I fully realize that it has been the practice of past governments. I just find it an anomaly, and it is bit unusual. I don’t really know if I totally subscribe to the idea that it should be that way because Cabinet Ministers are full time employees of the government; that is debatable.

Mr. Speaker, the other issue that is interesting and different is the enhanced benefits for Cabinet Ministers when it comes to life insurance, dental and health benefits. Now if, heaven forbid, something should happen to any of us in the performance of our duties, we do have a government life insurance policy which would then go to our beneficiary, to our family. Why would that

need to be enhanced for Cabinet Ministers? What would make that need different?

I would have to get further information on the areas the Member spoke to on dental and health benefits. I would have to get a little further detail on that and get back to the Member.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Of course, heaven forbid that anything untoward should ever happen to any Member of this House — or anybody, for that matter — but here is an example of where this difference in the enhanced benefit would come into play. If Mr. Roland and I were flying on the same airplane and if the airplane crashed and we both lost our lives, Mr. Roland’s family would receive a benefit of $750,000; my family would receive a benefit of $250,000. It is a discrepancy. I just don’t understand why it’s necessary. It doesn’t make sense to me. And, honestly, it costs the taxpayers, the public purse, money for that. Mr. Speaker, why the difference?

The benefits policy established that it is the Cabinet of the day that can review many of those policies that are in place to see if they continue to make sense. I don’t have the information as to why it was at that level or how long it has been at that level. In fact, Mrs. Groenewegen just provided me with information that my family would be well taken care of, I guess. Hopefully they never have to use that section of our policy. But I will look at this information. As I say, now that this review is within the control of the Cabinet, we can make some changes, whether it is administrative processes or implementation, and see if it uses the same basis of recommendations being made for Cabinet that is made for Members.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

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

Mr. Speaker, the NWT EHB Program is one of the best in the country. I understand that Mr. Ramsay’s constituent’s equipment, called a functional electrical stimulation system

,

was denied for benefit because it was not

on the formulary guidelines. She was advised on three occasions that that was not on the list. She did not have a doctor’s referral from the NWT. She went to Alberta and purchased this equipment for $4,500, which is under a pilot program. The Alberta government has not even decided that they’re going to use this.

If I would have given the Member that straight answer, it would have taken me a week. I said that was not enough, because I do appreciate that this lady spent $4,500 of her own money to buy equipment that she felt she needed. What I had asked and what I am trying to do — and I have communicated with the Member throughout the process — is that I’d like to know if she could be eligible for the amount that she would have received had she purchased something that was on the list and that was similar. We have very good programs, but we ask our people to follow the rules and to follow the guidelines. I do believe that the Member respects the rules as well.

Mr. Speaker, I do respect the rules, but I think it is a sad day when one of our residents has to travel to Alberta to see a neurologist to get a prescription for a WalkAide, when here in the Northwest Territories it is not on the list. It adds to the quality of life for this individual. That is evident. That’s why they had to go to Alberta. They had to get a prescription from this Alberta doctor, a neurologist in Edmonton, to get a WalkAide.

Again, the Minister speaks of these other aids that are possibly available under the list. Could the Minister tell me today what those other options are, Mr. Speaker?

Mr. Speaker, I understand there is a long list of available, approved and cost effective walk aids on the formulary. We also have doctors available in the NWT who would have been happy to see her. We forwarded her to the neurologist. I don’t have the background on why she had to go to Alberta. I would like to look at that.

I think the important point here, Mr. Speaker, is that we are wanting to help her. We are wanting to see how much of the cost we could cover for her, even though she did not see a doctor here — I know no

reason why — even though she purchased something that was not on the list, even though she was told in three separate meetings that that was not on the list, that this was not an approved item.

Mr. Speaker, I’m offering the Member again: if he can ask the constituent to call…. I have asked my department to review her file and see if we can help her out at all. I didn’t close the door on that. That’s why it took that little while to get back to the Member.

The Minister didn’t answer my question. What other walk aids are on the list that would be available to my constituent to help her in the condition she’s in? What are those other options?

I do not have all of the list available. I could get the Member that information. I am aware that there are a number of our NWT residents with MS who get assistance for devices that they need. I understand that this device she purchased is in a pilot program in Alberta. Until the pilot program is finished, we have not decided to put that on the list. It may be that it could get on the list. It appears that this is an experimental device.

Mr. Speaker, I’m sure that if the constituent would go in and talk to the officials, we could give her a whole…. I believe she was given the list of things that are available.

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

Mr. Speaker, it’s unfortunate the Minister doesn’t have the list of available options for my constituent today.

Again, why would my constituent have to go to Alberta, where these devices, as the Minister stated, are being distributed for free? Residents in Alberta don’t have to pay $4,500 for this. There are sufferers of MS in Alberta that are using these devices for their quality of life. Why is it that in the Northwest Territories our residents are forced to pay $4,500 to enhance their quality of life so they can walk with this WalkAide? Why is that? What is the process to get the WalkAide on this list the Minister talks of?

Mr. Speaker, I think it’s important to note that the NWT has one of the best coverages for extended health benefits. We have a long list of things, pharmaceuticals and equipment, that the government does provide. Once in a while there comes a product on the market that has to be tested and examined before it gets on the list. Certain governments try it on an experimental basis. I understand that Alberta is trying that.

We do protect our constituents and provide them with services. All we ask, then, is to work with us to

see what we can do to help her. We are working to help her. There are always any number of items on the market, whether it be drugs or devices, that are not covered, because they don’t catch up with the list on any given day.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services as well. In my Member’s statement I spoke about the renovations that were slated for the Fort Simpson Health Centre. They have been delayed. I’m just wondering if the Minister can tell me: when will the plans be restarted, and when can Fort Simpson look at getting the renovations done?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The capital project for Deh Cho has not been made available to me. We have just finished our ’09–10 Capital Plan, and we’re getting into the new stage. I’d be willing to look at what the Dehcho Authority is proposing.

In my tour to Deh Cho the administration had suggested that they would like some work done at the hospital as well as, perhaps, Fort Providence. I think there was some suggestion that they might want to use the surplus money to do that. I understand that’s not the right way to spend the surplus money, but Deh Cho has the right to make their submission and to work through the capital planning process. I’m willing to work with the Member to see how we can put that into the process for next capital year.

Probably I need some clarification. I thought the Dehcho Health and Social Services board was working in conjunction with the Department of Health and Social Services in terms of establishing the renovation project. It is my understanding that it was on the books for this fiscal year, and it is nowhere to be seen. That creates the illusion that it’s not going to be done. I just want to get assurances that these renovations will continue.

I know some of the renovation has been done in the centre. As the Member knows, we’re engaged in a different capital planning process now. All of the proposals will be submitted to the capital infrastructure committee to look at putting them into the plan. There are a lot of projects that were slated for years 3 or 4. Unless they had a very specific plan, I believe they are being redirected. I would like to commit to the

Member again that I will look at that proposal from Deh Cho and see how we could put it into the process.

Thank you, Minister, for that clarification. Once again, I just want to get an assurance that just because it’s not on the books or in some plan somewhere, it doesn’t mean that it’s not going to happen; there is still a process. To whom would Dehcho Health and Social Services bring forward that plan, once again?

Mr. Speaker, yes, this new process has required that unless there is a very specific plan in an advanced stage, some of the capital projects that were on the books got taken off — the Stanton master plan is one of them — and they are being redirected to work through this new capital plan process. I commit to the Member that I will revisit this capital project to see where it is and put it into the process.