New legislation to expand coverage for Manitoba firefighters suffering from occupational cancers
Manitoba is amending the Worker’s Compensation Act to expand the coverage for firefighters from occupational cancers.
On Friday the province announced five additional cancers will be deemed occupational. They include pancreatic, thyroid, penile, and female reproductive cancers of ovarian and cervical.
“By adding these cancers, we can ensure that adequate protections are in place for both our male and female firefighters and at-risk fire commissioner personnel and that Manitoba addresses the broadest array of presumptive cancers in the world,” said Premier Heather Stefanson.
“It’s really become a crisis in the firefighting community not only in Canada but around the world because we are now seeing with the new science that firefighters have continual exposure to these carcinogens that over time cause cancer,” said Alex Forrest, president of the Manitoba Professional Firefighters Association.
Forrest said the new legislation will serve as a template across Canada and around the world and will assist dozens of firefighters now fighting for coverage from the Workers Compensation Board (WCB).
The province said the WCB will be responsible for administering the changes and also identifying any concerns that might come up.
“What this does is that it treats a person that is diagnosed, or sadly if they succumb to that cancer, the same way as if they were in a fire and they die in a house collapse,” said Forrest. “They will be protected by Workers Compensation.”
The addition of female reproductive cancers to the list of presumptive cancers could also aid in the recruitment of female firefighters, according to Forrest.
“We’re now recognizing women’s reproductive cancers because I believe in the last number of years women’s reproductive cancers have not been given the appropriate attention that it now is in Manitoba,” Forrest said.
The legislation has been a work in progress for over 25 years concerning occupational health and cancer around the world, according to Forest, and people are just now realizing the level of danger firefighters face.
“Cancer is now the number one killer of firefighters around the world, said Forrest. “Every single time firefighters go into a house, you are going to be exposed to anywhere from five or six times the levels of carcinogens that the normal population will be exposed to.”
Research is ongoing to develop better protective gear for the first responders but Forrest said it is difficult to protect the firefighters from all the carcinogens without wearing something like a plastic hazmat suit to fight fires.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Israel gave U.S. last-minute warning about drone attack on Iran, Italian foreign minister says at G7
The United States told the Group of Seven foreign ministers on Friday that it received 'last minute' information from Israel about a drone action in Iran, but didn't participate in the apparent attack, officials said.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.