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President’s Message

The past year has been a challenging one for the Hazardous Materials Information Review Commission (HMIRC). We have faced complex and critical choices. In our efforts to modernize the Commission, we have gone through an internal process of revisiting and updating our vision, mission, and operating principles. I have made the renewal process my top priority since accepting the position of President and CEO of the Commission in May 1998, and staff embraced the need for change and set about creating it.

The Commission’s dual role is to balance the right of chemical companies to protect trade secrets and the need of workers to have accurate health and safety information about hazardous chemicals. The Commission, which was created in 1987 as part of the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), is a model of industry, labour and government consultation, consensus and cooperation. Ten years of changing times and changing markets made it necessary to re-evaluate the Commission’s approach to fulfilling this mandate.

Over time, some members of industry had become discontented with various aspects of our work and there was a growing need for a more client-oriented approach to service delivery. But the ultimate challenge, however, continues to lie in our organization’s commitment to meeting the needs and interests of both industry and workers equally. By May of 1998, substantial work had already been done to determine the initial stakeholders’ views about the Commission, and in October the Minister of Health requested that HMIRC conduct a more widespread consultation with all interested parties. Working together with our stakeholder groups, staff created the Commission’s first strategic plan entitled Commission Renewal: Blueprint for Change.

The strategic plan was the springboard for open, honest and challenging dialogue, and acted as a gathering place around which all our stakeholders met to review, reaffirm and enhance the services offered by the Commission. Throughout the process, everyone was motivated by concern for the Commission, recognizing its role and importance, and I am grateful for everyone’s patience, support and enthusiasm. I would like to thank the Council of Governors, the members of the Intergovernmental WHMIS Coordinating Committee, HMIRC claimants, industry association members, labour association members, Commission staff and those from various federal government departments who assisted us in this renewal effort.

We have already succeeded in giving the Commission’s staff a renewed sense of value—recognizing their contribution, and giving them the scope to perform to their full potential. We have found new solidarity with our partners in labour, industry and government.

This has given rise to expectations. I have never been fearful of expectations. They are a motivation to deliver to the best of our abilities.


Weldon Newton