STANDING COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
COMITÉ PERMANENT DES ORGANISMES GOUVERNEMENTAUX
Tuesday 13 May 2008 Mardi 13 mai 2008
INTENDED APPOINTMENTS
KIRK WALSTEDT
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The committee met at 0906 in room 228.
SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): Good morning, and welcome to the Standing Committee on Government Agencies. I would just like to draw members' attention to our agenda and note that the first order of business is the report of the subcommittee on committee business dated Thursday, March 8. We need its adoption.
Mr. Pat Hoy: I move its adoption.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): Mr. Hoy has moved its adoption. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all in favour? Opposed? The motion is carried.
INTENDED APPOINTMENTS
KIRK WALSTEDT
Review of intended appointment, selected by official opposition party: Kirk Walstedt, intended appointee as member and chair, Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): We will move now to the appointments review, and our first interview is with Mr. Kirk Walstedt, the intended appointee as member and chair, Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal.
Mr. Walstedt, good morning and welcome to the committee. As you may be aware, you have an opportunity, should you choose to do so, to make an initial statement, and subsequent to that, there are questions from members of the committee. You may begin.
Mr. Kirk Walstedt: Thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning, members of the committee. I'm very pleased to be here before you today to discuss my application for chair of the tribunal. I'd like to take a few minutes to discuss my qualifications and experience, as is briefly detailed in my application.
I've worked with the public in the agricultural community in a variety of positions over the past 30 years. I was born and raised on the family dairy farm, which is now a cash crop operation, and have been active in a number of community organizations over the years.
I'm also a member of both the provincial and federal Liberal parties, have made financial contributions to both, and I am in total compliance with the relevant provisions of the Public Service of Ontario Act.
I served as an elected member of Maidstone township council for 16 years, from 1978 to 1994, the last nine of which were as the township's reeve. From 1980 to 1984, I was a special assistant to the Honourable Eugene Whelan, Canada's Minister of Agriculture, and worked directly with federal ministry staff on numerous agricultural issues.
I attended law school a bit later in life than most and was called to the bar in 1994. From 1994 to November 2006, I practised municipal and administrative law, providing legal services to a number of southwestern Ontario municipalities. I served as the chair of the Canada pension plan and old age security appeals tribunal from 2002 to 2006 and chaired over 400 hearings. Since November 2004, I have been a vice-chair on this tribunal and very much enjoy working with the staff and my fellow tribunal members.
In November 2006, I accepted an appointment as justice of the peace. However, I resigned shortly after being sworn in as the position required that I relocate for an unspecified time period, which for family reasons I was unable to do.
Following my resignation, I spoke with the then chair of the tribunal, Mr. Rod Stork. He asked if I was interested in a reappointment to the tribunal, and I definitely replied in the affirmative. He stated that he valued my service on the tribunal and strongly recommended my reappointment, which took place in December 2006.
Upon Mr. Stork announcing his retirement, I spoke with him with respect to applying for the position, and he encouraged me to do so, stating that he believed I was well qualified. The position was posted on the public secretariat website, and I applied. I understand a ministry committee reviewed the applications and provided a recommendation.
Since I was first appointed as vice-chair of the tribunal in November 2004, I've had the opportunity to participate first-hand in ensuring that the tribunal provides the highest level of service possible to the agricultural industry. I believe, as did our former chair, Mr. Stork, that there are a number of key factors that must be kept in the forefront to ensure the tribunal is operated in an effective manner.
(1) We must ensure the appellants and participants in all hearings understand the appeal process so they can bring forth their appeals and complaints with as little trepidation as possible.
(2) The tribunal roster of members must be a good mix and include as many sectors of the agricultural community as possible to ensure appellants receive a fair hearing by a knowledgeable tribunal.
(3) It is also very important that the tribunal operate in a manner that is seen to be above reproach.
The factors I have just referenced were of paramount importance to the tribunal under Mr. Stork's leadership, and I will ensure they receive the same high regard should I become chair.
The tribunal provides an important service to the agricultural community and the public at large, with one place to file their appeals and agricultural issues and have them heard by an impartial and knowledgeable tribunal. I believe my past public service, legal background, agricultural background and first-hand knowledge of the tribunal provide me with the experience required to be an effective chair.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): Thank you very much. This morning we will begin with the official opposition.
