Debates of June 2, 2006 (day 4)

Mr. Speaker, I have to say again that there is a process that is ongoing. Mr. Speaker, I know there was a news item this morning -- I didn't catch it all -- on this. But there's two sides in this. There's an offer on the table. There's, I believe, some consideration of it. These are negotiations that are ongoing and it would not be appropriate for our government to intervene at this point while negotiations are still going on. Some day if this comes to a complete grinding halt, then it may be necessary. But at this point, Mr. Speaker, I'll restate that I believe it's too early for us. There is a responsibility for each side, in fact both sides, to work toward an agreement and I trust that both sides are doing that today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 36-15(5): Ekati Mine Labour Dispute

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Maybe the Premier has information that none of us have, because as far as I know, maybe the Premier can share with us on this because as far as I know the company made a final offer and the union does not feel that they can accept the offer. Not because of the details of the package, but because of some of the things that the company's asking for that the company cannot accommodate. I don't see any other extra sources, anything changing that could bring the two parties back together. So maybe the Premier has something to share with us that I'm not aware of. I don't understand what he's working with. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 36-15(5): Ekati Mine Labour Dispute

Mr. Speaker, when two sides at a bargaining table come to an impasse, that isn't the end of the whole process. Mr. Speaker, there is a process of mediation; there's a process of arbitration. Those are things that the federal Minister responsible for the Canada Labour Code has to make decisions on. So, Mr. Speaker, really we're partway through a process here. There's other steps that can be followed and should be pursued before our government, without any authority in this matter, tries to intervene in this. So, Mr. Speaker, I just urge both sides to work toward an agreement. If they can't do it at the negotiating table, there are other measures that can be taken. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Final, short supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 36-15(5): Ekati Mine Labour Dispute

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Premier make a commitment to this House that he would talk to the federal Minister of Labour in order to ascertain that they're paying close attention to this issue, and to see what are the options that the government has to ask them to mediate or whatever federal process there is? I'd like to know if he could report to the House about what his options are in that regard. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 36-15(5): Ekati Mine Labour Dispute

Mr. Speaker, I have not spoken directly to Minister Blackburn on this issue. I have been talking on several occasions with Minister Prentice, the Minister of DIAND. I know he's very aware of this, and the federal government, who has authority in this matter, is watching this very closely. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I spoke about the drug and alcohol programs in the Northwest Territories and I want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, has his department reviewed the situation of the drug and alcohol treatment programs and would his department consider a project-by-project of treatment programs on the land versus the residential units that he has now in the Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 37-15(5): Consideration For “On- The-Land” Alcohol And Drug Treatment Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the next week or so we're going to be finalizing and sending out a document for feedback in regards to next steps when it comes to alcohol and drug treatment and mental health treatment, as well. We'll be looking for feedback from the Members. We'll be sending it out far and wide across the land, to authorities, to chiefs and band councils and to cover all the whole spectrum of stakeholders. As well, if the Member has a specific suggestion or proposal he'd like to make, we're always prepared to, as the Member knows, work with him to see what is possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 37-15(5): Consideration For “On-The-Land” Alcohol And Drug Treatment Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister's offer in terms of offering some suggestions to proposals. He's being quite open about receiving them. I want to know now the next steps in terms of advising the stakeholders. It seems to me, Mr. Speaker, that during the Joint Review Panel hearings that communities have indicated that alcohol and drug treatment is the number one issue. We heard it over and over again. So I'm trying to understand why do another community consultation with the stakeholders? We know what it is. We read in the newspaper on a weekly basis on the crimes that are committed by using alcohol and drugs. So I think if the Minister is prepared to move to a next step, we'll get the programs in the communities on the land. So I want to ask the Minister would he again look at the reason for going back into the communities to talk to the stakeholders. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 37-15(5): Consideration For “On-The-Land” Alcohol And Drug Treatment Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the Member's statement yesterday he pointed out very clearly the debate between community services and enhancing those as opposed to building and focussing a lot, or almost extensively on the type of residential facilities and anywhere in between, as the discussion has unfolded. That's part of the issue that we're looking at. Clearly where we're up and down the valley, there's concern about the impending development of the proposed pipeline. We also have to sit down, now that we know for sure that there's been a commitment to the $500 million that is going to flow through the aboriginal governments and to the affected pipeline communities, to be able to sit down with them to look at how we pool our resources with those resources and determine what's the best way to move forward on a number of issues. If in fact at the end after these discussions, the decision is that we're going to enhance in a specific way alcohol and drug treatment services, then we will be looking at working closely with all the community groups, how that is done, keeping in mind that that $500 million is one-time money. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 37-15(5): Consideration For “On-The-Land” Alcohol And Drug Treatment Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the $500 million has been committed. Residential school money is out, or shortly will be coming out. The communities want drug and alcohol programs in their communities. Tl'oondih has as good program in Fort McPherson. There's good programs down the Mackenzie Valley. Let's get the programs into communities right now. Let's not do any more consultation. Get the programs in there. There's workers that need the help and their families need help, so let's not do any more consultation. Get the programs in the communities. So I'll ask the Minister again, let's quit the consultation and let's have some action from this department to put programs in the communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 37-15(5): Consideration For “On-The-Land” Alcohol And Drug Treatment Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll make sure I highlight that point about don't consult any more and get down to work when the Member next comes forward. Mr. Speaker, we have made a significant investment with dozens and dozens of positions and wellness workers and mental health workers across the land. We have made significant investments and we're going to continue to do that. The Member has stood up in this House and said let's take another approach with some on-the-land programs and a concept that he has contributed about 20 words to. I'm saying if the Member has a specific proposal and some detail that we can look at, tell us what it is and we'll be happy to sit down and look at it, and we'll also meet with the regions and communities and look at how that $500 million can be added to what we're doing to enhance services. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister's to not consult…

A technical difficulty here, Mr. Yakeleya. Your mike is not working, so just hold on a moment. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you. I will raise my voice in the House. I don’t have to? Thank you.

