Sandy Lee

Mr. Speaker, yes, I would not preclude that option, but right now I think it’s important for us to get the information from the authority as to what they have being planned for the front office. I think everybody here knows that space in a hospital and that sort of a facility is more a premium and so we need to hear from the administration as to what their plans are. I would be happy to share that with the Member and come up with an action plan together and seek input from the Member as well as the Standing Committee on Social Programs, if necessary. So, yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Member’s comments. I listened carefully to what he said in the Member’s statement. I would be happy to convey his concerns and the questions he has to the administration of Stanton Hospital and get back to the Member.

As the Member knows, the joint working group was made up of three Ministers and three Regular MLAs. We were tasked to look into certain things about supp health benefits. We looked into those and some other issues that came up. We made recommendations on those. The report was officially transmitted by myself and Mrs. Groenewegen, who is the co-chair. I don’t think we need to preclude the work of the committee. I am sure that the committee will take a look at the report and give us considered feedback on the recommendations, and I and the Cabinet Ministers, my colleagues, are looking forward to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member is aware, the joint working group on the Supp Health Benefits Program completed its work. We have jointly submitted the report to the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning and Cabinet. The supp working group’s work is done and we are looking forward to getting feedback from the committee on the work that the joint working group has completed.

Mr. Speaker, I take the Member’s point and he’s asking questions and making suggestions. He brought this issue to me yesterday. I’m committing to the Member to get the information from the authority as to exactly what their plans are. They may have a very good explanation as to the move and what other plans that are part of this move. So I think it’s important for us to get a full picture of if there are any other related issues surrounding that, and then when we get the full picture, of course, I’ll welcome the Member’s input on what we can do better or do differently or anything else. Thank...

Mr. Speaker, I would absolutely, yes, commit to the Member to get all of the details that he is asking for, transitional measures and the plans, and discuss with the Member and get input from the Member. Thank you.

We have a consensus government. I don’t know what the committee’s feedback will be. I would like to ask the committee to consider all the recommendations made there. There are some very good recommendations that I think would benefit and that I think the committee would want to adopt. We haven’t had enough time for the Members to give us their feedback. I am open to receiving whatever feedback the Members have on that report.

The joint working group recommendations and suggestions are in the report. It is in the hands of the committee. The committee is made up of all the Members on the other side, and I look forward to the feedback from the committee as to what their response is to that and if the details of the report will show exactly the questions that he’s asking.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to welcome everybody. In particular, I’d like to recognize Mr. Ed Jeske, who taught me how to drive when I was 16, and Vivian Squires, who used to be my constituency assistant. In case nobody else recognizes them, I would also like to recognize Mr. Dave Wind and Mr. Blake Lyons. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I do agree with the Member that this and other initiatives or services or ideas that the government supports has to be made aware on an ongoing basis. When this personal directive, for example, first came out, there was lots of awareness raising, but I do take the Member’s point that it has to be continuous. The department is lending support to the Stem Cell Challenge for example. We will continue to do that. I take the Member’s point that we have to do that on an ongoing basis. I will get back to the Member on how we do that and how we could do this better. Thank you.