Mrs. Christine Elliott: Good morning, Mr. Walstedt. Thank you very much for your presentation. You've actually answered a good number of my questions with the statement that you just made.
Certainly with your experience, you know this tribunal quite well. What do you see as the most important challenges for the tribunal, first of all, as you go forward, and, should you become the chair, as your most important challenge?
Mr. Kirk Walstedt: As I stated in my opening statement, they are the three factors that I mentioned. I believe the board has to act independently and impartially. It's crucial that the members be very knowledgeable. It seems a lot of the hearings are becoming more complex. There should be education of the members on the tribunal to keep them updated on all the information and any changes in legislation or regulation. That's done now, but we need to ensure that–perhaps maybe an extra workshop a year. We have an annual meeting in the fall of each year. Maybe a couple of those would be appropriate.
Mr. Stork ran a good ship, and I'd like to ensure that we maintain that high level of service that I think we're providing now.
Mrs. Christine Elliott: You mentioned that your legal background has helped you. Are you the only lawyer who is currently on the tribunal?
Mr. Kirk Walstedt: No. There are four lawyers on the tribunal now. I've appeared before tribunals in the past: the drainage tribunal, when it was on its own, and the Ontario Municipal Board. I've appealed before a number of tribunals on the opposite side. They're all very well qualified, the lawyers that are on there now.
Mrs. Christine Elliott: You mentioned previously your political affiliation, that you are a member of the Liberal Party. Do you see that as having any bearing whatsoever on the work that you'd be doing?
Mr. Kirk Walstedt: No, it has never become an issue. There are really no political issues to deal with on the tribunal. No, I don't believe it's a problem.
Mrs. Christine Elliott: Thank you very much.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): We'll move to Ms. DiNovo.
Ms. Cheri DiNovo: Thanks for appearing before us. I have a couple of questions. I'll pick up where my colleague left off in terms of the political partisanship issue. You have said that you don't see this as a problem. Is it, to your knowledge, a tribunal made up mainly of Liberals? I guess my question really is, do you see partisanship, certainly the act of partisanship that you embody, as a problem on this, not only for yourself, but for the tribunal itself?
Mr. Kirk Walstedt: No, I really don't know the politics of the members on there. I can't ever recall having discussed politics. There's so much to do on the tribunal. When a hearing comes up, we get very involved in that. So no, we don't discuss politics—maybe each other's lives, how they're going and how we got there. But we really focus on the decisions. I don't discuss politics with them at all.
Ms. Cheri DiNovo: Thank you for that. I'm a city mouse, but I did spend a couple of years in the country, as a country minister. I got very used to some of the stories that I heard from my farmers. They were all farmers in my church. One of the consistent drum beats of life in the country and life for farmers that I heard was the fact that it's very difficult to make a living farming these days and that in fact many of them actually operated in the red. Their spouses carried the day in terms of paying the operating costs, half the time with a job off the farm. In terms of the overall state of farming, I was just interested in your impressions on what we could do, as legislators, to make a difference.
Mr. Kirk Walstedt: I agree, it is difficult for a lot of farmers. I think the commodity prices have certainly helped, the increase in them. A lot of the legislation that we work with gives the farmers an opportunity to bring forth their complaints and appeals if they feel that the body—whether it's Agricorp, the Dairy Farmers of Ontario, or whatever group it is—an opportunity to have any wrongs corrected. With respect to legislation, I really don't have any comment on what the government should be doing. We do our best in the tribunal to help out.
Ms. Cheri DiNovo: In terms of the tribunal's relationship with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, did you have any comment on that relationship, anything you'd like to see done differently? Any changes to be made there?
Mr. Kirk Walstedt: No, I don't believe so. We operate at arm's length, naturally, because we're a quasi-judicial body. We implement the policies. We have discussions at our annual meetings with respect to what we think may need to be changed. I just look forward to working with the members and bringing forth any recommendations that they have. But I think things are moving along pretty well now. It's a very busy tribunal. I hope we're doing a good job. I don't think there are too many complaints; I'm hoping there aren't.
Ms. Cheri DiNovo: I have just one last question. In terms of challenges that you've faced—you've been a member, and an active one, on this tribunal for a while now—what was the most challenging incident that you can remember?
