View our Candidates for Election 2020
March 27, 2020
This year, we have two candidates for election to our Board of Directors. Meet the candidates by reading their bios below:
Gary Mailman, Salesperson, Exit Realty Inter Lake
Years Licensed
17
Degrees / Designations
BPE. Ed, CRA P.App
Director / Committee Experience
NSREC Director from 2016-19, 3 years serving on Education Committee with 2 of those years as Chair
About Me
For those of you who I have not met, I have a background in education and I have been working in the real estate Industry for 17 years on the South Shore with the majority of those years either serving on NSAR's Board of Directors including as a Past President or at NSREC. I am very active in my community, serving on the previous South Shore Regional School Board, officiating basketball and softball, and volunteering with a number of other groups. Because of my time serving on both Boards I feel I have a good understanding of the issues and concerns facing the real estate Industry across the Province and have developed relationships with Industry members on both ends and all points in between. In the past 4 years or so, NSREC has taken on some significant topics for discussions that have needed attention for some time that have included the Audit Process, Forms, Education, and Buyer Brokerage Agreements. Decisions have been slow in coming, and the decisions that have been made have had to be re-discussed because of flaws in the original decisions. My aspirations on returning to the Board of NSREC is to help lead our Regulator through the changing world of real estate, and make sure it does not lose its focus on what is really important to the consumer and the Industry. If elected, I promise that I would bring to NSREC a common sense approach to decision making, with an open mind, and without any biases.
Linda Smardon, Broker, Exit Realty Metro
Years licensed
28
Director / Committee Experience
NSAR appointed member of the Commission
Chair or the Bylaw Task Force (NSREC)
Chair NSAR E&O Claims Committee
Member NSAR Board Development Committee
Previous NSAR and NSREC committee and governance experience
Elected member of the Commission
Chair of NSREC Licensing Committee
Member of the NSREC Audit Task Force
Past President NSAR
Member and Chair of the NSAR Executive Committee
Chair of the NSAR Finance Committee
Chair of the MLS®️ committee
Chair of the NSAR Discipline Committee
Member of the NSAR Professional Standards Committee
Member of the NSAR Arbitration Committee
About Me
It is my belief that we are well-served by our self-regulating body because of the mix of experience of the industry and the public. The Real Estate Trading Act exists to protect the public while having a direct impact upon Licensees who have chosen to earn their living by helping the public within the framework of the Real Estate Trading Act, as well as other legislation designed to protect the public. As a practicing broker I can provide input on the practical challenges presented by the Act and the Bylaw and help identify solutions and processes that are workable for the licensees.
As we look across Canada, we see governments with mixed response to regulations. British Columbia has revoked the right of the real estate profession to self-regulate because the government felt that the regulatory body did not take adequate steps to protect the public, Alberta has indicated that the regulatory body has overstepped its mandate and is imposing regulation that is beyond its scope. Ontario is updating its legislation with more rules around some processes. I believe that the answer is to consistently look at the Act and ensure that we take the steps necessary to protect the public while providing the necessary guidance and direction to the industry to help them accomplish this.
I ask for your vote and promise to always consider the implications of decisions on the licensees. When regulation is necessary, I shall advocate for adequate training and guidance to be provided so that the licensees can be successful in providing the protection to the public required of them.
