The Board of Health of Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health Unit met at 4:00 p.m. at the Fergus Office.
Members in attendance were: Mr. Doug Auld (2015 + 2016 Chair), Ms. Margaret Abbink, Mr. William Baxter, Ms. Christine Billings, Mr. George Bridge, Ms. Rose Ann Doyle, Mr. Guy Gardhouse, Ms. June Hofland, Mr. Dennis Lever, Mr. Keith Perron, Ms. Laura Ryan, Ms. Nancy Sullivan, Mr. Allen Taylor and Mr. Chris White.
Member(s) with regrets: Mr. Mark MacKinnon.
Ex-officio member(s) in attendance: Dr. Mercer, Medical Officer of Health & CEO.
Staff members in attendance were: Ms. Elizabeth Bowden, Ms. Andrea Roberts, Ms. Rita Sethi, Mr. Rob Thompson, Ms. Marie Carriere, Mr. Tom Craig, Mr. David George, Ms. Shanna O’Dwyer and Ms. Sylvia Muir (Recording Secretary).
Guests in attendance were: Ms. Jamie Myslik (The Wellington Advisor) and Ms. Robin-Lee Norris (Solicitor, Miller Thomson).
1.0 Call to Order and Introductions of New Board Member(s)
D. Auld called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.
2.0 BOH Governance Review:
►Avoiding the Landmines: A Review of Recent Case Law and Proposed Legislative Changes Impacting Directors’ Liability in Ontario.
R. Norris provided the following update on new legislation that will impact Board members:
Public Sector and MPP Accountability and Transparency Act, 2014 (also known as Bill 8)
- Act will affect the MUSH sector (Municipalities, universities, school boards and hospitals as well as long-term care homes, children’s aid societies and police services).
- Act will accommodate the process of complaints and gives the Ombudsman very broad powers to investigate complaints. Act is meant to provide a transparent and public process that addresses concerns raised by the public.
- Municipalities are now affected by the Act. Municipally elected BOH members are now accountable to all the boards they sit on as well as to their councils.
- The Act will also apply to members of the BOH as well as staff. As of January 1, 2016, an elected official can receive a complaint for their BOH participation. The Ombudsman cannot investigate the respective BOH but can investigate the elected official that sits on the BOH and their participation in the BOH Closed Session components of the meetings.
- Intent of this Act is not to replace our current P&Ps. Complaint must go through internal processes prior to going to the Ombudsman for resolution.
- MT is keeping a close eye on how this Act will play out and possibly impact the BOH members
.Ontario Court of Appeal Decision – Hopkins vs. Kay re Unauthorized Access to Personal Health Information
- Ontario Court of Appeal Decision - Common law tort on intrusion on seclusion (you released private information that you were a custodian of). Therefore, you can be sued in common law despite the privacy acts.
Bring Your Own Device and Bring Your Own Cloud – Data Security Device Breaches - There are a number of cases being launched with respect to data security device breaches.
New Legislation for E-Cigarettes and Medical Marijuana - New legislation will increase WDGPH’s workload and liability.
The Accessibility of Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA - January 1, 2016 enforcement for small corporations commences.
Materials are available on request. BOH members to advise Dr. Mercer who will obtain information from MT.
Discussion took place around the handling of declaring a conflict of interest. R. Norris advised that she would like the BOH to reference our own policy statements together with the legislation.
It was agreed to add the following statement on the BOH Agenda for future meeting – “Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest”. It was further agreed that if a member arrives late, that the Chair should ask that individual, as soon as reasonably practical after their arrival, if they have a conflict of interest on a particular matter being addressed on the Agenda.
(4:45) R. Norris left meeting.
3.0 2015 Inaugural Meeting
Elect Chair
Nominations for the position of Board Chair were opened by D. Auld.
C. White nominated D. Auld as Chair.
L. Ryan seconded the nomination.
D. Auld accepted the nomination.
Moved: D. Lever
Seconded: J. Hofland
CARRIED
J. Hofland seconded the nomination.
N. Sullivan accepted the nomination.
Moved: L. Ryan
Seconded: G. Bridge
CARRIED
J. Hofland seconded the nomination.
D. Lever accepted the nomination.
Moved: L. Ryan
Seconded: K. Perron
CARRIED
Personnel Committee members were selected as follows:
Representing Wellington Rose Ann Doyle
Representing Dufferin Allen Taylor
Representing City of Guelph Margaret Abbink
Representing City of Guelph June Hofland
Representing City of Guelph Keith Perron (Chair)
Representing City of Guelph Nancy Sullivan
Facilities Committee members were selected as follows:
Representing Wellington George Bridge
Representing Wellington William Baxter
Representing Dufferin Allen Taylor (Chair)
Representing Dufferin Guy Gardhouse
Representing City of Guelph Margaret Abbink
Representing City of Guelph Mark MacKinnon
The Secretary-Treasurer is automatically the Chair of the Finance Committee. Therefore, K. Perron is the Finance Committee Chair.
Representing Wellington Dennis Lever (Chair)
Representing Wellington Chris White
Representing Wellington Rose Ann Doyle
Representing City of Guelph Christine Billings
Representing City of Guelph Keith Perron
Representing City of Guelph Nancy Sullivan
Representing Wellington George Bridge
Representing Wellington William Baxter
Representing Dufferin Guy Gardhouse
Representing City of Guelph June Hofland (Chair)
Representing City of Guelph Mark MacKinnon
Moved: C. Billings
Seconded: G. Bridge
CARRIED
J. Hofland seconded the nomination.
Moved: C. Billings
Seconded: M. Abbink
CARRIED
M. Abbink seconded the nomination.
A. Taylor accepted the nomination.
Moved: L. Ryan
Seconded: C. White
CARRIED
N. Sullivan seconded the nomination.
J. Hofland accepted the nomination.
Moved: K. Perron
Seconded: J. Hofland
CARRIED
The Board generally meets at 4:00 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month, except in July and August.
