Today in Question Period I rose to ask the Minister of Labour when he will deliver on his commitment to extend the presumptive clause for mental disorders to other workers in British Columbia. This was the very first question that the Minister had been asked in Question Period and he took the opportunity to give a very long answer.

Below I reproduce the video and text of our exchange.

Video of Exchange

Question

A. Weaver: Mental disorders incurred from job-related trauma are serious injuries that can be debilitating. This government recently introduced protections by adding a presumptive clause for this kind of workplace injury. Now certain first responders are supported for injuries that can arise from the important work that they do.

While I am pleased that B.C. is extending protection for some workers, I’m concerned that others who suffer mental disorders on the job are being left out. Particularly, I’m profoundly troubled that professions such as nursing, teaching and social work — professions that employ disproportionate numbers of women compared to men — are being left out.

When I raised this issue earlier this year, the minister stated that he shared my concern and was committed to every worker getting the help and safety protection they need. What has the minister done to deliver on this commitment?

Answer

Hon. H. Bains: On the last day of the session, the last one to get a question, and I just want to tell you how thrilled I am to get that question. I want to thank the member for asking this question and giving me the opportunity to talk about the health and safety of workers in this province.

I share your passion about health and safety of workers in this province, Member. That’s why my goal is to make workplaces in British Columbia the safest in the country. You do that by having a strong preventative and training program so that we prevent injuries from happening in the first place. Then those who are injured or sick at workplace — that we treat them with respect and dignity and give them care and support when they need it so that they are able to go back to their pre-injury work as soon as they can.

That’s why we brought in Bill 9: to give protections to those workers who are first on the scene at a very dangerous and challenging situation. The first responders have been asking for these changes for a long time, and their requests have been ignored time and again. Well, we’re going to change that. I am considering expanding presumption to other groups of people, and as a result, I have been meeting with those groups — like nurses, CUPE, the dispatchers who are represented by CUPE — and other workers and with the member that asked this question so that we can continue to work to enhance and provide better working conditions for the working people of this province.

I believe and I know that everyone in this House believes that every worker deserves to go home healthy and safe at the end of their shift or their work. Anything less is unacceptable, and I do….

Supplementary Question

A. Weaver: I’m beginning to regret asking these questions these last few days. Yet more pent-up answer looking for a question to deliver to.

I do have a supplemental. The supplemental is this. The Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment at University of Regina undertook research that found that the percentage of 911 operators and dispatchers who suffer from post-traumatic disorder as a result of their work is comparable to those for police officers. But in B.C., affected 911 operators and dispatchers continue to fight for treatment and compensation while struggling with work-related mental health disorders.

We now have the tools to ensure they get the coverage they need. To the Minister of Labour: briefly, what concrete steps has the minister taken to expand the support we now offer to other first responders? And what steps are those now being applied to 911 dispatchers and call receivers?

Answer

Hon. H. Bains: Mr. Speaker, you can never be brief when you’re talking about the health or safety of working people in this province. The member knows that I’ve been discussing with him and other members of this House and all those workers who need better protection when they go to work. And they need protection when they are injured or sick at workplaces.

First responders have been asking for these changes for a long time. In fact, my colleague, the member now of Social Development and Poverty Reduction has put a private member’s bill in this House asking for just those changes that was ignored by the previous government.

UBCM 2016 passed a similar resolution and was ignored by this government. It doesn’t surprise me, member, because, if you’ve watched you watch for the last 16 years, the only time the members of that government stood up in this House to talk about workers was when they were ripping up their collective agreements, when they were eliminating the injured workers’ benefits, or when they were cutting their health and safety protection.

We said that we will do things differently. Workers know now that they have a government that respects them, a government that values their work. You know, we have taken some steps, and more is coming, Member — and everyone here — and workers know that.