535 10 13654 https://writingresources.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/17114510f46c98e93d37bf75b747cacb.jpg a43525b4f16782dc3414eeec5f4f50b9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Thunder Bay Finnish Canadian Historical Society Collection Subject The topic of the resource Finnish-Canadians Life in Thunder Bay Description An account of the resource Photographs collected by the Thunder Bay Finnish Canadian Historical Society from a wide range of collectors, documenting Finnish immigration to and life in Thunder Bay. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Thunder Bay Finnish Canadian Historical Society Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lakehead University Library Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sellar's School Subject The topic of the resource Architecture Description An account of the resource Sellars' School, Gillies Township (built 1935?). Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPG Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context MG8_D13Ai49 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Canada - Ontario - Gillies https://writingresources.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/aa18872d8d080b3f928fc45ae783b024.jpg 9fdc75903982dfbd517542efeefa112a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Thunder Bay Finnish Canadian Historical Society Collection Subject The topic of the resource Finnish-Canadians Life in Thunder Bay Description An account of the resource Photographs collected by the Thunder Bay Finnish Canadian Historical Society from a wide range of collectors, documenting Finnish immigration to and life in Thunder Bay. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Thunder Bay Finnish Canadian Historical Society Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lakehead University Library Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Dairy farm Subject The topic of the resource Architecture Description An account of the resource Dairy farm (Holstein's?) in Ostola. Loaned by: Ranta. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPG Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context MG8_D13Ai48 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Canada - Ontario - Thunder Bay https://writingresources.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/34ae05575a5cb39b4e979d56e8d0e446.jpg 738f0039f06da488ab80cc2c06dd4d60 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Thunder Bay Finnish Canadian Historical Society Collection Subject The topic of the resource Finnish-Canadians Life in Thunder Bay Description An account of the resource Photographs collected by the Thunder Bay Finnish Canadian Historical Society from a wide range of collectors, documenting Finnish immigration to and life in Thunder Bay. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Thunder Bay Finnish Canadian Historical Society Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lakehead University Library Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Nestor Saari's farm Subject The topic of the resource Architecture Description An account of the resource Nestor Saari's farm in Miller, Oliver Township, Winter 1930. Donor: Mrs. Saari. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPG Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context MG8_D13Ai46 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Canada - Ontario - Oliver Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1930 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public domain https://writingresources.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/b8608198979ee018e35f4d177b55e2a0.jpg 9101e8f27917dcda22e712d0b6ffa4b4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Thunder Bay Finnish Canadian Historical Society Collection Subject The topic of the resource Finnish-Canadians Life in Thunder Bay Description An account of the resource Photographs collected by the Thunder Bay Finnish Canadian Historical Society from a wide range of collectors, documenting Finnish immigration to and life in Thunder Bay. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Thunder Bay Finnish Canadian Historical Society Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lakehead University Library Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Homestead in Kivikoski Subject The topic of the resource Architecture Description An account of the resource Homestead in Kivikoski. Donor: Luhtala. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPG Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context MG8_D13Ai45 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Canada - Ontario - Kivikoski https://writingresources.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/af767dbf272b2b6539c0910040729ae2.jpg 81a5f2ee30d14cff35e44f84b2dae9de Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Thunder Bay Finnish Canadian Historical Society Collection Subject The topic of the resource Finnish-Canadians Life in Thunder Bay Description An account of the resource Photographs collected by the Thunder Bay Finnish Canadian Historical Society from a wide range of collectors, documenting Finnish immigration to and life in Thunder Bay. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Thunder Bay Finnish Canadian Historical Society Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lakehead University Library Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Happonen's home Subject The topic of the resource Architecture Description An account of the resource Happonen's home in Gorham part of Kivikoski. Donor: Luhtala. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource JPG Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context MG8_D13Ai44 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Canada - Ontario - Thunder Bay Canada - Ontario - Gorham https://writingresources.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/418beecbe1a3ea19eda3b560d08d8432.pdf 347eadb931a4bc155d38ff2d56fe851e PDF Text Text CANADIAN PUBLICATION MAIL SALES AGREEMENT #1685422 Inside ….. CIWA/ACVAMT Contacts ......................................................... 2 Provincial Reports ............................................................ 3, 4, 5 Harmonized GST/PST .............................................................. 6 Repetitive Strain Injury............................................................. 6 Prescription Painkillers .............................................................. 7 UN Convention – Rights of Persons with Disabilities .............. 7, 8 Chronic Pain .................................................................... 10, 11 CIWA, About ......................................................................... 12 ANNUAL EVENTS: National R.S.I Day Injured Workers Day Chronic Pain Awareness Week National Day of Mourning February 28 June 01 November April 28 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail P L E A SE HE L P … … … … S U B S C R I B E T O D A Y ! Name: ________________________________ Date: Organization: ________________________________ Address: ________________________________ ________________________________ Postal Code ________________________________ Phone ________________________________ Fax ________________________________ E-Mail ________________________________ Web Site ________________________________ ________________________________ Newsletter Subscription: Highlights is published 4 times per year Injured Worker/Unemployed $ 5.00 _________ Individuals $ 10.00 _________ Organizations $ 15.00 _________ Donations $ _________ Total $ _________ CIWA THANKS YOU for Your SUPPORT Editor’s Note This newsletter is distributed via email, fax, or mail to CIWA/ACVAMT members and groups with an interest in injured worker issues as resource tool to share and exchange information. The vi ews and opinions expressed here are those of the individuals or groups making submissions. We take no responsibility for their accuracy or for their opinions. You are welcome to share and distribute this newsletter with others that are interested. It is also available on our website at www.ciwa.ca. PROVINCIAL REPRESENTATIVES OF CIWA/ACVAMT VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS… EXECUTIVE OFFICERS… SK ... Robert Lindsay, Regina Western Injured Workers Society President ... Secretary … Treasurer … NS... Dave MacKenzie, Westville Pictou County PEI ... Leonard J. Crawford, Summerside ON ... Gerry Landry, Thunder Bay Ontario Network of Injured Worker Groups AB... Sherri Scott, Fort MacMurray NL... Clive Hamilton, Labrador City NB... Thomas Connolly, Mirimachi Rob Lindsay Leonard J. Crawford Dave MacKenzie ADVISORS… Vincent Boyce, Injured Worker, Manitoba Andy King, U.S.W.A. Lynn Shaw, University of Western Ontario Patti MacAhonic, BC Injured Workers and Survivors Education Association STAFF… Phil Brake, National Coordinator Monika Wiitala, Office Manager L’ALLIANCE CANADIENNE DES VICTIMES D’ACCIDENTS ET DE MALADIES DU TRAVAIL CANADIAN INJURED WORKERS ALLIANCE 1201 Jasper Drive Thunder Bay, Ontario. P7B 6R2 Phone: 807-345-3429 Fax: 807-344-8683 Page 2 email: ciwa@vianet.ca Toll Free: 1-877-787-7010 Web-site: www.ciwa.ca �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance PROVINCIAL REPORTS / UPDATES President’s Report: ONTARIO (Represented by G.Landry) CIWA and its Board members across Canada have been very busy over the last year. We’ve been in discussions with Labour Organization in Saskatchewan and Alberta trying to revive our Youth Project. We feel this is an important project as it stills seems that youth in the workplace are unaware of their rights and Occupational Health & Safety. Even with all the programs for youth out there, the abuse and neglect it still extremely evident and we want to be part of educating Canada’s youth on workplace rights and responsibilities of both the employer and themselves as the employee. We are seeking and very hopeful in attaining financial donations from Labour as well as any organizations that would like to see a specialized program for Youth in the Workplace. Lobbying to improve pensions has went well. 2.5% increase for 3 years We have also had the opportunity to voice our opinions on Workers Compensation issues across Canada, following three lengthy radio interviews. These were with Global Radio One in Saskatchewan, another from a station in Toronto, and another with a radio station in Toronto. These interviews came about after a hostile hostage taking incident in the WCB building in Calgary, Alberta that was broadcast nationwide. The Office of Disability Issues is conducting various teleconferences regarding technology for persons with disabilities and we are very excited to be part of these discussions. The president attended a meeting with the Canadian Pain Coalition in Toronto, in March of 2010. This meeting was part of a working group which is geared toward partnering and achieving CPC and CIWA goals and objectives. We are extremely excited to be part of this fantastic organization and look forward to a long partnership. We continue to receive many inquiries from injured workers across Canada regarding their WCB claims. We are able to refer them to injured worker groups and other like minded organizations that help injured workers with their claims. We do need to update our database as it seems that there are new groups popping up and others closing down that we are unaware of. If anyone has any information that we could update our database and website with, it would be greatly appreciated. New Bill passed – you must be a paralegal to represent injured workers before WSIB. We should lobby for full legal aid for injured workers. Dr. Lynn Shaw:  Client insights on knowledge - use and access in return to work  Opening doors to information for injured workers through knowledge exchange and research with consumer community groups  Evaluating the support needs of injured workers in managing occupational transitions after injury  Using metaphors to study occupational transitions  Knowledge to action - Advisory Board request for nominations went out; none were reviewed  The CIWA Board will assume this role. She will have two fact sheets ready for next meeting. New Brunswick How many services to injured workers have been discontinued at the Rehabilitation Centre based on erroneous information? Injured workers are being failed by a system that was intended to facilitate rehabilitation and return to work. Workers made great sacrifices, including giving up the right to sue our employers in exchange for this service. We are calling on Minister Arseneault to look very closely at the decision making process of the Worksafe New Brunswick Board of Directors. Is the rehabilitation of injured workers still a priority or is it another issue that is being driven at any costs? Michel Boudreau, NBFL President BC (Presented by Patti MacAhonic) The government of BC made changes to WCB that have saved the employers hundreds of millions of dollars which directly, negatively affect injured workers. Our next Board of Directors meeting will be held in Newfoundland in June or July sometime. Page 3 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail April 22, 2009, BC cont’d … A Report released today by the BC Federation of Labour shows that controversial changes made by the Campbell government to the Workers Compensation Board (WCB) have resulted in massive cost-savings for employers but has come at a profound cost to injured workers. "This Report shows the Campbell government's changes to WCB were based entirely on the false claim that the existing compensation system was unsustainable," says Jim Sinclair, President of the Federation. "Employers lobbied hard for these changes and they have been rewarded with huge cost-savings that have destroyed the lives of seriously injured workers." The most extreme consequences of the changes are the effective elimination of loss of earnings pensions and the virtual elimination of vocational rehabilitation services. This has had a negative economic impact on thousands of permanently injured workers and their families. "The loss of earnings pension is one of the most important benefits for a seriously injured worker," says Stan Guenther, one of the authors of the Report. "Without a pension and without the ability to work, an injured worker faces a lifetime of financial hardship." The changes made to the WCB pension system have also led to the virtual elimination of any need for vocational rehabilitation. As a result, the WCB's rehabilitation budget was slashed from $130 million in 2002 to just $3 million in 2006. "The loss of rehabilitation means the WCB has stopped providing the crucial assistance that injured workers need to return to the workplace and regain their ability to earn a living," said Janet Patterson, one of the authors of the Report. "Employers are saving hundreds of millions of dollars because seriously injured workers are being denied the compensation they need while disability claims and workplace fatalities continue to rise," Sinclair added. The Federation is calling on the provincial government to restore loss of earnings pensions, restore vocational rehabilitation services and implement the other recommendations made by the authors of the Report. To see the full Report and Summary, click here. Page 4 http://bcfed.ca/files/1520-09brInsult%20to%20Injury_1.pdf Patti has been searching for a suitable candidate to sit on the Board, but has been unsuccessful so far. SASK (Represented by Rob Lindsay) Western Injured Workers Society would like CIWA to become more involved as things are getting worse in the West. QUEBEC Visit – Info IRSST Newsletter at http://www.irsst.qc.ca/files/documents/en/InfoIrsst/Ac tuel/InfoIRSST_v08n01.htm To read or download the whole story: RESEARCH REPORT NOW AVAILABLE 4,4'-Diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) Safety practices and concentration during polyurethane foam spraying This study documented the practices relating to occupational health and safety (OHS) under a variety of conditions under which insulation work is done, and evaluated the MDI concentrations in the work areas. The workers run a risk of exposure to MDI in aerosol form, particularly when they do this work indoors. The report's authors note that nothing indicates that OHS practices are completely respected on Québec construction sites and recommend that the subject of respiratory and skin protection be integrated into the continuing training of workers. DOWNLOAD THE REPORT at: http://www.irsst.qc.ca/files/documents/PubIRSST/R629.pdf MANITOBA Supreme Court absolves national union of liability for Giant Mine nine-fatality explosion In a long-awaited 9-0 decision, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that the CAW as a national union is not liable for the actions of Roger Warren, a local union member who deliberately set an underground explosion that killed nine gold miners in the midst of a bitter and violent strike at the Giant Mine in the Northwest Territories. The Court held that the national union was a distinct legal entity from the local union and was neither directly nor vicariously responsible for what occurred. �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Manitoba, cont’d … Upholding a 2008 decision by the Northwest Territories Court of Appeal that quashed a lower court judge's award of $10.7 million in damages, the Supreme Court also found no liability on the part of either the Northwest Territories government or the Pinkerton's security firm hired by the mining company to protect the miners who replaced the striking workers during the bitter dispute. The rest of this report is available at: http://www.lancasterhouse.com/ NOVA SCOTIA Injured civilian workers also battling government red tape Letter to The Annapolis County Spectator Article online since November 25th 2009, 19:57 Dear Editor: Mrs. Dornan stated ('Military families battling red tape,' Spectator, November 19): ―If civilians are injured on the job, they can expect to receive assistance from Workers Compensation,‖ she said. ―But we have to prove everything, starting from the fact that he served in Bosnia, to establishing a conclusive cause of his illness.‖ That is far from the truth. We as injured workers have received the same treatments by those that are meant to help us, namely WCB and our government. We have our rights and freedoms removed from us via government that allows for the WCB to lobby them for changes made to legislation that enable this illegal act. Here in Canada we had a protest planned for December 10, 2009 as that is United Nations Human Rights Day, to take place at war memorials and monuments across Canada. We were told NO by the Royal Canadian Legion, even though those who sacrificed their lives to ensure our rights and freedoms, it was considered to be a disgraceful act upon us. They can fight for our rights and freedoms, but we are not allowed to have their support, for fighting for the same cause. Also here is a link to the United Nations Human Rights Violations that we as injured workers are experiencing: abusebyalbertasworkerscompensation.blogspot.com Sincerely, Ken Markkula Bruce, AB Website Links – Information Resources Injured Workers Online http://www.injuredworkersonline.org/  Facing poverty: how does Ontario's new strategy meet the needs of injured workers? Poverty and suffering is too often the result of workplace injuries or diseases that affect approximately 300,000 workers and their families in Ontario.  Find local support groups and join the Ontario Network of Injured Workers' Groups (ONIWG) to help make a difference.  Ontario's injured worker movement has a long and proud history. Read about it in the Injured Workers' History Project bulletins!  Check on current worker-centred research projects and training.  Understand your legal rights and access community legal information (CLEOnet updates) injuredworkersonline.org is a collaborative effort of injured workers, trade unionists, community activists and advocates, and doctors. We seek better treatment for injured workers by their employers, government and workers' compensation system.  Learn more about the key issues and what's happening at Queen's Park to review and reform workers' compensation law. Page 5 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail NEW HARMONIZED GST/PST In July (2010) the ONTARIO Government is set to put into force its new harmonized GST/PST sales tax which will apply a 13% sales tax to everything we purchase. Things That Were Not Subject To The Current 8% PST Will Be Now Taxed at 8%. - The new 13% tax will therefore apply to things like your electric bill, your gas bill, your water bill, condominium fees, insurance premiums, and every other good and service you purchase.. There are almost no exemptions. - The current Ontario PST tax does not apply to services, nor does it apply to the purchase of certain goods. The New 13% Tax will also apply to the purchase of All New Homes - If a person were to purchase a new $1 million dollar home in Toronto, they would have to pay roughly $200,000 in taxes as a result of the Ontario land transfer tax, the new city of Toronto land transfer tax, and the new harmonized 13% GST/PST. - The extension of the new 13% GST/PST to homes is simply a tax assault by the government on your primary home. They want to tax your primary home and you will suffer because of it. The New 13% Tax Will Effectively Raise Your Income Taxes Currently, the combined Federal/Ontario income tax rates are roughly 25% on the first $20,000 of taxable income, 42% on the next $40,000 of taxable income, and 46.5% on each dollar of taxable income over $60,000. On top of that you have to add the "Fair Share Health Tax" of up to $1,000 each of us has to pay. If the Ontario Government gets away with implementing their new harmonized GST/PST sales tax of 13%, the top effective income tax rates in Ontario will be as follows (since you can't spend any of your tax paid dollars without paying the new harmonized 13% GST/PST tax): 38% on the first $20,000 53% on the next $40,000 59.5% on every dollar over $60,000 On top of that, you have to pay your Ontario Fair Share Health Tax, your city realty taxes, your city garbage fees, your city water fees, your city street parking permit fees, your annual Ontario and new city of Toronto vehicle license plate fees, your Ontario land transfer tax, your new city of Toronto land transfer tax, your gasoline taxes, your liquor taxes, your air departure taxes, your entertainment taxes, and so on. Of all the money you worked hard to earn, what percentage are you really keeping for your own use? 25%? 20%? 10%? TAKE THIS ISSUE SERIOUSLY - FILL AND SIGN THE PETITION AT www.unfairtaxgrab.com AGAINST THE NEW HARMONIZED GST/PST TAX. Repetitive Strain Injury Awareness Day - February 29 The Canadian Labour Congress calls on all levels of government to take the issue of Repetitive Strain Injury more seriously. Ergonomic regulations to protect Canadian workers from coast-to-coast-to-coast are long over due, as is proper enforcement of regulations where they currently exist. This call for government action is supported by a Statistics Canada report going back to 2003, indicating that one out of every 10 Canadian adults had a repetitive strain injury (RSI) serious enough to limit their normal activities. In terms of lost work time and reduced productivity, the cost of RSI to the economy demands action. Among federal government workers alone, between 11,000 and 17,000 RSI claims are filed each year. The Page 6 total work days lost each year are estimated between 45,000 and 73,000. The estimated cost: between $24 and $40 million. Broader studies, using a societal approach (regardless of payer) have placed the total cost of RSIs at $26.6 billion, or about 3.4% of the gross domestic product. Workers in sales or service, trades, transport or equipment operating, farming, forestry, fishing or mining, and processing/manufacturing or utilities are at high risks of reporting an RSI. Women’s jobs, especially office jobs and micro assembly work, often involve a high risk for RSI which may explain why generally, more women reported a new RSI to worker’s compensation boards. �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Repetitive strain injury creates significant personal and economic burden for workers and also has a major impact on health care costs, since many of these injuries are not reported to worker’s compensation boards. Today, we have regulations in some provinces and, federally, ergonomics have been incorporated in the Hazard Prevention Regulations. While this is a victory, there is still much to be done to ensure enforcement of these regulations. Work stress deriving from a fast work pace, role ambiguity, worry and monotonous tasks have been associated with RSIs in the past. The Statistics Canada report supports the association between work stress and RSIs. We call on the federal government to ensure that the ergonomic regulations which were recently incorporated in the federal Hazard Prevention Regulations, be enforced. In 2000, amendments to the Canada Labour Code Part II included the prescription of ergonomics standards in the federal jurisdiction. In 2002, union representatives started to work with government representatives in order to develop regulations on ergonomics. We also call on the government to provide proper training to federal workplace inspectors so that ergonomic hazards are identified and eliminated wherever possible. We call on provincial and territorial governments to introduce ergonomic regulations if they have not yet done so. Deadlier than Cocaine, Heroin, and the Swine Flu? Posted by Dr. Mercola | November 21 2009 | Addiction to prescription painkillers — which kill thousands of Americans a year — has become a largely unrecognized epidemic, experts say. In fact, prescription drugs cause most of the more than 26,000 fatal overdoses each year, says Leonard Paulozzi of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The number of overdose deaths from opioid painkillers — opium-like drugs that include morphine and codeine — more than tripled from 1999 to 2006, to 13,800 deaths that year, according to recently released CDC statistics. In the past, most overdoses were due to illegal narcotics, such as heroin, with most deaths in big cities. Prescription painkillers have now surpassed heroin and cocaine however, as the leading cause of fatal overdoses, Paulozzi says. Experts say it's easy to see why so many Americans are abusing painkillers. As Americans age and carry extra pounds, more are asking for pain relief to cope with joint problems, back pain and other ailments. Sources: USA Today October 2, 2009 Orthomolecular.org October 27, 2009 Daily Mail August 11, 2009 Canada Ratifies UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (No. 99 - March 11, 2010 - 11:15 a.m. ET) The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of “Canada is committed to promoting and protecting the Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Diane Finley, rights of persons with disabilities and enabling their full Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, participation in society,” said Minister Cannon. today announced that, with the support of all provinces “Ratification of this convention underscores the and territories, the Government of Canada has ratified Government of Canada’s strong commitment to this the Convention on the Rights of Persons with goal.” Disabilities at United Nations headquarters in New York City. “Canada is proud to have been one of the first countries to originally sign the Convention in 2007,” Page 7 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail said Minister Finley. “The ratification of this agreement is just further acknowledgement that Canada is a world leader in providing persons with disabilities the same opportunities in life as all Canadians.” “Today is a momentous day for Canadians with disabilities and their families,” said Bendina Miller, President of the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL). “CACL is thrilled that Canada has ratified the Convention. Canada has been an international leader on disability and human rights, and through ratification can continue to play this important role. CACL looks forward to working with the Government of Canada on implementing and monitoring compliance with the Convention.” “The Government of Canada’s ratification today of the Convention is a historic event for Canadians with disabilities,” said Marie White, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities. “It signals the end of an era where people with disabilities were seen as objects of charity. Ratification of the Convention makes real our goal of recognition as full and equal citizens of Canada. “Ratification of the Convention puts an end to the medical model and opens exciting new opportunities for building a more inclusive and accessible Canada. Canadians with disabilities applaud the Government of Canada for this historic action.” “As the Government of Canada continues to play a leading role with respect to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in sport, we wish our paralympic athletes the best of luck at the upcoming Paralympic Games in Vancouver,” said Minister Cannon. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an international human rights instrument of the United Nations intended to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. Parties to the Convention are required to promote, protect and ensure the full enjoyment of human rights by persons with disabilities, and to ensure that they enjoy full equality under the law. There are approximately 4.4 million persons with disabilities in Canada—about 14.3 percent of the population. - 30 – For further information, media representatives may contact: Catherine Loubier Director of Communications Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs 613-995-1851 Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada 613-995-1874 Michelle Bakos Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development 819-994-2482 Media Relations Office Human Resources and Skills Development Canada 819-994-5559 Backgrounder - UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on December 13, 2006, after several years of negotiation in which Canada took an active role. Canada was among the first countries to sign the Convention when it was opened for signature on March 30, 2007. The purpose of the Convention is “to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.” It reaffirms for persons with disabilities existing civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights set out in international law. The Convention’s core obligations relate to nondiscrimination and reasonable accommodation. These core obligations are then elaborated in specific provisions that address such issues as freedom of Page 8 expression, political rights, liberty and security of the person, legal capacity, education, health and employment. The Convention also contains provisions on issues unique to people with disabilities, such as accessibility, independent living and inclusion in the community, as well as the processes of rehabilitation and habilitation, through which those with disabilities learn to function fully in society. The Government of Canada consulted provincial and territorial governments throughout the Convention’s negotiation, signature and ratification processes. The Canadian government also consulted civil society through a national round table with stakeholders, and an online consultation open to the public. It also sought the views of self-governing Aboriginal groups on how ratification of the Convention might affect their communities. �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Mourning Day Act http://www.ccohs.ca/events/mourning/act.html S.C. 1991, c. 15 An Act respecting a Day of Mourning for Persons Killed or Injured in the Workplace [Assented to 1st February, 1991] WHEREAS it is desirable that Canadians should designate a day of mourning to remember workers killed, disabled or injured in the workplace and workers afflicted with industrial disease; AND WHEREAS Canadians seek earnestly to set an example of their commitment to the issue of health and safety in the workplace; NOW, THEREFORE, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows Short title 1. This Act may be cited as the Workers Mourning Day Act. Day of Mourning 2. (1) Throughout Canada, in each and every year, the 28th day of April shall be known under the name of "Day of Mourning for Persons Killed or Injured in the Workplace". (2) For greater certainty, the Day of Mourning for Persons Killed or Injured in the Workplace is not a legal holiday or a non-juridical day and shall not be required to be kept or observed as such. National Day of Mourning, April 28, 2010 - CLC Statement Posted: Thursday, 15 April 2010 Is today the day you die at work? http://www.canadianlabour.ca/news-room/statements/national-day-mourning-april-28-2010-clc-statement Over the past twenty-five years, successive governments have pledged their support to workers and their unions. They announced new workplace health and safety laws and regulations - some of the best in the world. Unfortunately, they have failed to provide the resources needed to enforce those new laws. Over the last twenty-five years, the number of Canadians who die every year because of something that happened to them at work has been steadily growing. We know that hundreds more deaths occur due to exposures to carcinogens and toxins in the workplace, but they are never identified or accepted as work-related by Workers’ Compensation Boards. The slogan for the CLC National Day of Mourning, ―Is today the day you die at work?‖ asks, why is it that so many Canadians unjustly lose their life? Sadly, for 2008, the most recent year for which we have statistics, 1,036 Canadians lost their lives because of their work. This is the reason why Canada’s workplaces claim a growing number of lives every year; the laws are not enforced, so reckless employers are allowed to carry on without consequence. It’s time for the federal government and the provincial and territorial governments to appoint special prosecutors to lay charges under the Criminal Code against employers when their actions cause death or serious injury. More inspectors must be hired to ensure employers comply with the law. Government regulators must be held accountable for this carnage that seems to go unchecked. As we take time today, April 28th, to remember those who have lost their lives, been injured or became ill, due to their work, I ask you to do more than reflect on the importance of health and safety, I ask you to think of those who are closest to you, your child, your spouse, your sibling, your parent, your best friend. Consider the role they play in your life and your family’s lives. Imagine if their life was taken from them. Every single one of those 1,036 lives that ended in 2008 had dreams, had a mom and had people who loved and continue to love and miss them. In Solidarity, Ken Georgetti, President Page 9 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Ontario: Correen DiFlorio (IWC)" <DifloriC@lao.on.ca> On Christmas Eve 2009, four workers were killed and one seriously injured when a construction swing stage snapped in half and plummeted 13 storeys to the ground. Another 400 Ontario workers were killed the same year and about 374,000 were injured. On Wednesday, April, 28th join the Toronto and York Region Labour Council as we remember our sisters and brothers who have been killed on the job or who have died as a result of workplace diseases. This special day also offers an opportunity to rededicate our efforts to achieve healthier and safer workplaces and seek justice and fair compensation for injured workers. Toronto Location: Nathan Philips Square, 100 Queen Street West Date: Wednesday, April 28th, 2010 at 12:00 Noon For more information contact the Toronto and York Region Labour Council at: 416-441-3663 or Enzo Mancuso @ 416-522-2386 New Brunswick http://www.gnb.ca/cnb/news/wcs/2010e0160wc.htm New Brunswick will soon have a seventh Day of Mourning monument, which will be erected at the entrance to the Hatheway Labour Exhibit Centre (Lily Lake Pavilion) in Rockwood Park in Saint John. The mock-up was unveiled at a ceremony in October 2009. The monument will take over a year to complete, and the official unveiling is planned for the Day of Mourning commemorative ceremonies on April 28, 2011. For further information on the Day of Mourning monuments and other labour landmarks in New Brunswick, visit the Labour History in New Brunswick website. http://www.lhtnb.ca/ 10/02/05 MEDIA CONTACTS: Elizabeth Joubert, communications, Department of Wellness, Culture and Sport, 506-457-6445; Nicole Lang, Université de Moncton, Edmundston campus, 506-737-5191 Chronic Pain Visit the Canadian Pain Coalition website for more information: http://www.canadianpaincoalition.ca/index.php/en/help-centre/conquering-pain/stress-pain Is There a Connection Between Pain, Stress and Depression? What Can I Do Myself to Lower Stress? Page 10 �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Chronic pain disrupts your life, lessens your ability to handle stress, weakens your immune system, and can result in anxiety, anger, and depression. Depression is one of the most common problems experienced by people with chronic pain. If pain results in a loss of independence or mobility that decreases an individual’s participation in social activities, the risk of depression significantly increases. If you suspect that you may be depressed, it is very important that you discuss this with your doctor. Your brain can send signals to your body that can affect the way you experience pain. These signals use chemicals similar to morphine (called endorphins) that naturally occur in your body. Relaxation exercises with visual imagery can help you take advantage of these endorphins to cope with your pain and the stress it causes. Here are the steps to follow:        See our website for a downloadable video. Sit in a comfortable position in a quiet room. Take three deep breaths. Feel the air rush in through your nose when you inhale, and then blow the air out as you exhale. Listen to the sound this makes. Think of a place where you felt really safe and in control of your pain. It could be the beach where you spent your last vacation or sitting by the window in your home, for example. Picture yourself there now. Imagine what it feels like to sit in that favourite spot, with the wind through your hair or the warm sun on your face. Keep taking deep breaths. Now turn your attention to your body. Pay attention to your pain. What colour is it? Is it a sharp, bright orange? A dark, cloudy grey colour? Picture where that colour is on your body. Now as you take slow breaths, feel how you can control that colour. See it slowly getting lighter and lighter with each breath. Feel the pain flow out little by little as you exhale. See     how the colour shrinks down to a smaller size as you breathe in and out. Imagine that the parts of your body that are in the least pain are spreading decreasing the intensity of your pain. Picture yourself in control of your pain, right here in your safe place. Take a few more deep breaths, feeling the air rush in through your nose when you inhale and the air blowing out as you exhale. Picture that light, soft colour that lets you know you are in control of your pain. Stay there in that safe spot for a while, listening to your breath, or open your eyes when you feel ready. You can repeat this exercise several times a day if you need to. It may be helpful to have someone read it to you. Try it when you can feel your pain starting up. Don’t wait until your pain gets severe. This exercise is one of the tools you can use to stay in control of your pain. The exercise becomes more powerful the more you practice it. Don’t give up if you do not get results the first few times. Relaxation with music. You can turn listening to music into a relaxation exercise. Use music that makes you feel good. Some people prefer music with no lyrics for these exercises. Others enjoy recordings of nature sounds. Find a quiet room and make yourself comfortable. Take three deep breaths. Feel the air rush in through your nose when you inhale, and then blow the air out as you exhale. Put on your stereo or your headphones and listen to your chosen music. You can close your eyes if you like. Try to concentrate on the music itself and block out other thoughts you are having. You can stay like this for twenty minutes if you like, and you can make this another tool that you use daily to stay in control of your pain. Page 11 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Our Goals CIWA/ACVAMT Is about  Support We are a national network of injured worker's groups (IWG's) and we exist to strengthen and support the work of local and provincial IWG's across Canada. Independence We believe that injured workers should be in control of their own destinies & Injured Workers Groups must be democratically controlled by injured workers. Partnerships We believe that we can best assist these objectives by providing training and educational resources in partnership with provincial or territorial organizations of injured workers and the trade union movement at all levels. Information Sharing We believe that by sharing our stories and our experience we can learn from each other and become better educated and exert more control over our lives. To work towards a just system of compensation, rehabilitation and reemployment in all of Canada.  To provide a national forum for debating issues concerning injured workers at national conferences and board workshops.  To gather and share information with groups across Canada.  To improve the Occupational Health & Safety of workers across Canada.  To identify and make available, educational and training resources produced by the union movement and other agencies, that focus on organizing and maintaining effective injured worker groups.  To enhance the local base of the injured workers movement through all our activities.  To form partnerships that will achieve common goals. Publications Available  The VOICE OF INJURED WORKER  PLAIN TALK  HOW TO IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN INJURED WORKERS & ORGANIZED LABOUR  REPORT ON RELATIONS WITH LABOUR SESSION AT CIWA NATIONAL CONFERENCE, REGINA 1992  RETURNING TO WORK  VOC REHAB & RE-EMPLOYMENT FROM THE INJURED WORKER'S PERSPECTIVE  INJURED WORKERS … ON THE MOVE  COMING TOGETHER VIDEOS & WORKBOOKS  YOUTH PROJECT MANUAL, 2002  SURVIVORS, 1997  TOGETHER WE CAN WIN, 1997  PEER HELPER TRAINING MANUAL, 2000 - "PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE"  LE COMBAT QUOTIDIEN DES VICTIMES DU TRAVAIL, 1999 To find out more, please contact us at: CIWA/ACVAMT 1201 Jasper Drive Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6R2 Ph: 807-345-3429/Fx: 807-344-8683 Toll Free: 1-877-787-7010 Email: ciwa@vianet.ca Web Site: www.ciwa.ca Connect with an injured workers group near you. Check out our web site at: www.ciwa.ca  OR  Call our office at (807) 345-3429 or Toll Free at 1-877-787-7010 This Newsletter is intended to share information of interest to injured workers/ groups / organizations, union activists and their supporters. It provides a forum for sharing our experiences - so we can learn from each other - in order to improve the lives of injured and disabled workers and the system that is there to assist them. Please help - by sharing your story with us. Page 12 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource CIWA Highlights Newsletter 2010 Description An account of the resource News updates from each province in regards to injured worker's rights. Articles about harmonized GST/PST tax, Repetitive Strain Injuries and Repetitive Strain Injury Awareness Day, the rise of opioid addiction, Canada's ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, National Day Of Mourning work-related deaths, managing chronic pain with relaxation and meditation. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource CIWA Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2010 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Subject The topic of the resource Labour Unions https://writingresources.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/b841033863827120bc58bd2c06b15814.pdf ffc2d772acde14816af3f97d424091c3 PDF Text Text CANADIAN PUBLICATION MAIL SALES AGREEMENT #1685422 Inside ….. CIWA/ACVAMT Contacts ......................................................... 2 ON – Medical Marijuana ........................................................... 3 QC – Chronic Pain ................................................................ 3, 4 NL – Day of Mourning ............................................................. 5 Web Site Links ......................................................................... 6 Provincial Rate Comparisons .................................................... 6 Pain Explained Campaign ........................................................ 8 CIWA Guest Editorial .................................................... 9, 10, 11 CIWA, About ......................................................................... 12 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail P L E A SE HE L P … … … … S U B S C R I B E T O D A Y ! Name: ________________________________ Date: Organization: ________________________________ Address: ________________________________ ________________________________ Postal Code ________________________________ Phone ________________________________ Fax ________________________________ E-Mail ________________________________ Web Site ________________________________ ________________________________ Newsletter Subscription: Highlights is published 4 times per year Injured Worker/Unemployed $ 5.00 _________ Individuals $ 10.00 _________ Organizations $ 15.00 _________ Donations $ _________ Total $ _________ CIWA THANKS YOU for Your SUPPORT Editor’s Note This newsletter is distributed via email, fax, or mail to CIWA/ACVAMT me mbers and groups with an interest in injured worker issues as resource tool to share and exchange information. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the individuals or groups making submissions. We take no responsibility for their accuracy o r for their opinions. You are welcome to share and distribute this newsletter with others that are interested. It is also available on our website at www.ciwa.ca. PROVINCIAL REPRESENTATIVES OF CIWA/ACVAMT VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS… EXECUTIVE OFFICERS… SK ... Robert Lindsay, Regina Western Injured Workers Society President ... Secretary … Treasurer … NS... Dave MacKenzie, Westville Pictou County PEI ... Leonard J. Crawford, Summerside ON ... Gerry Landry, Thunder Bay Ontario Network of Injured Worker Groups AB... Sherri Scott, Fort MacMurray NL... Clive Hamilton, Labrador City Rob Lindsay Leonard J. Crawford Dave MacKenzie ADVISORS… Vincent Boyce, Injured Worker, Manitoba Andy King, U.S.W.A. Lynn Shaw, University of Western Ontario Patti MacAhonic, BC Injured Workers and Survivors Education Association STAFF… Phil Brake, National Coordinator Monika Wiitala, Office Manager L’ALLIANCE CANADIENNE DES VICTIMES D’ACCIDENTS ET DE MALADIES DU TRAVAIL CANADIAN INJURED WORKERS ALLIANCE 1201 Jasper Drive Thunder Bay, Ontario. P7B 6R2 Phone: 807-345-3429 Fax: 807-344-8683 Page 2 email: ciwa@vianet.ca Toll Free: 1-877-787-7010 Web-site: www.ciwa.ca �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance PROVINCIAL NEWS / UPDATES ONTARIO Medical marijuana covered by WSIB The Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal has recently allowed that medical marijuana is covered by the compensation system. The injured worker must have a Health Canada card authorizing possession. The payment will be made regardless of where the marijuana is purchased and thus without the need for receipts. It will be paid for the amount indicated by Health Canada, and it will be paid at the rate that Health Canada charges. The decision can be found on the WSIAT website where all decisions are published. It is number 2335 06R dated July 8th, 2008. The neutral citation is 2008 ONWSIAT 1890. Marion Endicott WSIB loses $3.34B as stocks fall Aug 18, 2009 04:30 AM STAR STAFF WIRE SERVICES http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/682439 Ontario's Workplace Safety and Insurance Board says it lost $3.34 billion last year as payments to injured workers rose while stock markets fell. The massive setback came on the heels of a $2 billion loss in 2007. The WSIB collects premiums from employers and provides benefits to more than 155,000 injured workers. Its latest annual report says the board took in $2.4 billion less in 2008 than it paid out in benefits and other expenses. The shortfall was more than double the $1.13 billion reported a year earlier. The board has a reserve fund to help pay future benefits. But two-thirds was invested in stocks, which took heavy losses in 2008. Back-to-back losses have slashed the size of that reserve fund to about $10.4 billion, leaving it about $11.4 billion short of what is estimated could be required. The WSIB says the shortfall will not threaten its ability to provide benefits to workers. Ontario passed legislation in 2007 providing for a 2.5 per cent increase in benefits that year, and the two following years. WSIB may now have to consider increasing premiums to employers at a time when many are struggling. Workplace insurance board loses $3B Posted By JONATHAN JENKINS, SUN MEDIA, August 20, 2009 http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1706229 The Workplace Safety Insurance Board lost about $3 billion on the markets last year, but the massive loss won't mean higher premiums, the board's head vows. "We're very solvent, we're very stable," Steve Mahoney said Tuesday. "This is not a loss of our ability to meet our obligations." The market turmoil of last fall hit the WSIB's insurance fund hard, its value falling 15.5 per cent. Combined with other factors -- including a $104 million drop in premiums from job losses, the board's overall unfunded liability has soared to $11.4 billion. The liability was less than $6 billion just two years ago. But Mahoney said the unfunded liability is a long-term problem that doesn't affect its ability to deliver benefits to injured workers now. Premiums haven't risen on average in the past three years and Mahoney said only 36,000 companies out of 238,000 the board insures are seeing an increase in 2010 -- and that's because those companies have a poor safety record. Page 3 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail "The reason the companies whose premiums are frozen are achieving that is because they have an excellent record on safety." Benefits paid to injured workers are set by the government and the WSIB can't change them, he pointed out. Still, the investment loss and the prospect of gh unemployment driving premium revenue down mean the board is reviewing its investment strategy and some heads have rolled. "If you perform poorly, you get fired. That's absolutely the case," Mahoney said of investment counsellors and advisers. The huge setback shows there's serious problems at the WSIB, New Democrat labour critic Paul Miller said. "This is mismanagement," Miller said. "It's really a mishmash the way they run things. "The amounts that they're losing -- I would not consider that to be a conservative portfolio. There has to be more accountability on the finances. Are they not managing the portfolios properly? Are they not monitoring? Are they taking to much risk?" And given the magnitude of the drop, Miller said he doubts Mahoney can keep premiums where they are for long. "They say no and I don't believe that," he said. "The only way they're going to recoup their losses would be to increase premiums." QUEBEC – Info IRSST Newsletter Very interesting information can be found at their website: http://www.irsst.qc.ca:80/files/documents/en/InfoIrsst/Actuel/InfoIRSST_v06n02.htm PREVENTION GUIDE The English version of a prevention guide has been published by the IRSST and Groupe-conseil AON. In addition to offering different practical advice, this document proposes solution scenarios that are easy to implement for better prevention of handling-related accidents and the associated back pain. CHRONIC PAIN RESEARCH AND TREATMENT IN QUEBEC GETS $4.35-MILLION BOOST FROM PFIZER, ASTRAZENECA, MSSS AND FRSQ Unique public-private partnership in Quebec‟s pain research and treatment networks will provide better tools to research, diagnose and treat chronic pain. February 28, 2008 Two of Canada‟s leading pharmaceutical companies are joining forces with the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec (FRSQ) and Quebec‟s Health and Social Services Ministry (MSSS) to help in the battle against chronic pain and give a boost to Quebec‟s pain researchers and clinics affiliated with Quebec‟s four medical-research universities. The partnership – a first in Canada – is designed to strengthen what is already the country‟s leading pain research and treatment network, the Quebec Pain Research Network (QPRN), which links pain clinics at Quebec‟s four university-hospital networks and more than 75 doctors and researchers specialized in chronic pain. Under the partnership, Pfizer Canada, AstraZeneca, the FRSQ and MSSS will provide $4.35 million over Joint battle against chronic pain “The battle against chronic pain is really a collective effort uniting researchers in the public and private sectors, front-line medical professionals and patients themselves,” said Alain Beaudet, President and CEO of the FRSQ. In leading the partnership, the FRSQ‟s goal Page 4 four years to fund research and education that will improve our understanding of chronic pain and help doctors diagnose and treat pain more effectively. “Chronic pain is a devastating and debilitating silent epidemic and we need better knowledge and treatments for doctors and patients,” said Dr. Yves de Koninck, Scientific Director of the QPRN and professor affiliated with Laval University and the university‟s Centre de recherche Université Laval Robert-Giffard. “More than a million Quebecers – about one in five – will suffer from chronic pain during their lifetime. The economic costs alone in health care and loss of productivity are staggering – an estimated $125 billion a year in the US.” is to support Quebec‟s pain research, particularly to advance understanding of prevalence, incidence and the natural course of different pain syndromes, and to ensure that this knowledge is transferred to the clinic to benefit patients. �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance “This initiative takes us to the next level by bringing our research knowledge and excellence onto the frontlines to help doctors and patients manage pain more effectively,” Beaudet said. The QPRN groups researchers and doctors at Université de Montréal, Université de Sherbrooke, Université Laval and McGill University, as well as their teaching hospitals, government organizations and the Association Québécoise de la douleur chronique, Quebec‟s leading patient group. Quebec a world leader in pain research “At AstraZeneca, we established our analgesia drug discovery laboratories in Montreal in large part because Quebec is a renowned world leader in pain research excellence,” said Dr. Philippe Walker, VicePresident Discovery, and head of AstraZeneca‟s research laboratories in Montreal, where more than 100 scientists and chronic-pain experts work on developing better medicines to treat and manage pain. “This is a unique partnership and opportunity for us to work together to gain better insight into the causes of chronic pain and how to manage pain more effectively for the benefit of patients.” “Pfizer is a leader in the research of innovative solutions for pain management, including the development of unique compounds which are breaking scientific ground and discovering novel ways to treat chronic pain," says Dr. Bernard Prigent, Vice-President and Medical Director, Pfizer Canada. "Pfizer is proud to join this partnership as the QPRN initiative is a unique model which could streamline research efforts aiming “The Quebec government is pleased to partner with the FRSQ to establish this important chronic pain research initiative. This investment will enable the QPRN to structure clinical research, facilitate the transfer of discoveries and practical knowledge to medical professionals and improve the treatment of chronic pain sufferers. The QPRN‟s activities are among the most pertinent and essential in improving the quality of life for the 20% of Quebecers who suffer from pain at some point in their lives,” said Philippe Couillard, Minister of Health and Social Services. to improve diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain. The transfer of these research findings to healthcare professionals in hospital, clinic settings and research organizations such as Pfizer, will be key in our collective capacity to develop better treatment options for people living with chronic pain.” The partnership investment is $4.35 million over four years. The FRSQ has committed $2 million over four years, Pfizer Canada $1.2 million over four years, AstraZeneca $750,000 over three years, and MSSS $400,000 over four years. Pfizer and AstraZeneca have research facilities around the world and are both major investors in R&D in Canada, with Pfizer investing about $190 million a year and AstraZeneca more than $100 million a year. As the health-research funding arm of the Quebec Ministry of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade, the FRSQ invests about $90 million a year in health research and education in Quebec. Pain facts:  Chronic pain strikes one in five adults - 1.2 million Quebecers will suffer from chronic pain during their lifetime. Among the elderly, the proportion rises to 50 percent.  Women are more at risk of developing chronic pain than men.  People with chronic pain have been suffering on average for 7 years.  Nearly half (47%) say their pain is not under control.  Chronic pain adversely affects quality of life, both in terms of emotional well-being and ability to function normally. For more information please contact: For more information, or to arrange interviews with leading pain experts in Montreal, Sherbrooke and Quebec City, please contact: Michelle Dubuc, FRSQ, (514) 873-2114 Ext. 235 Sylvie Tessier, Pfizer Canada Inc., (514) 693-4609 Jennifer Robinson, AstraZeneca R&D, (514) 518-3505 Isabelle Merizzi, Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS), (418) 266-7171 These press releases were issued in Canada and are intended as reference information for Canadians. The information contained in each press release was accurate at the time of issuance, and Pfizer Canada assumes no responsibility for updating the information to reflect subsequent developments. Page 5 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail NEWFOUNDLAND April 28-Day of Mourning Hello Fellow Injured Workers and Concerned Citizens, April 28 is International Day of Mourning for Injured and Dead Workers. I mourn today for three men from Newfoundland and Labrador. Neil Lockyer, Jason House, and myself. Neil was injured in B.C. with a head injury in 1989. Jason fell through a roof in Alberta in 2005 suffering multiple injuries including his skull cracked in three places, both shoulders, right hip and pelvis broken, two disks and a broken vertebra, in 2005. I was involved in a railway accident in Ontario in 1979 suffering a crushed ankle, shattered shoulder, broken arm, broken collar bone, post concussion syndrome, three herniated disks, and more. All of us permanently disabled from our employment. From three different Provinces we came home to lick our wounds. Family and friends our only comfort. But they followed and watched like vultures on a perch. Waiting. "Did he walk?" "I saw him today and he smiled so he must be okay?" They report back to Ontario and B.C. and Alberta. The checks stop. The appeals begin, and always under the microscope. Forced to relive all the events since the accident and justifying what does not need justifying. Forced to live off family and welfare, demeaned, belittled, slandered, maligned, and otherwise abused. Forced to stay in a merry go round of abuse. Poor Neil. His injured brain could not take it. He killed a man. A WCB spy he thought. Stabbed him nineteen Times in his daughters kitchen. She tried to get help. Said her Father needed help because he was believing WCB spies were after him to cut him off. How many times between 1989 and 2005 was he cut off? How many spies did he really see? But he was paranoid because of his brain injury they said, before they locked him away in the Waterford Psychiatric Hospital. Not even a look at factors that might involve the WCB in B.C. Labour federation has questions Published Wednesday August 5th, 2009 Page 6 I watch, and protest , and try to get in court to help him but no one listens to me. They think I am mad. Then comes along Jason. He lost a $300,00.00 home, a mustang, a truck, a motorbike, a framing business, and lost it all in three years. WCB spies, posing as hunters, followed him to Newfoundland one year after his accident. They videotaped him walking with a cane and getting into his fathers truck. They declared him fit for work and cut him off. He has since appealed and won a partial victory. But at what cost? Will he, in another two, five or ten years, be cut off again, hounded again? How many times? Then there is me. I don't care if they look. I will do as much as my body can do, no more, no less. But me they ignore. 1979 to present. Ignore me to the point I have no doctor or medical care. How many videos of me do they show behind closed doors to "prove" I am not disabled? I grieve for Mr. Lockyer whose life has been ruined and for his distraught daughter who could find no help. I grieve for Mr. House because I know the road he is now forced to travel. I grieve for me because everyone thinks I am crazy and a welfare bum. I am so helpless to help them or myself. Decades apart but yet the same mistreatment. I wonder how many more suicides and murders it will take for everyone to wake up and demand fundamental change? So today mourn not only the injured and dead, mourn for the abused too. Best Regards, Fred Palmer �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance http://miramichileader.canadaeast.com/opinion/article/751885 Letter to the editor The New Brunswick Federation of Labour is calling on Minister Donald Arseneault to immediately conduct an internal enquiry into the governance of Worksafe New Brunswick. Discrepancies in the information given to Board members has rendered an internal enquiry crucial for all injured workers in New Brunswick. Our representative on the Board of Directors of Worksafe New Brunswick found out that the board has been making decisions based on misleading and non-factual information." In mid-June the Corporate Board were presented with a plan, by CEO Doug Stanley to discontinue operations of the therapeutic pool at the Workers Rehabilitation Centre in Grand Bay-Westfield. Concerns surrounding this plan were raised and information provided to the Board were that only the staff uses the pool, almost no injured workers and the cost to operate the pool were $238,000 per year. Since then, our Labour representative has learned that, in fact, there were up to 16 injured workers per week using the therapeutic pool and the cost to operate was in fact $160,000 per year. Only yesterday at a Corporate Board Meeting, Mr. Stanley informed members that the heat had been shut off for three weeks, when in fact it was only turned off that day. Furthermore, injured workers were using it for therapeutic rehabilitation. How many services to injured workers have been discontinued at the Rehabilitation Centre based on erroneous information? Injured workers are being failed by a system that was intended to facilitate rehabilitation and return to work. Workers made great sacrifices, including giving up the right to sue our employers in exchange for this service. We are calling on Minister Arseneault to look very closely at the decision making process of the Worksafe New Brunswick Board of Directors. Is the rehabilitation of injured workers still a priority or is it another issue that is being driven at any costs? Michel Boudreau, NBFL President Do you know what happens when you get injured at work? Find out here. www.ciws.ca and www.wcbcanada.com Page 7 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Worker’s compensation doesn’t work Email Print Letter to Editor Share Text Published: August 11, 2009 11:00 PM 0 Comments The recently minted MLA’s of the province of British Columbia are an expensive commodity. An enlarged body of governing brilliance naturally expected to achieve profound goals. Time is money, and the talents of so few, to which we are all beholding, should not be wasted in frivolous pursuits. This leads one to ask the question: Why is it that over sixty percent of all MLAs’ time spent in his riding is deployed in conflict resolution with WCB, or Work Safe BC. This alarming fact was confirmed by Rich Colman, then Solicitor General, and Robin Austin our returning MLA from Terrace. I have had the pleasure of working with both members of the house pertaining to my ongoing battles with WCB. The root of the majority of problems within WCB relate directly to the indiscriminate changes foisted on the system by Gordon Campbell during his first tenure in office. The Liberal government had been lobbied long and hard as to the unsustainable cost of WCB operations. Remember that this is a corporation that must be self supporting, no government funding required. WCB was to be funded by the employer, offsetting the loss of the employee’s right to sue the employer, and the government, regarding injury in the work place. The foundation theory is very sound with the anticipation that the employee and the employer would both support the benefit of working safely. Long term saving would be realized by all parties. The actual charge to the government was that the cost of the program was too high for the employer. The Liberal government was extremely shortsighted in its inept handling of the issue. I suggest that if they could have foreseen the growing outrage that now fuels this fight they would have taken a different venue. At present, permanently disabled workers are shocked to find that at age sixty five, any disability pension they may have clawed from this government is suddenly stopped. I can only presume that we are dead, in recite of a miracle cure, or cast aside to live in abject poverty. The answer, unfortunately, is the latter. A case in point, a worker reaches his prime earning years, the time to build future equity, plan for retirement, stabilize his family, then in the instant of time that becomes an eternity, the worker is injured, permanently! The worker’s ability to project a future is gone, family stability, retirement plans, life savings, gone in an instant. A future totally dependent on the social conscious of governments. A life change of command, to servitude. Why must the injured worker be cast with the lot of poverty through no neglect of his own? Why does Work Safe BC think it has the right to lessen the value of a human being because of injury? A rotten house covered with vinyl siding is still a rotten house. WCB, draped in the new name of Work Safe BC, it is still a rotten house. Page 8 �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance The endorsement of Work Safe BC, its methods of operation, its abuse of injured workers, its unlimited powers of control, are all planks of support in a rotten house. The impact of the deceit, lies, and self interest that governs the operation of WCB has resulted in direct confrontation with the workers it is designed to help. The BC. Federation of Labour is uniting against the tyranny of Work Safe BC. The Public Service Alliance of Canada has formed an investigation body to review the process of WCB. A paper is being drafted for presentation to the Auditor General requesting an internal investigation in to the operation, goals, and methods employed by Work Safe BC. The operations area of Work Safe BC has been transformed into a highly regulated security zone. Guards are abundant and obtrusive. The reception desks are made so that people can not achieve physical contact with the administrators. The interview rooms are small segregated cells with one way door locks, cramped seating, and hidden audio, and visual recording capabilities. Escorts are required to travel the maze of deliberately confusing passages. The order of the day is control. The public is no longer willing, nor able, to wait for the honesty, humanity, and helping hands they have been deceived into expecting. The single question arising from the reality that is Work Safe BC, should be “how has this come to pass”? The people of British Columbia should become much more politically alert to the intrusions of all levels of government. People should become much more vigilant in the protection of their freedoms. Society should not be afraid to challenge government doctrine. The statements and judgements of our provincial leaders should be questioned, and held to account. The status quo must be reviewed, and if a deficiency is found the will of the people must mandate change. Tony Vincenzi lives in Terrace. SUPREME COURT ISSUES MAJOR PENSION RULING > > In a precedent-setting decision, issued on August 7, the Supreme Court of Canada > has ruled that an employer did not violate its obligations as administrator of > its employee pension plan when it used the funds in the plan to pay the plan's > administrative expenses, or when it allowed surplus funds arising from the defined > benefit (DB) component of the plan, covering one group of employees, to be used > to meet its funding obligations to another group of employees covered by the > defined contribution (DC) component of the plan. > > The rest of this report is available at: http://www.lancasterhouse.com/ Page 9 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Website Links – Information Resources PFIZER Has this page where you can look up organizations in Canada by type: http://www.morethanmedication.ca/en/find_support/?gclid=CKOx0I_ziZkCFRhhnAodlTSQmA Worker’s Advocate Information Kit for Ontario (from the Office of the Worker Advisor Website) http://www.owa.gov.on.ca/workers_kits/NEL_kit.html Workers Compensation Boards of Canada http://www.awcbc.org/en/ Ron Ellis Award June 5, 2008: The Workers‟ Compensation Section of the Ontario Bar Association honoured Steve Mantis of Kaministiquia, Ontario a longtime leader and grassroots organizer of Ontario‟s injured worker movement, with the Ron Elis Award for excellence and outstanding contribution to workers‟ compensation. OBA Centre, 200 – 20 Toronto Street, Toronto, Ontario. See the Tribute prepared and delivered by Marion Endicott at the award: http://www.injuredworkersonline.org/Documents/Ron_Ellis_Award08.pdf Page 10 �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance IRSST News Releases DOWNLOAD THE REPORT (PDF) at: http://www.irsst.qc.ca/files/documents/PubIRSST/RG-546.pdf When we are deterred by what others think A study published by the IRSST reveals, among other things, the disastrous consequences for injured workers when they do not feel believed or supported during their absence from work. Researchers actually observed the importance of workers' social reality for better understanding their rehabilitation process by listening to representations of health, illness and pain by workers unable to return to work due to musculoskeletal-related pain. The meaning of work generates stress or well-being. Meaningful work has vitamin effects on the worker's mental health and encourages his commitment towards an organization, while work without it promotes the onset of symptoms of stress, and even distress. This is one of the findings of a study funded by the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST) on the meaning of work, mental health and organizational commitment, whose results have just been published. Research Projects by the IRRST Development of a complete solution for supporting prevention and intervention on psychosocial risks in the workplace #099-698: Ongoing Jean-Pierre Brun / Université Laval, Michel Vézina / Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Caroline Biron / Université Laval #099-698 : Companies, unions and joint sector-based associations are increasingly concerned about psychological health in the workplace. The research team's objectives are to inform, equip, train and support workplaces by developing a complete and diversified support solution for the prevention of psychosocial risks and interventions in this regard. The result of this activity will be a range of easily accessible information and tools that can be referred to by managers, union representatives, employees and resource people in the occupational health and safety field so that they can successfully carry out their procedures to prevent psychosocial risks in the workplace. TO FIND OUT MORE: http://www.irsst.qc.ca/en/_projet_3665.html Survey and analysis of the strategies for evaluating exposure to workplace contaminants #099-694 Daniel Drolet, Nicole Goyer, Brigitte Roberge / IRSST Jérôme Lavoué / Institut universitaire romand de Santé au travail André Dufresne / Université McGill Guylaine Beauchamp / IRSST Calculation of the work/rest regimen Quebec Occupational Health and Safety Research Institute (IRSST) and Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) conceived a computer-based tool allowing to estimate the alternate work/rest regimen during work in a hot environment. This bilingual tool is intended to support occupational health and safety practitioners in managing hot periods in the work environment. The computer-based tool calculates the alternate work/rest regimen during work in a hot environment using the following parameters: metabolic rate, WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature) temperature values at the workstation and at the rest location, as well as the clothing worn by the worker. Page 11 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Chronic Pain SIX MILLION CANADIANS LIVING IN PAIN FACE BARRIERS TO CARE The Painexplained.ca Campaign targets five top barriers preventing Canadians from accessing effective pain care. For more information: Ingrid Thompson, Campaign Coordinator, 647-428-7133 or info@painexplained.ca Ingrid@painexplained.ca 701 Rossland Road East, Suite 373, Whitby, ON L1N 9K3 Ph: 647-428-7133 / Fx: 905-668-3728 / Web: www.painexplained.ca Toronto, November 3, 2008 – Canadian doctors, patients, researchers, and other healthcare professionals are condemning the barriers that prevent Canadians from accessing proper and timely pain care. As part of this year‟s National Pain Awareness Week (November 2 – 8, 2008), the Painexplained.ca Campaign is targeting key reasons why Canadians are suffering needlessly or excessively from acute and chronic pain. “Our concern is this: how many of the six million Canadians out there in moderate-to severe chronic pain are suffering unnecessarily?” said Dr. Barry patients, leaving them with nowhere to turn. 15% of chronic pain patients also report being discouraged from receiving a pain treatment necessary to relieve their pain. (Source: Nanos Research, Oct 2008) 3. Doctors feel reluctant to prescribe needed pain medications: Best practice pain management often calls for the use of opioids and other powerful medications. Historic regulatory actions against pain doctors have put a „chill‟ on general willingness to prescribe pain medications, making it harder for legitimate pain patients to access proper pain care. Sessle, President of the Canadian Pain Society and Campaign Co-Founder. “We know that too many are 4. Wait times for effective pain care are unacceptable: An audit of wait times confirmed that some Canadians must wait as long as five years to receive care from an academic pain clinic. The risk of suicide while waiting for care is double that of the general population. (Source: CPS). “When you or someone you love is suffering, every 5. Out-dated attitudes make us reluctant to ‘speak up’ for proper pain care: Many Canadians mistakenly feel that pain is a normal part of their disease or the healing and aging processes, and therefore don‟t speak up to get treatment. But over time, the chemical and structural changes in the nervous system of those suffering unrelieved pain actually causes our nerve pathways to become „sensitized‟. This makes the pain more difficult (if not impossible) to treat effectively. not getting the timely care they desperately want and deserve. That‟s why we are targeting key barriers that cause greatest delay and distress to Canadian pain patients.” minute spent waiting for proper pain care feels like a travesty,” said Lynn Cooper, President of the Canadian Pain Coalition and Campaign Founding Member. “It is unacceptable that so many of us are living with pain that could have been prevented, cured, or reduced with proper and timely care.” Five key issues have been identified which are exacerbating the struggle of Canadians with untreated or undertreated pain: 1. Canadian Healthcare Professionals are insufficiently trained about pain: A 2007 audit of 41 Canadian undergraduate Healthcare Professional programs revealed that 67% of all healthcare programs surveyed could not identify specific training in the mechanisms, diagnosis or treatment of pain. The same study revealed that Canadian veterinary students get five times as much specific training about pain as medical students. (Source: WattWatson/McGillion/Hunter, 2007) 2. Pain Patients are struggling to find doctors able and willing to help: Over 14% of chronic pain patients report being refused care by a doctor or having their care terminated because of their pain. Many new physicians are refusing to take on these Page 12 “New knowledge and best practices now exist that can help prevent, manage and even cure chronic pain,” Dr. James Henry, Scientific Director of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Pain Research and Care at McMaster University, and President of the Canadian Pain Foundation. “But patients aren‟t yet benefiting from this knowledge, in part because of these systemic barriers. It‟s time we did better for Canadians living with pain.” Painexplained.ca is a new campaign supported by the Canadian Pain Society, Canadian Pain Coalition, the Canadian Pain Foundation and other partner groups, companies and individuals. The campaign seeks to raise awareness and promote better prevention and management of all types of pain in Canada. �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Page 13 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Our Goals CIWA/ACVAMT Is about  Support We are a national network of injured worker's groups (IWG's) and we exist to strengthen and support the work of local and provincial IWG's across Canada. Independence We believe that injured workers should be in control of their own destinies & Injured Workers Groups must be democratically controlled by injured workers. Partnerships We believe that we can best assist these objectives by providing training and educational resources in partnership with provincial or territorial organizations of injured workers and the trade union movement at all levels. Information Sharing We believe that by sharing our stories and our experience we can learn from each other and become better educated and exert more control over our lives. To work towards a just system of compensation, rehabilitation and reemployment in all of Canada.  