Thank you. I am aware that it is a very specific area of expertise that is required. I know in the past the federal government, for instance, DIAND, has used a technique where they might have to use a southern contractor but then insisted some of the work be subcontracted out to northern businesses. I am wondering if the Minister considered that in this instance. Did she consider insisting some of the work be subcontracted to northern business? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Debates of Feb. 16th, 2001
This is page numbers 1023 - 1050 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 health.
Topics
Supplementary To Question 321-14(3): Contract To Review The Health And Social Services System
Question 321-14(3): Contract To Review The Health And Social Services System
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1036
Supplementary To Question 321-14(3): Contract To Review The Health And Social Services System
Question 321-14(3): Contract To Review The Health And Social Services System
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1036
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Further Return To Question 321-14(3): Contract To Review The Health And Social Services System
Question 321-14(3): Contract To Review The Health And Social Services System
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1036
Jane Groenewegen Hay River South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, we did not. We relied on the consultant, Mr. George Cuff, to pull together a team of experts in this field that he felt would be appropriate in order to gather the information necessary to review our system. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 321-14(3): Contract To Review The Health And Social Services System
Question 321-14(3): Contract To Review The Health And Social Services System
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1036
Supplementary To Question 321-14(3): Contract To Review The Health And Social Services System
Question 321-14(3): Contract To Review The Health And Social Services System
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1036
Brendan Bell Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, and there are a team of experts travelling the North and that is great. However, some of the work being done is interviewing and these kinds of things that probably could be overseen by Mr. Cuff and his team. Would the Minister agree that some of this work certainly could be done by northern businesses? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 321-14(3): Contract To Review The Health And Social Services System
Question 321-14(3): Contract To Review The Health And Social Services System
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1036
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Further Return To Question 321-14(3): Contract To Review The Health And Social Services System
Question 321-14(3): Contract To Review The Health And Social Services System
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1036
Jane Groenewegen Hay River South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the people who conducted the interviewing had backgrounds in collecting this type of information and with assisting and analyzing it. Hypothetically, could we have asked some of the information to be gathered and interviews conducted by Northerners? I suppose we could have. We felt it was important to give Mr. Cuff the latitude he needed to get to the bottom of these issues through gathering information and conducting interviews. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 321-14(3): Contract To Review The Health And Social Services System
Question 321-14(3): Contract To Review The Health And Social Services System
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1036
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.
Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1036
Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, the Honourable Jane Groenewegen. It has to do with the non-insured health benefits that was mentioned in the budget address by the Minister of Finance yesterday, as to transferring the responsibility back to the federal government.
I just want to know if a decision is going to be made, what role will the Department of Health and Social Services have to do with it? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1037
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Return To Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1037
Jane Groenewegen Hay River South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the discussions that have taken place between Health Canada and ourselves have involved the participation of people from our department. We have been discussing the non-insured health benefits and how we might continue to deliver it without having to subsidize the program. We have not come to a final conclusion on that yet, but I can report that the discussions are not indicating that we are going to reach a satisfactory resolve. Thank you.
Return To Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1037
Supplementary To Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1037
Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is disheartening to know that this government wants responsibility from Ottawa in the areas of non-renewable resource development, but once a problem becomes too big, they want to give it back. I just want to know when is the Minister anticipating that this responsibility of delivering non-insured health benefits for treaty Indians and Inuit will go back to Ottawa? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1037
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Further Return To Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1037
Jane Groenewegen Hay River South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is a contract that we perform on behalf of the federal government for a responsibility which they hold. We did not feel that it was appropriate to spend an extra $1 million per year of Northwest Territories money in order to subsidize this, which is a responsibility of the federal government. If the administration of this contract and the delivery of these services is taken on by another agency, we will do everything to ensure the orderly transition, with due care given to the fact that we do not want it to affect the recipients of the program. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1037
Supplementary To Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1037
Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess with this thinly veiled suggestion that we might dissolve the health boards, there are no other agents out there. The question was when does the Minister anticipate the transfer for the responsibility for delivering non-insured health benefits to treaty Indians and Inuit be transferred back to Ottawa? When, Mr. Speaker, when?
Supplementary To Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1037
An Hon. Member
When?
Supplementary To Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1037
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen
Further Return To Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1037
Jane Groenewegen Hay River South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the exact timing and the timeframe of when this might be taken over by someone else, I do not know. I will take that as notice and get back to the Member. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Question 322-14(3): Non-insured Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1037
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Madam Minister. The rest of the question has been taken as notice. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.
Question 323-14(3): Health And Social Services System-wide Review
Item 6: Oral Questions
February 15th, 2001
Page 1037
Charles Dent Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services and they relate to her statement earlier today on the Health and Social Services System Action Plan.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister makes a number of points in her statement outlining concerns about the operation of boards. I think a big concern I have is mainly to questions among the public about the administration of health in our communities, since all of the administration of the health programs is provided by boards. Is there a reason for public or health safety concern arising from this statement? I think we are led to believe that when the Minister says that boards are not delivering core programs to standard.
The first question for the Minister is are my constituents at risk? Is public safety or public health at risk in the Northwest Territories right now?
Question 323-14(3): Health And Social Services System-wide Review
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1037
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Return To Question 323-14(3): Health And Social Services System-wide Review
Question 323-14(3): Health And Social Services System-wide Review
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1037
Jane Groenewegen Hay River South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, no, Mr. Dent's constituents are not at risk. We are trying to be open and transparent with regard to some of the deficiencies that we are finding in the system by sharing these with you, but these are not intended to cause any alarm about the services that are being provided to constituents in the North. Thank you.
Return To Question 323-14(3): Health And Social Services System-wide Review
Question 323-14(3): Health And Social Services System-wide Review
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1037