Sandy Lee

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Social Programs conducted hearings on Bill 13, Change of Name Act, between June 6 and June 15, 2007. Combined with the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight members, the committee split into northern and southern groups seeking input from as many communities as possible within this time frame. Meetings took place in Fort Smith, Hay River, Jean Marie River, Fort Simpson, Yellowknife, Behchoko, Gameti, Tulita, Tsiigehtchic and Inuvik. The clause-by-clause review with the Minister took place on August 13, 2007. The committee...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not clear what the Minister means when he says "we," because I am assuming that is the Government of the Northwest Territories, but my understanding is that the driver of this project is really Yellowknife Health and Social Services Board. I believe there is a distinction. I am going to ask the specific question again to the Minister. Would the Minister commit to asking the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Board to provide us with the information on what the terms of reference or the work plan and consultation plan is with respect to this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask my questions today to the Minister of Health and Social Services. It’s following up on the issues of space use of the hospital and other health care facilities in the city. Mr. Speaker, we know about the master plan of the Stanton Hospital that’s been in the works for years but it hasn’t really moved that far, but they’re having other activities happening. There have been major renovations at the Frame Lake health care facility there, in Great Slave, and there’s also a major initiative to consolidate Yellowknife clinics, but what is...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Standing Committee on Social Programs, in association with the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight, conducted public hearings in Yellowknife on June 6 and 7, as well as on August 13, 2007, and in Behchoko, at an evening meeting on June 6, 2007. The committee then split into two committees to conduct public hearings in Fort Smith and Inuvik on June 11, 2007; Hay River and Tsiigehtchic on June 12, 2007; in Jean Marie River and Tulita on June 13, 2007; and in Fort Simpson and Gameti on June 14, 2007. The committee is grateful to all persons...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have to ask the Minister for clarification then. Is it the Minister’s information that everybody that works at the Stanton Hospital actually has to enter all of their data in this computer? That is all I am asking. Can we just limit it to people who are most familiar with that program so that there is less chance of a lot of people spending a lot of time trying to iron out the wrinkles? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to also jump on this PeopleSoft issue and I have some questions to Minister Dent. Mr. Speaker, this PeopleSoft issue has been around for a long time, for the entire eight years, and as far as I know it’s an internal personnel management software program, but the reputation for this program has grown to such a level that when I had a neighbourhood coffee meeting recently, even the people who have nothing to do with government, or they’re not employees of government, couldn’t stop talking about this PeopleSoft problem. Mr. Speaker, there are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate his answer but I have to tell you that this has been an ongoing issue for a long time and the last deadline I had from his officials was that they were hoping to have it in place by the end of July. The latest date I’m getting is by the end of September. I’d like to accept the Minister’s answer for what it is, but I have to believe there must be other reasons why it’s delaying that. I’m wondering if he could give reasons as to why the complications and could he communicate with us, to me, in writing, as to exactly what’s behind it, why the delay, and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t have all the names but I’d just like to recognize the UNW executive in the gallery: Mr. Parsons, Ms. Wyness, and sitting next to him, he’s not with the UNW, but Byrne Richards, who works very hard on the Aurora Oxford Home. I’d also like to recognize Sue Glowach and Lydia Bardak. Thank you.

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Thank you, Ms. Lee. Just briefly, I just want to say something that was not included in the chair’s remarks, and I’m speaking as a Member, of course, but I think the briefness and conciseness of the chair’s report and the Minister’s report, I mean statement, does not, they do not speak to the weight and depth and breadth of this legislation. It’s quite a substantial piece of legislation that has had many years of work by many, many people, not only in the department but in the medical profession and health care professions and I think that should be recognized. I think because of the fact...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Social Programs has reviewed Bill 12, Public Health Act, and Bill 13, Change of Name Act, and wishes to report that Bill 12 and 13 are now ready for Committee of the Whole.

The committee has already completed its review of Bill 14, Employment Standards Act, and wishes to report that Bill 14 is now ready for Committee of the Whole, as amended and reprinted.