This is page numbers 789 - 820 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 5th 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 social.

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Todd.

Return To Question 357-12(5): Compensation For Accidental Death In Fort Providence
Question 357-12(5): Compensation For Accidental Death In Fort Providence
Item 5: Oral Questions

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm not aware of the circumstances surrounding this situation. I'm not sure whether it would be a Workers' Compensation Board client -- perhaps that's the wrong term -- responsibility. I would have to get some more detail from the Member and see if we can define whose responsibility it is. If it is the responsibility of the Workers' Compensation Board -- and I stress "if" -- I want to assure the honourable Member he will get action on it, one way or the other. Thank you.

Return To Question 357-12(5): Compensation For Accidental Death In Fort Providence
Question 357-12(5): Compensation For Accidental Death In Fort Providence
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Lewis.

Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Item 5: Oral Questions

March 22nd, 1994

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Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I get many letters and phone calls from injured workers in different parts of the country. Although the WCB is an arm's-length agency, this, in fact, occupies a fair amount of my time. I would like to ask the Minister, since he is the Minister through who the WCB reports to the House, whether he also gets lots of letters and phone calls from injured workers outside of the Northwest Territories.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Todd.

Return To Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Item 5: Oral Questions

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes, I get my share of letters and phone calls. We're endeavouring to try to respond to them as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Thank you.

Return To Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

I appreciate the Minister's answer, but I would like to ask the Minister, since this is an arm's- length agency, how does he specifically handle letters and phone calls from people who want to know exactly where their particular case lies in the process followed by WCB?

Supplementary To Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Todd.

Further Return To Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Item 5: Oral Questions

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John Todd Keewatin Central

The responsibility for determining compensation lies solely in the jurisdiction of the board. What I do is pass the information along to the chairperson who then deals with it accordingly. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Judging from the response, Madam Speaker, would the Minister concur, then, that simply writing a letter to an elected person only results in the letter or the phone call being transferred to the place where this matter is going to be dealt with anyway?

Supplementary To Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Todd.

Further Return To Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Item 5: Oral Questions

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Clinically speaking, I suppose that's correct. However, it does raise the issue politically and it does get addressed to myself. I alert the board or provide them with the information that this phone call has made. I would stress that in most cases it's usually in the appeals area and that's one area that I believe lies within the exclusive jurisdiction of the appeals board. That's about all I have to say on the matter at this time.

Further Return To Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Final supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

I would like to thank the Minister for giving me the opportunity to bring up a person's name, since he has concurred that there is a political dimension to this. I get phone calls, practically every week, and faxes from a gentleman named Ed Melcosky. This man, I am sure, phones other people in the legislature, too. He is sitting in Peachland in BC and he spends a lot of money, which apparently he doesn't have, to phone people long distance. So I would like to ask the Minister, could he publicly say what he knows about this particular case because then, perhaps, this person wouldn't have to be spending all this money phoning me to find out stuff that I just don't have access to?

Supplementary To Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Todd.

Further Return To Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Item 5: Oral Questions

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Oh, dear. I think I must get the same phone calls. Certainly, Mr. Melcosky has been diligent in providing me with his position as it relates to his appeal. Again, that appeal process and the claim process is the exclusive jurisdiction of the WCB. While we, as politicians, can lend a sympathetic ear, the jurisdiction really lies within the WCB board of directors. There is a workers' advisor advocate. That's a position that is now under Safety and Public Services, where workers who are concerned about perhaps not being as well represented as they should as it relates to WCB can go to seek advice and direction with respect to their particular claim. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Question 358-12(5): Communication From Injured Workers Outside Nwt
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife North, Mr. Ballantyne.

Michael Ballantyne Yellowknife North

Thank you. I also have a question for the Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board. I, too, get numerous phone calls and letters from injured workers. But I think like the other Yellowknife MLAs, we respect the process. There is a process in place and I think it's very important that that process is allowed to be carried out without political interference. The one question I have for the Minister, if somebody does go all the way through the process and their claim is rejected at each stage, then at the final stage it's rejected, do they have access at that point to the courts? I just want to know what I can tell them when they've reached the end of the road.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Todd.

Return To Question 359-12(5): Injured Workers' Access To Courts Following Appeals Process
Question 359-12(5): Injured Workers' Access To Courts Following Appeals Process
Item 5: Oral Questions

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John Todd Keewatin Central

It's my understanding that once they've gone through the appeal process, which is a lengthy and very comprehensive review, if it's rejected I believe the only other alternative -- and I keep qualifying it because I'm not a lawyer -- is they can appeal to the Supreme Court. But I would like to check with Mr. Gilmour, the chairman, to be sure that I'm correct on this issue. But I believe that's the final, ultimate appeal process.

I think it's important to point out, because I know this is an issue that is sensitive right now with a number of claimants. I want to remind everybody again, 3,728 claims went through the WCB last year. At last count there were 42 appeals. Under the previous chairperson, Mr. Bourque, and now Mr. McNenly, we have taken the appropriate action to sit for the next six months to try to bring those appeals to some satisfactory conclusion. But, by going through the appeal process there should be no assumption that it's going to be successful. That's what it's all about. It is a review appeal process. So, we are trying to take the appropriate action to move forward in clearly making judgements on appeals, but because it's gone forward we should never assume it's going to go one way or the other. Thank you.

Return To Question 359-12(5): Injured Workers' Access To Courts Following Appeals Process
Question 359-12(5): Injured Workers' Access To Courts Following Appeals Process
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ballantyne.

Supplementary To Question 359-12(5): Injured Workers' Access To Courts Following Appeals Process
Question 359-12(5): Injured Workers' Access To Courts Following Appeals Process
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Michael Ballantyne Yellowknife North

I appreciate that response from the Minister, but because the Minister didn't take the question as notice, can I ask the Minister if he would make a definitive statement in this House as to what recourse workers have if they have exhausted all their possibilities in the WCB process?

Supplementary To Question 359-12(5): Injured Workers' Access To Courts Following Appeals Process
Question 359-12(5): Injured Workers' Access To Courts Following Appeals Process
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Todd.