Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) Roster for Panels and Compliance Panels

Department

Authority

Remuneration

Purpose:

To sit on a roster of potential panelists who may be chosen by CFTA parties to hear disputes related to measures believed to be incosistent with a party’s obligations under the CFTA.

Structure:

The Lieutenant-Governor in Council shall, from among persons recommended by the minister, appoint the roster consisting of a maximum of 5 members. These roster members will be included on the master CFTA roster of panelists which includes members from all CFTA jurisdictions

Competency Profile:

Those who make up Newfoundland and Labrador’s CFTA’s roster for panels and compliance panels should possess the following core competencies:

• A general knowledge of trade issues;
• A willingness to learn about the CFTA;
• Report writing ability; and,
• Be familiar with administrative law proceedings.

Qualifications:

• High ethical standards and integrity;
• A willingness to travel for panel hearings;
• Ability to objectively consider various points of view;
• Ability to listen and work as a team member;
• Ability to analyze documents in a timely fashion;
• Strong reasoning skills;
• A post-secondary degree or diploma would be preferred;
• Administrative Law experience would be preferred; and,
• Being Bilingual would be preferred.

Time Commitments:

Members of the roster would be expected to familiarize themselves with the CFTA and the rules of procedure for panelists and compliance panelists. Members also must be willing to follow the Code of Conduct for Presiding Body Members.  These documents are included in Chapter 10 of the CFTA. If selected to serve on a CFTA dispute panel or compliance panel, the person would be required to review the case documents, attend any hearings and teleconferences and assist in writing the final report.  The amount of time required will depend on the amount of documents related to the case, the complexity of the case and length of time of the panel hearing. 

Term:

A person shall be appointed for a term of 5 years and is eligible for reappointment.