Good afternoon. Item 2, Ministers' Statements. Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to express some serious concerns over matters dealing with the Workers' Compensation Board. Honourable Members will recall that in June of this year, the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions tabled a comprehensive report on the review of the Workers' Compensation Board. The report included a total of 27 recommendations.

The key recommendations focused upon a legislative review process which would result in the legislative action paper to be completed by December 31, 1992. This would eventually lead to some very necessary and long overdue amendments to the Workers' Compensation Act. The standing committee was assured, during its public hearings, that both the Minister and the board were fully aware of the need to amend this outdated statute. The Minister stated clearly that he agreed with the process laid out in the interim and final reports of the standing committee and that he would be proceeding with the legislative review as quickly as possible. He also indicated that the Workers' Compensation Board has identified sufficient funding for the legislative review.

I have become increasingly concerned about the apparent lack of progress that the Minister has been making with respect to implementing this legislative review and the other recommendations including the standing committee's report. Let us not lose sight of the fact that the committee found that although the Workers' Compensation Board staff are hard working people, some definite problems exist with regard to the way Workers' Compensation services are being delivered in the Northwest Territories.

The situation with the W.C.B. has become even more critical with the absolutely shocking rate increases being forced upon employers next year, especially during a period of serious recession. There is also an investigation into the misappropriation of funds which appears to be stuck in the mud.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to continue with my statement.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays, please proceed, Mr. Koe.

Thank you, my colleagues. Mr. Speaker, their interim appointments, which expire in January, and the board has also announced a public forum in Yellowknife this Wednesday. Why is this being held if rate setting decisions have already been made? Will similar forums be held anywhere other than in Yellowknife? These are critical issues for both the workers and employers in the Northwest Territories. They cannot be left to back room discussions and closed door briefing sessions. They must be discussed on the floor of this Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, today my colleagues and I will be asking the Minister questions on the issues and concerns of the Workers' Compensation Board and Mr. Speaker, I trust the Minister will be forthcoming with his answers. Mahsi.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to elaborate further on some of points made by my honourable colleague from Inuvik regarding the N.W.T. Workers' Compensation Board. You will recall, Mr. Speaker, that I have commented on this troubled and inefficient agency on several occasions in the past. It has now come to the point where the situation is becoming ridiculous.

The Workers' Compensation Board is a monolithic adversarial board which, in my opinion, in the current terms, is out of control. The 12 per cent average increase in employers assessments, which it announced a short time ago, is totally unacceptable. In fact, it would take a special type of being short sighted to even contemplate a decision that would so terribly tax the private sector businesses throughout the Northwest Territories.

Notwithstanding the hours of time and effort that were devoted by Members of this House to a public review undertaken by the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions, there apparently has been no improvement. Like my honourable colleague from Inuvik, I am concerned that a badly needed legislative review, which was recommended by the standing committee will not be finished by December 31, 1992.

Mr. Speaker, it is time for the Minister to show a sense of leadership that has been sorely lacking to date on this issue. He must assume responsibility for assuring that there is an appropriate second opinion on the actuarial analysis of the employers assessments in time to implement rates which are not as punishing as the ones the board has tried to push on to northern businesses at this time. He must act immediately on the legislative review process recognizing that a legislative action paper is expected as a matter of confidence by December 31, 1992. He must implement standing committee recommendations which call for him to take a more active role and ensuring board accountability and to establish a stronger regional presence and he must give strong consideration to whether all current members of the board are committed to seeing that W.C.B. change and evolve to better serve all northern workers.

I am sure that I will have more to say during question period later today, thank you.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to raise a very important concern regarding the Trap Replacement Program. Mr. Speaker, I have been informed that there is a serious miscalculation in the matter of the number of trappers. As a result of this miscalculation, the Trap Replacement Program cannot continue. In other words we have run out of traps for the trappers of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to say to this House that this is causing many trappers not to participate in their economic livelihood, especially during the most crucial time of the year which will bring the best results to trappers. Mr. Speaker, the economic circumstances have caused problems for many more trappers, in fact there are no jobs for which many qualify. Mr. Speaker, in the Mackenzie Delta the oil and gas industry has literally left. The economic recession is affecting every region, where there are very few jobs available in any industry.

