Thank you, Mr. Ng. Mr. Krutko.
Debates of Feb. 23rd, 1998
Topics
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1034
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1034
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Can the Minister tell us if there was a cost savings to the government because they are not spending as much money now or is it a cost savings to the client who is basically getting better service than he was before?
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1034
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1034
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman I believe when we first put out the alcohol and drug reforms, there was some anticipated savings as a result of having to regretfully close down Delta House. It is my understanding that we have attained a savings from that but by the same token, no individual has been denied access to the alcohol and drug programs as we have indicated. Individuals still have access to residential alcohol and drug programs, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1034
The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Ng. Operations and Maintenance, total operations and maintenance. Mr. Krutko.
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1034
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Can the Minister tell me exactly how many clients we had in the previous years versus what we have today in regard to the actual client ratio of who is accessing the programs now versus before this change was made? Thank you.
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1034
The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Krutko I will allow the question but you are getting close to community health programs. I presume the question will not be asked again. Mr. Ng.
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1034
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do not have that level of detail with me but I can certainly provide it to the Member possibly tomorrow.
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1034
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1034
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Has the department done an appraisal from the different boards that are presently delivering these programs in regard to see exactly if those program dollars are being spent in a particular region versus being spent in a centre like in Yellowknife? How much of that money is really being spent in the different regions where these boards are?
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1034
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1034
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, it is an ongoing issue in that it is still the current fiscal year and we still do monitor, but quite frankly it is up to the board to determine where to send their constituents for receiving what they deem to be the adequate service. It is not necessarily within their region if they do not have that service available there. The board's responsibility to us again is to make sure that there is access in the case of what the honourable Member is referring to in the alcohol and drug programs, If the individual requires that residential treatment that they have a program available. We have not heard any concerns or complaints from individuals to us saying that they are not being provided the service through the boards. It is my understanding that service is being provided. Thank you.
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1034
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1034
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In regard to communities having accessibility to funds and resources within the boards when a community puts forth proposals and the board ignores them and say we are the board and we can do as we please because we are the people that make the ultimate decision; what role does the community play in regard to these boards and who takes priority over what? Is it the board who makes the ultimate decision? What role do the communities play to ensure that the delivery of health and social services program deliveries in their communities are basically inherent to the board making the ultimate decision? Is there a system in place where communities can complain? Whom do you complain to, the Minister? You cannot complain to the board because they are the ones with the ultimate authority. So is there anything in place, some mechanism to allow for complaints to be filed against the board or basically the conduct of the board when it comes to community development programs such as alcohol and drug programs. Thank you.
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1034
The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. I will allow the Minister to respond and then we will take a five-minute break. Mr. Minister.
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1034
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, this goes right back to the essence of the initial opening comments and my response to board accountability and responsibility to the people they serve. As we know the Inuvik situation is a bit different then other boards as they had a board representative of every single community. When I first took over responsibility for Health and Social Services back in the fall of 1995, they found that the Board was not effective, it was too large and not conducive to being productive on numerous occasions when I met face to face with them or through correspondence or speaking to their MLAs. They chose to downsize that board dramatically, as the Members know, to have a representative from the Sahtu, from the Gwich'in, from the Inuvialuit, from the town of Inuvik, from the town of Norman Wells and the chairperson. I would say that depending on the circumstances, those representatives of those groups in the
communities that they represent are the avenues to appeal or lodge complaints if community members or community leaders feel that their interests are not being looked after and their issues are not being resolved, as a first avenue. If their representation on that board is not deemed to be adequate or deemed not to be representative, I guess I would leave it to the people that they represent to make that individual accountable. Failing that, of course, there is always the avenue of coming to myself as the Minister of the department as ultimately being responsible for bringing forth the issue. If it is a legitimate issue that our standards are not being met, our expectations, then we would intervene. Otherwise, if it is logistically a board decision, then we would stand by it, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1035
The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Ng. I will have Mr. Erasmus and Mr. Picco in that order after we take a five-minute break.
--Break
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1035
The Chair Vince Steen
I would like to call the committee back to order. For the record, we are on Bill 8, Appropriation Act, 1998-99. Health and Social Services, activity summary administration, operations and maintenance, total operations and maintenance, $29.538 million. Agreed?
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1035
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1035
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1035
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, in the area of health and disease surveillance, could the Minister indicate what the situation is with regard to tuberculosis? Whether the incidences of this particular disease are remaining at a constant level, if they are decreasing or increasing? I understand that throughout the world it seems to be increasing in various locations. I was wondering what the situation is in the NWT?
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1035
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1035
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I believe there have been some outbreaks in the Northwest Territories in the past. It seems to have resurfaced again. Recently, there has been an outbreak in Cape Dorset. I will ask Mr. Ramsden to speak more specifically on that. Thank you.
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1035
Committee Motion 20-13(5): To Amend Clause 19 Of Bill 10: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1035
Ramsden
Mr. Chairman, we did not come here today with specific ratios or percentages in terms of incidents of tuberculosis, but certainly, the rate at which it appears in our population is high. There are troubling issues around tuberculosis. One of the areas that we are putting particular effort into is the follow up with people who have tested positive. We have seen in recent months outbreaks of tuberculosis amongst people that had previously been treated and either were not followed up with properly or did not complete the course of their treatment. It is high and we think there is additional vigilance or effort needed to adequately support and treat people that do show positive signs. Thank you.