Debates of October 23, 2006 (day 13)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was holding back on the questions for WCB because I believe that the AOC is working on the response to the work that the committee has done, but the Minister's answers to the Member for Great Slave has intrigued me on this issue so I would like to ask the Minister for more information about what it is exactly that the WCB is going out to the stakeholders on. Does that suggest that the WCB is now ready to change the policies that would be more in line with the Valic and Martin decision, which is different from what the corporation has been telling us? The information I have is that it's the corporation's position that their policies are in line with these decisions and that no changes had to be made. Another change I've just heard from the Minister is the fact that the corporation is not going back to the Supreme Court to have them look at the constitutionality of whatever it was doing with Valic, which was always my position. I always thought that the corporation had all the information it needed to make its own decisions. It's good that it's not going back to court and using that as a process of delay. But I'd like to know exactly what the corporation's position is. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 163-15(5): WCB Policy On Chronic Pain - Valic Decision

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The current pain policy that the WCB has in replace recognizes chronic pain as a convincible injury and that compensation may last for as long as the chronic pain lasts, which could be a lifetime for some people if that's the way it was. One of the things the WCB is going to take a look at, though, is specifically whether or not a permanent partial disability should be one of the things that's listed as possible. The current policy, 03.10, does not specifically list permanent partial disability, even though in effect it can be granted to somebody who has that long-lasting syndrome. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 163-15(5): WCB Policy On Chronic Pain - Valic Decision

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have to tell you, this is really, really good news. I'm really glad to hear the Minister say this. I am very hopeful with the Minister's suggestion that the WCB actually is willing to look at chronic condition as not just a compensable injury, but the whole issue has been about the fact that workers with chronic pain cannot get the permanent disability pension and the Minister is now just suggesting that that is a possibility. So I'd like to ask the Minister for some deadline and what exactly is this process, what is the role that the Members here have? Can we have a process with the corporation to work on this together, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.,

Further Return To Question 163-15(5): WCB Policy On Chronic Pain - Valic Decision

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll certainly make the compensation board aware of the Member's interest and I have no doubt that they'd be interested in having Members participate in the consultation process. When I talked last to the chair of the Governance Council, the Governance Council is examining their options for consultation. They're looking for a process that will allow stakeholders some meaningful input and not one that would see them holding public hearings that perhaps nobody showed up to. So they hadn't really set the final process, but they're hoping to do it fairly quickly to have things resolved over the course of this winter.

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

Supplementary To Question 163-15(5): WCB Policy On Chronic Pain - Valic Decision

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to be cautious in my support of the Minister, because I happen to think that the corporation really doesn't need that much more consultation and dithering on this issue, I'm going to tell you. But I have to tell you that I've had such little good news out of this that I'm prepared to hang onto anything, and what I'm hearing today is that the corporation is willing to look at chronic condition as something that would be eligible for permanent disability. Now, that's an opening that I'm willing to go with. But I'd like to ask the Minister and the corporation and the board of governors, you don't need that much more consultation. They know everything there is to know, so could we set some deadline? Could the Minister commit to having a proposal to us within the next month for us to really review it? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 163-15(5): WCB Policy On Chronic Pain - Valic Decision

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll talk to the chair of the Governance Council and see how quickly this can be done. With the Governance Council meeting only between four and six times a year, I can't guarantee that the Governance Council will necessarily have it within the next month. They can't always schedule their meetings that quickly. But, Mr. Speaker, I am confident that they will move very quickly to deal with this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final, short supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 163-15(5): WCB Policy On Chronic Pain - Valic Decision

Short supplementary, Mr. Speaker. Could I ask the Minister as to whether there's an opening for this review of policy to apply to all the outstanding files that deal with chronic pain? That whatever the corporation comes up with that it would apply to all the outstanding files dealing with chronic pain? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 163-15(5): WCB Policy On Chronic Pain - Valic Decision

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't believe that there are that many outstanding files, but I will certainly talk to the WCB to see what their intention is. Thank you.