This is page numbers 157 - 194 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 chairman.

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Supplementary To Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 164

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think we just kind of went completely backward because the Minister at least showed his indication and his knowledge of the problem in this area and he has shown more motivation to take action and now he is telling me that this is just the way it is and it is just going to have to be that way. Can you not see the discriminatory and arbitrary nature of this and the government should not be engaged in such a practice in the name of money? Can you not see anything wrong with that, Mr. Speaker?

Supplementary To Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 164

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Further Return To Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 164

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member initially asked me why her constituent would have to pay. I was just stating the fact in the reality of what the policy is at this point in time. Am I aware of the concerns? Do I see it as an issue that needs addressing? Yes, I do. Having taken steps to attempt to deal with that within the context of the other supplementary health benefits we provide as a government, yes, we have. Are we committed to coming back with a plan? Yes, we are. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 164

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Supplementary To Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 164

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Mr. Speaker, his standard answer is that he's studying things, he's coming out with a plan, he is looking for blue chip information, you know that sort of worked 14 months ago when he became a Minister. Is the Minister not aware that we are running out of time here, that he doesn't have time to study for the next six months on what to do? When is he going to take any action to the things that are being raised here? When is he going to come up with answers on this thing? How long is he going to study it? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 164

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Merci, Madam Lee. The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 165

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services is moving on a whole host of issues and initiatives and has been for the last 14 months with doctors, nurses, training, long-term care, alcohol, drug, mental health, family violence, this is one issue that has been identified as a problem. The whole issue of supplementary health benefits has been identified as a problem. The programs we have are patchwork that have evolved over the years. This one particular piece continues to be an irritant for my colleagues across the floor. We are going to address that and we are going to do that as quickly as we can. We are going to do that in conjunction and consultation with the Social Programs committee. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 165

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Final supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 165

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With all due respect, this is not a personal issue on my part. It is a public policy question. It is a question about something that is highly discriminatory and arbitrary, and totally based on pure luck as to whether or not you pay this $250 or not. As it is now, the only people who pay it are the ones who can least afford it. The government is raising $1 million plus on the backs of these people and this is wrong and he doesn't have to include it with a basket of all the other stuff that he is working on. It needs an answer now so why can't he act on that? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 165

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Further Return To Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 165

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't argue with the Members. In a passion plea, in articulation of the problem, we are going to deal with it in a careful way. That is the commitment I have made and that is what I am going to follow through on. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Question 48-14(6): Medical Travel Co-payment Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 165

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, following up on my Member's statement, my question is directed to the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development and again around the MOU that was signed by this government. Mr. Speaker, as I stated in my Member's statement, there are many questions left out there on what this MOU is intended to do. Mr. Speaker, the Minister, in response to my question in unedited Hansard on page 304, responded to me and gave me a lot of examples of what is happening now in aboriginal governments and development corporations. The examples you gave me, existing right now, are very positive and I think it shows go well for those aboriginal companies that have been able to get these contracts where they've joined to bid on the big contracts but, Mr. Speaker, my concern is on the small people. The people in communities that built companies that don't have a huge payroll but now are at a disadvantage, it seems, by this MOU. So, I would like to know from the Minister, what is this government going to do to insure that we take care of our residents in our communities when it comes to contracting? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister of RWED, Mr. Antoine.

Return To Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 165

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this memorandum of understanding with the Gwich'in Tribal Council in this government is going to be a very good tool for the Gwich'in and their settlement area to try to build capacity to get themselves involved in business. As you notice, it is a five-year arrangement and calls for 50 percent of contracts that are going to be met to go to Gwich'in businesses, to the Gwich'in Tribal Council, which have developed a list of businesses. As for the other 50 percent, which the honourable Members were concerned about is that they are going to continue to use the existing contracting businesses. What we intend to do here, very shortly, is send a team of officials up into the Inuvik area, visit all the communities in that area and try to explain this to them and try to alleviate the fears that are out there. I understand that whenever there is a change, there is a lot of fear attached to it because of the uncertainty and the unanticipated problems that may crop up as we try to implement this new working relationship with the Gwich'in. I just wanted to assure the Member that we will do whatever we can to work with the Gwich'in Tribal Council to make sure that fears that exist out there today as result of this signing will be identified and addressed. I have talked to the president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council a number of times over this, as recently as this morning, to see how this is going to play out. He is very aware of the situation in Inuvik and surrounding communities and he knows the great concern that has arisen as a result of this and we agreed to work together to see if we could find ways of implementing this that would not adversely have a huge negative impact on the small non-aboriginal business that may exist up in that area. So there is a spirit of cooperation there. We would like to honour the principle of the MOU and how we implement it. We would like to work with the communities up there, along with the Gwich'in Tribal Council, to try to identify what the problems are to see if we could solve these as we implement them. This is a new approach and we will have a lot of answers and I am sure there are a lot questions and we want to do this in a manner that will be acceptable to the people in the region that are going to be affected. Thank you.

Return To Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 165

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Supplementary To Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 165

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister is saying that a team will go up and meet with the Gwich'in and discuss how this will be implemented. I would like to know if they will be meeting with the Inuvik Chamber of Commerce as well to further discuss this and show what impacts it might have.

Supplementary To Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister of RWED, Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mr. Speaker, yes, the instruction to the team from RWED and other departments associated would be to meet with all the different groups that are going to be impacted such as the chamber of commerce, the municipal governments, the band governments, the Metis, the Inuvialuit and all the different people who will be affected by this MOU. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Supplementary To Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as well with this hopefully the Minister will have information as to what impacts this will have. For example, if the company has a guaranteed 50 percent and they are allowed to bid on the other 50 percent, the people who are only able to bid on work who don't have guarantees are going to be competing with others and have to make sure they sharpen their pencils, but if someone already has a 50 percent guaranteed workload, they don't have to sharpen their pencil as much and they seem to already have an advantage on another company. So hopefully as he explains this, he will show how that might be mitigated and what will be done for those other companies who don't have guarantees. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister of RWED, Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mr. Speaker, this is a new approach. In looking at this through the negotiation of this MOU, we asked a lot of questions. We want to do the right thing for the people who are going to be affected who are not with the Gwich'in. We want to make certain that they know what the implications are and that in talking with the president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council that he understands that and that he is willing to look at ways on how to implement it that would be acceptable for the businesses up in the Inuvik region.

Further Return To Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Final supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Supplementary To Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Question 49-14(6): Gwich'in Contracting Memorandum Of Understanding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister also inform us as to what is going to be included as 50 percent contract value? For example, we know there has been a contract signed with the Gwich'in on Dempster Highway work that equals almost $2.5 million a year guaranteed and any other work after that is bid by other companies. So, is that going to be included as part of that 50 percent guarantee? Thank you.