Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on the statement made by my colleague Mr. Bromley.
I was disappointed last week when Mr. Bromley shared the GNWT results of the Safe Advantage program with me. For the 2010-2011 year, the GNWT received a penalty of $243,583.37. I understand that this is the largest penalty issued by the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission during the 2010-2011 fiscal year. In fact, it may be the largest penalty issued in the life of the Safe Advantage program.
According to the Safe Advantage program guidelines that I found on the WSCC website,
prevention programs are essential in creating a safe workplace. Further, it is important that both the employer and workers support and follow procedures outlined in the program and work to keep those programs up to date.
The penalties occur when claim costs are above experience-incentive ranges. Claim costs include all of the costs directed to an employer, such as medical aid, compensation, vocational rehabilitation, and pensions. Experience-incentive ranges are based on average assessments of individual employers. So, basically, penalties occur when the costs of workplace injuries to an employer is higher than the average cost of similar costs throughout the Northwest Territories. In short, this current penalty suggests that the GNWT has a worse than average record of workplace safety and prevention.
The Safe Advantage program has only existed for four years. In that time, as Mr. Bromley indicated in his statement, the GNWT has experienced a total claim cost in excess of $2 million. This is embarrassing. It’s my understanding that the Department of Human Resources is working to address the requirements set out in the Safe Advantage program. To this end, the Department of Human Resources is apparently working on a government-wide Occupational Health and Safety Program which will help to meet the legislative requirements set out in the Safety Act. Yet a review of the GNWT phone directory shows the only occupational health and safety position in the GNWT is at Stanton Territorial Health Authority. After four years, only one position.
There are also five health and wellness positions at the Department of Human Resources. One is a consultant and four are officers. I’m assuming the consultant is the one position in the GNWT working on the government-wide health and safety programs.
The GNWT must lead by example. We must strive for the safest workplaces in the Northwest Territories. We must stop being assessed these significant fines.
I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted