Farm Worker Exemption from Labour Legislation (March 24)
Ms Pastoor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Why do I feel that it feels like the last day of school in here?
Agriculture is one of the most dangerous industries in Canada, with each farm injury costing an average of $10,000. This is money that comes directly out of the farmer’s pocket and the health care system because this government excludes paid farm workers from mandatory WCB coverage.
To the Minister of Employment and Immigration: why does a trucker working for a corporate farm or a farm not have WCB coverage when that same trucker working for a trucking company does have that coverage?
The Speaker: The hon. minister, please.
Mr. Lukaszuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, the simple answer is because a trucker doesn’t live in his truck, and a farmer lives on his farm. The difference between farmers and other employees is that there is more work being done on a farm; there are people who actually live on a farm; children play on a farm. Putting an occupational health and safety umbrella over all of that would not be responsible. But we are looking at this with our Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, and some development will take place.
Ms Pastoor: I’m going to try something else here. Given that in Justice Barley’s 2008 report he recommended that paid farm workers be covered by the Occupational Health and Safety Act, does this minister accept that recommendation?
Mr. Lukaszuk: Mr. Speaker, I said a number of times, over and over again, to this member that the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and I are looking at the report, and we will make recommendations that achieve two things: keep our farmers safe but also keep them in business because the only way to make sure that a farmer doesn’t get hurt is just to put him out of business, and we are not willing to do that.
Ms Pastoor: Well, after all of that it actually sounded like a no.
To the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development: do we have a date for the release of the farm safety report? I need something a little more specific than: in due time.
The Speaker: The hon. minister.
Mr. Hayden: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The hon. member and the opposition requested the report, and we informed them that we would release it to them. It’s just in draft form. It’s expected out fairly shortly.
Mr. Speaker, while we talk about that report on farm safety, it is refreshing to see that the incidents are down dramatically this year, and we’re very happy to be able to invest over $700,000 in future training for safety out there.
Alberta Hansard, March 24, 2010