News Releases
News Release - Manitoba
Public Consultations Aim To Improve Workplace Safety
Labour and Immigration Minister Becky Barrett launched a public consultation process today to advance the government's six-point plan to prevent workplace injury and illness.
Barrett introduced the four-member review committee chaired by Wally Fox-Decent. The committee will hold public meetings throughout the province to seek the views and ideas of Manitobans and will also accept written submissions.
"It's critical to give top priority to keeping workers safe through better education, prevention and enforcement," Barrett said. "We will listen carefully to workers, employers and families. We welcome all ideas and experience which can help us reduce the human suffering that arises from workplace injury, disease and death."
The six-point plan sets a workplace injury reduction target of 15 per cent over four years, with particular emphasis on issues related to young worker injury, occupational disease, agricultural safety, improvement of enforcement and regulations, and a review of the Workplace Safety and Health Act.
"It's been nearly a quarter century since the enactment of the Workplace Safety and Health Act and almost two decades since the last major review of this important legislation," Barrett said. "Considering the dramatic changes that have taken place in the workplace over the last 20 years, this review is long overdue.
"Today workers and employers are dealing with new hazards and new ways of doing things. We also know more today about how to control workplace risks. By drawing on our collective knowledge we can develop a much stronger set of tools to improve workplace safety."
The review committee will include business, labour and technical representatives of the Advisory Council on Workplace Safety and Health. A discussion paper was also released to help generate public feedback.
Public meetings will be held this fall in Brandon, Flin Flon, Gimli, Lac du Bonnet, Steinbach, Swan River, Thompson, Winkler and Winnipeg.
Meeting dates and venues and the discussion paper will be posted on the government Web site at www.gov.mb.ca/labour/safety. Further information about the hearings is also available by telephone at 945-0767 or toll-free at 1-800-282-8069, ext. 0767.
All submissions must be received by Nov. 30 and should be sent to:
Workplace Safety and Health Review Committee
c/o Workplace Safety and Health Division
Room 200-401 York Ave.
Winnipeg, MB R3C 0P8
Fax: 204-945-4556
e-mail: hsconsultation@gov.mb.ca
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MEETING SCHEDULE AND BIOGRAPHIES.
Workplace Safety and Health Review Committee
Public Meeting Schedule
Brandon Oct. 11 Classroom 'A" 7:00 p.m.
Agricultural Extension Centre
1129 Queens Avenue
Brandon, MB
Winnipeg Oct. 24 Club Room 1:30 p.m.
Hotel Fort Garry 7:00 p.m.
222 Broadway Winnipeg, MB
Lac du Bonnet Oct. 29 Lac du Bonnet Community Centre 7:00 p.m.
25 McArthur Avenue
Lac du Bonnet, MB
Steinbach Oct. 30 Mennonite Heritage Village 7:00 p.m.
Multi-purpose Room
Hwy 12 North
Steinbach, MB
Flin Flon Nov. 5 Indian Metis Friendship Centre 7:00 p.m.
57 Church Street
Flin Flon, MB
Thompson Nov. 6 St Lawrence Church Hall 7:00 p.m.
114 Cree Road
Thompson, MB
Swan River Nov. 7 Legion Hall 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Swan River, MB
Winkler Nov. 26 Royal Hall 7:00 p.m.
600 Park Street
Winkler, MB
Gimli Nov. 27 Lakeview Resort 7:00 p.m.
10 Centre Street
Gimli, MB
Winnipeg Nov. 28 Meeting Room 2G (second floor) 1:30 p.m.
Winnipeg Convention Centre 7:00 p.m.
375 York Avenue
Winnipeg, MB
Workplace Safety and Health Injury Prevention Strategy
Review Committee
Biographies
WALLY FOX-DECENT
Chairperson
Mr. Fox-Decent has approximately 30 years experience as a mediator and arbitrator in labour/management disputes. In the last year, he has mediated ten collective agreements in the health care sector.
Mr. Fox-Decent has been Chairperson of the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba since 1992, as well as Chief Executive Officer from 1995 to 1998. A former Professor of Political Studies at the University of Manitoba, he has chaired a number of provincewide committees, such as the Commission on Pay, Pension and Allowances for Members of the Legislature, and three Manitoba constitutional task forces.
He presently also chairs the Advisory Council on Workplace Safety & Health, and the Labour Management Review Committee. Mr. Fox-Decent serves on the Crocus Investment Fund Board of Directors.
Mr. Fox-Decent is an Order of Canada Member and Commander of the Order of Military Merit.