Mr. Kirk Walstedt: The hearings, as I said in my opening statement, seem to be getting a little more complex. As for challenges, it's just keeping abreast, keeping up on the files. If you have a four- or five-day hearing, that's a long hearing. It takes a lot of stamina and a lot of work. That's the challenge, I think, for all of the members right now. But we knuckle down, and we get the job done. I think we make some pretty good decisions.
As I said, the other issue would be to ensure that everyone is kept up on the legislation, the regulations and any case law—whether at the upper levels, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Canada—that may affect our decisions, just to be aware of that so we do the best job we can.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): Thank you for coming this morning. You may step down.
I'm sorry, I forgot. Yes, Mr. Brown.
Mr. Michael A. Brown: Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to thank you for coming today, Mr. Walstedt. We appreciate all your qualifications. We are confident that this appointment is a good one and that you will continue to work for the good of the agricultural community. Thank you.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): Thank you for coming. My apologies.
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ANJU VIRMANI KUMAR
Review of intended appointment, selected by third party: Anju Kumar, intended appointee as member, Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): Our next interview is with Anju Virmani Kumar, the intended appointee as member, Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network. Good morning and welcome to the committee. As you might have observed, you have an opportunity to make statements if you wish, and then we'll have questions from the committee. So when you're ready, please begin.
Ms. Anju Kumar: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, Madam Chair and members of the standing committee. It's my pleasure to be here this morning to present to you myself and my qualifications for a position on the board of the Toronto Central LHIN.
My name is Anju Virmani Kumar. I was born in New Delhi, India. I arrived in Canada in 1975 at the age of 20. I did most of my growing up here in North America. I currently work as the chief information officer at Cargojet, which is a seven-year-young company dedicated to meeting the cargo needs of the Canadian business community.
In my role as the CIO, I have full responsibility for the technology, information and infrastructure, to ensure that the technology strategy of the organization is in sync with the overall corporate strategy of the company. Aviation is a highly regulated industry that relies on solid procedures, sound judgment, good processes and good governance.
In the past, I have run successful consulting companies, mainly in the areas of implementing large-scale software and technical solutions in order to solve complex business problems. Having been in many corporate environments, I developed a passion in the areas of corporate governance and corporate social responsibility. So a few years ago, I decided to get more involved with governance issues at the board level. I attended a course at the Directors College of McMaster University, which gave me the designation of a charter director. This invaluable training, along with my education—a master's degree in business administration—and my years of experience in the business community have prepared me well for the responsibilities and complexities of the board positions.
A few years ago, as my family was growing up and I had more time on my hands, I decided it was time to give back to the community and to my adopted country. I started to get involved in community organizations, to offer them the skills that I possess. So in the past—and I continue to do so—I volunteered my time and skills for several not-for-profit organizations, some that helped new immigrants. I've also worked on hospital foundations and fundraising committees.
I'm involved in nurturing entrepreneurship through mentoring. As a board member of TIE, The Indus Entrepreneurs, I accompanied our Premier on his trade delegation to India last year. Last year, I was also appointed by our Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, to serve on the Advisory Council for National Security as well as the Cross-Cultural Roundtable on Security.
Earlier this year, I was approached by the Maytree Foundation regarding the board position for the Toronto Central LHIN. The Maytree Foundation is a not-for-profit organization. One of the services it provides is the abcGTA roster, which has a database of candidates qualified for, and interested in, board positions for the public sector.
I met with the people at Maytree to learn more about the Toronto Central LHIN. When I heard that the LHIN was looking for someone with a technology, finance and communications background from a corporate sector, who also has experience with strategy and technology, as the LHIN looks forward to implementing its mandate, I felt this was a perfect way to package my knowledge and skills, and to top it off with my background in governance, corporate social responsibility and accountability, to make a significant contribution to the LHIN in implementing their vision of transforming the health care system to better service the needs of Ontarians.
Although health care technology has come a long way, it still has a long way to go. I'm keen to participate in the agenda of the LHIN in innovative and creative ways, by deploying technology to move towards integration of services as we implement e-health to service the needs of our very diverse community.
I was then invited to meet with the chair of the LHIN and board and a couple of members of the nomination committee, so that they could get an understanding of my skill set and background and I could understand at a very high level the mandate of the board. After these meetings, I was given to understand that the board would like to recommend my nomination, and so this process was started.
I'm really excited about the possibility of serving on the Toronto Central LHIN. I live in the area that is serviced by the LHIN.
