Debates of Nov. 15th, 2000

This is page numbers 891 - 942 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 3rd 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

Members Present
Item 1: Prayer
Minister Absent From The House
Proposed Human Rights Legislation
Older Worker Pilot Project
Status Of Women Council Of The Nwt
Winter Road To Wekweti
Persons Award To Mrs. Elizabeth Mackenzie
Restorative Justice Week
Adherence To The Hay Job Evaluation System
National Addictions Awareness Week
Income Support Program
Benefits Of Organized Youth Sporting Events
Chief Of Staff Employment Contract
Yellowknife Association Of Concerned Citizens For Seniors
Fort Smith Society For Disabled Persons
Definition Of Métis Persons
NWT Highway Strategy: Investing In Roads For People And The Economy
Client Travel To Clearwater Treatment Centre
Federal Investment In The Winter Road System
Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Accountability In The Child Welfare System
Summer Student Employment Program
Oil And Gas Office In Inuvik
Human Resource Development Programs For Women
Hay Job Evaluation Rating
GNWT Income Support Policies
Alcohol And Drug Treatment Services
NWT Fur Garment Manufacturers
Needs Assessment For Disabled Persons
Conditions On Federal Highways Funding
Student Financial Assistance Program Fairness
Responsibility For New Road Construction
Written Question 16-14(3): Peoplesoft Project
Tabled Document 77-14(3): Proposed Human Rights Act
Tabled Document 78-14(3): Report Of The Student Working Group On Student And Graduate Employment
Tabled Document 79-14(3): Status Of Women Council Of The NWT Annual Report 1999-2000
Tabled Document 80-14(3): Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act Actuarial Report As Of April 1, 2000
Tabled Document 81-14(3): Legislative Assembly Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act Actuarial Report As Of April 1, 2000
Tabled Document 82-14(3): Pension Administration Report As Of March 31, 2000
Tabled Document 83-14(3): Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowance Act: Financial Statements, Year Ended March 31, 2000
Tabled Document 84-14(3): Amended Board Of Management Policies 1.14 And 2.05
Tabled Document 85-14(3): Excluded Employees' Handbook, Government Of The Nwt, July 1999
Tabled Document 86-14(3): Ministerial Administrative Procedures, Section 10: Ministerial Executive Assistants
Tabled Document 87-14(3): Unw Excluded Employees Pay Schedule, 1999-2000
Establishment Of A Special Committee To Review The Official Languages Act
Bill 12: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2000-2001
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 5, 1999-2000
Bill 12: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2000-2001
Bill 18: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 5, 1999-2000
Bill 14: An Act To Amend The Student Financial Assistance Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
To Defer Item Community Access Roads Under Department Of Transportation, Operations Expenditures, Supplementary Appropriation No. 1, 2000-2001
Item 20: Report Of Committee Of The Whole On The Review Of Bills And Other Matters
Bill 11: An Act To Amend The Workers' Compensation Act, No. 3
Bill 15: An Act To Amend The Northwest Territories Power Corporation Act And The Public Service Act
Item 22: Orders Of The Day

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Chairman, the ongoing incremental costs, the annual cost is roughly $2.9 million. That is the incremental cost. Thank you.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Mr. Krutko.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In the Health Insurance Program we see that they are going to assume leases of four medical clinics in Yellowknife and a purchase of assets. What is the term of those leases that we are going to assume? Is it a 15-year term or is it a 5-year term? Are we liable for the breach if we decide to shut the clinics down before we use up those leases?

Could the Minister tell us how long and what are the terms of those leases?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Handley.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Chairman, we will look up the details of those leases, but because the Department of Health is planning to consolidate the four clinics down to two clinics within a three year period, then at least two of them would have leases that would likely expire. If you want to come back to this in a minute, we will find the term of the lease for the Member. Thank you.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Mr. Krutko.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

In regard to purchasing of the assets of the four medical clinics, what are some of the assets that we are purchasing?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Handley.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

November 15th, 2000

Page 926

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Chairman, it would be typical things that go into a clinic, desks, chairs, beds, blood pressure meters, x-ray machines, all of the standard equipment one would find in a medical clinic.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Mr. Krutko.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Does the Minister have the actual price tag of these assets that we purchased? How much money did we spend on purchasing these assets?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Handley.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Chairman, the total amount for the purchase of clinics, including the equipment that is in them, was $1.345 million.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Mr. Krutko.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, another question. Seeing as we are going to be taking over salaries and contracts of employees and that we are going to be taking over additional support to administer the staff, how much more staff are we taking on to take over these clinics? Are we taking over the receptionists' positions, or taking over the people that do the bookkeeping, or take the blood pressure, or take the blood samples? How many people are we talking about here? How many positions are we taking over here?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Handley.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Chairman, 19.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Mr. Krutko.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, in the presentation to Committee, the Minister stated that one of the initiatives that they are looking at for saving money in future costs is by implementing this, and the possibility of converting over to two clinics in the future. By converting over to these two clinics, how much money are we looking at saving by doing that?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Handley.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 926

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Chairman, $500,000.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 927

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Mr. Krutko.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 927

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Converting over to just two clinics in Yellowknife would that not depreciate the service to the people of Yellowknife? What we are trying to do is improve the service. By going from four clinics to two, would this not affect the service that is going to be provided to the residents of Yellowknife?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 927

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Handley.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 927

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Chairman, no. We are consolidating our efforts, we are not reducing the number of doctors. I think we are providing a more efficient service than existed with four clinics.

Mr. Chairman, if I can just mention if I may, the pages have been here since 1:30 p.m. today. They have not had a supper break or anything. I do not know your intention, but if we are going to continue on for a long time may we take their needs into consideration?