Mr. Speaker, the trappers who have requested traps for replacement must now wait. This waiting period is during the most important crucial period for trappers across the Northwest Territories. I cannot understand, Mr. Speaker, how this miscalculation took place. Worse yet, I cannot understand how trappers cannot, at this particular juncture, access other trapping mechanisms. Mr. Speaker, I want to recommend to the Minister and to this House that we consider using the conibear 1-10 traps as a replacement trap.

On another matter, we should seriously consider a compensation program for trappers who are not trapping as a result of a serious miscalculation on the part of this government and the Department of Renewable Resources. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is now exactly six months since the strike at Giant/Royal Oak began. Mr. Speaker, it makes me very sad to see the industry which made this city prosper for five decades is in danger of collapsing around us. The strike at the Royal Oak Mine is the most bitter and violent strike we have ever had in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, one of the great victories of the union movement was winning the right to collective bargaining. This is supposed to be the alternative to violence and to confrontation. It is supposed to be the civilized way to do business. In this case, Mr. Speaker, the two parties have clearly failed to bridge their differences and it is not my place, or any other M.L.A.s place to attribute blame. We have been told it is not appropriate for M.L.A.s to become involved in industrial disputes. When we did become involved this summer we were told quite bluntly by the Minister of Labour that we were out of line, we are interfering and making it more difficult for an agreement to be struck since the parties to the dispute would expect us to do their work for them, or at least to take sides.

What is appropriate though, Mr. Speaker, is for M.L.A.s to express the concern of their constituents. People in Yellowknife, Mr. Speaker, are outraged at the level of violence that they see taking place around them. Weekends in a frontier mining town often in the past saw brawls on a Saturday night, Mr. Speaker, but friends were always around to intervene and differences were quickly patched up. The violence we see today, Mr. Speaker, is of a different magnitude. It is as a result of hatred and desperation. Citizens are beginning to live their lives differently as a result of what they see going on around them. They have gone into their shells, they do not socialize, they do not go out so much.

The city was quiet this weekend but, below the surface, there is a deep disquiet. People are disgusted that no one seems capable of bringing the vicious dispute to an end. Outside the parties to this dispute, Mr. Speaker, only one man, Hon. Marcel Danis, the Minister of Labour, has the power to resolve the crisis.

I worry about the future of the mining industry, Mr. Speaker, the future of collective bargaining in the Northwest Territories and the future of this city.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that the vast majority of constituents in this city have spoken in a way that reflects the public concern. Thank you.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to comment on the government's position which believes compromise as public accountability and our commitment to open government.

On February 25, 1992, my honourable colleague from Kitikmeot asked some important written questions from the Minister of Justice. He requested a list showing the participants and dates of all training initiatives undertaken by Judges of the Territorial Court. The response received from the Hon. Dennis Patterson was not satisfactory. The former Minister stated that, "training is something with which the judiciary administers by itself."

On September 30, 1992, I rose this issue myself with the current Minister of Justice, the Hon. Stephen Kakfwi. At that time, the Minister stated that all we do is provide monies for them to run a justice system. I think we provide an amount of money for them to take training and those things they deem, for themselves, necessary to carry out their judicial duties.

Mr. Speaker, I fully understand the principle that the judiciary must be independent from the Legislative Assembly, at least in terms of its ability to make judgements on matters of law.

What we are talking about here, Mr. Speaker, is not the same thing. We are talking about an expenditure of public money and I believe that the public has a right to know how all its money is being used by government and that includes knowing where, and what amounts, the Department of Justice has spent on training activities for each of the judges.

I can neither understand, nor agree with the prevailing position in the Department of Justice that expenditures in this area must be kept secret from the Legislative Assembly and the public.

I want to state clearly that I have no evidence, at the present time, that these training funds are being abused by the judges but I think it is an important principle that information about expenditure made in this area should be available for review in order to assure accountability.