Just hold a moment, Mr. Yakeleya. We seem to have a technical difficulty here. It’s not a matter of not being able to hear, it’s just your mike is not working.

Hello? Hello?

I guess your mike is working. Go ahead, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 37-15(5): Consideration For “On-The-Land” Alcohol And Drug Treatment Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Believe me, the lights are on on this issue.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the Minister again, and I will make this very clear. Please do not consult. We have studies, mountains and mountains of studies of this program, this issue. Do not consult. Get the action, get the money. Prime example, the Minister of Justice has a pilot project of a wilderness camp in Fort Good Hope. It’s dynamite. It’s working good. Let’s get started. Let’s hammer out the issues later on as they come about. Can the people in Sahtu or…Let’s get a pilot project on. Bring the families together through a drug and alcohol treatment program, northern-based, aboriginal sensitive and open to everybody. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Education, Charles Dent. I would like to ask about the status of the student residence supposedly being built in Inuvik. Thank you.

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

Return To Question 38-15(5): Status Of Student Residence Facility Planned For Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The current schedule would see the request for proposals going out by the end of this month, with our expectation that the award would take place shortly thereafter and construction hopefully starting by the end of August this summer.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 38-15(5): Status Of Student Residence Facility Planned For Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The original tender, I believe, closed in February. Now we hear that the new RFP is going out at the end of the month. I would like to ask the Minister, what was the delay from February until now? We are looking at three or four months before they redid it and put it out. So I would like to ask the Minister what was the delay. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 38-15(5): Status Of Student Residence Facility Planned For Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once the tenders came in or the responses to the proposals came in to the first request for proposals, we found that the prices submitted were well above the budget. So in discussions with Public Works, we looked at other projects that had been undertaken in the Territories for student residences, specifically the one most recently in Fort Smith and were told that if we were to modify the proposal, the design, to reflect the designs that had been used in Fort Smith, that it is likely that we would be able to see the project completed in Inuvik for the amount of money that was in the budget. That work was undertaken and then the college was provided with those plans. At that point, the college requested that we make further changes to the plans. We had to go back to the architect and that added some time. So at this point, we are fairly confident that we are at the end of this process. It should be out to the contractors for their proposals. We are still confident that we will see construction starting later this summer.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement, I addressed the issue that has been raised in this House numerous times before. The GNWT, on behalf of their employees, subscribes to a pharmaceutical insurance program with Sun Life and there are some problems and gaps for the service providers under that particular insurance program. I trust by now Minister Roland is familiar with what the issue is, although some of the correspondence would indicate otherwise. We need an online adjudicated, quick, efficient process for the pharmacies in the Northwest Territories. Has the Minister considered changing the company or the program we subscribe to on behalf of GNWT employees and employees of boards and agencies? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 39-15(5): GNWT Health Insurance Providers Process Concerns

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the area of providing help through the Sun Life program for pharmacies or drugs for our employees is something that I have just recently been made aware of. I am aware of the correspondence that was sent to the Minister of Health and Social Services from a number of pharmacies. I understand a meeting was held just recently, maybe this past weekend. The issue comes down to Sun Life’s automatic billing system that they need to put in. We are informed that that should be in place by 2008, although the pharmacies within the Territories would like that sooner. They are moving down that path and that should alleviate the problems that are coming forward. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 39-15(5): GNWT Health Insurance Providers Process Concerns

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So there are quite a number of insurance companies who already do have provisions for pharmacies. Other employers in the Northwest Territories have their employees covered by services which are available online and at much less cumbersome process than what Sun Life has. I just want to confirm something. Is the Minister saying that Sun Life does not have a different program that we could subscribe to that would provide for that online access? If it’s not going to be up and running, if it’s a Sun Life deficiency and is not going to be up and running until 2008, I suggest that we switch service providers. Would the Minister consider that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 39-15(5): GNWT Health Insurance Providers Process Concerns

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the things we would have to do is review the contract that was awarded to Sun Life before we would go down that path, but I will commit to have a further review of this to see what some of the problems are and see if they can be resolved sooner. The understanding is that a meeting was held with the Pharmacy Association on Sunday and the Sun Life automatic billing system was one of the major topics. Again, the information we have is they will have a newer system in place by 2008, although the association would like that sooner and we understand why.

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

Supplementary To Question 39-15(5): GNWT Health Insurance Providers Process Concerns

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the information that my questions and comments were premised on today was a letter that I had received from the NWT Pharmacy Association dated April 27th. I was not aware that a subsequent meeting had taken place on the subject. I would ask the Minister, in response to their concerns and the concerns that I have reiterated here again today, would the Minister provide me with some form of a briefing as to the progress on this matter before the end of the session? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 39-15(5): GNWT Health Insurance Providers Process Concerns

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, in fact as we received the response from Minister Miltenberger back to the president of the NWT Pharmacy Association, we are in the process of putting something together and I will gladly provide that to the Member. Thank you.