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Oral
Questions
May 14, 2008
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| In the House | Question
Period
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
My questions today are
for the Minister of Education.
Mr. Speaker, over the
past several weeks we have asked questions in the House
of Assembly regarding fire safety inspections in
schools. The current process involves a checklist that
custodial staff complete on a weekly or daily basis. Mr.
Speaker, despite the minister’s statements in the
House that there are no concerns around this issue,
there was a fire yesterday in a classroom at Memorial
Academy in Botwood.
I ask the minister again
today: Do you feel that this
checklist process that is in place is sufficient in
identifying potential fire and life safety issues in our
schools?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MS BURKE: Mr.
Speaker, fire safety in our schools is very important
and the checklist is only one part of our way of
checking fire safety in schools. The particular school
that had a fire yesterday is a school that had the local
fire department do an inspection in October of 2007. It
also had an independent company in checking the
extinguishers and the alarm systems in both December of
2007 and in March of this year. The daily checklist is
also done at that school. This particular school had an
unfortunate incident where a piece of bristol board was
laid against the heater and was not removed and
therefore caught fire. Mr. Speaker, this particular
school is inspected daily. It has had the fire
department in this school year and it has had an
independent company in as well on two occasions.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
The minister knows that
there are also other similar situations that can cause
fires in schools and that are going unnoticed and
certainly not contained within the checklist process
that she has in place now.
One of the significant
things that the fire inspector recognized and
recommended on when he inspected hospitals in this
Province was that the officials in the hospitals that
were responsible were not trained in fire code standards
and what to look for. I suspect the same exists in the
schools.
I ask
the minister today, if she would commit to ensuring that
there is proper training in fire codes and life safety
issues provided for these custodians?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MS BURKE: Mr.
Speaker, previous to today and as a result of issues
that we have been addressing here in the House of
Assembly, I have already requested that the school
boards ensure that all staff are aware of the fire
safety regulations and the rules pertinent to their
particular school. That would include all staff not just
teachers.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
In light of this
particular situation - and I think it is a wake up call
for you, minister - in addition, will
you look at putting in place a proper inspection process
that is required and follows protocols within the
schools in this Province on an annual basis?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Education.
MS BURKE: Mr.
Speaker, this was a very unfortunate incident in Botwood
and I certainly do not want to be pointing fingers at
anyone, whether it is a student or a teacher, but fire
safety at some level becomes everyone’s concern. When
a person leaves a room at the end of the day, at the end
of classes, you know there is some common sense that
needs to be applied. If there are things left on the
heater, particularly paper or other things, they need to
be removed. In fairness to the staff who work at the
schools and the people who are in our schools, we do not
have these fires every single day. This was an
unfortunate accident where somebody had left something
on the heater and it was not removed at the end of the
day.
Mr. Speaker, I also want
to reiterate here again today that we do have processes
in place, not just that daily checklist. We do have
independent companies that go in and inspect the
equipment. Mr. Speaker, the Fire Commissioner’s Office
and the fire departments have a right to inspect these
buildings. We will never prevent the fire departments or
the Fire Commissioner’s Office from going in to the
schools, and I have said that here in the House of
Assembly before as well.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
I certainly agree with
the minister, that fire safety is all of our
responsibility, including yours, minister, when it comes
to these schools.
Mr. Speaker, the minister
knows that not all regions of this Province have active
fire commissions or fire brigades to do those
inspections on a regular basis.
I ask her again: Will
you put in place, in this Province, a proper process
with protocols to ensure inspections are done in all the
schools in Newfoundland and Labrador?
MR. SPEAKER: Order,
please!
The hon. the Minister of
Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MS BURKE: Mr.
Speaker, I acknowledge that there may not be a volunteer
fire department or a fire department in every community,
but I will acknowledge that we do have the safety
checklist done on a daily basis. All schools also have
the annual inspections by an independent company.
Further to that, if the school board or the principal
has any concerns outside that process they also have
managers of operations in each school board and they
also have the right to request that the Fire
Commissioner’s Office come in, which we will never
stop. Mr. Speaker, there is a process and a procedure
out there in place in our schools.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
On March 11, over two
months ago, I asked the
minister to table information related to the inspection
reports in our Province’s schools. She said she would
collect the information and do so. You have had two
months, minister, when can we expect to see those
reports?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MS BURKE: Mr.
