Agreed.

Agreed.

Agreed.

Agreed.

Agreed.

Agreed.

Agreed.

Agreed.

Agreed.

Agreed.

Agreed.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I am pleased to be here today to review the Workers' Compensation Division Measures Act.

This bill and its companion legislation, the Nunavut Workers' Compensation Statutes Amendment Act, under the proposed Workers' Compensation Transitional Agreement between the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Interim Commissioner of Nunavut, are the result of a long series of negotiations concerning the Workers' Compensation Board. These negotiations included the Government of the NWT, the Office of the Interim Commissioner, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, and the Western Coalition.

Madam Chairperson, before I get into the specific elements of the bill I would like to provide some context for the transitional agreement and, may I stress, transitional agreement. As Members will recall, the negotiations surrounding the WCB began with the proposal by the GNWT on a long-term continuance plan that was provided to all parties early in 1998. It became obvious in June, in the subsequent discussions with the parties on this proposal, that a long-term continuous plan was not likely to be achieved prior to division.

The result was the need to consider the transitional agreement that would one, ensure stability of workers' compensation services in both Nunavut and the NWT in the short-term, provide the opportunity for two new governments to re-examine their relationship with respect to the services to determine if they wish to continue with a shared arrangement, set a clear determination date for the joint board, allow sufficient time to ensure a fair and equitable division of the assets and liabilities of the current WCB and allow for a reasonable period of time for Nunavut to develop a stand-alone Workers' Compensation Board.

Madam Chairperson, with these principles in mind, the GNWT developed a proposal that was presented to the parties in the fall. Negotiations with the parties continued up until earlier this week. The result is the legislation and draft agreement that constitutes the components of this transitional agreement. This agreement, Madam Chairperson, is designed to maintain the status quo in the short-term. The transitional period set out in this agreement with both Nunavut and the NWT to consult with the stakeholders to determine how workers' compensation services are to be delivered in the future. The key elements of the transitional arrangements are intended to one, provide the terms and the conditions and how the WCB will operate in Nunavut and NWT for a transition period to December 31, 2002, to authorize the current Workers' Compensation Board to operate in Nunavut during the transitional period, to allow the Nunavut Minister responsible for the WCB to nominate two members to the board and to ensure consultation by the NWT Minister with the Nunavut Minister prior to filling any vacancies that occur on the appeals tribunal.

In addition, Madam Chairperson, there are specific provisions in this arrangement that one, provides for meetings to take place between the Nunavut and NWT Ministers responsible for WCB in order to complete administrative duties such as receiving the WCB's annual report and corporate plan for tabling in their respective Legislative Assemblies and ensures each party only exercise its authority under the Workers' Compensation Act with the consent and approval of the other party; allow the appointment of statutory officers to fulfil the responsibilities in both territories, ensures that the WCB employees in Nunavut will remain members of the NWT public service through consequential amendments to the Nunavut Public Service Act, ensures the transfer of WCB employees to the Nunavut agency after the transition period with full rights intact and provides for continuation of the Accident Fund during the transitional period as a singularly-administered fund, authorizes the transfer of the post of Accident Fund of $20 million or 20 percent of benefits liabilities, whichever is less, to the Nunavut government on request; to allow for the creation of a successor Nunavut agency allows for the tracking and recording of individual claims in each new territory which will serve as the basis for the division of claims and pension liabilities at the end of the transition period;

- ensure the agreement of the Government of Nunavut to be bound by the terms of the Hunters and Trappers Program, with respect to claims arising from it;

- sets out a formula to divide the assets and liabilities of the WCB in proportion to the benefit liability attributable to each jurisdiction on the termination date; and finally,

- provides a dispute resolution mechanism to address any disputes that may arise during the transition period.

I think it is also important to point out the invaluable contribution of the staff of the Workers Compensation Board under the direction of the board and its president for the work they have done on this important agreement. Thank you, Madam Chairperson.