Wendy Bisaro

I don’t believe I heard in there that the timeline is based on anything, so I’ll have to assume it’s based on nothing.

I have a question with regard to some of the things that are missing in the discussion paper that is out there on proposed supplementary health benefit changes. I specifically feel that Members and the general public need to know how much these proposed changes will cost and I have not seen that anywhere to date. I agree with the need to provide coverage for NWT residents that don’t have supplementary health benefit coverage, but I have to ask the Minister for an estimate of...

The Standing Committee on Social Programs recently received information on possible changes to the new Supplementary Health Benefits Program. Now that I’ve had a bit of time to consider the presentation from the Minister, I’ve got some concerns that I want to express, unlike our Olympic team.

Firstly, I appreciate the research done by the department and the data received by the committee, but even though it’s good data, it’s been selected and presented to steer people’s responses in a particular direction. The documents for review contain certain assumptions -- although the Minister calls them...

I’ll try to be a little more definite. If a decision were made tomorrow, how much time is required for the department to put in place implementation? There’s got to be changes, I would imagine, within the bureaucracy that are going to be required to put in place whatever changes are determined to get them into effect. How much time is required from when a decision is made to when things can be immediately implemented after that? How many months? How many days? How many years?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask a few more questions of the Minister of Health and Social Services relative to the supplementary health benefits proposed changes. I did ask about the timeline for consultation and implementation and mentioned the implantation date. I will try my question again and ask the Minister on what is the implementation date of September 1st based. Thank you.

To the Minister, I don’t disagree that the information that has been presented is good information. It is a clear explanation of the current program. But, you know, in order for people to make a decision or to make comment on the program and the suggestions that are out there, they need to know the cost of the program and we need to be able to consider what it’s going to cost us, what it’s going to save us. That information is not available. I am concerned about the timeline. I am concerned about the amount of consultation. Particularly I’d like to know from the Minister about the stakeholder...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are addressed to the Minister for Health and Social Services. I would like to follow up on some of the concerns that I stated in my statement earlier. One of the real difficulties that I see with the proposed plan and the discussion paper that’s out there is the timeline for implementation of these proposed changes. I’d like to ask the Minister, the time that is out there is September 1, 2010, I’d like to know what that date is based on. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, go Canada go!

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Minister for that specific information. She mentioned, when I asked earlier, that there’s no need at this point for cost information, but I’d like to ask the Minister this question -- and I exaggerate these dollars totally -- if it’s going to cost $100 million to cover the end of our working spectrum who are not currently covered, if it’s going to cost $100 million to do that, that’s going to have a huge impact on what I determine to do with the “high-end” earners or where I’m going to get the revenue from to offset that expense. I’d like to ask the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Early this month the Minister of Health and Social Services made a statement about the 2010 Drop the Pop program in effect for this month of February. Since it’s Education Week and Drop the Pop Month, I thought I would see what Yellowknife schools registered for the program are doing and highlight some of their activities.

I mentioned a few days ago that we have a great bunch of teachers in the NWT. Their creativity and that of our students is evident in the events that YK schools are holding to emphasize the importance of dropping the pop. Here’s a summary of what some...

I appreciate the indulgence of the House. I was so excited to have a visitor in the audience earlier that I forgot to thank my Page. I would like to express my appreciation for Mikelle Wile who’s been here serving with us for the last several weeks. Thank you.