Good morning, colleagues. Bonjour. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as Members of this Legislature know, a resident of Fort McPherson died from complications arising from tuberculosis in July, 2000.

I would first like to express my sincere condolences to the family. They have raised a number of questions and concerns about the death of their loved one, and they deserve answers.

Shortly after being advised of this death, the chief medical health officer recommended an independent review of this case, as well as the overall delivery of TB programming in the Northwest Territories. We wanted to know what actions were taken to address the medical care of this individual and whether there were improvements or changes that needed to be made to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.

This independent review was led by Dr. Anne Fanning, a respected international expert on TB. Dr. Fanning's final report is expected next week and I look forward to receiving her recommendations. I will make copies of the terms of reference for the review available to all MLAs.

In addition, I have recently contacted the chief coroner to request an independent investigation under the Coroner's Act. This request is in response to the needs of the family members who wish to have their questions answered by an individual who is independent of the health and social services system.

I want to clarify to Members that the scope of the coroner's investigation will include the cause of death and circumstances surrounding this death. Following this initial investigation, the coroner is empowered to conduct, through a coroner's inquest, further investigation if he feels this is warranted. This inquest is a formal legal proceeding that involves witnesses and a jury, and that is open to the public.

The coroner's investigation complements the review done by Dr. Fanning. This will provide us with better understanding and insight into the events surrounding this tragedy, as well as how we can improve TB prevention, screening and treatment in all communities. The outcomes of both investigations will be made available to the family, the Legislative Assembly, the health and social services boards and the public.

I look forward to receiving Dr. Fanning's final report and the results of the coroner's investigation. In the meantime, the department will continue to work closely with the Inuvik and other health and social services boards to ensure that standards in TB program delivery are met.

Mr. Speaker, I am giving this issue my utmost attention and wish to assure Members that I will continue to share as much information as possible on the outcomes of these investigations, recognizing of course that we must respect the privacy and confidentiality of the individual and family. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Justice, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to update this Assembly and the public on some recent actions I have taken to address concerns about our health and social services system.

Concerns about the sustainability of the health care system are constantly in the news these days, not just in the Northwest Territories, but across Canada and internationally. There are many external pressures on our system, pressures like the shortage of doctors, nurses and other medical personnel, the increasing costs of pharmaceuticals and new technologies and the health challenges presented by an aging population, to name but a few.

All of these issues have a direct impact on our Northwest Territories system, but we also have some concerns that are closer to home. Since I assumed the Health and Social Services portfolio just over a year ago, I have been increasingly concerned with a number of problems that have been brought to my attention by the department, by health and social services boards, by members of the health and social services professional community, and by Members of the Legislative Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to outline some of the issues that are challenging our system.

• • We have a very complex, fragmented system with multiple boards serving the needs of our 42,000 residents. This results in duplication, overlap and the loss of economies of scale.
• • Accountability relationships are also fragmented. The separation of the legislative and policy responsibility from operational functions makes it very difficult to enforce standards of care.
• • Significant downsizing in the department over the past years by previous governments has eroded our capacity to monitor and enforce standards, and provide administrative and clinical leadership and oversight.
• • An increasing number of health and social services boards are running operating deficits, yet are not able to provide us with accurate and timely financial information.
• • Concerns have been raised about the capacity of some boards to handle complex administration functions such as pay and benefits.
• • Finally, as you are all aware, the question has been raised repeatedly about whether the current structure of nine health and social services boards is the most effective and efficient approach. This issue was highlighted as a priority for action in the report of the Minister's Forum on Health and Social Services just over a year ago.

In addition to these financial and administrative issues, there are pressing concerns about the delivery of core health and social services programs. For a number of reasons, some of our health and social services boards are having great difficulty delivering all of the core programs for which they are funded and some programs are not always being delivered to standard.

I do not take these concerns lightly. As Minister, I cannot ignore concerns about the quality of service delivery, for which I am ultimately accountable. Nor can I ask this Assembly to approve budgets or supplementary appropriations if expenditure requirements cannot be accurately identified.

Mr Speaker, these concerns are not new, and over the past two years we have taken some pro-active steps to address them. Accountability requirements for boards have been strengthened, roles and responsibilities have been clarified and a business planning cycle has been introduced for the boards.

