Governor in Council Appointments

Tribunals, Boards, Commissions, and Advisory Bodies

The Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and the Minister of Labour are responsible for recommending Governor in Council appointments to 13 different bodies including administrative tribunals, boards, a commission, and advisory groups.

These bodies perform a variety of functions, including making quasi-judicial decisions in appeal processes, providing advice and recommendations on socio-economic development and occupational health and safety issues, and administering programs and establishing policy for post-secondary education funding.

Background information on each of the following tribunals, boards, commissions and advisory bodies is provided below.

Current Opportunities

Future Vacancies

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

• Canada Employment Insurance Commission 
• Canada Employment Insurance Financing Board
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
• Canada Pension Plan Pension Appeals Board 
• Canada Pension Plan/Old Age Security Review Tribunals
• Employment Insurance Boards of Referees 
• National Council of Welfare
• National Seniors Council 

Labour

• Canada Industrial Relations Board 
• Canadian Artists and Producers Professional Relations Tribunal
• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety 
• Merchant Seamen Compensation Board 

Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development

Canada Employment Insurance Commission

The Canada Employment Insurance Commission (CEIC) represents and reflects the interests of government, workers, and employers. The Commission is responsible for the following:

• making regulations related to insurance eligibility;
• preparing an annual report on the Employment Insurance (EI) program;
• reviewing EI policies;
• appointing members to the Employment Insurance Boards of Referees; and
• setting the EI premium rate.

The Deputy Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development (HRSD) is the Chair of the Commission and an Associate Deputy Minister of HRSD acts as Vice-Chair, representing the interests of the Government. As required by the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development Act, the Commission also includes a Commissioner for Workers and a Commissioner for Employers who are appointed by the Governor in Council following consultations with representative organizations to ensure that the views of workers and employers are reflected in the work of the Commission.

In addition, the EI Commissioner for Workers and the EI Commissioner for Employers are members of the Nominating Committee responsible for identifying and recommending qualified candidates for appointment to the Canada Employment Insurance Financing Board of Directors.

For more information on this Commission, please visit Canada Employment Insurance Commission.

Canada Employment Insurance Financing Board

The Canada Employment Insurance Financing Board (CEIFB) is a Crown Corporation established under the CEIFB Act in June 2008. The CEIFB reports to Parliament through the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development (HRSD) and will be responsible for the following:

• setting the Employment Insurance (EI) premium rate;
• overseeing the management of an initial reserve of $2B;
• managing any amounts paid to it under section 77.1 of the CEIFB Act; and
• investing its financial assets with a view to meeting its financial obligations.

The CEIFB will be governed by a board of seven directors appointed by the Governor in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of HRSD for terms not exceeding four years.

For more information on this Board, please visit Canada Employment Insurance Financing Board

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is Canada's national housing agency. The CMHC works to enhance Canada's housing finance options, assist Canadians who cannot afford housing in the private market, improve building standards and housing construction, and provide policymakers with the information and analysis they need to sustain a vibrant housing market in Canada.

In accordance with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Act, the CMHC Board of Directors is responsible for managing the affairs of the Corporation and the conduct of its business.

The Board is composed of ten members, including the Chair and the President. With the exception of the President, all CMHC Directors are independent of management and are appointed by the Governor in Council, typically for a three-year term.

For more information on the CMHC, please visit Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Canada Pension Plan Pension Appeals Board

The Canada Pension Plan Pension Appeals Board (PAB) is a quasi-judicial tribunal and is the third level of appeal under the Canada Pension Plan. It reviews appeals of decisions of the Review Tribunals.

The Board is composed of a chair, vice-chair, five permanent members and sixty-five temporary members. The Governor in Council may appoint up to ten permanent members who are sitting judges of the Federal Court of Appeal, the Federal Court or a superior court of a province. Additional temporary members may be appointed as required. They may be active or retired judges of the Federal Court of Canada, the Federal Court of Appeal or of a superior or district court of a province. The appointments are the joint responsibility of the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and the Minister of Justice.

For more information on the Board, please visit Canada Pension Plan Pension Appeals Board.

Canada Pension Plan/Old Age Security Review Tribunals

The Review Tribunals are independent and impartial bodies that conduct quasi-judicial hearings of appeals for individuals whose applications for Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan benefits were denied at the reconsideration stage of appeal.

