This is page numbers 321 - 355 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 chairman.

Topics

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, recently a request for proposals appeared in the newspaper and it was for travel agency services. It would appear that travel agency services are now provided out of Stanton Regional Hospital for the former Mackenzie region including Yellowknife and Hay River. Mr. Speaker, I have written to the Minister and I have registered my concern about this. In the past, the way the system was worked out, we have two travel agents in Hay River, two travel agencies, and we also have a medical travel position. In the past what would happen is the doctor would make a referral, the patient would get their medical travel authorization from that person, take it down to the local travel agent, get their tickets and get an itinerary, and so on.

Now this is all being done out of Yellowknife, so I have a number of concerns about this. For one thing, it takes much needed business away from the travel agents in Hay River, also for people like senior citizens it is very inconvenient. They are not provided with an itinerary and they do not have the contact with the local travel agent as a convenience associated with this service, so my question is to the Minister. I would like to know what the purpose is behind amalgamating these travel agency services in Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 122-13(7): Amalgamation Of Medical Travel Agent Services
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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was informed by the department that indeed, there was a grouping, an amalgamation in a sense, of the travel agency services. The reason this was done is we are trying to conserve our resources and use them a little more wisely in the area of some of the programs we deliver. Medical travel is one of the larger cost drivers that affect this department, and trying to pool our resources and deliver the services out of one area is a decision the health boards were involved with. I believe there is still an individual in the community that would work with those who are seeking medical travel. It would work through this individual who would contact Yellowknife office. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

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Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, could the Minister please provide the House with some kind of an estimate of cost savings that would be realized by paying this fee to a Yellowknife travel agency verses a Hay River travel agency? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 122-13(7): Amalgamation Of Medical Travel Agent Services
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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Roland.

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will get back to my department to get more information on this. As I stated earlier, I just received information on this, I do not believe I have seen the letter from the Member she mentioned she sent to me, but once I receive that I will also forward that on to the department to get further responses for the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 122-13(7): Amalgamation Of Medical Travel Agent Services
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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

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Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If indeed the provision of these services out of Stanton Hospital is a cost saving to the government, besides wanting to know how much it is saving, I also want to know a comparison of the service provided, from this regional service as opposed to what they would get if they were being served by a travel agency in Hay River. I do not think it is fair to compare price alone because I

do believe they were getting services as well, like I said, the convenience of picking up their ticket as opposed to a virtual ticket, and also a hard copy of an itinerary, so they could refer to it and refresh their memory of what time they have to be certain places. Could the Minister confirm that there was actually a reduction in service to the travelling patient with this new method of delivering the service?

Supplementary To Question 122-13(7): Amalgamation Of Medical Travel Agent Services
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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Roland.

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not believe the intent of the changes is to reduce the quality of service to the clients. I will look into, as I stated earlier, the impacts of the changes and the possible savings that we would see and also request that information to see what services are provided to see what level they are at or if there are any changes to the services that are provided at this time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

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Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Minister knows, Hay River is a much smaller community than Yellowknife and we endeavour to support two travel agencies within the community. If the Minister finds out there is no substantial cost savings to it being delivered through Stanton Regional, would he consider reinstating the service being provided on a local level by businesses in Hay River? This business forms a core part of the business that they have in Hay River. Thank you.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Roland.

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will look at, as I stated earlier, the factors involved in making this decision to see what was done. We will look at what possible avenues are out there once I have more information. I am not sure what level of savings there is hopefully to be achieved in this, but as I stated earlier I will get that information and upon reviewing it will look at what avenues are open to us. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Education. It is concerning the problems we seem to have in our schools, large enrolment numbers, shortages of teachers and also the problem we have in our communities which is having enough supplies of books and whatnot for the higher grades. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, do they have a breakdown at this time of what the increases are in regard to enrolment in our classes?

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Education, Mr. Miltenberger.

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Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the anticipated enrolments across the territory are estimated for the coming year to be less than 1 percent. I do not have the specific breakdown by region available, but I can get that information for the Member.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I really have a concern, especially in regard to the education that is presently being provided by this government in a lot of the smaller communities. Mr. Speaker, the concern I have is that there was supposed to be increases in my riding for teachers in Aklavik and I believe Fort McPherson. Yet those numbers were as of October, I believe, 1998, and which would not be implemented until the following year. Can the Minister assure me those positions will be implemented this fall?

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Miltenberger.

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Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will commit to get that information for the Member and report back, hopefully by tomorrow. Thank you.

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me how seriously is his department taking this problem in our classrooms, especially with the shortages of teachers and now we are finding an increase in enrolment. Exactly how serious is this problem and what is the department doing to clear it up?