EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I believe that it’s 700 kilowatt hours that we get for free.
Are you going to be increasing that 700 kilowatt hours so that it will compensate for the increased rate that the rate payers will be paying?
There are, I believe... . At some point I read where there’s almost 100 different subsidies and rates across Nunavut with the power.
Mr. Speaker, part of the recommendations that will come forward on the proposal by the Power Corporation to the URRC will be to look at the rate structures and to see how that will be affected by subsidies and so on.
So, Mr. Speaker, that is an ongoing process and we should have that information when the Utility Rate Review Council finishes their work and tables their report to the minister around February 1.
The second point, Mr. Speaker: when I said 1968, I was referring to when the government moved out of Ottawa to Yellowknife and really became the Government of the Northwest Territories around that period of time.
I would wish, Mr. Speaker, as I think most members in this House and as the Premier had said earlier, that the federal government would pick up paying for our utility expenses and costs.
I don’t think they would want to do that.
I think Intergovernmental Affairs may have to look at that.
The Premier’s office, I’m sure, will be very useful in the consideration of those types of issue.
I don’t know if Mr. Kattuk has already had his last supplementary, so maybe just check on that first and then we’ll go on.
He didn’t want to ask another question, but I will give him another opportunity.
In reference to my last question, my question to the minister was if he was going to be increasing the 700 kilowatt hours.
I would like to ask the minister again about the community consultations that took place.
My question is: is the minister going to be increasing the 700 free kilowatt hours that we get?
The 700 kilowatt hours that appears on bills across Nunavut, for the customers, that was part of the process that was in place since 1998.
Mr. Speaker, I’m not in a position right now to say how much that will increase by, because, Mr. Speaker, that process is underway
The Power Corporation has made a proposal, and at the end of the day we need to be able to, as a government, when the URRC reports back, balance off what they have asked for with the affordability factor, but at the same time, the issue on the subsidy of the 700 kilowatt hours, that would be contained within the recommendations from the Utility Rates Review Council.
So, Mr. Speaker, again, we should be in a better to know that sometime in February.
We will take a brief break for 55 minutes.
We will take a lunch break and at 1:00 we will resume.
>>House recessed at 12:06 and resumed at 13:06
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you very much for coming back
Going back to orders of the day, Item 7.
Return to WQ 009 – 2(2): Administration of the Liquor Act and Other Matters
Return to WQ 015 – 2(2): Overtime Costs Incurred by Government of Nunavut Crown Corporations
I rise to inform members that Returns to Written Question 009 - 2 (2) and Returns to Written Question 015 - 2 (2) has been filed with the clerk by the Minister of Finance.
Tabled Document 051 – 2(2): 24-Hour Elders' Facility for Arctic Bay
For the past two weeks, we have heard that the government has a goal to set up a 24 hour care facility for elders in Nunavut.
From what I understand, the Minister for Health and Social Services has indicated that they will be doing a review on these facilities.
At this time, I would like to table a document supporting the establishment for a 24 hour care facility in Arctic Bay.
Tabled Document 052 – 2(2): Return to OQ 084 – 2(2): Government Hiring Practices
Tabled Document 053 – 2(2): Return to OQ 102 – 2(2): Explanation of Newspaper Article
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to table two responses to returns to oral questions, Oral question number 102-2 (2) and return to Oral question 084-2 (2).
Tabled Document 054 – 2(2): Transportation of Dangerous Goods Annual Report 2003/04
I wish to table the following document; Transportation of dangerous goods annual report 2003-04.
Speaker (interpretation): Tabling of Documents. Tabling of Documents.
Tabled Document 055 – 2(2): Disclosure of Contracts – Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
As promised in my member’s statement earlier today, I would like to table this list of disclosures’ contracts from the Federal Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.
Mr. Speaker, this document shows the date, the vendor’s name, the description of what the contract was for, and the value of what the contract is for, and Mr. Speaker, this is done on a quarterly basis by all federal government departments and it’s available on the internet for all Canadians to see.
Tabled Document 056 – 2(2): Online Information on Government of Canada Contracts for Goods & Services Over $10,000
Also, Mr. Speaker, I would like to add to that, a list or article from the treasury board website, a news release dated November 1.
It says that they are tabling the publicly disclosed contracts, except for those the only restrictions on disclosure are security related contracts.
I assume that our government doesn’t have any security contracts in place and I would just like to note that there is also a note in here that this initiative is part of the government’s plan in strengthening the public sector management.
Tabled Document 057 – 2(2): Who Controls Canada's Arctic
I would like to table an article from a Canadian magazine called ‘The Walrus’.
It’s from December of 2004 magazine, entitled: Who Controls Canada’s Arctic?
The subtitle is: Spies, submarines, and foreign ships may signal that our claim to the North is melting.
