Injured workers, the WSIB and occupational safety were topics addressed several times this month in the Legislature before it adjourned on June 9th.
June 1st (Injured Workers Day) in the Assembly saw Percy Hatfield (MPP Windsor-Tecumseh) challenge the government’s record on workers’ compensation, while Peggy Sattler (MPP, London West) rose to acknowledge in particular the presence of the London & District Injured Workers Group and gave a shout-out to the Justice for Injured Workers riders.
On June 2 Minister of Labour Kevin Flynn drew attention to the recently dedicated Italian Fallen Workers Memorial which “rightly honours the tremendous sacrifice Italian Canadian workers have made in building this province that we all love and call home.”
MPPs from all parties supported passage June 8th of private member’s Bill 180, Workers’ Day of Mourning Act, 2016. Introduced in April by Percy Hatfield (NDP, Windsor-Tecumseh), the Bill aims to ensure April 28 remains designated as the Workers Day of Mourning, and that as a mark of respect for the significance of the day flags of all publicly-funded institutions across Ontario are lowered to half-mast. In speaking at the third reading of the Bill, Mr Hatfield encouraged schools to use the Day as a teaching tool, called for better safety education for young workers and greater OH&S inspection and enforcement. Referring to the recently completed Justice for Injured Workers Ride, his speech also addressed the need for those injured to get from the WSIB the “attention they need, the compensation they deserve.”
Like Mr Hatfield, Ted Arnott applauded the contributions inof Karl Crevar (ONIWG) and Vern Edwards (OFL).
(Also passed into law on June 8, Bill 186, Ontario Retirement Pension Plan Act 2016. The Legislative Assembly will resume sitting Sep. 12, 2016)