This is page numbers 4545 – 4588 of the Hansard for the 17th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was services.

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Committee Motion 51-17(5): Communication Plan, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. To the motion.

Committee Motion 51-17(5): Communication Plan, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Question.

Committee Motion 51-17(5): Communication Plan, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Question has been called. Motion is carried.

---Carried

Ms. Bisaro.

Committee Motion 52-17(5): Review Of Accountability Framework, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

June 1st, 2014

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that the Department of Health and Social Services conduct a thorough review of its accountability framework for child and family services to identify existing deficiencies and implement mechanisms to enhance accountability. Thank you.

Committee Motion 52-17(5): Review Of Accountability Framework, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Motion is in order. To the motion, Ms. Bisaro.

Committee Motion 52-17(5): Review Of Accountability Framework, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just briefly again, one of the things that we discovered through the report, the Auditor General pointed out that there really is no accountability framework right now that the Department of Health and Social Services is using within the child and family services division. It is extremely important if we are to stop putting children at risk, if we’re going to stop the gaps that have been created in services and if we’re going to make sure that deficiencies don’t continue to exist. We need an accountability framework and we need to have far better accountability within that division than we do right now. Thank you.

Committee Motion 52-17(5): Review Of Accountability Framework, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. To the motion, Mr. Yakeleya.

Committee Motion 52-17(5): Review Of Accountability Framework, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

I also want to say, Mr. Chair, that the Sahtu believes that the department in terms of its, I would say not a strong accountability framework, and nobody was held accountable on those. It was quite shocking when the Auditor General looked at this. So I look certainly to this Minister to strengthen the accountability, because everybody is doing it and nobody is holding them to account. It’s almost like you’re doing this and you’re doing this, but nobody is holding them to account and they may have good intentions, but that’s not it. No wonder we have some issues that we’re dealing with, with the children in our small communities that are in the North here.

So, again, if there’s something that the Minister duly noted, that he’ll look at the accountability framework, that would really help, I think, all of us and I certainly look forward to seeing what type of mechanisms he’s going to put in place for the accountability.

Committee Motion 52-17(5): Review Of Accountability Framework, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. To the motion, Mr. Nadli.

Committee Motion 52-17(5): Review Of Accountability Framework, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Michael Nadli

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Chair. What was really apparent in the Auditor General’s report was the disconnect between the central headquarters, or Health and Social Services, and the regional authorities. It came to the point there was a bunch of affected communities; call it zigzags in terms of reporting. In some respects, structures were working in isolation of themselves. So it’s an immediate thing that the department has to check in terms of accountability. Who is accountable at the end of the day in terms of the children and families that have to go through the system? So it’s essential that we expect at least that matters that will at least encourage us to believe that accountability measures will be put in place. Mahsi.

Committee Motion 52-17(5): Review Of Accountability Framework, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. To the motion, Mr. Bromley.

Committee Motion 52-17(5): Review Of Accountability Framework, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. When the absence of required annual reports are not noted and profiled, then I think there’s obviously the need for this motion. I’ll be supporting it. Thank you.

Committee Motion 52-17(5): Review Of Accountability Framework, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. To the motion, Minister Abernethy.

Committee Motion 52-17(5): Review Of Accountability Framework, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’ve already responded to this and identified or, rather, made a commitment under recommendation 7 this work is already in progress. Thank you.

Committee Motion 52-17(5): Review Of Accountability Framework, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. To the motion.

Committee Motion 52-17(5): Review Of Accountability Framework, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Question.

Committee Motion 52-17(5): Review Of Accountability Framework, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Question has been called. Motion is carried.

---Carried

Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that contribution agreements with the health and social services authorities be immediately amended to include a performance component clearly indicating that funding is contingent on compliance with the Child and Family Services Act. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The motion is in order. To the motion. Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Again, one of the things we found through the Auditor General’s report is there’s great difficulty in keeping the health and social services authorities to account. They have contribution agreements, but they don’t have performance agreements as a separate agreement or within the contribution agreement. Committee felt that in order to get the accountability from the authorities that is required by the department, there needed to be a performance component in the contribution agreement and that’s what this motion speaks to. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. To the motion. Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Also along with Ms. Bisaro’s comments, I guess you’re looking at a situation where the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. Even though they’re doing the same service, even in the accountability framework, who do you report to? Who are you accountable to? We didn’t know this until the Auditor General did the audit. They brought up all these issues. So some of the issues we’ve raised with the Minister, the government. People are telling us stuff in the communities who have to deal with child apprehension or dealing with Social Services. They are telling us real stuff, things they have to deal with. I’ve dealt with it myself also in our small communities. Our health boards are being told one thing and the department another thing. So I guess it’s realigning the package together. Mr. Abernethy did talk about something they are already doing, which hopefully will help with this situation. This is a long-term solution we are talking about which would make a big difference in our communities.

We’ve got to put the hands together and this is what this motion is saying. Right now they are like this. I hope that they’re slowly coming together. I like this motion and the key component here is the performance aspect of this motion. I hope that the Minister is working on this within the life of this government.

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. To the motion. Minister Abernethy.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Contribution agreements already require the health and social services authorities to comply with applicable laws and policies and that every payment is conditional of the fulfillment of the authority’s obligations under their agreements.

This clause, I feel, is specific enough to cover what the committee is asking for in the committee’s proposal, but obviously more is needed. What is needed is better enforcement and better monitoring. I’m concerned, or rather, realistically,

withholding funding from an authority is not necessarily the answer. My focus and the department’s focus is on the patient and the resident and the client. It needs to be that.

I think withholding funding from the authority would just create a reduction in delivery of essential programs to clients, so I’m not sure withholding funds is going to get us to where we need to be. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. To the motion.