I want to give you notice today that, unless this House is provided with a list showing how previous year's training dollars have been spent, I will oppose further appropriation for judges to attain...

Mr. Gargan, your allotted time has elapsed. Mr. Gargan.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to continue.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and honourable Members. I want to give notice today that, unless this House is provided with a list showing how previous year's training dollars have been spent, I will oppose further appropriation for judges to attend workshops, courses or training institutes when we deal with the 1993-94 budget in February. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Bernhardt.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Education is an issue of great importance to all the people of the Northwest Territories. Certainly, this Legislative Assembly has stated, on many occasions, that the goal of improving our education system and getting more of our young people through the system with a good education is one of our top priorities.

Mr. Speaker, I am a strong proponent of this goal. I believe that only by increasing the education level of our people and providing people with job skills needed in today's world can we begin to ease some of the severe economic and social problems that presently exist in the Northwest Territories.

My statement today concerns the current policy of this government to put grade extensions in most communities across the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, I cannot support this policy at this time. While, on the surface, it seems to have many benefits, I believe it ignores some of the more basic problems with the current system. In my opinion, the extension of grades simply adds to an already flawed education system that presently exists in many of our smaller communities.

By following a policy of extending classes into smaller communities, we are stretching our already limited resources too thin. I am concerned that we simply cannot maintain a consistent quality of education for all of our students. For example, can we provide high school students in Coppermine with the same level of facilities and the same range of course selection that some students already have? I doubt it.

It is my belief that we should be focusing all of our money and resources on kindergarten to Grade 9 and improving the school system that is already in place in many of our communities. In addition, we should have regional high schools that can provide our students with the type of facilities and services that we have access to in the highest quality of education. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' Statements. Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am rapidly losing confidence in this government's approach to dealing with the regional associations and committees that have served our communities so well for many years. There seems to be a headlong rush to implement an untried process of community transfer and to experiment with models of district government that, at the present time, attract the interest of only one or two areas of the north. In the process, the regional and tribal councils comprised of local elected representatives are being ignored.

I was particularly concerned to learn today that the Baffin Regional Council is again experiencing severe financial difficulties, not as a result of current management decisions, but because of long standing issues from previous years' funding arrangements with this government.

I am concerned that the departmental officials are not supplying their Ministers with accurate and timely information about financial matters related to B.R.C. and I am dismayed that even the Baffin Regional Director appears to be powerless in the face of this government's apparent decision to allow our regional council to fall away.

The underlying model is clear. The Beatty Report deliberately overlooks the significant role for our existing regional council and advocates eliminating consolidation and downsizing boards and agencies that allow our people to have input into government decision making. We should not lose sight of the fact that the so-called "Strength at Two Levels" report has never been endorsed by this House and I wish you to know, Mr. Speaker, that I will oppose the implementation of any model of relation between communities and the G.N.W.T. that undermines the legitimate role of our regional councils.

I believe that this concern not only applies to the Baffin Region, but to this government...(inaudible)... represented in this House today. Thank you.

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On a lighter note, until we get to discussion period, I would like to speak about two boys who are here with us for the rest of this week. They are Ben Hannak and Jason Curley, who are beside the Sergeant-at-Arms. These boys are both from the grade 12 classes of Qitiqliq school in Arviat. Jason, who is the president of the students council and Ben, who is president of the sports council. Both gentlemen were in Yellowknife last year to participate in the territorial debate workshops. Both are student participants/observers on the Arviat Hamlet Council. In other words, they both have an interest in serving their community in

a leadership capacity. Both have been active volunteers with the Minor Hockey Association for Sivullinut, the elders group in Arviat, and for Sapuniaqtiit, the alcohol and drug prevention program.

Ben also serves on the Youth Justice Committee and last summer he was chosen from the Keewatin to take the Department of Personnel's Human Resource Management Training Program here in Yellowknife. He has participated in leadership conferences both in Fort Smith and in Brandon, Manitoba at the annual Canadian leadership conference. Ben also participated in an environmental exchange which took him to Vancouver, B.C. in September. He has not decided on his career plans as yet, he is considering several possibilities for a post-secondary education.

