Debates of March 14, 2007 (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister just mentioned item number two on the shopping list here, and that is the northern residents tax deduction. This Assembly passed a motion asking the Minister to take this up with his Nunavut and Yukon counterparts and then, of course, take it to Ottawa. Has the Minister now taken this request directly to Ottawa and what have they got to say about it, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 32-15(6): Federal Budget Wish List

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have worked with our territorial counterparts on this file. As well, I have sent a letter to all the provincial Finance Ministers, because northern parts of the provinces would fall into a number of the zones that may be affected. Once we start receiving input back from them, we would hopefully carry a joint effort forward to federal Finance. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 32-15(6): Federal Budget Wish List

Mr. Speaker, there was consternation across the land in the last few months with cuts to many front-line social service organizations, Mr. Speaker. Especially of concern here in the North were cuts to those agencies involved in literacy and volunteerism. Mr. Speaker, this government chose to do some backfilling there and they’re to be complimented for that. But it is intolerable, unacceptable, that this should be a download from Ottawa onto the provinces and the territories. Mr. Speaker, has the Minister taken these cuts and our objection to them directly to Ottawa to ask for the federal government to restore this spending?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 32-15(6): Federal Budget Wish List

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Premier has led the charge dealing directly with the Prime Minister’s office. As well, each department that was affected by that also contacted their appropriate federal Ministers to highlight their concern and the displeasure with the announcement that was made, and encouraged the federal government to re-evaluate its stance. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 32-15(6): Federal Budget Wish List

Finally, Mr. Speaker, the other big one on the shopping list here is related to the resource revolution stuff, is the formula financing deal that I know in fact we tried to crack that one even late in the previous Assembly, Mr. Speaker. After almost four years now, are we going to see some real progress in amending the very old-fashioned and cumbersome formula financing deal that we now have with Ottawa, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 32-15(6): Federal Budget Wish List

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The work around formula financing has begun. There have been a number of technical meetings on what a new formula will look like. We understand that as part of this federal budget that will be launched, I guess you can say, on March 19th will include new arrangements for formula financing as well as equalization. So there is work in those areas and we’re waiting to see some of the detail on that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask questions today to the Minister of Health and Social Services and it’s in regards to the human resources management review that’s being undertaken at the hospital in partnership with the management of the hospital as well as the employees there, and there was a process developed to work on that. I’d like to ask, on the eve of us leaving this session, if he could give an update as to where we are with that review? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 33-15(6): Human Resource Review At Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the work is ongoing. I haven’t been given an update as to whether that survey has been concluded. There were two sections of it as it went through. I’m not sure if we finished with that and are waiting for final stages and a report from the department. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 33-15(6): Human Resource Review At Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think we’ll have to wait to get some more details and maybe the Minister will undertake to do that. I understand there is another review being done by the UNW with respect to working conditions and harassment issues or violence issues. I’d like to ask the Minister if he’s aware of that and whether he can undertake to take a look at that and see what government can do to implement the findings there in partnership with UNW. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 33-15(6): Human Resource Review At Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’m not aware of further work that’s ongoing by the UNW. Our focus has been through the cooperation we’ve had through this Assembly and the Social Programs committee, working at Stanton and through the department, as well as being assisted by Human Resources. So we’re waiting for that final piece before we can proceed. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 33-15(6): Human Resource Review At Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t think the Minister has detail of the information on this review, so may I ask the Minister to make a commitment to look at not only the human resources review that’s being worked on at the hospital, but also the survey being undertaken by UNW. I’d just like to ask him to commit to looking at that and see what we can do to implement some of those findings. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 33-15(6): Human Resource Review At Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the review that’s ongoing at Stanton through our process is something that I’ll look forward to seeing and seeing how we can rectify things there, if there are situations that need to be fixed, and make sure that all aspects of it get looked at with an eye to making things better. The issue of UNW, again, I’m unfamiliar with that report or process and I would be happy to see what they have if they’re willing to share that with us. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Question 34-12(6): Patient Services At Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated in my Member’s statement about the sudden death of Mrs. Voudrach at the Stanton Territorial Hospital, my question is for the Honourable Floyd Roland, the Minister of Health and Social Services. I’d like to ask the Minister, when a death occurs in the operating room, does that cause an immediate investigation on the cause of death? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 34-12(6): Patient Services At Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a process established when we have an unfortunate fatality in our facilities. In this case, the coroner becomes involved and we have to work through that process. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 34-12(6): Patient Services At Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regard to the protocol, if the coroner is involved, I am just wondering, how long does it usually take for the coroner to make his report? Can it be made public for the family that is involved right away? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 34-12(6): Patient Services At Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as process is well established on how we work with the coroner’s office, the coroner’s office operates on its own and will do its work as has been done in the past. When they finish their report, it is made available to the public through a number of avenues. We would, as a department, look at recommendations that come out of that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 34-12(6): Patient Services At Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister in regard to patients going out for surgeries, what is the protocol for the patient getting surgery? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 34-12(6): Patient Services At Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again, I am going to have to be very careful in responding to this, because we are aware of the situation that is before us and aware of the coroner doing his work. For the process that is established, we work with all of our health authorities and schedule their travel, whether it be to the Inuvik facility for minor surgery there if it can be performed or to the territorial facility if it needs to be dealt with at this end or, again, on the level of surgery that is required going to the Capital Health Authority in Alberta or other jurisdictions if required. We do have a process established where one physician works with another if a patient has to be transferred and work within that environment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 34-12(6): Patient Services At Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to ask the Minister, can his department contact Mr. Voudrach in terms of giving him as much information as the department can give so that at least he will have that information? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 34-12(6): Patient Services At Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as difficult as the situation is and the family has found themselves in, the process, again, is very well established. We will have to work through the coroner’s office for information to flow when the coroner is done. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions will be for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. It is, yet again, about the Yellowknife school problem. Mr. Speaker, my question will be framed around lack of consistency, clarity and practice throughout the Northwest Territories where there is more than one school in that community. Is there any ECE legislative authority, policy or directive that is enforceable which points to a minimum capacity level that community schools must be at, and, if they are not, are they either amalgamated or closed?

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

Return To Question 35-15(6): Yellowknife School Facilities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is no policy. We have never been in a situation before where we had so many vacancies as we do in this situation right now in Yellowknife. So we are responding to a unique circumstance. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 35-15(6): Yellowknife School Facilities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Often, when people respond at the spur of the moment on unique circumstances, I think they make a lot of mistakes, Mr. Speaker. That speaks to the frustration of the parents. So speaking to that issue, will the Minister be answering all of those questions posed by the parents so we can get on and find a solution to this issue? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 35-15(6): Yellowknife School Facilities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member may have noted my answers to Mr. Ramsay earlier today. This has not been going on for just a week, two weeks, a month, or even a year. It has been going on far longer than that. There have been a number of discussions with the goal of trying to resolve this with this situation. There has not been a collaborative solution yet, so I am trying to force some action with my recommendations with YK 1. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 35-15(6): Yellowknife School Facilities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister avoiding my question, which is the fact that the parents posed all of these formal questions to the Minister. Will he be formally responding to them? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 35-15(6): Yellowknife School Facilities