Given the increasing number of boards with deficits last year, however, it was clear that immediate action was required, and I have taken action.

• • Last fall, I requested the territorial Audit Bureau conduct an audit on the pay and benefits function in selected health and social services boards. Those audits are underway and the first report is expected in a few weeks. As a result of the initial audit findings and an agreement between the department and the board, pay and benefits authorities have been transferred to the Financial Management Board Secretariat.
• • In December, I contracted a consulting firm with a proven track record in the field of health care governance and administration to undertake a system-wide review. The review is focusing on four key areas: governance structures, accountability, service delivery and financing. One component of the review is an operational audit on the finance and management function in all health and social services. I have asked the consulting team to provide not only a detailed report on these functions but also practical, concrete recommendations for needed changes to our health and social service system, including recommendations on how the department needs to change its structure and operations to effectively support the system. This report will be completed by the end of June.
• • In December, I established a new clinical oversight function within the department under the direction of the newly appointed assistant deputy minister for population health and clinical services. This will allow the department to provide clinical leadership and more direct support and supervision to boards in clinical service delivery. We have already initiated clinical audits in two boards where problems have been identified.

In light of the continuing questions about board deficits, it has been suggested that I should take immediate action, even to the extent of having the department step in and take over the administrative functions from some of the boards. Mr. Speaker, my preference at this time is to continue to work with the boards to resolve these issues. I am of the view that we have very good people working in our health and social services system, but the system has some inherent flaws.

Instead of a knee-jerk, punitive approach, I would like to wait for final audit reports and recommendations from the system review and develop a well thought out action plan. That will allow us to optimize service delivery for our residents.

However, I am prepared to take action when circumstances require it and will respond appropriately to any issues requiring immediate action, as I already have in the case of the revocation of payroll authority in one of the boards.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to emphasize that although we face significant challenges, there are also many reasons to take pride in our health and social services system. We have many dedicated nurses, physicians and other staff in health and social services boards who deliver excellent care, often under difficult conditions, giving many hours beyond what would normally be expected of them. We have caring and committed trustees on all our boards. We have dedicated and experienced staff in our department.

Mr. Speaker, we all have the same objective -- to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that our health and social services system delivers the best possible care to all residents in every community. Although the process of identifying the problems is painful and it is tempting to lay blame, we must keep our focus on constructive solutions. I am firmly committed to seeing this process through, Mr. Speaker, and I look forward to bringing a clear plan of action to Members as quickly as possible,

In closing, I would like to thank all Members, especially those on the Standing Committee on Social Programs, for their guidance and advice as we deal with these difficult issues. It will be important for us to continue to work closely together to improve the health and social services system for all of our constituents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Déclarations de ministre. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Déclarations de députés. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Déclarations de députés. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to alert Members that a Ndilo business is being featured on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network along with two other aboriginal businesses. Deton'Cho Diamonds, owned in majority by the Deton'Cho Corporation or the Ndilo band, Nats'enelu Furs from Fort Simpson, and ADK Holdings from Fort Liard are being featured on an episode of Venturing Forth, a new program focusing on aboriginal businesses across Canada.

The episode, filmed locally by Yellowknife producer Terry Wolfe, also includes an interview with Premier Stephen Kakfwi. Venturing Forth airs at 1:00 p.m. Sunday, February 18th, and will be rebroadcast at 7:30 p.m. and again at 12:30 a.m. on February 19th.

Mr. Speaker, this program will provide national exposure to three very successful northern aboriginal businesses. I hope all Members have the opportunity to see the program. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I listened yesterday with interest to Mr. Handley's budget speech. There were some very encouraging words. I would like to take a minute to point out some of my concerns about the consistency of some of the GNWT programs that we are talking about rolling out.

We know the Minister is undergoing a review of BIP. He wants to look at levelling the playing field for northern business to make sure we are on competitive footing with southern business. I applaud him for this. We know that Alberta's tax rate is dropping to three percent, Ontario is going to four percent, and even British Columbia is currently at four-and-a-half percent. The Northwest Territories is currently sitting at five percent. This is no longer competitive. Clearly we have to do something for northern business.

On one hand, we are looking to do something about this, as the Minister indicates in the review of BIP. On the other hand, he is now talking about a toll on commercial trucking, which will increase the cost to northern businesses of doing business in the North. Certainly some of that will be passed on to the consumers, but there are situations where businesses cannot simply pass the costs on and will be forced to eat them.

