Urgent action!

The bill proposes the creation of national standards to address cancer and firefighting, including an explanation of the link between the disease and the occupation. By establishing national standards, the legislation would help individual provinces and territories identify the complete list of cancers that are linked to the occupation and that should be presumed occupational for the purpose of workers’ compensation benefits..

• The bill calls for measures to educate health care providers and other professionals about screening and treatment. It aims to provide regular screenings to firefighters.

• It intends to promote research, data collection, and the sharing of information and knowledge about cancer and its impact on firefighters.

• Quebec only recognizes nine types of cancer as occupational, while many other provinces and territories recognize twice as many. Quebec firefighters are not second-class firefighters.

• Today, cancer is the leading cause of line-of-duty death among firefighters.

• The bill also seeks to designate January as Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month.

Support

Bill C-224 was introduced by Sherry Romanado, Member of Parliament for Longueuil–Charles-LeMoyne. It has received support from the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC), and local fire departments and unions across the country. It also won the support of the deputies of several parties.

The text of the bill is available online at https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/44-1/bill/C-224/first-reading.

That’s why we’re asking you, while there’s still time, to send a message to your MP to indicate your support for the bill.

Thank you for protecting those who protect you!