Nova Scotia Minister’s Committee on Occupational Health and Safety was created by Hon. David Nantes, Minister of Labour and Manpower, in November 1983 to review recommendations relating to occupational health and safety contained in the report of the Select Committee of the Legislature on Workers’ Compensation and advise on this forthcoming legislation. Dr. Thomas J. McKeough, a former Minister of Labour, was appointed chairperson with Dannie MacDonald, Rick Clarke, Barry Wark, and Leslie White as co-committee members. The Committee studied safety and health legislation in other jurisdictions, received written submissions (briefs) from stakeholders and the interested public, and held public hearings in Amherst, Yarmouth, New Glasgow, Sydney, and Halifax from December 5, 1983 to January 24, 1984. The Committee’s final report was presented to the Minister in October 1984 and the Committee disbanded.
In 1926 the Commissioner of Crown Lands and the Commissioner of Forests and Game were combined in the Department of Lands and Forests, of which the Attorney General became minister. The department was responsible for managing, leasing, selling or otherwise disposing of crown lands; conserving and protecting all forests and timberlands, whether publicly or privately owned; and protecting, preserving and encouraging the natural increase of game and game fish. The attorney general remained minister of lands and forests until 1947, when the department received its own minister. In 1987 a new Crown Lands Act was passed and department made responsible for the acquisition, registration, survey and sale or disposition of crown lands as well as their administration, utilization, protection and management, including access to and travel on them, habitats for the maintenance and protection of wildlife, harvesting and renewal of timber resources and forest recreation. In 1991 the Departments of Lands and Forests and Mines and Energy merged to form the Department of Natural Resources.
The Nova Scotia Dept. of Mines, which once formed part of the Dept. of Public Works, achieved the status of a separate department in 1939 when Public Works was transferred to the Dept. of Highways (3 Geo. VI, c. 56). The specific functions of the Dept. of Mines are prescribed by the Mines Act (R.S.N.S. 1954, Chapter 179), the Coal Mines Regulation Act (R.S.N.S. 1954, Chapter 35), and the Metalliferous Mines regulation Act (R.S.N.S. 1954, Chapter 176).
Mines became a separate department in 1939, when Public Works and Mines was broken up and responsibility for public works was transferred to the Department of Highways. The Department of Mines was exclusively responsible for mines and mining, especially in relation to coal. In 1979 the department was restructured as the Department of Mines and Energy, with a view to energy and mineral resources conservation and, especially, petroleum resources development. In 1991 Mines and Energy was merged with Lands and Forests in the new Department of Natural Resources.
The Planning Act Review Committee was established in 1978 to review the Planning Act, consult with municipalities and the public regarding amendments to the act, and make recommendations to the minister. The committee was comprised of twelve members and chaired by Sherman Zwicker. The committee produced a final report in 1981 and a revised Planning Act was passed by the House of Assembly in 1983.
The Provincial Secretary, first appointed in 1720, was responsible for all government record-keeping and for conducting all official correspondence. As a high-ranking minister, the Provincial Secretary was, until 1792, always a member of the Council and, from 1848, always a member of the Cabinet. From 1878 onwards the post was held on an ex officio basis by the Premier and, until 1946, the Provincial Secretary was also the Provincial Treasurer (Minister of Finance). Under the modern Public Service Act the Provincial Secretary became a department of government, responsible for the administration of numerous acts and for all other matters not specifically assigned to a minister. In 1980 the department's responsibilities were distributed among the Departments of Government Services (later Supply and Services), Consumer Affairs and Attorney General (now Justice). In 1993 all residual responsibilities of the Provincial Secretary were transferred to the Department of Justice. The Provincial Secretary as a department of the public service continues to exist statutorily if in no other sense.
A Commissioner of Public Works and Mines was appointed in 1867 to superintend and manage government buildings and property and to regulate mines and mining. The department gradually became a general provider of services to government, including public printing. In 1921 the commissioner became a minister. Until 1926 Public Works and Mines was responsible for tourism, and until 1931 for public charities and social welfare. In 1939 the department was broken up, with Mines (later Mines and Energy) becoming a separate department and the Department of Highways assuming responsibility for public works.
