Debates of October 18, 2006 (day 10)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to get back to my Member’s statement. I want to talk about the importance that this government places in the area of Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, what I think has been allowed to happen here in the last little while is the government is diminishing the value that health is in our territory. I don’t believe it is fair to our residents that the government continues to allow this practice to happen. I mentioned it earlier. Across the country, a Health Minister is a Health Minister. His other responsibility is not the environment. I think it is such an important piece of this puzzle that I have to ask the Premier some questions today about how this all came about. I guess I would like to start, Mr. Speaker, with how did the Premier decide on the Cabinet assignments after the split of RWED? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 117-15(5): Ministerial Portfolio Assignments

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, let me say that we are not the only jurisdiction in which the Health Minister also has other portfolios. When I look at Prince Edward Island, it is Social Services and Seniors, but they are separate departments. I look at the Yukon; the Minister is also responsible for WCB. I don’t know all of the jurisdictions, but, Mr. Speaker, whenever I assign portfolios, then I have to look at the interests of the Ministers and also whether or not I feel that they can carry the workload. All of the Ministers in our government carry at least two portfolios, including myself. Some carry three. Mr. Speaker, some even have four in terms of responsibility for specific issues. But, Mr. Speaker, I look at the interests of the Minister, the ability to be able to carry the workload and allocate accordingly. Of course, with only seven on Cabinet, it is a hard task to have everybody have a fair workload. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 117-15(5): Ministerial Portfolio Assignments

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it speaks volumes about the government’s outlook on health and social services here in the Northwest Territories when we spend 30 percent of our budget in an area like health and social services and we don’t have one Minister looking after it. I think that is appalling. It should just be completely unacceptable that a Minister can hold a portfolio of the environment in addition to something as important and as critical as health and social services in our territory. It behoves me as to how this could be allowed to happen, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Premier, he talked about workload, does the Premier believe that the present workload on Cabinet is evenly distributed? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 117-15(5): Ministerial Portfolio Assignments

Mr. Speaker, I don’t know. It is always of opinion on whether it is equal. I am sure some Ministers someday feel very overworked and others may feel that, well, we haven’t had a lot of issues in my department or whatever recently. Mr. Speaker, it is as equitable as I can make it right now, in my view. Mr. Speaker, if I take the Minister of ECE’s responsibilities, well, it is ECE, which is a big department and a very important department in our government, as is Health and Social Services, but he also holds the position of Government House Leader. He is also Minister for the Workers’ Compensation Board, for Official Languages and the Status of Women. That is a big workload for one individual to hold. Is it equitable? Is it fair? In my view, I think all of the Ministers are doing an excellent job in being able to manage their portfolios and recognize that, at times, some do get very busy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 117-15(5): Ministerial Portfolio Assignments

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just last week the Minister of the Environment was away basically from his responsibility with Health and Social Services for a week attending FPT meetings, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Premier. How does his government go out to the people of the Northwest Territories and say health and social services is important when they don’t have one Minister looking after something so important as health and social services? I think it is appalling, Mr. Speaker, and it shouldn’t be allowed to happen. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 117-15(5): Ministerial Portfolio Assignments

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think all of us on this side view Health and Social Services as a very important department. There is no question about that. We also consider environment to be very important. I tell you, in the case of the Minister, the Minister is there. I can vouch for him. He is there at 7:00 in the morning. He is there at night. I will talk with the Minister about whether he has had to miss meetings of Health and Social Services or Environment because he is just too busy with other tasks, but, Mr. Speaker, I don’t think I will have a perfect balance in terms of workload on Cabinet, but I am confident that the Ministers are all carrying their workload in a good responsible way. That is not trying to degrade the responsibility of health or social services. They are both very important. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 117-15(5): Ministerial Portfolio Assignments

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again I will get back to this. I think that the Premier and this Cabinet are eroding the responsibility that they have to the residents of the Northwest Territories by not having one Minister responsible for Health and Social Services. I am not saying that the Minister can’t do the job or his work ethic or anything like that. What I am saying is that we need one Minister responsible for Health and Social Services. He shouldn’t be saddled when other Ministers don’t have as much of a workload. That is what I am getting at. I want to ask the Premier, if he is not going to take steps to remedy this, does he need some help from me or other Members across from him on this side of the House? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 117-15(5): Ministerial Portfolio Assignments

