Mr. Speaker, my assumption was that I was stating quite unequivocally that there’s an opportunity here through the strategic planning process that departments are moving to and that corporations like the Housing Corporation have moved to, to build that process in. If that is something that is deemed appropriate, through the discussions in the House and as we go through the business planning process in the coming week, and that is an issue that has value enough built into the way we do business, then the opportunity is there through that process. As I understood the Member to say, in his mind he thought it would be every four to five years.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can I get a commitment and recognition from the Minister that the NWTAC has requested the Auditor General’s office, through a letter to all Members of the Assembly, that the NWT Power Corp go through a value for money audit? Would the Minister be willing to commit to follow up on this issue? Recognizing that even though the Power Corp doesn’t necessarily fall under his portfolio, I think sound fiscal management falls on his shoulders. Therefore, I hope he would lead the charge in recognition of this difficult problem. Would he be willing to follow up on it?
The Premier is the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation and has already indicated through questions in the House — and it’s been well discussed with Members in other settings — that there’s an opportunity here, as we look at the electrical rate review, the energy strategy and all the energy priorities that we’re developing, to take a very fundamental look at the Power Corporation — the regulatory regime, how we generate and distribute electricity. I think that opportunity is there. Through that process, if a regular, built in review is deemed appropriate, that would be the venue to in fact have that built in.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I talked about the need for this government to look at helping smaller communities with their youth programs. I have questions for the Minister of MACA.
Mr. Speaker, last week I asked the Minister about increasing youth budgets for communities. His response was: if there’s an opportunity to increase funding for youth, that’s something he would look at. My question today is: will the Minister commit to taking action to ensure youth budgets are increased for 2009–2010?
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I admire the Member’s perseverance and commitment to an important issue, and it’s an issue that we all share in this House. Having said that, we are identifying more youth funding, and as part of identifying the youth funding, we’re hoping to come forward in the business plan. That should increase some of the funding to a lot of youth organizations.
Mr. Speaker, I also asked about a review of the youth budgets and how they’re allocated to my communities in Tu Nedhe. I got a commitment from the Minister that he will do this.
I would like to follow up today by asking the Minister if he would give me a time frame as to when this review can be completed, keeping in mind that I’m talking about Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e.
Those commitments are coming back to bite me. I did say that we would do a review, and I commit again to the Member that we will do a review. Once we’re done sitting in the House, we’ll have an opportunity to sit down with the department and give them a schedule of when I’d like to see a review done. I will certainly pass that information on to the Member.
Mr. Speaker, I felt one option for getting this government and the communities off on the right foot to start looking at youth issues in the communities is to look at a community based youth strategy specific to this particular community or that particular community of Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution.
I would like to follow up on this by asking the Minister if he will give me a time frame on when he can get started with the community based youth strategy.
Mr. Speaker, for a lot of the community youth strategy MACA will have to have a lot of direct input from the community to work together to come up with a plan for a strategy for the community. I did commit that we would start looking into this. As I said in my previous answer, once we’re done in the House, I’ll have an opportunity to sit down with the department and come up with a schedule of all the commitments I have made and try and see how soon we can come forward with strategies and other information for the Members of this Assembly.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. A final supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the Minister for those responses. I also spoke about the Aboriginal Sport Circle and how they deliver programs in many small communities, including Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution. I’d like to ask the Minister if he could commit to increasing the Aboriginal Sport Circle budget to be in line with other territorial sporting organizations.
Mr. Speaker, the budget for the Aboriginal Sport Circle…. I mean, if we’re looking at increasing budgets, particularly for youth groups, I’m sure that would be taken into consideration. That would come up during our review. Any increase would come up during the review of the business plans, which we’ll be undertaking in a couple of weeks.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Mr. Speaker, in follow-up to the questions I asked yesterday in the House, the public is always very interested in what MLA pay and benefits are. To that end, the independent commission on Members’ pay and benefits is struck at least a once every term, and the recommendations go into effect for the following government. Members have an opportunity for input into that as well.
What I was trying to question the Premier about yesterday was the enhanced or additional benefits that are only available to Cabinet Ministers. I was trying to get the Premier yesterday to confirm — and I’ll try again today — that, in fact, the policy for the ministerial benefit is actually decided on and voted on by the Cabinet.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The Hon. Premier, Mr. Roland.
