to ask whether or not she can confirm that I’ve understood it correctly and can she define for me and for the people listening the purpose of the Foundation for Change? Thank you.

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.