| MPP
Arnott Tables Legislation to Protect the Right of
Paid Fire Fighters to Serve as Volunteer Firefighters
Waterloo-Wellington
MPP Ted Arnott has introduced a bill in the Ontario
Legislature to protect full-time, paid firefighters
who also work as volunteer firefighters in their home
communities from being disciplined or possibly dismissed
due to actions by their professional associations or
unions.
In
some municipalities in Ontario, the International Association
of Fire Fighters is reported to be exerting pressure
on salaried fire fighters to stop them from serving
as volunteer fire fighters. The issue was brought to
Mr. Arnott’s attention by Township of Puslinch Fire
Chief Doug Smith, Township of Woolwich Mayor Bill Strauss,
and through a resolution passed by the Council of the
Township of Guelph/Eramosa. The Association of Municipalities
of Ontario has expressed serious concerns about this
problem as well.
Mr.
Arnott’s Private Member’s Bill, Bill 30, The Volunteer
Firefighters Employment Protection Act, 2002, was introduced
in the Legislature on May 22, 2002. If passed it would
amend the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997 to
protect volunteer firefighters so that they cannot be
disciplined, expelled from their association, or lose
their job solely on the basis of their volunteer service.
The Bill is slated for debate in the Legislature on
June 6, 2002.
“Volunteer
firefighters provide an essential service to communities
in Waterloo-Wellington and across the province and so
we need to support them, encourage them and protect
their departments from losing highly valued volunteers,”
declared Mr. Arnott.
“Paid,
professional firefighters have a lot to offer through
volunteer service especially in terms of their knowledge,
skills and experience. I hope this Bill passes so that
we can protect their right to continue to be leaders
in their communities,” he added.
Mr.
Arnott has successfully brought forward legislative
initiatives that have supported volunteer firefighters
in the past. In 1998 he introduced a Private Member’s
Bill to address the need for proper compensation, in
the event of injury, for volunteer firefighters. Soon
afterwards, his Bill was adopted as Government legislation,
and was passed in to law. In 1994, he introduced a bill
that would allow volunteer fire fighters to use a flashing
green light on their personal vehicles when responding
to an emergency. This Private Member’s Bill passed into
law – a rarity for an opposition member, which he was
at the time.
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