Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Colleagues, pursuant to Section 99 of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, I hereby table the 2012 Annual Report of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner for the Northwest Territories.

Pursuant to Section 68 of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I hereby table the 2012-2013 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories.

I’d like to draw Members’ attention to the presence in the gallery today of Ms. Elaine Keenan Bengts, Information and Privacy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories. I welcome her to the House.

---Applause

Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to table a document found in the Northern Public Affairs Journal authored by Dr. Stephanie Irlbacher-Fox, titled “It looks like the decisions have already been made. What to Do with NWT Resource Revenues.” Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Item 16, notices of motion. Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, February 13, 2014, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on February 13, 2014, it shall be adjourned until Monday, February 17, 2014;

And further, at any time prior to February 17, 2014, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as it has been duly adjourned to that time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 17, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 18, motions. Item 19, first reading of bills. Item 20, second reading of bills. Item 21, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters, with Mr. Dolynny in the chair.

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. We have three items here before committee: Bill 6, Tabled Document 4-17(5) and Tabled Document 22-17(5). What is the wish of committee? Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We would like to consider Bill 6, An Act to Amend the Medical Care Act; and Tabled Document 22-17(5), Northwest Territories Main Estimates, with conclusion of general comments. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Does committee agree?

Agreed. We’ll commence after a short break.

---SHORT RECESS

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. We have agreed to consider Bill 6, An Act to Amend the Medical Care Act.

I will ask the Minister responsible to introduce the bill. Minister Abernethy.

I am pleased to be here today to address Bill 6, An Act to Amend the Medical Care Act.

The Medical Care Act establishes that “medically necessary” services provided by a doctor are insured services.

The act also defines who is eligible for insured services and expressly excludes some residents from coverage under the act. For example, members of the Canadian Armed Forces are not eligible for payments of insured services under the Medical Care Act. This is because members receive similar benefits under relevant federal legislation.

Until recently, the Medical Care Act was consistent with the definition of insured persons under the Canada Health Act. In June 2012 the federal government amended their legislation so that RCMP members are no longer excluded from being an insured person.

The amendments being proposed to the Medical Care Act will ensure that the act is once again consistent with the Canada Health Act.

It should be noted that federal legislation is paramount and even if we did not make this change, RCMP members stationed in the Northwest Territories are eligible for coverage under the NWT Health Care Plan.

Changes to the federal act were implemented in the NWT on April 1, 2013, so members have been eligible for NWT health care coverage since then. This change to the Medical Care Act is being proposed for consistency and to avoid any confusion.

That concludes my opening remarks. I would be pleased to answer any questions Members may have.

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. I will turn to the chair of the Standing Committee on Social Programs that considered the bill for opening comments. Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Standing Committee on Social Programs conducted its public review of Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Medical Care Act, on January 20, 2014.

A clause-by-clause review was conducted the same day. The committee thanks the Minister and his staff for presenting this bill.

The bill amends the Medical Care Act to reflect a recent amendment to the Canada Health Act. It deems that a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who is a resident of the Northwest Territories as of April 1, 2013, was eligible for insured services in accordance with this act.

Following the committee’s review, a motion was carried to report Bill 6 to the Assembly as ready for consideration in Committee of the whole.

This concludes the committee’s opening comments on Bill 6. Individual Members may have questions or comments as we proceed. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Moses. Mr. Minister, would you like to bring witnesses into the House?

Yes, Mr. Chair.

Does committee

agree?

Thank you, committee. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber.

Please introduce your witnesses, Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. With me today are Debbie DeLancey, my deputy minister; as well as Natasha Brotherston, the manager of policy and legislation, Department of Health and Social Services, and Mr. Thomas Druyan, the legislative drafter.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. I’ll open the floor to general comments on Bill 6. Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’d like to welcome the Minister and team here this afternoon. As we’ve seen in the opening comments from the Minister, we’re talking about insured services, we’re talking about the adjudication of shared services or insured services and there is a very close parallel to what the Canadian Armed Forces personnel receive as well as RCMP. There’s a definite link there. So my concern is, as the Minister said, there’s relevant federal legislation, which deems this as a difference between DND employees and RCMP employees, but I’m a bit concerned that this could set some precedent in costs and liability for this government.

What reassurance do we have that we’re not seeing a potential move by our federal counterparts to, I guess, pawn off insured services from DND on to provincial jurisdictions or territorial jurisdictions? Thank you.