Board Members
Public Utilities Board
Purpose
The structure and composition of the PUB is outlined in the Public Utilities Board Act. The Board is a quasi-judicial administrative tribunal, delegated decision-making authority under provincial statute. Our public hearing processes follow many procedures of court and they satisfy standards of procedural fairness. Our decisions can be appealed to the Manitoba Court of Appeal. Moreover, we act as an appeal body for several other administrative tribunals, including the Highway Traffic Board.
Administrative tribunals are government agencies tasked with making decisions otherwise made by the government’s cabinet or one of its ministers. In keeping with this principle, the chair of the Board currently reports on an annual basis to the Minister of Finance.
There are several reasons why governments choose to delegate authority from cabinet to administrative tribunals.
First, governments seek to ensure that decisions involving essential public services are insulated from political pressures through the independence and objectivity of an administrative tribunal. Second, they seek to ensure that decisions are made on the basis of specialized technical expertise, which is particularly important when dealing with the complexities of public utility rate regulation. Third, they seek to ensure fair and equitable treatment of affected parties through structured public participation.
Board Composition and structure
The Manitoba Public Utilities Board must, by law, be composed of not less than three members. Currently the Board is composed of 12 members, with only the chair acting as a full-time member. Board members do not have fixed terms. All members are appointed by the Manitoba Lieutenant Governor (on the recommendations of the Premier of Manitoba) and serve at his or her pleasure.
The Lieutenant Governor appoints both a chair and a vice-chair for the Board. The chair appoints the members of Board panels tasked with examining matters of interest before the Board and evaluates the conduct of other Board members. The chair has similar authority to that of a justice of the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench. The vice-chair assumes these duties in the absence of the chair or in the event that the chair is incapacitated.
Board members serve as members of panels, usually comprised of two to five members for each matter of interest before the Board. Two members constitutes quorum. Members are responsible for carrying out our legislative mandate by enforcing the public interest in our conduct and regulatory decision-making. All members, including the chair and vice-chair, are subject to a detailed code of professional and ethical responsibilities.
Code of Conduct for Board Members
Current Board Members
Robert T. Gabor, K.C., Chair
Appointed September 2016
Robert left the practice of law after 36 years to accept the position as chair of the Public Utilities Board. His practice covered the areas of administrative law to corporate-commercial and technology law, including intellectual property, cyber security and privacy law. During his tenure, he was one of the founders and general counsel to the Winnipeg Airports Authority and the Manitoba Technology Accelerator. He taught different courses for the Manitoba Bar Admission course, including as a lecturer and examiner in ethics for over 15 years. He sat on numerous committees of the Law Society of Manitoba including the Discipline Committee as well as on the board of many not-for-profit organizations. He was appointed as a commissioner on the Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing from 1990-92. Robert received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal for community services in 2012.
Marilyn Kapitany, BSc. Honours, MSc., Vice Chair
Appointed July 2012
Marilyn is a former senior Federal Government executive responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada. Former Regional Director General of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (Manitoba) as well as Director of Industry Services at the Canadian Grain Commission. She is Past Chair of the National Board of YM-YWCA of Canada and was appointed as Canada's International Representative in 2014. Marilyn is a member of the Riverview Health Centre Board. Former Chair of the YM-YWCA of Winnipeg Board, and past member of Assiniboine Park Conservancy Board and Association of Professional Executives.
George is retired and the former Vice-President/General Counsel and Secretary for Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Group of Companies. He currently volunteers as a member of the Winnipeg Foundation Board where he sits on a number of committees, as well as previously having served on the St. Boniface Hospital Board, CancerCare Manitoba Board, Literary Review of Canada Board and other charitable association boards. Mr. Bass holds a Bachelor of Science from Brandon University, a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Manitoba, an ICD.D Designation, was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1977 and appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1988. He is a Life Bencher of the Law Society of Manitoba, and during his period of being an elected Bencher served over time on most of the Law Society’s committees.
Carol Bellringer, FCA, FCPA possesses an extensive background in public sector auditing and oversight from her previous experience as the President & CEO of the Canadian Audit & Accountability Foundation, and Auditor General for the provinces of British Columbia and Manitoba. She has also held management positions with KPMG in Montreal, Toronto, and Winnipeg, the City of Winnipeg (City Auditor), and at the University of Manitoba (Director of Private Funding). She currently sits on the boards of the Victoria Symphony Society, the University of Victoria Foundation, and the audit committee for the Manitoba Legislature.
Ms. Bellringer has served on several boards in the public and private sectors, including the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), Manitoba Hydro, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and the Auditing and Assurance Standards Oversight Council. While on the board of IFAC, Carol represented the profession on task forces advising the G20 on steps to combat corruption.
Irene retired as Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Civil Law Division in May 2017, after over 35 years in government, including seven years as the Provincial Ombudsman, five years as Assistant Deputy Minister, Courts Division and nine years as a Public Trustee. Irene is a past president of the Law Society of Manitoba and continues to serve on a number of its committees. She is a public representative on the College of Registered Nurses Manitoba board; and a number of other committees. She is a past chair of the United Way of Winnipeg Board of Trustees.
