HANSARD
NOVA SCOTIA HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
STANDING COMMITTEE
ON
HUMAN RESOURCES
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Committee Room
Appointments to Agencies, Boards and Commissions
Printed and Published by Nova Scotia Hansard Reporting Services
HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE
Chris Palmer (Chair)
Rick Burns (Vice-Chair)
Hon. Trevor Boudreau
Melissa Sheehy-Richard
Adegoke Fadare
Krista Gallagher
Paul Wozney
Hon. Iain Rankin
Hon. Derek Mombourquette
In Attendance:
Kilian Schlemmer
Legislative Counsel
Robin Dann
Legislative Committee Clerk
HALIFAX, TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2026
STANDING COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES
10:00 A.M.
CHAIR
Chris Palmer
VICE-CHAIR
Rick Burns
THE CHAIR: Order. I call this meeting to order. This is the Standing Committee on Human Resources. I’m Chris Palmer, MLA for Kings West and the Chair of the committee. Today we’ll be reviewing appointments to agencies, boards, and commissions.
I’d like to ask everyone to please set your phones to silent and all the members to now introduce themselves beginning with their name and constituency. We’ll begin with Vice-Chair Burns.
[The committee members introduced themselves.]
THE CHAIR: Thank you, everyone. For the purposes of Hansard, I’d like to recognize the presence of Legislative Counsel Kilian Schlemmer to my left and Legislative Committee Clerk Robin Dann to my right.
We will now move on to our appointments to our agencies, boards, and commissions. I’ll look for a motion from MLA Burns to begin.
RICK BURNS: For the first motion, for the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage, I move to recommend Susan Crocker be appointed director of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia Board of Directors.
THE CHAIR: All those in favour? Contrary minded? Thank you.
The motion is carried.
MLA Burns.
RICK BURNS: For the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage, I move to recommend David Beattie and Mark Joseph be appointed members to the Cumberland Regional Library Board.
THE CHAIR: Motion on the table. Discussion?
All those in favour? Contrary minded? Thank you.
The motion is carried.
MLA Burns.
RICK BURNS: For the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, I move to recommend Miguel Lorenzi be appointed director to the Nova Scotia Fisheries & Aquaculture Loan Board.
THE CHAIR: Motion on the table. Any discussion?
All those in favour? Contrary minded? Thank you.
The motion is carried.
MLA Burns.
RICK BURNS: For the Department of Health and Wellness, I move to recommend Dan Boyd and Victoria Brown be appointed as public representatives to the Board of the Nova Scotia Regulator of Psychology.
THE CHAIR: Motion on the table. Any discussion?
All those in favour? Contrary minded? Thank you.
The motion is carried.
MLA Burns.
RICK BURNS: For the Department of Justice, I move to recommend Marie Adsett, Jasmine Ghosn, and Lerato Chondoma be appointed as commissioners to the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission.
THE CHAIR: Motion on the table. Any discussion?
All those in favour? Contrary minded? Thank you.
The motion is carried.
MLA Burns.
RICK BURNS: For the Department of Opportunities and Social Development, I move to recommend Arlene McGinty be appointed member to the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers Board of Examiners.
THE CHAIR: Thank you, MLA Burns. Can you please repeat that again?
RICK BURNS: Aileen McGinty.
THE CHAIR: Thank you very much. Motion on the table. Any discussion?
All those in favour? Contrary minded? Thank you.
The motion is carried.
MLA Burns.
RICK BURNS: For the Department of Service Nova Scotia, I move to recommend David Woo be appointed as member to the Nova Scotia Real Estate Commission.
THE CHAIR: Motion on the table. Any discussion?
All those in favour? Contrary minded? Thank you.
The motion is carried.
MLA Burns.
RICK BURNS: For the Nova Scotia Status of Women Office, I move to recommend Julia Cecchetto be appointed member and president designate to the Advisory Board on the Status of Women.
THE CHAIR: Motion on the table. Any discussion?
MLA Sheehy-Richard.
MELISSA SHEEHY-RICHARD: I believe MLA Burns said “board” instead of “council.” I’m not sure if that needs to be corrected.
THE CHAIR: MLA Burns, we’ll get you to repeat the motion, please.
RICK BURNS: For the Nova Scotia Status of Women Office, I move to recommend Julia Cecchetto be appointed member and president designate to the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
THE CHAIR: Any discussion on that?
All those in favour? Contrary minded? Thank you.
The motion is carried.
MLA Burns.
RICK BURNS: For the Nova Scotia Status of Women Office, I move to recommend Afolake Awoyiga, Betty MacDonald, Collette Robert, Veronica Merryfield, Claudia Bowers, Maxine Mann, and Kayleen Murphy be appointed members to the Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
THE CHAIR: MLA Burns, thank you. Can you repeat the last name on that, please?
RICK BURNS: Kathleen Murphy.
THE CHAIR: Thank you, MLA Burns.
There is a motion on the table. Any discussion?
All those in favour? Contrary minded? Thank you.
The motion is carried.
That concludes our appointments. Our next meeting will be Tuesday, April 7th, here in One Government Place between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. The topic will be the Natural Resource Expansion, and Workforce Development with witnesses from the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, the Department of Natural Resources, the Public Service Commission, and the Nova Scotia Community College.
With that in mind, we will now stand adjourned. See you in the House.
[The committee adjourned at 10:06 a.m.]
