Debates of Feb. 14th, 1992

This is page numbers 20 - 31 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was health.

Topics

Members Present

Item 1: Prayer

Ministers' Statement 4-12(2): Fee Increases To Hunting Licences And Tags

Ministers' Statement 5-12(2): Survey To Look At Attitudes About Health

Working For Constituents Of Yellowknife Centre

Highway Patrol Law Enforcement

"walk Of Love" To Raise Money

Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

Question O23-12(2): Schools Working To Rule In Inuvik

Question O24-12(2): Resolving Problem At Inuvik Schools

Question O25-12(2): Keewatin Residents Utilizing Manitoba Hospitals

Question O26-12(2): Absence Of Justice Minister From House

Question O27-12(2): Funding For Teachers' Conferences

Question O28-12(2): Attendance Of Minister Of Justice At Constitutional Conference In Vancouver

Question O29-12(2): Initiatives Set Out By Keewatin Regional Health Board

Question O30-12(2): Concerns With Management Of Inuvik Regional Hospital

Question O31-12(2): Meeting With Federal Government Re Interim Day-care Policy

Question O32-12(2): Delay Hiring Of Manager Of Medical Travel

Question O33-12(2): Renewal Policy For Leases In Level I And Level Ii Communities

Question O34-12(2): Government Honouring Capital Commitments

Question O35-12(2): Cost Of Operating NWT Housing Corporation Board Of Directors

Question O36-12(2): Direct And Indirect Costs Accrued By NWT Housing Corporation Board Of Directors

Question O37-12(2): Keewatin Patients Continuing To Use Manitoba Hospitals

Question O38-12(2): Equality Under Affirmative Action Program

Question O39-12(2): Cost Of Repairs To Yellowknife Correctional Centre

Question O40-12(2): Actual Cost For NWT Housing Corporation Board Of Directors

Question W1-12(2): Manager Of Medical Travel

Question W2-12(2): Status Of Nwt/alberta Interim Water Quality Accord

Item 11: Tabling Of Documents

Notice Of Motion For First Reading Of Bill 12: Tobacco Tax Act

Item 20: Orders Of The Day

Question O29-12(2): Initiatives Set Out By Keewatin Regional Health Board
Item 5: Oral Questions

February 13th, 1992

Page 25

John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not want to be seen as picking on my colleague, the Minister of Health, but I would like to try to get some answers on some initiatives that the Keewatin Regional Health Board has been trying to put in place in an effort to save this government money.

The Keewatin Regional Health Board recommended an operational review of the Churchill transient centre, with consideration to investigating the possibility of saving money by contracting out the services. I wonder if the Minister would give his approval that this operational review take place.

Question O29-12(2): Initiatives Set Out By Keewatin Regional Health Board
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 26

The Deputy Speaker Ludy Pudluk

Thank you, Member for

Keewatin Central. Mr. Whitford.

Return To Question O29-12(2): Initiatives Set Out By Keewatin Regional Health Board
Question O29-12(2): Initiatives Set Out By Keewatin Regional Health Board
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 27

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we will take that into consideration. I am addressing that letter from the health board. I am writing a letter to Ms. Palfrey, and it should be delivered shortly.

Return To Question O29-12(2): Initiatives Set Out By Keewatin Regional Health Board
Question O29-12(2): Initiatives Set Out By Keewatin Regional Health Board
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 27

The Deputy Speaker Ludy Pudluk

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Question O30-12(2): Concerns With Management Of Inuvik Regional Hospital
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 27

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question, Mr. Speaker, to the Minister of Health. I believe that the honourable Member is aware of the concerns with regard to the administration and management of the Inuvik Regional Hospital. I want to know if the honourable Member is conducting a review or has asked for an internal investigation about the matters and the concerns that have been raised.

Question O30-12(2): Concerns With Management Of Inuvik Regional Hospital
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 27

The Deputy Speaker Ludy Pudluk

Thank you, Member for Mackenzie Delta. Mr. Whitford.

Return To Question O30-12(2): Concerns With Management Of Inuvik Regional Hospital
Question O30-12(2): Concerns With Management Of Inuvik Regional Hospital
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 27

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I am aware that there are some misunderstandings at the Inuvik hospital, but as far as an investigation is concerned, I am not sure whether or not we need to go that far yet. The department is looking into the concerns of that hospital. Thank you.

Return To Question O30-12(2): Concerns With Management Of Inuvik Regional Hospital
Question O30-12(2): Concerns With Management Of Inuvik Regional Hospital
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 27

The Deputy Speaker Ludy Pudluk

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife South. Supplementary, the Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Supplementary To Question O30-12(2): Concerns With Management Of Inuvik Regional Hospital
Question O30-12(2): Concerns With Management Of Inuvik Regional Hospital
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 27

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, supplementary to the Minister of Health. Is the Minister of Health involving the staff when he is conducting the review of the concerns that have been raised about the administration and management of the Inuvik Regional Hospital?

