| Chair: | Louise Nadeau | |
| Participants: | Nancy Edwards (by phone) | |
| Kevin Keough | ||
| Regrets: | Alan Bernstein (Ex-Offico) | |
| Staff: | Christine Fitzgerald | VP Corporate Affairs Portfolio |
| André Gratton | ||
| Patricia Kosseim | Acting Director, Ethics Office (for item # 6) | |
| Mary Ann Linseman | Deputy Director, Knowledge Creation Programs | |
| Rosa Venuta | Team Lead, Governance Membership (for item # 5) |
Louise Nadeau called the meeting to order at 12:30 p.m. and welcomed everyone to the 23rd meeting of the Nominating Committee. She reported that Alan Bernstein, President of CIHR, sent his regrets.
The minutes were deemed to be an accurate reflection of the discussions which took place on November 7, 2003 and were approved.
It was reported that Governing Council:
It was further reported that the Institute of Population and Public Health agreed to postpone filing the Institute Advisory Board's vacancy until the 2nd cycle of membership renewal. Governing Council met on Janaury 30th to discuss key priority areas and action plan in respect of the Governing Council Governance Assessment Project.
A targeted solicitation to ex-SCOGAC members, SCOGAC members, Scientific Directors, and key research personnel at CIHR including the Vice President Research Portfolio was undertaken in January 2004. The solicitation emphasized the current gaps in SCOGAC's membership - international representation, as well as representation from Quebec (preferably Laval, and francophone) and from the Maritimes (preferably Nova Scotia). As a result of this call, close to 60 names of potential candidates were received.
Key CIHR research personnel undertook a preliminary prioritization exercise of the candidates. Informed by this process, the SCOGAC co-chairs undertook a second prioritization exercise, of which the outcome was presented to the Nominating Committee for review and approval.
During the Nominating Committee's discussion of the proposed prioritized list of candidates, it was suggested that SCOGAC membership be augmented to include Health Canada representation. Names of potential candidates to fill this role will be submitted to the Nominating Committee for its review and consideration at a later date.
The Nominating Committee recommended that the proposed slate of screened candidates to fill the three remaining vacancies on the Standing Committee for Oversight of Grants and Awards Competitions be submitted to Governing Council for review and approval at its March 2004 meeting.
Christine Fitzgerald informed the Nominating Committee that the terms of six members will lapse on Governing Council within the 2004 calendar year, and sought advice on potential replacements or re-appointments to Governing Council.
The Nominating Committee discussed the prescribed process for Order-in-Council appointments as well as potential candidates to replace the two exiting members on June 5, 2004. Members will further reflect on potential candidates that could be recommended to the President of CIHR for his consideration.
The Nominating Committee was given a progress report on the action plan developed for the 2nd cycle of the Institute Advisory Board (IAB) Renewal Process, namely that:
The Nominating Committee agreed with management's recommendation that a member of the Nominating Committee serve as chairperson for the teleconferences with the Scientific Directors and Institute Advisory Board Chairs. Dr. Louise Nadeau accepted to serve as chairperson.
A member renewal process, similar to that applied to the Standing Committee for Oversight of Grants and Awards Competitions, will be applied for the Standing Committee on Ethics (SCE). The solicitation of SCE members as to their interest in continuing to serve or to solicit likely replacements will begin in April 2004. The proposed membership of renewals and new appointments will be presented to the Nominating Committee and subsequently to Governing Council for approval in November 2004. Appointments to one, two or three year terms will be effective January 1, 2005.
This renewal process will also provide the SCE with the opportunity to review its terms of reference as well as its role and responsibilities. The Nominating Committee suggested that the selection criteria for membership on the SCE could also be reviewed.
The Nominating Committee discussed the current membership structure and asked that its recommendation of one Chair, who should be a Governing Council member, be communicated to the SCE.
The Nominating Committee agreed with Management's recommendation that the member renewal process be launched in the spring of 2004, with timelines that would allow for re-appointments as well as the new appointments to the Standing Committee on Ethics to be effective as of January 1, 2005.
Members were informed of the decision taken by the Executive Committee at its January 19, 2004 meeting in respect of the membership status of two ex-officio members appointed to the Stem Cell Oversight Committee (SCOC), namely; to remove the representatives from the Ad Hoc Working Group from SCOC and involve them only as "external resource persons".
The 23rd meeting of the Nominating Committee was adjourned at 2:00 pm
