Mr. Speaker, I’m sort of reminded of a famous individual known as Tommy Douglas. He fought tooth and nail for health care and I could imagine his position now; he’d be rolling in his grave to find out that means testing or income testing our health care system is the way to go. I think he’d call this a user-pay system and this is sort of a door being cracked open to that demonstration.
If I could loosely quote the Minister, a minute ago she said I don’t understand what the big deal is about the implementation date. Mr. Speaker, that’s the whole problem. It’s the implementation date without reasonable consultation. She said a delivery date must be delivered by this time and we’re going to get there hell or high water. That’s what that date does.
What I’m going to ask the Minister is: would she agree to this House today that she will first take off any implementation date without approval of this House, without the support of this House on any changes to the Supplementary Health Benefits Program.
The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While we’re on the topic of Mr. Tommy Douglas, let me say that he happens to be one of my heroes because I was born in a country where there is no health care. I was born to a single mother who could not afford to keep me in an incubator, when I was born seven weeks too early, less than two pounds. I couldn’t drink breast milk. She had to feed me by spoon. The doctor told her you have to watch her to see if she’s going to make it. I value Canadian health care in Canada. Supplementary health care is not the same thing as the Canadian Health Plan. It is important that we value what we have and make sure that we make it work. In terms of the effective date for the consultation, I have heard from the Members and the public throughout the last two months that this is not ready. Okay. I am saying Members should just accept it when the Minister says we screwed up. Okay?
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I don’t know how many times I’m going to have to say that I’m not denying anything that you’re saying. We found major gaps. I’m telling you that we will take the time to work on that. I’ve met with the executive and NGOs and I want to tell you that between 2003 to 2007 the department met at least four times with the NWT Seniors’ Society, with the idea about the changes, and the NGOs. I’m saying we will take the time. We will do our meaningful consultation. We will make sure that we cover our people who need it. There is no argument here. That’s what I meant when I said, "What’s the big deal?" I’m not saying that’s not important. I’m saying I’m committed to a meaningful consultation.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister talks about meaningful consultation and identifying gaps. Mr. Speaker, in her own words, from 2003 to 2007 they worked on this policy in the policy shop. They also went to Social Programs for approval. They sat on this for a year and a half and just before Christmas of 2008, they decided to launch this on the public. You’re telling me, after approximately five years that you took to develop a policy that is so full of gaps that you couldn’t hold water back to save your life, that you’re going to come up and find all the gaps and solve all the problems in six months. That’s why I’m asking that six months won’t do this policy justice and in fairness. I’m going to repeat this question this way: The Minister clearly says programs are demand driven. This side of the House is demanding you take off the implementation date, and if you need to bring it to consultation don’t put the pressure on getting the results by time driven only, go for the results first.
I’ve said I am committed to a meaningful consultation. We have received some really good information that we need to revisit. It’s pretty simple what we need to fix right now. There are some glaring things that we need to fix on what’s proposed; income threshold and the eligibility for catastrophic drug program. We will do a meaningful consultation to make sure that we have fixed this program and we will take the time we need to. I’ve agreed to consult on the process. We’re going to have an exchange and workshops so that you don’t have a situation where people go and have a meeting and then not give enough time or a means to give feedback. I think I agree with the Member, that we will do what’s necessary to improve this situation.
I’m glad the Minister agrees and officially put it on record that she will now take off the time deadline on consultation and implementation.
Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated, September 1 is the target date, because it is helpful in any exercise to have the end date. We will strive to get the work done. We will strive to have most of the work done before the summer. We will make sure we do meaningful consultation with the public and the stakeholders.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Mr. Speaker, again, I realize this Minister’s trying to be the superhero of health care, but let’s take off the pressure of an implementation date to make sure it’s done properly. Will the Minister take off the implementation date? Secondly, and finally, will the Minister bring the policy to the House for House approval before any implementation is enforced?
Yes, I mean, that’s the regular process. There’s nothing new about that. We don’t do any of these without going to the committee, Mr. Speaker, and we never have.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
