BILL NO. 153

(as introduced)

1st Session, 59th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
54 Elizabeth II, 2005

Government Bill

Public Service Act
(amended)

The Honourable Rodney J. MacDonald
Minister of Immigration

First Reading: April 19, 2005

(Explanatory Note)

Second Reading: April 25, 2005

Third Reading: May 19, 2005 (WITH COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS) (LINK TO BILL AS PASSED)

This Bill establishes the Office of Immigration and corrects a Section number.

1 Section 25E of Chapter 376 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Public Service Act, as enacted by Chapter 26 of the Acts of 2004, is renumbered as Section 25EA.

2 Chapter 376 is further amended by adding immediately after Section 25I the following Sections:

25J (1) There shall be an Office of Immigration.

(2) The Governor in Council may assign to a member of the Executive Council responsibility for the Office of Immigration.

(3) The Office of Immigration shall be presided over by the Minister of Immigration who has the supervision, direction and control of all affairs and matters relating to the Office and who shall supervise the performance of the functions of the Office.

(4) The Governor in Council may appoint a person to be Chief Executive Officer of the Office of Immigration who shall be paid such salary as the Governor in Council determines and who shall perform such duties as are from time to time prescribed by the Governor in Council.

(5) Such other officers and employees as are required for the purposes of the Office of Immigration may be appointed pursuant to the Civil Service Act and that Act applies to those employees.

25K (1) It is the function of the Office of Immigration to take a lead role in engaging and in working with partners in the private, public, academic and non-governmental organization sectors in order to

(a) attract immigrants to, integrate immigrants into and retain immigrants in the Province;

(b) promote the culture of a welcoming community for immigrants, including by the raising of public awareness and education on immigration and diversity issues;

(c) market the Province as an attractive immigration destination;

(d) strengthen immigration and settlement planning, policy and programming in the Province in order to improve opportunities to attract, integrate and retain immigrants; and

(e) ensure planning and capacity for the effective delivery of immigrant settlement and integration programming in the Province.

(2) It is the function of the Office of Immigration to

(a) facilitate and promote a co-ordinated approach within the Government to immigration;

(b) develop advice and provide support to the Government in policy, planning, research and co-ordination in matters involving immigration and settlement; and

(c) carry out such other duties as are assigned to the Office of Immigration by the Governor in Council or by statute.

25L (1) The Minister of Immigration shall submit annually to the Executive Council a report for the previous fiscal year setting out the outcomes respecting the priorities and programs set out in the business plan adopted for the Office of Immigration.

(2) The Minister shall table the annual report in the Assembly, if the Assembly is then sitting, and if the Assembly is not sitting, within fifteen days of its next sitting.

3 This Act comes into force on such day as the Governor in Council orders and declares by proclamation.