News Release Archive
LABOUR--ATLANTIC LABOUR MINISTERS MEET IN HALIFAX
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Labour Ministers from the four Atlantic Provinces gathered
in Halifax today for a one-day meeting to discuss labour,
workers' compensation and other employment-related issues
impacting Atlantic Canadians.
The attending ministers are: Guy Brown, Minister of Labour
for Nova Scotia; Alan Buchanan, Minister of Provincial
Affairs and Attorney General for Prince Edward Island; Roly
MacIntyre, Minister of Advanced Education and Labour for New
Brunswick; and Tom Murphy, Minister of Employment and Labour
Relations for Newfoundland and Labrador.
The meeting was initiated by Mr. Brown. "This is the first
meeting of the Atlantic ministers of labour in recent
history," said Mr. Brown. "Keeping the lines of
communication open and discussing common areas of concern
are essential."
The meeting gave the ministers the opportunity to get
acquainted with each other and the issues they are facing in
their respective provinces. "It is important that we sit
down around the same table," said PEI Minister Alan
Buchanan. "It holds benefits for the work we are doing
inside our provinces, as well as within Atlantic Canada."
The agenda covered a variety of labour and
employment-related topics such as minimum wage rates and
labour-management relations. Sharing resources on mutually
beneficial research initiatives was also discussed.
Ministers were updated on the progress in achieving greater
consistency in occupational health and safety (OHS)
legislation, regulations and training among the four
provinces. An inter-jurisdictional committee on OHS
harmonization is working to share health and safety
information, resources and consultation on an Atlantic
level.
"The challenges we are facing in my province are similar to
those in the other three Atlantic Provinces," said New
Brunswick Minister Roly MacIntyre. "It is important to get
together and look at cooperative approaches, where and when
it makes sense."
Key concerns from employee and employer viewpoints were
presented by Rick Clarke, president of the Nova Scotia
Federation of Labour, and Peter O'Brien of the Canadian
Federation of Independent Business.
"I think we have come away from this meeting with a stronger
appreciation of the issues we are facing in Atlantic
Canada," said Tom Murphy, Minister from Newfoundland and
Labrador. "The groundwork we have laid will be beneficial
for the future."
Mr. Murphy invited the ministers to continue this initiative
by coming to Newfoundland and Labrador for a future meeting.
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Contact: Jennifer MacIsaac 902-424-3219 or 902-424-4680
trp Nov. 17, 1995