First responders shouldn't have to prove that jobs caused illness, says N.W.T. MLA

Northwest Territories MLA Kieron Testart is proposing a private members bill that would make it easier for first responders in the territory to access workers compensation for post-traumatic stress disorder, cancers and heart disease.

At a press conference Monday, Testart said he'll table a private members bill this week proposing amendments to establish "presumptive coverage" for sick and injured first responders instead of requiring them to prove their job made them sick. 

He says the proposed amendment would bring the N.W.T. in line with other jurisdictions in Canada, by recognizing the inherent risks of occupations like firefighting.

"Despite spending years asking for support, the process has always moved too slowly to actually result in the changes these heroes need when they get sick," he said.

Christian Bittrolff, president of International Association of Firefighters Local 2890, which represents Yellowknife firefighters, says the amendments would protect workers from the trauma of repeating their medical concerns to multiple people to obtain Workers' Compensation coverage.

"You already told your story to the registered psychologist or the doctor, and you don't have to go through a bureaucratic process of reliving the thing that is causing you post-traumatic stress and putting you in crisis continuously," he said. 

Bittrolff says the amendments that would expand cancer care coverage bring recognition to the International Agency for Research on Cancer's classification of firefighting as being a carcinogenic occupation.

"It's even more important in a small northern community where the access is limited, where the resources are limited, to have that presumptive legislation that streamlines the whole process," he said.  

Bittrolff says firefighters often know the people they are helping and these stressors are amplified in small communities. 

Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh MLA Richard Edjericon says there are volunteer firefighters in communities like Fort Resolution, and he has constituents who are going through some of the challenges address by the bill.

"We want to make sure we get coverage for them," he said.

Expanding covered cancers

Bittrolff says the late Greg Pratt, a Yellowknife firefighter, was diagnosed with a rare form of bile duct cancer not covered by WSCC. 

"When you have that kind of news, those kinds of conversations, having that fight or even going down the WSCC route to look and see if this is going to be covered, is the last thing you want to be thinking about," he said. 

"His focus was on fighting cancer, and that's where it should be."

The proposed amendments would require firefighters to work for two years to be eligible for the presumptive coverage.

Bittrolff says house fires put out 256 known carcinogens, but firefighters respond to industrial fires too.

Pratt was the first one in on the Fitzgerald Carpeting fire in 2016 where flooring, paints and solvents burned. 

"The exposure on that single event alone is concerning," he said. 

The changes proposed by the bill would cover firefighters, police officers, nurses, paramedics, correctional officers, sheriff's officers, emergency dispatch operators, and continuing-care assistants.

The bill is expected to be tabled this Thursday by Testart.