November 6, 2008

The Hon. Guy Lauzon, MP
House of Commons
Ottawa ON K1A 0A6

Dear Mr. Lauzon,

On behalf of our 20,500 members in Canada, congratulations on your re-election as MP for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry and your appointment as Conservative Caucus Chair. I am sure that the challenges and rewards of these roles will be many.

I know that you are familiar with the IAFF and our Canadian Legislative Agenda as a result of our legislative lobbying program, and that you have expressed support for our legislative issues in the past.

I am also aware that you have a unique and close perspective on issues affecting fire fighters because your son Jeffrey is a Cornwall fire fighter and past president of IAFF Local 849, the Cornwall Professional Fire Fighters Association, and that you have graciously assisted us in matters concerning our legislative program in the past.

The IAFF is grateful for your support and assistance, and we look forward to working with you and all of the members of the Conservative Caucus to advance issues of importance to Canada’s professional fire fighters in the future.

The $2.5 million in federal government funding to conduct the IAFF’s Hazardous Materials Response and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) response training programs in Canada over five years is an excellent example of how the IAFF and the Conservative government have worked together effectively to advance fire fighter and public safety.

I am pleased to report that training for first responders has already occurred using these funds, and we are positioned to meet our goal of training over 1,600 fire fighters, police officers and paramedics annually to respond safely and effectively to incidents of a CBRN nature.

During the 40th Session of Parliament, the IAFF will be asking the federal government to implement a national Public Safety Officer Compensation (PSOC) Benefit for the families of fire fighters who are killed or permanently injured in the line of duty, to establish a national office for fire service statistics and to amend the Canada Pension Plan to provide fire fighters with earlier access to CPP benefits. The IAFF Legislative Fact Sheets on these issues are enclosed for your information.

We are currently raising these issue with the appropriate government Ministers, and we will also be raising them during our 16th Canadian Legislative Conference in Ottawa in April, when IAFF members from across Canada will be in Ottawa to meet with their members of parliament.

Please do not hesitate to contact me at the IAFF Canadian Office if there is any way I can be of assistance to you during the 40th Session of Parliament or if you would like additional information about the IAFF Legislative Agenda, or any other issue affecting Canada’s professional fire fighters.

In the meantime, congratulations again on your re-election and appointment, thank you for your support and assistance and best of luck with your parliamentary duties.

Sincerely yours,

Jim Lee
Assistant to the General President for Canadian Operations