44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 15, 2023 02:00PM
moved that the bill be concurred in.
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moved that the bill be read the third time and passed.
She said: Madam Speaker, before I begin, I want to take a moment to thank the member for Cloverdale—Langley City for agreeing to switch places with me on the order of precedence so my private member's bill, Bill C-224, an act to establish a national framework for the prevention and treatment of cancers linked to firefighting, could come back to the House for report stage earlier than scheduled.
I thank him because, if we have learned anything since my bill was first introduced in the House in January 2022, it is that, when it comes to protecting our Canadian firefighters from the risk of developing a duty-related cancer, time is of the essence. Every day can mean more dangerous exposure, more new cancer diagnoses and, heaven forbid, more preventable deaths.
Like many of my colleagues, I am sure, I have heard a lot of firefighters over the past year say how very necessary and essential this bill is.
Men and women from every province and territory have contacted me to tell me about their cancer battle or that of a dear colleague whose life was cut short by the dangers firefighters face every day at work.
Right here in the House, we have heard the heartfelt words of members on both sides of the aisle, some of them former firefighters themselves, who stood up to share their own experiences and to pay tribute to the co-workers and dear friends they have lost to cancer along the way in the service of Canadians.
Last June, the Standing Committee on Health heard testimony from representatives of the International Association of Fire Fighters and the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs on the prevalence of cancer among firefighters.
They told us about the risks that these first responders face every day and about the importance of this bill in raising public awareness and promoting information sharing on firefighter cancer prevention and treatment and ultimately, in saving lives.
I have also heard it, as I am certain many members here have, from family members or loved ones of firefighters who are currently battling an occupational cancer or have sadly succumbed to one.
Recently, Donna from Alberta wrote to me to voice her support for Bill C-224 and to tell me how she only wished it had come earlier. In 2021, Donna lost her husband, a retired Edmonton district chief with 36 years of service, to pancreatic cancer. He had been feeling unwell for some time and had undergone countless tests, but pancreatic cancer, which is not on Alberta's list of presumptive cancers, was simply not on his doctor's radar. By the time her husband received the diagnosis, his cancer had reached stage four.
As the daughter and wife of former firefighters, my heart immediately went out to Donna. I remember well the fear that would grip me each time they went out on a fire call and the huge sense of relief I would feel every time they walked back through the door when it was over, thinking they were out of harm's way and safe, but we now know the danger is never really gone.
The facts are there. Last summer, following an in-depth review of scientific literature on the link between the occupational exposure of firefighters and their risk of cancer, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer reclassified firefighting as a Group 1 profession, the classification with the highest cancer hazards.
I made a pledge to Donna that I would not rest until lasting and positive change comes from the sacrifice she, her husband and firefighters and their families across the country have made to keep Canadians and our communities safe, so what I want to say today is, although there are a lot more stories like this out there, I think we can all say that we have heard enough. We have heard enough to now do right by the brave firefighters of our country and the loved ones who stand by them in support of the critical job they do.
I, therefore, humbly ask all members to help me get this bill through the House as quickly as possible by agreeing to collapse debate tonight so we can get it to a vote. Let us make sure that, by the time the International Association of Firefighters gathers in Ottawa next month for its legislative conference, Bill C-224 will have moved on to the Senate and will be one step closer to becoming law. We owe it to Donna. We owe it to them.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague and seatmate for seconding the bill at report stage and third reading.
Firefighters have been saying for years that the exposure they are subjected to in the day-to-day work they do is causing cancer, and people did not want to listen. Slowly, research has come out to show that there is a link, and they want to be recognized. They want people to recognize the work they do, not only with respect to the dangers at a fire scene, but after the fact. Therefore, for them to have this win, the recognition that we get it, that we understand, that we are working together for them, is important.
It is important to get this bill through, and through the Senate, because part of this bill is about increasing awareness regarding cancers linked to firefighting and designating January as firefighter cancer awareness month. Although we just went through the month of January, I would like to make sure this becomes law for next January so we can start putting in place that public awareness campaign.
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Drummond. We have proven that we can work together, and that is what the firefighters wanted. They wanted to see all political parties rise above partisanship and work together for the same goal.
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Madam Speaker, yes, in fact, 85% of firefighters across Canada are what we would consider volunteer part-time firefighters working in rural communities. I am fully aware of the request for increasing the tax credit for firefighters; I would welcome an opportunity to sit down with the member opposite and look at it. I think it is something we should look at.
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Madam Speaker, I thank all parties for coming together to get this done. It really has been an experience to bring forward a piece of legislation and have every member of the House support it.
I bet, before I brought forward this bill, Bill C-224, that most of us did not know there was a link between firefighting and cancer. We now have 338 members of Parliament, representing every Canadian, who now know this and can help spread the word to increase awareness.
I want to thank a few people who worked with me behind the scenes on this: Catherine from my office, Trevor and Jean-Luc. A lot of times, when it comes to the work that gets done behind the scenes, they do not get the credit. I want to thank them for everything they did to help me get this across the finish line.
In closing, I have a message for the firefighter in Longueuil who inspired this bill and who celebrated his 50th birthday over the weekend. Happy birthday, Jean‑François. We are almost there.
This bill would save lives. We owe it to firefighters, and I know how proud they will be when this bill becomes law.
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- Feb/15/23 6:55:27 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I request a recorded division.
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