Availability of health care services is a topic very close to my heart. I have an 85-year-old mother who has a number of health issues, as people of that age do, and my mother is constantly in and out of service providers.
I believe the health care system is owned by the people, it's here to service the people of our community, and I believe that being a woman of ethnic cultural background, along with the qualifications I possess, I am in a unique position to offer some insight and help lead the transformation of the health care system. My professional qualifications speak for themselves.
On the softer side, my style is inclusive and collaborative. I believe in teamwork and my key strength is my ability to think outside the box and propose solutions to meet challenges that are efficient, cost-effective, creative and innovative.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): Thank you. We will commence questions, then, with Ms. DiNovo.
Ms. Cheri DiNovo: Welcome, Ms. Kumar. A couple of questions: Number one, I can't help but notice that in your background, there isn't any health care. Could you address that, perhaps? We're used to seeing maybe somebody with a nursing background or some background appropriate to a hospital setting or a health care setting.
Ms. Anju Kumar: Although I am not a nurse and I'm not a practitioner, I have implemented systems for the health care industry and the pharmaceutical and service care industry in the past, supporting automation and technology. So I do have that in my background.
Ms. Cheri DiNovo: Just some general questions: As you're probably very aware, we're coming into an incredibly challenging time in health care in this province. One of the constant criticisms of the LHIN program, generally, is that it's really another layer of bureaucracy that sops up a fair amount of taxpayer money without that money going directly into health care provision. What would you say to that criticism?
Ms. Anju Kumar: Ontario has a huge budget and I'm really not familiar with the policy, but I believe that the LHIN is there to support the people of the community in providing them the services they need. Our citizens are the key stakeholders of this process, and I think if we involve our citizens, our community, in that process, and we meet the needs of our stakeholders, we will be in a good position to provide those services.
Ms. Cheri DiNovo: You're going to be in Toronto looking at the Toronto Central LHIN?
Ms. Anju Kumar: Yes.
Ms. Cheri DiNovo: My riding happens to be within the boundaries of that LHIN, and certainly we in the New Democratic Party are huge supporters of community health centres. I have two in my riding, and both of them are always scrambling for extra money from the government to allow them to expand or to meet the needs of their clients. What do you think about community health centres? Are you amenable to making sure that they're properly resourced?
Ms. Anju Kumar: I absolutely am. I think our main goal is to provide services to the people who live in our communities. I absolutely support the cause of the community health centres. I hope my job would be, or part of our job would be, to make sure that there's accountability and that the needs of our stakeholders, of our people, are actually met.
Ms. Cheri DiNovo: One last question on publicly-privately financed hospitals—there's actually a very interesting letter in the letters to the editor in the Star today about it. Somebody—a Dr. Norman Kalant, from the Medical Reform Group of Toronto—has written in and argued that they in fact cost way more than publicly financed hospitals and they are far less efficient in terms of providing health care. We've seen this with the Brampton Civic Hospital, and we've seen this on a grand scale in Great Britain where they're withdrawing from that policy. What do you think about publicly-privately funded hospitals?
Ms. Anju Kumar: I'm a supporter of the publicly funded hospital care system. I've lived in a country—India—where there's a huge disparity in incomes and there is a privately held system. I've lived in the US, and in some parts of the US I've seen privately funded hospitals for people who can't take care of themselves. I think part of the beauty of living in this country is that we are a publicly supported health care system, and I support that fully.
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Ms. Cheri DiNovo: So you support a publicly funded health care system?
Ms. Anju Kumar: Yes.
Ms. Cheri DiNovo: Thank you very much, Ms. Kumar.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): We'll move on to the government. Mr. Brown.
Mr. Michael A. Brown: I just wanted to thank you for coming this morning. We appreciate your putting forward your name. It is sometimes a difficult thing for people to do, and we appreciate all your community involvement and thank you again for appearing.
Ms. Anju Kumar: Thank you.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): Mrs. Elliott.
Mrs. Christine Elliott: I just have a few questions. My riding is in the 905 area, so I'm not as familiar with the challenges that would be faced within the LHIN that you are going to be involved with. Could you just give your impression of what you think, off the top, the three most important issues are for you in the Toronto LHIN?
