Attention All OPFFA Locals,

Yesterday MPP Mike Brown (Algoma-Manitoulin) introduced the following motion on the floor of Queen's Park during Private Member's public business:

67. Mr. Brown – "That, in the opinion of this House, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, in recognition of the role Ontario's firefighters play every day in keeping our communities safe, and in recognition of the evidence of health and safety risks to firefighters over the age of 60, and in keeping with recent Human Rights Tribunal decisions, calls on the Government to introduce legislation allowing for the mandatory retirement of firefighters who are involved in fire suppression activities in the province of Ontario."

As I said in yesterday's notice, should this motion pass it will present to the government the 'will' of the house. I along with EVP Mark McKinnon, S/T Barry Quinn, and DVP Warren Scott attended the debate on this motion and I am pleased to inform you that it passed unanimously. Those speaking to the motion were; MPP Mike Brown (LIB – Algoma-Manitoulin), MPP Garfield Dunlop (PC – Simcoe North), MPP Dave Levac (LIB – Brant), MPP Robert Bailey (PC – Sarnia-Lambton), MPP Michael Prue (NDP – Beaches-East York), MPP Liz Sandals (LIB – Guelph), MPP Ernie Hardeman (PC – Oxford), and MPP Peter Kormos (NDP – Welland).

I have attached the Hansard from yesterday's parliamentary session and you can review the comments and the vote on this matter from pages 37-44 in this document.

With respect to the process this was only a motion that was passed and while not binding on the government the fact that it was passed unanimously combined with our continued efforts on this issue with those responsible within government we remain optimistic about a positive government response. We will continue to work on this matter and will forward any further information about legislation or any other action coming forward from the government.

We appreciate your continued support in this regard. We would also encourage you to review the speaking list (see above) and voting list on this matter and follow up with a note of thanks to those respective MPP's. We will be doing the same but it always means more coming from the fire fighters these members represent.