Debates of June 6, 2006 (day 6)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today, I talked about the government’s obvious undervalue of service agencies by not allowing these organizations like YACCS to pay their employees fair marketing competitive market wages, Mr. Speaker. My questions are directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services. What is the Minister prepared to do to assist YACCS and other organizations like them to ensure that they are able to offer competitive and attractive salaries and compensation packages to hire and keep trained staff in order to continue the high quality of essential services they offer to our community and to our people? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 62-15(5): Assistance To NGOs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we place a very high value on the work that non-government organizations do. As a government, we have done a lot of work, along with the Member’s opposite, on boards and agencies to try to look at how we rationalize that whole area of service. As well, we have developed a third-party accountability framework which is now in place that we are working on and using as a government. As we look at dealing with some of these issues, we have moved into multi-year funding contracts. When it comes to YACCS, we are working with them on a number of their issues including their issues that arise periodically with collective bargaining. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 62-15(5): Assistance To NGOs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While I heard a great response there, we put a high value on the work that they do, we rationalize it and support them, and we are working with them. So I guess my question now to the Minister is, how are we going to rationalize, support and respect the high value of service that they offer when there is a $500,000 plus wage parity gap between what their employees as a collective receive and what they should be paid in fair market value throughout other government agencies? How is the Minister going to address this gap? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 62-15(5): Assistance To NGOs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have been in correspondence with and in contact with YACCS. They have indicated to us their need for additional funding. We are in the middle of the business planning process and coming forward in government and as a department with a number of forced growth items dealing with NGOs. That whole area is one of the areas that we are looking at. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 62-15(5): Assistance To NGOs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am glad to hear that the Minister is talking to YACCS through correspondence, as he pointed out. I am glad he mentioned business plans are coming forward to address forced growth problems. So going back to the $500,000 gap, Mr. Speaker, and the Minister is well versed in this so we don’t have to go into too much detail, can the Minister lay out some of the plans to meet wage parity in this upcoming business plan? What is the mandate he is giving his department to address this problem? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 62-15(5): Assistance To NGOs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I have just indicated, the issue of forced growth, NGOs, how they are funded, how do we build in the ability to recognize cost of living and other forced growth factors has been laid out in broad form to the third-party accountability. People from YACCS have written to myself. I have replied to them. We have a business plan process underway. We are including their requests along with a whole other range of NGOs that we deal with as part of our business planning submission. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Your final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 62-15(5): Assistance To NGOs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think that was one of the best answers I have heard from this Minister in my three years of the Assembly. He is talking about bridging the gap, addressing forced growth problems, cost of living and including the requests. So I guess, all of that said, everything I needed to hear about what it was we are bridging the gap on. So the bottom line is, will wage parity be addressed in this business plan? I can guarantee you, there aren’t many people who are against this problem. Will he address it? Will he tell this House today that he is going to ensure that YACCS is valued, as well as other service agencies, by delivering on that commitment of including forced growth, cost of living and including that request in this upcoming business plan? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 62-15(5): Assistance To NGOs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to think that every answer I give is one of my best answers.

---Laughter

I think that is truly documented in Hansard. Mr. Speaker, I have indicated the process that we are engaged in as a government with YACCS, NGOs, the business plan process, and that is the process that we are going to continue to follow to its logical conclusion, along with the Member’s input. Thank you.