Ms. Anju Kumar: I would think that, based on some of the new surveys and some of the data that have come out on the diversity of the population in the Toronto Central LHIN—and that doesn't just go for the Toronto Central LHIN; most of the greater Toronto area is very diversely populated. I would think of an integration of the services so that people don't fall through the cracks, aging at home and e-health; making sure that my health information is private and that it's available when I need it. If I can carry a credit card that tells somebody my whole financial history, I should be able to carry my health information on a card, so that if I run into an accident, people are not scrambling around: Here's my health card, and all my information is consolidated. I would support those three issues.
Mrs. Christine Elliott: So you would see the promotion of e-health as being a major priority?
Ms. Anju Kumar: E-health and back-office integration go hand in hand. That's where I would see my priorities.
Mrs. Christine Elliott: In terms of your support for the publicly funded system—I'm also a supporter of publicly funded access to universal health care—do you see any role for the private sector within the delivery of health care?
Ms. Anju Kumar: I actually think that, if coordinated properly, the private sector can make a contribution to the publicly funded system. Responsibilities, accountability—everything would have to be defined. New York City has brought private organizations and private money into a publicly funded health system—with the ability to bring in consensus and make sure ultimately it's the people who need to get those services. I think it would be a beautiful mix if you could make it happen. It would be a challenge, though.
Mrs. Christine Elliott: I agree. Thank you very much.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): Thank you very much for coming here today. We appreciate your coming.
Ms. Anju Kumar: My pleasure.
BRENDA ROSEBOROUGH
Review of intended appointment, selected by third party: Brenda Roseborough, intended appointee as member, North East Local Health Integration Network.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): We'll now move on to our third interview. This is Brenda Roseborough, the intended appointee as member, North East Local Health Integration Network. Good morning and welcome to the committee. As you may have observed, you have an opportunity to make a statement and then we will have questions from the members. Please go ahead.
Ms. Brenda Roseborough: Good morning. Thank you for inviting me to speak with you this morning.
I'd like to begin by stating that I'm a lifelong resident of northeastern Ontario. I graduated from Cambrian College with a diploma in nursing in 1975. Then I went on to complete a B.Sc. degree in nursing at Laurentian University and later a master's degree in education from Nipissing University.
As a registered nurse, I have worked in a variety of acute care settings in Sudbury and Timmins. I also worked in the community as a district health nurse for the Victorian Order of Nurses.
Since 1986, I have been a professor at Cambrian College. While employed at the college, I have held a variety of positions, including coordinating the nursing program at the time when the collaborative B.Sc. in nursing program was initiated. The northeastern Ontario collaborative nursing program is a partnership that includes Laurentian University, Cambrian College, Sault college and Northern college. The partners work in course teams to develop and deliver Laurentian University's baccalaureate degree in nursing from four northeastern Ontario sites.
Working with nurse educators from across the north has enriched my understanding of issues beyond Sudbury and has enhanced my ability to collaborate with others to achieve common goals.
I have had the opportunity to participate on the Cambrian College board of governors as an internal governor. This role is a challenging one as internal representatives on college boards are both employees and trustees of the college at the same time. Cambrian College experienced some very difficult times while I was serving on its board. Our long-standing president retired and his much-respected replacement died very suddenly. Despite the challenges, I learned a great deal in the six years that I was on the college board. In addition to the benefits of board experience, I expanded my understanding of governance by attending numerous conferences and workshops.
When teaching professionalism to nursing students, I emphasize that nurses are in a unique situation because we work at the crossroads of health care. Our clients are individuals, families and communities. We know first-hand what is happening at the bedside, but we also have the knowledge, skills and abilities to influence well beyond the individual client we are caring for.
In conclusion, I have extensive experience in health care, a broad understanding of governance issues and a willingness to fully commit to this appointment. I believe I have much to offer the North East Local Health Integration Network.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): Thank you very much. We'll begin with the government members.
Mr. Michael A. Brown: Mr. Orazietti and I represent constituencies within the North East LHIN. One of the challenges, of course, is just the grand geography we have to contend with. I represent Algoma—Manitoulin, which is a totally rural riding, and I know the challenges that come forward to the LHIN on a regular basis.
We're just happy that you've made your application and that you're here today, and we wish you well, if the appointment is yours.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): Mrs. Elliott.
Mrs. Christine Elliott: Thank you, Ms. Roseborough. You certainly have an impressive history and a unique perspective, having been raised in the area and having worked in the health care business through your career. I'd be interested in just hearing some of the challenges that you see facing the LHIN in your area as we move forward.
