This is page numbers 63 - 90 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 7th 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.

Topics

Return To Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 71

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can foresee that we would want to get it up and running as soon as possible. The plan is now to finalize the terms of reference, to identify some individuals possibly that could sit on the panel or the forum or whatever you would like to call it, and send them off to address some of these concerns by having some public input throughout the Western Territories. I would think from a timeline prospective, probably by the middle of April, late April at the latest, in respect of having it up and running, but obviously there are going to be factors in getting to that point. Thank you.

Return To Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 71

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 71

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Has the department developed terms of reference for such a committee and exactly what the role of the committee will be during the review?

Supplementary To Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 71

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Ng.

Further Return To Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 71

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I had indicated, the terms of reference are currently being drafted and they have not been finalized to date. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 71

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 71

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think that it is very apparent that a lot of concerns that have come forth have come from the smaller communities, and I would like to ask the Minister what kind of assurances can he give to the smaller communities that they will have representatives on this committee and be fully involved in any review of the health and social services in the Western Territory?

Supplementary To Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 71

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Ng.

Further Return To Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 71

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can assure the Member that the goal is to have as much input as possible from constituents throughout the western Northwest Territories, particularly those in the smaller communities that might not have as easy access to some of the individuals and professionals that are within the health and social services system. I cannot say right now exactly what mechanism, I cannot promise that there would be a forum or panel that would go to every community, but certainly there would be opportunities for community and individual input. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 71

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 71

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like the Minister to ensure concerning any documentation regarding this review when it does become public, that as Members of this House we have access to all of this documentation as soon as it is made available. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 71

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Ng.

Further Return To Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 71

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can give assurances to the Member and all Members of the western Northwest Territories Assembly that will be here, that once the draft terms of reference are ready, they will have an opportunity to provide input before they are finalized. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Question 21-13(7): Western Health And Social Services Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 71

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Mr. Erasmus.

Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 71

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier, in relation to the statement that I made earlier, about the hiring processes. Mr. Speaker, as we all know we have had to lay off a lot of people who had been in indeterminate positions and they were classified as priority hire or have received a priority hire designation. After that we instituted a no layoff policy and to do that we instituted a policy where there would be a lot of internal competitions first. What I would like to know is, can people with priority hire designation apply on internal competitions if they are not currently working for this government? Thank you.

Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 71

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Premier.

Return To Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 71

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as far as I know there is still the internal competition as a policy with this government to accommodate the no layoff policy in this time of transition of division. The specific question of the honourable Member is are priority ones still able to apply for competitions for these jobs. As far as I know the internal competition is still there, I am not too clear as to exactly if the priority one is already within the system then certainly it would apply for these internal competitions. If they are outside the internal hiring, if they cannot find anyone within the internal hiring then the priority ones could apply for these positions. That is the way I understand the whole system at this time. Thank you.

Return To Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 72

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Supplementary To Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 72

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I understand it, when we laid off these people we promised them that they would have first crack at jobs that came open in the GNWT. I would like to ask the Premier if this effect on people with priority hire designation, if this was considered when this new internal competition policy was put into place? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 72

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 72

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, maybe in reply to the honourable Member I would like to go back to the whole system of hiring in the government. I think in the honourable Member's earlier statement he indicated that there was a lot of concern about gaps in the system, perhaps lack of coordination between the different departments and that there is a lot of dissatisfaction, people losing faith with this government. I understand that. We all heard that and we all understand that.

We changed the system, we decentralized the personnel secretariat in 1996 in the whole process of trying to tighten our belts and so forth and we reduced the number of people that were doing this kind of work when we did away with the personnel secretariat. Now the onus is on each department. The onus is on each Minister and each deputy minister to comply with the policies that this government has. We know that it has been three years since we have made the change and perhaps the system is not working perfectly.

We know that whenever there is change there are unforseen problems that creep up and as a government we should deal with it. We are aware of these problems that the honourable Member is mentioning. I did answer a letter to him from the department which, more or less, said everything is okay, but basically there is still concern out there and we are aware of it. We will try to make the changes that are there, but again I want to now say that the onus is now on the Ministers and the deputy ministers to make sure these policies dealing with hiring for positions in the government are there with the Ministers who are responsible for each department. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 72

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Supplementary To Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 72

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time I am not speaking about the dissolution or the doing away with the Personnel Department. Policies that we have instituted seem to be inconsistent. On the one hand we are telling people we are laying you off from an indeterminate position, so you will have a priority hire designation. On the other hand we have instituted another policy where we are only having internal hires first, so people who have priority hire cannot even apply. What I would like to know is, how did this government consider and respond to those type of people when they were instituting this new policy of internal competitions? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 72

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Question 22-13(7): GNWT Hiring Process
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 72

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we will have to look at that policy because again the honourable Member is saying were there inconsistencies in our system. I am saying that yes, each Minister and each deputy minister is responsible for making sure these policies are consistent and are fair to the people who want to work or actually the people who are not within the government system. I think that we should really take a close look at that again. The question is very relevant in that perhaps our policies need to be looked at closer to try to accommodate the people who want to work for this government. Thank you.