15th Canadian Legislative Conference April
23-25, 2007
February 7, 2007 – The federal legislative
issues most important to Canada’s professional fire fighters will be front
and centre on Parliament Hill April 23-25 when IAFF members from across
Canada descend on Ottawa for the 15th Canadian Legislative Conference.
This edition of the conference will mark the
second under Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservative minority
government. Legislative issues on the front burner include the need to
establish a national Public Safety Officer Compensation (PSOC) benefit, and
the need to establish a national office
for collecting, analyzing and reporting national fire service statistics in
Canada.
The IAFF is also lobbying for changes to the
Canada Pension Plan (CPP) that would permit fire fighters to have access to
CPP benefits five years earlier. CPP reform for fire fighters is the subject
of Bill C-306, a private member’s bill introduced by Conservative MP Jeff
Watson (Essex, Ontario), as well as a private member’s motion, M-25, introduced
by New Democratic MP Peter Stoffer (Sackville-Eastern Shore, Nova Scotia).
Three other motions pertaining to IAFF
issues are currently before Parliament, all of them introduced by New
Democratic Party MPs. M-49 and M-63, both introduced by Libby Davies
(Vancouver East, British Columbia) address the PSOC benefit and airport fire fighting
regulations respectively, and M-168, introduced by Timmins-James Bay MP
Charlie Angus, addresses haz-mat training.
The issue of increased first responder training for hazardous materials and
CBRN incidents was addressed in Budget 2007 with the announcement of $1
million over two years to fund the IAFF's training programs in Canada.
Delegates can register for the IAFF Canadian Legislative Conference by making a FIREPAC
Canada Leadership Trust or Founder’s Circle contribution. The conference
will be held at the Delta Ottawa Hotel. Complete information about conference
and hotel registration is being mailed to local presidents
and secretaries.
Detailed information about the
IAFF’s 2007
Canadian Legislative Agenda has been mailed to affiliate presidents and
secretaries in advance of the conference. Information about the IAFF’s
legislative agenda has also been mailed to all of Canada’s MPs and Senators
in advance of the conference.
The 15th Canadian Legislative Conference
will feature an orientation session for new delegates, issues-focus session,
guest speakers and more, including the popular IAFF Parliamentary Reception
which is attended annually by more than 100 MPs and Senators.
A record 126 delegates attended the IAFF 14th Canadian Legislative
Conference in 2006, and met with a total of 141 MPs and Senators.
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