Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I’d like to thank my colleagues Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Menicoche.
Members are pleased that the Department agreed to share the Process Convention for Review for alternatively financed projects with the committee, mentioned in the department’s response to the Auditor General’s first recommendation. This process convention forms the basis of a P3 policy.
The findings in Paragraph 33 of the Auditor General’s report raised concern among some Members. In September 2007, the Contract of Indemnification Exemption Regulations was amended to allow for a specific indemnity in the Concession Agreement in favour of the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation. This amendment exempted the Minister of Finance from, among other statutory requirements, the requirement to give Members of the Legislative Assembly at least 14 days notice, and enabled the GNWT to make a major financial commitment that now approaches $200 million. Members noted that the Concession Agreement was signed and the amendment to the regulations made after the Legislature had been dissolved.
During the public meeting, the Auditor General’s review team expressed the opinion that the Executive Council acted within its legal authority to make the amendment. The Financial Management Board Secretariat confirmed that the GNWT had used exemption regulations to enter into a contract or agreement on previous occasions.
The committee is pleased that, as indicated in the public meeting, the government is considering bringing forward changes to the Financial Administration Act that would modify the current process so that all indemnities would come before the Legislative Assembly.
The committee is satisfied that the department has updated the information in its risk matrix in response to the Auditor General’s second recommendation, that the department update the risk matrix and provide more complete information on mitigation measures responding to potential risks.
The department provided the committee a measure of confidence that it is closely monitoring the day-to-day progress of the bridge. Department officials identified plans for environmental remediation at the site, electrical work, and clean-up within the project’s current budget and general environmental liabilities. The department has considered the cost of an ice bridge and ferry service should the bridge be delayed. The department has $1 million in a separate budget for toll collection, which, it concedes, is small, but the amount is being discussed.
The department did not address lifecycle or additional remedial costs in its responses. The committee observes that paragraph 65 of the Auditor General’s report includes mention of a catwalk as a necessary part of the design, however, in the public meeting, the department stated it has decided to build the bridge without one. The committee is at a loss to explain this discrepancy.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Transportation thoroughly investigate the necessity and practicality of installing a catwalk, and report back to Members with other options for maintenance and inspection duly compared, within the scope of the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to pass on the continued reading of this report to my colleague Mr. Yakeleya. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you honourable Members.
The Auditor General’s final recommendation is that the department ensure that a single authority certifies that the design and construction of the bridge meet the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code, and that certification be obtained before the bridge is open to traffic. The department assured the committee that it is seeking the most practical means to ensure that the bridge is signed off by an Engineer of Record.
Further quality testing will be required for a single Engineer of Record to sign off on the bridge, which will carry additional costs. If the GNWT’s own engineer signs off as Engineer of Record, the GNWT will once again assume all the risk that entails.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that before the Deh Cho Bridge opens to traffic, the Department of Transportation ensure that a qualified authority certifies that the design and construction of the Deh Cho Bridge meet the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code.
The committee is concerned that the department may bury or delay costs in an effort to remain within the current project budget. The committee noted that the Deh Cho Bridge Project includes many costs that are internal to the department and the GNWT as a whole. For example, the committee understands that legal action is being considered, but cost implications are unknown.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the department keep all Members of the Legislative Assembly fully apprised of progress on the bridge and cost implications, and provide regular updates to the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure. These updates should include details specifically related to project risks, schedule, toll collection and establishing an Engineer of Record.
The department should provide Members with a timeline and total cost for the completion of the Deh Cho Bridge project at the earliest possible date.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends the department should provide an all-in, total cost for the project when it is complete that clearly identifies internal costs to the Legislative Assembly and the public.
The committee understands that the department has yet to provide a formal action plan on how it will implement the Auditor General’s recommendations.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Transportation provide and make public a detailed action plan to implement the recommendations contained in the Auditor General’s report on the Deh Cho Bridge Project, within 90 days.
Mr. Speaker, I now return the report back to the chairman, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Members expressed varied levels of satisfaction that the department is working to implement the Auditor General’s recommendations. Further work is needed to finalize a policy for alternatively financed projects, address inspection and maintenance requirements for the bridge, and ensure it is certified as an integrated unit by an appropriate authority. The committee is keenly aware that risks remain in the areas of the project’s schedule, scope and cost, and expects to be kept fully apprised of the progress made toward the project’s completion.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a comprehensive response to this report within 90 days.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question is being called.
