MR. CHAIRMAN: Welcome. I hope you are enjoying the nicer weather like I am, although it is odd that the same people who were complaining about it being too cool a week ago are complaining about it being too warm now. I will take the nicer weather, that is for sure. We don't have a lot of appointments to make today. Just reporting on the other, we have had a little bit of trouble getting people lined up for the meetings with the cultural sector.
MS. MORA STEVENS (Legislative Committee Coordinator): Yes. A couple of the groups that I have contacted, some were on vacation and others had asked if we could possibly put it off to the fall, in September. It would be a better timing for them. They are opening things now. They are getting staff lined up and there was a group that was in before the Economic Development Committee I hoped to get in here, because they had already had a presentation, but they wanted to do some changes and things like that. So they asked if September would be all right, if that is okay with the committee.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
[The motion was carried.]
MR. CHAIRMAN: We also have been asked to have the name of Rob Cohn - is that supposed to be Cohen or Cohn?
MS. STEVENS: No, that is correct.
MR. DARRELL DEXTER: I have spoken with Mr. Cohn. I have known him for a number of years.
MR. CHAIRMAN: He would be happy to appear?
MR. DEXTER: Certainly. He has, I think, some very interesting views on the industry, not necessarily my views I might add, but you would find him to be a dynamic witness, I think, to say the very least.
MR. CHAIRMAN: So are we agreed to add him to the list of witnesses? Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
[The motion was carried.]
MR. CHAIRMAN: If there is no other discussion about that, we will hold those off until the fall and give everyone a bit more time during the summer. You look like you have a burn there. Enjoying the sun. Anyway, we welcome Mr. DeWolfe. You are here on behalf of Barry Barnet?
MR. JAMES DEWOLFE: That is correct.
MR. CHAIRMAN: So, anyway, we welcome you.
MR. DEWOLFE: Thank you, I feel welcome.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Good, I am glad you do. Let's go ahead. I am sure you have lots more to do than just this meeting today so we will get right into the gist of it. Again, my one line as Chairman - this is what I get to say every meeting - please give the full name of the committee and the person just for the record. So if anyone wants to go ahead, it has been our custom to do it by blocks and then we have discussion and then we have the vote.
MR. TIMOTHY OLIVE: Mr. Chairman, I suggest we do it by department as we have in the past. I would like to start with the Department of Health, Board of Examiners in Psychology; I so move Dr. Douglas B. Cane as member and Dr. Darcy A. Santor as member.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Is there any discussion? Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay. Abstentions?
[The motion was carried.]
MR. RONALD CHISHOLM: Mr. Chairman, for the Review Board under the Hospitals Act, I so move Dr. Patrick Flynn, as member.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Is there any discussion on Mr. Flynn? Mr. Dexter.
MR. DEXTER: Mr. Chairman, if someone knows the answer to this, I noticed in the description that the term of the appointment is to begin July 1st, but it seems that the length of term has been shortened from three years to one year. I was just wondering, why is that and is there something that we are unaware of?
MR. CHAIRMAN: That is a good question. I assume those are your initials beside it, Jim?
MR. JAMES SPURR: They are.
MR. CHAIRMAN: So you could speak to that.
MR. SPURR: That resulted from the discussion of this particular matter at Cabinet. That is the answer to the question. Obviously, I cannot go into a discussion of the particulars.
MR. DEXTER: Well, that is a very unsatisfactory answer.
MR. CHAIRMAN: A little incomplete. Can you not sketch out anything further without divulging Cabinet confidentiality?
MR. SPURR: I cannot really.
MR. DEXTER: The normal term is three years, is that correct?
MR. SPURR: These can be anywhere up to three years: one year, two year, three year.
MR. DEXTER: Did any of the other appointees have shortened . . .
MR. SPURR: Yes, we have had others before you where in the same case we have changed the terms and I put my initials by it just . . .
MR. DEXTER: I meant among the present appointees to the . . .
MR. SPURR: In this group that is before you?
MR. DEXTER: Yes.
MR. SPURR: They would be signified in the same way if they were.
MR. DEXTER: What can I say, Mr. Chairman, except that if changes are going to be made, really I think it is incumbent at some point to give a little bit of rationale as to why these things are done. We are trying for some level of transparency on them. I have no problem with it, this particular nominee seems to be eminently qualified. I have no quibble with that, but when changes are made, there should be at least some modicum of explanation as to why the change is made.
MR. CHAIRMAN: I don't think we can be too tough on Mr. Spurr, but it would be nice to have a little more explanation than that and perhaps, with your permission, I can write the Clerk of the Executive Council and ask for a little further insight into why the change in term. Is that okay?
MR. DEXTER: I would, in fact, move so.
MR. CHAIRMAN: It may be a very simple thing, but it would seem to me that it should be . . .
MR. SPURR: I will make every effort to give you that answer, it is just that I can't today, because the recollection isn't that great and I wouldn't want to divulge any particulars I shouldn't. If you want to ask again, I will certainly endeavour to give you the answer that would be satisfactory.
MR. CHAIRMAN: I will write a letter to that effect, asking when terms are changed if we could have the explanation that we are entitled to.
Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
[The motion was carried.]
MR. CHAIRMAN: Is there any further discussion on Mr. Flynn? He does look eminently qualified.
Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay. Abstentions? There are 3.
[The motion was carried.]
MR. CHAIRMAN: The next name.
MR. WILLIAM DOOKS: Mr. Chairman, I so move, for the Department of Justice, Securities Commission of Nova Scotia, H. Leslie O'Brien, Q.C. as Vice-Chair.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay. Abstentions?
[The motion was carried.]
MR. CHAIRMAN: Finally, the last name.
MR. DEWOLFE: Mr. Chairman, I so move, for the Department of Labour, the Fuel Safety Board, Frederick L. Chalmers, industry member.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay. Abstentions?
[The motion was carried.]
MR. CHAIRMAN: Before a motion for adjournment, our next meeting is July 18th. I will be on the Island having the onerous task of being at the Parliamentarians Association. Are you there as well? So that will be a tough job that we are going to be putting ourselves in for, Darrell, but someone has to do it. I will check and see if Don Downe can chair, as the vice-chairman. Wayne, would you know what his schedule is?
MR. WAYNE GAUDET: We could always have the meeting on the Island. (Laughter)
Mr. Chairman, I will check with the vice-chairman.
MR. OLIVE: Why can't you meet on July 25th?
MR. CHAIRMAN: I think the tall ships was the problem.
MS. STEVENS: The tall ships was the problem on July 25th, because it is the day after the parade. If anything, we would have to move it back to July 25th, because people are counting on the time to get everything through for their appointments, they know the deadline. We could put it to July 25th.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Do you want to change the date?
MR. OLIVE: The day after the tall ships, what does that mean? It means nothing, really.
MR. CHAIRMAN: It was traffic, or was it your schedule?
MR. OLIVE: They will have the barricades gone by midnight on July 24th.
MR. CHAIRMAN: So we are talking about moving from . . .
MR. OLIVE: July 18th to July 25th.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Move it from July 18th back to July 25th, which would be its normal time anyway, at 9:00 a.m.
MR. OLIVE: Motion to adjourn.
MR. CHAIRMAN: The motion for adjournment has been made.
We stand adjourned.
[The committee adjourned at 9:14 a.m.]
