Canadian National Seafarers’ Welfare Board

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Mandate

The National Seafarers’ Welfare Board (“Board”) is comprised of shipowners, seafarers’ welfare and labour representatives, port representatives and government. The creation of the Board is aligned with provisions of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC 2006), and the Board has the mandate to advise the Government of Canada on issues related to the welfare and well-being of seafarers, while also enhancing and improving seafarer welfare facilities in Canada, and seafarer access to those facilities and other services that they may require.

Governance

The Seafarers’ Welfare Board is composed of:

Board Executive

Chair

Debbie Murray

Vice President, Government and Industry Affairs,
Association of Canadian Port Authorities

Vice-Chairs (2)

Dan Kimmerly

British Columbia Ferries Marine Workers’ Union

Jason Zuidema

Executive Director, North American Maritime Ministry Association

Secretariat

Julia Murphy

Director, Seafarer Certification,
Marine Safety & Security, Transport Canada

Emelina Therien

Projects Officer and Coordinator, Seafarer Certification,
Marine Safety & Security, Transport Canada

Board Members

Seafarer Welfare organizations

Rev. Eric Phinney

Senior Chaplain, The Mission to Seafarers

Deacon Dileep Athaide

Stella Maris Canada

Chaplain Michelle DePooter

Ministry to Seafarers

Ray Hanna

Lighthouse Harbour Ministries

Capt. Yoss Leclerc

International Sailors' Society Canada

Labour

Rob Ashton

President,
International Longshore and Warehouse Union – Canada

Albert Batten

Vice-President, International Longshoremen's Association

Kyle Campbell

ITF Inspector, International Transport Workers’ Federation – Canada

Chris Given

President, Seafarers' International Union of Canada (SIU)

Karl Risser

ITF Inspector, International Transport Workers Federation – Canada

Nathan Smith

ITF Inspector, International Transport Workers Federation – Canada

Industry

Cédric Baumelle

Director, Marine Operations, Shipping Federation of Canada

Clifford Faleiro

Senior Operations Manager North America, Saga Welco AS

Bonnie Gee

President, Chamber of Shipping

Lanna Hodgson

Secretary General, International Ship-owners Alliance of Canada

Karen Kancens

Vice-President, Shipping Federation of Canada

Paul Topping

Director, Regulatory & Environmental Affairs,
Chamber of Marine Commerce

Captain Meraz Sekhon

Association of Canadian Port Authorities

 

Meeting documentation

Meeting documentation is available to all Board members on GCcollab: Canadian National Seafarers’ Welfare Board (account login is required to access files).

Non-members of the Board may request access to meeting documents by sending an email to swbsecretariat-secretariatcbgm@tc.gc.ca.

Resources from other organisations

  • Guidance on eliminating shipboard harassment and bullying. This guidance developed by the International Chamber of Shipping and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) sets out practical measures to prevent, address, and eliminate harassment and bullying on board ships, promoting a safe, respectful, and inclusive working environment for seafarers. This guidance is referenced in the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, which is a convention of the International Labour Organization.
  • Guidelines on fair treatment of seafarers detained in connection with alleged crimes. These IMO-ILO guidelines set out the principles for the fair and respectful treatment of seafarers who are detained as part of criminal investigations, emphasizing due process, human rights, and timely resolution.
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