The Nova Scotia Minister’s Task Force on Day Care was established by Hon. Edmund L. Morris, Minister of Department of Social Services, in December 1982. Its mandate was to study daycare issues and make recommendations on priorities for public funding of daycare in Nova Scotia. The Task Force was comprised of a provincial coordinating committee and five regional committees. The regional committees were responsible for organizing the public meetings and compiling submissions from the public. The provincial coordinating committee was responsible for overall management and direction. Elizabeth McNaughton, Senior Research and Planning Officer with the Department of Social Services, was appointed chair. The Task Force included representatives from registered daycare centres, private day nurseries, the Department of Social Services, and parents. Public hearings were held in March 1983 in 14 locations across the province. They received 102 written or oral presentations and 5 letters. The Task Force presented its final report to the Minister on July 14, 1983 and then disbanded.
In 1955 Public Works was established as a separate department, responsible for the construction of public buildings and the maintenance of government property and equipment. In 1980 Public Works assumed responsibility for government communications and information and was renamed Government Services. In 1992 the minister assumed formal responsibility for the Communications and Information Act and the department was renamed Supply and Services. The department was responsible for purchasing, tendering and supply services; publishing, communication services and Queen's Printer; environmental engineering, project management, design services and construction services; information technology policy and standards, network services, information technology services and records management; accommodation services, facilities management and insurance and risk management. In 1996 the department was broken up and its responsiblities distributed among the new Department of Transportation and Public Works, Communications Nova Scotia and the Technology and Science Secretariat.
The Nova Scotia Minister’s Task Force on Hazardous Waste Management was created by Hon. George Moody, Minister of the Environment in June 1985. Morris Haugg and Derrill Hynick were appointed as co-chairs with representatives from the Environmental Control Council and the Department of the Environment as members of the Task Force. Its mandate was to examine the hazardous waste management situation in Nova Scotia and create an action plan to deal with problems. In October 1985, an interim report was submitted to the Minister, who then asked the Task Force to develop a comprehensive plan for the management of dangerous goods and hazardous wastes. Paul Buxton was appointed chairperson. The Task Force’s final report was submitted to Minister George Moody in April 1987 and then disbanded. Buxton was subsequently named special adviser to the Minister of the Environment on hazardous waste.
The Department of Tourism was established in 1971 to implement policies relating to the development and promotion of the tourism industry; cooperate with other departments and governments, both provincial and federal, in promoting Nova Scotia's tourism industry; cooperate with and develop programs and policies assisting individuals and organizations engaged in the tourism industry; implement policies relating to parks, beaches and recreational areas, including provincial parks; and provide information services relating to the functions and activities of the department. In 1987 the Department of Culture, Recreation and Fitness was dissolved and the minister of tourism assumed responsibility for cultural affairs, which included cultural industries, performing arts, production crafts, heritage property and visual arts. Tourism was renamed Tourism and Culture. In 1994 the department was dissolved. Tourism was transferred to the Department of Economic Development; parks, beaches and recreational areas to the Department of Natural Resources, and culture to the Department of Education. In 1999 the former Department of Tourism and Culture was re-established. Excepting the Nova Scotia Museum system and provincial parks, the department's mandate was unchanged from its first establishment in 1987. The department is responsible for tourism planning, development, marketing and operations; development of the province's culture sector, including cultural industries; development and preservation of the province's natural and cultural heritage, including the operation of Museum heritage services; and Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management. In 2003, in order to reflect more accurately the department's organizational structure, Tourism and Culture was renamed Tourism, Culture and Heritage.