Jason has also had a taste of Vancouver when he represented the N.W.T. at the Canada-wide science fair with his project on the insulating factors of igloos and at the environmental exchange in September. Last summer, Jason attended a D.P.W. course on architecture and engineering in Yellowknife. He is pursuing a career in engineering and would like to return to U.B.C. next year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a statement about B.R.C. Since they have been into a lot of financial difficulties, ever since I became a M.L.A. I have attended the B.R.C.'s meeting to see what they do. Today, we know that they are in a lot of financial difficulties and we have to give them support. They have a lot of expenses that they have to take care of and I would want them to have adequate financing. We know what their mandate is, whether we attend their meetings or not. We have been working very hard to represent the people and they are in dire straits with their finances.

Mr. Speaker, we should give them more adequate financing if possible. We do not have to wait and not give them any financing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 3, Members' Statements. Item 4, Returns to Oral Questions. Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to oral question asked by Ms. Mike on November 20, 1992 concerning additional renewable resource officers. After reviewing the transcripts I believe that the Member was asking me two questions. First, was I or my deputy minister briefed by officers who were out on patrol about the hunting that took place several weeks ago on the Ingraham Trail?

Second, did the Department of Renewable Resources have plans in place when caribou appeared in large numbers along the Ingraham Trail?

Mr. Speaker, the answer to the first question is, no. I have not been briefed by officers who were out on patrol. I also did not discuss enforcement activities with the officer who I accompanied when I flew out to Ross Lake to monitor the caribou movements. I rely on my deputy minister to provide me with information on any enforcement action that departmental staff may have taken. My deputy minister received this information from the regional superintendents who are directors to whom officers report.

The answer to the second question is, yes. Since the no hunting corridor came into effect in 1988, the department has had plans to respond to the appearance of a large number of caribou along the Ingraham Trail. These plans include bringing extra staff, doing extra road patrols, setting up check stations and conducting aerial flights to monitor caribou movements. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 4, Returns to Oral Questions. Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This question will be for the Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board. On June 18, 1992 the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions tabled a report which recommended that the Minister prepare a legislative action paper outlining proposed amendments to the Workers' Compensation Act. This recommendation was passed as a motion of this Assembly. The motion called on the Minister to complete his legislative review and have the legislative action paper ready for tabling by December 31, 1992. My question is, will the Minister now update this House on whether he will comply with the committee recommendation and the House motion by December 31, 1992?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, yes, I will certainly endeavour to do so. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. You will recall that the proceedings of the standing committee's public hearings were provided to the House as Tabled Document 67-12(2). On May 13, 1992 the Minister appeared before the standing committee and talked about his plans for this legislative review. He stated, on page 100 of the proceedings that "first of all, that the board has agreed that they will largely underwrite the cost of such a review. I feel it is appropriate and something that could be underwritten by the board." My supplementary is, will the Minister confirm his earlier statement that funds for the review of the Workers' Compensation Act have been made available by the Workers' Compensation Board since last May?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, since last May there have been a number of difficult events occurring with the Workers' Compensation Board. A general manager was released and has left the board. The board was struggling with the difficult matter of rate increases which some honourable Members have referred to earlier. As a result, Mr. Speaker, the board was preoccupied with those issues following the tabling of the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and

Commissions' report. The bottom line, Mr. Speaker, is notwithstanding those demands, I have recently met with the new Chair of the Workers' Compensation Board -- that was another thing that happened, the Chair was replaced -- I have been assured that the board has made some funds available for the legislative review. They are under a very tight financial situation and they had to look hard to identify some funds in this very difficult year but I have been assured, just recently, that some funds will be made available for this legislative review. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Recognizing that the Minister stated on May 13, and I quote "clearly the legislative review is a major issue that should be dealt with." Recognizing that the Minister assured the standing committee that he made a commitment that the Workers' Compensation Board would underwrite this legislative review, will the Minister explain to the House exactly why there has been a lack of significant progress on this initiative?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I have been apprising the standing committee through its chair of some difficulties that I have encountered in getting this process moving expeditiously. The chairman knows that I had developed, early on, terms of reference for the legislative review and I believe he also knows that I had identified a person who I believed was well qualified to undertake that review.