Motion 005 – 2(2): Referral of Tabled Document 052 – 2(2) to the Committee of the Whole – Notice
I give notice that on Tuesday, February 22, 2005, I will move the following motion; now therefore I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Cambridge Bay, that Tabled Document 052 – 2(2) be referred to the Committee of the Whole for discussions.
Motion 006 – 2(2): Request for Comprehensive Audit of QEC and its Subsidiaries – Notice
I would like to give notice that on Tuesday, February 22, 2005, I will move the following motion; now therefore I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Quttituq, that the Executive Council of Nunavut, pursuant to Section 47 of the Nunavut Act, advise the Commissioner of Nunavut to request the Auditor General of Canada to conduct a comprehensive audit of Qulliq Energy Corporation and its subsidiaries and to report its findings to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut.
Item 16.Item 17.
Bill 2, Supplementary Appropriation, Operations and Maintenance Act Number 2, 2004-05; Bill 3, Supplementary Appropriation Capital Act Number 2, 2004-05, with Mr. Arreak in the chair.
Following Motion 3-2 (2) we will stay in Committee of the Whole until we report ourselves out.
In committee of the whole we have Bill 2 and Bill 3.
Mr. Evyagotailak: Mr. Chairman, we wish to continue with our reviews of Bill 2 and the supporting documents starting at page 23, and then proceed to reviewing Bill 3 and the support documents.
Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Evyagotailak. (interpretation): Do you agree that we deal with Bill 2.
Thank you, Ms. Aglukkaq, please proceed to the witness table with your officials. Please introduce your witnesses.
To my right is Mr. Robert Vardy, the Deputy Minister of Finance and to my left is Paul Reddy, Director of Expenditure Management.
Okay, turn to page 23.
Operations and Maintenance number 2, 2004-05.
Do you have any questions on page 23.
Health and Social Services, Operations and Maintenance Branch.
Total directorate. $2 million 183 thousand.
On this page there is $1 million 437 thousand is being requested by the government for continued investment in telehealth network, 15 types.
Is this one time funding?
It is one time funding for this year.
Mr. Barnabas: What is this specifically needed for.
Why does each site need almost $100 thousand more than remain optional.
Can the member repeat the question.
I didn’t catch it.
Mr. Barnabas, can you repeat your question.
What is it specifically needed for.
The Telehealth network was jointly funded between Health Canada and the Government of Nunavut and the installation was completed on March 31, 2003.
As it stands now, it is also jointly funded as well through Community and Government Services, as well as the Department of Health.
To install the system in the communities, it is quite expensive but the investment down the road will pay off in terms of providing from what I understand, the Minister of Health can elaborate but, provides health centers to be able to access physicians down south for advice on the assessment of situations.
That’s what I understand, but perhaps if the member requires more information, I can ask the Minister of Health to elaborate on that program.
If I may make a supplementary. (interpretation ends) It give us the opportunity to network with other health centers, with the southern partners, with the doctors in the hospitals and also for family conferencing.
It’s an opportunity as well for educational and training purposes for the community where they could have distance education, using Telehealth.
Mr. Barnabas do you have any further questions.
I’d like to follow up on that line of questioning by Mr. Barnabas.
The minister said there are an existing 15 sites.
Are there plans to put sites in the other ten communities in Nunavut in the future.
I will ask the Minister of Health to respond to that question.
Minister of Health and Social Services, Minister Brown.
It’s safe to say and announce that by the end of this fiscal year December 2004, every community will have Telehealth in the communities.
Thank you, minister for that reply.
Does that mean that we will be seeing a request, if there are 10 more sites, an additional $1,000,000 for Operations and Maintenance for those 10 sites?
Chairman: Thank you. (interpretation) Who is going to respond?
Minister Aglukkaq or Minister Brown?
Could I ask for a repeat of your question, please?
Thanks, the minister asked me to clarify it.
I am just doing some math; 15 sites, there’s almost $1,500,000, so $100,000 per site.
So, if you are putting another 10 sites up soon, I think she said by the end of December, I don’t if she meant by the end of December or March, but could we possibly see the request for additional $100,000 per site in the future?
Just to add that, for the 11 additional sites in Nunavut, any additional funding request will be dealt into the base budget of the Department of Health, but then if the minister wants to elaborate more on that, I will pass it on to her.
Minister Brown, did you wish to add?
Hon. Levinia Brown (interpretation): From my I understanding at this stage, those sites already have and there are three others and they are scheduled to be completed by the end of December.
I thank the minister for her responses.
We have been hearing quite a lot about Telehealth and how beneficial it is to the North.
In theory it seems like it should work in Nunavut because of our vast geographical distance between major hospitals and the fact that we don’t have roads and we don’t have a lot of doctors.
I am wondering, has the Department of Health or the Department of Finance done a cost-benefit analysis to show how it has worked to date?
