Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
WHEREAS the Ministers responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut appointed a Workers' Compensation Board Legislative Review Panel in 2001 to consult with stakeholders and make recommendations to the Ministers for changes to the acts;
AND WHEREAS the panel, upon completion of its work, prepared a report in December 2001 entitled "Act Now" which expressed concern that the workers' compensation system has become adversarial and recommended, based on input from both workers and employers, that an independent review of WCB operations be conducted immediately;
AND WHEREAS no independent public operational review has been undertaken or initiated regarding the board nor has the Minister, in responding to questions posed in the Legislative Assembly, indicated any intentions of undertaking such a review;
AND WHEREAS trends in statistics indicate an increasing number of rejected claims by the WCB;
AND WHEREAS elected Members of this and prior assemblies have been made aware of serious concerns regarding the workers' compensation system of the board, including:
- • excessive delays, some of which have exceed 10 years, in the review and resolution of claims by injured workers;
- • the makeup, procedures, expertise and performance of the board's Appeals Tribunal;
- • Appeals Tribunal decisions that are not quickly and efficiently implemented;
- • the perceived corporate culture of denial of claims and protection of the workers' compensation claims fund at the expense of injured workers;
- • the absence of financial and operational accountability of the workers' compensation organization both to the Legislative Assembly and the public-at-large; and,
- • the degree to which appropriate human and operational resources are dedicated to the workers' compensation mandate of the NWT Workers' Compensation Board.
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that the Legislative Assembly request that the Auditor General of Canada undertake a comprehensive performance audit of the workers' compensation function of the Northwest Territories/Nunavut Workers' Compensation Board and report thereon to the Legislative Assembly;
AND FURTHER that the performance audit examine the organization, training and orientation of personnel, practices, attitudes, philosophy, internal performance measures, procedures and resources association with administering claims made by injured workers to ascertain whether these confirm with, and claims are managed in accordance with, the spirit and intent of the act;
AND FURTHERMORE that the audit examine the adequacy and appropriateness of the board's corporate governance model and accountability relationship to the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Legislative Assembly;
AND FURTHERMORE that the Auditor General examine such additional factors as she, in her opinion, feels are relevant;
AND FURTHERMORE that all employees, officials, board and tribunal members actively cooperative with the Auditor General in providing all appropriate documents, records, papers and information;
AND FURTHERMORE that the Auditor General is requested to complete this special performance audit as soon as practicable and provide a report to the Legislative Assembly.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.