Your Standing Committee on Public Utilities and Natural Resources presents the following as its First Report.

Your committee met on Tuesday, May 25, 1999, and on Tuesday, June 8, 1999, at 10 a.m. in Room 255 of the Legislative Building to consider the Annual Reports of the Workers Compensation Board for the years ended December 31, 1996, 1997 and 1998, the Five-year Operating Plans for 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999, and the Reports of the Appeal Commission for the years ended December 31, 1996, 1997 and 1998. Your committee also met on Thursday, April 24, 1997, at 10 a.m. in Room 255 of the Legislative Assembly to consider the December 31, 1996, Annual Report of the Workers Compensation Board, the December 31, 1996, Report of the Appeal Commission, and the 1996 and 1997 Five-year Operating Plans.

At the April 24, 1997, meeting, your committee elected Mr. Tweed as its chairperson and Mr. McAlpine as its vice-chairperson.

At the April 24, 1997, meeting, Mr. Wally Fox-Decent, chairperson of the board and chief executive officer, Mr. Alfred Black, executive director, claims services, Mr. Terry Edgeworth, executive director, employer services and human resources, Mr. Glenn Hildebrand, director, communications, and Mr. Sid Rogers, senior director, claims services, vocational rehabilitation, provided such information as was requested with respect to the annual reports and business of the Workers Compensation Board.

At the May 25, 1999, meeting, Mr. Wally Fox-Decent, chairperson of the board, Ms. Pat Jacobsen, president and chief executive officer, Ms. Deborah Vivian, chief appeal commissioner, and Mr. Rob Campbell, vice-president of financial services and administration and director of sector services, provided such information as was requested with respect to the annual reports and business of the Workers Compensation Board.

At the June 8, 1999, meeting, Mr. Wally Fox-Decent, chairperson of the board, Ms. Pat Jacobsen, president and chief executive officer, Ms. Deborah Vivian, chief appeal commissioner, Mr. Don Paul, vice-president of rehabilitation and compensation services, Mr. Alan Scramstad, director of legal services and corporate secretary, and Mr. Alfred Black, vice-president of financial services and administration, provided such information as was requested with respect to the annual reports and business of the Workers Compensation Board.

Your committee has considered the Annual Reports of the Workers Compensation Board for the years ended December 31, 1996 and 1997, the Five-year Operating Plans for 1996 and 1997, and the Reports of the Appeal Commission for the years ended December 31, 1996 and 1997, and has adopted the same as presented.