Workers Compensation Act (Manitoba ministerial responsibility)

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Since 1981, the Executive Council of Manitoba has included a Minister responsible for the Workers Compensation Act. This is not a full cabinet portfolio, and the responsibility is always held by a minister with other cabinet responsibilities.

Most ministers responsible for the Workers Compensation Act have also been Ministers of Labour. The current minister is Nancy Allan, who is also the Minister of Labour and Immigration.

Assessments under the act are levied upon employers and gathered into a common fund out of which benefits are paid to workers who are injured as a result of their employment. Administration and adjudication are carried out by the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba.

[edit] Ministerial designation

The exact ministerial designation has changed several times:

• The position was established in 1981. In addition to holding other positions in cabinet, Jay Cowan was designated as Minister responsible for the Workers Compensation Act and Minister responsible for the Workplace Safety and Health Act.

• In 1983, both positions appear to have been incorporated into the new portfolio of Workplace Safety and Health (which was combined with the Ministry of Environment during this period).

• Most aspects of Workers Compensation Act were shifted to a different minister in 1987. All aspects of the act appear to have been formally separated from the portfolio in 1989.

• The Workplace Safety and Health portfolio was eliminated in 1991. Two years later, all aspects of ministerial responsibility relating to the administration of the Workers Compensation Act were transferred to a single position.

[edit] List of Ministers

	Name	Party	Took Office	Left Office
	Jay Cowan (*)	New Democratic Party	November 30, 1981	November 4, 1983
	Gerard Lecuyer (**)	New Democratic Party	November 4, 1983	May 9, 1988
	Harry Harapiak (***)	New Democratic Party	February 4, 1987	May 9, 1988
	Edward Connery (+)	Progressive Conservative	May 9, 1988	February 5, 1991
	Gerrie Hammond (++)	Progressive Conservative	April 21, 1989	February 5, 1991
	Darren Praznik (+++)	Progressive Conservative	February 5, 1991	May 9, 1995
	Vic Toews	Progressive Conservative	May 9, 1995	January 6, 1997
	Harold Gilleshammer	Progressive Conservative	January 6, 1997	February 5, 1999
	Mike Radcliffe	Progressive Conservative	February 5, 1999	October 5, 1999
	Becky Barrett	New Democratic Party	October 5, 1999	June 25, 2003
	Steve Ashton	New Democratic Party	June 25, 2003	November 4, 2003
	Nancy Allan	New Democratic Party	November 4, 2003	present

• (*) Cowan was designated as the Minister responsible for the Workers Compensation Act and Minister responsible for the Workplace Safety and Health Act.
• (**) Lecuyer was designated as the Minister of Workplace Safety and Health.
• (***) Harapiak was designated as the Minister responsible the Workers Compensation Act (except at it relates to Worker Advisers).
• (+) Connery was designated as Minister of Workplace Safety and Health and Minister responsible for the Workers Compensation Act (except as it relates to Worker Advisers).
• (++) Hammand was designated as Minister responsible for the Workers Compensation Act (as it relates to Worker Advisers). She did not seek re-election in the 1990 election, and it is not clear if she continued to hold the portfolio until February 1991.
• (+++) From 1991 to 1993, Praznik was designated as the Minister responsible for the Workers Compensation Act (as it relates to Worker Advisers).