On April 1, 1996 the Department of Transportation and Public Works was created to take on the transportation responsibilities of the former Department of Transportation and Communications and the facilities and material management responsibilities of the former Department of Supply and Services. Responsibility for communications was transferred to the newly created Technology and Science Secretariat. In 2002 it took over the corporate information technology operations of the defunct Technology and Science Secretariat. On October 23, 2007 the Department was renamed the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure and Renewal.The department is responsible for the construction, maintenance and operation of all roads, bridges and ferries belonging to or under the control of the province; all public highways and traffic; developing, administering and implementing provincial government policies, plans and programs relating to road, rail, air and marine transport systems; the safe operation of railways under provincial jurisdiction; providing procurement, supply and disposal services to government; superintending and managing all buildings and property belonging to or under the control of the province; managing and controlling the construction and capital improvement of all public buildings and other public works constructed and maintained, at least in part, at provincial government expense; telecommunications; and providing postal services to government.
The deputy provincial secretary, first appointed in 1740, gradually assumed the responsibility of secretary, registrar and clerk of the Council. When the provincial secretary became a department of government in 1900, the deputy provincial secretary became a deputy minister and the senior civil servant. From 1900 until the 1960s the deputy provincial secretary also served as registrar of joint stock companies. The deputy minister to the premier is successor to the deputy provincial secretary as official head of the public service.
Systematic registration of births, marriages and deaths began in Nova Scotia on 1 August 1864 when the Registration Act added registration to the duties of the Board of Statistics. While registration of births and deaths prior to 1864 was undertaken on an informal basis, the legislature had regulated marriage from the first session in 1758 and provided marriage licences to those choosing not to give notice of their marriages through the reading of banns. After Confederation in 1867, the federal Department of Agriculture asumed responsibility for the registration of births, marriages and deaths. When the federal government withdrew from vital statistics collecting in Nova Scotia on 1 July 1877, the province assumed custody of the vital statistics records. The province continued the registration of marriages, maintaining the position of marriage license clerk within the Provincial Secretary's department. In October 1908, the provincial government created the position of Deputy Registrar General and resumed the registration of births and deaths. The Deputy Registrar General's office later became part of the Department of Health.
The Nova Scotia Designer Craftsmen was formed in Halifax in 1973 by craftspeople interested in developing the fine craft movement in Nova Scotia and to serve the needs of craftspeople and the public. Incorporated in 1976 and re-named Nova Scotia Designer Crafts Council in 1985, the council operates as a non-profit organization representing individual artisans, craft groups and enthusiasts in the textile, leather, ceramic, wood, metal and visual arts, and other handicrafts. NSDCC organizes workshops, conferences and educational programs to craftspeople, craft students, and the general public. The council also publishes a newsletter, holds juried craft exhibitions and markets including the annual Christmas Craft Market, maintains a permanent collection of fine crafts, communicates with other craft organizations in Nova Scotia, Canada, and internationally, and represents the interests of craftspeople to various government departments and agencies. NSDCC is governed by a board of directors and is a member of the Canadian Crafts Council.
A planning committee chaired by Juanita Arnold, Provincial Director of the Canadian Dietetic Association (CDA), met in April 1955 to draw up a provincial constitution to be submitted to the CDA. The Professional Dietitians Act (SNS, 1958, c. 114) established the Nova Scotia Dietitians Association (NSDA) as the licensing body to approve the qualification of prospective members and to keep a register of licensed members. Membership was established as necessary to practice as a dietitian in the province. The first meeting of the NSDA was held with 35 members present at the Lord Nelson Hotel in Halifax in 1958, with President Hazel Rowland presiding. The association formed with 51 charter members upon incorporation on 2 May 1958. The objects of the NSDA, as outlined in the 1973 Act, are to promote and improve the status of dietitians and improve professional knowledge and competence of members, as well as to regulate standards of training and practice.
In 1837 the Royal Instructions to the Lieutenant Governor were modified and the old Council of Twelve (Fifteen) passed out of existence. It was replaced by two separate and independent bodies - the Executive Council to advise the Lieutenant Governor, and the Legislative Council to serve as the upper chamber of Nova Scotia's newly bicameral legislature. After the achievement of responsible government in 1848, the members of the Executive Council were invariably chosen from the party holding the greater number of seats in the Assembly. The president of the Executive Council (Cabinet) is the person holding the recognized position of premier or first minister. The governing statute is the Executive Council Act.