---Carried
Committee Report 1-16(6) will be moved into Committee of the Whole for further consideration.
The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Mr. Speaker, your Standing Committee on Government Operations held its public review of the Report of the Auditor General on Northwest Territories Health Programs and Services – 2011, Department of Health and Social Services, and commends it to the House.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations held its public review of the Report of the Auditor General on Northwest Territories Health Programs and Services – 2011, Department of Health and Social Services, on April 19 and 20, 2011. The committee thanks the Auditor General, Ms. Sheila Fraser, and her staff for their work in preparing the report and in assisting the committee with its review. The committee also thanks the deputy minister of Health and Social Services and her staff for their participation.
The committee’s mandate includes reviewing reports of the Auditor General of Canada and making recommendations to the Government of the Northwest Territories. The committee wants to ensure that the Government of the Northwest Territories demonstrates its accountability to the public.
The Auditor General’s work for this report, Northwest Territories Health Programs and Services – 2011, was substantially completed by September 30, 2010. It was tabled on March 1, 2011, during the Fifth Session of the 16th Legislative Assembly.
The committee is pleased to report that the Auditor General found that the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) is managing the health system adequately and setting clear direction for the future. However, new technology, rising costs, and national shortages of professional staff are driving systemic changes in the health system. The Auditor General found that the department’s ability to achieve its priorities is limited by the absence of system-wide performance indicators, the lack of performance agreements with health authorities, and the fact that there is no service agreement with the Department of Human Resources, which has a key role in recruiting health professionals. The lack of performance indicators and agreements also hampers reporting on the performance of the health system to both the public and the Legislative Assembly. This must change.
The Auditor General’s review team focused on programs and services for diabetes, home care, long-term care, medical travel, and recruitment of professional staff. Social services were not reviewed. Authorities were not officially included, but three were visited and consulted in the context of the departmental review. Although the review did not and could not reasonably be expected to cover the entire health system, the committee is satisfied that the review was very thorough, reliable, and fair. Despite the limitations noted above, the review sheds considerable light on the state of our health system, particularly the department’s ability to assess its effectiveness and plan accordingly.
The Auditor General made seven major recommendations to improve the administration and effectiveness of the NWT health system. All were accepted by the Department of Health and Social Services, and where relevant, by the Department of Human Resources, as well. The committee is pleased that the departments intend to implement the prescribed changes. The government should have a plan and timeline for doing so, and provide them to both Members of the Legislative Assembly and the public.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories develop a plan for implementing all the Auditor General’s recommendations on health programs and services, and provide it to Members of the Legislative Assembly and the public.
The implementation plan should include a timeline and quarterly progress updates to the Standing Committee on Social Programs, beginning in June 2011.
Mr. Speaker, I turn the reading of the report over to my deputy chair, Mr. Robert Hawkins. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Menicoche.
The committee agrees with the Auditor General that the department’s capacity to achieve its priority of a sustainable, effective health system depends on the ability to monitor performance and health outcomes. As both are currently deficient, both must be improved. The government must support the department’s efforts to do this, including appropriate funding through the annual budget process. It must be understood that data collection and performance monitoring are crucial to sound planning, determining spending priorities, and shaping a client-focused health system.
The committee also recognizes that many factors affect the sustainability of the health system, some of which are beyond the department’s control. Demand for health services and the general health of the population are also influenced by education, the availability of employment, housing conditions, addictions, and poverty. The government’s overall priorities and strategy must address these problems at the same time as DHSS modernizes the health system as outlined in “A Foundation for Change.”
The Auditor General found that DHSS has set clear goals, priorities and actions to improve the health system, and set them out clearly in “A Foundation for Change.” Strategic plans of three health authorities were reviewed and found consistent with DHSS’ priorities.
However, there are no performance agreements with the authorities, and the model for funding them is being overhauled to better align resources with patient flow and program delivery. Essentially, this will result in realistic budgets for each authority, reflecting the work that is done and the resources allocated to it. DHSS stresses that “right-sizing” budgets is a prerequisite for performance agreements with the authorities.
