Five new members have been appointed to the independent committee reviewing Saskatchewan's Personal Injury Protection Plan (PIPP), commonly referred to as no-fault insurance.

Law professor Ken Cooper-Stephenson will Chair the PIPP Review Committee. Cooper-Stephenson has taught at the University of Saskatchewan for almost 30 years. He is a recognized expert in tort law and personal injury damages, has written several books and dozens of articles, conference papers and presentations on the subjects.

The other new committee members are: Dr. Dennis Kendel of Saskatoon, a family doctor and Registrar of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan, as well as a former president of the Medical Council of Canada and the Saskatchewan Medical Association; Dr. Murray Knuttila of Regina, Dean of Arts and Professor of Sociology and Social Studies at the University of Regina; Donald Grant of Regina, a specialist in occupational health and safety issues, former Director of Occupational Health & Safety Services with the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations, and now an instructor in the Occupational Health Certificate Program with University of Regina Extension; and Kevin Clarke of Lumsden, a lawyer and mediator with the Regina law firm Richmond Nychuk, whose practice focuses on a number of areas, including civil litigation.

"I am very pleased these highly qualified and respected individuals have agreed to serve on this committee," Crown Investments Corporation Minister John Nilson said. "Their expertise will help us achieve our goal of providing the best possible automobile accident insurance plan for all of the people of Saskatchewan."

PIPP, which is administered by Saskatchewan Government Insurance, was introduced January 1, 1995, through changes to The Automobile Accident Insurance Act. The legislation called for a committee of at least five members to be established within five years of the plan's inception, to review all aspects of PIPP.

The new members will join three other committee members who were appointed December 14, 1999: Vice-Chair Donna Larsen of Saskatoon, a self-employed management consultant and former senior management consultant with Deloitte & Touche; Carol Lafond of Marcelin, a teacher and post secondary counsellor with the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation; and Gail Graham of Prince Albert, a recreational therapist and manager of the Saskatchewan North Acquired Brain Injury Outreach Team.

"These committee members have already done a considerable amount of research and other work over the past several months," Nilson said. "I am confident that, working with the new members, they will complete a fair and thorough review that will reflect the views of injured persons, Saskatchewan drivers and groups and organizations with an interest in PIPP. I look forward to receiving the committee's report on how we can all work together to provide a top-notch automobile accident insurance program for all Saskatchewan people."

BIOGRAPHIES OF PANEL MEMBERS

Ken Cooper-Stephenson, Chair

Ken Cooper-Stephenson of Saskatoon is a Professor of Law at the University of Saskatchewan and a recognized expert in tort law and personal injury damages.

Professor Cooper-Stephenson was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and raised in Kingston and Bedford, England. He earned a bachelor?s degree in law from University College in London, England, and a master?s degree in law from the University of Cambridge, England. After lecturing in law at the University of Leicester, England, for five years, he immigrated to Canada in 1971.

Cooper-Stephenson has been on the faculty of the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan since 1971. He has been a full professor since 1976, and also served as Assistant Dean for two years. He has chaired and been a member of a host of university and college committees, including currently serving on the University Ethics Committee.

His book, Personal Injury Damages in Canada, is the leading treatise on personal injury law in Canada, and has been cited on a number of occasions by the Supreme Court of Canada. It is also referenced across the world as the primary Canadian work in the area. His other legal writings include dozens of Law Review articles and book chapters, as well as conference papers and presentations.

Dr. Dennis Kendel, Member

Dr. Dennis Kendel of Saskatoon is a family doctor and Registrar of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan.

Dr. Kendel received his medical degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1971. He is a member of a number of medical organizations, including the Canadian and Saskatchewan Medical Associations, the College of Family Physicians of Canada, and the Canadian and Saskatchewan Associations of Health Care Executives.

Dr. Kendel has served on the Medical Council of Canada since 1989 and on the Board of Directors of Blue Cross-Medical Services Incorporated since 1992. He has also been on the Saskatchewan Government?s Midwifery Implementation Committee since 1997. Previous roles include the presidency of the Medical Council of Canada, the Saskatchewan Medical Association, and the Federation of Medical Licensing Authorities of Canada. He was also Commissioner of The Health Services Utilization Research Commission of Saskatchewan from 1992 to 1996, a member of the Yukon Medical Council, and on the Board of Directors of The Canadian Medical Association.

Dr. Murray Knuttila, Member

Dr. Murray Knuttila of Regina is Dean of Arts and Professor of Sociology and Social Studies at the University of Regina.

Dr. Knuttila received his B.A. (Honours) from the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus, in 1973, followed by an M.A. from the University of Regina in 1975. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in 1982.

Dr. Knuttila began his academic career at the U of R in 1977 as a lecturer, rising to full professor in 1994. Prior to his appointment as Dean of Arts in 1995, he served as Head of the Department of Sociology and Social Studies, Assistant Dean of Arts, Acting Head of the Department of Philosophy and Classics, and Head of the Sample Survey and Data Bank Unit. He has served on a number of university and departmental committees, including the University Committee on Admissions and Studies, the Faculty of Arts Curriculum Advisory Committee and the President?s Task Force on Enrollment.

Publications written by Dr. Knuttila include several books on sociology, feminism and the use of computer technology in higher education, as well as book chapters, articles, reviews, and papers presented at academic conferences. His current work includes a research project on agricultural restructuring, federal state agricultural policies and producer responses to the rural crisis and transformation in Western Canada and Australia.

Donald Grant, Member

Donald Grant of Regina is a specialist in occupational health and safety issues and a former Director of Occupational Health & Safety Services with the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO). He is now an instructor in the Occupational Health Certificate Program with University of Regina Extension and an instructor with Pine Tree Management Skills Incorporated.

Mr. Grant is a member of the Provincial Occupational Health Clinic Advisory Board and the Occupational Health Provincial Council. He was president of the Saskatchewan Safety Council from 1993 to 1995, and a board member with the Banff School of Advanced Management from 1985 to 1993.

In his former position as Director of Occupational Health & Safety Services with SAHO, Grant developed, implemented and supervised a comprehensive occupational health and safety program for approximately 30,000 employees. The program encompassed: injury prevention, return to work, workplace health and wellness, disability management, and statistics and analysis.

Kevin Clarke, Member

Kevin Clarke of Lumsden is a lawyer and mediator with the Regina law firm Richmond Nychuk.

Clarke was raised and educated in rural Saskatchewan. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1986 and his law degree in 1989. He was called to the Bar in 1990 and has practiced law in Regina ever since. He received his mediator designation in 1996, and joined the Richmond Nychuk law firm in Regina in March of 1999 as an associate.

Mr. Clarke has been involved in all aspects of conducting general litigation, including personal injury. He has appeared before Administrative Tribunals in all four Western provinces, as well as appearing several times before the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal, and twice before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Karen Schmidt
A/Executive Director, Communications
Crown Investments Corporation
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-5889