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Wednesday December 9 2015 3 POLITICS AGRICULTURE DONT MISS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THAIDENE NENE Parks Canada is hosting a public consultation session in Yellowknife about establishing Thaidene Nene National Park Reserve Wednesday December 9 700-900 PM at Northern United Place Please attend and voice your support for permanent protection. For more information visit www.landoftheancestors.ca By CRAIG GILBERT Albertas governing New Democrats have heeded a growing crop of concerns over their proposed farm safety law. Bill 6 the Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act would force farms and ranches to adhere to Workers Compen- sation Board WCB and Occupational Health and Safety OHS requirements. Opposition MLAs and family farm owners reacted quickly and severely when the bill was revealed in mid-November. As many as 1000 people employed in the agriculture sector brought their beef with the law to the steps of the legislature on Nov. 30 with dozens of others using their vehicles to slow trafc on Highways 2 and 5. A day later Jobs Skills Training and La- bour Minister Lori Sigurdson announced the bill would be amended for clarity. It has never been our governments inten- tion to interfere with what family members friends and neighbours have always done on the family farm she said in a press re- lease. Thats why we will amend Bill 6 to make clear what was our intention all along that farm families would be exempt from those laws which were designed to protect paid employees. The proposed amendments would make clear WCB coverage would be required only for paid employees with an option for farmers to extend coverage to unpaid workers like family members neighbours and friends make clear that Occupational Health and Safety standards apply when a farm em- ploys one or more paid employees at any time of the year. Ongoing consultations will help form the basis of regulations to be developed by 2017 to ensure the unique workplace characteris- tics of farms and ranches are recognized ac- cording to the government. One session was held in Grande Prairie on November 26 and eight more are scheduled in December. The Dec. 1 Red Deer session attracted an over- ow of interest with participants lling the room and spilling out into the foyer prompt- ing the government to work with venues to increase capacity at each session. As of Dec. 1 all but the Dec. 14 Athabasca session had lled up with zero seats left. Later in the week hundreds had been added to the online registration page. Register to attend at httpsers.humanservices.alberta.cajstl- farmandranch.aspx. We appreciate the concerns farmers and ranchers have raised. To be clear Bill 6 is not in any way going to affect children doing their chores participating in 4-H or learning the family business Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Oneil Carter said. It does not pre- vent neighbours relatives and friends from helping each other out during busy times nor does it apply to recreational activities such as riding horses or hunting on farmland. Wildrose Opposition Leader Brian Jean took issue with a claim the premier appar- ently made during a phone call with report- ers that concern over Bill 6 was caused by misinformation. Families understand better than anyone how their farms work and how Bill 6 will im- pact their lives Jean said. Theyve heard bureaucrats and the minister talk down to them but all they want is to have their voices heard Jean said. Bulldozing ahead with Bill 6 and making adjustments on the y is not how we should be legislating changes to the 45000 farms across the province. If passed the law would take effect on Jan. 1. Liberal Leader David Swann also men- tioned an abundance of misinformation was oating around in the Bill 6 discussion but he blamed the NDP for losing control of the message. He saw the changes coming when the NDP strangely cancelled the eve- ning sitting after Question Period Nov. 30 worrying the governing party intended to simply withdraw the bill and continue with the status quo. Bill 6 is not a perfect bill he said. I support changes to this legislation particu- larly when it comes to creating exemptions New Democrats to amend farm safety bill for clarity for family farms. However these changes can and should be made on the oor of the house as legislators debate the bill in the next two weeks. This government gave its word to paid farm workers. We expect them to honour that. PhotocourtesyoftheWildRoseParty Wildrose MPs joined hundreds of farmers who rallied against Bill 6 at the Alberta legislature Dec. 3. Seasons Greetings I would like to pass on a huge thank you for your support on October 19th 2015 and wish everyone a joyful and safe holiday season and a happy new year. Yours truly Michael McLeod MP Northwest Territories Ottawa Office 249 Wellington Street Suite 04 Justice Building Ottawa ON K1A 0A6 Toll Free 800 661-0802 Phone 613 992-4587 Fax 613 992-1586 Constituency Office I hope to have my NWT constituency office operational soon and will provide further updates when available. Email Michael.McLeodparl.gc.ca Since the election I have been transitioning to new office spaces and can be contacted as follows