MR. CHAIRMAN: Good morning. We are running a little late so perhaps we could get underway. Welcome to everyone. We have some new members. I think the normal procedure is to just go around, to have on record the committee members present. Perhaps we could start with Dr. Smith.
[The committee members introduced themselves.]
MR. CHAIRMAN: We have some new members. Brian, I think you have been added, so we welcome you. A lot of us are new. I'm new to the chair from a month ago. Other new appointments, Mary Ann McGrath; Ron, you were on this . . .
MR. RONALD CHISHOLM: I've been here since day one.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Day one, you're one of the old veterans. We will move along with appointments to agencies, boards and commissions. These are the appointments by the citizens for the district health authorities. I don't know if you want to do them by department or if you want to go through en bloc, whatever your desires are. I think there are 30 (Interruptions)
MR. JOHN HOLM: There is division amongst the government caucus. (Laughter)
MR. CHAIRMAN: No division. We will go either way. I think there are 36 or something if we do them for a department, otherwise I think there are nine. Whatever you wish.
1
DR. JAMES SMITH: Mr. Chairman, I would suggest, as another member suggested, that we just do it by board. Basically these have come from the boards themselves.
MR. CHAIRMAN: That's right, the community district health authorities.
DR. SMITH: They're not really controversial. We've gone through them and some of them aren't complete perhaps with full resumés and all that, but it's a small point, and the ones I've noticed have been reappointments. I really don't have a problem.
MR. HOLM: It doesn't matter to me.
MR. RICHARD HURLBURT: I so move, Mr. Chairman.
MR. CHAIRMAN: If it's in agreement we will move them en bloc for the Department of Health.
MR. HOLM: I think that was opposite to what Jim had suggested.
DR. SMITH: It doesn't matter to me.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Either way.
MR. HOLM: It doesn't matter.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Let's move them en bloc then.
MS. MARY ANN MCGRATH: Mr. Chairman, under the Department of Health, I would move the appointments of the 36 members for Health Authority Districts 1 through 9, as noted in the book.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
The Department of Justice, Review Board under the Criminal Code.
MR. HURLBURT: Mr. Chairman, under the Department of Justice I so move the two names that have been submitted, Dr. Harry Poulos and Michael Teehan.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations.
MR. KERRY MORASH: Mr. Chairman, under the Real Estate Commission of Nova Scotia, I would like to move Howard Oakey as a commission member.
[9:15 a.m.]
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
The Department of Tourism and Culture.
MR. RONALD CHISHOLM: Mr. Chairman, for the Nova Scotia Museum Board of Governors, I so move Betty Ann Aaboe-Milligan, Robbins Elliott, Daniel Haughn and Donald Julien as board members.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Sherbrooke Restoration Commission.
MR. RONALD CHISHOLM: Also under the Department of Tourism and Culture for the Sherbrooke Restoration Commission, I so move Janelle Colp as commissioner.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
MR. HOLM: No, no, not on this one. Once that vote is finished, a question, if I can go back. Is that vote carried on the last one?
MR. CHAIRMAN: Yes.
MR. HOLM: Okay, just a question. I think that Mary Ann's motion was to approve the 36?
MS. MCGRATH: That was the number the chairman said, 36.
MR. HOLM: I think that you may want to count it. I added them up and my math isn't always the best but I count 39, so I was wondering, which three didn't we approve?
MR. CHAIRMAN: Nine districts was the motion but she did say 36.
MR. HOLM: So long as it's clear.
MR. CHAIRMAN: We have a correction. It was for the nine districts, 39, sorry. Very well, those are the appointments that were presented to us today. From Committee Business we have the Annual Report from 1999-2000 to be signed off. If all caucuses are prepared to sign off we can do that. If there needs to be discussion and so on, it will be done in camera.
MR. HOLM: I can't quite honestly comment because I can't speak for our members because I haven't spoken to them about it. I only saw that actually yesterday.
MR. CHAIRMAN: So you would like to have it delayed?
MR. HOLM: Honestly, I have no idea unfortunately about what is or isn't within the draft report and others can make the decision, but I haven't had a chance to speak to our regular members about that. I didn't know it was coming up.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Being new, what would the procedure be when we have new members?
MR. HOLM: I'm not new.
MR. CHAIRMAN: I'm a new chairman.
DR. SMITH: What is usual, the NDP would like a minority report usually and I'm quite surprised it's not here before us today. John hasn't been briefed on it fully.
MR. HOLM: One would hope that such a thing would be forthcoming because of the way the Liberals and Tories continue their practices. There needs to be some reason and wisdom brought forth in those reports.
MR. CHAIRMAN: I think I will go to our legal advice. Should we delay it to next month or should we move forward with it?
MR. GORDON HEBB: It's really up to the committee.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Is there any objection to moving forward with it and signing off? Dr. Smith, you were on the committee, I understand, through the . . .
DR. SMITH: We have no objection from our caucus but I was partly serious about historically commenting on the minority reports of the NDP traditionally. I think there was some . . .
MR. HOLM: I would like to challenge that. (Laughter)
DR. SMITH: Seriously, wasn't there some concern the NDP had about the report and that they wanted a minority report?
MR. HEBB: There was a discussion before the committee with respect to a minority report, yes.
MR. HOLM: I know there had been some issues but I don't know what the final outcome of that discussion was among those members.
DR. SMITH: I was surprised that it wasn't here. My recollection was that there was not an agreement within the NDP caucus.
MR. CHAIRMAN: What are the wishes of the committee?
MR. HOLM: Other members certainly can sign it. If the members from our caucus don't wish to sign it, then of course they won't be signing it. (Interruptions)
MR. MORASH: Mr. Chairman, we could pass it around and have all those members here sign today, at least get those signatures taken care of and maybe move the process forward a bit.
MR. CHAIRMAN: If there are any of those who feel that they don't wish to - very well, let's move it around.
MR. MORASH: Then the regular members could be contacted at a later date to request their signatures.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Right. (Interruptions)
[9:21 a.m. The committee recessed.]
[9:23 a.m. The committee reconvened.]
MR. CHAIRMAN: All those present who are on the committee have signed off, and there are two that Mora will look after apparently. The date for the next meeting is October 29th at 9:00 a.m., and there will be appointments of agencies, boards and commissions.
Is there any further business?
MR. HOLM: Will the House be in session then?
MR. CHAIRMAN: You will have to ask the Premier. (Interruptions)
MR. MORASH: I move adjournment, Mr. Chairman.
MR. CHAIRMAN: We are adjourned.
[The committee adjourned at 9:25 a.m.]