Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Hay River (Sep 02/02) - A planned move of the Hay River Community Health Board and its employees under the umbrella of the GNWT has been halted.

Once the transfer was examined in detail, the territorial government discovered it would be too costly.

The decision meant Chuck Parker, the assistant deputy minister with the Department of Health and Social Services, had some explaining to do when he appeared at the Aug. 29 meeting of the board.

Parker said under $1 million was originally allocated by the government to transfer the board from Town of Hay River to GNWT jurisdiction, and employees to the territorial public service.

"We're quite a ways past that," he said of new estimates of potential costs, including severance expenses, pension plan adjustments and the transfer of employees to GNWT compensation.

Parker could not say what the exact price tag of the transfer would have been.

The government began looking in detail at the costs over the last six to eight weeks, he explained.

"We began to see the real numbers shape up over the last two weeks."

Health and Social Services Minister Michael Miltenberger told the financial management board on Aug. 27 that the transfer would not be going ahead at this time.

An agreement was signed in April between the town and the territorial government on the transfer.

The goal of a single employer for NWT health care workers was included in the GNWT's action plan for restructuring health services released in January.

A single employer was touted as a way to allow easier movement of workers, ensure equity of pay and benefits, and permit co-ordinated and consistent support for staff.

The GNWT is now considering how the health board in Hay River might operate as a board of management under the Hospital Insurance and Health and Social Services Act, while its employees would remain outside of the territorial public service.

"There's an ongoing will to work on the issues in this transfer process," Parker said, adding Miltenberger will visit Hay River to continue discussions.

The health board, which despite initial reservations was co-operating on the transfer, was not happy about the government about-face.

"I'd like to see more homework done before people are placed on this kind of roller-coaster ride," said acting-chair Mario Milovac.

Milovac said he is worried Hay River might lose services, and he would like to see a commitment there will be no increased financial burden because of the "government mistake."

Board member Judy Goucher observed that employee morale has suffered throughout the process.

And Joy Stuart, another board member, wanted to know the timetable for concluding any new process on the board's status.

"We can't sit out here like little orphans forever."