Wendy Bisaro

I thank the Minister for his response. I thought he had referenced a policy that would be an NWT-wide policy. I understand now he is referencing policies that each school board or education authority has. I think there is a need within the territory for a policy that is territory-wide. I would like to ask the Minister whether or not his department will lead a coordinated action to bring the education authorities together so that we have a coordinated and a common approach to bullying across all of our schools. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister for Education, Culture and Employment. In my Member’s statement today I talked about bullying, but I also, at the end of my statement, called for legislation that this government needs to put in place, legislation to counteract bullying and to create awareness and so on against that particular activity.

There are many statistics that are out there. Members have mentioned many of them in their statements. I think the importance is recognized, and I think it’s been recognized by the department and by the Minister. I’d like...

We have the Coalition Against Family Violence which consistently raises the issue through initiatives like Family Violence Awareness Week. What we don’t have and do need is legislation to formulate and coordinate an approach across the GNWT and across the whole of our territory to address bullying and family violence in our schools and homes in our territory.

To the Minister, I guess if the Minister is needing costing, I have umpteen documents in my files which I can provide to him. That work was done when the Joint Working Group met over a year and a half, two years ago. One of the recommendations in the report was to look at a pharmaceuticals plan for the NWT and/or to work with Western Canada provinces and territories to try and develop a plan to reduce the costs of our drugs. It’s well known that drugs are our most expensive cost. Can the Minister tell me whether or not any work is being done to develop a pharmaceuticals plan either within the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Health and Social Services and I’d like to follow up on my statement. The issue of changes to the Extended Health Benefits Program was extremely contentious and it was a couple of years ago that we went through great upheaval and discussion about the changes. The policy was rescinded, but there were some recommended changes and some of those actions were put in place. I’d like to ask the Minister if he can advise the House and the Members and the public where things are at on the rest of the recommendations that were...

Thanks to the Minister for that commitment. I guess I would like to know from the Minister, the work that’s been done, the information that he’s about to provide to us, has that been looking at a method to provide for ongoing, considered and regular increases to minimum wage? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My usual question to the Minister: If we’re developing a strategy, when are we going to see it?

Thanks to the Minister. I’m pleased to hear the department is doing some work. I guess I’d like to know from the Minister what kind of timeline we’re on to do this work and to get the coverage that’s required for the people who are not currently covered in terms of our health program. Can he tell me when Members will be advised of the work that the department is doing and what kind of a time frame we can expect to see this coverage in place?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It was several years ago now, although it seems like just yesterday that the GNWT decided to implement the Supplementary Health Benefits Policy. The intent of the policy dated September 2007, was to provide consistent health benefit coverage for NWT residents who were not covered. But it also proposed to change the GNWT Extended Health Benefits Program to an income-tested model. Not surprisingly, there was considerable consternation, especially among seniors and residents with medical conditions requiring extensive treatment with expensive prescription drugs. There was...

I guess I need to ask the Minister my usual question as to timing. I did ask that question a year ago and I was advised that the Minister would check his findings and get back to me. I haven’t heard anything in the ensuing 12 months, so I would like to again ask the Minister when I might expect to get some information from the Minister and the department as to how we will have steady, and planned, and regular increases to minimum wages in the future.