Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I spoke in my Member’s statement about a problem in my riding, a very large problem that’s over a year old. I will address my questions today to the Premier, as my problem, when it blows up, is going to involve more than just one department. As the leader of the government, I am addressing my questions to him.
You know the people in Northland are not looking to be bailed out. They are willing to bear their fair share of a project, but they really need help and they need help in an emergent way.
We don’t have any programs right now to address the situation. I have been told that in the past. But there are things we can do as a government. We invent programs all the time; we bend rules on programs all the time. So in the absence of any action by the federal government, I’d like to ask the Premier what this government will do to assist my constituents and NWT residents. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The work that we have done in support of the Northland community can be said. We continue to support them. In fact, our Minister has sent correspondence in supporting that work and supporting the Municipal Infrastructure Fund through the federal government to the City of Yellowknife, for example, to help with this project. The last communications letter was sent July 18th, and we continue to try to pursue this as looking for one of the pockets of funding through the federal government to flow some of those dollars that are much needed to help with those repairs. Thank you.
I do appreciate the work that the government has done in the past. But it’s been a year and this problem is not going away and this problem is ever more imminent. The failure is ever more imminent as time goes on. I’d like to say to the Premier that my question was for the future. What will we do?
I know what we have done. The residents, the constituents, Members have put forward ideas, they have been put forward by both the condo board and individual residents in an effort to get the project started anytime over the last year. The problem is nobody is listening and nobody seems open to the suggestions.
So I’d like to ask the Premier, I know there are six weeks left in office, so I know something can be done. I would like to ask the Premier if he’s willing to take some action in the last six weeks to coordinate some serious action with other governments, whether they be city or federal, and to start to find a solution to this problem. Thank you.
I’m glad the Member has highlighted working with other levels of government. Clearly, in this case, the work by the City of Yellowknife needs to be front and centre on this, and we, again, believe all groups are supportive of the initial package that went in, and continue to pursue that. Realizing that there has been a delay in the response coming from the federal government, we will need to step up that side of it. I know that we will take our next opportunity to address some of this with the representative for the federal government in the northern development area to see what they can do following up and continuing our support.
Aside from that, we are hoping to sit down with the city to see what they would do in stepping up to deal with this issue, but clearly we have processes in place ourselves as the Government of the Northwest Territories. For example, if it’s capital funding, we would have to work with our plans going in. So to say within six weeks we can come up with a solution is quite difficult.
Clearly, this is a municipal concern. The issue of a corporation is one of those areas that hamper this. So we thought we had found a solution through the joint support to the federal government. We will continue to put the pressure we can on that side of it. I know we continue to watch as this goes on. Cleary, if there’s more to be done, we would need to know where the city is in this initiative as well. Thank you.
I hear the commitment that he’s willing to sit down with the city, and absolutely I will be following up with that. I guess my question was more to the Premier in terms of what will this government do to facilitate a solution, apart from trying to talk to the feds who haven’t been listening for 15 months. What will this government do to try and find a solution, not to give money out, but to try to assist in some of these ideas and suggestions that have been generated? Thank you.
As I was saying in my earlier response, work with the city is going to have to be undertaken to see where they are on this file and how they would see, looking at other options, how they could deal with that.
Clearly, as we’ve just dealt with one emergency, for example, in Norman Wells and the natural gas situation and we heard Mr. Yakeleya stand up and tell us that we shouldn’t have made them go back to their coffers and the taxpayers within that community, but our policy applied and that’s the way we had to look at it.
So we have to work with the city on this and we would look at that communications, opening up communications with the city to see what they would be prepared to do to try to help alleviate the situation. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The time for question period has expired. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to go back to item 8, oral questions, on the agenda so I can have a question today.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for your anticipation that I would want to have an oral question today. My question today will be directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services regarding the concerns that I raised in my Member’s statement today, which is the lack of emergency services provided to people on the land or even at lodges who may be seriously injured.
Mr. Speaker, the direct question to the Minister on this particular subject is: what is he doing to fix this policy so that we do not have a serious and significant gap that our citizens are left fending for themselves when their health and certainly life could be in jeopardy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mir. Miltenberger.
