Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It's my pleasure today to read into the record the report of the Accountability and Oversight committee of the review of the Report of the Auditor General on the Workers' Compensation of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight held its public reviews on the Report of the Auditor General on the Workers' Compensation Board of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut from June 28 to 30, 2006, and on September 20, 2006. The committee was pleased that Mr. Keith Peterson, a Member of the Nunavut Legislative Assembly and Standing Committee on Government Operations, was able to attend our June proceedings as an observer. The committee would like to thank the Auditor General, Ms. Sheila Fraser, and her staff for their excellent work in preparing the report and in assisting the committee with its review. We would also like to thank everyone who provided written submissions or appeared before the committee, and in particular the injured workers and their family members who showed great courage by speaking in public about their personal experiences.
General Comments
Mr. Speaker, the report of the Auditor General came about at the request of the Legislative Assembly after years of frustration on the part of injured workers, their families, and MLAs with the callous and corporate-centred administration of the cases of some injured workers.
The Auditor General of Canada accepted our request to conduct a performance audit of the Workers' Compensation Board, the Appeals Tribunal and related offices to look into their compliance and process in relation to these cases. In all, about 40 files were referred to the Auditor General.
The committee, Mr. Speaker, does not find a WCB in crisis, and neither did the Auditor General of Canada. However, several areas of fundamental concern have been identified. These are at the most senior levels of the WCB and consequently, Mr. Speaker, have filtered into the organizational roots and culture of the board.
These issues have caused this most vital of our labour institutions to go astray, violate and deny the rights and privileges of some injured workers and allow an attitude of indifference, avoidance and denial to pervade the board and the tribunal.
The Auditor General's report makes 36 recommendations, almost all of which the relevant workers' compensation authorities have agreed with. This is a start to the process of rehabilitation. Changing the policies and performance will take some time, but it must begin with the will and the commitment of the Governance Council and senior WCB executives who are entrusted with this essential part of our economy and our society.
The report states that the WCB is an important public institution that needs to have the confidence of the community. The committee was pleased that the Auditor General was able to confirm many aspects of the system are working well, including the processing of claims according to policy, and the financial position of the accident fund.
However, Mr. Speaker, as the report indicates, and as our discussions with employers, workers and other stakeholders confirm, there are many areas where fundamental change is needed, including policy development, accountability to stakeholders, the claims process, and communications. The existence of several unresolved claims that go back decades is particularly troubling for Members, Mr. Speaker.
Recommendation
The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight recommends the Minister come forward with options to expedite the resolution of long-outstanding claims, and to improve timelines for the hearing of appeals.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my colleague, the honourable Member for Range Lake, to continue reading the report into the record.