When we look at programs targeted to help the general public deal with the high cost of heating their homes, we have announced that we will be rebating some money to these people to offset the cost of fuel. That is a great idea, Mr. Speaker, but on the other hand, the tolls we are talking about implementing on commercial trucking will increase the cost of heating our homes in the North. I certainly hope the tax credit will more than offset this increase.

I am sensitive about not being too critical. Certainly we want to see highway upgrades. The only point I would like to make, Mr. Speaker, is that we are going to need to see detail before endorsing these programs.

We have been talking in this House for over a year now about...Mr. Miltenberger in fact mentioned yesterday that he has been talking for five years about the chip seal on Highway No. 5. I think we all realize that we need to see our highway infrastructure upgraded.

I think if you were to tell me that we are going to upgrade our highways but the Minister is going to come and knock on our door cap in hand and tell our families to cobble together $5,000 each to pave our roads, and say to the son who shows up at the door, "Run to the couch and check in between the cushions, because I think your dad lost some loose change in there and we are going to use that to pave these roads." I do not think many of our constituents would find this acceptable.

It is important that we look at upgrading our infrastructure, but it will be equally important how we do it. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may continue, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are also currently struggling to get mine employees to move north. If we are talking about anything that is going to increase the consumer price index in the North, we have to be careful. We cannot do anything to make it even more difficult.

As I said, I am sensitive about being too critical. The Premier in the past has often said to this side of the House, "Listen, you want these certain programs. You are quick to criticize, but not very quick to urge us on and congratulate us when we do initiate good programs." I think, Mr. Speaker, I would liken it to possibly having a 23-year old son who comes home one day after lying around the couch playing video games for four years telling me he has a job. I think everybody would be excited and happy, but you would want to make sure your son was not sticking up convenience stores and snatching purses, Mr. Speaker.

I am concerned that we need to see detail from this government. If our intent is to, in a roundabout way, get royalties from industry, is this how we are going to go about doing it? What about long-term fixed contracts for northern businesses with these mines? Mr. Speaker, it is highly possible that they are going to have to eat the cost of these transportation increases.

The other day, we were reminiscing about names we had called the Finance Minister from this side of the House. I hope we do not have to add stick-up artist and purse snatcher. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Déclarations de députés. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to briefly raise some concerns about the Workers' Compensation Board. During the 13th Assembly, there was intense debate about what should happen with NTPC and the Workers' Compensation Board. I have always been and still remain a proponent that we should have our own Workers' Compensation Board and we should have our own NTPC -- which, in fact, is going to happen -- and that they should be split.

My concern, Mr. Speaker, is that the Workers' Compensation Board is going to remain as one organization, one institution between Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. I do not think this is in the best interest of the Northwest Territories.

The other concern I have is that in the Northwest Territories, the government is sitting by and letting Nunavut decide the future of our institution. It was Nunavut who decided to split NTPC, not this government. It was Nunavut who has now decided that they do not want to split the Workers' Compensation Board, and we are docilely going along with that particular direction, which I do not think is in our long-term best interests.

I would hope that this government would in fact take a critical look at what is in the best interest of the Northwest Territories. I know from personal experience of trying to deal with a board that overlaps in the two Territories is very difficult. There are different agendas, different political realities. It is very difficult and it is impossible to try to get together to make any meaningful decisions. There is so much compromise and watering things down that we do not get what we want in the end anyway.

I would have no problem if we split the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Speaker, if in fact we provide it as a contract basis service to our colleagues from Nunavut. I would hope that as part of this broad legislative review that is going to be undertaken and looking at updating the legislation for the Workers' Compensation Board, that this will be one of the issues that is put on the table.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, on this particular issue, I was disappointed to see that all of the Northwest Territories representatives for this very important review of legislation are all based in Yellowknife. While I recognize the realities of having labour and business on this particular panel, there is life outside of the capital. In the hinterland, there are many people who are concerned about this particular piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, today during question period, I will be asking the Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board why we do not split the Workers' Compensation Board and why we are letting Nunavut set the direction for this Territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 3, Members' statements. Déclarations de députés. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on January 16th, I was pleased, along with the Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake, Mr. Dent, to host a community environmental information meeting attended by close to 60 concerned area residents. The issue was arsenic contamination in the Yellowknife area.

