Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Was there a date that came about that made this a requirement for a special warrant when it came to paying this? As a special warrant, was there a certain timeline that we came upon that we had to pay this? Thank you.
Debates of Feb. 25th, 2000
This is page numbers 71 - 108 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 2nd 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 students.
Topics
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 104
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 104
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 104
Joe Handley Weledeh
Yes, Mr. Chairman, I do not know the specific date, but certainly by mid-fall or early fall, we realized we were going to be short and would have to take this action.
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 104
The Chair David Krutko
We will deal with Finance, operations and maintenance, treasury, $1.12 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 104
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
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 104
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 104
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
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 104
The Chair David Krutko
We are now on page 8, Health and Social Services, operations and maintenance, health insurance program, not previously authorized, $262,000. Mr. Roland.
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 104
Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Can the Minister inform us of the particulars of this $262,000? Which group of physicians was it for? 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 104
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 104
Joe Handley Weledeh
Mr. Chairman, this is a three percent fee increase that was negotiated between the Department of Health and the physicians in the Northwest Territories. It is not a collective agreement situation, it is one where the department negotiates with the physicians. It covers both salaries, but also other expenses the physicians would incur. This one came in too late for the main estimates, but it is basically $212,000, which is a global three percent increase and another $50,000 that was agreed to for continuing medical education for the physicians.
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 104
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 104
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Are these fee-for-service cost increases? Is that what you said? It is not a collective agreement? So are all the physicians in Yellowknife fee-for-service, or do we have salaried doctors as well?
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 104
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 104
Joe Handley Weledeh
Mr. Chairman, this is for increases to the medical fee schedule, so it is for everything the doctors do. In answer to the second part of the question, we have both salaried and fee-for-service doctors.
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 104
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 104
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just for further clarification, is there a mix in Yellowknife, or is that fee-for-service in Yellowknife and salaried doctors in the communities?
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 104
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 104
Joe Handley Weledeh
I believe there is a mix of salaried and fee-for-service doctors in the Northwest Territories, but I do not know if the Minister of Health can clarify that. I am not exactly clear on it.
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 104
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 104
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will wait to get into that level of detail when we have an opportunity to meet with the Department of Health. I have one more question regarding these negotiations for physicians' fees. Are they based on any kind of regular timeframes, or did they feel they were getting overworked and underpaid? Did we go back to the table due to the doctor shortage to make sure we keep our employees happy? Or is there a set timeframe for review of this kind of negotiation?
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 104
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 104
Joe Handley Weledeh
Mr. Chairman, the fees are reviewed periodically. I do not believe it is on a schedule, I think it is based more on a situation where we either have to bring our physicians and the fees they charge in line with what is going on in the rest of the country or we face some other sort of circumstance. There were, in the recent past, a couple of reductions in fees that caused our doctors in our situation to be less than attractive compared to the rest of Canada.
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 104
The Chair David Krutko
We are on page 8, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, dealing with Health and Social Services, operations and maintenance, health insurance program, not previously authorized, $262,000.
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 104
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.