Appointments Process Improved

The provincial government is making changes to improve and add accountability to the selection process for appointees to agencies, boards and commissions.

"The purpose of the new structure is to ensure the best candidates are selected in a fair and equitable manner to serve their province," said Premier John Hamm on Friday.

Kings North MLA Mark Parent has been nominated by the premier, and forwarded to the House Striking Committee, to serve as chair of the legislature's Human Resources Committee, which reviews these appointments.

"The most critical aspect of making the committee work will be the committee members themselves," said Premier Hamm. "I expect all of them to work together in selecting Nova Scotians of quality and integrity for public service."

The proposed new structure is a two-pronged approach: a new screening process for applicants; and, by agreement of the committee members, a new process for sharing information about applicants.

In keeping with established precedent the composition of the nine-member committee will reflect the seat representation following the last provincial election: five Progressive Conservatives, two Liberals and two New Democrats.

The procedure for identifying interested applicants by means of public advertisements and the guidelines for those who do apply won't change. However, a new screening mechanism will be put in place.

A panel appointed by the appropriate minister will evaluate applicants based on criteria such as experience, technical expertise, public advocacy, community involvement, and when applicable gender, cultural, linguistic or ethnic background.

The panel will recommend qualified candidates to the appropriate minister who will select the nominee for submission to cabinet and then on to the Human Resources Committee for final approval.

"Our review indicates the screening panel is in place and works well in several other provinces," the premier said. "Only the names of those qualified will go to the minister."

In addition to the new panel, the Human Resources Committee chairman will also be given a mandate to seek the co-operation of committee members in agreeing to a process that will provide members with additional information when necessary.

"Most of these positions are filled without dispute," said the premier. "The need for additional information arises on a few rare occasions and the chairman should have the authority to deal with that."

With the agreement of the committee members to protect the privacy of those not nominated by the minister, the names of other qualified applicants may be provided to committee members on a confidential basis for information purposes.

"In the final analysis the integrity of the process will only be as great as that of the committee members themselves," said Premier Hamm.