Debates of June 6, 2006 (day 6)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the course of this Assembly, I have repeatedly sounded the alarm about the impending crisis in the frontline agencies brought about by the overwhelming administrative burden and a lack of adequate funding. During our pre-budget consultations last fall, I heard from many NGOs about their inability to offer competitive wages and benefits that are absolutely essential to recruiting and keeping qualified staff. I’ve also heard convincing cases from where many well-established organizations, that the time has come to recognize their long-standing contribution and financial responsibility by entering into a multi-year funding agreement with them.

Mr. Speaker, in the case of the Yellowknife Association of Concerned Citizens for Seniors, I don’t believe I can speak about an impending crisis anymore. I believe we are here now. Negotiations with the union are about to start sometime this fall and the association finds itself in a position of being unable to offer its staff anything approaching wage parity that their employees deserve. The risk that these employees will give up and look for higher paid or I should say fair paid work elsewhere is a really, truly serious concern. I am sure it’s very convenient for the government to look at accessing the pool of trained staff that they employ because we can attract them to government wages and benefits quite easily, but we’re not helping this NGO get along. We cannot continue this if we expect these organizations to be sustainable and continue to provide the high level of services we have come to depend on. Part of the challenge of this association is their lack of multi-year funding arrangement that would facilitate long-term planning.

I would like to applaud the Minister although on his recent conclusion of a multi-year funding agreement with the NWT seniors, which I have pressured him for some time to take action on, but I think that there’s another step to continue. I hope that he will be able to move quickly to work out a similar agreement with the YACCS, such as an agreement that needs to bring closure to, again, a wage parity and benefits problem.

Mr. Speaker, if this Minister is not prepared to move quickly on this issue of wage parity to ensure NGOs like YACCS have adequate funding, then I guess the next question is whether the Minister is instead prepared to take over the responsibility for these valued services directly, at truly what’s probably a far higher cost.

Mr. Speaker, at this time may I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement? Thank you.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, colleagues, and thank you, Minister Miltenberger. I can see you wanting to nay this. Mr. Speaker, the truth is, we have to start honing up to our responsibility. The concern is out there; we have no options. I expect nothing less than swift action from this Minister of Health and Social Services, because the continued survival of YACCS and other NGOs just like them are the backbone of our social infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, in closing here, this is something that has been a serious concern of mine, but I have to tell you it’s been a serious concern of those directly affected for much, much longer. When I say directly offended I mean to say the residents who deserve to have the best quality of service provided to them and those professionals certainly who are being undervalued by this government and they should be paid what they fairly deserve. So this government needs to show that these services are valued and needed, they need to be able to count on them, they do not need lip service, they do not need to be told how heroic they are, they do not need to know anything other than a pat on the back, because these people do these jobs because they care about them. We need the commitment from this government…

Could you wrap up your statement, Mr. Hawkins?

Mr. Speaker, we need long-term security because these organizations benefit all our people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

---Applause