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me say, as well, to add is that we do have other Ministers as well who take on responsibilities to health in the health field, as an example, as well as in other areas. If I look at the responsibilities that are health related out of the Department of Human Resources that Minister Roland, as well as being Minister of Finance, the Minister of Public Works and Services handles. I find that there are nine different areas where Human Resources has taken on some responsibility on recruitment, training programs, bursary programs and so on. But, Mr. Speaker, I will look at this. I always listen carefully to what Members are saying in this House and certainly take all of that as good advice on how we carry our workloads on this side. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement today I talked about the need for the recruitment of front-line workers in Ulukhaktok. It has been some time now since the recruitment has been going on for the past year or so. Presently, just last week on the radio, there is a petition going on in regard to the liquor, or they can’t control liquor in the community. That is just one of the small cases that is being identified right now. I would like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, I understand that the recruitment would go through Human Resources, through that department, but it is the Department of Health and Social Services’ responsibility to make sure that these positions are filled. When will these positions for the social worker, the mental health worker and the community wellness worker be in Ulukhaktok? Thank you.

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

Return To Question 118-15(5): Recruitment Of Front-Line Social Service Workers In Ulukhaktok

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am aware that the Member has been in contact as well with the CEO of the Inuvik Health and Social Services Authority with these specific questions. I can commit to the Member that I can hand him that specific information. I haven’t seen any copies of any replies that the Member may have received, so I will commit to the Member that I will have the information for him for the start of session tomorrow morning.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 118-15(5): Recruitment Of Front-Line Social Service Workers In Ulukhaktok

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It will be good to hear what we get when we come back tomorrow in tomorrow’s session. Again, I would like to find out. I don’t understand it, but they are presently looking at recruiting these positions. I understand that Human Resources is looking at some of the names that were put forward. Can the Minister indicate on whether these positions will be filled not tomorrow, but within the next week or so? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 118-15(5): Recruitment Of Front-Line Social Service Workers In Ulukhaktok

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will give it to the Member before the start of the House tomorrow with information on each of those positions and the status of where they may be in the hiring process, recognizing that I know the importance of this. The Member is talking about this, and I will commit to do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 118-15(5): Recruitment Of Front-Line Social Service Workers In Ulukhaktok

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to ask the Minister, like I said earlier, it has been going on for the past six, seven, or eight months now. Why is it taking so long for the department to recruit these people? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 118-15(5): Recruitment Of Front-Line Social Service Workers In Ulukhaktok

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the reality is the social services professions are facing the same kinds of challenges in many cases as we are with allied health professionals. In fact, I just met with the Social Workers Association to talk to them about the extra efforts we are going to have to make to try to make sure that we ensure that we continue to have northern-grown social workers. We have graduated a class of about a dozen or so community wellness workers. But it is still not up to the demand of what is there in the field. We are facing very similar pressures on the social service side as we are on the health side. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is also directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services just on the issue of emergency room waiting times. Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of people in the NWT that travel long distances to go to the Stanton Hospital to receive treatment at our emergency ward. Mr. Speaker, unless you are walking in there with your head cut off or wheeled in on your deathbed, you are not going to see a doctor for at least four to six hours. I know there was a national initiative a couple of years ago that our previous federal government rolled out some new health care initiatives that are aimed at reducing waiting times in our hospitals. Can the Minister inform this House, the general public and the people that are probably sitting in the waiting room right now, if there are any changes that we can foresee in the near future that is going to reduce these waiting times from four to six, eight to 10 hours, Mr. Speaker, that I have seen people in there waiting to see a doctor? Are there any measures that are going to be taking place here in the next while that are going to reduce those times? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 119-15(5): Emergency Ward Wait Times

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have been working on the issue of wait times for some time now. We have added doctors. We are putting in a new OR system. We have added nurses. We are trying to get more OR nurses. We have in the plans a consolidated clinic in Yellowknife that is going to, we believe, take significant pressure off of the emergency ward in Stanton. When it is complete, it will allow access for the very many people inside and outside of Yellowknife that come to Yellowknife looking for services to be able to go into the clinic and get a lot of the basic testing and work done right in the clinic that currently now ties up time in Stanton for diagnostic imaging or X-rays or simple blood tests, that type of work. So we, on a number of fronts, are working to reduce wait times. We are putting out in the regions rehab teams that are going to have the ability to work with children in a lot of very fundamental areas which now require them for the most part to have to come to Yellowknife and get on a list. So, Mr. Speaker, we are making a number of efforts in a whole host of areas. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 119-15(5): Emergency Ward Wait Times

