Workers' Compensation Review Committee announced

Paul Shelley, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment and Minister Responsible for the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission, announced today the start of the review of the workers' compensation system in Newfoundland and Labrador. The review occurs every five years by law.

�Our goal is to work with injured workers, employers and others to ensure that the workers� compensation system in this province is among the best in the country,� said Minister Shelley. �This is an excellent opportunity for all stakeholders to bring their issues to the table and be part of defining the compensation system of the future. I encourage everyone with an interest in improving our compensation system to participate in the review.�

Bruce Peckford, longtime public servant with sound experience in this province's workers' compensation system, is appointed chairperson of the Statutory Review Committee. Joan Cleary, most recently chair of the board of the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission, is appointed vice-chairperson and employer representative. David Burry, former injured worker and fire lieutenant is appointed employee representative, Stella Mailman, site supervisor with the National Historical Sites Association, is appointed member-at-large representative, and Reg Anstey is appointed Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission board representative.

Stakeholders will have an opportunity to participate in the statutory review through public meetings, written submissions and round table discussions. Details on a province-wide consultation will be announced by the review committee in the coming weeks.

The committee is expected to report to government with recommendations by March 31, 2006.

Media contact: Alex Marland, Communications, (709) 729-4062, 690-6047

Biographies

E. Bruce Peckford, Committee Chair: Mr. Peckford has held several senior positions during a long and successful career with the public service. Most notably, he served as deputy minister of Social Services, deputy minister of Works Services and Transportation and assistant
secretary of the Treasury Board Secretariat. Mr. Peckford also has hands on experience with the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission in general administration, human resource management, liaison with Occupational Health and Safety and Statutory Review Committees.

Joan Cleary, Committee Vice-Chair and Employer Representative: Ms. Cleary has most recently served as chair of the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission Board of Directors. She has been extremely active at the community level in her home of Come By Chance as a member of the Community Liaison Committee for the North Atlantic Refinery and the Liaison Committee for the Whiffen Head Storage Facility. In her professional capacity as a registered nurse, Ms. Cleary was senior health specialist on the construction of the Terra Nova FPSO at the Bull Arm Site. Responsibilities included case-management of all work-related injuries.

David Burry, Employee Representative: Mr. Burry is a fire lieutenant with the St. John's Regional Fire Department. He is a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour Occupational Health and Safety and Workers� Compensation Committees and has served as treasurer of the Workplace Improvement and Literacy Program, City of St. John's, which received a national award for excellence. In addition, Mr. Burry was a member of the steering committee to develop and implement the Disability Management Program for the City of St. John�s.

Stella Mailman, Member at Large Representative: Ms. Mailman is a resident of Port au Choix on the Northern Peninsula and works as a site supervisor with National Historical Sites Association. She has operated her own business as well as working in the capacity of general manager, book keeper and office administrator in other small business enterprises in Port au Choix.

Reg Anstey, WHSCC Board Representative: In addition to serving on the board of the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission, Mr. Anstey is president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development.

2005 11 15                                     2:45 p.m.