I thank the Premier for that. I did mention yesterday that, understandably, capital accommodation, home travel, spousal travel, perhaps even the entertainment allowance — some of these things will definitely be there. There is one area of the ministerial benefit which I find a little bit curious and that I referred to yesterday as well, and that is the accruing of holidays that get paid out to Ministers at the end of the year or at the end of their term. This is something quite unique and different, obviously, than what Regular Members have access to. So I am going to ask the Premier: why would the Cabinet policy find it necessary to approve holiday benefits, vacation benefits, and pay them out to Ministers at the end of either the year or their term?
That section of the benefits policy has in fact been around for many governments. We follow the same process that has been recommended to us through the last change, and we follow what we would do with government employees. Being a Cabinet Minister is considered full time work throughout the year. If a Minister has to take time off, they have to actually put in their application forms and follow through with that. It would be paid out at the end of the term if it’s not used up.
I fully realize that it has been the practice of past governments. I just find it an anomaly, and it is bit unusual. I don’t really know if I totally subscribe to the idea that it should be that way because Cabinet Ministers are full time employees of the government; that is debatable.
Mr. Speaker, the other issue that is interesting and different is the enhanced benefits for Cabinet Ministers when it comes to life insurance, dental and health benefits. Now if, heaven forbid, something should happen to any of us in the performance of our duties, we do have a government life insurance policy which would then go to our beneficiary, to our family. Why would that need to be enhanced for Cabinet Ministers? What would make that need different?
I would have to get further information on the areas the Member spoke to on dental and health benefits. I would have to get a little further detail on that and get back to the Member.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Of course, heaven forbid that anything untoward should ever happen to any Member of this House — or anybody, for that matter — but here is an example of where this difference in the enhanced benefit would come into play. If Mr. Roland and I were flying on the same airplane and if the airplane crashed and we both lost our lives, Mr. Roland’s family would receive a benefit of $750,000; my family would receive a benefit of $250,000. It is a discrepancy. I just don’t understand why it’s necessary. It doesn’t make sense to me. And, honestly, it costs the taxpayers, the public purse, money for that. Mr. Speaker, why the difference?
The benefits policy established that it is the Cabinet of the day that can review many of those policies that are in place to see if they continue to make sense. I don’t have the information as to why it was at that level or how long it has been at that level. In fact, Mrs. Groenewegen just provided me with information that my family would be well taken care of, I guess. Hopefully they never have to use that section of our policy. But I will look at this information. As I say, now that this review is within the control of the Cabinet, we can make some changes, whether it is administrative processes or implementation, and see if it uses the same basis of recommendations being made for Cabinet that is made for Members.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. They go back to my Member’s statement from earlier today, where I spoke of a constituent who suffers from MS and her inability to get a WalkAide, which would enable her to walk, through Extended Health Benefits with the Department of Health. In her conversations with departmental officials they told her that this WalkAide was a luxury. I take great exception to anybody at Health and Social Services telling my constituent that a WalkAide, which would enable them to walk, is a luxury and suggesting to them that they get a cane or a wheelchair. I’d like to ask the Minister why the WalkAide is not part of our Extended Health Benefits here in the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Mr. Speaker, the NWT EHB Program is one of the best in the country. I understand that Mr. Ramsay’s constituent’s equipment, called a functional electrical stimulation system, was denied for benefit because it was not on the formulary guidelines. She was advised on three occasions that that was not on the list. She did not have a doctor’s referral from the NWT. She went to Alberta and purchased this equipment for $4,500, which is under a pilot program. The Alberta government has not even decided that they’re going to use this.
If I would have given the Member that straight answer, it would have taken me a week. I said that was not enough, because I do appreciate that this lady spent $4,500 of her own money to buy equipment that she felt she needed. What I had asked and what I am trying to do — and I have communicated with the Member throughout the process — is that I’d like to know if she could be eligible for the amount that she would have received had she purchased something that was on the list and that was similar. We have very good programs, but we ask our people to follow the rules and to follow the guidelines. I do believe that the Member respects the rules as well.
Mr. Speaker, I do respect the rules, but I think it is a sad day when one of our residents has to travel to Alberta to see a neurologist to get a prescription for a WalkAide, when here in the Northwest Territories it is not on the list. It adds to the quality of life for this individual. That is evident. That’s why they had to go to Alberta. They had to get a prescription from this Alberta doctor, a neurologist in Edmonton, to get a WalkAide.
Again, the Minister speaks of these other aids that are possibly available under the list. Could the Minister tell me today what those other options are, Mr. Speaker?