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It is good to see that there is actually some initiative being taken to reduce all of these waiting times, especially with the X-ray stuff. Mr. Speaker, I went in there to get an X-ray which took five minutes. I waited in there for five and a half hours for that X-ray, Mr. Speaker. I kind of thought that was really…I had to have a nap and everything just to wait for my X-ray. With this consolidated clinic, what is the plan? When are the doors going to open on this consolidated clinic that is going to take over all of this diagnostic imaging, X-ray and all of these other minor fractures that people are looking for, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 119-15(5): Emergency Ward Wait Times

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is currently some funds identified in the 2007-2008 budget to start that process. We have been working with the master plan development of Stanton and recognize that, before we should actually finalize the Stanton master plan, we should look at the consolidated clinic issue. So we are looking at putting resources into that for this coming business plan.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 119-15(5): Emergency Ward Wait Times

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So we have to wait another couple of years, I guess, for seeing any reduction in any waiting times that are pretty long today. Does the Minister have any appetite, Mr. Speaker, to ensure that maybe out-of-town patients should get a little priority when they get to the emergency room? If they have travelled for eight hours or two days to get to the emergency room, shouldn’t they be given some kind of priority over patients that are just walk-ins from Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 119-15(5): Emergency Ward Wait Times

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is clearly a medical diagnosis that is made. If there is an emergency medevac that comes in from a community, clearly that person, since they required a medevac and have some significant medical condition, would be given immediate attention over and above somebody that may have walked in because they forgot to get a prescription filled or have some much more minor complaint. So there already is that type of assessment process that is done by the medical staff at Stanton. It applies to all of the people that come in through the door to make sure that everybody that comes through the door can get the best service they need as fast as they need it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 119-15(5): Emergency Ward Wait Times

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister provide this House, maybe the Members or even if he knows right off the top of his head, how many doctors do we have in the emergency ward during the regular business hours? How many do we have in the evenings and weekends? Is there any plan to make more doctors available at the emergency ward in order to ensure that these waiting times are actually going to be reduced in the near future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. There are a couple of questions there, Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 119-15(5): Emergency Ward Wait Times

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will commit to providing the Member with the level of detail in regards to the staffing schedules for the emergency clinic. I would also like to point out that one of the intents of the consolidated clinic is to have a clinic that is open past five o’clock so that people that would normally have to go to emergency to get a very simple concern taken care of will now be able to go to a clinic and get that procedure done and not tie up the time in the emergency ward, which would be another way to shorten and alleviate the pressure of the emergency ward. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When I was reading my Member’s statement earlier today to talk about other provinces offering smart environmental consumer programs, hopefully I was beginning to make it a little obvious that the NWT was lacking from that list, Mr. Speaker. So everyone is doing something but the NWT. Mr. Speaker, I believe in good environmental practices. I certainly believe in good environmental programs that speak to that. So, Mr. Speaker, with that said, I would like to hear from the Minister of Environment. Can he tell me today what incisive actions his department is taking to help the everyday person reduce fuel consumptions and greenhouse gas emissions? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 120-15(5): Energy Efficiency Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, some of the examples are the participation and the development of community energy plans from Norman Wells, Yellowknife and other communities, including Fort Smith, Enterprise, Gameti, Deline and Fort McPherson. This is a critical first step that will allow communities to look at what their energy consumption patterns are. Whati is also on the list. They are sort of a model community of all of the steps they have taken to try to save energy in terms of efficient furnaces, low energy and low water, fluorescent bulbs and those types of things. We are working with photovoltaic solar power and energy solutions and options in Colville Lake. We work with people to get their houses assessed to see where the energy leaks may be and what kind of simple steps like re-caulking may be required to cut their efficiencies. The other published information gives people very simple tips such as possibly turning down the temperature of your hot water tank. If you leave town for any length of time, turn it off. I would also like to commend the Member. I know he drives a hybrid vehicle, which combines gas and electric which is another step towards conserving energy. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 120-15(5): Energy Efficiency Programs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, those were excellent answers from the Minister, except we were talking about linking program money to get actions. The Community Energy Program is certainly one of them and this government is leading that initiative to get that done, but it’s lacking in the funding to actually implement it. So, Mr. Speaker, speaking of implementing new programs that help the everyday person, Mr. Speaker, can I get a commitment from this Minister to look into developing a program that would develop financial incentives for people to buy things like hybrid vehicles, wood stoves or wood pellet stoves? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.