Supplementary To Question O30-12(2): Concerns With Management Of Inuvik Regional Hospital
Question O30-12(2): Concerns With Management Of Inuvik Regional Hospital
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 27

The Deputy Speaker Ludy Pudluk

Thank you, Member for Mackenzie Delta. Member for Yellowknife South.

Further Return To Question O30-12(2): Concerns With Management Of Inuvik Regional Hospital
Question O30-12(2): Concerns With Management Of Inuvik Regional Hospital
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 27

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not know how much further I should go in responding to the question dealing with this review. It is under consideration, and I would rather let it go through the normal process before I deal with it here in the House.

Further Return To Question O30-12(2): Concerns With Management Of Inuvik Regional Hospital
Question O30-12(2): Concerns With Management Of Inuvik Regional Hospital
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 27

The Deputy Speaker Ludy Pudluk

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake.

Question O31-12(2): Meeting With Federal Government Re Interim Day-care Policy
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 27

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Social Services. Mr. Speaker, in December the Minister advised the House that we would at some time, during the life of this House, be reviewing the interim child day-care policy. He indicated at that time that one of the first steps that would be involved would be the consultation between himself and federal officials to find out what the federal game plan was in terms of a federal policy for day-care, and only following that would he be able to set a timetable.

My first question to the Minister is, did you, in fact, have that meeting in January that you told us was on the agenda, in December? Also, can we get the results of that?

Question O31-12(2): Meeting With Federal Government Re Interim Day-care Policy
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 27

The Deputy Speaker Ludy Pudluk

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake. Member for Yellowknife South.

Return To Question O31-12(2): Meeting With Federal Government Re Interim Day-care Policy
Question O31-12(2): Meeting With Federal Government Re Interim Day-care Policy
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 27

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The meeting in Toronto turned out to be not what I had thought it was going to be. In fact, we did not deal with the interim child care question. There were other things on the agenda that Mr. Bouchard did brief us on, other than the fact that the federal government was faced with tough economic times. As far as further initiatives, in many areas the dollars would be very slow in coming, if at all.

Return To Question O31-12(2): Meeting With Federal Government Re Interim Day-care Policy
Question O31-12(2): Meeting With Federal Government Re Interim Day-care Policy
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 27

The Deputy Speaker Ludy Pudluk

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife South. Supplementary, Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake.

Supplementary To Question O31-12(2): Meeting With Federal Government Re Interim Day-care Policy
Question O31-12(2): Meeting With Federal Government Re Interim Day-care Policy
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 27

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The response that was given to a timetable was left fairly vague, and it could be anywhere up to three and a half years from now. I was just wondering if the Minister has had a chance to examine the proposed schedule for reviewing the interim day-care policy and can inform the House as to a more precise date that this review might take place.

Page 27

The Deputy Speaker Ludy Pudluk

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake. Member for Yellowknife South.

Further Return To Question O31-12(2): Meeting With Federal Government Re Interim Day-care Policy
Question O31-12(2): Meeting With Federal Government Re Interim Day-care Policy
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 27

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, I cannot.

Page 27

The Deputy Speaker Ludy Pudluk

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife South. Item 5, oral questions. Supplementary, Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake.

Page 27

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister agree to provide the House, before the end of this session, with a time line in terms of reviewing this policy?

Page 27

The Deputy Speaker Ludy Pudluk

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake. Member for Yellowknife South.

Page 27

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will endeavour to do that.

Page 27

The Deputy Speaker Ludy Pudluk

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife South. Item 5, oral questions. Member for Baffin Central.

Question O32-12(2): Delay Hiring Of Manager Of Medical Travel
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 27

Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I listened yesterday to the Minister of Health assuring the House that his department would not begin implementing recommendations in the Strength at Two Levels document until adequate consultation has taken place.

Mr. Speaker, on January 13, 1992, there was a position advertised in News North for a manager of medical travel who will work in Yellowknife to centralize the administration of medical travel throughout the Northwest Territories. This position is one of the new developments proposed in the Beatty report. In fact, this is one of the specific recommendations on page 151 of the Strength at Two Levels document.

Mr. Speaker, it appears that the Minister and his department may have started to implement the recommendation of the Beatty report already. I would like to ask the Minister of Health the following question: Why has the Minister started to staff positions recommended in the Beatty report prior to the consultation process that has been promised?

Debates of Feb. 14th, 1992

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