The standing committee felt that other reasons existed for the establishment of a regional presence by the Workers' Compensation Board just as it is important to ensure that trying to live and work in regional settings across the NWT understand the board. It is also important for the board to be familiar with the character and issues of the regions, this is particularly critical with respect to the boards current direction toward involvement in work place safety education.

The committee was concerned that the awareness of regional character and familiarity with work place issues of importance to residents outside Yellowknife is not currently present within the Workers' Compensation Board. The committee believed there is significant benefits to be gained by any territorial board that takes the time and makes the commitment to visit northern communities outside its home base. The opportunity to associate faces to voices heard over the telephone, to meet and communicate with community leaders and to obtain the first hand awareness of local plans and projects that will involve workers, are all factors that would enhance the performance of the Workers' Compensation Board.

A two way exchange of information in the establishment of relationships builds trust and confidence at the local and regional level and would go a long way to removing perceptions that the Workers' Compensation Board is a monolithic, distant administrative body.

The standing committee felt this as summed up well with comments made by the NWT Association of Municipalities during their public hearings: "I think that the WCB, which is appointed by the territorial government, had best be looking at its own organization. The Association of Municipalities moves its board around three times a year and even moved our annual general meeting this year. I think that, as an association, we recognize that here is our headquarters, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with spending the extra dollars to move the board around to get that kind of input."

The standing committee on agencies, boards and commissions agrees that the benefits of first-hand experience outside the confines of Yellowknife and the Fort Smith Region, would greatly assist policy formulation and administrative decision-making within the board.

Motion To Accept Recommendation 7, Carried

Mr. Chairman, I move that the Workers' Compensation Board develop a strategy for meeting outside Yellowknife on several occasions over the course of each year to conduct business and acquaint itself with the issues and people of the regions.