This is page numbers 769 - 801 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 4th 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.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 791

Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am not clear what this motion is asking. Are you asking for a decision be made as to whether these facilities be built or the facilities be built starting in 1999?

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Mr. Henry, I will advise a Member should not question the mover, but you can put it in such a way as to ask him to identify your concern in his final response to speaking towards the motion. Mr. Henry.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will do that. I am not sure if the mover is suggesting a decision be made on whether both projects go ahead. If it is and he does not need a decision to be made, if that is what he is trying to say, I would think he wants the committee to recommend the projects go ahead no later than the fiscal year 98/99. I want to know if he is asking the Cabinet and if he could in his final remarks clarify that for me. Thank you.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Thank you, Mr. Henry. To the motion, Mr. Miltenberger and Mr. Picco. Mr. Miltenberger.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Mr. Chairman, this is a motion to support these outstanding commitments. To me the motion clearly says get the planning process done, which we are sure is going to justify the need for these two hospitals. We have to start construction and get ready to start building by 1998/99. I think that it is the commitment we are looking for and the support we are looking for in this motion. Thank you.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 791

The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. To the motion, Mr. Picco.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Edward Picco Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the past 15 months on numerous occasions I have raised in this House, and so has Mr. Roland, the need for our hospitals in those two communities. Mr. Chairman, the original 1988 agreement with the federal government was on the condition when the Health Canada transferred the responsibility for Health and Welfare to the territorial government that these hospitals would be replaced. Today in 1997, we find ourselves in the fiscal situation where we cannot build these hospitals. We have to access other alternatives sources. Mr. Chairman, I would like to say that the Health Minister, Mr. Ng and Finance Minister, Mr. Todd, have been putting in a lot of long hours and have been co-operative with Mr. Roland and myself, to try to reach some kind of compromise. I have also met with the chair of the Baffin Regional Health Board and the CEO for the Baffin Regional Health Board in Iqaluit, with the Finance Minister to try to push this project. As the capital predictions show, it is a $47,870,000 project that will have a major benefit to the people of the Northwest Territories, to the region and to the community. I would urge all Members to support this opportune motion in the spirit that it was presented. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 791

The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Thank you, Mr. Picco. To the motion. Mr. Erasmus.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am very disappointed that Mr. Picco did not mention the rest of the Social Programs Committee, who have been working very hard on this project.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 791

The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

To the motion. Do any other Members wish to speak to the motion? Mr. Roland, you have the last word.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee feels, with the plan happening right now and strategic reform, we would need a decision to be made and brought forward so we know what type of facilities and what programs will be offered in those new hospitals. That is why it is a two-part motion. There is a commitment to build the facilities. We are not asking for that commitment, that has been made in the House already. It is more on the area of getting the report and the decision made on the report so we can follow through with it. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Thank you, Mr. Roland. We are now ready for question. All those in favour of the motion, indicate. Thank you. Opposed. The motion is carried. We are back on total contributions, $1,877,000.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Thank you. Total activity, $5,479,000.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Thank you. I am on page 6-18, detail of grants and contributions, contributions. We will have to go to page 6-20 to see the total contributions, $164,791,000. Mr. Henry.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On the grants to foster parents association and foster homes, I wonder if the Minister could tell us if this funding that had been in place in '95/96, and I realize it was not in place in '96/97. Was there anything put in place in other areas to support the foster parents association? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 791

The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Thank you, Mr. Henry. Mr. Minister.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Not financially, Mr. Chairman. Just a concerted move to provide additional assistance through our child welfare specialists. Thank you.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Thank you, Mr. Ng. I have total contributions. Mr. Picco.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Edward Picco Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I just had a couple of points here on the grants and contributions. Mr. Chairman, there was a decrease in the rates for foster parents. That was upsetting. My question to the Minister on this section is where we are dealing with foster parents and

foster homes, is there any contemplation by the Minister to try to reevaluate the situation and try to increase the foster care rates at this time?

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 792

The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Thank you, Mr. Picco. The honourable Mr. Ng.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, no. We did work with the Yellowknife Foster Parent Association in respect to reaching a compromise on reasonable rates that they felt were acceptable or more acceptable than what was proposed. We worked through that with them. We committed to providing some additional support to them and things are progressing well, Mr. Chairman. thank you.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 792

The Chair

The Chair Vince Steen

Thank you, Mr. Ng. Mr. Picco.

Committee Motion 20-13(4): Recommendation That Inuvik And Iqaluit Hospital Replacements Begin In 1998/99
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 792

Edward Picco Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I remember this very well and I brought it up in the House several months ago. It concerns me to no end that when we deal with consultations, we deal strictly with people in Yellowknife. As the Minister is aware, there are several foster care families in our region of this territory, specifically in my community, who were not consulted and find the rates to be detrimental because of the higher cost of living. That was not reflected. I wonder if the Minister will, at least in the consultative process, consult with people outside of the centre of the universe here in Yellowknife? We do have costs and less amounts and the expensive rates of living in other communities. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.