To provide a national forum for debating issues concerning injured workers at national conferences and board workshops.  To gather and share information with groups across Canada.  To improve the Occupational Health & Safety of workers across Canada.  To identify and make available, educational and training resources produced by the union movement and other agencies, that focus on organizing and maintaining effective injured worker groups.  To enhance the local base of the injured workers movement through all our activities.  To form partnerships that will achieve common goals. Publications Available  The VOICE OF INJURED WORKER  PLAIN TALK  HOW TO IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN INJURED WORKERS & ORGANIZED LABOUR  REPORT ON RELATIONS WITH LABOUR SESSION AT CIWA NATIONAL CONFERENCE, REGINA 1992  RETURNING TO WORK  VOC REHAB & RE-EMPLOYMENT FROM THE INJURED WORKER'S PERSPECTIVE  INJURED WORKERS … ON THE MOVE  COMING TOGETHER VIDEOS & WORKBOOKS  YOUTH PROJECT MANUAL, 2002  SURVIVORS, 1997  TOGETHER WE CAN WIN, 1997  PEER HELPER TRAINING MANUAL, 2000 - "PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE"  LE COMBAT QUOTIDIEN DES VICTIMES DU TRAVAIL, 1999 To find out more, please contact us at: CIWA/ACVAMT 1201 Jasper Drive Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6R2 Ph: 807-345-3429/Fx: 807-344-8683 Toll Free: 1-877-787-7010 Email: ciwa@vianet.ca Web Site: www.ciwa.ca Connect with an injured workers group near you. Check out our web site at: www.ciwa.ca  OR  Call our office at (807) 345-3429 or Toll Free at 1-877-787-7010 This Newsletter is intended to share information of interest to injured workers/ groups / organizations, union activists and their supporters. It provides a forum for sharing our experiences - so we can learn from each other - in order to improve the lives of injured and disabled workers and the system that is there to assist them. Please help - by sharing your story with us. Page 14 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource CIWA Highlights Newsletter 2009 Description An account of the resource Articles about medical marijuana in Ontario, Ontario WSIB losing $3.34B to payouts and stock market drops, chronic pain research in Quebec, the Day of Mourning deaths in the workplace in Newfoundland, news and research projects by the IRRST, the Painexplained.ca campaign for education on chronic pain. Letter to the editor about issues with the governance of Work Safe New Brunswick. List of website links to resources for injured workers. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource CIWA Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2009 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Subject The topic of the resource Labour and Labour Unions https://writingresources.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/4bc33529d1bd849b916d42061ac49709.pdf d32dff8f50950bc9a5fbea4ebb6fc0c7 PDF Text Text CANADIAN PUBLICATION MAIL SALES AGREEMENT #1685422 Inside ….. CIWA/ACVAMT Contacts ......................................................... 2 BC-WorkSafe Policy Decision .................................................... 3 SK ........................................................................................... 3 MB, Prevention ........................................................................ 3 ON, Medical Marijuana ............................................................. 4 ON, WSIB Blamed for Death ..................................................... 4 NS, IW‟s call for Rights ............................................................. 5 QC, Chronic Pain ...................................................................... 6 NL, Day of Mourning ................................................................ 7 ON, Ron Ellis Award ................................................................. 8 QC, News Releases .................................................................. 9 ON, Pain Explained................................................................. 10 Miscellaneous ........................................................................ 11 CIWA, About ......................................................................... 12 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail P L E A SE HE L P … … … … S U B S C R I B E T O D A Y ! Name: ________________________________ Date: Organization: ________________________________ Address: ________________________________ ________________________________ Postal Code ________________________________ Phone ________________________________ Fax ________________________________ E-Mail ________________________________ Web Site ________________________________ ________________________________ Newsletter Subscription: Highlights is published 4 times per year Injured Worker/Unemployed $ 5.00 _________ Individuals $ 10.00 _________ Organizations $ 15.00 _________ Donations $ _________ Total $ _________ CIWA THANKS YOU for Your SUPPORT Editor’s Note This newsletter is distributed via email, fax, or mail to CIWA/ACVAMT members and groups with an interest in injured worker issues as resource tool to share and exchange information. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the individuals or groups making submissions. We take no responsibility for their accuracy or for their opinions. You are welcome to share and distribute this newsletter with others that are interested. It is also available on our website at www.ciwa.ca. PROVINCIAL REPRESENTATIVES OF CIWA/ACVAMT VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS… EXECUTIVE OFFICERS… SK ... Robert Lindsay, Regina Western Injured Workers Society President ... Secretary … Treasurer … NS... Dave MacKenzie, Westville Pictou County PEI ... Leonard J. Crawford, Summerside ON ... Gerry Landry, Thunder Bay Ontario Network of Injured Worker Groups AB... Sherri Scott, Fort MacMurray NL... Clive Hamilton, Labrador City Rob Lindsay Leonard J. Crawford Dave MacKenzie ADVISORS… Vincent Boyce, Injured Worker, Manitoba Andy King, U.S.W.A. Lynn Shaw, University of Western Ontario Patti MacAhonic, BC Injured Workers and Survivors Education Association STAFF… Phil Brake, National Coordinator Monika Wiitala, Office Manager L’ALLIANCE CANADIENNE DES VICTIMES D’ACCIDENTS ET DE MALADIES DU TRAVAIL CANADIAN INJURED WORKERS ALLIANCE 1201 Jasper Drive Thunder Bay, Ontario. P7B 6R2 Phone: 807-345-3429 Fax: 807-344-8683 Page 2 email: ciwa@vianet.ca Toll Free: 1-877-787-7010 Web-site: www.ciwa.ca �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance PROVINCIAL REPORTS BRITISH COLUMBIA http://www.worksafebc.ca/regulation_and_policy/policy_decision/board_decisions/2008/march/default.asp Policy decision finalized at the March 2008 WorkSafeBC Board of Directors meeting The following resolutions were finalized by WorkSafeBC's Board of Directors in March 2008. For information about the function and mandate of the Board of Directors, please see Governing Structure. (http://www.worksafebc.ca/about_us/governance/default.asp)    Policy Amendments Regarding an Enhancement to Experience Rating to Address Impact of Change in Minimum Size Criteria for Rate Groups on Experience Rating (http://www.worksafebc.ca/regulation_and_policy/p olicy_decision/board_decisions/2008/march/default. asp#6) Section 251 Decision – Loss of Earnings (http://www.worksafebc.ca/regulation_and_policy/p olicy_decision/board_decisions/2008/march/default. asp#1) Policy Amendments regarding Average Earnings and Exceptional Circumstances (http://www.worksafebc.ca/regulation_and_policy/p olicy_decision/board_decisions/2008/march/default. asp#2)    Amount of Disfigurement Awards (http://www.worksafebc.ca/regulation_and_policy/p olicy_decision/board_decisions/2008/march/default. asp#3) Policy Amendments Regarding an Enhancement to Experience Rating – The Excess Cost Surcharge (http://www.worksafebc.ca/regulation_and_policy/p olicy_decision/board_decisions/2008/march/default. asp#4) Revised Effective Dates for Approved Policy Packages (http://www.worksafebc.ca/regulation_and_policy/p olicy_decision/board_decisions/2008/march/default. asp#5) SASKATCHEWAN An excerpt from “A Voice of Our Own”, Vol. 26, Iss. 2 With a new government in the Province of Saskatchewan, Donna Harpauer, Minister responsible for Disability Issues has made her priorities as children first and disability second. The new government also recognizes the importance of Community Based Organizations, so an increase to some cored funding is expected. The Council of Canadians with Disabilities received over 7,000 requests for assistance, ranging from advocacy, information/referral, research, income, and CPP Disability. MANITOBA Prevention The Mandate for Prevention Every year more than 35,000 Manitoba workers suffer injuries and illnesses at workplaces covered by workers compensation. On average, some 20 workers lose their lives at work each year. Five years ago, Manitoba had the highest time-loss injury rate of any jurisdiction in Canada.* We believe each incident of work-related injury and illness represents an opportunity for prevention. Since then, Manitobans have become increasingly aware that workplace injuries and illnesses are indeed preventable. It is becoming socially and morally unacceptable to maintain unsafe workplaces. Page 3 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail The shift in social attitudes toward workplace safety and injury prevention has been part of a process. The first step began in 2001 and 2002, when the Government of Manitoba commissioned a major review of workplace safety and health in Manitoba. As a result of that review, the Government directed the WCB and the Workplace Safety and Health Division of Manitoba Labour and Immigration (WSHD) to assume joint responsibility for injury prevention and to achieve a 25 percent reduction in the time-loss injury rate over five years. The WCB and the WSHD launched an ambitious and successful injury and illness prevention strategy that in three years has achieved a 19 percent reduction in the time-loss injury rate.** … each incident of work-related injury and illness represents an opportunity for prevention. Yours Truly Vincent Boyce Advisor / CIWA ONTARIO Medical marijuana covered by WSIB The Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal has recently allowed that medical marijuana is covered by the compensation system. The injured worker must have a Health Canada card authorizing possession. The payment will be made regardless of where the marijuana is purchased and thus without the need for receipts. It will be paid for the amount indicated by Health Canada, and it will be paid at the rate that Health Canada charges. The decision can be found on the WSIAT website where all decisions are published. It is number 2335 06R dated July 8th, 2008. The neutral citation is 2008 ONWSIAT 1890. Marion Endicott WSIB Blamed for Man's Death May 10, 2008 (This story was first reported by Darrell Powell on the April 28th Day of Mourning radio special Also see August 2008 US Court decision Workplace Stress Ruled Compensable) http://www.ciws.ca/articles_us_stress_compensation.htm Stress of fight to prove injury claim blamed for man's death Globe and Mail, KATE HAMMER http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.2008 0510.INJURED10/TPStory/TPNational/Ontario The doctor who performed the autopsy told his family that 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. While working for a cable installation company, Mr. Thompson injured his right knee in 2004 when he slipped and fell. He never fully recovered, and spent the few remaining years of his life nearly completely bound to his North Middlesex County home, arguing his workers compensation claim with the board. Mr. Thompson's family received notice Monday that the WSIB will pay his burial expenses. However, it remained unclear whether it will accept any liability in his death, or address concerns his family has raised Page 4 about how injured workers are treated throughout the claim process. "I don't want other families to go through this, I want to be able to show that my brother had a legitimate injury and nobody needs to be spoken to and treated the way he was," said Colleen Mathers, Mr. Thompson's sister. The family has requested an inquest, and has been waiting for the WSIB to release his files since his death on Feb. 10. John Slinger, chief operating officer of the WSIB, said that it is against board policy to discuss individual cases publicly, but that he couldn't recall any cases in which the board was held responsible for the death of a worker due to stress. According to advocacy groups, injured workers often suffer from depression and anxiety associated with the difficulties of filing a compensation claim. The �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance extensive paperwork and medical documents required provide tools for board adjudicators to identify fraud, but can also discourage legitimate claims and distress workers who are vulnerable. Data collected by the Ontario Federation of Labour indicate that the percentage of claims that are abandoned has more than doubled over the past 15 years. "It's a huge shock to them how much they're distrusted, and even more than that, there's nothing they feel they can do to advance their cause because even their family doctor won't be listened to in many cases," said David Wilken, a staff lawyer for the Industrial Accident Victims Group of Ontario. As the pain in Mr. Thompson's knee persisted, and he was unable to stand, sit or sleep comfortably, his WSIB adjudicator threatened to stop his benefits. "It became all he would talk about," Ms. Mathers said. "He went crazy trying to prove himself, to prove his pain. We became really worried about him." The adjudicator threatened to end his benefits when Mr. Thompson didn't comply with the "labour market re-entry plan," which required him to attend classes in London, 120 kilometers from his home. Mr. Thompson was taking morphine daily, and found that driving aggravated his pain. Ms. Mathers said her brother filed forms and doctors' notes to support his claims that he wasn't well enough to drive or attend classes, but that his adjudicator continued to threaten to cut or remove his benefits. The burden of defending the severity of his injuries and the financial strain of living off his shrinking benefits seemed to age her brother overnight, she said. The day after Mr. Thompson died, a letter from the WSIB arrived at his home. It was notification that his benefits had been cut by 50 per cent. "That would have killed him just to have seen how little he was going to get," Ms. Mathers said. Also See: http://www.safe-workplace.com/safetyblog/2008/05/stress-of-fight-to-prove-injury-claim.html NOVA SCOTIA Injured Workers Call On Business, Organizations, like CFIB Injured workers in Nova Scotia and across Canada appeal to the membership of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and The Canadian Federation of Independent Small Business (http://www.cfib.ca/en/default.asp?l=E) to return to injured workers their rights, that they have had taken away by "your" insurance provider, the Workers Compensation Boards in Canada. We want the right to be treated as every other Canadian citizen is, according to section 15.1 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It makes it easier to understand why politicians in Ottawa do not want to listen to injured workers concers now, when you see a former Elected Cabinet Minister (http://www.chamber.ca/article.asp?id=398#perrin) sitting as the President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. How can anyone consider themselves to be Honourable when they and their association finance these abusive WCB Boards in Canada? Our rights have been stolen away by the businesses that finance this system known as the Workers Compensation Program, through legislation known as the Workers Compensation Act. This legislation places injured workers at a major disadvantage and has resulted in far too many suicides because of the frustration these WCB Boards impose upon us. The WCB system is a denial program, forcing many injured workers into poverty. In the weeks ahead, I will explore the cause behind suicide within the injured worker family and in time, the families affected will speak out. The pain and hurt must stop and stop now. Page 5 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail QUEBEC – Info IRSST Newsletter Very interesting information can be found at their website: http://www.irsst.qc.ca:80/files/documents/en/InfoIrsst/Actuel/InfoIRSST_v06n02.htm PREVENTION GUIDE Handling work and customer service in warehouse superstores Everyone goes to superstores, but did you know that the employees working in them have a good chance of suffering from back pain? For this growing sector, the English version of a prevention guide has just been published by the IRSST and Groupe-conseil AON. In addition to offering different practical advice, this document proposes solution scenarios that are easy to implement for better prevention of handling-related accidents and the associated back pain. CHRONIC PAIN RESEARCH AND TREATMENT IN QUEBEC GETS $4.35-MILLION BOOST FROM PFIZER, ASTRAZENECA, MSSS AND FRSQ Unique public-private partnership in Quebec‟s pain research and treatment networks will provide better tools to research, diagnose and treat chronic pain. February 28, 2008 Two of Canada‟s leading pharmaceutical companies are joining forces with the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec (FRSQ) and Quebec‟s Health and Social Services Ministry (MSSS) to help in the battle against chronic pain and give a boost to Quebec‟s pain researchers and clinics affiliated with