Debates of May 19, 2011 (day 11)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In June 2010 the Safety Advisory Committee completed the second review of the draft Occupational Health and Safety Regulations and recommended to me that they conduct public consultations to receive stakeholder comments and input on the proposed changes.

The consultation period was September 1, 2010, to March 31, 2011. In total, the committee received comments from 59 stakeholders. The comments came from a wide range of stakeholders, including large and small employers, organized labour, private and public sector employers, and individuals.

Since the close of the consultation period, WSCC staff have met and prepared research into the comments received for consideration by the committee. The committee has had several conference calls and have been corresponding by e-mail. The goal is to have all of the comments reviewed and researched prior to the committee meeting here in Yellowknife, May 17th to the 19th.

Once the committee reviews all the comments, they will either make changes or provide an explanation as to why no changes were made.

I, along with the Safety Advisory Committee, have promised to provide a written summary to all consultation participants, including input received and an explanation of the final decisions, particularly if they differ from the input provided by participants. This information will also be available on the WSCC website.

Once the review is completed, the committee will provide their recommendations to me on the next steps. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Lafferty.