This is page numbers 464 - 491 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 chairman.

Topics

Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

--- Agreed

Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Richard Nerysoo

Thank you. With that decision we will take a 15 minute break.

--- SHORT RECESS

Bill 14, Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1992-93 And Committee Report 3-12(2)

Department Of Health

I would like to call the House back to order. We were dealing with the Department of Health. Mr. Minister, would you like to bring in your witnesses?

Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Mr. Chairman, do you want me to go through my opening remarks again?

Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Richard Nerysoo

I do not believe there is a need for you to introduce those remarks again. Do you want your witnesses in the House?

Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Yes, I would.

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Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Richard Nerysoo

Mr. Minister, please introduce your witnesses.

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Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have on my right the deputy minister, Mr. Bob Cowcill and on my left is Ed Norwich, director of capital planning.

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Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Richard Nerysoo

I will go now to the chairman of the standing committee on finance for remarks.

Comments From The Standing Committee On

Finance

Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The standing committee on finance had a few specific concerns about the 1992-93 capital budget for the Department of Health. In general the committee is concerned, as is the cabinet, about the spiralling costs of delivering health care services throughout the NWT. Innovative ways and creative ways have to be looked at to see where we can control these costs. However, we would like to make it clear that this should not occur by cutting the level or quality of service available to any of our citizens.

Clearly we must look inward when we look for savings. For example, when I speak about this issue I am reminded that the Department of Health has four boardrooms in the same building and, frankly, the committee wonders if they are all really necessary. Mr. Chairman, the committee will be looking at this issue in much more detail when we examine the operations and maintenance budget for this department in the summer.

Finally, Mr. Chairman, there has been much talk about the NWT Way that the department is proposing for the delivery of health care. The standing committee on finance would like to make it clear that approval of this department's capital budget should not be seen as an endorsement of this proposed policy. Much more debate remains before this policy gains the acceptance of the committee, or for that matter, of this House.

Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Richard Nerysoo

Thank you. Any other general comments? Is it the wish of the committee that we go into detail?

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Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

--- Agreed

Territorial Hospital Insurance

Services

Buildings And Works, Headquarters, Total Capital,

Agreed

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Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Richard Nerysoo

Detail of capital, Territorial Hospital Insurance Services, buildings and works, headquarters. Total region, $1,783,000. Agreed?

Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

---Agreed

Buildings And Works, Fort Smith, Total Capital,

Agreed

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Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Richard Nerysoo

Fort Smith, total region, $103,000. Agreed?

Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

--- Agreed

Buildings And Works, Inuvik, Total Capital,

Agreed

Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Richard Nerysoo

Inuvik, total region, $3000. Agreed?

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Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

---Agreed

Buildings And Works, Baffin, Total Capital,

Agreed

Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Richard Nerysoo

Baffin, total region, $1,848,000. Agreed?

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Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

--- Agreed

Buildings And Works, Keewatin, Total

Capital

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Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Richard Nerysoo

Keewatin, total region, $175,000. Mr. Todd.

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Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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John Todd Keewatin Central

This needs study for the health centre in Rankin Inlet, is that part of the impact assessment we were going to do in relationship to the concerns I have raised on a number of occasions with the Minister with respect to the hospital in Churchill? Are we going to do this impact assessment to determine the net effect of moving health facilities out of Manitoba and into the Keewatin, as we recently did with dental care?

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Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Richard Nerysoo

Mr. Minister.

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Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask Mr. Cowcill to respond.

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Cowcill

Mr. Chairman, the Keewatin Regional Health Board, with the assistance of the Department of Health, will complete a strategic planning exercise in the coming year. It will consist of three phases. One is a needs role study, second, a master program and master plan. We believe that the impact analysis could be done as an element of the master program. In other words, an economic impact study can be incorporated into the master planning phase of the project, after the health programs and services needed are identified.

Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair Richard Nerysoo

Mr. Todd.