Labour Protection for Paid Farm Workers (March 22, 2011)
Ms Pastoor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A trucking company employee is in serious condition in hospital after machinery he was operating hit an overhead power line in Wetaskiwin on Saturday.
To the Minister of Employment and Immigration: is occupational health and safety investigating this incident?
Mr. Lukaszuk: Mr. Speaker, it’s unfortunate when any Albertan gets hurt, be it on or off the job. I am not certain of the specifics of the particular accident she is referring to, but as always I extend a welcome to this member to contact my office. As a matter of fact, come in person to my office, tell me which file you’re talking about, and I’ll have it checked for you right away.
Ms Pastoor: Well, given that this incident probably merits – not probably; it does merit – an OHS investigation, why is it that OHS cannot investigate the deaths of two men who were electrocuted in December when machinery they were transporting from a farm hit an overhead power line?
Mr. Lukaszuk: Well, Mr. Speaker, it appears the member knew the answer to her first question; she just answered it, so maybe she will not want to meet with me.
The fact is that in any workplace where occupational health and safety applies, every single incident and accident is investigated duly, and the findings of those investigations are shared with my office. Again, if she is making a reference to a specific accident somewhere in Alberta, if she gives more accurate detail of which accident she is talking about, I will take a look into it.
Ms Pastoor: Well, it was a fairly publicized and fairly serious incident that happened last Saturday.
Is the safety of a farm worker worth so much less than the safety of any kind of worker in Alberta? Can the minister explain why Alberta is the only province in Canada – the only province in Canada –where farm employees are not covered in the same way by workplace laws?
Mr. Lukaszuk: Mr. Speaker, no one’s life or health or safety is more important than another person’s, obviously. The member knows very well that the Occupational Health and Safety Act does not apply to farms, and for that reason our minister of agriculture has put a program in place that will be assisting our farmers with matters of occupational health and safety on Alberta farms.
Alberta Hansard, March 22, 2011