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2009 Jun 15 (Mon)

Labour Protection for Paid Farm Workers

Kevin Taft discusses the costs to injured farm workers that have no occupational health and safety protection.

 

Alberta Hansard, May 13, 2009

Dr. Taft: Thanks, Mr. Speaker. Alberta’s paid farm workers have no occupational health and safety protection. When asked about what paid farm workers should do when injured, the Minister of Employment and Immigration told this Assembly that they could turn to the courts. Well, in the public gallery today is Philippa Thomas, an injured farm worker who has paid 15 and a half thousand dollars in legal costs and faces many times that cost before she even could get her case considered. What does the Minister of Employment and Immigration say to Philippa today?

The Speaker: The hon. minister.

Mr. Goudreau: Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for the question. As I’ve indicated to this House, we’ve hired a consultant to deal with this particular issue, to delve into it. The consultant will be talking with farm workers, will be talking with farm owners, will be talking with various businesses that deal with farmers, and will be preparing a report for us to review over the summer and into the fall. We’ll make some recommendations from there.

The Speaker: The hon. member.

Dr. Taft: Thanks, Mr. Speaker. Given the tens of thousands of dollars that injured farm workers are forced to pay in legal costs because of this government’s policies, does the minister recognize that saying, as he did in here a few weeks ago, that farm workers “have access to the courts as any other Albertan has access” is irresponsible, is unacceptable, and needs to be changed?

Mr. Goudreau: Mr. Speaker, I think I’ve indicated to this House quite often as well that, you know, it’s not the rules and regulations that will make the difference on individual farms; it’s the atmosphere of developing a farm safety attitude on farms. That works from both the employee’s side as well as the employer’s side. Both have to co-operate, and both have to work towards farm safety for each other.

Dr. Taft: Mr. Speaker, that was a shocking comment. The implication there is that a woman like Philippa Thomas is equal to any other worker and is responsible for the damage that she suffered at the hands of an employer.

My question is again to the same minister. He has talked about this consultant many times. Will the minister direct this consultant to personally meet with Philippa Thomas and any other injured farm worker or their family who wants to meet with him?

Mr. Goudreau: Mr. Speaker, we’re working with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and we are developing the list of individuals that will be met. At this stage we’re expanding on that particular list. This afternoon I’m personally meeting with the Farmworkers Union to discuss this very subject, and we’ll keep on doing that.

 

 

 

Date: Mon Jun 15 14:50:16 MDT 2009 changed by: Rebecca IP: 199.213.91.1