Speaker, I did indicate that I would table that
information. I have requested that information. I do not
have the full information in yet. As soon as it is in,
it will be tabled in the House.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
AN HON. MEMBER: Two
months?
MS JONES: Two
months, Minister. Hopefully it will be soon, before the
House closes down.
Mr. Speaker, my next
question is also for the Minister of Education, and it
is regarding an issue I raised in the House of Assembly
yesterday, a serious matter of possible criminal
misappropriation of funds from this Province under the
International Student Education Program, and why she did
not bring this issue to the attention of the police.
Mr. Speaker, in March of
2007, according to the information she gave yesterday,
which was ten months before the minister herself turned
any information over to the police, discussions were
taking place between the Eastern School District and
officials in the Department of Education.
Can
you tell me today, Minister, who those officials were
within your department, and who were the officials in
the Eastern School District?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MS BURKE: Mr.
Speaker, as I indicated yesterday, in March 2007 I was
made aware that the Eastern School Board was dealing
with an issue of a possible misappropriation of funds. I
was also advised at that time, they had sought legal
advice, they were following the collective agreement,
and they were referring the matter to their elected
trustees.
Mr. Speaker, the elected
trustees, under the Schools Act, have the authority to
deal with the operations of the school board\, and HR
functions within the board. I was assured, at that time,
that the appropriate process and legal counsel was being
followed. I reported it to the police later, Mr.
Speaker, not based on the information that I received in
March, but information that I received on August 30,
2007.
Mr. Speaker, when I had
gotten information above and beyond what I had in March,
I certainly made sure that it was referred to the RNC at
that time.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
I ask the minister again,
because she did not answer, who
were the officials in your department and who were the
officials in the Eastern District? Can you name them,
please?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MS BURKE: Mr.
Speaker, it is my understanding that Mr. Eric Snow from
the Eastern School District, was in consultation with
Mr. Rick Hayward, the assistant deputy minister. It was
through Mr. Rick Hayward, the assistant deputy minister,
that I learned of the issue at the Eastern School Board
District.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES:
Mr. Speaker, the Eastern School Board became aware of
the possible criminal activity which involved fraud and
the misappropriation of funds in November of 2006,
almost one year before the minister provided any
information to the police in this Province.
Can you tell me,
Minister, in the House today: What
actions were taken at that time by the Eastern School
District to recover the money that was involved and to
investigate the full extent of this problem?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MS BURKE:
Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that in the fall of
2006 the Eastern school board sought legal counsel has
to how to move forward with this issue and at that time
they also requested a forensic audit to deal with the
issue. It took a number of months for them to deal with
the issue and it was in March 2007 that I was updated on
the information. Although, I was not told the
information because the decision rested with me, I was
updated that the school board was dealing with this
issue, and that was certainly well within their
responsibility to do so.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES:
Mr. Speaker, yesterday in the House of Assembly the
minister told us that the Eastern School District had
sought legal advice.
Can I
ask you minister who they obtained the legal advice
from, and also if you can provide a copy of that legal
advice, if it was provided to you?
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
The hon. the Minister of
Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MS BURKE:
Mr. Speaker, I do not know if I am able to table the
legal opinion because I know there is an active police
investigation, but I will certainly look into the
matter.
I also understand that
Stewart McKelvey was the law office that provided the
legal opinion.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would assume that the
minister had an opportunity to review that legal
opinion.
I ask her: What
was the opinion that was given? Can you tell me the
contents of it?
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
The hon. the Minister of
Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MS BURKE:
Mr. Speaker, I think, as I had just indicated, that this
is a matter that continues to be under police
investigation. There was a legal opinion.
If I am at liberty, and I
am not breaking any laws under information, under
privacy or under any legal restrictions or police
investigation, I will check and see if these reports,
these legal opinions, are something that we can put out
publicly, that will not be breaking any particular laws.
I absolutely have no problem with tabling those opinions
in this House.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
The minister also said
there was a forensic audit done. Was
that audit done in-house or externally? If it was done
externally, who did that particular audit?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MS BURKE: Mr.
Speaker, I am not aware of the name of the firm or the
individual who did the forensic audit, but it was done
by an external contractor as opposed to in-house at the
board office.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr.