Quebec‟s four medical-research universities. The partnership – a first in Canada – is designed to strengthen what is already the country‟s leading pain research and treatment network, the Quebec Pain Research Network (QPRN), which links pain clinics at Quebec‟s four university-hospital networks and more than 75 doctors and researchers specialized in chronic pain. Under the partnership, Pfizer Canada, AstraZeneca, the FRSQ and MSSS will provide $4.35 million over Joint battle against chronic pain “The battle against chronic pain is really a collective effort uniting researchers in the public and private sectors, front-line medical professionals and patients themselves,” said Alain Beaudet, President and CEO of the FRSQ. In leading the partnership, the FRSQ‟s goal is to support Quebec‟s pain research, particularly to advance understanding of prevalence, incidence and the natural course of different pain syndromes, and to ensure that this knowledge is transferred to the clinic to benefit patients. “This initiative takes us to the next level by bringing our research knowledge and excellence onto the frontlines to help doctors and patients manage pain more effectively,” Beaudet said. The QPRN groups researchers and doctors at Université de Montréal, Université de Sherbrooke, Page 6 four years to fund research and education that will improve our understanding of chronic pain and help doctors diagnose and treat pain more effectively. “Chronic pain is a devastating and debilitating silent epidemic and we need better knowledge and treatments for doctors and patients,” said Dr. Yves de Koninck, Scientific Director of the QPRN and professor affiliated with Laval University and the university‟s Centre de recherche Université Laval Robert-Giffard. “More than a million Quebecers – about one in five – will suffer from chronic pain during their lifetime. The economic costs alone in health care and loss of productivity are staggering – an estimated $125 billion a year in the US.” Université Laval and McGill University, as well as their teaching hospitals, government organizations and the Association Québécoise de la douleur chronique, Quebec‟s leading patient group. “The Quebec government is pleased to partner with the FRSQ to establish this important chronic pain research initiative. This investment will enable the QPRN to structure clinical research, facilitate the transfer of discoveries and practical knowledge to medical professionals and improve the treatment of chronic pain sufferers. The QPRN‟s activities are among the most pertinent and essential in improving the quality of life for the 20% of Quebecers who suffer from pain at some point in their lives,” said Philippe Couillard, Minister of Health and Social Services. �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Quebec a world leader in pain research “At AstraZeneca, we established our analgesia drug discovery laboratories in Montreal in large part because Quebec is a renowned world leader in pain research excellence,” said Dr. Philippe Walker, VicePresident Discovery, and head of AstraZeneca‟s research laboratories in Montreal, where more than 100 scientists and chronic-pain experts work on developing better medicines to treat and manage pain. “This is a unique partnership and opportunity for us to work together to gain better insight into the causes of chronic pain and how to manage pain more effectively for the benefit of patients.” “Pfizer is a leader in the research of innovative solutions for pain management, including the development of unique compounds which are breaking scientific ground and discovering novel ways to treat chronic pain," says Dr. Bernard Prigent, Vice-President and Medical Director, Pfizer Canada. "Pfizer is proud to join this partnership as the QPRN initiative is a unique model which could streamline research efforts aiming to improve diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain. The transfer of these research findings to healthcare professionals in hospital, clinic settings and research organizations such as Pfizer, will be key in our collective capacity to develop better treatment options for people living with chronic pain.” The partnership investment is $4.35 million over four years. The FRSQ has committed $2 million over four years, Pfizer Canada $1.2 million over four years, AstraZeneca $750,000 over three years, and MSSS $400,000 over four years. Pfizer and AstraZeneca have research facilities around the world and are both major investors in R&D in Canada, with Pfizer investing about $190 million a year and AstraZeneca more than $100 million a year. As the health-research funding arm of the Quebec Ministry of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade, the FRSQ invests about $90 million a year in health research and education in Quebec. Pain facts:  Chronic pain strikes one in five adults - 1.2 million Quebecers will suffer from chronic pain during their lifetime. Among the elderly, the proportion rises to 50 percent.  Women are more at risk of developing chronic pain than men.  People with chronic pain have been suffering on average for 7 years.  Nearly half (47%) say their pain is not under control.  Chronic pain adversely affects quality of life, both in terms of emotional well-being and ability to function normally. -30For more information please contact: For more information, or to arrange interviews with leading pain experts in Montreal, Sherbrooke and Quebec City, please contact: Michelle Dubuc, FRSQ, (514) 873-2114 Ext. 235 Sylvie Tessier, Pfizer Canada Inc., (514) 693-4609 Jennifer Robinson, AstraZeneca R&D, (514) 518-3505 Isabelle Merizzi, Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS), (418) 266-7171 These press releases were issued in Canada and are intended as reference information for Canadians. The information contained in each press release was accurate at the time of issuance, and Pfizer Canada assumes no responsibility for updating the information to reflect subsequent developments. NEWFOUNDLAND April 28-Day of Mourning Hello Fellow Injured Workers and Concerned Citizens, April 28 is International Day of Mourning for Injured and Dead Workers, I mourn today for three men from Newfoundland and Labrador. Neil Lockyer, Jason House, and myself. Neil was injured in B.C. with a head injury in 1989. Jason fell through a roof in Alberta in 2005 suffering multiple injuries including his skull cracked in three Page 7 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail places, both shoulders, right hip and pelvis broken, two disks and a broken vertebra, in 2005. I was involved in a railway accident in Ontario in 1979 suffering a crushed ankle, shattered shoulder, broken arm, broken collar bone, post concussion syndrome, three herniated disks, and more. All of us permanently disabled from our employment. From three different Provinces we came home to lick our wounds. Family and friends our only comfort. But they followed and watched like vultures on a perch. Waiting. "Did he walk?" "I saw him today and he smiled so he must be okay?" They report back to Ontario and B.C. and Alberta. The checks stop. The appeals begin, and always under the microscope. Forced to relive all the events since the accident and justifying what does not need justifying. Forced to live off family and welfare, demeaned, belittled, slandered, maligned, and otherwise abused. Forced to stay in a merry go round of abuse. Poor Neil. His injured brain could not take it. He killed a man. A WCB spy he thought. Stabbed him nineteen Times in his daughters kitchen. She tried to get help. Said her Father needed help because he was believing WCB spies were after him to cut him off. How many times between 1989 and 2005 was he cut off? How many spies did he really see? But he was paranoid because of his brain injury they said, before they locked him away in the Waterford Psychiatric Hospital. Not even a look at factors that might involve the WCB in B.C. I watch, and protest , and try to get in court to help him but no one listens to me. They think I am mad. WCB spies, posing as hunters, followed him to Newfoundland one year after his accident. They videotaped him walking with a cane and getting into his fathers truck. They declared him fit for work and cut him off. He has since appealed and won a partial victory. But at what cost? Will he, in another two, five or ten years, be cut off again, hounded again? How many times? Then there is me. I don't care if they look. I will do as much as my body can do, no more, no less. But me they ignore. 1979 to present. Ignore me to the point I have no doctor or medical care. How many videos of me do they show behind closed doors to "prove" I am not disabled? I grieve for Mr. Lockyer whose life has been ruined and for his distraught daughter who could find no help. I grieve for Mr. House because I know the road he is now forced to travel. I grieve for me because everyone thinks I am crazy and a welfare bum. I am so helpless to help them or myself. Decades apart but yet the same mistreatment. I wonder how many more suicides and murders it will take for everyone to wake up and demand fundamental change? So today mourn not only the injured and dead, mourn for the abused too. Best Regards, Fred Palmer Then comes along Jason. He lost a $300,00.00 home, a mustang, a truck, a motorbike, a framing business, and lost it all in three years. Do you know what happens when you get injured at work? Find out here. www.ciws.ca and www.wcbcanada.com Ron Ellis Award June 5, 2008: The Workers‟ Compensation Section of the Ontario Bar Association honoured Steve Mantis of Kaministiquia, Ontario a longtime leader and grassroots organizer of Ontario‟s injured worker movement, with the Ron Elis Award for excellence and outstanding contribution to workers‟ compensation. OBA Centre, 200 – 20 Toronto Street, Toronto, Ontario. See the Tribute prepared and delivered by Marion Endicott at the award: http://www.injuredworkersonline.org/Documents/Ron_Ellis_Award08.pdf Page 8 �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance DOWNLOAD THE REPORT (PDF) at: http://www.irsst.qc.ca/files/documents/PubIRSST/RG-546.pdf When we are deterred by what others think A new study published by the IRSST reveals, among other things, the disastrous consequences for injured workers when they do not feel believed or supported during their absence from work. Researchers actually observed the importance of workers' social reality for better understanding their rehabilitation process by listening to representations of health, illness and pain by workers unable to return to work due to musculoskeletal-related pain. The meaning of work generates stress or well-being Meaningful work has vitamin effects on the worker's mental health and encourages his commitment towards an organization, while work without it promotes the onset of symptoms of stress, and even distress. This is one of the findings of a study funded by the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST) on the meaning of work, mental health and organizational commitment, whose results have just been published. FRENCH-SPEAKING SUMMIT ON WORK RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDER (WMSD) : FROM RESEARCH TO ACTION On 18th and 19th June 2008 the IRSST held the second French-Speaking Summit on Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorder (WMSD): from research to action. About 300 researchers practitioners and professionals working in occupational health and safety field will take part in this event with the aim at drawing an overview on the topic and exploring successful initiatives to prevent WMSDs. Development of a complete solution for supporting prevention and intervention on psychosocial risks in the workplace 099-698 Jean-Pierre Brun / Université Laval Michel Vézina / Institut national de santé publique du Québec Caroline Biron / Université Laval TO FIND OUT MORE http://www.irsst.qc.ca/en/_projet_3665.html Survey and analysis of the strategies for evaluating exposure to workplace contaminants 099-694 Daniel Drolet, Nicole Goyer, Brigitte Roberge / IRSST Jérôme Lavoué / Institut universitaire romand de Santé au travail André Dufresne / Université McGill Guylaine Beauchamp / IRSST Calculation of the work/rest regimen Quebec Occupational Health and Safety Research Institute (IRSST) and Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) conceived a computer-based tool allowing to estimate the alternate work/rest regimen during work in a hot environment. This bilingual tool is intended to support occupational health and safety practitioners in managing hot periods in the work environment. The computer-based tool calculates the alternate work/rest regimen during work in a hot environment using the following parameters: metabolic rate, WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature) temperature values at the workstation and at the rest location, as well as the clothing worn by the worker. Chronic Pain Page 9 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail NEWS RELEASE For immediate release SIX MILLION CANADIANS LIVING IN PAIN FACE BARRIERS TO CARE The Painexplained.ca Campaign targets five top barriers preventing Canadians from accessing effective pain care Toronto, November 3, 2008 – Canadian doctors, patients, researchers, and other healthcare professionals are condemning the barriers that prevent Canadians from accessing proper and timely pain care. As part of this year‟s National Pain Awareness Week (November 2 – 8, 2008), the Painexplained.ca Campaign is targeting key reasons why Canadians are suffering needlessly or excessively from acute and chronic pain. “Our concern is this: how many of the six million Canadians out there in moderate-to severe chronic pain are suffering unnecessarily?” said Dr. Barry Sessle, President of the Canadian Pain Society and Campaign Co-Founder. “We know that too many are not getting the timely care they desperately want and deserve. That‟s why we are targeting key barriers that cause greatest delay and distress to Canadian pain patients.” “When you or someone you love is suffering, every minute spent waiting for proper pain care feels like a travesty,” said Lynn Cooper, President of the Canadian Pain Coalition and Campaign Founding Member. “It is unacceptable that so many of us are living with pain that could have been prevented, cured, or reduced with proper and timely care.” Five key issues have been identified which are exacerbating the struggle of Canadianswith untreated or undertreated pain: 1. Canadian Healthcare Professionals are insufficiently trained about pain: A 2007 audit of 41 Canadian undergraduate Healthcare Professional programs revealed that 67% of all healthcare programs surveyed could not identify specific training in the mechanisms, diagnosis or treatment of pain. The same study revealed that Canadian veterinary students get five times as much specific training about pain as medical students. ( Source: WattWatson/McGillion/Hunter, 2007) 2. Pain Patients are struggling to find doctors able and willing to help: Over 14% of chronic pain patients report being refused care by a doctor or having their care terminated because of their pain. Many new physicians are refusing to take on these patients, leaving them with nowhere to turn. 15% of chronic pain patients also report being discouraged from receiving a pain treatment necessary to relieve their pain. (Source: Nanos Research, Oct 2008) 3. Doctors feel reluctant to prescribe needed pain medications: Best practice pain management often calls for the use of opioids and other powerful medications. Historic regulatory actions against pain doctors have put a „chill‟ on general willingness to prescribe pain medications, making it harder for legitimate pain patients to access proper pain care. 4. Wait times for effective pain care are unacceptable: An audit of wait times confirmed that some Canadians must wait as long as five years to receive care from an academic pain clinic. The risk of suicide while waiting for care is double that of the general population. (Source: CPS). 5. Out-dated attitudes make us reluctant to ‘speak up’ for proper pain care: Many Canadians mistakenly feel that pain is a normal part of their disease or the healing and aging processes, and therefore don‟t speak up to get treatment. But over time, the chemical and structural changes in the nervous system of those suffering unrelieved pain actually causes our nerve pathways to become „sensitized‟. This makes the pain more difficult (if not impossible) to treat effectively. “New knowledge and best practices now exist that can help prevent, manage and even cure chronic pain,” Dr. James Henry, Scientific Director of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Pain Research and Care at McMaster University, and President of the Canadian Pain Foundation. “But patients aren‟t yet benefiting from this knowledge, in part because of these systemic barriers. It‟s time we did better for Canadians living with pain.” Painexplained.ca is a new campaign supported by the Canadian Pain Society, Canadian Pain Coalition, the Canadian Pain Foundation and other partner groups, companies and individuals. The campaign seeks to raise awareness and promote better prevention and management of all types of pain in Canada. Page 10 �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance For more information Ingrid Thompson, Campaign Coordinator 647-428-7133 or Ingrid@painexplained.ca 701 Rossland Road East, Suite 373 Whitby, ON L1N 9K3 T : 647-428-7133 F: 905-668-3728 info@painexplained.ca www.painexplained.ca The Blind Girl There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, 'If I could only see the world, I will marry you.' One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend. He asked her, 'Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?' The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn't expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him. Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: 'Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.' This is how the human brain often works when our status changes. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations. Life Is a Gift Today before you say an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak. Before you complain about the taste of your food Think of someone who has nothing to eat. Before you complain about your husband or wife Think of someone who's crying out to GOD for a companion. Today before you complain about life – Think of someone who went too early to heaven. Before whining about the distance you drive Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet. And when you are tired and complain about your job Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job. And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on your face and think: you're alive and still around. Page 11 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Our Goals CIWA/ACVAMT Is about  Support We are a national network of injured worker's groups (IWG's) and we exist to strengthen and support the work of local and provincial IWG's across Canada. Independence We believe that injured workers should be in control of their own destinies & Injured Workers Groups must be democratically controlled by injured workers. Partnerships We believe that we can best assist these objectives by providing training and educational resources in partnership with provincial or territorial organizations of injured workers and the trade union movement at all levels. Information Sharing We believe that by sharing our stories and our experience we can learn from each other and become better educated and exert more control over our lives. To work towards a just system of compensation, rehabilitation and reemployment in all of Canada.  