Issue No. 57, MONDAY, December 9, 2013, 12 Pgs.

“Sneaky And First, we do Subversive” everything in

Cabinet is quietly restricting safety provision, sec. 122.1, our power to health and safety coverage for states: “‘Danger’ means any 800,000 Canadian workers. existing or potential hazard build bridges, The labour department in or condition or any current an obscure notice proposes to or future activity that could redefine workplace “danger” reasonably be expected to and if that under the Labour cause injury or illness to a Code, repealing provisions person exposed to it before that covered long-term illness the hazard or condition doesn’t work... from environmental hazards can be corrected, or the and other perils. activity altered, whether we burn them “It seems like a sneaky and or not the injury or illness subversive way to gut the occurs immediately after Code,” said MP Pat Martin, the exposure to the hazard, down! New Democrat public works condition or activity, and critic. “I’m an old union includes any exposure to a Personal Injury rep; you explain to me how hazardous substance that is Environmental Litigation dumbing down the health likely to result in a chronic Commercial Litigation and safety provisions of the illness, in disease or in Wrongful Dismissal Canada Labour Code is in the damage to the reproductive best interests of Canadians.” system.” Labour Minister Kellie Under the omnibus Bill Leitch did not comment. C-4, the entire definition is The amendments were replaced with a single line: inserted on the 176th page of a “‘Danger’ means any hazard, www.beament.com 309-page omnibus budget bill condition or activity that introduced in the Commons could reasonably be expected Oct. 22. to be an imminent or serious result of exposure? These are Code in this bill, it is clear The current Labour Code threat to the life or health of distinctions that have been there will be many a situation occupational health and a person exposed to it before tossed out the window.” that was a danger to an the hazard or condition can A Toronto labour attorney, employee before this bill is be corrected or the activity James McDonald of Sack passed, which will no longer altered.” Goldblatt Mitchell LLP, said be a danger to the employee The labour department the amendment appeared after this bill is passed as Incorporating would not take Blacklock’s far-reaching and must be far as this Government and questions. “carefully examined”. employers are concerned.” substantial “All jurisprudence associ- “The clear intent of the The labour department ated with the old Code def- amendment is to reduce the estimates 800,000 employees changes in labour inition is stripped away,” said occasions when workers are subject to the Labour legislation in this Martin, MP for Winnipeg will be able to exercise their Code, including employees of Centre. “Is it only unsafe if an right to refuse to perform most Crown corporations and way is just wrong. anvil falls on my head? Or is it unsafe work,” said McDonald; federally-regulated industries also unsafe if I’m exposed to “Without having reviewed like railways, marine chemical soup over time and the entire Code and all the shipping, airports, pipelines, end up with brain cancer as a proposed amendments to the Continues on Pg. 2 BLACKLOCK’S REPORTER No. 57 Dec. 9, 2013 2 “I’m Not Going To Wait” Cabinet will press ahead with legislation of the is essential to limit federal employees’ right to strike because it is or will be necessary for despite an impending Supreme Court the safety or security of the public or a appeal on whether the measure is illegal. segment of the public.” Treasury Board President Tony PSAC president Robyn Benson Court of Appeal. Clement said he would not pause for the questioned the bill’s timing amid a The Treasury Board president court’s judgment, adding that cabinet pending Supr