Canadian Policy Conference Delegates Adopt Eight Resolutions

August 31, 2007 – The IAFF Canadian membership gathered to debate and vote on a number of important issues August 27-29 at the Biennial Canadian Policy Conference in Sydney, Nova Scotia, and hosted by Cape Breton, NS Local 2779.

IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger, who was in Sydney, commended the 91 delegates and six alternates for taking advantage of this unique opportunity that helps Canadian members shape the policies that guide the International.

Schaitberger reinforced the IAFF's philosophy on political action and highlighted the growing range of services the IAFF provides to its members across North America.

Delegates dealt with a total of eight resolutions, including ones that would update the Misconduct and Penalties section of the IAFF Constitution & Bylaws, to urge the IAFF to lobby the federal government for prompt and free cancer screening for fire fighters, and to lobby the federal government for a NIOSH-style form of line-of-duty death investigations in Canada.

Other resolutions adopted by delegates call for a full boycott of the Canadian Burn Foundation, the development of materials to assist Canadian affiliates in the pursuit of fire-based EMS and empowering the General President to study the feasibility of entering into an alliance with Quebec fire fighters in order to advance the issues on the IAFF Canadian Legislative agenda.

Guest speakers at the conference included Edmonton Fire Chief Randy Wolsey, who gave a provocative presentation about the need for fire fighters to become stakeholders in the discussion about changes to building codes, and Winnipeg Fire Chief Jim Brennan, who gave a history of labor relations in the fire department leading up to the recent agreement to implement Primary Care Paramedics on city fire trucks.

Canadian Legal Counsel Sean McManus delivered an informative presentation about current legal issues facing IAFF affiliates, such as duty of fair representation, privacy issues, jurisdiction issues and other important matters. IAFF Human Relations Committee member Paul Mogavero, a member of Toronto, ON Local 3888, gave a presentation about the committee's work and the human relations resources that are available online.

Local 2779, under the direction President Jody Wrathall and his executive board, helped showcase the beauty and history of Cape Breton Island with terrific a hospitality program that included events for spouses and children. In all, a total of 166 delegates, alternates, IAFF officials and guests attended the conference, which is held every two years in the years opposite IAFF Convention.

The next Biennial Canadian Policy Conference will be hosted by Vancouver, BC Local 18 in 2009.