The Nova Scotia Farmers' Association was founded in 1895. In 1953 the name was changed to the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture and was incorporated under the provisions of the Agriculture and Marketing Act. The federation is made up of individual farmers through the various district and county federations of agriculture, commodity groups, and special committees. Its objectives are to promote the exchange of information and program relating to agriculture, improve the agriculture and rural life of the province, influence the government on matters of concern to agricultural producers, and to formulate policies in consultation with members.
The Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation is a statutory crown corporation established in 1995 to promote and manage casinos and all other forms of legalized gambling, and to maximize revenue from them. The objects of the corporation are to develop, undertake, organize, conduct and manage casinos and other lottery schemes; to provide for the operation of casinos and any business related to operating a casino, including any business offering goods or services to persons playing games of chance in a casino; and to ensure that lottery schemes are conducted and managed in accordance with the Criminal Code and the Gaming Control Act and Regulations
The first civil Governor of Acadia (Nova Scotia) was commissioned in June 1719. From 1719 to 1786 Nova Scotia had both a Governor and a Lieutenant Governor, who served as deputy or acting Governor in the absence or indisposition of the Governor. In April 1786 a Governor General was appointed for all of British North America and the provincial Governors were reduced to the rank of Lieutenant Governor, which they continued to hold after Confederation in 1867.
The council was created by Order in Council 14 October 1947 as the Nova Scotia equivalent of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, and was responsible to the provincial secretary. Its mandate was to identify and mark historic sites and to coordinate activities of historical commemorators such as the Nova Scotia Historical Society. It became fully operational in June 1950 and ceased to function in December 1965.
Established as the Provincial Hospital for the Insane in 1858, the hospital was also referred to as the Nova Scotia Hospital for the Insane until February 1901, when the hospital's name was legally established as Nova Scotia Hospital. Because the hospital was located in the Mount Hope area of Dartmouth, it was popularly known for many years as the Mount Hope Lunatic Asylum. Construction of the Nova Scotia Hospital began in 1856, and the hospital opened its doors in December 1857. An Act for the Management of the Hospital for the Insane, passed in 1858, outlined the hospital's objective of providing humane and enlightened curative treatment for the mentally incompetent. The lieutenant-governor was empowered to appoint a board of commissioners to supervise the hospital's expenditures and general operations, and a medical superintendent to act as the hospital's chief executive officer. The hospital operated under the jurisdiction of the board of commissioners until 1861, when it was placed under the Board of Works. In 1878 the hospital was transferred to the control of the Board of Commissioners of Public Charities and in 1931 to the Nova Scotia Department of Public Health. On 1 January 2001 the Health Authorities Act came into force and the Nova Scotia Hospital lost its status as a public body. The former Nova Scotia Hospital became the Mental Health Program of the new metropolitan Capital District Health Authority.
Originally known as the Hospital Services Planning Commission, the Nova Scotia Hospital Insurance Commission was appointed in 1958 by the provincial government to administer the Hospital Act in Nova Scotia.The MSNS had many concerns in its dealings with the Association such as recognition and remuneration of pathologists and radiologists, hospital standards, insured physicians services to hospitals and patient services.
In 1758 Governor Charles Lawrence was ordered by London to organize the election for a House of Assembly. The first in Canada, the Nova Scotia House of Assembly convened on 2 October 1758 in the law courts at Halifax. From 1758 to 1928 the assembly was the lower house of a bicameral legislature, whose position was entrenched in the Constitution Act, 1867. Since the achievement of "responsible" (party) government in 1848, the party holding the largest number of seats in the assembly forms the government of the province. It is customary that members of the Executive Council (Cabinet) be drawn from the governing party in the House of Assembly. The work of the assembly is to enact the statute law of the province, both public and private.
On 7 June 1991 the Nova Scotia House of Assembly created the all-party Working Committee on the Constitution. Its purpose was to identify the range of constitutional options acceptable to Nova Scotians. Eric Kierans was appointed chair. The committee published a discussion paper intended to assist Nova Scotians in making informed decisions on constitutional matters. It held public hearings and distributed questionnaires to solicit the views of Nova Scotians on constitutional issues. The committee submitted its final report on 28 November 1991.