To provide a national forum for debating issues concerning injured workers at national conferences and board workshops.  To gather and share information with groups across Canada.  To improve the Occupational Health & Safety of workers across Canada.  To identify and make available, educational and training resources produced by the union movement and other agencies, that focus on organizing and maintaining effective injured worker groups.  To enhance the local base of the injured workers movement through all our activities.  To form partnerships that will achieve common goals. Publications Available  The VOICE OF INJURED WORKER  PLAIN TALK  HOW TO IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN INJURED WORKERS & ORGANIZED LABOUR  REPORT ON RELATIONS WITH LABOUR SESSION AT CIWA NATIONAL CONFERENCE, REGINA 1992  RETURNING TO WORK  VOC REHAB & RE-EMPLOYMENT FROM THE INJURED WORKER'S PERSPECTIVE  INJURED WORKERS … ON THE MOVE  COMING TOGETHER VIDEOS & WORKBOOKS  YOUTH PROJECT MANUAL, 2002  SURVIVORS, 1997  TOGETHER WE CAN WIN, 1997  PEER HELPER TRAINING MANUAL, 2000 - "PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE"  LE COMBAT QUOTIDIEN DES VICTIMES DU TRAVAIL, 1999 To find out more, please contact us at: CIWA/ACVAMT 1201 Jasper Drive Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6R2 Ph: 807-345-3429/Fx: 807-344-8683 Toll Free: 1-877-787-7010 Email: ciwa@vianet.ca Web Site: www.ciwa.ca Connect with an injured workers group near you. Check out our web site at: www.ciwa.ca  OR  Call our office at (807) 345-3429 or Toll Free at 1-877-787-7010 This Newsletter is intended to share information of interest to injured workers/ groups / organizations, union activists and their supporters. It provides a forum for sharing our experiences - so we can learn from each other - in order to improve the lives of injured and disabled workers and the system that is there to assist them. Please help - by sharing your story with us. Page 12 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource CIWA Highlights Newsletter 2008 Description An account of the resource Articles about WorkSafeBC policy decisions, WSIB in Ontario covering medical marijuana as well as potentially causing the stress-induced death of an injured worker, research on chronic pain being done in Quebec, the Ron Ellis Award being awarded to Steve Mantis, chronic pain and the painexplained.ca campaign, two brief stories, updates on the state of injured worker's rights in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource CIWA Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Subject The topic of the resource Labour and Labour Unions https://writingresources.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/e53e9eefff7a8fccddae0ba9b36c0f8c.pdf d6dbe57f50715b1de37f4e7573bd3319 PDF Text Text CANADIAN PUBLICATION MAIL SALES AGREEMENT #1685422 50/50 Draw Special Thanks We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Sherri Scott, our Board Member in Fort MacMurray, Alberta; Tammy McCallum and Deborah RiceSolomons, employees with Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (CNRL) who were key to organizing and conducting the 50/50 Draw on behalf of the Canadian Injured Workers Alliance, on January 17, 2008. Tammy and Deborah were instrumental in recruiting volunteers to sell tickets and ensuring all aspects of the draw were a success. The lucky winner of the $10,000 draw was: Dave Nicholson, an employee with Wabi Contractors. Pictured: (L-R) Sherri Scott, Dave Nicholson, Tammy McCallum Thank you to all involved including the employees and contractors for the Horizon Group, and CNRL that rewarded us with fundraising efforts of $ 10,000.00 !!! Inside ….. CIWA/ACVAMT Contacts ............................................................. 2 Provincial Reports (BC) ............................................................... 3 Provincial Reports (SK) ................................................................ 4 Saskatchewan Privacy Commissioner “Breach of Privacy” Report .... 4 Provincial Reports (ON) ............................................................... 5 Provincial Reports (NS) ............................................................... 5 Railway Safety Act Review ........................................................... 6 Tidbits from Workers Health & Safety Centre ................................ 6 Ontario Ministry of Labour New Employment Standards Act (ESA) Poster for Workplaces ........... New Workplace Safety DVD Distributed to All Ontario High Schools ........................................................ 7 WSIB Announces Review of Experience Rating Program ................. 8 Internet Resources: On-line Medical Dictionary ............................. 8 Bill 14 ......................................................................................... 9 Stakeholder Submissions on Bill 187 Interim Changes .................... 9 Trick Question ........................................................................... 10 Sentencing for Quebec workplace death a first ............................ 11 CIWA, About ............................................................................ 12 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail P L E A SE HE L P … … … … S U B S C R I B E T O D A Y ! Name: ________________________________ Date: Organization: ________________________________ Address: ________________________________ ________________________________ Postal Code ________________________________ Phone ________________________________ Fax ________________________________ E-Mail ________________________________ Web Site ________________________________ ________________________________ Newsletter Subscription: Highlights is published 4 times per year Injured Worker/Unemployed $ 5.00 _________ Individuals $ 10.00 _________ Organizations $ 15.00 _________ Donations $ _________ Total $ _________ CIWA THANKS YOU for Your SUPPORT Editor’s Note This newsletter is distributed via email, fax, or mail to CIWA/ACVAMT members and gro ups with an interest in injured worker issues as resource tool to share and exchange information. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the individuals or groups making submissions. We take no responsibility for their accuracy or for their opinions. You are welcome to share and distribute this newsletter with others that are interested. It is also available on our website at www.ciwa.ca. PROVINCIAL REPRESENTATIVES OF CIWA/ACVAMT VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS… EXECUTIVE OFFICERS… SK ... Robert Lindsay, Regina Western Injured Workers Society President ... Secretary … Treasurer … NS... Dave MacKenzie, Westville Pictou County PEI ... Leonard J. Crawford, Summerside ON ... Gerry Landry, Thunder Bay Ontario Network of Injured Worker Groups AB... Sherri Scott, Fort MacMurray NL... Clive Hamilton, Labrador City Rob Lindsay Leonard J. Crawford Dave MacKenzie ADVISORS… Vincent Boyce, Injured Worker, Manitoba Andy King, U.S.W.A. Lynn Shaw, University of Western Ontario Patti MacAhonic, BC Injured Workers and Survivors Education Association STAFF… Phil Brake, National Coordinator Monika Wiitala, Office Manager L’ALLIANCE CANADIENNE DES VICTIMES D’ACCIDENTS ET DE MALADIES DU TRAVAIL CANADIAN INJURED WORKERS ALLIANCE 1201 Jasper Drive Thunder Bay, Ontario. P7B 6R2 Phone: 807-345-3429 Fax: 807-344-8683 Page 2 email: ciwa@vianet.ca Toll Free: 1-877-787-7010 Web-site: www.ciwa.ca �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance PROVINCIAL REPORTS BRITISH COLUMBIA As the widow of an injured worker and the mother of an injured worker, a statement I made many years ago has since been quoted many times by various sources, including industry newsletters and Hansard, BC legislature. “No one should have to go through what our family did. Every BC family has the right to expect their family members to come home at the end of the day, and our political leaders and agencies charged with the responsibility of protecting workers must make sure that happens.” 1 most at risk for workplace injuries than workers of any other age group. More than half of workplace accidents involving workers aged 15 to 24 occur during the first six months on the job, almost 20 percent occur during the first month on the job. Young males under the age of 25 are at the highest risk for a workplace injury in BC; every day 36 young workers are hurt on the job and that every week, 5 of these workers are permanently injured. 4 While I believed it then and I believe it now, I also have come to realize that while political leaders and agencies charged with the responsibilities of making sure our family members come home safely are responsible as well. We know all too well, first hand what happens when workers are killed or injured on the job and according to the statistics the amount of injured workers killed or injured are still unacceptably high. Solutions must include input from injured workers and survivors that have the motivation and passion to make change. There needs to be full stakeholder involvement in collaboration with our political leaders and agencies to find solutions that work so that more BC workers come home to their families each year, without injury. 1 In 2005 there was a 40% increase in fatalities from the previous year, 2004. 188 workers died as the result of a workplace injury, this is recorded as the highest level in 25 years. The active participation of the many stakeholders in BC including, injured workers, family members and survivors, who completed surveys, advocates, union reps, employers and various organizations who deal with injured workers who participated in focus groups and representatives from the ministries of labour and health and the WCB/WorkSafe who participated in interviews ensured a comprehensive collection of data that was required to gain a clear overview of the issues faced by injured workers and what is needed for a centre in BC to be effective. “This included 11 young workers (5 of the 11 worked in the construction industry) 43 fatalities in the forest sector and 39 deaths in the construction industry”. 2 Fatalities for forest industry workers for that past years include forty-three lives lost in 2005, 12 lives lost in 2006 and for 2007 up to the end of February 14, there were already three lives lost. 3 Three out of every four young workers claims are for young males. The injury rate for young male workers is about 33 percent higher than the overall injury rate in B.C. WCB/WorkSafe reports that each hour in BC, 1 young worker is hurt on the job. Young workers are the 2 MacAhonic, P. National Day of Mourning Service. (1998) Health and Workplace Safety. A brief by the British Columbia Federation of Labour. April 2006. 3 BC Forest Safety Council, Safety Statistics, http://www.bcforestsafe.org/content-nav-stats/nav-stats-1-about.htm Accessed February 14, 2007 4 Safety at Work, Frequently asked questions. http://www2.worksafebc.com/Topics/YoungWorker/FAQ.asp Accessed February 2007. Over the past months in my role as Western Canada Advisor for CIWA and an MBA student, Royal Roads University I have been diligently working on a feasibility study for an Injured Worker Centre in BC for the Canadian Injured Workers Alliance. The study is complete; the CIWA team, which includes the board and advisors, are ready to conduct the next steps, which are review of the plan and strategies regarding the study. I want to commend the hardworking CIWA Team, who actively supported me throughout this process. A special thank you goes out to Dr. Lynn Shaw, Advisor, Page 3 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Robert Lindsay, Phil Brake, and Sherri Scott, as well as Monika who fielded stray faxes and emails and made sure they arrived to me in BC. I also want to extend a special thanks to Liz Davies from the BC Persons with Disabilities Office who arranged and donated space, as well as Jim Parker from the BC Nurses Union who recruited participants and also provided meeting space. Jim has been an invaluable support and colleague for many years. Also George Allen from the BC Southern Injured Workers Group, who arranged and organized meetings and who actively, has made a difference for injured workers for many years in his region. Finally, I would like to thank Jan Siwinski, management consultant who volunteered her time to facilitate focus groups for this project. I look forward to our next steps and the improvement of conditions for injured workers and their families all across Canada. Yours in solidarity, Patti MacAhonic, BA, MBA Candidate Western Canada Advisor, Canadian Injured Workers Alliance SASKATCHEWAN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN SASKATCHEWAN In the Province of Saskatchewan, the Western Injured Workers Society has been working hard at getting our Government to allowing us to implement our Youth project in the Schools. come out of it. They were doing some program training in the past, but we are uncertain if they are continuing on. We will look into that area with the SFL. The N.D.P. Government had showed some interest in the program but the main issue was, if they were to implement the program into the curriculum, then who would be responsible to teach it. This issue has forced everything to come to a halt. Some Unions have youth teams within their own locals, but not doing any training for Youth outside of their local Unions. Now that we have a new Government, hopefully we can work with them in regards to implementing our program into the schools of Saskatchewan. The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) also has a Youth program, but we haven't seen very much action CIWA must get the ball rolling with the provincial organizations to ensure our Youth Project continues on in all Provinces. Yours Truly Robert Lindsay President/ CIWA SASKATCHEWAN PRIVACY COMMISSIONER “BREACH OF PRIVACY” REPORT Fellow Injured Workers, For the past 10 years, I, like many IW‟s have been conditioned to believe we have little by way of legal recourse against WCB, much less the option to sue this corrupt bureaucracy. Well, as fate would have it, the Saskatchewan Privacy Commissioner has inadvertently, provided us with a means in which to pursue such litigation. On March 28th, 2007, the Privacy Commissioner released a 78 page report, regarding a “Breach of Privacy” complaint against the Saskatchewan Workers‟ Compensation Board. In this report, the Commissioner found 3 specific areas where a claimant‟s privacy was clearly violated. As it turns out, these same violations can be found in countless WCB claims in Saskatchewan, Page 4 and I firmly believe they‟re common in other jurisdictions as well. I‟ve compiled all relevant information regarding these privacy breaches, and posted it on a recently published website. Injured workers who have been wrongfully denied WCB benefits will find this information of particular interest, as nay claimant with respects to these violations. You‟ll find this website at: http://tombrownskwcb.tripod.com/saskatchewa nwcbbreachofprivacy Regards, Tom Brown (Injured Workers, SK) �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance ONTARIO ONIWG has had a busy year; our PAC has worked hard with Labour and our friends in the Legal community to win some small victories. We can‟t forget our injured workers who are always front and centre at all events. THANK YOU INJURED WORKERS!!!!!!!! Here are a few Highlights:  We made them move on the deeming issue: MOL and the Liberals that is. How it will fall out remains to be seen.  We received 2.5 % increase in our partial LOES for June 2007, January 2008, and January 2009. The next step is to have it be permanent.  We have held our June first Demo: our attendance at Queen‟s Park was quite high thanks to Labour.  Have attended Day of mourning.  RSI day  Demonstrated in front of the MOL‟s (Steve Peters) constituency office to show our displeasure with the way deeming was being interpreted by WSIB. This was during the election in October; again a good turn out by the London injured workers, Hamilton, Toronto and again Labour. I am sure I missed some group and I sincerely apologize.  We have forged new alliances with other disability groups in our province. The trick is to follow up and keep building. Our ongoing relationship with researchers is still strong with Steve Mantis and the RAACWII research and I with CIWA‟s KET or knowledge transfer. While sometimes I feel like we are being studied to death (INJURED WORKERS that is). I feel that the research gives many of us a voice and a platform for making change. We are thinking of putting together a conference to bring a lot of the researchers together to compare and share the knowledge gathered. This is still in the infancy stage.  We are currently trying to meet with the new MOL and his staff to ask for more change and to follow up on any promises made in the last election that they have not delivered on. NOTE: not this election but the first one the Liberals won remember Dalton„s promise on a fair system for injured workers.  