This is critically important work, as it is the job of the authorities to actually deliver health care services and programs to the people of the Northwest Territories. Therefore, the committee stresses that DHSS and the government must make it a particular priority to implement the Auditor General’s recommendation in paragraph 31 during the 2012-13 fiscal year, as promised in DHSS’ response.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Health and Social Services follow through on commitments made in its strategic plan and action plan to:
revise the model to allocate funding to Health and Social Services authorities, and
develop performance agreements that include expected results for key programs and services, and corresponding reporting requirements.
Mr. Speaker, that now brings me to the point to pass the further reading of the report on to my colleague Mr. Yakeleya, MLA for Sahtu. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In reviewing the diabetes, home care and long-term care, medical travel, and human resources recruitment programs, the Auditor General examined DHSS’ support of program delivery and its monitoring of results.
A consistent theme emerged in the reviews of diabetes, home care and long-term care, and medical travel. In each, there is no mechanism for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of the program. Insufficient data is collected to support evaluation of diabetes, home care and long-term care programs; a deficiency that must be corrected, as DHSS has pledged to do.
The department will not have a territory-wide strategy to prevent or manage diabetes until the completion of the Chronic Disease Management Model, which is due in 2012. Meeting this deadline should be a special priority, given the prevalence of diabetes and the impact of chronic conditions on the people of the Northwest Territories, as well as their health system.
The committee is especially concerned about the recruitment and retention of health care professionals, which is a joint responsibility of the Department of Health and Social Services, the authorities, and the Department of Human Resources. The Auditor General found that the Department of Health and Social Services has identified its human resource needs. However, vacancy rates are significant, and many experienced staff are expected to retire over the next 10 years. The Auditor General noted that staff shortages represent a serious risk to ensuring consistent and equitable access to quality health services across the NWT.
This risk is compounded by the uncertain success of the current joint recruitment system. The Auditor General advised that the lack of a comprehensive human resource recruitment plan, and the lack of a service level agreement between Human Resources, the Department of Health and Social Services, and the authorities, must be addressed. The committee strongly agrees. While the two departments agreed with the Auditor General’s recommendations to remedy the situation, there must also be firm commitments with respect to timing.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Health and Social Services, health authorities, and the Department of Human Resources develop a comprehensive system-wide recruitment and retention plan for health professionals, for implementation in 2012-13, and monitor progress against the plan on an ongoing basis.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Health and Social Services, health authorities, and the Department of Human Resources develop a service level agreement for recruitment and retention of health professionals that sets out roles, responsibilities, timelines, and services to be delivered. This agreement should be in place and functional by April 1, 2012.
Mr. Speaker, somebody else wants to talk. I turn it over now to the honourable Member Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank my colleague for letting me talk.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services has also identified growing demand for home and community care staff, as well as training gaps for home support workers and resident care aides. While training of NWT residents for jobs in health care was not part of the Auditor General’s review, it is a key element in the stability and quality of a workforce that will of necessity include many southern hires. The committee was pleased with the input received from DHSS on this topic.
Successful training of northern health workers requires solid collaboration between DHSS, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE), and Aurora College. Training and educational opportunities delivered by ECE and Aurora College must be flexible enough to meet the needs of the health system, and produce graduates who meet accepted standards. The committee strongly supports the development of homegrown health care workers who have the added advantage of knowing local people, traditions and communities. In this area, Department of Health and Social Services, Education, Culture and Employment and Aurora College should build a strong cooperative relationship that will advance the goals set out in “A Foundation for Change”.
Only limited information is reported to the Legislative Assembly and the public on the performance of the NWT health care system. The Auditor General found the lack of system-wide performance indicators at the root of this problem.
There is still no agreement between the Department of Health and Social Services and health authorities on a set of performance indicators, yet these indicators are essential, along with a risk management framework, to system-wide evaluation.
Department of Health and Social Services has not published a territorial Health Status Report since 2005, although a new one is in the works. Overall, there is no clear picture of how the health system is performing. Measurement and reporting must be improved. Given these facts, the committee emphasizes that Department of Health and Social Services must remedy this by 2012-13, as agreed in paragraph 81 of the Auditor General’s report.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Health and Social Services and the health authorities:
develop a set of system-wide performance indicators and identify key data requirements;
develop a program evaluation plan setting out areas it plans
to evaluate; and
regularly inform the Legislative Assembly and the public about the performance of the NWT health care system.