March 2nd October 5tth
Apriill 6tth November 2nd
May 4tth December 7tth
June 1stt
Moved: C. Billings
Seconded: J. Hofland
CARRIED
4 Approval of Agenda
Moved: G. Gardhouse
Seconded: N. Sullivan
CARRIED
5.0 Approval of Minutes
Moved: A. Taylor
Seconded: L. Ryan
CARRIED
6.0 Presentation(s)
Update on Syrian Refugee Arrivals
Dr. Mercer provided the following update:
- The Federal Government committed to welcoming 10,000 Refugees by the end of December 2015 and a total of 25,000 by the end of February 2016.
- There are government assisted refugees and privately sponsored refugees.
- Internally, WDGPH has implemented an internal committee that D. George is the lead on. This Committee is connected provincially and locally and is receiving updates on a daily basis from the MOHLTC EMB, WWLHIN and CWLHIN. The Committee is
also connected with the local MPs/community/immigration groups to better understand local needs for WDGPH services. - WDGPH is prepared and will be reaching out to sponsoring groups/organizations to provide information on what services Public Health can provide.
- WDGPH is currently aware of 2 Syrian Refugee families in Guelph.
- Estimated numbers for Guelph-Wellington are 60-75 families (300-400 people) and for Dufferin are 4+ families (20+ people).
Dr. Mercer to provide a monthly update to the BOH on the Syrian Refugee arrivals
- MOHLTC Discussion Paper provides the MOHLTC’s vision for the Province’s future healthcare.
- Many parts of the Paper do not comment specifically on Public Health. Pages 19 and 20 of the Paper do speak to Public Health.
- Terms/language used throughout the Paper, when discussing Public Health, require further clarification.
(5:20) R. Thompson left meeting.
- The Paper is a high-level document and does not speak to the funding details or distribution processes of Public Health monies.
- Deadline for BOH responses to the MOHLTC on this Paper is February 29, 2016.
(5:29) L. Bowden left meeting.
- alPHa has circulated a survey to members of Boards of Health, the results of which will be incorporated into a response from alPHa to the MOHLTC.
- If implemented, the Paper/Proposal will have legislative, corporate, structural and operational implications for the LHINs and healthcare service providers across the care continuum.
- BOH agreed to refer the task of drafting a response to the Paper to the Executive Committee and for the Executive Committee to bring the draft response back to the February 3, 2016 BOH meeting for approval.
Seconded: C. Billings
CARRIED
7.0 Business Arising
- NONE.
8.0 Consent Agenda
- NONE
9.0 BOH Report(s)
- NONE.
10.0 Committee (Verbal) Report(s)
AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT:
- No update.
FACILITIES COMMITTEE REPORT:
- No update.
FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT:
-
No update.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORT:
D. Auld, Executive Committee Chair, provided an update:
- Executive Committee met on Dec 15/15 to review/discuss Office Hours – Christmas Closure Motion.
- The Executive Committee approved a one-day closure (Dec 29/15) with pay for all employees.
The following Motion(s) was passed in Open Session at the Executive Committee meeting of Dec 15/15:
Moved: K. Perron
Seconded: J. Hofland
CARRIED
Motion passed at the Jan 6/16 BOH Meeting:
Moved: C. White
Seconded: D. Lever
CARRIED
11.0 Correspondence
- Tracy MacCharles, Minister, Ministry of Children and Youth Services, Response Letter to WDGPH Healthy Babies Healthy Children (HBHC) Program.
(a) “That the Board of Health receive the above-noted Correspondence.”
Moved: L. Ryan
Seconded: J. Hofland
CARRIED
12.0 CLOSED SESSION
- To approve the December 2, 2015 Closed Session BOH Minutes.
- Results of the 2015 Board of Health Self-Assessment Survey.
- Executive Committee Report from Chair – Dec 15/15:
► Legal Memorandum re Potential Litigation.
(5:47)
Moved: L. Ryan
Seconded: C. White
CARRIED
CLOSED SESSION
Members in attendance were: Mr. Doug Auld (Chair), Ms. Margaret Abbink, Mr. William Baxter, Ms. Christine Billings, Mr. George Bridge, Ms. Rose Ann Doyle, Mr. Guy Gardhouse, Ms. June Hofland, Mr. Dennis Lever, Mr. Mark MacKinnon, Mr. Keith Perron, Ms. Laura Ryan, Ms. Nancy Sullivan and Mr. Chris White.
Member(s) with regrets were: Mr. Mark MacKinnon.
Ex-officio member(s) in attendance were: Dr. Mercer, Medical Officer of Health & CEO.
Staff member(s) in attendance were: Ms. Elizabeth Bowden, Ms. Andrea Roberts, Ms. Rita Sethi, Mr. Rob Thompson and Ms. Sylvia Muir (Recording Secretary).
Guest(s) in attendance were: NONE.
CLOSED SESSION MINUTES TO BE PROVIDED UNDER SEPARATE COVER.
Returned to Open Session.
(6:20)
Moved: J. Hofland
Seconded: D. Lever
CARRIED
Item brought forward from Closed Session
Results of 2015 BOH Self-Assessment Survey to be brought to the March BOH meeting.
Motion(s) brought forward from Closed Session
Moved: L. Ryan
Seconded: K. Perron
CARRIED
13.0 Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 6:20 p.m.
Moved: K. Perron
Seconded: M. Abbink
CARRIED: