| MPP
ARNOTT CONTINUES SUPPORT FOR
“DOUBLE HATTER” FIRE FIGHTERS
In
a meeting with representatives of the fire fighters
union at Queen’s Park on November 26th, Waterloo-Wellington
MPP Ted Arnott reiterated his support for “double hatter”
fire fighters, and his firm belief that they should
be allowed to serve as volunteers in their home communities
free from union harassment.
He
says he is prepared to introduce a bill again if need
be and fight for this right to volunteer if it isn’t
respected by the union. While Mr. Arnott isn’t optimistic
that the Liberal government would support a bill protecting
double hatters, he stated his position in no uncertain
terms:
“I
need to let you know that I’m prepared to open the file
again if I learn of more cases of fire fighters being
threatened by their union with the loss of their full
time jobs if they continue to serve as volunteers in
their home communities. If necessary, I am prepared
to reintroduce a bill to provide legal protection for
double hatters, and fight for their right to volunteer,”
Mr. Arnott wrote in his letter to Mr. Fred LeBlanc,
President of the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters
Association.
In
May 2002, Mr. Arnott introduced Bill 30, the Volunteer
Fire Fighters Employment Protection Act. The Bill was
aimed at addressing the problem of coercive threats
used by the union against professional fire fighters
who also volunteer. Although it was defeated at Third
Reading in December of that year, it had significant
province-wide support and received more debate time
than any other Private Members Bill at the Legislature
going back 50 years.
“You
may be assured that I would put my full effort behind
such a bill ensuring that as many Ontarians as possible
were informed about why it was introduced,” Mr. Arnott
said in conclusion to his letter to the union president.
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