Wendy Bisaro

My questions are directed to the Minister of Finance. I would like to go back to my Member’s statement in October of 2008 when I said, “We need a committee of GNWT employees, composed of only front-line and middle management staff who represent all departments and agencies, a committee which reports directly to MLAs of the Finance Minister, and the job of this committee would be to provide suggestions to reduce our costs.” I would like to ask the Minister, at this point, is this committee in place, and if not, why not? Thank you.

Today I’d like to make a few comments in regard to the budget address we just recently heard. Firstly, I find little fault in the budget as presented. I certainly am in disagreement with parts of the budget. Things like the milk subsidy that is not included, a grant to Skills Canada that will be discontinued, that the budget continues to use the term “strategic initiative” to define costs which are actually forced growth. But in general I feel that the Minister of Finance has done a good job.

The Minister has referenced the current global economic downturn a number of times and he’s stated that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I commend the Minister of ENR for setting in place this green team and that particular initiative. My request is going beyond that. We need a committee that goes across all departments, that is representing the front line, the front end of our staff. I would like to ask the Minister… Sorry. I’ll go back again. I would like to say to the Minister that, yes, other departments have to follow the lead of ENR, but I think that in addition we need to have a committee that is broadly based across all departments. I would ask him again what date that might be initiated. Thank...

Thanks to the Finance Minister for that clear answer. It is, unfortunately, not the answer that I was hoping that I would hear. I would like to explain to the Minister and perhaps to anyone who is listening, and to you, Mr. Speaker, there are employees who certainly have valuable ideas that would work in the front lines. They experience all kinds of situations where they can see that expenses can be reduced, where waste can be terminated. I would like to ask the Minister if he does not agree with those sentiments. Does he not feel that our front-line staff have the opportunity to provide...

Mr. Speaker, I have three constituents here that I’d like to recognize today: Barb Wyness who’s here with the UNW; Jeff Corradetti, I don’t know if Jeff’s associated with anything in particular or not; and Kim Bailey, who is with PSAC. I’d also like to say that I would be remiss if I didn’t recognize the many respected Yellowknife elders who are up behind me and many other people who I can’t see. Welcome to those. Thank you.

Thanks again to the Finance Minister. I struggle with the answer that yes, it is valuable, but no, we are not going there. I would like to remind the Minister that given a very small piece of rope, I think our employees would provide us with a very large gain. So, no, they wouldn’t hang themselves. But I would like to know from the Minister when we might see that our employees might be given the opportunity, even if they form this staff committee by themselves or if they are certainly given licence to go ahead and make suggestions, when might we see a concrete date for that to happen. Thank...

I want to emphasize to the Minister that I said “changes to the policy.” I believe that in the Minister’s statement earlier today that she made a statement that the policy will not change; that the policy is the base for the program changes that she wants to be implemented. I would like to ask the Minister again if she is open to changes to the policy, which to me means changes to the income testing, that that can possibly be dropped.

Thank you. My questions are addressed to the Minister of Health. I’d like to thank the Minister for her statement earlier today and for her announcement earlier this week, and that’s that the new Supplementary Health Benefits Program has been delayed. In my opinion, it’s not nearly long enough. I agree with some of the comments made earlier by my colleagues, that April 2010 is a far better date.

This delay is intended to respond to the gaps that have been identified through consultation. So I’d like to ask the Minister how she will ensure meaningful, comprehensive and open consultation on the...

I want to emphasize to the Minister that I said “changes to the policy.” I believe that in the Minister’s statement earlier today that she made a statement that the policy will not change; that the policy is the base for the program changes that she wants to be implemented. I would like to ask the Minister again if she is open to changes to the policy, which to me means changes to the income testing, that that can possibly be dropped.

Thank you. I, too, would like to say welcome back to all Members of this House. It’s good to be back.

I’m going to speak today about a contentious issue; one dear to the hearts of those assembled in the gallery and dear to us on this side of the House as well. I refer to the proposed changes to the NWT Supplementary Health Benefits Program.

I can’t say it often enough or loudly enough. This program has been poorly thought out, poorly presented and is based on a poor policy. Cabinet had lofty goals and, I hope, good intentions when they decided to go forward with this new program and policy. We...