I’d like to pass the conclusion of this report on to my colleague Mr. Menicoche. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Conclusion
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The committee recognizes that the Department of Health and Social Services staff have faced tremendous challenges during the first years of the 16th Assembly. It is no small feat to overhaul the health system, incorporate new technology, and directly oversee three of the eight health authorities while supporting quality, day-to-day care under considerable fiscal pressure. Committee members heartily congratulate Department of Health and Social Services’ and the authorities’ staff for these achievements.
However, the Auditor General’s review confirms there is still much work to be done. Committee members are confident that the Department of Health and Social Services, the health authorities, and the Department of Human Resources are up to the task, and will diligently implement the Auditor General’s recommendations. The committee is also confident that the Standing Committee on Social Programs will assist in supporting that work.
In light of the time remaining to the 16th Legislative Assembly, the Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a comprehensive response to this report within 90 days.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question is being called.
---Carried
Committee Report 2-16(6) will be moved into Committee of the Whole for further consideration.
The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Mr. Speaker your Standing Committee on Government Operations is pleased to provide its Report on the Review of the 2009-2010 Human Rights Commission Annual Report and comments it to the House.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations has completed its review of the 2009-2010 Human Rights Commission Annual Report. This report covers the Human Rights Commission’s sixth year. The committee would like to thank Ms. Mary Pat Short, chair of the Human Rights Commission, and Ms. Thérèse Boullard, director of human rights, for their appearance before the committee.
In 2009-2010, the NWT Human Rights Commission had a national presence as Ms. Short held the position of president, and Ms. Boullard, treasurer, of the Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies (CASHRA). The committee congratulates both of these women on their leadership of the Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies.
Rita Mueller from Behchoko, Yacub Adam from Yellowknife, and Tammy Rogers from Inuvik were the members of the Board of the Human Rights Commission. The members and chair deserve recognition for their contribution to human rights in the Northwest Territories.
The annual report provides an overview of the NWT Human Rights Commission’s activities. Over the year, commission staff responded to 280 inquiries and 26 new complaints. Two complaints were forwarded to the NWT Human Rights Adjudication Panel for hearing.
The commission provided information sessions and workshops to GNWT Human Resource staff, hamlet staff, secondary school students, and students at Aurora College learning centres. The commission visited Fort Smith, Fort Providence, Hay River, Deline, Tulita, Ulukhaktok, Dettah, and Yellowknife.
The commission also distributed a human rights handbook to all teachers for use in offering related educational activities in their classrooms. The committee recognizes the effort and accomplishments of the commission and how staff follows through with plans.
In partnership with the Yukon Human Rights Commission, the NWT Human Rights Commission published “Know Your Rights,” a well-presented, plain language document that explains on what grounds a person is protected from discrimination in the NWT and the Yukon.
When the committee reviewed “Know Your Rights,” it observed that the Yukon prohibits discrimination based on “unrelated” criminal convictions or criminal records, while the NWT does not. The committee asked Ms. Short to speak to its possible value in the NWT Human Rights Act. Ms. Short advised that its inclusion was recommended in the commission’s 2004-2005 report. The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight brought the recommendation forward to government in its Report on the Review of the 2004-2005 Annual Report of the Human Rights Commission. At its meeting on December 3, 2010, the Standing Committee on Government Operations expressed interest in a review of this matter to ensure NWT residents receive proper protection from discrimination and because it may be in the best interest of people in the NWT to allow more people to have access to work that is presently unavailable to them.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Justice review and assess the advisability of prohibiting discrimination based on “unrelated” criminal convictions or a criminal record.
The committee commends the commission’s work and achievements to date and looks forward to continued progress in informing NWT residents of their rights and responsibilities so that justice and fairness is strengthened.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends the Government of the Northwest Territories provides a comprehensive response to this report within 120 days.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question is being called.
---Carried
Committee Report 3-16(6) will be moved into Committee of the Whole for further consideration.
The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. If I can get the Assembly’s attention one more time on a report.
Your committee on Government Operations is pleased to provide its Report on the Review of the Office of the Northwest Territories Languages Commissioner Annual Report 2009-2010 and commends it to the House.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations (SCOGO) met on March 3, 2011, to review “The Office of the Northwest Territories Languages Commissioner Annual Report 2009-2010.” The committee would like to thank the Languages Commissioner, Ms. Sarah Jerome, for presenting her report.
