Debates of February 10, 2006 (day 27)

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 380-15(4): Status Of The Business Incentive Policy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I'll definitely say anything that helps small business is certainly a good step. But, Mr. Speaker, there is a concern out there that this dropping of the BIP may be steamrolled and consultation may be just for formality. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to point out a couple of things. The Minister's tabled documents in this House have pointed out that Health and Social Services sole sources 77 percent of their contracts. A letter from Minister Miltenberger, which I tabled in this House, pointed out that 92 percent of their business at Stanton Territorial Hospital goes south. So, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to hear how this Minister is, yes, helping northern small business with a two percent tax reduction, but how is he going to help and protect and promote northern businesses by dropping one of our wonderful flagship programs? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 380-15(4): Status Of The Business Incentive Policy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For specific procurement concerns that are taken up by departments, arm's length agencies or boards, you would have to speak to the Minister involved in that, Mr. Speaker. Of course, we run the contract registry which provides the information. We think it has added a real element of transparency. I think the Member would appreciate that. The kind of information he has at his fingertips allows us to go back and look at procurement practices. That is what we are doing.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business, after surveying NWT businesses, came up with a list of priorities and reducing regulatory burden and red tape was near the top, Mr. Speaker. That is what we think we are doing. Another one was competitive taxation regimes and reducing taxes. We think we are doing two things here. We are reducing regulatory burden and providing a tax break. We think that is to the benefit of all small businesses, not jut the ones, I would add, that do business with the GNWT. Obviously, the non-renewable resource sector has had huge impacts. There are many businesses making their prime business in dealing with these companies. They would now benefit. All businesses across the North making income would benefit from a small tax break. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 380-15(4): Status Of The Business Incentive Policy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, while reducing the taxes to small business, again I say, a darn good thing, but, Mr. Speaker, we have to make a solid point on this. You have to be getting contracts in order to have something to deduct in order to make that two percent reduction worth anything.

Mr. Speaker, I don’t have to go through the statistics I said the other day, as well as just earlier, that the Minister does monitor through the registry of the sole sourcing and the sourcing that goes south at 92 percent for Stanton. Would the Minister consider options such as maybe replacing the BIP, or modifying it so any business that is a northern business that files their taxes in the Northwest Territories are the only ones who qualify for BIP? At least that would squeeze out big corporations such as Wal-Mart or large box stores from competing with small businesspeople who are trying to make a living and promote our North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 380-15(4): Status Of The Business Incentive Policy

Mr. Speaker, we have been down this road a number of times. I think past governments’ experience would tell you that tinkering with the BIP is not the answer. Let’s either be done with it and recognize that it is not relevant anymore, and we will consult businesses to find out if, in fact, that is their feeling, or let’s leave it as is. But if we start to make changes to this, we can undertake a great deal of consultation. I can assure the Member there are ways businesses want to be creative and find a way, if they are motivated, to work around the regulations. You are going to have southern businesses able to register a storefront in the North and comply. Wal-Mart is just an example. It is well within the regulations and the policies that we have in place and does qualify as a BIP registered business. They are registered to be able to provide a whole range of products.

Mr. Speaker, I would suggest to you that the real answer here is about levelling the playing field for all northern businesses, making sure we reduce our regulatory burden and our tax burden. The issue of sole sourcing of contracts, really BIP becomes irrelevant. It is sole sourced. It doesn’t matter. It wouldn’t matter if the BIP is in place or not in place. If there is a sole source that takes place, that is exactly what is going to happen. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 380-15(4): Status Of The Business Incentive Policy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I respectfully think that the Minister missed the point on the sole sourcing, because what I am saying is 92 percent of the business in Stanton Territorial Hospital went south. That took away any opportunity that these northern businesses had to tender or the opportunity to tender, I should say, on those contracts. That just flew right over them, Mr. Speaker. That is why I drew that comparison. Yes, BIP doesn’t apply to that, but BIP is about establishing solid grounds where northern businesses can be competitive. Mr. Speaker, I still go back to what I said on the third question which I just never got the answer. So I will ask it maybe this way, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister look at re-evaluating the BIP? I know he doesn’t want to tinker with it, but would he look at re-evaluating the BIP that it only applies to companies and businesses that file their taxes only in the Northwest Territories, not these multi-nationals that partner? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 380-15(4): Status Of The Business Incentive Policy