Mr. Speaker, I note that in jurisdictions other than the Northwest Territories, cost for being outside the communities, if there is an emergency call-out on the land for whatever reason, are 100 percent recoverable from the folks that are involved in the incident. In our case, the policy we have is for communities and service within communities. The Member is right; it’s not an insured service, and we do not have the money or resources in our budget to close that gap at this time.
I’m well aware that the Minister himself has had problems with this particular policy, and as I understand it, he’s even had constituents in his own riding who have had trouble by this very, I would say, cold and unwelcoming policy.
Is the Minister of Health and Social Services willing to look and see if there are ways to amend it? Because as we heard through Mrs. Groenewegen’s question regarding healthy lifestyle, healthy choices, and the Minister of Health and Social Services underscored what an important and dominant theme that is for both he and governments, so what would the Minister be willing to do to help bridge the gap -- maybe not completely fill it -- and ensure that this policy gap is addressed in some form?
I’ve done a number of fiscal updates in this House and we’ve pointed out very clearly some of the challenges that we face. Today alone we’ve heard requests for potentially significant investments in emergency evacuations and assisting communities in situations like Northland, autism, addictions. We have a huge list of things that people want us to invest in and at the same time be fiscally responsible.
We have a budget that’s fully subscribed to. The Member is asking for an increase to a program at a time when such a consideration is not possible. This year if there is an interest, there will be a business planning process that will kick into gear that the new Assembly will look at those priorities and others that they will have to decide on.
I’m very aware of people who have met tragic ends outside of regional municipalities, be it large communities or small communities. I can think of one particular case where one lady fell through the ice on a skidoo. The access to emergency services is very important. I’m not asking the Minister to solve all the world’s problems, although that would certainly be nice, but I’m asking him to investigate and use this opportunity to investigate developing some type of program that can offer assistance. Because when people are in jeopardy on the land, whether they’re skidooing, hunting, or visiting the lodges, living that active lifestyle, they shouldn’t be left out in the cold to say good luck and find your way into the health centre and we’ll do our best when you get here but you’re on your own until you get there. All I’m asking for is a little compassion from a man who probably knows the health system a little bit better than any of us, and find a way to make something palatable for everyone.
There has been work on this issue. I’ve as well had some questions. This leads into an area if there’s going to be emergency search and rescue, is that the expectation that nurses or whoever is in the community will leave and fly into other communities. Are they going to be trained to do that kind of extraction? Is it a case of calling in search and rescue from the military?
There are very few places, I think, other than Yellowknife, that have, I think, the benefit of highly skilled folks in this regard. This is an issue that has some considerable perplexity. It’s not just a case of saying, yes, we’re going to do it and it will all happen. There’s a cost. There’s also finding the resources to do this. It’s the type of project expansion at this point that we’re not in the position, I don’t think, to consider it. If the new government comes in and wants to see this as a priority and they can find the money, then I’m sure that will be looked at. For this Assembly we will be continuing on to deliver all the great many programs that we’ve budgeted for.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I recall, if memory serves me correctly, that this was an important issue when our present Health Minister wasn’t the Health Minister. Now that he’s Health Minister, I’m sure the theocrats have educated him about the ins and outs. All I’m asking for today is, quite simply, would the Minister be willing to take this on as an initiative that we should be looking into and seeing how we can address it and give it it’s fair due and consideration whereas we can get a sense of costing it out and let that sit before committee, let that sit before the Assembly, and let it decide if the cost is worth that type of coverage. Give it a chance on that particular case. Let’s not put people at risk when we encourage them to live a healthy lifestyle. We should also ensure that they’re protected as well. I think that’s our duty here in the House.
In fact, the Member has the chronology wrong. I had to deal with this issue, as well, with constituents and inform them of what was covered and what was not. I’d also point out that there’s also an expectation that when people leave the Northwest Territories to go anywhere, if they do not have third-party coverage and they require any kind of medevac services in Alberta or any other jurisdiction, that is fully their cost. It’s not covered by anybody, any government, this or any other. It is a situation where people should be very cognizant when they go, of what the risks are and what kind of protection they do have.