Speaker, when this audit and the legal advice was given
to the school board, did you ask for that, Minister,
back in the spring when your department became aware of
the issue?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MS BURKE: Mr.
Speaker, I did not ask for the information at that time,
because at that time I was advised that there was a
matter that the school board had been dealing with. They
had sought legal council, they were dealing with it
according to the collective agreement and it was being
referred to the board of trustees for a decision.
Mr. Speaker, under the
Act, that is if I had any further information, I would
have advised anyone from the board who spoke to me or
was looking for my opinion, I would have advised them
they had to work within the collective agreement, they
should seek legal opinion and they would have to refer
the matter to their trustees.
As I understood it, that
would be the process that I would expect them to follow,
that is the process that would have been their
responsibility and that is exactly what they did.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
Hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr.
Speaker, at that time, the director of education with
the Eastern School District, would be the individual who
is the current member for Grand Bank today.
I ask you minister: At
that particular time, were there any discussions between
yourself and the director of the Eastern School
District?
MR. SPEAKER: Order,
please!
The hon. the Minister of
Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MS BURKE: Mr.
Speaker, I can say unequivocally, while the Member for
Grand Bank was the director or CEO of the Eastern school
board, at no point in time did I ever, as the minister,
have any verbal conversations, any e-mails, or any
letters with that person regarding this matter.
Thank you.
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Mr.
Speaker, my next question for the minister has to do
with the fact that she was contacted, she received
information, in fact, she received information in person
from the student recruiter and she knew firsthand that
there was strong evidence of criminal activity.
I have to ask minister
–
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh,
oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order,
please!
MS JONES: Why
did you, yourself, acting in your capacity, not go
directly to the police on this particular matter?
MR. SPEAKER: Order,
please!
The hon. the Minister of
Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MS BURKE: Mr.
Speaker, when I received the information on August 30,
2007, and subsequently met with Ms Lisa O’Neill on
September 6, 2007, at all times I considered this
information absolutely serious; and, just based on my
review of the documents on August 30, I asked for a
number of things to happen.
I asked for an official
program review, and the Request for Proposals went out
after that, and an independent assessment is being done.
I also asked for a financial assessment of NISEP, that
program. Following that, we wrote the school board and
asked for that information. I also, at that time, asked
for a legal opinion as to whether or not the school
board should be involved in this type of business.
In addition to that, I
also advised that the matter had to be referred to the
Director of Child Protection, which I personally did
myself at that time, and I asked the officials to refer
it to the police.
They referred it to the
Department of Justice, and at that time we got an
opinion back that the board had dealt with it
appropriately and in their legal requirements.
I took that one step
further -
MR. SPEAKER: Order,
please!
I ask the hon. minister
to conclude her answer.
MS BURKE: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
This is extremely
important because, after that, I specifically met with
an official in the Department of Justice and said I was
not comfortable until I knew that we, as government, and
me as the Minister of Education, made sure that was
turned over to the police.
So, it was not just
turning it over to the police; I asked on a number of
fronts to make sure that program was assessed and
analyzed.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: Order,
please!
The hon. the Leader of
the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
All of those actions do
not negate the fact, Minister, that you did not report a
criminal activity ongoing under the auspices of a board
contained as part of your department, to the police.
Let me ask you this
question, Minister. You consulted, you said, with the
Department of Justice. What was
the advice that you were given by the Department of
Justice?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MS BURKE: Mr.
Speaker, let me be perfectly clear. On August 31, I
asked my officials to make sure the matter was turned
over to the police. They consulted with the Department
of Justice; however, at that time, the question and the
legal opinion came back to us that the board had acted
appropriately and legally in their actions.
I was not satisfied that
that was the question that I wanted to go over to the
Department of Justice or the action that I thought was
necessary.
I followed up. I met with
an official in the Department of Justice, and I
specifically requested that this matter be turned over
to the RNC and they also be notified that any
information that we have in our possession would be made
available to the police.
I absolutely followed up
to make sure that would happen.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
The minister knows she
followed up only after the recruiter have flown halfway
around the world to St. John’s to report this incident
to the police in Newfoundland and Labrador.
I cannot believe that the
Department of Justice would have advised you not to go
to the police on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, my next
question is for the Minister of Government Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh,
oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order please!