Mr. Speaker, no. What the Member is asking me to do is to put in place some sort of change to the BIP that would require immense auditing, policing, would add to the regulatory burden. What we would be asking small businesses to do is essentially share private tax filing information with us. I am not even sure we have the ability to do that. I could consult with the Minister of Finance, but you are adding layers of complexity, bureaucratic red tape, and I can assure the Member that is not what small business wants. What we have to do is find a way to help small business be more competitive. It is not about coming up with onerous protection schemes. It is about reducing regulatory burden and reducing the tax burden for northern businesses. That is what we are going to do. We are going to get out of the way so that businesses can do what they do, which is make money, employ people and create economic development. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions this morning will be for Mr. Miltenberger as the Minister of Health and Social Services. They relate to the field of mental health services and legislation in the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, the Social Programs committee, in its report to the Assembly, referred to the pre-budget consultations that were held last fall in a number of communities. I will paraphrase, Mr. Speaker. The report told us that there is not a lot of buy-in at the local level for the Mental Health and Addictions Strategy. Anecdotally, Members were told there is a real disconnect between residents and what we heard were primarily southern-hired mental health workers. The communities were pleading that if they were given the dollars and the mandate, they felt they could do a much better job of this.

Mr. Speaker, we have dozens of workers engaged in mental health, community wellness and addictions services, but, given the response that the communities have told us, it just doesn’t seem to be working. What is the Minister’s response to this really quite disturbing report that we are not making much headway? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 381-15(4): Mental Health Act And Related Services In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we will be sharing with the Members the document done by Dr. Chalmers which was a review of the work that has been taking place over the last number of years, based on her initial assessment of the addictions and mental health services in the North back in 2001, which was called, A State of Emergency. From that document, we came up with an action plan that committed us to a course of action across the North that saw us do a much better job in terms of bringing addictions workers on stream, setting up mental health workers, supervisors, all based on the fundamental principle that it is best to put resources at the community level. We put in over 77 positions. That document by Dr. Chalmers will be, as I said, shared to the Members and made public next week.

The title for her report is called Stay the Course, and Building and Keeping the Foundation That We Have Set Up Over the Last Number of Years is the basic title. I am always interested in the feedback that the committee provides us, but when this document comes out, the committee has a chance to look at it. Then we can sit down and have an informed discussion about how we intend to move forward. We will also be coming forward with a response from the department on how we intend to respond to those recommendations. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 381-15(4): Mental Health Act And Related Services In The NWT

Thank you. I guess I will take that one as notice, then, until the report comes out, Mr. Speaker.

On the clinical side of this question, my colleague from Hay River South told us, when she addressed this issue a couple of days ago, that 36 percent of our hospital admissions are for mental health and addictions related causes. Mr. Speaker, are we adequately resourced in our hospitals and clinics to deal with this disturbing and substantial problem in admissions and care in our hospital system? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 381-15(4): Mental Health Act And Related Services In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, doctors would confirm that, in fact, a significant amount of their practice is tied to mental health issues and related circumstances, as are most other health practitioners. We have a significant amount of resources. We have a $265 million budget. A lot of it is focussed on nurses, doctors, social workers, wellness workers and mental health workers. There will always be more problems than we have resources for. The issue is to make sure that, I think, the resources we have are put to the most effective use and that our plan for the future reflects the required changes. When I put the Chalmer’s report before the committee, they will be able to give us their feedback in terms of what they think of Dr. Chalmers' assessment. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 381-15(4): Mental Health Act And Related Services In The NWT

Well, we have been put on notice again to the Chalmers report. Mr. Speaker, our Mental Health Act is, I discussed in my Member’s statement, a piece of legislation that is badly out of date in accordance with professional, legal and administrative standards. An impression that I have been given is if we can modernize this, we are not only going to be able to give people better care and do it quicker, we are also going to be saving a lot of human resources and money. Would the Minister advise that we will see the modernization and updating of our mental health legislation during the life of this Assembly, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 381-15(4): Mental Health Act And Related Services In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the rewriting of the Mental Health Act is on our legislative to-do list, but I don’t anticipate that it will make it on to the doable legislative agenda. We are focussing right now before the House on the Tobacco Act, but the two major pieces that we now have to get done in this Assembly are the rewrite of the Public Health Act as well as the Pharmacy Act. We have dozens of other pieces of legislation that have to be updated, one of which is the Mental Health Act. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 381-15(4): Mental Health Act And Related Services In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am well aware that Health and Social Services is the department with the single most pieces of legislation under its watch. The modernization of this act is not a small piece of work. It is going to require a lot of consultation across a lot of fields. It is important that we start this work, even if it is not something that is going to be achievable in the length of this Assembly. Would the Minister commit to at least considering starting the consultation process, working toward the rewrite of this act perhaps in the next Assembly, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 381-15(4): Mental Health Act And Related Services In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there has been work done looking at what would be required to modernize and rewrite this legislation. We are going to continue to pay as much attention as we can to that issue as we try to conclude with major pieces of legislation currently underway. It comes down to a capacity and resource issue. The Member’s points are all accurate and valid. This is an outdated piece of legislation. We will make our best efforts to make sure that we have as much work done so that, at the start of the next Assembly, it can be picked up and moved forward. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are a relatively small territory with a small population. As I related in my Member’s statement today, so many of us have had people who have been close to us who have been touched with cancer. One of the questions that I often get as an MLA is whether or not the rates of cancer are actually higher in the Northwest Territories than they are in the rest of this country. My understanding has been that they are not. Perhaps it is just that the closeness with which our small community here operates that we just tend to hear about it more often.

