Could the Minister, therefore, confirm that someone else in the Workers' Compensation Board has done exactly that. Has anyone in the board taken these steps? Does he know?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, the honourable Member did ask a question about board travel, for which I have put together a return. I think that was a written question.

I should also say that, to be candid, the chairman of the board has told me or my staff of several motions or debates that the honourable Member had been involved in when he was on the board, and it has been brought to my attention, respecting certain positions which the Member took on certain issues while he was a member. That was brought to my attention by the chairman. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Todd.

Would the Minister therefore give any statement to investigate this matter and find out if, in fact, the staff were looking into my position, and if so, would he be prepared to report back?

Yes, I will be prepared to do that, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board. Mr. Speaker, we all know in this House that there is a workers' advisor position which addresses concerns by or of injured workers respecting WCB claims. I would like to know, Mr. Speaker, if the Minister does support the workers' advisor position as presently established.

Mr. Patterson.

Certainly, yes, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Speaker, would the Minister advise this House as to whether or not there is a process currently in place of reviewing the workers' advisor position?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, when I was given this responsibility, I was curious to learn that the workers' advisor has been with the board for about two years, I believe, and has been paid on a contractual basis, on an hourly basis, for some two years. Initially the job began, as I understand it, as one that was intended to be a part-time job. It has now become a full-time job by virtue of the number of requests for assistance that the workers' advisor has been given. So, Mr. Speaker, I told the board when I first met with them that the rather ad hoc arrangement that I found in place should, in my opinion, be reviewed with a view to giving that person more stability and giving the position more recognition, and perhaps permanence, since it seems to be well used.

So, Mr. Speaker, to get to the point, I have asked the board for advice on how this job should be made more regular, and I expect any day now to receive the result of the board's deliberations on that position. Once I get that advice, Mr. Speaker, I will want to do something to make this job less of an ad hoc position. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Speaker, it seems ironic that the Minister would go only to the board to review this particular position that is supposed to be reviewing WCB or working in an advisory capacity for clients who have been treated unfairly by WCB. Therefore, seeing that there is a review, I would like to ask the Minister, why did he only ask the board to review the position, with no input from the public or from the MLAs or injured workers that were helped by this particular workers' advisor position?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, the board itself set the position up, and it is funded by the Workers' Compensation Board. When I looked into it, I found that the position had been set up with the proviso that it be reviewed after one year. That review never did take place. So I felt that it should be done and so it is being done. I would like to assure the honourable Member that advice from the board will be only one factor in my review of this position. I am well aware that it is intended to operate at some arm's length and some independence from the board, as it occurs in other jurisdictions. Therefore I want to assure the honourable Member I am not just going to blindly accept advice from the

board, and I am open to advice from MLAs. A number of them have already spoken to me, and a number of workers have already spoken to me, about the utility of this position. So I am going to approach it in a balanced manner.

Mrs. Marie-Jewell, supplementary.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Has there been a policy that has been directed to the workers' advisor in respect to the workers' advisor's office refraining from speaking to MLAs in this House?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, not that I am aware of. I believe the workers' advisor does speak to MLAs, and I believe there should be no reason why the workers' advisor should not. So if the particular incumbent is not talking to MLAs, it is not because of any directions coming from me. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Arvaluk.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In light of my Member's statement regarding a need to clean up military sites and surrounding areas near Coral Harbour, will the Government Leader assure this House that she will be vigorously pursuing this request to the Government of Canada?