MS JONES: Mr.
Speaker, can the Minister of Government Services confirm
with me that he met with the same recruiter as well, and
was provided with evidence of possible criminal
wrongdoing but did not take that information to the
police on any occasion?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MS BURKE: Mr.
Speaker, if the hon. member is trying to suggest that a
minister of this government had the information and did
not act on it, or did not take it seriously, she is
absolutely wrong.
This matter went to the
Minister of Business at the time because it was felt it
may be a business matter. Upon reviewing the information
and the documents, the minister felt that it was a
matter for the Department of Education.
The information, in
totality, was handed over to me on August 30, and it was
at that time and that date that I reviewed the
documents. I set up a meeting with the person who
provided the documents and I asked for certain
information - as I had indicated in the House today - to
make sure that was provided.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
MS JONES: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
Again, my question is for
the Minister of Government Services.
Can he
confirm for me that the matter was referred to him, when
he was the Minister of Business, by the Premier’s
office? Can he also tell me who in the Premier’s
office referred that matter to you and brought it to
your attention?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of Education.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MS BURKE: Mr.
Speaker, it is not uncommon when somebody makes a
referral to government that either they start with the
Premier’s office or they start with a department that
may not necessarily be the appropriate department to
take action.
Mr. Speaker, this was a
matter that was referred to the Premier’s office.
Because it involved a business agent, and related to the
business of this particular individual and an
international business, it was referred to the
Department of Business. The Department of Business
followed up, as they would with this information,
however, felt that the most appropriate department to
deal with this was the Department of Education, and it
came over to the Department of Education.
Mr. Speaker, at no time
was this information ever reviewed, or Lisa O’Neill
interviewed and information taken and not passed on or
put to the person who they felt was most appropriate to
take action in this matter.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
Today, the skilled trade
workers with Eastern Health demonstrated at the front of
Confederation Building. These tradespeople are the
carpenters, electricians, plumbers and others, all
certified Red Seal workers who keep the buildings and
equipment they contain operating when things go wrong.
The starting salary for
the skilled trades at Eastern Health is $19.29 while
their counterparts doing the same jobs at MUN is $25.71.
The workers were protesting this basic injustice and are
seeking parity with their colleagues at Memorial
University.
I ask the minister: What
is government going to do to alleviate this injustice?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. T. MARSHALL: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, in my
capacity as President of the Treasury Board I have had
the opportunity to meet with the skilled trade workers
who have the Red Seal certification, both here and in
Corner Brook. I have met with two different groups here
and in Corner Brook. We discussed their issues. We
discussed their desire for parity with other workers who
do similar work, both in the private sector and with the
Hydro and at Memorial.
We are presently in
negotiations and I am optimistic that, as we have done
with CUPE, at the end of the day we will negotiate a
collective agreement that is fair and that is reasonable
and that is in the long-term interests of the people of
this Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the minister for
his answer.
Mr. Speaker, these
tradespeople are in very high demand. Any of them can
walk out the door at Eastern Health and get double the
pay here in the public sector, or they can travel to
Alberta and get twice or even higher wages. Over the
next seven years, Mr. Speaker, I have been advised that
92 per cent of them will be retiring and Eastern Health
has no hopes of fully replacing them at the current wage
levels.
Government is proud, and
rightly so, of the millions of dollars that they have
put into the new infrastructure and new hospitals, Mr.
Speaker.
I ask the minister: Who
does government expect to maintain those wonderful
buildings if this wage gap is not corrected?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr.
Speaker, we are presently in negotiations and I think
the appropriate answer is that we look forward to the
completion of those negotiations, and hopefully we will
have a collective agreement that is fair and reasonable
to all parties concerned.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: My
final question, Mr. Speaker.
We have been told that
every Monday morning a power test is conducted at the
Health Sciences Centre and MUN joint power plant. At
7:00 a.m. an electrician from Memorial University and an
electrician from Eastern Health, together, as a team,
test the power system. These two people hold the same
classifications, have the same certification, have the
same training and have the same education; however, one
individual makes $6.43 more than his counterpart. This
is more than unfair, Mr. Speaker. This is unsustainable
for the health system as a whole.