Jim was appointed Manitoba’s Deputy Minister of Finance in 2013 and Associate Clerk of the Executive Council in 2017, holding these positions until his retirement in 2020. He has also held the positions of Deputy Minister of Crown Services as well as acting Deputy Minister of Jobs and the Economy, and of Mineral Resources. Jim previously was the Assistant Deputy Minister of Taxation, Economic and Intergovernmental Fiscal Research at Manitoba Finance. He joined Manitoba Finance in 1992 as Senior Economist and later served as Director of Economic and Fiscal Analysis and chief economist. Prior to joining Manitoba Finance, Jim was an economist with TransAlta Corporation and economic advisor at the departments of Finance and Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories. He holds a B.A. (Hons.) Economics and Masters degree in Economics from the University of Manitoba with further courses from the Canadian Securities Institute. He previously sat on the boards of directors of the Canadian Association for Business Economics and the Manitoba Association for Business Economics.
Patrick holds a number of diplomas including an MBA from Queen’s University and a Masters Certificate in Project Management from York University. Patrick was a member of the Canadian Armed Forces for almost a decade. Thereafter he joined Investors Group where he started a 22 year career which included Manager Investment Funds, Manager Product Operations, Director Product Development and Vice President - Corporate Project Management Office. In the latter role Patrick was responsible for project management oversight of corporate wide projects. After leaving Investors, Patrick created and managed Full Contact Sports Inc., for 18 years prior to selling the company.
Shawn McCutcheon
Appointed September 2016
Shawn continues to be actively involved in McCutcheon Farms Ltd., a family owned and operated commercial and seed grain farms specializing in soybeans, corn and field bean production in the RM of Dufferin. He served 15 years in elected office, 7 years as a trustee of the former Midland School Division, 6 of those years as chairperson and 8 years as the Reeve of the RM of Dufferin. He has been involved in numerous local and provincial organizations and currently serves on the Carman Community Health Centre Board. He was very involved in the development of Boyne Care which is constructing a new 110 bed personal care home in Carman as part of an overall plan to renew senior housing options in Carman and neighbouring communities.
Sharon McKay
Appointed September 2016
Sharon lives in Thompson Manitoba and she has spent much of her adult life as a leader in Manitoba aboriginal organizations. She held a number of positions with Keewatin Tribal Council over a thirty year period starting as an education counsellor, Education Director then moving to Chief Executive Officer. She has also sat on a number of agencies, boards and commissions, including as Members of Manitoba Tribal Directors and Past Chairperson of Broadband Communications North Inc. (telecommunications for northern and remote communities). She also served as the Executive Director of the Aboriginal Knowledge and Culture Division of University College of the North and is now with the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre serving as Associate Executive Director.
Susan Nemec, FCPA, FCA
Appointed July 2016
Susan is the president of A&F Nemec Recruitment. Prior to moving full time into the recruitment and placement of finance and accounting professionals, Susan held senior positions such as VP Finance and Systems of the Moffat Canadian Cable group, Corporate Controller of The City of Winnipeg and many years as a Senior Assurance Manger with a Big Four Public Accounting Firm. Susan has held various volunteer positions including President of Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, President of the Winnipeg Chapter of Financial Executives International (FEI), National Board Member and Audit Committee, Treasurer of the Winnipeg Convention Centre and Manitoba Research Council. Susan currently sits on the Audit Committee of HEB Manitoba. In 2010, Susan was awarded her FCA (Fellowship) Designation which recognizes distinction in her career and ongoing service to the CPA/CA Profession and community.
Kim Sharman recently retired following a career in Manitoba’s public service. Her executive roles included President and Chief Executive Officer of the Crown Corporations Council; Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM), Provincial Programs and Services (Manitoba Health); ADM, Summary Budgeting and Macro Capital Planning (Treasury Board); and ADM, Employment, Income and Housing (Family Services and Housing). After leaving government, she joined Deloitte Canada’s (public sector) Consulting practice. Most recently, she served in leadership roles in Mental Health and Addictions in the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and Shared Health. Ms Sharman achieved designation as a Certified General Accountant with specialization in Financial Management and a teaching certificate from the University of Manitoba. She is currently on the Board of Community Living Manitoba, a part-president of Inclusion Winnipeg and has served in several other volunteer organizations including the Adult Abuse Registry Committee, the Council of the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba and the Public Sector Accounting Board.
Kurt was the former Associate Secretery at the Public Utilities Board for 10 years. Prior to the Public Utilities Board, Kurt was a senior energy policy advisor with the Manitoba government where he advised elected officials on matters related to federal, provincial, and international (US) energy issues. Kurt was also Chair of the federal/provincial/territorial working group on new energy technologies. Kurt spent approximately 20 years in private consulting engineering. Kurt was a Partner at Dillon Consulting where he provided energy advisory services to the Manitoba Public Utilities Board and other Canadian regulatory bodies. Prior to his career in consulting engineering, Kurt worked at Atomic Energy of Canada as part of a team licencing nuclear waste disposal facilities at Chalk River Ontario.
Kurt has served as a Board Member for the Manitoba Environmental Industries Association (MEIA), and the Consulting Engineers of Manitoba.
Kurt has a degree in engineering and a master’s degree in resource economics.