The Member has asked if I bring this to committee. He knows we have six days -- five days now -- left in sitting and that it’s a situation that’s not going to happen. It’s good for discussion in this House and it’s an important topic and there will be plenty of time for those that come back to have that discussion about new priorities.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Before I go on to the next Member, I’d like to recognize a couple of gentlemen in the gallery: Willard Hagen and Richard Edjericon.
The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services in regard to mental health and addiction services, especially in my riding, and also the commitment made by governments to enhance programs and services in our communities, especially in the area of mental health and addictions.
The whole intent of the change was to ensure that we had wage parity, that we were able to provide benefits to individuals in that particular field and bring them in line with the rest of the public service. There is still a definite disparity between how people are being treated, especially people who work for NGOs like, in my case, the Tl’oondih Healing Society. For over 10 years they’ve been receiving a contribution of $70,000, which includes the wages and benefits and the operational costs of the office. A community 60 kilometres away in Tsiigehtchic, a mental health worker who has less clients received full benefits and full wages comparable to the rest of the public service.
I’d like to ask the Minister -- this issue has been around as long as I’ve been around here -- what are we doing to ensure that we do provide parity when it comes to people providing public services on behalf of the government.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.
There have been studies on this issue over the years that I’m aware of and I’m sure the Member is as well. The challenge of NGOs to offer competitive wages and some of the other benefits like pensions and sick leave. The issue of parity has not been resolved. There is a huge price tag to that.
The issue that the Member is specifically referring to, I’m familiar with that position. There is the whole issue, as well, of the positions that are run through a contribution agreement and what happens with the job descriptions, as opposed to those where they’re formally put in place as indeterminate positions with the government. There is a difference between NGOs and the government, and it’s a gap that I don’t see being closed anytime soon just because of the sheer cost of that particular issue.
Again, it does come down to a question of service. Like I stated, individuals in the community of Fort McPherson service 800 people. You have an individual in Tsiigehtchic who is serving 170 people. He’s making almost twice as much as the person that’s serving 800 people. I think you have to look at it in the confines of the service delivery system and the number of clients you are having to provide that service to. Would you consider a per diem ratio system of how you charge under the medical programs and services on those, like services that you charge on a per diem basis?
The Member raised this specific issue with me a couple of days ago. I’ve asked the deputy minister to get me the information so that I could get updated on the file, but I believe the circumstances are very similar to what were there when I was last Minister and the Member and I were having this discussion.
I have no quick response that I can give the Member in this House today, unfortunately.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister consider looking at some sort of dispute mechanism to resolve this issue between the parties and the person that basically is in the situation of basically doing a job, being paid way less than other types of people doing a similar arrangement, either through having that individual become a government employee providing government services? That is the situation that you’re going to find yourself. If that NGO walks away, that position will have to be filled by the government as a government employee. Is that the only situation we put the employee relationship in, that you have to walk away from this service and have the government take it on and it will cost you more money to do that? Is that the only option you’re leaving to the community of Fort McPherson?
As I committed to the Member when he raised this issue a number of days ago, I would get the latest briefing. The Member has articulated probably the one option, probably the main option, but I will get up to speed on the file and I’ll commit to sit down with the Member and see what possible options there are over and above the current circumstance.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 9, written questions. Item 10, returns to written questions. Item 11, replies to opening address. Item 12, petitions. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure reported yesterday on Bill 7, Community Planning and Development Act, and Bill 19, Cost of Credit Disclosure Act.
I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that Bill 7, Community Planning and Development Act, and Bill 19, Cost of Credit Disclosure Act, be moved into Committee of the Whole for today.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. A motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called.
---Carried
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents entitled Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2011-2012, and Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2011-2012.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission 2010 Annual Report.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 7, Community Planning and Development Act, and Bill 19, Cost of Credit Disclosure Act, with Mr. Abernethy in the chair.
I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. Today in front of us we have Bill 7, Bill 19, as well as Tabled Document 53-16(6) and Tabled Document 54-16(6). What is the wish of committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee wishes to proceed with Bill 7 and Bill 19 today.
Is committee agreed?
