MPP Arnott Again Calls on McGuinty Government to Pass his Bill to Protect Double Hatters or Make Fire Service Grant Permanent

As the Ontario Legislature resumed for the Spring Sitting on March 23rd, the very first subject raised was the Double Hatter Fire Fighter issue. Waterloo-Wellington MPP Ted Arnott gave the following remarks in the House about his Private Member’s Bill 44, the Volunteer Fire Fighters Employment Protection Act:

Mr. Ted Arnott (Waterloo-Wellington): Welcome back, Mr. Speaker. Last year, in my newsletter to my constituents in Waterloo-Wellington, I included a questionnaire. The most decisive response I received on any questions was 90% support for my private member's bill that is intended to protect double-hatter firefighters.

My constituents understand that this issue has the potential to put rural communities at risk when firefighters are harassed by their union and forced to quit volunteering in their home communities.

The fire marshal understands this too. A few months ago in Shakespeare, two double-hatter firefighters were forced by their union to sit at home while a neighbour's home was ablaze. That house sustained considerable damage, and a family pet died in the fire. After the incident and his investigation, Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle wrote to the Stratford Beacon Herald, saying that his office will continue to support legislation to protect double-hatters.

Recently, Ted Droog, president of the Fire Fighters Association of Ontario, wrote to the Premier urging him to support my bill, saying, "It will accomplish and ensure justice, fairness and protection to career firefighters from losing their employment and permit them to be a volunteer firefighter in their home community."

This week, the Kitchener-Waterloo Record published an opinion column by Teresa Brown. She wrote that without double-hatter firefighters, "rural townships would not enjoy the high-quality fire service they now have. In fact, Ontario would essentially have two-tiered fire protection, one for the wealthier municipalities and a vastly different one for poorer rural areas."

So far, the government has refused to express support for double-hatters in any meaningful way. If they are unwilling to pass my Bill, then today’s budget should include a commitment to make last year’s one-time Fire Service Grant permanent.