In fact, the preliminary work began on the legislative review and the review of background material. Unfortunately, recently, I was informed this particular individual would no longer be available.

As a result, Mr. Speaker, I have had to scramble to identify another qualified person and have received a recommendation for a very highly qualified individual who, unfortunately, to this date, has not been able to confirm availability due to possible other commitments elsewhere. So, Mr. Speaker, at the moment, I have a second highly qualified person who is possibly going to soon be available to commence that work although I have yet to receive the final word on that.

These are the factors, Mr. Speaker, that have prevented the review from actually starting to date. But I can assure the Member that, because of the previous major reviews of the Workers' Compensation Board, because of the excellent work done by the A.B.C. Committee through its hearings, I think that the completion of the legislative review by the deadline required by the committee is still possible and that a great deal of the background work has already been done and it is simply, in my view, putting together work that is already in place in consultation with labour and industry. So I am confident, even though we will be starting late, that the committee's deadline can be met or come close to being met. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Zoe.

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, the standing committee recommended that the size of the board be enlarged. I think that recommendation was made before any of us knew that there would, in fact, be sizeable rate increases with significant negative consequences to rate payers in the Northwest Territories and I do believe that when it comes time to consider the recommendations of the committee on the board, that we are all going to have to scrutinize and consider carefully the costs of the operation of the board itself because I think the ratepayers, who are expected to pay increased rates, are going to want to be satisfied that the Board is as lean and as cost effective as possible and that may mean reconsidering, in fact, the size of the board. However, I can assure the honourable Member that I will take into account the recommendations of the committee as far as the composition of the board goes, whatever size the board turns out to be. I want to assure the honourable Member, as well, that I will work with the A.B.C. Committee and other honourable Members in restructuring and re-appointing members to the board when the appointments come up, as they are coming up shortly. Members will know I have solicited M.L.A.s and other interested parties for recommendations on appropriate people to serve on the board and as Chair. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Mr. Patterson.

Well, Mr. Speaker. I believe I have the authority under the present act to appoint the board and to constitute it as recommended by the committee without

legislative change, so I think that matter can be dealt with fairly expeditiously with the legislative review not necessarily being complete. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I should apologize to the Member. In reading the act, I do see that the present act only allows for the appointment of no more than seven members, so the nine member board recommended by the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions would require a legislative change. I stand corrected on that, Mr. Speaker, but I would say that as long as we are dealing with a seven member board it would still be possible to constitute the board proportionately having regard to regional representation and the other factors mentioned by the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions in the next round of appointments.

Mr. Speaker, to answer the Member's second question, yes, I will be pleased to table those terms of reference. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also have a question for the Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board. During the public hearings held on the Workers' Compensation Board by the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions, an organization calling itself "northern employers council on workers compensation" argued that the drive to make board appointments based on political considerations of ethnicity, regionalism, or gender can result in a board lacking the skills and understanding to adequately perform its duties. The standing committee rejected this position completely and in its June 26 report pointed out the advantages of having a board which adequately reflects diverse regional and aboriginal perspectives.

Will the Minister also reject this position and confirm that he has established a principle that appointments to the board should in fact be made in a way that ensures the perspective of all regions and cultures are represented?

---Applause

Mr. Patterson.

I guess I know how to answer that question, Mr. Speaker.

---Laughter

I think it is possible to meet the recommendations of the standing committee at the same time as having competent, qualified people. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Supplementary, Mr. Speaker. In order to make it clear that appointments will be made according to the principle of fair and equal representation for all regions, will the Minister communicate to the so-called "employers council" that he disagrees with their position that a regional based board with aboriginal and women representatives lacks adequate skills. Thank you.

