Thank you, Mr. Dent. Minister Pollard.
Debates of Feb. 21st, 1994
Topics
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 258
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 258
John Pollard Hay River
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As the committee knows, we have a consultant hired and the consultant has been dealing with a steering committee of our people in government. I understand they're close to being able to make some recommendations to us and I'm confident that sometime in the next four months we will be able to start passing that information on to our people in different departments who are dealing with the travel in those departments. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
The Chair Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Pollard. Directorate, operations and maintenance, total O and M, $2.455 million.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed
Human Resource Management
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
The Chair Tony Whitford
Human resource management, operations and maintenance, total O and M, $26.778 million. Mr. Dent.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I understand that in this activity there is some medical travel assistance. We heard last year that the Department of Health is going to be taking over medical travel assistance. Could the Minister outline when it is expected that the Department of Health will take over medical travel assistance?
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
John Pollard Hay River
Mr. Chairman, we will begin that process just as soon as possible. I would like to conclude some things with the health boards, as Minister of Health, but I would like to see it happen as soon as possible, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
John Ningark Natilikmiot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. To the same issue, I would like to ask Minister Pollard if regional health boards are in support of the Department of Health taking over medical travel? It is my understanding that initially it was Social Services that looked after travel arrangements for patients. Thank you.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
John Pollard Hay River
Mr. Chairman, at times Social Services is responsible for the compassionate part of medical travel where it is not covered by the Department of Health. In this particular instance, we are dealing with the medical travel of government employees. I know it gets very confusing. It gets confusing for me as well, Mr. Chairman. What we are hoping to do is move the responsibility for the assessment and travel of our staff, which is presently with FMBS, over to the Department of Health and on to the health boards because they are dealing with it now with the rest of the population. They have more expertise and, as they deal with it every day, they can probably deal with it better. In fact, I know they can do it better than we are at the present time, Mr. Chairman. That's the reason we'd like to move it over. Thank you.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
The Chair Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Pollard. Human resource management, operations and maintenance, total O and M, $26.778 million.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed
Financial Management
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
The Chair Tony Whitford
Page 28, financial management. Operations and maintenance, total O and M, $10.441 million.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed
Audit And Evaluation
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In the last couple of years, there have been a number of cases of fraud or suspected fraud within our government-controlled or regulated agencies or contractors. I was wondering if the Minister could outline what steps have been taken to ensure we are tracking down more cases of fraud, should they be out there. And if he could give us an evaluation of whether the number of cases of fraud is increasing or decreasing and whether we have enough checks and balances in the system.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
John Pollard Hay River
Mr. Chairman, I have committed to table a report in this session with regard to fraud in the government and the steps we have taken. I will do that. I think there are enough checks and balances in the system if they are used, and used properly. Unfortunately, it's not only in government but in all aspects of industry, as well. Where you're handling money, things get a little lax after a while and you don't have the paper trail tracking of money. I don't care what environment you're in, when there's a lot of money at stake or lying around, there's always the temptation. I think the checks and balances are there, we just have to keep making sure that as people's responsibilities change and as we ask them to do new things, that they keep policies changing to increase the checks and balances and that we ask them to be vigilant.
There's been an offer made to all departments by FMBS to work with them and to check over the areas where they are handling money and other assets. We will keep working with those departments that request assistance. On the audit side, when we audit a department and we come across an area where there have been loopholes, we'll point that out to the department, as well. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Within this activity is the task for audits. Could the Minister outline how it is determined which departments will have internal audits each year?
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 259
John Pollard Hay River
Over the years, Mr. Chairman, there has been a pattern set up and it is a cycle of the audits that are
done. For the first time this year, we have tabled with the Financial Management Board our audit plans for this particular year when we have put our budget before the Financial Management Board, just letting the board know what we intended to do. Of course, in between times, many other issues come up. We may get calls from departments to say, we have a problem in this area. We have to respond to that, as well. Managing the time of the auditors is quite difficult, but there is a basic plan in place and it has been approved by the Financial Management Board. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 260