HALIFAX, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2002
STANDING COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES
9:00 A.M.
CHAIRMAN
Mr. Jon Carey
MR. CHAIRMAN: Good morning. It's starting time, I believe. We have appointments to do this morning and, as usual, we can start with introductions, starting with Ronnie and going around.
[The committee members introduced themselves.]
MR. CHAIRMAN: Thank you and good morning. We have a number of appointments. The last meeting we did them en bloc. I don't know if you wish to do them individually or en bloc. Whatever your desire, we can accommodate.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: En bloc.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Very well, perhaps we could start.
MR. RONALD CHISHOLM: Mr. Chairman, for the Department of Community Services, the Adoption Appeal Committee, Release of Adoption Information, I so move Meredith L. Fillmore as a member.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Disabled Persons Commission.
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MR. JOHN CHATAWAY: Mr. Chairman, to the Disabled Persons Commission, I nominate Johanne Caron, William Crawford, Berkley Evans, Ralph D. Ferguson, John T. Kyle, Brian Tapper and H. Jane Warren to be members of this commission.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Kings Regional Rehabilitation Centre.
MS. MARY ANN MCGRATH: Mr. Chairman, I would move Wally MacDonald as a member of the Kings Regional Rehabilitation Centre.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Department of Environment and Labour.
MR. BROOKE TAYLOR: Mr. Chairman, to the Labour Standards Tribunal, I would nominate Nelson Blackburn, Q.C., as chairman and, of course, member.
MS. MAUREEN MACDONALD: I just want to make a point about this particular appointment. There were 15 responses to the advertisement. This is one of those tribunals that the Kaiser decision relates to in that it's an administrative tribunal. It's the last level of administrative appeal for workers in the workplace who don't have a collective agreement and we have no way of knowing, because the government hasn't put in place a process to make appointments more transparent, whether or not this applicant, in fact, is the most qualified applicant of the 15 applicants.
I'm going to abstain from supporting this particular applicant. I want to encourage the chairman to communicate with the minister and with the government that we need to put in place a transparent process for appointments to administrative tribunals, that are really important to the people who are coming in front of them, that they're getting the best justice that they can in these bodies.
MR. TAYLOR: Mr. Chairman, perhaps I could point out for the honourable member, and she is probably aware, that Mr. Nelson Blackburn, Q.C. has served on the Labour Standards Tribunal and carried out his duties very professionally and most competently, for at least one term that I would be aware of. I'm just not sure who the other applicants are and I don't think the honourable member is, but I would think that Mr. Blackburn's position
certainly would deserve the support of this committee based on the fact that we have never received any information indicating that the individual has performed in a way that was anything other than professional. I just wonder if the honourable member who brought some concerns about this reappointment has some information that she would like to disclose to the committee, rather than just making the general statement that there may be more qualified nominees.
MS. MAUREEN MACDONALD: Mr. Chairman, I don't want to be argumentative with the honourable member, but my comments stand. We don't know who the other 14 applicants are for this administrative tribunal. This isn't about the qualifications of Mr. Blackburn or whether or not he has performed well in the position. This is about having a transparent, open process that leaves Nova Scotians with confidence in the Labour Standards Tribunal and that they are in fact being heard by the most qualified applicants for the job. That's all this is about.
MR. TAYLOR: Mr. Chairman, just so I'm clear, this is more about general criticism than actually zeroing in specifically on Mr. Blackburn.
MS. MAUREEN MACDONALD: Yes.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay. One abstention.
The motion is carried.
The Occupational Health and Safety Appeal Panel.
MR. RONALD CHISHOLM: Mr. Chairman, under the Department of Environment and Labour, Occupational Health and Safety Appeal Panel, I so move Thomas Carroll, John K. Kennedy, Betty Jean Sutherland and Robert Wells as members.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
The Workers' Compensation Board.
MR. CHATAWAY: Mr. Chairman, under the Department of Environment and Labour, Workers' Compensation Board, I so move H. Ramsay Duff as deputy chairman and member.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Department of Health.
MS. MCGRATH: Mr. Chairman, under the Department of Health, Nova Scotia College of Registered Nurses, I so move Mr. Leslie D. Karagianis as a member.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Gaming Foundation of Nova Scotia.
MR. TAYLOR: Mr. Chairman, under the Department of Health, Gaming Foundation of Nova Scotia, I so move Joseph E. Marsh and Robert C. Shaw as members.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
The Department of Justice.
MR. RONALD CHISHOLM: Mr. Chairman, for the Department of Justice, Legal Aid Commission of Nova Scotia, I so move James L. Chipman as a member.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
The Police Commission.
MR. CHATAWAY: Mr. Chairman, for the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, I so move Vince Garnier, Sr. as a member.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Halifax Regional Municipality.
MS. MCGRATH: Mr. Chairman, for the Halifax Regional Municipality, I so move James J. Perrin as a member.
Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Police Review Board.
MR. TAYLOR: Mr. Chairman, for the Police Review Board, I so move Marion Ferguson as chairman and member, of course; as an alternate chairman and member, Lester Jesudason; Peter E. James as an alternate member; and Dr. Charles Schafer as a member.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Department of Tourism and Culture.
MR. RONALD CHISHOLM: Mr. Chairman, for the Department of Tourism and Culture, Boxing Authority of Nova Scotia, I so move Walter R. Stewart as a member.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
That concludes our appointments. Our next meeting will be January 28th at 9:00 a.m. Any further business? Everyone have a great holiday season.
The meeting is adjourned.
[The committee adjourned at 9:13 a.m.]