I ask the minister: Is
government going to take steps to rectify this
inequality and ensure that our health system’s
infrastructure continues to be maintained at an
acceptable level by highly qualified workers?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. T. MARSHALL: Mr.
Speaker, as I said in the answer to the last question,
and as I said in the answer to the question before that,
we are at the table, we are negotiating, and these
questions are part of collective bargaining and should
properly be dealt with there. I believe that the hon.
Member has heard from very respected leaders in the
labour movement who have suggested that these questions
should be dealt with at the collective bargaining table.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. PARSONS: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
Just a clarification
issue, and I am not certain if it should be the Minister
of Finance or the Minister of Government Services. It
involves the insurance tax, 15 per cent, that was cut by
government in the recent Budget. We have had numerous
inquiries from those persons who would have renewed say
in November of 2007, paid their 15 per cent, which was
based upon the policy existing for a full year, but of
course everything was retroactive to January 1. Those
persons are wondering, will they get back, on a prorated
basis, the 15 per cent that they paid from say, January
to October of this year. Because that tax, legitimately,
the insurance companies have that in their pockets, when
everybody else is getting a rebate, and they want to
know can they get the refund on that.
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Government Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. O'BRIEN: Mr.
Speaker, the 15 per cent tax on insurance and the
removal of that is based on the calendar year, because
most families base their expenses on the calendar year.
So to capture everybody once in that particular year, it
was removed from January 1 onward, and that is why it
was retroactive. Anybody paying their insurance previous
to January 1, 2008, would, in turn, if they have a
payment plan – as I understand it, the insurance
companies will make an adjustment in regards to that
tax. If they pay by cheque or they pay by bank
withdrawal, that tax will not be applied for future
payments.
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank
you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, last year
this House passed amendments to the Mental Health Act.
The new legislation requires Assertive Community
Treatment teams to follow up and support seriously
mentally-ill residents after hospitalization. St.
John’s now has a team, but the other regions do not.
Given what is still happening with seriously
mentally-ill people, as was experienced in Piccadilly,
the other regional health authorities really need to get
these teams sooner rather than later.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the
Minister of Health and Community Services: When will all
the regions have the assertive community treatment teams
in place?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
I will need to clarify
with the other authorities exactly where they are in
their process and report back to the House, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Minister, just to
clarify then: what you would report back I hope would be
the steps they are taking and when they hope to have
them in place? Thank you very much.
You may have to get
information on the next one too. They are all on the
same thing.
The Mental Health Act,
Mr. Speaker, now requires community supports for
seriously mentally-ill people when they are released
from hospital. We understand that in the Western Region
there are not enough people to do the assessments of
individuals detained under the Act, to assess whether
they can be released to the community and that they will
take their medication and not be a risk to the community
or to themselves.
Mr. Minister, I am
wondering: When patients are released are all hospitals
ensuring that the community supports required under the
Act are actually in place?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. WISEMAN: Mr.
Speaker, the short answer to the question is yes.
Whether there might have been an individual circumstance
where there might have been some delay I am not certain
of that, but as a matter of course each of the
authorities would have the responsibility to ensure that
that is in place.
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
MS MICHAEL: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
I follow-up then, Mr.
Minister, and ask: Do you know if there have been
training sessions done in all of the facilities that
deal with patients with mental health illnesses, if all
of them have been trained with regard to making sure
that that part of the Act is followed?
MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear,
hear!
MR. WISEMAN: I
appreciate the line of questions from the member
opposite. They are important questions and I think it is
important that she know the answers. I just want to make
sure that there is an understanding within the House
that, like the line of questions we had earlier about
our school authorities - as a government we have
established health authorities and we have mandated them
the responsibility to deliver programs and services
throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. At an operational
level, either officials in my department or myself as
the minister would not necessarily be involved in
orientation, training programs for staff. That would be
a responsibility of the authorities, and as we give them
that authority and we give them the funding to provide
those services and programs, the assumption we are
making is that they are following through with that. On
an exception basis we may need some time to intervene
and to verify something or check something out, as I
will do here today. Ordinarily the line of questioning
being posed by the member opposite is not something a
minister would know on a day-to-day basis. Very clearly,
the operational responsibility is of the authorities and
one that, as a minister, we would have to get that kind
of insight directly from an authority on any given day |
