Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My memory is coming back on the work that we did in AOC. If I remember correctly, this one amendment was something that invited a lot of debate, and I'm not sure if we still have a satisfactory compromise on that. I do believe the question was whether or not... Because the equal pay commissioner's office is like a lot of similar statutory offices, we would like to make sure that when we are passing legislation that there is a degree of independence in the powers and authorities that go with that for the holder of this office to do the job that they need to do and they're required to do, subject to this law. I believe the question was that having the Minister, as was originally intended or worded, make the regulations that would not result in this office being sufficiently independent. But, Mr. Chairman, I still have a concern about this, because the way our system of government words, the Commissioner's office is very much tied to the government as a whole. I think there is a very important point to be made, that in an office like this that we would like the office holder to be as independent as possible. So I'd like to ask if our legal advisor could tell us as to whether or not her research shows that giving the regulatory-making powers to the Commissioner in Executive Council will give this office sufficient independence. I'm sure there's another word that I'm thinking of, I can't think of, independent and self-sufficiency or something like that. Thank you.
Sandy Lee on Committee Motion 123-14(6): To Amend Clause 5 Of Bill 13, Carried
In the Legislative Assembly on June 12th, 2003. See this statement in context.
Committee Motion 123-14(6): To Amend Clause 5 Of Bill 13, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 12th, 2003
Page 1006
See context to find out what was said next.