Brian Skabar

Specializations:

• Labour / management
• First Nations issues,
• Disputes with federal or provincial government agencies, boards, commissions, as well as government departments

Brian Skabar’s specialization in the mediation/arbitration field is based upon 35 years of experience in the public service of Canada and particular specialities he has developed in the course of those years.

Labour / Management

Brian knows both side of the labour/management divide.

During his public service career, Brian represented two locals of the PSAC for a total of 7 years. He represented his membership in grievances, labour management consultations, and contract negotiations.

As his career progressed, he became Director of Non Insured Health Benefits for the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch with a staff of 29 and management responsibility for a budget of $115 m. In this aspect of his career he was the first level of grievance adjudication, writing/assessing job responsibilities for classification purposes, and representing management in labour management consultation.

First Nations Issues

In the course of Brian’s 31 plus years with the Public Service of Canada, 27 were with the Department of Indian Affairs and 4 1/2 more with First Nations and Inuit Health Branch of Health Canada.  He has visited every First Nation Community in Nfld and Labrador, Nova Scotia, PEI, New Brunswick, Manitoba and many in Saskatchewan.

In various capacities, he was directly involved with governance issues, financial management issues including negotiation and monitoring of financial arrangements. As such he is absolutely aware of the difficult position many First Nations (both leadership and membership) find themselves in, both inter and intra governmental.

Provincial Government related disputes

Both as as a professional Social Worker, and more recently as a member of the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly, Brian has become familiar with all aspects of provincial government departments, their mandate, functions, and organization. As an MLA his office was most often the first level of appeal/inquiry by constituents and lobby organizations to reverse or revisit a decision by a government official, or to review a policy interpretation that was thought to be unfair or not in the best interests of the community.

Among his functions as a sitting member of the legislature, he sat as a member of the all-party Committee on Human Resources. This is the body that mandates and appoints members to all of the provincial boards, commissions and agencies. As such he is aware of their mandates and functions.

Mediation Training and Affiliations

• Certificate in Dispute Resolution, York University
• Certified Workplace Fairness Analyst (W.F.A.), Workplace Fairness Institute
• Member, ADR Institute, Atlantic
• Member, ADR Institute, Canada.

Please feel free to contact Brian Skabar at:

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