Oversight Committee Minutes | June 14, 2007 - Calgary, Alberta

Participants:

Regrets:

Items 1& 2 & 4: Status of RFPs

a) and b) Chief Adjudicator and Deputy Chiefs

Advance notice of the posting of the RFP is to be given to adjudicators and those who have expressed interest. Monique will inform the Chief Adjudicator of the posting date. The competition will be open for 25 days.

Compliance with the RFP has to be determined by PWGSC. It will be followed by rating from the Selection Board. The Selection Board will have four seats, one from each stakeholder. It is anticipated that the Selection Board will need one day to select three candidates for interviews for the position of Chief Adjudicator, two days to select candidates for Deputy Chief Adjudicator interviews and 4 days for selection of candidates for adjudicators. The Selection Board is to meet in Ottawa for six days beginning July 24th to screen applications providing the posting occurs by June 22.

The Court requires a list of the qualified screened applicants for Chief Adjudicator. The Court has up to 21 days to respond, which takes it to August 17. The Court will be contacted by IRSRC to see if they can shorten the 21 day period. Interviews should commence immediately following August 17.

The new Chief Adjudicator should be a participant in the interviews for the Deputy Chiefs. Interviews for Deputy Chiefs will be limited to the top four for each region. It is anticipated that those interviews will be in early September and located for 2 days in Saskatchewan, one day in British Columbia, one day in the East.

c) Adjudicators

The call will be for 86 adjudicators. (See d) below.) It is anticipated that a full week will be required to schedule interviews. Interviews for adjudicators could begin August 13 if the posting occurs by June 22.

d) Aboriginal Adjudicators

There will be two RFPs, one for proposals from candidates of Aboriginal ancestry and another for others. Each will identify the 86 positions referred to in c) above. The goal is to increase the current ratio of Aboriginal adjudicators and the ideal would be to reach at least 25%.

Item 3: Progress of implementation plans for IAP

Two focus groups, one in Montreal and the other in Edmonton, on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission are planned. Each will include at least 50 people. The dates are June 18, 19, 20 and July 18, 19, 20 respectively. There will be a stand alone process with AFN. Monique will distribute the list of participants to CARG.

An architect has been hired to come up with conceptual drawings for the Hearing Centre in Winnipeg. The plans are to be delivered to Monique on June 25th. The opening is now anticipated for the middle or end of August. Additional space in Winnipeg has been requested.

Item 5: Progress on Preparation for Training

The recommended site is Penticton Lakeside Resort and Penticton Trade and Convention Centre. The projected budget is $875,000.

Counsel suggested that the training include a panel to look at persistent physical abuse causing high end harms, that Plaintiff Counsel be consulted for suitable cases.

Item 6: Administrative Issues at Secretariat Office

Staffing up and accommodation are the main issues for the Secretariat Office.

Item 7: Consideration of the 16 issues identified by Len Marchand

1 & 2 Payment of the RC top-up and the compensation grid are similar issues: There is not a final conclusion yet but options have been identified. There is a release issue to be solved on the top up with the Catholic Church.

3. Reopening post May 30, 2005 cases with OL3: This is under advisement.

4. Election on whether to proceed under the IAP rules after implementation: Under the Settlement Agreement sexual claims now under ADR will move over. The only election to make with respect to sexual abuse cases is if the claimant prefers to stay in ADR. This will not include scheduled hearings. Staff is assigned to look at these issues specifically. A report will come to the next meeting.

5. With the implementation there will be only one grid for DR and IAP as shown in the Settlement Agreement and Canada will be paying 100%.

6. Reopening claims dismissed in ADR that would fit the criteria in IAP: As no release was signed in ADR new applications will be required. A new hearing would not necessarily be required.

7. Finalization of the IAP Application and Guide: There is a guide to the IAP. Applications presently being received are being returned to the claimants.

Numbers 8, 9, 10 were addressed earlier.

Jeff would welcome similar questions from CARG to those submitted by Len. They were considered very helpful.

Next Meeting Date

There will be a conference call on Thursday July 10th, 4:00 Eastern Standard Time.

A tentative date of Thursday Aug 2 in Winnipeg was set but will be confirmed in the July 10 conference call.