I think it was started in 2001, just work to date to show if it has resulted in cost savings. If it’s going to save us lots of money, but on the other hand we are getting additional requests for funding, more operations and maintenance funding because of the increased health costs down south.
Then maybe it just doesn’t make sense if it will help us save money, and yet we are spending more money.
So, I am wondering if the Minister of Finance could comment on that.
The detailed analysis of that has been in the works and we are hoping to have that completed by this coming summer.
In order to do the cost-benefit analysis, we have to allow for the system to be in operation, to come up with an assessment as to where the major savings are.
One example is an area of medical travels down south.
From what I understand, the system is supposed to provide some advice and support to nurses that are in the community in dealing with client care.
In order to come up with and finalize that report, we need to allow the system to be in place to be operational and cross referenced back to other areas of the Department of Health budget.
One example is doctors’ travels, perhaps to the communities or referring clients down south.
So, that’s where it’s at right now.
We expect to complete that by next summer.
Mr. Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It’s encouraging to hear that a cost benefit analysis will be done on that initiative hopefully by next summer.
Will the Minister tell us if that will be tabled in the house for regular members to review before the next operations and maintenance budget next year.
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. One of the other areas I’d like to add is that, included in the review will also be the area of better services and more efficient use of funding.
In terms of providing that information for the next main estimates, the next main estimates is in February.
The report is going to be finalized after that in the year.
So, I can’t say that it will be tabled in the House in February, but the next sitting after, in June.
After June, we’ll be able to provide that information.
I should clarify.
That’s what I meant, if it’s done next summer, we’ll get it for the next cycle.
I don’t think that was a question.
We’re on page 23.
We’re under Directorate, $2 million 183 thousand.
Chairman: On the same page.
Healthy Children, Families and Communities. $983 thousand.
Chairman: Turn to page 24, Health Insurance Programs.
Mr. Evyagotailak: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 9 million dollars is being requested by the government to meet the increased costs associated with NIHB programs.
Out-of-territory, hospital care, medical travel, boarding homes, dental services and vision care.
Is this one time funding for the Department of Health and Social Services for an increase to the department’s base budget for the 2005-06 main estimates.
Will the department also increase by $9 million.
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. To answer the individual’s question, this is a one time funding for this year.
For next year there is an adjustment being proposed to the base of the Department of Health and Social Services Budget.
What is the breakdown for the funding.
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The breakdown is 7.5 out-of-territory services and 1.5 is for the cost of airfare, boarding homes, dental care and vision care.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister Aglukkaq.
My question for the minister is on the out-of-territory hospitals in the description here.
Can the minister tell us where all the out of-territory hospitals are located, and do you have a list of their daily fees for patients from Nunavut.
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq: I will just have to go through the information for a second.
The hospital services that are outside of the jurisdiction, and I will ask, as well, if the Minister of Health wanted to add to my list, but hospital services in Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, Newfoundland, Quebec, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, P.E.I., and Yukon, as well as Stanton.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Aglukkaq.
Minister Brown, did you wish to add to that?
These two probably aren’t showing, but there’s Edmonton and Kuujjuaq, we also use their services, but that was an adequate response.
I think it’s important that we understand that out-of-territory costs or out-of-territory hospital costs are increasing.
I did a little research last year, I talked to the former Minister of Health. The daily rates could range from as low as $1,200 to as high as $4,900 per day for patients.
I am not sure how it works, but when a patient from Nunavut goes to the south and they bump the patient from the province off the list and then the hospitals in those provinces charges a fairly significant cost. If the patient is down there for any length of time, for a month for example, you are paying $4,900 a day, it could add up quite quickly.
I am wondering what type of negotiations does the Department of Finance or the Department of Health undertake with these out-of-territory hospitals to try to reduce our rates so that we are paying at a bit more reasonable level for daily per diems?
In terms of a listing for the per diems for the facilities, I don’t have the list in here with me in terms of daily rates.
Perhaps the Minister of Health can respond to the question in terms of what negotiations that do take place with the Health officials to make some such arrangements with other facilities in and out of province.
Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Brown, would you like to respond?
Hon. Levinia Brown: A lot of those rates we don’t have any say on, even if we enter into contracts because they are in different categories.
Say, for instance, if we using an intensive care unit in hospitals down south, they have different rates and the rates are increased according to them down south and we just really don’t have a say in that.
This year alone, we didn’t know what was going to come towards our invoices because they are going to be retroactive to April yet and we have not seen those rates yet.
That’s the information that I got from the officials.
I sympathize with the Minister of Health. Sometimes you don’t have control over what they are charging down south.
That’s probably why it makes good sense to have a closer-to-home health strategy and hospital health facilities in Nunavut.
I had the good fortune this summer in July to actually go to Yellowknife and tour the Stanton hospital facility with the Minister of Health and while there, I asked a few questions.
