Debates of June 8, 2006 (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask a couple of questions of Mr. Dent as the Minister -- a couple of questions perhaps, as many as the Speaker will allow -- of the Workers’ Compensation Board of the NWT and Nunavut. Last December, the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories ruled on the case of Mr. Ivan Valic, an injured worker and his efforts to have a new hearing before a reconstituted appeals tribunal. In that time, in that approximately five months, there have been some procedural issues regarding finding impartial panel members to appoint to such a tribunal. The tribunal advertised for qualified people. The deadline for those applications was May 31st. I wanted to ask the Minister whether qualified people have come forward and, if so, will the appeals tribunal be able to proceed post-haste with Mr. Valic’s rehearing, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for Workers’ Compensation Board, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 86-15(5): Status Of Ivan Valic’s WCB Tribunal Rehearing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I would say we have received a number of qualified applicants that we can consider for filling the vacant public interest position. It is my intention to attempt to consider them as quickly as possible in concert with the Minister of Nunavut. We have been in touch with his office several times in the past week since the receipt of all of the applicants. We are hoping that very shortly we will be able to make an appointment to the vacant public interest position. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 86-15(5): Status Of Ivan Valic’s WCB Tribunal Rehearing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister has he communicated the urgency of this situation, the pressing nature of the requirement to have this panel assembled and this hearing implemented, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 86-15(5): Status Of Ivan Valic’s WCB Tribunal Rehearing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Nunavut Minister is aware that I would like to move on this issue fairly quickly or very quickly. We still have to take due diligence with reviewing the applications that have been received. I will be asking the chair of the appeals tribunal to comment on the application and get that information back to me and I will work with the Minister from Nunavut to move as quickly as we can. It is something that we will advance as quickly as we can. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 86-15(5): Status Of Ivan Valic’s WCB Tribunal Rehearing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, given that this is a specialized task and the appointment of the new tribunal member will require some orientation, some training, some familiarization with the job. All things considered, I am wondering if I can get some sense of when we would be able to see this hearing date actually set for this tribunal hearing, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 86-15(5): Status Of Ivan Valic’s WCB Tribunal Rehearing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am afraid I can’t give a specific date or even a range of dates at this point, because once we have the new person selected, they have to be formally appointed to that position. Then, as the Member has rightly pointed out, there needs to be a process of them learning how to do their job properly. It’s unlikely that would happen within a matter of days. It will probably take a couple of weeks for somebody to get their training. Then when everything is ready, we will have to contact the lawyer for the appellant to see when they are going to be available, when the appellant is going to be available. There will be a number of people that will have to then be brought together and we will have to mesh all of those schedules. I assure the Member that the appeals tribunal is very interested in dealing with this issue and getting it dealt with as quickly as possible, and we will make every effort to move this to the rehearing of the appeal in short order.