Liberals Unable to Ignore Injured Worker "killed by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board."

Paul Miller, Ontario NDP MPP, tried to pin Minister of Labour, Brad Duguid down to a firm commitment for a meeting about an injured worker's death. On February 10, Jeff Thompson died of "a bleeding ulcer due to severe stress. But according to those who knew him, Mr. Thompson was killed by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board." (see "WSIB Blamed for Man's Death - Stress of fight to prove injury claim blamed for man's death"). Thompson's sister, Colleen Mathers, attended the legislative assembly June 17th along with Darrell Powell (official witness to the Senate Subcommittee on Population Health representing disabled workers) and Peter Clare (critic of the WSIB who asked for a meeting of the minister with the WSIB chair, Steve Mahoney). Labour Minister Brad Duguid sidestepped the issue.

Paul Miller, Ontario NDP MPP, tried to pin Minister of Labour, Brad Duguid down to a firm commitment for a meeting about an injured worker's death that is believed to be attributable to his mistreatment at the hands of the WSIB.

On February 10, Jeff Thompson died of "a bleeding ulcer due to severe stress. But according to those who knew him, Mr. Thompson was killed by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board." (see "WSIB Blamed for Man's Death - Stress of fight to prove injury claim blamed for man's death").

Thompson's sister, Colleen Mathers, attended the legislative assembly June 17th along with Darrell Powell (official witness to the Senate Subcommittee on Population Health representing disabled workers) and Peter Clare, a critic of the WSIB who asked for a meeting of the minister with the WSIB chair, Steve Mahoney.

Sidestepping the issue, Liberal Brad Duguid spoke generally of workplace safety, a common tactic used by politicians who refuse to address the dysfunctionality of the workers compensation system itself. (This avoidance tactic has been referred to as the old "bait and switch", where any mention of the failure of the WSIB to address disabled workers' needs, is "switched" to a discussion about general workplace safety because it is an issue that no one can argue against.)

Nevertheless, despite Duguid's evasion of the real issue, the three waited for him after the legislature closed and strategically placed themselves among the press, so (according to Peter Clare), "he couldn't slip past us. We were bound and determined we were going to ask Minister of Labour Brad Duguid to meet with us. Next thing I know we're being whisked away from the press by the Minister's assistant, then we're told the Minister of Labour would meet with us before a caucus meeting."

Present at the meeting were Darrell Powell (senate witness), Colleen Mathers (the deceased's sister) and Peter Clare as well as NDP Labour critic Paul Miller and his assistant. Labour Minister Duguid's assistant was also present.

Clare reported, "The meeting, albeit brief, was a success for all disabled by occupation in Ontario as well as all those from across Canada, even without the press. We are now making a noise and the Ontario Government and the WSIB has no choice but to listen. Hopefully soon, we will no longer suffer the emotional abuse from the board that leads to secondary extreme stress related illnesses. Hopefully our doctors will be listened to. Hopefully we will no longer be sent back to work injured and hopefully there will be no more deaths of the type Jeff Thompson suffered." Clare also gave "special thanks to Darrell Powell, Colleen Mathers, Donna Boyle, Mike Farrance, MPP Paul Miller and his assistant Margo Duncan."

EXCERPT FROM HANSARDS:

http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/house-proceedings/house_detail.do?Date=2008-06-17&Parl=39&Sess=1&locale=en#P140_9692

INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters):
On behalf of the members, I would like to welcome a number of guests today.

. . . portion skipped . . .

On behalf of the member for Hamilton East-Stoney Creek, we would like to welcome, in the west members' gallery, Darrell Powell of British Columbia, Pete Clare of Forest, Ontario, and Colleen Mathers, on behalf of injured workers.

. . . portion skipped . . .

INJURED WORKERS

Mr. Paul Miller:
My question is to the Minister of Labour. I have received many communications from Mr. Darrell Powell, official witness to the Senate Subcommittee on Population Health, and Mr. Peter Clare, who are in the west gallery this morning. Both are committed representatives of injured workers. Mr. Clare's recent e-mail to the minister asked for a meeting of the minister with the WSIB chair, Steve Mahoney, to discuss the Ministry of Labour's legislative framework of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997, as well as the WSIB's interpretation and application of the WSI Act as it pertains to injured workers on accepted benefit claims. Has the minister discussed this communication and its contents with Mr. Mahoney?

Hon. Brad Duguid:
No, to the best of my knowledge, I don't recall having a discussion with the chair of the WSIB on this particular communication, but I thank the advocates for injured workers for being here today and certainly look forward to the work they do in working with us to reduce workplace injuries across this province.

Working together with the WSIB, with our injured workers, we've been able to reduce workplace injuries by 20% over the last four years. That's 50,000 workers who would have suffered a workplace injury, and their families. I think we're making progress on this front, but the fact is that we still have more work to do. That's why we look forward to working with the members in the gallery and others in this area to improve even more.

Mr. Paul Miller:
Once again, I don't think that was an answer to my question. The WSIB process that Ms. Mathers's brother, Jeff Thompson, experienced-Ms. Mathers is in the west gallery-is believed to have been a factor in the stress, emotional and psychological problems that led to his death.

As Mr. Clare stated in his e-mail: "It is a well-known fact, the WSIB's administration of the WSI Act, 1997, may in a lot of instances cause disparity, mental/psychological and emotional problems as secondary conditions due to having to deal with the WSIB process. I feel if Mr. Mahoney were to hear from the grassroots level the problems we face as injured workers, perhaps he may change some of the WSIB's internal policies on how injured workers are treated by Mr. Mahoney's WSIB staff...."

Will this minister commit right now in this House to meet today with Mr. Clare, Mr. Powell and Ms. Mathers to strongly request that Mr. Mahoney attend this meeting-

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters):
Thank you. Minister?

Hon. Brad Duguid:
Again to Ms. Mathers, Mr. Clare and Mr. Powell I really express, on behalf the government, our sympathies for the difficulties they've gone through. It's always difficult for us to hear of some of the pain and suffering that injured workers experience.

That's why we've added 200 additional health and safety inspectors, to ensure that we're doing all we can to prevent workplace injuries, because the best way we can help injured workers is to prevent the injuries from happening in the first place. That's what we're determined to do.

I would be more than happy to meet with these particular individuals and others as we move forward to work together to make workplaces healthier and safer across this province.