I have a return to an oral question asked by the Member for Thebacha on June 6, 1995 with regard to safety concerns of Bird Dog officers. I have reviewed section 13(1) of the Safety Act of the Northwest Territories. Section 13 deals with the concept of "unusual danger," relative to normal occupational hazards. The Safety Act of the Northwest Territories does not apply to air attack crews, because safety issues concerned with aircraft and airline transportation are dealt with through the Canada Labour Code.
On May 16, 1995, the chief safety officer was verbally contacted by Mr. Bob Robertson of the Union of Northern Workers, concerning a "right to refuse" by air attack crews involved in forest firefighting. Subsequently, the chief safety officer received the complaint in writing.
The chief safety officer advised Mr. Robertson by letter dated May 16, 1995, that the Government of Canada has jurisdiction in questions of safety involving air attack personnel, because section two of the Canada Labour Code defines "federal work, undertaking or business" to mean, among other things, "aerodromes, aircraft or a line of air transportation,...". The chief safety officer further provided the Union of Northern Workers with excerpts of the Canada Labour Code.
We understand that the Union of Northern Workers did contact staff of Human Resources Development Canada, formerly Labour Canada, and that an investigation was launched. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.