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I guess I would be a bit concerned about having to make comments about every submission made to the A.B.C. committee including the submission of that particular group. With the help and support of M.L.A.s I am confident that the new round of W.C.B. appointments, on which I will welcome assistance and advice from M.L.A.s, will in fact be of a calibre and a representative, culturally sensitive, gender conscious, nature that those appointments will speak for themselves, Mr. Speaker. I do not feel the need to respond to specific submissions. I think the appointments will show that group and the public what criteria this Legislature and this government will pursue in making appointments. They will speak for themselves. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Supplementary, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Mr. Speaker, recognizing that the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions recommended that the Workers' Compensation Board membership should reflect regional and aboriginal representation, and recognizing that terms of the current board members are due to expire in January, 1993, can the Minister explain why he has been so reluctant to write to municipal governments, H.T.A.s, and band councils to recommend nominees to the board? Thank you.

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I sent out over 60 letters to various interested parties in the Northwest Territories who I thought should be appropriately consulted on W.C.B. appointments, regional councils and Members of this Legislature included. Mr. Speaker, I believe -- and the Member for Baffin Central has spoken eloquently about this earlier today -- that the regional councils are an appropriate way of reflecting the views and voices of the regions in consulting with the regions. I thought it was adequate to direct my request to those regional councils and that is what has been done rather than writing individual municipalities. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Ms. Mike.

I have a question for the Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board. The report of the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions dealing with worker's compensation, recommends that greater attention should be paid to ensuring all workers are better represented on the board. The Minister may be aware of the 1989 N.W.T. Labour Force Survey completed by the G.N.W.T. Statistics Bureau. This study reported that of the 20,328 people who were employed at the time of the survey, 8,815 or 43 per cent were women.

Mr. Speaker, recognizing that just under half of all workers in the N.W.T. are women, will the Minister indicate to the House how many women he has appointed to the Workers' Compensation Board since assuming his portfolio over a year ago?

Mr. Patterson.

None, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Ms. Mike.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends) ...for wanting to avoid having a board with a balanced representation from both genders?

Mr. Patterson.

No I cannot, Mr. Speaker.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Supplementary, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My supplementary to the same Minister, the Minister must know that when the primary wage earner is injured and cannot work, it creates significant hardships for the spouse and family. The Workers' Compensation Board policies have not taken this into account. Support for the spouses and families of injured workers, either through additional compensation or rehabilitative services, has been sorely lacking. Why has the Minister not considered making appointments which reflect the needs of these stakeholders rather than trying only to cater to the wishes of the industry association and organized labour?

---Applause

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, that is a good question.

---Applause

I have made two appointments in my short time as Minister responsible for this board. They certainly were not women. I can only assure the Member that yes, I am responsible for that, and I will take responsibility for that. It is unfortunate that the board has not represented women for many years before I was Minister.

Mr. Speaker, I can assure the honourable Member that I have actively solicited the N.W.T. Status of Women for recommendations for appointments and I am pleased to also inform the Member that I have already received some excellent recommendations from that council. I have also solicited nominations from M.L.A.s and I am sure that I will be receiving recommendations which include women from Members of this Assembly, judging by the support and Member's concerns expressed here today.

So, Mr. Speaker, all I can say is mea culpa for the past but, one thing I can be given credit for is for not having made long term appointments. We have very short term appointments in place. It means that these deficiencies in representation, which the Member has referred to, can be corrected within the next couple of months. So I will look forward to assistance from Members of the Assembly and my Cabinet colleagues in making the W.C.B. more representative than it has been to date in its history.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In order to witness that women are not forgotten in this area of workers' compensation representation, I will ask the question directed to the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister knows the council and the Women's Directorate have been making efforts to encourage adequate women representation on boards and agencies across the N.W.T. Will the Minister ask the council to look into the recent absence of women representation on Workers' Compensation Board? Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister Responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board. Mr. Speaker, when the Standing Committee on Agency, Boards and Commissions carried out its review of the Workers' Compensation Board, it became very clear that there is a need for better regional presence. One of the recommendations was to make better use of the workers' advisor position as a means of informing and communicating with communities about the ways of the workers' compensation system.