CHRIS (CHRISTOPHER) W. LORENC, B.A., LL.B. (Designate-Management)
Representing Manitoba Heavy Construction Association
Mr. Lorenc graduated from the University of Manitoba with Bachelor of Arts and LL.B (law) degrees. He is a former Winnipeg City Councillor having served for nine years between 1983 and 1992. During his tenure on Council, he chaired a number of standing committees and held a variety of senior positions including: Chair of Planning Committee, Chair of Environment Committee, Chair of Public Works Committee, Member Labour Relations Committee, Member Executive Policy Committee (EPC).
Mr. Lorenc is currently President of the Infrastructure Council of Manitoba (ICM), President of the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA), President of the Western Canada Roadbuilders & Heavy Construction Association (WCR&HCA), member of the Winnipeg Chamber's Government Finances and Taxation Committee, member of the Labour Minister's Advisory Council on Workplace Safety and Health, member of the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) Board, and member of the St. Paul's High School Board. He has also served and continues to serve on a number of boards of cultural, community and hospital organisations.
Mr. Lorenc initiated and was then named Vice-Chair of Winnipeg's Committee on Tax Reform, which tabled its report June 1998. He initiated and chaired an Infrastructure Task Force for the Town of Winnipeg Beach, which in July 2000 unanimously adopted the report recommendations for a major road reconstruction project for the entire town and provides for dedicated funding for maintenance and replacement into the future. Funding for this road reconstruction project is currently being assembled.
As President of the MHCA, Mr. Lorenc initiated both the Environment Program in 1997 and was instrumental in developing, and implementing in 1999, the integrated Safety, Health & Environment Program (SHEP), a first such initiative by any heavy construction association in Canada.
PETE WALKER (Designate-Labour)
Representing Manitoba Federation of Labour
Occupational Health Safety and Environment Representative
Manitoba Federation of Labour
Mr. Walker is presently an Occupational Health and Safety Representative for the Manitoba Federation of Labour. Prior to joining the MFL he was a welder/steel fabricator with the Canadian National Railway.
Mr. Walker's educational background includes: University of Manitoba Occupational Health and Safety Certificate Program, Manitoba Labour Education Centre Levels 1 & 2 Health and Safety, Canadian Auto Workers Paid Education Leave four-week residential program, and Steel Fabricator, Red Seal Apprenticeship, Manitoba.
Mr. Walker has been involved in a number of committees including: member Workplace Health and Safety Committee (CN Rail), Health and Safety Educator, Manitoba Labour Education Centre and Canadian Auto Workers, Workers With Disabilities Partnership, MFL Workers Compensation Committee Vice-Chair, Canadian Auto Workers Health and Safety Council, Manitoba district, Canadian Labour Congress Health and Safety & Environment Committee, Canadian Labour Congress Persons with Disabilities Working Group, MFL Occupational Health Centre Board of Directors, Workers of Tomorrow Health & Safety Campaign Advisory Committee, Manitoba Safety Council, American Industrial Hygiene Association Manitoba Chapter, Canadian Standards International, Manitoba Chapter, Accident Prevention Association of Manitoba, Manitoba Eco Network, Steering Committee, Advisory Committee on Sustainable Development Implementation, a Commissioner of Oaths for the Province of Manitoba and representative of workers on a wide variety of ad hoc committees that deal with workplace health and safety issues.
ILANA WARNER (Designate-Technical)
Representing Manitoba Association of Registered Nurses
Ms. Warner's 36-year nursing career includes experience in settings such as Emergency Room, a Medical Unit, Medical Research involving infectious diseases and respiratory illness, Infection Control and Occupational Health. This experience was gained in Brandon and Winnipeg in both community and teaching hospitals.
Ms. Warner has also served as a representative at Aids Roundtable, Manitoba Health (Rural Representative), National Consensus Conference on Foodborne, Waterborne and Enteric Disease Surveillance, Health Canada (Canadian Nurses Association Representative) and Manitoba Advisory Committee on Infectious Diseases, Manitoba Health (Rural Representative).
Her professional memberships have included: Manitoba Association of Registered Nurses (MARN), Manitoba Nurses Union, Community & Hospital Infection Control Association (CHICA), CHICA - Canada, CHICA - Manitoba Chapter, American Practitioners in Infection Control (APIC), Brandon AIDS Support (currently AIDS Brandon), Canadian Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, Canadian Lung Association, Canadian Nurses Respiratory Society and Canadian Federation of University Women.
For more information:
- Public information, contact Manitoba Government Inquiry: 1-866-626-4862 or 204-945-3744.
- Media requests for general information, contact Communications and Engagement: newsroom@gov.mb.ca.
- Media requests for ministerial comment, contact Cabinet Communications: cabcom@manitoba.ca.
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Public information, contact Manitoba Government Inquiry: 1-866-626-4862 or 204-945-3744.
Media requests for general information, contact Communications and Engagement: newsroom@gov.mb.ca.
Media requests for ministerial comment, contact Cabinet Communications: cabcom@manitoba.ca.