Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask a few more questions of the Minister of Health and Social Services relative to the supplementary health benefits proposed changes. I did ask about the timeline for consultation and implementation and mentioned the implantation date. I will try my question again and ask the Minister on what is the implementation date of September 1st based. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member is aware, this policy was changed by the last government in 2007. My job was to implement those changes. The first time out, the public and the Members wanted us to review the changes. We are now ready to go back with some of the hard facts about the program: what it does, how does it work, what is it for, how is it different from the Canada Health Act. So we are going back to the public to have that discussion. Originally this was scheduled to be implemented in April 2009 and it’s been delayed to September this year, so that’s the date. I believe the Member is aware of all that historical background. Thank you.
I thank the Minister. I am aware. I thank her for the short history lesson. My question was more to the amount of time that’s required for implementation. How much time is being allocated for consultation? How much time is needed for implementation? That was why I asked for the basis for September 1st.
To the Minister: once a decision is made on whatever these changes are going to be, how soon does she and the department expect the changes could be implemented?
As I stated earlier, these changes are to be implemented September 1, 2010.
I’ll try to be a little more definite. If a decision were made tomorrow, how much time is required for the department to put in place implementation? There’s got to be changes, I would imagine, within the bureaucracy that are going to be required to put in place whatever changes are determined to get them into effect. How much time is required from when a decision is made to when things can be immediately implemented after that? How many months? How many days? How many years?
I will have to speculate a little bit. I’m not going to speculate. I can tell the Member -- and I think that’s what the Member is getting at -- I believe the department is prepared to implement with any changes of the policy within three months. So for September 1st implementation, by June they will be ready to implement it in September.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Minister for that specific information. She mentioned, when I asked earlier, that there’s no need at this point for cost information, but I’d like to ask the Minister this question -- and I exaggerate these dollars totally -- if it’s going to cost $100 million to cover the end of our working spectrum who are not currently covered, if it’s going to cost $100 million to do that, that’s going to have a huge impact on what I determine to do with the “high-end” earners or where I’m going to get the revenue from to offset that expense. I’d like to ask the Minister again how she believes that we can make a decision without knowing the costs involved.
We could do that because this is not about cost cutting and this is not offsetting. The Member knows that this is not a reduction of extended health benefits. This is about having a dialogue with our residents about what extended health benefits are as opposed to insured core health service that everybody is entitled to. Every Canadian, every NWT resident is entitled to doctor services and hospital services and some other procedures. Extended health benefits are extra benefits that each government does and they are different all across Canada. The conversation we are having is we are going to talk to the people about how it works now. And we’re not talking about the basket of services. We’re not talking about reducing. This is not a cost-saving measure. This is not a cost-cutting measure. This is about sustainability and making this program more fair and accessible to people who need it the most. Right now people get it if they’re over 60 or if they have a specific condition. We’re looking to see how the access could be more fair and equitable based on need, and income being one of the factors.
Mr. Speaker, I have a return to written question asked by Mr. David Ramsay on February 23, 2010, regarding the rationale for contract to facilitate a basic accounting course.
In 2008 the government was in the initial stages of implementing its new financial information system. It became apparent that financial staff across the GNWT would need an increased level of understanding of basic accounting concepts to operate the new system. A review of various basic entry-level accounting training programs and services being offered, particularly in the North, was conducted. This included offerings from the School of Community Government and Aurora College.
It was determined that the offering from the School of Community Government was the best match for the identified needs. The course has a northern focus and was designed for northern accounting staff. The curriculum needed some minor modifications to provide relevant examples for GNWT staff and highlight expected changes between the old financial accounting system and the new system.
As MacKay LLP were the original developers of the training materials for the School of Community Government, they were contracted on a sole-source basis to make the necessary modifications to their original material and provide “train the trainer” courses. The decision to award the contract on a sole-source basis was made by the previous deputy minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat on the advice of the FIS Project Deputy Minister Steering Committee.
However, the contract had not been formally signed before a change in deputy ministers occurred. Because deputy ministers may not enter into contracts with immediate family members unless authorized by the ethics counsellor, the current deputy minister sought and received the authorization of the ethics counsellor before the contract was executed. Arrangements were made as recommended by the ethics counsellor, to ensure that contract administration and dispute resolution, if required, excluded the deputy minister.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Clerk.
Mr. Speaker, I have a return to Written Question 19-16(4) asked by Mr. David Krutko on February 10, 2010, regarding details on Northwest Territories Housing Corporation’s applications.
It should be noted that the Housing Choices programs were introduced in 2007, so the information provided here is for the years 2007-2009 and includes information for the 2009-2010 program intake.
The NWTHC offers three homeownership and repair programs through Housing Choices:
Contributing Assistance for Repairs and Enhancements (CARE);
Homeownership Entry Level Program (HELP); and
Providing Assistance for Territorial Homeownership (PATH).
During the period in question, the NWTHC received a total of 316 applications for these programs in the communities of Aklavik, Fort McPherson, and Tsiigehtchic. Of these applications, 161 were approved program assistance while 131 applications were declined as the applicants did not meet program criteria. In addition, 16 applications were withdrawn by the applicants. Nine applications from the 2009-2010 intake period are still pending approval at this time.
In addition to CARE, HELP, and PATH, the NWTHC also offers educational programming to prospective homeowners through the Solutions to Educate People Program. During the years in question, the total attendance at STEP courses in these communities was 155.
In addition to Housing Choices, the NWTHC also delivers repair programs in the NWT on behalf of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. During the year in question, an additional 28 applications were received for these programs, 21 of which were approved. Four applications for the 2009-2010 intake period are still pending while three applicants for these programs were declined as the applicants did not meet program criteria.
Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Item 10, petitions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.
---Unanimous consent granted.
Return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to acknowledge the work of a constituent who is working here as a Page, Mr. Tommy Jorge. As well, I’d like to thank the rest of the Pages for all the hard work they’ve done for Members this past week and for their service to this House.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Northwest Territories Tourism 2010-2011 Marketing Plan.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled GNWT Response to Committee Report 4-16(4): Report on the Review of the 2007-2008 Annual Report of the Languages Commissioner.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Pursuant to Section 32.1(2) of the Financial Administration Act, I wish to table the following document entitled List of Interactivity Transfers Exceeding $250,000 for the Period April 1, 2009, to December 31, 2009.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my Return to Written Question 21-16(4), I wish to table the following two documents entitled Design Guideline: Units Incorporating Barrier-Free/Visitable Design Features and Public Housing Units that Incorporate Barrier-Free Features.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Pursuant to Section 68 of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I wish to table the 2008-2009 Annual Report of the Northwest Territories Information and Privacy Commissioner.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that Bill 12, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 4, 2009-2010, be read for the first time.
Bill 12, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 4, 2009-2010, has had first reading.
---Carried
The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Boot Lake, that Bill 13, Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), 2010-2011, be read for the first time.
Bill 13, Appropriations Act (Operations Expenditures), 2010-2011, has had first reading.
---Carried
The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that Bill 14, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2009-2010, be read for the first time.
Bill 14, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2009-2010, has had first reading.
---Carried
The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
