Robert Hawkins

Well, for someone who hasn't eaten a danish in ten years, I'll live vicariously through the menu of the Premier. But in all seriousness, there -- are there programs that although today might not be the right day -- I mean, it's the old we could try to force it through and we both -- we all know that that'll never happen, but -- so I not suggest it. But, I mean, there needs to be sort of some overall evaluation of how we do grants, contributions, and even organize business. No disrespect to the department of MACA, but I've often questioned, like, why do we have communities and community...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's a great privilege to have a question to the health Minister today, and we're going to talk about spectacles, Mr. Speaker. Maybe I'll put them on later.

Mr. Speaker, seniors who go and try to get their coverage are denied through Blue Cross if they have private insurance. Mr. Speaker, this issue's been brought to the department, but the department has said, sorry, we're not interested in talking to you because you provide health care. But, really, they're trying to ensure seniors get their benefit.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me what she can do to...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I'm just wondering if the -- if there could be maybe some information provided why we still keep the strategic approach to homelessness under the department of the executive. Anyone I speak to seems to think it should be aligned better with housing corp and, generally speaking, I mean, it's -- just seems as if it's a line misplaced and not misused but alignment of goals, objective, you know, when you add transition or process this, housing opportunities this, I mean it would only make sense that it would be under the correct window. And that's not saying...

Well, I think it's fair -- I'll concede it's fair you're not here to answer, nor were you here to answer for other provinces and territories. I'm curious as to the justification of the position. In other words, what are the measurables and how are they comparable to other provincial or territorial organizations. So in other words, are we doing what they do? Have we put political people there? Do we know what they're doing in a sense of why we're doing it? Because we have to know why we're doing this and what we're asking for, and that's what I'm looking for. So can I get that detail including...

Thank you. So this is a two-part question. The first part is what evidence-based decision-making was designed to show that this position of an envoy is justified; and, what type of political credentials does this person bring to the table through evidence that shows that they are the right person for this envoy position?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, yeah, I mean, we can play semantics around names. But I mean, if he wants to give it another name, it's still a different pay -- it's still the same pay, same whatever. So I'm going to allow him to call it whatever he wants; I don't care. But if he backfills the principal secretary, then it's a new body and a new pay line. That's the issue I'm really drawing at to clarify.

So my understanding is there's more staff being added to that office to support the Premier and the executive. So how many new, outside of what was previously there at the start of this...

Fair enough. I'll be polite about it. I'll say how many senior level staff has he added to his office through the EIA process that are new? So I can think of at least one. This is at least two. If we have a senior envoy person that never existed before, I'm curious on how many additional people he's added to this department. Thank you.

So will this senior envoy be still the current or future principal secretary as well? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was remiss in my earlier statements. I wanted to point out something that committee had engaged the Information and Privacy Commissioner, and that wasn't put on the record here. He had provided some excellent and thoughtful advice to committee and, of course, we shared that with the department, and the department received it in the manner it was delivered which was collaborative in order to find better ways to follow through, and hence, some of the amendments were driven by that conversation and collaboration. So, you know, often I do jest about us not working...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a minor comment, although it may not be exactly on this page, but I ask for your grace on allowing.

One of the -- it was mentioned by the Premier about the integrated service process, and I just would be -- I'd disappoint myself if I didn't highlight this area which is one of the challenges I often hear when it's being led by initiative and across multi-departments is no one's in charge. And, you know, so not picking on anyone in particular, but I'll just say the ECC Minister is the lead of something -- I'm just not picking on you -- but the problem is it...