MPPs Laurie Scott and Ted Arnott Grill Minister to
Support Double Hatter Fire Fighters’ Right to Volunteer

Haliburton-Victoria-Brock MPP Laurie Scott joined Waterloo-Wellington MPP Ted Arnott during Question Period on November 17th once again to call on the Minister of Community Safety to take action to protect the right of Double Hatter fire fighters to volunteer.

In the Legislature, Ted Arnott held up a recent headline from the Kitchener-Waterloo Record stating “Fire Marshal Sides With Double Hatters”. He also raised the issue of Greg Ankenmann of the Perth East Fire Department and Captain of the Shakespeare Station who has been forced to quit as a volunteer because of union threats.

He had also reminded Minister Monte Kwinter of his response to a question on March 31st when Mr. Kwinter committed to convening another round of mediation on the Double Hatter issue. The Minister said at that time that if mediation was not possible then: “I’m going to bring forward legislation.”

Mr. Arnott then asked the Minister: “When will the Government listen to the Fire Marshal, the volunteers themselves, the chiefs association, AMO, 165 municipal councils, and even the Minister of Community Safety, and take action to protect our small town and rural communities?”

“The Minister’s response to me was insufficient to say the least. I know him to be an Honourable Member and I said so in the House. It is unfortunate that lately he is dismissing the voices of so many who are concerned. Support for Double Hatters continues to grow and I intend to keep on raising this public safety issue,” he declared.

Mr. Arnott invites people to support Double Hatters by printing petitions off his website at: www.tedarnottmpp.com and suggests that signed petitions be delivered to the local MPP.