Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. It gets back to my Member’s statement from earlier today, when I talked of the accrued deficit that’s building up at Stanton Territorial Hospital. It’s nearing 11 and a half million dollars. I mentioned earlier that it was just two and a half years ago that Members of this House approved millions of dollars to help address the deficit situation at Stanton through supplementary appropriation.
I’d like to ask the Minister, first of all, what is the government’s plan to address the 11 and a half million dollar deficit that’s been allowed to accrue due to mismanagement or underfunding at that hospital?
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Health, Ms. Lee.
Mr. Speaker, over the last two or three years, as the Member stated, the Stanton health authority has been experiencing a significant amount of deficit. It did have surpluses even before that. The government, over the years, has provided infusions of cash, but it was thought that it was important to figure out exactly what was causing the deficit — whether or not the authority was being underfunded or whether there were others ways to control the growth of spending. So there has not been any infusion of cash while we’re going through this.
I would like to advise the Member that I believe the document to deal with the deficit is now in the hands of the standing committee, and we will be able to debate and then work on that issue during the life of this session, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister mentioned that we haven’t provided an infusion of cash, but just two and a half years ago we spent millions of dollars as an infusion of cash to address the deficit at that hospital. I’m asking the Minister: what is the government’s plan today to address the 11 and a half million dollar deficit at Stanton Territorial Hospital?
Mr. Speaker, when the Member states that the government has given millions and millions of infusion, I think it should be noted that it was in the amount of about $1.3 million two years ago. The policy is that each authority has to be responsible for 50 per cent of a deficit. That’s been the policy that we’ve been following. I think that it was incumbent on the government to know exactly what was causing the cost overruns not only with the Stanton Territorial Health Authority but also with the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Authority, which has another significant deficit, as well as some of the minor ones.
Mr. Speaker, I can advise you — and the Member is well aware of this, because I did provide a briefing to the Standing Committee on Social Programs on April 30, where the Member was present. I did go through the initial findings of the zero-based review, which did review some of the spending questions. I have appointed a new public administrator with a very wide mandate to look at more details into what might be possible reasons. I have asked that the public administrator make recommendations to me within three months, which I have committed to the committee to go back to.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to thank the Minister for letting everybody know that I attended that committee briefing. Thank you.
I also wanted to ask the Minister — and she mentioned it. Between a year and a half and two years ago, when it appeared through a supplementary appropriation, and today, what is causing the cost overruns and the accrued deficit in our health authorities? The Minister should know what is causing that, and we should be able to address it, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I believe this is an issue about health care costs. It’s not about a this-side or a that-side issue. It’s a consensus government issue, and it’s one that we need to work on together.
I can tell the Member, Mr. Speaker, that the zero-based review has given us an idea about how much shortfall the authorities are experiencing, and it’s strictly financial cost accounting kind of information.
I need more information, more detailed information, as to whether or not there should be changes needed in the way we deliver our programs, whether we should be delivering the programs that we are, and if not, how. Should there be amalgamation of programs, or are there programs that we can no longer afford? Are there other ways of doing this? Those are the kinds of questions that the Member should expect the Minister of Health to do. I am doing that. I will have those results, and I will be reporting to the House through the committee.
Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess it’s consensus by convenience some days in the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories.
I’d like to ask the Minister: who today is currently paying the payroll at Stanton Territorial Hospital? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, as the Member has already stated — and this is public information — Stanton territorial authority has an accumulated deficit of $11 million, and it is not able to make all of its payrolls. FMBS is assuming that responsibility at the moment. Thank you.
The Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
196-16(2)
Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Transportation. I’ve been getting numerous phone calls from the community of Wrigley. As well, I’ve received a petition with regard to the N’Dulee ferry not being operated, and they’re very concerned about it being delayed a week already. They do not know how much longer it’ll be delayed. If the Minister can answer that question. Mahsi.
The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Yakeleya.
Mahsi. Mr. Speaker, the N’Dulee ferry has undergone some major refits. I’d advise the Member and the good people of Wrigley that our department has put a lot of resources into this issue. We’re keeping the community of Wrigley and also the Member updated on the status of when we can get the ferry into the water to deal with the issue of their children going to Hay River for the track and field event.
Absolutely that’s the content of the petition. The schoolchildren are very concerned about making the track and field event, which is one of the best attended events in our North, and with our gracious host.
Once again, the communities still don’t understand why the department waited until springtime to conduct these repairs when they should have been done before and not interrupt the travelling public, not to mention the residents of Wrigley who want to get out, too, for their grocery shopping, et cetera.
Mr. Speaker, our first priority within the department is the safety of our facilities, our streets, our roads.
When we originally looked at the refit for the N’Dulee ferry, when the scope of work was laid out, it was planned that we would do this before any of this type of delay would be happening for this specific ferry.
When we looked at the refit and saw that further work needed to get done within the ferry, that required us to put in extra resources and time, and those other circumstances that happened are out of our control.
Again, we want to make sure that we do a proper job. Safety is number one, and sometimes it does make it inconvenient for people in small communities.
I come from a small community in our region, in Sahtu, and we are also aware of these winter roads and the undue circumstances that happen that hinder our transportation of goods — and people to events such as the well-attended event that is happening in Hay River.
Well, the next logical question. They’ve been telling me: “Our trip’s been interrupted. We’ve done our planning; the department didn’t. Is the department willing to contribute to some of the costs of getting us across the river, getting us to our sporting event?” Indeed, constituents are also asking for assistance to get out, because it’s not their fault, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I want to let the Members know that when the department looks at major refits of our ferries or operations, we do very meticulous planning in terms of things that are happening and what needs to happen.
I took on the job in October. I had to look at what things had to get done. I asked these serious questions. The department has looked at this type of operation that needs to happen. Safety is number one. I do sympathize with the people in Wrigley and other communities. I have faced similar situations, and we’re doing everything within our means to make sure that the ferry is in before the track and field event does take place.
However, our first priority, again, is safety. If we do not do an adequate job, we would come to this situation again in the middle of our operations, and that’s something that we’re not entertaining right now.
Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to ask the Minister: is there an expected operating date when the repairs will be completed, and could they convey the progress to the community of Wrigley as they see it? Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, I've informed my officials to keep the community of Wrigley informed in terms of the dates. We're working very hard to ensure that the ferry operation is in the waters by the end of this month, and have it tested, have it inspected, have it checked off okay so that we could help out the community of Wrigley. Certainly we'll do everything in our powers to make sure this happens and put some smiles on some of the children in Wrigley.
