Nova Scotians' Input Needed
Nova Scotia needs you.
From farmers to certified accountants, professional boxers to physicians, urban dwellers to people with firmly embedded rural roots, Nova Scotia is made up of men and women with widespread work and educational backgrounds, physical abilities, as well as cultural and ethnic influences.
And all their experiences can be of assistance as government bodies try to reflect the needs and concerns of Nova Scotia's citizens.
"An agency, board or commission is a place someone can use their personal experience and know-how to help make a difference," said Ron Chisholm, chair of the legislature's standing committee on human resources. "Government needs help from people who represent differing aspects of this province's life so it can better reflect everyone in society."
Twice a year, the province advertises vacancies on district health authorities, library boards, professional, educational, cultural and many varied special interest organizations. This fall, for example, 83 of the province's agencies, boards and commissions will seek applications for their pool of qualified candidates.
Individual agencies, boards and commissions involve different levels of commitment. A scholarship review committee, for example, may only meet a few times a year while people on an advisory council may need to spend more time on the job.
While many positions are voluntary, some are not. As part of the process, people who apply for positions on agencies, boards and commissions that pay $100 or more per day consent to the public release of their application information.
Qualifications also vary. Life experience in a certain field may be of more value to a specific group than academic accomplishments.
Most applications are reviewed by department screening panels and by cabinet ministers before names of qualified individuals are forwarded to the standing committee for final decisions.
In 2003, non-partisan advisory committees were established to review all applications to boards that are required to receive evidence, make finding of facts and law or that make decisions that can affect a person's liberty, security or legal rights. These agencies, boards and commissions -- known as adjudicative boards -- advertise separately.
Advertisements for this fall's vacancies on non-adjudicative agencies, boards and commissions will appear in select local newspapers on Saturday, Oct. 23 and Sunday, Oct. 24. The ad will also be available, for a limited time, on the What's New section of the government website at www.gov.ns.ca .