This is page numbers 1105 - 1142 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 6th 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 justice.

Topics

Supplementary To Question 350-14(6): Single-rate Zone For Hydro Electric Power
Question 350-14(6): Single-rate Zone For Hydro Electric Power
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1120

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 350-14(6): Single-rate Zone For Hydro Electric Power
Question 350-14(6): Single-rate Zone For Hydro Electric Power
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1120

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation, Mr. Handley, who has responsibility under the legislation to speak on behalf of the government and the Cabinet to the Power Corporation and the board that we have appointed to manage and administer that corporation's business. The government gives overall direction from time to time, and the Power Corporation's board manages and administers the corporation. It is very close to an election and we have recently completed the energy strategy and there is not sufficient time to give this the attention and debate that it deserves. It is the view of the Minister and myself that there will not be any direction from Cabinet regarding the issue the Member raised at this time. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 350-14(6): Single-rate Zone For Hydro Electric Power
Question 350-14(6): Single-rate Zone For Hydro Electric Power
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1120

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Your final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 350-14(6): Single-rate Zone For Hydro Electric Power
Question 350-14(6): Single-rate Zone For Hydro Electric Power
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1120

Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have asked this question on more than one occasion. I have all the questions and answers here and every one of the answers I was given was that once the energy strategy was completed, they would deal with the one-rate zone. It is now completed. Why can't they deal with it? Why can't the Premier and his Cabinet deal with it? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 350-14(6): Single-rate Zone For Hydro Electric Power
Question 350-14(6): Single-rate Zone For Hydro Electric Power
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1120

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 350-14(6): Single-rate Zone For Hydro Electric Power
Question 350-14(6): Single-rate Zone For Hydro Electric Power
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1120

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think the suggestion that the issue of a one-rate zone should not proceed until after an energy strategy was completed, debated and discussed and this government had found the time to set new direction and this has not happened. The corporation itself does not have the...(inaudible)...time to address that. The Minister concurs with that so that is where we are. We are at a point where there is not sufficient time to debate it. It is, as the Member knows, controversial. There is no consensus on this and I doubt very much that there is any political will or prospects of getting an agreement on it at this time. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 350-14(6): Single-rate Zone For Hydro Electric Power
Question 350-14(6): Single-rate Zone For Hydro Electric Power
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1120

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Question 351-14(6): Alcohol And Drug Treatment Centres For Youth
Item 6: Oral Questions

September 30th, 2003

Page 1120

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services and it is somewhat related to the issue that Mr. Braden and Mr. Bell have been talking about. I had a constituency meeting earlier this week and at that meeting a constituent brought up the issue of a critical absence of a youth treatment centre in the Northwest Territories. I know the Minister is no doubt aware of the situation and the growing social problems we face on the streets in Yellowknife and I understand it is growing in other communities as well. This constituent understood that we may not have access to a facility right now, but asked whether or not our government has taken a look at cooperating with other jurisdictions, recognizing that Alberta is also critically short of space for youth treatment. Has the Minister considered a joint approach with other jurisdictions to see about funding a treatment centre, perhaps in the northern regions to deal with northern youth?

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 351-14(6): Alcohol And Drug Treatment Centres For Youth
Question 351-14(6): Alcohol And Drug Treatment Centres For Youth
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1121

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have arranged with some southern facilities and there has been some interest expressed by some southern companies indicating an interest and willingness to possibly come north to establish a facility that could be of use. We haven't proceeded much past the initial contact stage as far as I am aware. Thank you.

Return To Question 351-14(6): Alcohol And Drug Treatment Centres For Youth
Question 351-14(6): Alcohol And Drug Treatment Centres For Youth
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1121

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Supplementary To Question 351-14(6): Alcohol And Drug Treatment Centres For Youth
Question 351-14(6): Alcohol And Drug Treatment Centres For Youth
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1121

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given the critical shortage for this kind of treatment in the North and in the northern parts of other jurisdictions, would the Minister pursue contact with these companies or other agencies, whether they be companies or government agencies, and see whether or not there isn't some way that we could work cooperatively to ensure that we have better access to facilities for our young people?

Supplementary To Question 351-14(6): Alcohol And Drug Treatment Centres For Youth
Question 351-14(6): Alcohol And Drug Treatment Centres For Youth
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1121

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 351-14(6): Alcohol And Drug Treatment Centres For Youth
Question 351-14(6): Alcohol And Drug Treatment Centres For Youth
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1121

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I will make that commitment. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 351-14(6): Alcohol And Drug Treatment Centres For Youth
Question 351-14(6): Alcohol And Drug Treatment Centres For Youth
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1121

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to pursue my questions in the same topic as my Member's statement earlier today, and it is the commitment that the Minister has made over the last three years to review the extended health benefits as well as the list of conditions and diseases included, which I understand is very long and very outdated and one that he has made a commitment to review. May I ask the Minister where he is with that review? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Then honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 352-14(6): Review Of Extended Health Benefits
Question 352-14(6): Review Of Extended Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1121

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department has been working diligently on the conclusion of the final draft of the supplementary health benefits review, and the plan is to have that available to be circulated to MLAs and stakeholders in its draft form before the end of session. Thank you.

Return To Question 352-14(6): Review Of Extended Health Benefits
Question 352-14(6): Review Of Extended Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1121

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 352-14(6): Review Of Extended Health Benefits
Question 352-14(6): Review Of Extended Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1121

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, could you give me any indication as to whether or not there were any new diseases or conditions added for eligible coverage and would one of them be the Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome that I had mentioned? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 352-14(6): Review Of Extended Health Benefits
Question 352-14(6): Review Of Extended Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1121

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 352-14(6): Review Of Extended Health Benefits
Question 352-14(6): Review Of Extended Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1121

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the draft supplementary health benefits review document is quite complex with a number of very fundamental changes and options suggested, and you've raised that. They are going to take some discussion, and I appreciate the Member's patience and growing impatience on this issue. In the interim while we do the review and we find out where we are going to go in a broader sense with this overall program, I am prepared to make an exception under the extended health benefits program for Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome so that we can deal with the specific issue she has brought forward on behalf of her constituent. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 352-14(6): Review Of Extended Health Benefits
Question 352-14(6): Review Of Extended Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1121

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 352-14(6): Review Of Extended Health Benefits
Question 352-14(6): Review Of Extended Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1121

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't want to do anything that might spoil the commitment I just got from the Minister, but as a Member we are always taken aback when we get this big announcement as a surprise in the House. Mr. Speaker, could the Minister come to the committee and give us a briefing, as he has indicated that it is very complex and we weren't aware of anything like that happening? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 352-14(6): Review Of Extended Health Benefits
Question 352-14(6): Review Of Extended Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1121

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.