IAFF Recognizes Manitoba Premier for Legislative Efforts

IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger, Winnipeg Local 867 President Alex Forrest (left) and IAFF General Secretary-Treasurer Thomas Miller presented Gary Doer, Canadian Ambassador to the United States, with a plaque in recognition of the former Manitoba premier’s legislative efforts on behalf of fire fighters in the province.

January 21, 2010 -- IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger and fire fighters from Manitoba and Alberta presented former Manitoba Premier Gary Doer with a plaque January 21 in recognition of his legislative efforts on behalf of the province’s first responders.

“Please accept this as a token of our appreciation for everything you’ve done for fire fighters over the years,” Schaitberger said during a ceremony at IAFF headquarters.

After serving as Manitoba’s premier for 10 years, Doer was appointed Canadian Ambassador to the United States in November 2009.

During Doer’s decade-long tenure as premier, Manitoba became the first Canadian province to enact presumptive cancer legislation in 2002. Since then, seven other provinces have enacted their own coverage, using Manitoba as a model.

“We’re all indebted to fire fighters. I think every politician praises the bravery of fire fighters, but if they don’t back it up with legislation, they are hollow words,” Ambassador Doer said.

New legislation passed in April 2009 expanded the province’s presumptive cancer legislation, adding testicular and esophageal cancer to the existing law. Brain, bladder, kidney, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, ureter, colon, rectal and lung cancers also are covered.

“The work Ambassador Doer did for fire fighters across Canada was something we’ll never forget,” Winnipeg Local 867 President Alex Forrest says.

Ambassador Doer spoke at the 2004 IAFF Convention in Boston, receiving seven standing ovations.

The ambassador says he will continue to lobby on behalf of fire fighters across North America.