Since inception of the position, however, there appears to have been resistance at the board level to having the advisor work with any communities other than Yellowknife. The Minister was supposed to be carrying out the review of the workers' advisor position and make any appropriate changes.

Mr. Speaker, my question to the Minister is, can the Minister advise the House whether, in his review of the advisor's role, he has addressed using the position to make communities better informed about the Workers' Compensation in the Northwest Territories?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, the review of the workers' advisor position and the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions have resulted in the creation of a permanent position within the government for the workers' advisor. This was recommended by the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions since the workers' advisor had, up until recently, been an ad hoc, month-to-month contractual arrangement that was certainly less than satisfactory in view of the important role of that position.

Mr. Speaker, that review also resulted in a revised job description for the workers' advisor and I think maybe the best way to answer the Member's question would be to commit to providing Members with the revised job description of the workers' advisor which has been developed since the standing committee met. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Although public information has been one of the stated responsibilities of the workers' advisor for some time, it is absolutely incredible that neither the board nor the Minister has set aside a specific budget for this purpose. Will the Minister indicate whether or not the arrangement has been made to provide adequate funding to support the public awareness mandate of the workers' advisor?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, up-to-date, the workers' advisor has been supported by a commitment of approximately $100,000 per year from the W.C.B. I am told by the present workers' advisor that there have not been requests for that person to travel to regions. There have been requests made to me and I have worked with W.C.B. staff to ensure that those requests for assistance in the regions have been dealt with and sometimes they have not been requests on appeals or matters that the workers' advisor would ordinarily address.

To answer the Member's question, the budget of approximately $100,000 has been provided to the workers' advisor and, as far as I know, there has not been a specific allocation from that budget to cover travel to the regions. However, the new job description does address that issue and I am also working actively with the board to have a funding agreement in place which will spell out more precisely the financial support to be given to that office and may identify a separate budget to deal with that particular concern. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Item 6, Written Questions. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you. I am seeking unanimous consent to return back to Item 5, Oral Questions, please.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Nerysoo.

I did have my hand up there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This question is for the Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board. Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions expressed concern, serious concern, about the failure of the W.C.B. to establish a profile outside Yellowknife. You know, the Standing Committee realized that the volume of claims generated from outside the Fort Smith Region would not justify the establishment of regional offices but the committee did recommend a novel approach which was subsequently supported by a motion of this House.

The committee recommended that the W.C.B. should establish agreements with the health and hospital boards to identify a health care official who could act as a regional resource person in dealing with Workers' Compensation matters. To date, this particular matter has not been dealt with, nor has the Minister made any announcements about steps they have taken to implement this recommendation. So, could the Minister indicate what action has taken place since the June, 1992 report that recommended that the W.C.B. should establish M.O.U.s with the regional health and hospital boards to provide resource and support of services to clients outside Yellowknife?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, the matter of a presence of the Workers' Compensation Board in the regions is of concern to me. I am pleased to inform the Assembly that I have actively been working with the Department of Safety and Public Services and the staff of the W.C.B. to develop a protocol which will allow the field presence of the Department of Safety to be better utilized in providing safety education and training in cooperation with the W.C.B. in the field. I recognize that I am avoiding the Member's specific question about protocol with regional health boards, but because of the rate increases, the increases in accident severity in the Northwest Territories in recent years, it has been recommended to me that safety training and education and improved safety inspections are a critical matter that must be dealt with even in advance of anything else. As far as the Department of Health is concerned, Mr. Speaker, I can tell the Member that the department's first priority is to work with the W.C.B. on the recommendation that there be northern based rehabilitation services provided for injured workers, and that we stop the expensive practice of sending injured workers to the south for this kind of treatment when we could probably offer this kind of service in the north. That has been actively worked on, Mr. Speaker. As far as the matter that the Member specifically referred to, I have no progress to report to date for the reasons I outlined. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It only seems natural that health or occupational therapy matters would be a matter dealt with by the Department of Health and not the Department of Safety and Public Services. I would like to ask the Minister if he, being responsible for both the Workers' Compensation Board and the Department of Health that surely the process for building these agreements should be easy to facilitate, so can he say clearly in this House why he has failed to take any significant action in responding to this important committee recommendation?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that the crisis regarding accident severity and the rates of the Workers' Compensation Board has been a predominant preoccupation of both myself and the board since the A.B.C. committee's report was laid down. As I said, the emphasis on safety and inspection, safety education and safety initiatives has been the prime focus because of the rates, cost and severity of accidents. I do not want to give the Member the idea that nothing is happening with regard to health. As I said, the department has been working actively with the W.C.B. on repatriating a rehabilitation service. That will save the board money. It is being worked on, Mr. Speaker. I just do not have any final result to report in the short months the matter has been under way.