Mr. Speaker, I understand there is a long list of available, approved and cost effective walk aids on the formulary. We also have doctors available in the NWT who would have been happy to see her. We forwarded her to the neurologist. I don’t have the background on why she had to go to Alberta. I would like to look at that.
I think the important point here, Mr. Speaker, is that we are wanting to help her. We are wanting to see how much of the cost we could cover for her, even though she did not see a doctor here — I know no reason why — even though she purchased something that was not on the list, even though she was told in three separate meetings that that was not on the list, that this was not an approved item.
Mr. Speaker, I’m offering the Member again: if he can ask the constituent to call…. I have asked my department to review her file and see if we can help her out at all. I didn’t close the door on that. That’s why it took that little while to get back to the Member.
The Minister didn’t answer my question. What other walk aids are on the list that would be available to my constituent to help her in the condition she’s in? What are those other options?
I do not have all of the list available. I could get the Member that information. I am aware that there are a number of our NWT residents with MS who get assistance for devices that they need. I understand that this device she purchased is in a pilot program in Alberta. Until the pilot program is finished, we have not decided to put that on the list. It may be that it could get on the list. It appears that this is an experimental device.
Mr. Speaker, I’m sure that if the constituent would go in and talk to the officials, we could give her a whole…. I believe she was given the list of things that are available.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.
Mr. Speaker, it’s unfortunate the Minister doesn’t have the list of available options for my constituent today.
Again, why would my constituent have to go to Alberta, where these devices, as the Minister stated, are being distributed for free? Residents in Alberta don’t have to pay $4,500 for this. There are sufferers of MS in Alberta that are using these devices for their quality of life. Why is it that in the Northwest Territories our residents are forced to pay $4,500 to enhance their quality of life so they can walk with this WalkAide? Why is that? What is the process to get the WalkAide on this list the Minister talks of?
Mr. Speaker, I think it’s important to note that the NWT has one of the best coverages for extended health benefits. We have a long list of things, pharmaceuticals and equipment, that the government does provide. Once in a while there comes a product on the market that has to be tested and examined before it gets on the list. Certain governments try it on an experimental basis. I understand that Alberta is trying that.
We do protect our constituents and provide them with services. All we ask, then, is to work with us to see what we can do to help her. We are working to help her. There are always any number of items on the market, whether it be drugs or devices, that are not covered, because they don’t catch up with the list on any given day.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services as well. In my Member’s statement I spoke about the renovations that were slated for the Fort Simpson Health Centre. They have been delayed. I’m just wondering if the Minister can tell me: when will the plans be restarted, and when can Fort Simpson look at getting the renovations done?
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The capital project for Deh Cho has not been made available to me. We have just finished our ’09–10 Capital Plan, and we’re getting into the new stage. I’d be willing to look at what the Dehcho Authority is proposing.
In my tour to Deh Cho the administration had suggested that they would like some work done at the hospital as well as, perhaps, Fort Providence. I think there was some suggestion that they might want to use the surplus money to do that. I understand that’s not the right way to spend the surplus money, but Deh Cho has the right to make their submission and to work through the capital planning process. I’m willing to work with the Member to see how we can put that into the process for next capital year.
Probably I need some clarification. I thought the Dehcho Health and Social Services board was working in conjunction with the Department of Health and Social Services in terms of establishing the renovation project. It is my understanding that it was on the books for this fiscal year, and it is nowhere to be seen. That creates the illusion that it’s not going to be done. I just want to get assurances that these renovations will continue.
I know some of the renovation has been done in the centre. As the Member knows, we’re engaged in a different capital planning process now. All of the proposals will be submitted to the capital infrastructure committee to look at putting them into the plan. There are a lot of projects that were slated for years 3 or 4. Unless they had a very specific plan, I believe they are being redirected. I would like to commit to the Member again that I will look at that proposal from Deh Cho and see how we could put it into the process.
Thank you, Minister, for that clarification. Once again, I just want to get an assurance that just because it’s not on the books or in some plan somewhere, it doesn’t mean that it’s not going to happen; there is still a process. To whom would Dehcho Health and Social Services bring forward that plan, once again?
Mr. Speaker, yes, this new process has required that unless there is a very specific plan in an advanced stage, some of the capital projects that were on the books got taken off — the Stanton master plan is one of them — and they are being redirected to work through this new capital plan process. I commit to the Member that I will revisit this capital project to see where it is and put it into the process.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