Ms. Brenda Roseborough: We have quite a number of challenges. One that's quite significant is ALC patients—patients who are awaiting long-term care—backed up into our acute care hospital settings. That one is a significant issue because it then leads to longer wait times, real problems with acute care, and real problems with emergency departments that have patients who should be admitted. It's a complex problem, because the answer isn't necessarily simply adding more and more long-term-care beds, in terms of the cost of that as well as the feasibility of it. So you need to look very seriously at some innovative ideas on how to deal with assisting our elderly, in particular, in the home setting and in the community.
As well as the ALC issue, there are concerns about geography and telecommunications—the use of information technology to enhance communication—and also the recruitment of health care professionals. Certainly, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine will be helpful once they get their graduates out there; in the next two years or so, they'll be out of school and doing some internship. The difficult part is not only recruiting health care professionals, it's retaining them once you get them in the north.
Mrs. Christine Elliott: In terms of your personal goal, what would you want to start with and make your priority as a member of the LHIN?
Ms. Brenda Roseborough: I think my priority would probably be looking at innovative solutions to address the ALC clients, in terms of managing the elderly in the home setting—because that really creates numerous problems. It's sort of the one problem that creates a domino effect down the line.
Mrs. Christine Elliott: Do you feel that home care is part of the solution to allow people to stay in their homes longer rather than moving into long-term-care facilities?
Ms. Brenda Roseborough: Home care—do you mean as offered by CCACs at present?
Mrs. Christine Elliott: A variety of ways.
Ms. Brenda Roseborough: CCACs have a very specific role in home care. Sometimes it's things like adult daycare centres, where family members can have people in homes with them, and then bring mom or dad to a daycare centre as we bring children to daycare centres. They're quite popular in some jurisdictions and not particularly popular in the north. Sometimes it's a matter of simple services, not nursing care services, that folks need to support them.
Also, cost-effective intermediate care, assisted living care: I know in our community, in Sudbury, the assisted living facilities are very costly, and oftentimes clients have no place to go between the home and the nursing home level of care—so looking at something for the intermediary.
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Mrs. Christine Elliott: I certainly experience that in my riding. It's certainly an issue in the Central East LHIN as well. Thank you very much. I appreciate your insight and wish you well.
Ms. Brenda Roseborough: Thank you.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): Thank you very much. Ms. DiNovo.
Ms. Cheri DiNovo: Thanks for coming, Ms. Roseborough. A few questions: First of all, you mentioned long-term care. We're very concerned, in the NDP, that the minimum standards of care have not really been set and that they're too low. We've witnessed a number of incidents that have grown out of that, calamities in some cases. What do you think about the call for a minimum of 3.5 hours of care per resident per day that the OFL has called for?
Ms. Brenda Roseborough: I think that the level of care in long-term-care facilities is a concern. I have personal experience because I have a parent in a long-term-care facility. I think what ends up happening with clients in long-term care is that sometimes the amount of service a client needs varies depending upon their medical condition. When we start talking about an absolute number, then you're really taking away from those clients who need significantly more.
Ms. Cheri DiNovo: This would be an average.
Ms. Brenda Roseborough: The average, yes. I think we need to look at increasing it, to be quite honest. I'm not sure what the LHIN's position is on that, and I would have to work collaboratively with the board in making those kinds of recommendations and decisions. I believe long-term-care concerns are huge.
Ms. Cheri DiNovo: Certainly the threats to medicare that we're experiencing right now are also huge. You heard me ask previously about publicly-privately financed hospitals. What do you think of P3s?
Ms. Brenda Roseborough: Actually, I very strongly believe in the tenets of the Canada Health Act, so I believe in universality and accessibility, and I believe in public administration of health care.
Ms. Cheri DiNovo: Social determinants of health are, I'm sure, an issue in your area, and I'm particularly thinking of the plight of First Nations in terms of accessing, often, clean water, but certainly nutritious food. I'm wondering how you see the LHIN playing a role in First Nations health care.
Ms. Brenda Roseborough: Well, with First Nation communities there is the issue of federal jurisdiction versus provincial jurisdiction, so I would assume that the LHIN would have to work with the federal agencies together to try to support improving conditions for aboriginal and First Nation communities.
