Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the WCB is an organization that does many things well, and fiscally, I believe, it's still one of the best and probably the most solvent in the country. However, there are some areas that are areas of frustration, having listened to my colleagues around the table here. Having been the Minister responsible back in '99 for the last part of the 13th Assembly, I know how much time was spent by staff in my office dealing with concerns from workers. I know the extreme frustration as Minister that I had trying to work out what I thought was an appropriate relationship with the board and with the WCB, to the point of even being told that it wasn't really necessary for me to meet with the board. They didn't really have a great interest in anything I really had to say other than I just fulfilled the function as Minister; which is, in their opinion, very minimal. I know that I don't think things have changed since then. I think every Minister that has responsibility for the WCB faces the same level of frustration.

So clearly, the legislation that we have before us to be looked at and amended should clarify that. It should be clear that the Minister is more than just a rubberstamp and signs off what's put in front of him by the WCB. It should be clear that if there are significant issues of concern raised by a Legislature that makes the laws for this territory, that the WCB would be well considered to work with the concerns raised and attempt to address them, recognizing that they have a job to do and that they're arm's length and that they get their direct funding from the businesses. But also recognizing that, as Ms. Lee indicated, they are a public institution. It's, I think, that particular circumstance which has to be addressed, is probably the underlying reason why there is such a built-up frustration in trying to deal with the WCB when you're an elected official in this Legislature, either as a Regular Member or as a Member of the Executive, and it's something that I would look to see being remedied as we bring forward the legislation for consideration in this Legislature. I think one side is clarified and there can be acceptance by the WCB that we are not the enemy and that we have to have a productive, cooperative relationship, then I think a lot of things can get worked out because I don't know of any MLA or Minister, for that matter, that wants to spend inordinate amounts of time trying to mediate and work with constituents to sort out WCB issues. We all have lots on our plates and it's not something that I know of any MLA that goes looking for that kind of work. But when it comes through your door, you have to respond. So as we deal with the more specific issues, in my opinion that's the fundamental issue that has to be clarified and once that's done, then I think we can resolve a lot of the other process issues and administrative issues. But until there's that fundamental clarity on the relationship and the role of the Legislature in relation to the WCB, and that it's more than just a figurehead relationship but it's a constructive working one that has to be clarified legislation, then we can move forward.

So I'm looking forward to the rest of the discussion. But clearly the key piece for me, the vehicle we have to remedy that situation with the WCB is how we write the legislation. Thank you.