Debates of June 8, 2006 (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions will be directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services and I’ll be asking him questions regarding the spirit and intent of the act that empowers this Minister. So, Mr. Speaker, knowing, as I said, the spirit and intent of the act recognizes health authorities, maybe we could trouble the Minister today to explain to us where in this act it shows that he should be the chair of Stanton Territorial Hospital when it talks about appointments of board members to hospital boards. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Return To Question 88-15(5): Minister’s Involvement In The Stanton Territorial Hospital Board

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the current legislation there is provision in legislation for boards, for authorities, including Stanton. There is also provision for what happens when there is no board, as there is in this case. What happens then is there’s a public trustee to be appointed, which there has been, and that has been the deputy minister. The CEO then reports to the deputy minister. That’s the legal arrangement that currently exists with Stanton within the framework parameters of the current legislation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 88-15(5): Minister’s Involvement In The Stanton Territorial Hospital Board

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, the Minister is correct, because it uses the word “may.” You know, the Minister may establish a board. But we’re talking about the spirit and the intent of the act. Because what’s evolved out of this process of once the board has dissolved, he’s right; the trustee has been made trustee for life. It’s time that we get on and appoint a public board. The spirit and the intent of the act does not describe sort of a relationship where the Minister should sit as the board chair. So, Mr. Speaker, maybe the Minister could then refer to me where this is not considered a conflict, whereas he’s the Minister, the overall seer of the board through the act, and so sitting as a chairperson how could we not see this through the act that he is in conflict? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The questions are starting to lead towards the Minister giving his opinion and I don’t know if that’s a proper question to be asking a Minister of his own opinion and things. I don’t know if the Minister wants to answer that question. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 88-15(5): Minister’s Involvement In The Stanton Territorial Hospital Board

Mr. Speaker, I just reiterate my previous information, which is the current legislation allows for when there’s no board that the public administrator be appointed, which there has been, and that is the deputy minister. That is the legal arrangement that currently exists. Outside of that legislation we have the creation of the Joint Leadership Council, which I sit on with all the board chairs as does the deputy minister. But the legal arrangement is the CEO reports to the public trustee, which is in place and has been done by the current legislation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, it’s in my view that there seems to be some difficulty. I see this as a conflict, in my humble opinion. Although I’m not a lawyer, and I just, you know, I don’t have those skills to define that, but I see it as a perceived concern where the Minister sits there. I’d like to see where the Minister shows me in the act of a timely way and mechanism for the reappointment of a board that’s an independent public board. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. The Chair is going to caution the Member that in referring to conflicts of interest there is a process in place for dealing with conflict, whether perceived or not. I think again, asking the Member for his opinion on how it fits into the act is…I’m going to ask the Member if he wants to rephrase a supplementary question. I’m not going to go to the Minister with that one. Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 88-15(5): Minister’s Involvement In The Stanton Territorial Hospital Board

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll pay specific note to that. My apologies in that regard. Mr. Speaker, if I rephrase my question it is, how does the Minister show the true independence of a health board by him not sitting on the board as chairperson and still being a sitting Minister? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Again, asking the Minister for his opinion. We’ll allow the Minister, if he wants to answer or doesn’t have to answer that question. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 88-15(5): Minister’s Involvement In The Stanton Territorial Hospital Board

Mr. Speaker, what my intention is, as Minister is, to maintain the current arrangement where there’s a public trustee that’s going to oversee, that the CEO’s going to report to. The JLC’s going to continue and on our legislative agenda is a review and updating and revising of the legislation that governs all the authorities and boards because it is out of date and needs work. But for the foreseeable future I intend to carry on with the arrangement we do have. I believe Stanton is functioning very effectively and the board chairs that I deal with on a regular basis seem quite pleased with the arrangement, as are most people that I’ve talked to. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 88-15(5): Minister’s Involvement In The Stanton Territorial Hospital Board

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I can truly understand why the Health Minister would say that his perspective is the board, or I should say Stanton is functioning quite well, because he’s sort of running it. So through the deputy minister. So why would he think anything else? I guess, really, my final question, Mr. Speaker, in a timely way will be, would the Minister do the right thing and eliminate any concerns that I’ve arisen here, whether implied or not? Would he appoint, in the spirit and intent of the act, an independent board; I don’t have a problem with the JLC, but an independent board with an independent chair? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 88-15(5): Minister’s Involvement In The Stanton Territorial Hospital Board

I’d like to thank the Member first about his kind words about how well Stanton is running under my Ministership. I can’t take full credit for that. Clearly, I have a strong Cabinet that supports me, the Members of the Legislature…

---Laughter

…and lots of good staff that does all the work. We have a system that I believe is functioning effectively and has been the result of a lot of hard work and consensus building, and I intend to continue with that arrangement. Thank you.