HANSARD
Printed and Published by Nova Scotia Hansard Reporting Services
STANDING COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES
Mr. David Wilson, Glace Bay (Chairman)
Hon. David Morse
Hon. Christopher d'Entremont
Mr. Chuck Porter
Mr. Charles Parker
Ms. Joan Massey
Mr. Percy Paris
Mr. Michel Samson
Ms. Diana Whalen
In Attendance:
Mrs. Darlene Henry
Legislative Committee Clerk
[Page 1]
HALIFAX, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2007
STANDING COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES
9:00 A.M.
CHAIRMAN
Mr. David Wilson (Glace Bay)
MR. CHAIRMAN: Let's call the meeting to order. For the record, everyone, we'll
introduce ourselves.
[The committee members introduced themselves.]
MR. CHAIRMAN: Thank you. Good morning, everyone. This should be a rather brief meeting. We have received some correspondence that you have in your kits from the Minister of Education regarding an item that we wrote to her about. You also have the next meeting date, which is set for January 29th, here, at 9:00 a.m.; we have our agency, board and commission appointments and the Canadian Federation of Students will be presenting at that time.
Now, let's go through our list of appointments for today's ABCs, please, starting with the Department of Education.
HON. CHRISTOPHER D'ENTREMONT: Mr. Chairman, I so move Michele LeBlanc to the Cosmetology Provincial Examining and Licensing Committee.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Is there any discussion? Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
[Page 2]
The Council on Mi'kmaq Education.
MR. D'ENTREMONT: Mr. Chairman, I so move Daniel N. Paul as member at large.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Is there any discussion? Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
MR. D'ENTREMONT: Mr. Chairman, I'm going to be excusing myself for the next few.
MR. CHAIRMAN: The Minister of Health is excusing himself for the next two sets of appointments, starting with the Crosbie Memorial Addictions Trust Fund.
MR. CHUCK PORTER: Mr. Chairman, I so move Donna Denny as a trustee (board member).
MR. CHAIRMAN: Is there any discussion? Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
The Provincial Dental Board.
MR. PORTER: Mr. Chairman, to the Provincial Dental Board, I so move Dr. Andrew Stewart, Angela Worsley, Kore-Lee Cormier, Odette d'Eon, Dr. John Miller, Dwight Rudderham and Dr. Thomas H. Raddall III as board members.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Is there any discussion? Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Diana, would you tell the Minister of Health that he's allowed back in now.
The Department of Justice, one appointment.
MR. CHARLES PARKER: Mr. Chairman, to the Human Rights Commission, I so move David Samson as a commissioner.
[Page 3]
MR. CHAIRMAN: Is there any discussion? Mr. Samson.
MR. MICHEL SAMSON: Mr. Chairman, Mr. Samson is a resident of Richmond County - may I point out, no relation to the member for Richmond, and I'm sure my colleagues on the government side can probably confirm not of the same political affiliation as the member for Richmond. Regardless of that, Mr. Samson has a long history as an educator, administrator, and has heavy involvement in the local community. He has been a volunteer for quite some time, and this actually is a reappointment as a commissioner to the Human Rights Commission, having served his three years, and I have no doubt that Mr. Samson will continue to be a good representative for our area on the Human Rights Commission. May I point out that he is bilingual as well, and of Acadian descent.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Any further discussion? Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
The Legal Aid Commission.
Mr. Porter.
MR. PORTER: Mr. Chairman, I so move Frank G. Gillis, Q.C., as a member of the Legal Aid Commission of Nova Scotia.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Any discussion? Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
The Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. The Sherbrooke Restoration Commission.
MR. D'ENTREMONT: Mr. Chairman, if I could move those two names: Donald R. Armstrong and Sharon Reid.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Any discussion? Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Is there any new business that anyone wants to discuss? If not, then the next meeting is January 29th. (Interruption)
[Page 4]
Sorry, Darlene - no one leave yet. The Standing Committee on Human Resources Annual Report. They have all been submitted to the various caucuses and members and so on. So we're looking for your sign-off here today, please circulate before you go. You can sing a carol while you're doing it if you want. (Interruptions)
The annual report is signed off.
Does anyone have any further comments or anything they would like to say at this point in time? Mr. Parker.
MR. PARKER: Mr. Chairman, I was going to ask, do we have a list of witnesses for future meetings? Other than the end of January, is there anything for February or March?
MRS. DARLENE HENRY (Legislative Committee Clerk): Nothing that's been approved.
MR. PARKER: Nothing at this point. Do we have a list of possible choices?
MRS. HENRY: There is a list of witnesses that we can bring forward at that meeting for approval.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Is that fine?
MR. PARKER: Yes.
MR. CHAIRMAN: At that particular meeting - while the House was sitting, we only had to meet to deal with agencies, boards and commissions. So we dealt with that. Once that meeting starts, we'll get back to our selection of presenters that we'll have before the committee. Ms. Whalen.
MS. DIANA WHALEN: Just looking at the guests that we have on the meeting of January 29th, I'm just wondering why we wouldn't include ANSSA as well, which is the association of Nova Scotia university students.
MR. CHAIRMAN: The request came just from the Canadian Federation of Students.
MS. WHALEN: They asked to come to see us?
MR. CHAIRMAN: Yes.
MS. WHALEN: Okay. It just seems to me it's an unusual situation where we have two groups representing university students - it might be good to hear from both of them
[Page 5]
because the subject of university funding fees and financial barriers is of relevance to both groups, but if it was a request, then . . .
MR. CHAIRMAN: It was a group request directly from the CFS - we can add it on, I mean, you know . . .
MS. WHALEN: If the others were interested, but I think that it's good to get all views. I think they agree on most of this.
MR. CHAIRMAN: We can look into that; we'll see if they're interested in appearing on the same day.
MS. WHALEN: I don't think it's good to have two separate meetings for one subject like this. We're responsible for all educational subjects at this committee, and a number of other areas as well, so we don't really have time to see a lot of groups individually and often we mix several - you know, whether it's business in the private sector, public sector - together in one handling.
MR. CHAIRMAN: That's a good point.
Mr. Porter.
MR. PORTER: Was ANSSA before us not all that long ago? I thought they were, and maybe it's . . .
MR. CHAIRMAN: Not while I've been chairman, but maybe the clerk could check that out as well.
MRS. HENRY: I'd have to double-check.
MR. CHAIRMAN: We have a two-hour time frame to work with there.
Mr. d'Entremont.
MR. D'ENTREMONT: I've just been conferring here. My understanding between the two groups is that there is a bit of a rivalry between the two, so I don't know if you could get them to appear together - it wouldn't hurt to ask, but that might be the issue.
MR. CHAIRMAN: All right. Mr. Paris.
MR. PERCY PARIS: I think I was just going to say what Mr. d'Entremont said - since they volunteered to come forward, before we invite anybody else our first priority should be to check with the Canadian Federation.
[Page 6]
MR. CHAIRMAN: Okay, if you will, let me deal with that. I have a tendency to lean towards the fact that if a group asked to come in, then they come; whether or not we go out actually seeking groups to come in is another story altogether. So if that request is there - and I don't want to tie the committee up with having two or three groups here at one time - I'll deal with that, if that's fine with the committee. Anything else?
Thank you, everybody, for your co-operation to date; since I've been chairman, it has been outstanding. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
The meeting is adjourned.
[The committee adjourned at 9:15 a.m.]