Yellowknife, Mr. Speaker, has a 60-year gold mining history. We have enjoyed the economic benefits and endured the environmental and social costs of this mining heritage. In the case of the Rat Lake area in my constituency, the mining activity on the Con lease dates back some 60 years.

At the public meeting, Mr. Speaker, we heard excellent presentations from the GNWT staff, including Municipal and Community Affairs, Health and Social Services, environmental health branch; the mining company, Miramar; and the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development also contributed to the planning and the meeting.

We learned that in the Yellowknife area, there is a level of naturally occurring arsenic. To this, Mr. Speaker, we have added arsenic trioxide, a deadly toxin produced by the hazardous product of mining. Our citizens are concerned about the potential danger of arsenic levels in the soils and water of Yellowknife.

Constituents have expressed many concerns, and some of them are summarized as: soil remediation solutions around private dwellings in the area; cancer rates in Yellowknife; integrated land-use planning and land-use administration; concern for the public health; standards for clean-up and standards for soil remediation; and to what extent will the public be consulted in the future.

Mr. Speaker, the Yellowknife Arsenic Soils Remediation Committee is a coalition of all levels of government, mining and aboriginal groups. They are playing a key role. I would like to acknowledge the leadership demonstrated by this committee and the Stanton Regional Health Board. This committee has announced that it is proceeding with an assessment study to determine levels of risk to public health. It is expected later this year. It will also help develop guidelines for remediation and arsenic clean-up standards for the whole Yellowknife area.

We are all cognizant, Mr. Speaker, of our need to reclaim the environment where there have been harmful operations. The federal government clearly has a significant environmental responsibility to live up to and this government must continue to press the federal government to live up to these obligations.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Braden. I am not sure whether you got your thank you in there. I pressed the priority button, as your time had expired. However, you just made it under the wire. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today in the aftermath of our Finance Minister's bold and ambitious budget in which he announced spending the likes of which we have not seen for a long time, I want to draw some attention to a sector of our society that probably had little to celebrate from what they heard.

I refer, Mr. Speaker, to our residents with disabilities. The difficulty and frustration these people go through just trying to make ends meet is deplorable. As legislators, we should be ashamed for not responding to their needs. Mr. Speaker, if any of them were listening yesterday, they may have gotten momentarily excited when Mr. Handley announced $300,000 to deliver specialized programs and services to persons with disabilities.

Then he went on to say that amount was also for seniors, for persons in correctional institutions and to monitor, report and promote the use of plain language within government.

Mr. Speaker, a small percentage of our disabled -- less than five percent, according to statistics -- are trying desperately to retain their own homes, thereby holding on to some sense of independence and dignity. In the face of rising costs, especially in heating fuels, this has become impossible for some. They are resigned to the fact, Mr. Speaker, that they must live in poverty.

In January, the Northwest Territories Council for Disabled Persons held a conference as a follow-up to the Northwest Territories needs assessment report, Living with Disability, Living with Dignity. This conference was attended by more than 160 people impacted by disability, and they were from almost every community in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, many of the participants have written a personal letter to our Premier expressing the problems and frustrations they experience every day. I hope, Mr. Speaker, that our Premier will take those letters seriously and borrow a line from the budget: it is time to invest now so that they too can have a better tomorrow. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Déclarations de députés. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, seeing as how it is Friday, I am going to take a light-hearted approach to my Member's statement. Mr. Speaker, after listening to the Premier's speech in January to the public, then listening to the Finance Minister's budget address, the phrase made famous by Timon and Pumbaa from the Disney movie The Lion King, Hakuna Matata, comes to mind. For those not familiar with the movie, similar meaning is found in the Bobby McFerrin song, Don't Worry, Be Happy.

Mr. Speaker, all looks rosy from this budget address.

-- Applause

The Finance Minister paints a picture that we must move forward. As my colleague Mr. Delorey said, we have seen unprecedented expenditures. As it looks, and as the people have heard, Mr. Speaker, we must look forward to a prosperous new year.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I look forward to seeing the Finance Minister use the phrase Hakuna Matata a little more often. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Thank you for your translations. Our Swahili translator is not here today, so...

-- Laughter

Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.