The Review Tribunals sit in panels consisting of three people appointed by the Governor in Council. The Chairperson of the Tribunal must be a lawyer and a community member also sits on the panel. As ninety-five percent of hearings are related to disabilities, a disability hearing must include a medical member who is qualified to practice medicine or a prescribed related health profession in a province or territory.

For more information on the Tribunals, please visit Canada Pension Plan/Old Age Security Review Tribunals.

Employment Insurance Boards of Referees

The Employment Insurance Boards of Referees (EIBR) function as a first-level, independent, administrative tribunal mandated to provide fair and impartial quasi-judicial hearings of appeals of Employment Insurance decisions. Most appeals are from individual claimants, although employers may also appeal. The most frequently appealed decisions cover issues such as voluntary leaving, misconduct, and undeclared earnings during the course of a claim or fraud.

These legislatively prescribed Boards of Referees sit part-time in panels of three: a chairperson appointed by the Governor in Council, an insured persons (worker) representative appointed by the Commissioner for Workers, and an employer representative appointed by the Commissioner for Employers, following consultation with national worker and employer organizations.

For more information on these Boards, please visit Employment Insurance Boards of Referees.

National Council of Welfare

The National Council of Welfare (NCW) is a citizens’ advisory body whose mandate is to advise the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development on matters concerning low-income Canadians and on related programs and policies. The Council provides the Minister with an independent source of advice and operates at arm’s length from government.

The Council consists of members who may be appointed from all provinces and territories who serve as individuals rather than as representatives of organizations or agencies.

For more information on this Council, please visit National Council of Welfare.

National Seniors Council

The National Seniors Council (NSC) provides advice on all matters related to health, well-being and quality of life of seniors, focusing on both the opportunities and challenges presented by a rapidly growing and increasingly diverse seniors population.

The Council is composed of twelve members who hold office for a term not exceeding three years. The Council may be diverse including seniors, representatives of organizations that serve the needs or interests of seniors, and experts from fields of study related to seniors and aging.

For more information on this Council, please visit National Seniors Council.

Minister of Labour

Canada Industrial Relations Board

The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) is a quasi-judicial tribunal that deals with labour relations in the federally regulated private sector. Its mandate is contained in Parts I and II of the Canada Labour Code and provides for the acquisition of collective bargaining rights by unions. It also provides for the orderly management of the collective bargaining process by enforcing statutorily defined rights and obligations, and adjudicating unfair labour practices.

The CIRB consists of a full-time neutral chairperson, two or more full-time neutral vice-chairpersons, and any other part-time vice-Chairpersons, not more than six full-time members representing employers and employees in equal numbers, and any other part-time members.

For more information on the CIRB, please visit Canada Industrial Relations Board.

Canadian Artists and Producers Professional Relations Tribunal

The Canadian Artists and Producers Professional Relations Tribunal (CAPPRT) is the federal tribunal that administers Part II of the Status of the Artist Act, which governs professional relations between self-employed artists and producers under federal jurisdiction.

The Tribunal is composed of a chairperson, a vice-chairperson and two to four full or part time members appointed by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister of Labour after consulting with the Minister of Canadian Heritage.

For more information on the Tribunal, please visit Canadian Artists and Producers Professional Relations Tribunal.

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) is governed by a Council representing the following three key stakeholder groups: governments (federal, provincial and territorial), employers and workers. The Council promotes occupational health and safety by facilitating consultation and cooperation among jurisdictions as well as participation by labour and management. The CCOHS assists in developing and maintaining policies and programs, and also serves as a national centre for occupational health and safety information.

The Council is composed of a chairperson and thirteen governors nominated by the provinces and territories. Four other governors representing departments or ministries of state of the Government of Canada or Crown corporations that have a particular interest in occupational health and safety may be appointed. The Governor in Council appoints twenty two other governors after consultation with organizations that represent workers and employers.

For more information on the Centre, please visit Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.

Merchant Seamen Compensation Board

The Merchant Seamen Compensation Board (MSCB) hears and decides claims under the Merchant Seamen Compensation Act for compensation benefits for work-related injuries to seamen who are not eligible for coverage under other federal or provincial acts.

The Board is composed of a chairman, vice-chairman, member and secretary.

For more information on the Board, please visit Merchant Seamen Compensation Board.

For more information on Government of Canada appointments, please visit the Governor in Council web site.