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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Amid a flurry of questions in the legislative assembly on Wednesday, Health Minister Sandy Lee admitted the government made a mistake with the income thresholds set out in the supplementary health benefits program.

Miriam and Jim Wylie and Mary Carr (far right) wear signs in protest of the supplementary health benefits program. Roughly 40 people, mostly seniors, demonstrated in front of the legislative assembly on Thursday. - Cara Loverock/ NNSL photo

The income thresholds Lee had planned to institute on April 1 would have cut off extended health care coverage for things like prescriptions and eyeglasses to Yellowknife non-aboriginal residents whose net incomes surpassed certain thresholds announced last December. A senior couple making a net income of more than $55,000 a year, for example, would no longer be eligible for coverage.

"I have heard from the members and the public throughout the last two months that this is not ready, okay?" said Lee.

"Members should just accept it when the minister says, 'we screwed up.'"

Lee said she acknowledged there are gaps in the program, which leaves out too many residents because income thresholds were set too low.

Also, Lee's language on the implementation date softened by the end of the day.

The new proposed date - Sept. 1 - was later referred to as a target date.

"The end date is not written in stone," she said.

Lee said medical equipment would be included in the catastrophic drug program.

Lee also committed to report to the legislative assembly with a consultation schedule.

Despite acknowledging a "screw up" with the health benefits program, roughly 40 people, many of them seniors, gathered outside the legislative assembly on Thursday in protest.

Most of those in attendance, including Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins, wore signs with slogans like "Why punish seniors?" and "Medicine or food. Why should I choose?"

Participant Larry Elkin said he had never before taken part in a demonstration. He said he did it "because we feel that strongly about it."

"I would view that quite guardedly," Margaret Marshall said of Lee's admittance of making a mistake.

"I'm hopeful they will sit back and really take a close look at this," she said.

"This has been going on since 2003. We didn't know about it until 2008. This is not good. I would say it's not democratic," said protester June Van Dine.

Lee said she has learned a lot about the issues facing seniors and persons and families with chronic health conditions in the past two months, and is committed to remain open to changes in the policy.

Great Slave MLA Glen Abernethy pressed Lee for the financial analysis that went into the policy. He said the territorial government will be affected by losses in federal transfer payments because residents will leave the territory rather than stay and pay for their health care.

"These actions are driving people away," he said.

Lee later said in an interview that costs such as lost revenue from residents moving away were not factored into any financial analysis.

"That would not be part of the calculation in a policy," she said, adding there is no way of knowing or quantifying what that may be.

Premier Floyd Roland and Finance Minister Michael Miltenberger have recently discussed plans aimed at retaining and recruiting Northerners as priorities.

Lee said the revamped program will cost $7 million a year. A little more than $7 million was budgeted for the extended health benefits program for seniors and for indigent health benefits last year.

But she added since health care is demand-driven, there is no way to determine exactly how much the program will cost.

Abernethy said he will make a motion today recommending Lee stop the program and institute a new one following consultations with affected groups.

Kam Lake MLA Dave Ramsay and Jane Groenewegen, MLA for Hay River South, each presented petitions from constituents Wednesday - containing 727 and 779 signatures respectively - urging the government not to go ahead with the program as it is.

Lee said the package offered to seniors in the Northwest Territories is very generous and includes property tax payments, housing and home care.

"Today we have to look at the basket of goods and services the government offers to seniors and we will still remain competitive," she said.