The Office of the Languages Commissioner is accessible through its website, a toll-free phone line and an office in Inuvik. It is promoted through radio advertisements in all official languages, and by Ms. Jerome, in her frequent attendance at public functions, and when she is interviewed by the media.
The committee notes that promotion of languages is not in the Official Languages Commissioner’s purview. However, it is Ms. Jerome’s role to promote the office of the Languages Commissioner, the rights, status and privileges of official language speakers pursuant to the Official Languages Act, and her availability to answer questions or investigate complaints.
The committee is also pleased with the approach taken by Ms. Jerome. As part of her regular practice, she attends summer assemblies and regional council meetings throughout the Northwest Territories. In 2009-2010 the Commissioner made more than a dozen presentations on official languages at these assemblies and other meetings and conferences. Ms. Jerome’s presence and her sincere interest help to support community members involved in promotion, revitalization and enhancement of first languages.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations would like to thank Ms. Jerome for her activities promoting the role of the Languages Commissioner. Her many community visits to make presentations and to listen to peoples’ concerns give her a valuable perspective on language issues.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question is being called.
---Carried
Committee Report 4-16(6) will be moved into Committee of the Whole for further consideration.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the recent and untimely death of a young Frame Lake resident. Cody Dempster was just 16 years old, and as noted by his family, he leaves behind a life unfinished. My condolences and those of this House to Cody’s parents and extended family and his friends. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are following up on my Member’s statement yesterday on the report from the Coalition Against Family Violence. They are for the Minister of Health and Social Services and Deputy Premier. Recent statistics, sadly, show that family violence continues to get worse. Two hundred and thirty-eight women and children came forward to violence shelters for the first time in 2010-11; that’s new incidents. NWT women seek escape from violence and shelter at five times the national rate. Ninety-two percent of 27,000 people responding to the 2007 survey said more shelters are critically needed and, of course, phase 3 recommendations call for special initiative funds for family violence shelters outside of Yellowknife, to top up their funding so they can pay better wages, add hours, and meet O and M costs. Will the Minister start now to identify funds to meet this need? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government is committed to all the obligations that are there for phase 2. To date, through the life of phase 2 we will have committed nearly $4 million. This is an ongoing issue and as we move forward from phase 2 to phase 3, that work will go through the business planning process, and in this instance, while preparatory work will be done, it will be a decision in the life of the 17th Assembly on how we will proceed further. Thank you.
I appreciate the commitment from the Minister. The 238 women and children last year, Mr. Speaker, the major coalition partners like the YWCA Yellowknife, the Centre for Northern Families, Inuvik, Hay River and Tuk shelters, NWT Seniors, Salvation Army and a host of others are our long-established and indispensible leaders and service providers in this area. So why is core funding for multi-year funding agreements for these groups even an issue? These partners are in for the long haul and shouldn’t be made to flounder between annual funding agreements.
So I ask: will the Minister commit to partnering respectfully with these enduring organizations and move to multi-year agreements with core funding as a standard model? Mahsi.
I’ve always, as well, been an advocate of multi-year funding and I will be working with the Department of Health and Social Services to review the list to make sure that we can do multi-year funding in all the cases where it makes good sense.
The Member raises the enduring relationships we have with some of these ongoing programs, and that is one of the critical factors, in my mind. Thank you.
Thanks for the commitment from the Minister, once again. Mr. Speaker, last session I spoke of overlap and duplication and the development of programs for men who use violence with a GNWT program that had been developed without even the knowledge of all coalition partners. The coalition was created as a clearing house of this work and is recommending a three-year community-based pilot program to create a territorial program standard. Will the Minister commit to working with his Cabinet colleagues to support this program and ensure that the departments use the coalition forum as their partners as their focus of consultation and collaboration? Mahsi.
We will continue to work constructively with the Family Violence Coalition. We, as well, will look closely at the work that’s been done in regard to the recommendations for phase 3. As well, we are doing, at this moment, an evaluation of how effective our commitment and involvement has been and the outcomes that have been generated through the work through phase 2. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Your final, short supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks again for the Minister’s comments. I guess I would just ask: will the Minister commit to keeping the House apprised and committee apprised with as much faithfulness as I commit to bringing forward concerns that I hear from the coalition to the Minister? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will ensure that we work closely with the Social Programs committee and keep them apprised of events as they progress, and work as it’s done, and any milestone issues that would be in the interests of the committee to know about. Thank you.
