Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my two-part miniseries on the GNWT’s poor performance of its WSCC Safe Advantage program, its last year’s doubling of penalties totalling over $500,000, and its continued skyrocketing claims cost, it is only befitting that yet again we ask the question: Is NWT business subsidizing our government’s poor ratings and costs to WSCC?
What started yesterday as a hypothesis in design, slowly unfolded into a series of blundering questions and replies surrounding the GNWT’s recent WSCC double penalties and out-of-control claims costs experience. In fact, since yesterday I have been showered with e-mails from businesses from across the territory asking basic questions. Why did my rates go from 50 cents in 2000 to now $1.95 per $100, a 290 percent increase over 13 years? Why am I paying thousands of dollars every year and I had only one claim of $500 in the past five years? Why do they say premiums I pay are based on my claims experience, yet I have not submitted one claim in my eight years of being a business owner, yet I am being assessed at a ridiculous increase this year? This is what the economic engine of our territory is saying and we cannot ignore their pleas.
Furthermore, as I review the transcripts from yesterday, the Minister of Human Resources went on to say on record, in reference to the WSCC Safe Advantage program, “Our concern is with the actual administration of the program.” This Minister further elaborated that these concerns were brought and shared with the WSCC, and that the GNWT expected an opportunity to provide input so the GNWT’s views could be addressed, and we were informed that the WSCC would comply. I’m sorry; do other businesses that are in the double-penalty situation have the luxury of doing exactly that? Can business question the clearly established Safe Advantage two-part questionnaire? The answer is no, they cannot. They don’t have the luxury of questioning those fines, penalties, or attempt to manipulate this program. What gives the GNWT this unfair advantage over regular, hardworking business owners? The answer is it shouldn’t.
The clearly cash-strapped WSCC may very well be a victim of a downward trend in the investment market and they maybe have dished out more rewards than they’ve collected in penalties; however, did they collect the appropriate amount of payroll fees from their largest client who appears to be showing non-exemplary demeanour in claims growth and safety programs, and has an apparent ability to question the means test that they themselves agreed to be measured with? This, I am sure, is a question in the minds of many business owners.
With that, I will be asking the Minister responsible for the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission later today these very questions.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