Supplementary, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My one concern, Mr. Speaker, with regard to the matter of considering repatriating services or occupational health services and rehabilitative services is the notion that Yellowknife is the only area that is going to provide the service. I think I would categorically argue that if you are going to build other hospitals in the Northwest Territories, this government and this Minister should be utilizing those services. The closer to home for these patients the better it is. I want to ask the Minister if he is prepared to send out memos or letters to the health boards to ask for their advice as to how they might in a proactive matter respond to this particular recommendation?

Mr. Patterson.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I am certainly prepared to do so. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of W.C.B. I had a report of the concerns of the residents of the Northwest Territories for the Workers' Compensation Board. They did not know the differences with the different boards. They did not know the residents of Yellowknife and outside Yellowknife accordingly the committee recommended that the board should develop a strategy for meeting outside Yellowknife on several occasions over the course of the year. Can the Minister advise the House how many times the board has, in fact, met outside Yellowknife since June, 1992? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Patterson.

The board has not met outside Yellowknife once since June, 1992, Mr. Speaker.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Supplementary, Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the board has not been bothering to meet regularly outside Yellowknife as the standing committee outlined, will the Minister indicate whether the recommended strategy for future regional meetings is complete and available for tabling in this House? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that through the good offices of the Chairman of the caucus of this Legislature a meeting has been arranged for Wednesday of this week with the Chair of the Workers' Compensation Board to brief Members on the rate increases and other matters of concern. I would suggest this matter appropriately be raised with the new Chair of the board. I do not know if the board has developed a policy for meeting outside the capital. I will encourage them to do so, but I do not know the answer to that question and it is the sort of thing that could very well be properly brought up in the briefing I have arranged for two days from now. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Koe.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for Workers' Compensation Board. The Minister knows that in 1989 an independent review committee recommended the Minister should be empowered to take a more active role in monitoring and management of the Workers' Compensation Board. This position was again supported when the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions carried out its comprehensive review. The position was further supported by a motion in this House on June 29, 1992, yet it seems as though the Minister has had less to do with the management of the board rather than more. Will the Minister indicate to the House what he has done to develop policy guidelines of the increased ministerial role recommended by the 1989 review committee as well as by the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, the matter referred to by the Member is a matter which requires legislative change. I think it is very clear that the present legislation constitutes the Workers' Compensation Board as a very independent corporate body which has "exclusive jurisdiction" to quote the act in a number of areas. So, until the legislation is changed, Mr. Speaker, I do not think anything could be done about the authority of the Minister to take a more active role in the day to day activities of the board. However, I do want to assure the honourable Member, that I have had more to do with the Workers' Compensation Board than any other Minister in recent years. I would inform the Member that my contacts with the Chairperson of the Workers' Compensation Board in recent months have been frequent and often daily and I am working very closely with the board through the Chair. Legislative or no legislative change, that is now happening. I will look forward to recommendations of the legislative review on how that matter can be dealt with in a more permanent way through possible legislative change. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Given the statements, Mr. Speaker, will the Minister make a firm commitment to bring about the legislative and policy changes that will finally allow him to exercise and assert influence that this organization so badly needs?