This is page numbers 929 - 964 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 communities.

Topics

Further Return To Question 309-14(6): Letter From Family Doctors Regarding Specialist Services
Question 309-14(6): Letter From Family Doctors Regarding Specialist Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 945

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, I am aware of what is transpiring on this issue and I will state again that we do have OBS coverage now until the 1st of July and backup locum specialists if required, as well as pediatricians, anesthesiologists and surgery. So, Mr. Speaker, babies are being delivered, will be delivered in July and after.

Further Return To Question 309-14(6): Letter From Family Doctors Regarding Specialist Services
Question 309-14(6): Letter From Family Doctors Regarding Specialist Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 945

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Your final supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 309-14(6): Letter From Family Doctors Regarding Specialist Services
Question 309-14(6): Letter From Family Doctors Regarding Specialist Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 945

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister provide this House with how much he is paying for all of the locums who are going to be in place to facilitate this service, as well as the wages that he will be paying to the family doctors? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 309-14(6): Letter From Family Doctors Regarding Specialist Services
Question 309-14(6): Letter From Family Doctors Regarding Specialist Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 945

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Further Return To Question 309-14(6): Letter From Family Doctors Regarding Specialist Services
Question 309-14(6): Letter From Family Doctors Regarding Specialist Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 945

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the GPs we have here are on a contractual arrangement and are going to continue to provide the service on the hypothetical assumption that after July 1st, all the 12 specialists are gone and there are no obstetrics services through them, then that money that's there for their salary will go to pay the locum specialists that we bring in. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 309-14(6): Letter From Family Doctors Regarding Specialist Services
Question 309-14(6): Letter From Family Doctors Regarding Specialist Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 945

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the chairman of the Financial Management Board, Minister Handley, and it relates to questions I've been pursuing in the House about the medical travel for periodontal treatment for GNWT employees. The Minister knows I have several constituents who have had concerns because the coverage we used to provide was taken away in the mid-90s. The Minister, many months ago, indicated that he was going to look into this and task his department with providing or doing a review and they would provide a report to him which he was awaiting. Theoretically, it was received last January. I haven't seen the report or the review. I've asked for it. I'm wondering if the Minister is able to provide me with that. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you. The honourable Minister responsible for FMB, Minister Handley.

Return To Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 945

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, I don't recall having seen the report either, so I will have to check with my department to see if one has been completed and if it was a formal report. Thank you.

Return To Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 945

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Supplementary To Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 945

Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe if I go to Hansard from February 18th of this year, the Minister indicated they look forward to receiving the report and assumed it would provide us with more detail on why this coverage was taken away in the mid-90s, but that we would have to wait for the report. So if we take it as a given that this report does exist and the Minister is able to find it, can I get a copy of this report? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 945

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for FMB, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 945

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, if there was a written report, I might be happy to share it with the Member; if it wasn't a written report, then I'll give him a summary of the verbal report on that. I don't recall a formal written report being completed. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 946

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Supplementary To Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 946

Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think we are talking about a formal written report. The Minister's response indicates, "Mr. Speaker, I'm not sure if the report has been completed. I have not received a copy of it yet." I think when we're talking about a copy of something, it's most likely a formal written report. So I'm hoping that the Minister will look into this. This has been ongoing for more than a year now -- correspondence between my office and the Minister's, questions in this House -- I would like to bring some closure to this and I'd like to be able to address this more completely with my constituents, so I would appreciate getting a copy of that report. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 946

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for FMB, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 946

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, I didn't hear a question but, yes, if a report exists I'll be happy to share it with the Member. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Question 310-14(6): Periodontal Insurance Coverage For GNWT Employees
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 946

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Bell. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services some questions regarding health services for seniors. The first question concerns dental care. It has been roughly 10 years since the dollar amount was placed on how much dental care would be covered by this government. I believe it's $1000 a year. Many of the seniors are telling me that $1000 is no longer enough for coverage. They can only get up to $1000 worth of work done, and then have to go back the following year to make up the balance. I'd like to ask the Minister if the cap on the dollar figure for dental for seniors will be evaluated and considered by the Minister.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Return To Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 946

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, through the supplementary health program review that's underway, we're going to be looking at all aspects and facets of this very fragmented program that has a host of other programs. So that will be one of the issues that will be looked at. Thank you.

Return To Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 946

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 946

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm glad to hear that there is a review underway, however, I'd like to ask the Minister a question that's been posed to me regarding coverage for travel expenses including mileage and the use of personal vehicles. There seems to be a real discrepancy between what we get as MLAs and what the seniors get for travel. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 946

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Further Return To Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Question 311-14(6): Health Services For Seniors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 946

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the Member is asking whether I will check into the discrepancy and see if there's any remediation possible, I will commit to do that.