I learned that we are paying $1,200 a day there.
I commented to the executive director there that I thought that was quite high, then I heard that it’s more expensive elsewhere.
He made a comment I thought was interesting because of an observation I had while that there seems to be a lot of patients in the Stanton Hospital from the Kitikmeot.
I said, maybe you should give us some discounts and he made a comment to me that you should probably be paying $900 rather than $1200.
So, I was just wondering if the Minister of Health or the Minister of Finance would comment on whether they’re going to be talking to the Stanton Hospital, maybe to negotiate a little bit better deal there for Kitikmeot patients.
The option of negotiating or the discussions on trying to reduce is always an option for us to pursue in terms of whether the department will proceed with that suggestion.
I will leave that up to Minister of Health.
I think in any opportunity where that is an option, it is something that we should pursue and would pursue.
In this particular case, as the minister mentioned, sometimes we don’t have control over other jurisdictional hospital care costs.
I imagine that the costs that they charge is pretty much consistent to what they charge their citizens or other users.
If the minister would like to elaborate a bit more on that, I’ll leave it to her.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Aglukkaq.
Miss Brown, do you want to respond?
Hon. Lavinia Brown: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I thank the member for raising this.
We do have an agreement with Stanton Hospital in Yellowknife.
It was a lot more than what they were charging us, $1200 per day per bed.
But, through an agreement that was reduced and I think everyone in Nunavut will be happy to hear that that is why three hospitals are being built in Nunavut to help reduce the cost of out-of-territory care.
I really hope that we will see a significant decrease in the budget that we’re spending out of the territory, expenditures that are being spent out of the territory.
Chairperson (interpretation): Mr. Peterson.
Thank you for the comments from the two ministers.
I think a lot of hospitals out-of-territory hospitals, they’re under financial pressures themselves.
They recognize a golden goose when they see one. The business opportunity is there for them to kick their patients out and charge higher rates for our patients.
We have to really be concerned about the health of our residents up there so we really don’t have much choice, except to pay the going rate.
I urge the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Health to keep negotiating with those out-of-territory hospitals and see what kind of progress you make.
We look forward to the health facilities and hospitals opening in Nunavut so we can keep our patients home and save some money.
Mr. Chairman, my question relates to under treatment programs.
There is a $1,000,000 set aside or they are looking for increase costs associated with the costs of agency nurses and my question I know, I remember, vividly asking the former health minister about the agency nurses and had indicated at that time that there was a decrease in requirements for those nurses.
Because I would like to ask the Minister of Finance, what specifically accounts for these increases in costs?
The increase costs relates to the difficulty we’re having in recruiting full time nurses in Nunavut.
To address that gap we’ve been dealing with agency nurses to sell those vacancies as we continue our efforts to vacancies in the communities.
I guess the tables have turned.
It was not too long ago, the former was indicating that they were getting more nurses in the communities and throughout the territory and having to rely less on agency nurses.
My question is how many of these agency nurses do we have currently working in the territory and how many are we getting specifically with this $1 million.
I don’t have the breakdown in terms of how many agency nurses have been hired or are working term or contracts or what not, but perhaps the Minister of Health has those statistics readily available to provide to the member.
We are in shortage of nurses and also we have over 100 nurses.
I don’t have the actual numbers.
I don’t want to give you a guesstimate, but there are close to 60 vacancies.
I do have the information in front of me, but I can’t find it.
The agency nurses just keep going back and forth to the communities.
That is one of the reasons why it is expensive because the expenses incur for transportation of the nurses and pay and benefits.
Although I do want to respond adequately to your question, I don’t have the information, I can’t find the information, but when I do, I’ll provide you with an appropriate response.
I know that the former minister too will remember and other members of this House would probably recall that one of the concerns that was raised with the use of agency nurses over indeterminate positions is the fact that as an indeterminate nurse, a position within the Department of Health and Social Services, it had a lower pay, no VTA, you had to pay for housing.
With the agency nurses, the contract nurses, all of these things are paid for by the government.
I’m just wondering if and also the fact that they got per diems for meals at the going per diem rate.
My question is, is that still included with the contract with agency nurses, that those things are all paid by the government and is included in this $1 million.
From what I understand, in the $1 million identified there, it’s to cover the agency nurses.
In the last year there has been an increase in demands for agency nurses, particularly in the Baffin and Kivalliq.
The department has contacted the international recruiting as well to address some of those gaps on that.
To address your question directly in terms of what it includes, what I can see here, it includes their wages, their travel to and from the point of hire.
I don’t believe it includes vacation travel.
I don’t think that is what’s included in that.
In terms of the arrangements they have for accommodations and meals, I’m assuming it’s part of that, but perhaps I can refer this to the Minister of Health.
Would you like to make a supplementary response.
Hon. Levinia Brown (interpretation): Yes, I would like to make a supplementary.