Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, across Canada, governments are grappling with the impacts of post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental disorders on this country's Canadian rangers, search and rescue technicians, firefighters, paramedics, police officers, and other first responders. Last summer, a national survey revealed that first responders were 10 per cent more likely to face these kinds of illnesses than the general population. Whether women or men, rookies or lifelong veterans, serving your community as a first responder comes with an added workplace risk.
These risks don't disappear when they are off the clock. The same survey that I just mentioned showed that the symptoms of what they call "operational stress injuries" increase over time, with more time at work and more traumatic experiences. Although family bonds can help first responders deal with the mental and emotional demands of their work, traumatic experience can also strain those bonds, sometimes to the breaking point.
Mr. Speaker, other jurisdictions have found new ways to confront the reality of first responders' work. Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario recognize PTSD as a "presumptive condition" in their workers' compensation legislation. That means that those governments recognize that PTSD arises out of a worker's employment conditions, if the condition develops during their employment. This opens a door to quicker recognition and improved access to appropriate treatment and resources, from debriefing and stress counselling to clinical treatment.
Mr. Speaker, with this precedent set across the country, this is something that I would like to see our workers' compensation legislation address. Many Northwest Territories firefighters are volunteers, but we need to make sure that both volunteers and career firefighters have access to the best possible supports, training, and care. Also, with the introduction of 911, many new dispatchers will join the ranks of our first responders. Mr. Speaker, we have got to be ready to ensure the safety and care of all of our first responders, on the job and at home. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.