HALIFAX, TUESDAY, MAY 25, 2004
STANDING COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES
9:00 A.M.
CHAIRMAN
Mr. Ronald Chisholm
MR. CHAIRMAN: It's after 1:00 p.m. and we do have a quorum.
MR. RUSSELL MACKINNON: Mr. Chairman, my colleague, Ms. Whalen, will be along shortly, and Mr. Glavine won't be here.
MR. CHAIRMAN: We're looking for Cecil O'Donnell as well. Maybe for the record, we could go around the table and introduce ourselves.
[The committee members introduced themselves.]
MR. CHAIRMAN: Before us we have appointments to the agencies, boards and commissions. I guess everybody has had the book for a week or so. Mr. Taylor, you're on your own.
MR. BROOKE TAYLOR: Mr. Chairman, for the Department of Education, the Nova Scotia Advisory Board on Colleges and Universities, I so move Bernie MacDonald as a member.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Are you ready for the question? Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
MR. TAYLOR: Mr. Chairman, for the Dr. P. Anthony Johnstone Memorial Fund Entrance Scholarship Committee, I so move Carolyn Fowler as a member.
1
MR. CHAIRMAN: Are you ready for the question? Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
MR. TAYLOR: Mr. Chairman, for the Department of Environment and Labour, the Resource Recovery Fund Board, I so move Richard Ramsay as chairman.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Are you ready for the question? Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
MR. TAYLOR: Mr. Chairman, for the Department of Health, the Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia, I so move Harold B. Bezanson as a member.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Are you ready for the question? Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
MR. TAYLOR: Mr. Chairman, for the Public Service Commission, the Advisory Council on the Status of Women - I would note there's not a whole lot of gender balance here, but nonetheless - I so move Jean M. d'Entremont, Maria de Vries, Janette B. Peterson, Sonja Power and Rita Warner as members.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Are you ready for the question? Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
I guess that concludes the appointments. Other committee business, I think Darlene has circulated a letter from the Honourable Angus MacIsaac, regarding the (Interruptions)
There's actually two letters there. One from Mr. Don Ford to the Honourable Angus MacIsaac and I guess it's my understanding that it's something that happens within the Capital Health District, or any of the districts.
MR. FRANK CORBETT: I'm not too sure since DHAs are fairly new, I don't know how they work as far as ex officio, is it?
MR. CHAIRMAN: I think so, yes, and it's just a matter of courtesy, I guess, to inform us that this has happened.
MR. MACKINNON: And it will broaden the level of expertise on the board. We have no problem with it.
MR. CHAIRMAN: So everybody is comfortable with that.
MR. CORBETT: I make a motion to accept the minister's request.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Do we have a seconder for that?
MR. TAYLOR: I will second that motion.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Are you ready for the question? Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Okay, our next meeting date.
MR. MACKINNON: Mr. Chairman, with your permission and members of the committee, I would like to withdraw my name as vice-chairman and, if it's possible, we could select another vice-chairman today. I have no problem putting forth the name of Diana Whalen.
MR. TAYLOR: I second that motion.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Do you accept, Diana?
MS. DIANA WHALEN: Yes, thank you.
MR. TAYLOR: Just a second. What's the protocol? Russell, you've stepped down, is that what you're saying?
MR. CORBETT: I feel uncomfortable accepting his resignation, I think, and I take it with regret with the exception that he named a capable person in his stead.
MR. CHAIRMAN: There has been a motion by Frank and seconded by Russell that we accept the recommendation. (Interruption) Okay, that's another issue, too, yes. Okay, we have a motion on the floor.
MR. TAYLOR: Mr. Chairman, should we by motion move to accept the resignation of the vice-chairman, just to keep it all in . . .
MR. CHAIRMAN: Yes.
MR. TAYLOR: I would make a motion then that we accept the resignation of the honourable member for Cape Breton West.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Do we have a seconder for that?
MS. MAUREEN MACDONALD: I second the motion.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Are you ready for the question? Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Now, the motion for Ms. Whalen.
MR. TAYLOR: It was the former vice-chairman, I think, who made the motion, yes. (Interruption) I would second that motion, Mr. Chairman.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
The bulk advertisement distribution, that's something that we've talked about before and we wanted to discuss it, I guess, further with the whole committee. We do now advertise in the Cape Breton Post, The ChronicleHerald and The Daily News, I believe it is. I wonder if it might be an idea that we bring in Communications Nova Scotia, because they're the ones that basically to do this?
MRS. DARLENE HENRY (Legislative Committee Clerk): Yes
MR. CHAIRMAN: To give us a breakdown as to exactly what the costs are. Ms. MacDonald.
MS. MAUREEN MACDONALD: I think that would be a great idea to bring in Communications Nova Scotia. During the budget estimates - no, it was here at this committee, I guess, when we had the Public Service Commission. If you remember, I had an opportunity to ask the Public Service Commission about whether or not they thought the way that we were advertising was adequate in terms of the Affirmative Action Policy of the government and Ms. Chandler, who is the affirmative action officer, said that she did not think that it would get the kind of response that we would want to probably target and get more directly into some of the communities that we would like to reach. So perhaps when we ask Communications Nova Scotia, we could also ask them to come prepared to talk about newsletters or small, local newspapers or different kinds of modes of communicating with
very targeted communities, and it might be specifically with respect to the Affirmative Action Policy of the government.
MR. CHAIRMAN: We can do that. So we'll try to schedule them sometime in the near future, I guess. (Interruptions) Yes, we could even do that if that's agreeable to everybody. The ad doesn't go out until October, I believe, so we could tag it onto the June 29th meeting?
MRS. HENRY: Sure.
MR. CHAIRMAN: If that's agreeable?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Okay, if that's all the business we have, motion to adjourn?
MR. CORBETT: I so move, Mr. Chairman.
MR. CHAIRMAN: The meeting is adjourned.
[The committee adjourned at 1:11 p.m.]