Finally, the standing committee on agencies, boards and commissions took note of the fact that several submissions received during the public hearings highlighted a need for a mandatory process of legislative review. Indeed, the standing committee was concerned to see that the current legislation has remained, to a large part, unchanged since the old ordinance was enacted in February 1977.
Since that time there have been nine amendments to the Workers' Compensation Act. Six of these have been simple increases to the years maximum insurance remuneration, amended in 1980, 1981, 1983, 1986 and 1988. The amendments in 1986 also adjusted the figure for average monthly remuneration. The remaining amendments have included: the inclusion of provisions for coverage of traditional hunters' and trappers' claims in 1987; a change in the size of the board, reducing the membership from 11 members to five members, and establishing the Minister, rather than the Commissioner, as the authority for making board appointments, in 1989; and the establishment of an appeals tribunal, in 1990.
The interim report tabled by the standing committee on agencies, boards and commissions refers to the fact that significant changes have taken place since 1977. These include new concepts of occupational injury and disease, new principles surrounding work place health and safety, and an evolving form of ministerial government within our political system. It is perhaps astonishing that, over several successive governments, no priority has been placed on a comprehensive revision of the act to ensure that it has kept pace with these developments.
The standing committee on agencies, boards and commissions is of the opinion that the regular review and amendment of this act is essential to ensure that the compensation of workers is in step with current factors in the northern workplace and new principles emerging in other jurisdictions.
Motion To Accept Recommendation 13, Carried
Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the legislation action paper include a review of options for statutory requirements which would establish a regular process of periodic review.