In some cases, First Nation communities are really struggling to have any sort of healthy lifestyle. Healthy lifestyle is a huge problem in northeastern Ontario for all communities. We have higher levels of chronic illness, higher numbers of people who smoke, higher numbers of people who drink excessively etc., and those are particular concerns. But I'm also cognizant of the fact that there is the federal—and there has to be a desire to work together for the common goal.
Ms. Cheri DiNovo: I also asked the other applicant about the fact that LHINs, for some, seem to be a layer of bureaucracy, that perhaps the money that goes into that layer of bureaucracy could be better served going into direct health care for the population of this province. What would you say to that?
Ms. Brenda Roseborough: I first learned about the LHIN—I was attending a workshop well before LHINs came into being, and somebody from the Ministry of Health was there making a presentation on the upcoming move to LHINs. At the time, I thought it was very good because it brought health care to the regional level and because we have very unique needs across the province. That's not to say that one region's need is any more important or significant than the next, just that they're very different. So from that perspective, I support the local health integration networks.
Ms. Cheri DiNovo: Thank you. I think your background is excellent.
Ms. Brenda Roseborough: Thank you.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): Thank you very much. That concludes the questions. I appreciate your being here for us.
We will now move concurrences. We will now consider the intended appointment of Kirk Walstedt, intended appointee as member and chair, Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal.
Mr. Michael A. Brown: I move concurrence for Kirk Walstedt to the Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal as a member and chair.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): Concurrence in the appointment has been moved by Mr. Brown. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favour? Opposed?
Mr. Michael A. Brown: Can we have a recorded vote?
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): I'm sorry. You have to do it beforehand.
The motion is carried.
We will now consider the intended appointment of Anju Virmani Kumar, intended appointee as member, Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network.
Mr. Michael A. Brown: I move concurrence of Anju Virmani Kumar to the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network as a member.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): Concurrence in the appointment has been moved by Mr. Brown. Any discussion?
Mr. Michael A. Brown: Recorded vote.
Ayes
Albanese, Brown, DiNovo, Elliott, Hoy, Jeffrey, Orazietti.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): The motion is carried.
We will now consider the intended appointment of Brenda Roseborough, intended appointee as member, North East Local Health Integration Network.
Mr. Michael A. Brown: I move concurrence for Brenda Roseborough to the North East Local Health Integration Network as a member.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): Concurrence in the appointment has been moved by Mr. Brown. Any discussion?
Mr. Michael A. Brown: Recorded vote.
Ayes
Albanese, Brown, DiNovo, Elliott, Hoy, Jeffrey, Orazietti.
The Chair (Mrs. Julia Munro): The motion is carried.
That concludes our business on intended appointments. Congratulations to those who have been here this morning. This committee, then, stands adjourned.
The committee adjourned at 0946.
CONTENTS
Tuesday 13 May 2008
Subcommittee report A-81
Intended appointments A-81
Mr. Kirk Walstedt A-81
Ms. Anju Virmani Kumar A-83
Ms. Brenda Roseborough A-85
STANDING COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
Chair / Présidente
Mrs. Julia Munro (York—Simcoe PC)
Vice-Chair / Vice-Présidente
Ms. Lisa MacLeod (Nepean—Carleton PC)
Mr. Michael A. Brown (Algoma—Manitoulin L)
Mr. Kevin Daniel Flynn (Oakville L)
Mme France Gélinas (Nickel Belt ND)
Mr. Randy Hiller (Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington PC)
Ms. Lisa MacLeod (Nepean—Carleton PC)
Mrs. Julia Munro (York—Simcoe PC)
Mr. David Ramsay (Timiskaming—Cochrane L)
Mrs. Liz Sandals (Guelph L)
Mrs. Maria Van Bommel (Lambton—Kent—Middlesex L)
Substitutions / Membres remplaçants
Mrs. Laura Albanese (York South—Weston / York-Sud—Weston L)
Ms. Cheri DiNovo (Parkdale—High Park ND)
Mrs. Christine Elliott (Whitby—Oshawa PC)
Mr. Pat Hoy (Chatham—Kent—Essex L)
Mrs. Linda Jeffrey (Brampton—Springdale L)
Mr. David Orazietti (Sault Ste. Marie L)
Clerk / Greffier
Mr. Douglas Arnott
Staff / Personnel
Mr. Larry Johnston, research officer,
Research and Information Services