For the record, and for people who have made this inquiry of me many times, I would like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, do we have a higher than national average in our rates of cancer? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Cancer Rates In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member, for the most part, is correct. Historically, cancer rates in the Northwest Territories have been lower than the national average. They are, however, on the increase and moving towards the national average. I don’t have the specific statistics right before me, but if my memory serves me correctly, for example, the issue of colorectal cancer is not at, or slightly above the national average. For the most part, a lot of the cancers are still below the national average but moving up. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 382-15(4): Cancer Rates In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are a small territory, but do we have any kind of in house capacity to do an analysis of why those rates are moving higher? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 382-15(4): Cancer Rates In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a lot of work done on what causes the various cancers. Very clearly, in many cases, the cancers come back to some very fundamental basic issues that I have raised in this House before. They come back to the diet, exercise, smoking and drinking as things that are very significant in causing heart and lung problems, kidney problems, liver problems, all sorts of circulatory problems. So there are some very fundamental basic issues there that contribute to the cancers and diabetes. That evidence is clear. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 382-15(4): Cancer Rates In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Maybe it is just the age that I am at and the fact that I am a female, but one type of cancer that seems to be very noticeable and prevalent in the North here is breast cancer. Almost in every kind of cancer, including breast cancer, early diagnosis seems to be the key to being cured and having a good chance of a good outcome and prognosis for survival. Mr. Speaker, where are we with our mobile mammogram program and access for women in the Northwest Territories to detection through mammograms? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 382-15(4): Cancer Rates In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member raises a very good point. Mammography services are available in Yellowknife. Women get referred here. As well, in the South Slave area, there have been arrangements made with Alberta with their mobile mammography equipment to come through the communities. That is, as well, still available. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 382-15(4): Cancer Rates In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister describe any other initiatives that are underway out there in the communities creating awareness about signs and early diagnosis of breast cancer? South Slave and Yellowknife, that is great. We have mammography services, but there are a whole lot of remote communities out there where people are a long ways away from there. We need to create awareness. What is being done on that front? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 382-15(4): Cancer Rates In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a considerable amount of work being done with the nurses and the public health through the authorities to make individuals aware of the benefits of regular checkups which is one of the fundamental first steps not only in the case of breast cancer, but for others as well to get the regular checkups to check out specific concerns. As well, there are posters and such that are out there to encourage ladies to get checked and go to their local health station. If there are any signs of issues, they will make arrangements for referrals. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. It gets back again to the issue of fairness and equity in the government’s providing funding to non-profit day cares. Just the other day, the Minister stated that by providing, in essence, free rent and free maintenance to some operators, they have a bit of a leg up he guesses. But, Mr. Speaker, that leg up might as well be Godzilla’s leg up for some of these other operators, which amounts to $100,000. That, Mr. Speaker, is definitely a bit of a leg up, if I could say so.

The first question I would like to pose to the Minister, and he didn’t answer this question the other day, is, what are the Department of Education, Culture and Employment’s plans to deal with the inequities that are in place here in Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 383-15(4): Non-Profit Day Cares In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I doubt that the benefit is $100,000. It is a very old building that we are talking about. The cost of utilities is probably a lot higher than what would be the case in a more modern facility. That facility is operated out of that building since far before my term as Minister. It is a situation that has developed over time where this one operator was in a facility. The government had a spare facility at the time and offered it to a non-profit organization to run a day care out of. In the intervening years, there have been a number of other operators that have come and started up. We can certainly have a look at the issue. Obviously, if we are talking about having to charge rents to everybody, we will have to take a look at phasing in a rental increase. We would also have to take a look at the other operations across the Northwest Territories. There are, Mr. Speaker, a substantial number of operations across the Territories using space in either government-owned schools or college facilities. We could certainly take a look at what the impacts might be of ensuring that the government is absolutely equitable to everybody. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 383-15(4): Non-Profit Day Cares In The NWT