DECEMBER 11 DAY of ACTION will be held at the MOL office and while the usual crowd will be on hand Sid Ryan has expressed interest in speaking. He may be able to draw a bit more press. Well that is all I can think of for now Gerry. I hope your meeting is fruitful and that our new year brings us closer together as injured worker groups and friends. And let us all reflect on our blessings no matter how small and be thankful over this holiday. Sincerely: Peter Page President ONIWG NOVA SCOTIA Since our last meeting, I have been very busy helping injured workers receive what is coming to them. I have been successful in helping eight different people receive their benefits for WCB. Four of them received the money that was owed to them. I have never charged any one for services. I had three CPP cases and was successful in all three. The South Shore Injured Workers are very active, and doing quite well. The Pictou County Injured Workers held a very successful Day of Mourning Ceremony on April 28, 2007. I attended the service of David Day in Stellarton and laid a wreath on behalf of the Town of Westville, of which I am the Deputy Mayor. Since no one showed up from the New Glasgow District Labour Council, I was asked to lay their wreath as well, since I am the Past President of the Labour Council. The present Conservative Government of Nova Scotia is trying to pass a law in the Legislature on the next sitting to make a “No Strike” Law on Health Care Workers. At this time the opposition N.D.P. and the Liberals are going to vote against this Bill. The Nova Scotia Federation of Labour and government workers Page 5 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail are staging a protest to try to convince the government of the day to rescind their motion. Hopefully, this Bill will be defeated. At this time, I would like to say thanks to our National Coordinator, Mr. Phil Brake, and our President, Mr. Robert Lindsay for a job well done. Keep up the good work. It‟s not easy. Sincerely, Dave MacKenzie, Nova Scotia. December, 2007 Railway Safety Act Review Address and information: / Renseignements généraux: Tim Meisner, Executive Director / Directeur exécutif, Railway Safety Act Review Secretariat / Secrétariat sur l'Examen de la Loi sur la sécurité ferroviaire 180 Elgin Street, Suite 901, Ottawa, Ontario K2P 2K3 Tel/Tél: (613) 998-6462 / Fax: (613) 998-8274 E-mail: RailwaySafetyActReview@tc.gc.ca / Courriel: ExamenLoiSecuriteFerroviaire@tc.gc.ca I am pleased to announce the release of Stronger Ties: A Shared Commitment to Railway Safety, the report of the Railway Safety Act Review Advisory Panel. You may view, download or request a copy from the website at: www.tc.gc.ca/tcss/RSA_Review-Examen_LSF. On February 20, 2007, the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities announced the appointment of a fourmember Advisory Panel to assist him in conducting a review of the Railway Safety Act (RSA). In the course of its work, the Panel consulted with a broad range of stakeholders across Canada, including the public, railway companies and their industry associations, railway employees and their unions, the provinces and territories, municipalities, aboriginal and environmental groups, Transport Canada, and other federal departments and agencies. The Panel held 15 public consultation meetings, heard from over 70 presenters and received over 180 written submissions from a variety of stakeholders. Panel members also visited a number of sites to gain further insight into rail operations and safety. The input of stakeholders was important to the work of the Panel and its members were impressed with the cooperation and level of interest that the Review generated. Page 6 Je suis très heureux d'annoncer la parution de Renforcer les liens: un engagement partagé pour la sécurité ferroviaire, rapport du Comité consultatif sur l'Examen de la Loi sur la sécurité ferroviaire. Vous pourriez le consulter ou le télécharger à partir du site Web, ou encore en demander une copie du rapport à l'adresse suivante : www.tc.gc.ca/tcss/RSA_Review-Examen_LSF. Le 20 février 2007, l'honorable Lawrence Cannon, ministre des Transports, de l'Infrastructure et des Collectivités a annoncé la nomination d'un comité consultatif formé de quatre membres pour l'aider à mener un examen de la Loi sur la sécurité ferroviaire (LSF). Au cours de l'Examen, le Comité a consulté un large éventail d'intervenants partout au Canada. Le Comité a tenu 15 séances de consultation publique, a entendu plus de 70 présentations et a reçu plus de 180 mémoires. En outre, les membres du Comité ont visité une variété de sites afin de mieux connaître les enjeux de l'exploitation ferroviaire et de la sécurité. L'apport des intervenants était important pour le travail du Comité et ses membres ont été impressionnés par la coopération et le niveau d'intérêt manifestés pour l'Examen. �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance ONTARIO MINISTRY OF LABOUR New Employment Standards Act (ESA) Poster for Workplaces www.labour.gov.on.ca TORONTO, Feb. 27 /CNW/ - The province is publishing a new version of a poster about the Employment Standards Act (ESA) that most Ontario employers will be required to post in the workplace. The poster outlines worker and employer rights and obligations and reflects recent changes to the ESA, regarding: - Minimum wage - Reservist leave - Declared emergency leave - Family Day and - Employees who qualify to take a family medical leave. "Recent changes to the Employment Standards Act are helping both workers and employers and moving Ontario forward in healthy and productive ways," said Ontario Labour Minister Brad Duguid. The ESA requires all workplaces regulated by the act to post the document in English and the majority language of the workplace. The poster will be available in 21 languages besides English and French, recognizing the diversity in Ontario's productive workplaces. Labour's website or by visiting a Service Ontario Centre. It can also be ordered from Service Ontario Publications, for the cost of shipping and handling. The poster is available in English, French, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (Traditional), Chinese (Simplified), Dari, Farsi, Filipino, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Italian, Korean, Oji-Cree, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tamil, Urdu and Vietnamese. Background information: Pursuant to the ESA, section 2(3), most employers will be required to post version 4.0 of "What You Should Know about The Ontario Employment Act" once it is published. From February 15 to 11, 2008, as a transition, employment standards officers may compliance orders for failure to post the new version of the poster. Notices of contravention or prosecutions may be initiated only failure to comply with a compliance order. Failure to post the version of the poster is a contravention under the act. On and after April 12, officers may use the full range of enforcement to ensure that employers are complying with the requirement post version 4.0, including issuing notices of contravention with penalties. All language versions of the poster continue to be available free by downloading it from the Ministry of New Workplace Safety DVD Distributed to All Ontario High Schools Our Youth at Work (OYAW) launched a new workplace safety DVD on September 27, 2007 to inform youth, parents and employers of the dangers young workers face when they first enter the workforce. OYAW believes this new format will enable it to reach more students more efficiently, and empower young workers to ask their employers questions so they know the risks involved in their jobs. A copy of this DVD has been sent to every high school in Ontario. For more information about Our Youth At Work, visit its web site at: http://www.oyaw.com/index.cfm?i=2852. Page 7 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail WSIB Announces Review of Experience Rating Program March 10, 2008 http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2008/10/c2446.html TORONTO, March 10 /CNW/ - Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) Chair Steven Mahoney, P.C., announced today that the WSIB is conducting a review of its Experience Rating program. Also, effective immediately, if a company is responsible for a workplace fatality, they won't be eligible for a rebate from the WSIB. The review will make recommendations to modernize and strengthen the program, in areas such as: accounting for legislative non-compliance, creating a process to validate workplace health and safety performance, and a long-term plan to directly tie all incentive programs to proactive health and safety initiatives. Experience rating is a cost-based incentive program intended to promote good health and safety practices, early and safe return to work and appropriate disability management practices. In this program employers receive rebates or surcharges according to their performance based on claims costs. Under certain circumstances, it is possible for a company to have a traumatic workplace fatality and still receive a rebate from the Experience Rating program. This is because Experience Rating is a cost-based program and some fatalities do not result in high costs; for instance, if a worker didn't have dependants. "The Experience Rating program should raise the bar by rewarding excellent results in health and safety, prevention and return to work," said Mahoney. "The program has been effective in getting the results we need, but I know more can be done with Experience Rating to improve health and safety for the workers and employers of Ontario. We are strengthening this program so that it is fairer, better leverages our partners in prevention, provides direct incentives to improve health and safety, and gets us to our goal of zero injuries, illnesses and fatalities." "It is unacceptable to me that a company responsible for a fatality would still get a rebate cheque from the WSIB," said Mahoney. "Our five-year strategic plan is the Road to Zero, and that is the only acceptable number of fatalities." Mahoney also called for a review of Experience Rating to find other areas of improvement and better align the program to the Road to Zero. Ontario's Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) plays a key role in the province's occupational health and safety system. The WSIB administers no-fault workplace insurance for employers and their workers and is committed to the prevention of workplace injuries and illnesses. The WSIB provides disability benefits, monitors the quality of healthcare, and assists in early and safe return to work for workers who are injured on the job or contract an occupational disease. For further information contact: Christine Arnott, WSIB Media Relations, (41 6) 344-4202, christine_arnott@wsib.on.ca Internet Resources: On-line Medical Dictionary MedicineNet.com is a free web site that has an on-line medical dictionary called, “MedTerms.” It provides an alphabetical listing of diseases and their treatments; a similar listing of medications, their uses and side effects; and a dictionary providing layperson explanations for more than 16,000 technical medical terms as defined by medical doctors. Other sections of the web site offer indexes of common symptoms and common medical procedures and tests. You can access all of this information at: www.medicinenet.com. Page 8 �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance BILL 14 The Law Society of Upper Canada(LSUP) with the aid of the McGuinty Liberal Government has passed what is known as Bill 14. This Bill was to have the LSUP regulate paralegals in Ontario. However, the language in the Bill not only regulates paralegals, but with the twists and turns of all that legal jargon, it has affected our group of volunteers trying to help other Injured Workers at no charge. The Bill calls for every paralegal to be licensed and insured. The application for the license is about $500.00 and the exam is $,1000.00. If you don't pass the first time they give you a break on the second exam at a cost of $975.00, and you must carry the Errors and Omissions Insurance. (note: the costs are approx since this dates back to April of 2007) We are a non funded, not-for-profit registered organization which has been lobbying for injured workers for almost 25 years. But now, we can not represent or give legal advice to an injured worker according to this Bill. Some exemptions from being licensed and insured do exist. However, as a volunteer we can only help family, friends, or neighbours without breaking the law. This past week, I had a WSIB claims adjudicator and her manager call me and the injured worker to see if in fact we were friends. I believe that the Good Samaritans Act was put into place so that we could help one another without having the fear of breaking the law, or being scrutinized as to who is my friend or not. There is a simple solution that we have tried to have solved by means of conference calls way back to April of 2007, emails to the LSUC Paralegal Services, meetings with our MPPs, even a meeting with the former Minister of Labour. Nothing as been changed thus far. All we are simply asking, is that the "interpretation" of an injured workers group be changed from the present definition which you can find for yourself at this link (www.lsuc.on.ca/regulation/a/bylaws/bylaw4) in Section 31 (1) where it states that an exemption will be given to an injured workers group providing they are funded by WSIB, simply drop the funded by WSIB and we can advocate for injured workers and help our fellow workers. We have made it quite clear that we are NOT FUNDED, and WE DON'T CHARGE for services, and we DON'T TAKE A PERCENTAGE OF THE CLAIMS WHEN WON, nor do we EXPECT payment at all. Albeit, the LSUC has not changed the interpretation. We ask that you please support us and send a message to your MPP asking for their support in changing the interpretation, send a letter to the Premier, the LSUC, the editor of your local paper. We need strength in numbers, and lastly, we ask that you forward this to all Ontario residents in your address book. Send us a copy of the letters as well at info@tbayinjuredworkers.ca . Please, if you feel like you want to protect your right to free consultation on WSIB issues you must act now. Thanks for your time, and I look forward in hearing your thoughts and comments on this very important issue. If we let them take away your right to free representation, what will they target next, back yard mechanics? Enough is Enough! Thanks, Bob Thunder Bay & District Injured Workers Support Group 807-622-8897 // em: info@tbiw.on.ca Stakeholder Submissions on Bill 187 Interim Changes The Ontario Government passed Bill 187, the Budget Measures and Interim Appropriation Act, 2007, on May 17, 2007, which resulted in four significant changes to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997, effective July 1, 2007. These changes include amendments to the cost-of-living indexing formula; opening previously locked-in 72-month Loss of Earnings (LOE) and 60-month Future Economic Loss (FEL) awards when there has been an increase in disability; replacing the concept of "deeming" with the concept of "determining" and the introduction of the concept of “availability” in employment when determining post-injury earnings; and increasing the Loss of Retirement Income (LRI) threshold from $1,166.41 to $3,000. Page 9 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail The WSIB revised existing policy documents that were affected and created a new policy. Stakeholders can provide written feedback on these interim policies until November 1, 2007. For more information on the Bill 187 consultation, visit the WSIB‟s web site at: http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/Public/Policy Bill187Consultation. For a copy of all of the WSIB Operational Policies that were amended on October 3, 2007 to incorporate the changed wording because of the above-mentioned interim policies, visit the WSIB's web site at: http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wopm.nsf/home /opmhome. TRICK QUESTION: Reproduced from a Poster from the Back Association of Canada Drawing reproduced by the talents of Kevin Turtle Which is better for your back: Lifting 10 pounds of feathers, or 10 pounds of Lead ? Most people know a few BACK BASICS when it comes to picking things up and putting them some place else. For instance: Bend your knees. Bend them, pick up the object, then straighten them up. Why? So your leg muscles – which are bigger and stronger than your back muscles – can take most of the weight. Hold objects close to your body. For example, if you lift 10 pound load with the weight 14 inches from your body, you will be lifting the equivalent of about 150 pounds! Many people don‟t realize that, when it comes to lifting, there‟s more to think about than weight. For Instance: What’s the shape of the object you are lifting? What’s its size? Does it have handles? Is it slippery, or easy to grip? Which brings us back to our trick question. A box containing ten pounds of lead is a lot easier to pick up than a box containing ten pounds of feathers because a box of lead is much smaller, and more compact. You can easily hold it close to your body, and get a good grip. MORE LIFTING TIPS: 1. Your back is strongest when its muscles are in a natural position. That is, when the normal curve in the low back is neutral, rather than exaggerated or creased. What if you must life something while your back is bent forward, or arched backward? The answer is simple. You can‟t lift as much. 2. Don‟t lift and twist at the same time. Instead, lift the object, then turn your body by moving your feet. This may sound like more effort but it isn‟t. It just takes a moment longer. 3. It‟s easier to lower a weight than to lift one. But don‟t be fooled. Many back injuries occur because people think they can lower something heavy … and then get hurt when the object falls and they must try to catch it. THE MORAL: Think ahead. Plan the lift before you begin … Not after you get into trouble. Page 10 �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Sentencing for Quebec workplace death a first 2005 Accident; Transpave Inc. to learn penalty for disabling safety device Graeme Hamilton, National Post Published: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 MONTREAL - A Quebec paving-stone manufacturer is set to appear for a sentencing hearing today after becoming the first company in Canada to be convicted of criminal negligence causing death as the result of a workplace accident. In a case that is being followed in boardrooms across the country, Transpave Inc. of Saint-Eustache, north of Montreal, pleaded guilty in Quebec Court in December to a charge stemming from the 2005 death of labourer Steve L'Ecuyer. Mr. L'Ecuyer, 23, was crushed to death by machinery as he tried to clear a backlog of stones on the production line. An investigation by Quebec's health and safety board discovered that a safety device intended to prevent such an accident had been deliberately disabled for most of 2005 and 2004. The conviction is the first since the federal government amended the Criminal Code in 2004 to make it easier to charge companies for health and safety offences. The amendments were in response to the 1992 Westray mine disaster in Nova Scotia, in which 26 men were killed but no criminal convictions resulted. Cheryl Edwards, a Toronto lawyer specializing in workplace safety issues, said the Transpave case will likely lead to more criminal prosecutions. So far, Crown attorneys have been content to allow occupational health and safety tribunals decide the cases, but the Transpave case signals that a criminal conviction is possible. "When trade unions and families press very hard for action on the part of the police and Crown attorneys, generally speaking, that is influential," said Ms. Edwards, a partner with Heenan Blaikie. "When the general public gets mad about a Westray, or they get mad about a high-profile death, there's more of a tendency for the police and the Crown attorneys to say, 'No, we're not going to just leave this to the [occupational health and safety] process. We're going to treat it as a crime.' " Martin Cauchon, who was Liberal justice minister when the changes became law as Bill C-45, said he hopes news of the Transpave conviction will result in greater caution among employers. "The law is not what it used to be. The legislator is really serious about workplace safety," he said. "When I talk to the corporate world, it seems that they're still not aware of the situation. With that first conviction, even though it's a guilty plea, people will read the judgment and be more careful in the future." Mr. L'Ecuyer had just relieved a co-worker who was going on break when the fatal accident occurred on Oct. 11, 2005. He was trying to manually free stones that were blocking a machine when an apparatus used to arrange the stones on pallets descended and crushed him. Workplace-safety investigators found that a safety barrier meant to prevent the machine from operating when someone was underneath it had been disabled. Workers said it was disconnected because it was causing production slowdowns. There was also evidence that a member of management was aware of the situation but did nothing to correct it. There is no limit on the possible fine, and the Quebec Federation of Labour wants the court to levy a substantial penalty. "The court now has the duty to impose an exemplary sentence to send an unequivocal message to employers who make a mockery of the health and safety of their workers," QFL president Michel Arsenault said in a statement. Ms. Edwards said employers are taking note. "The good corporate citizens in Canada sat up in 2004, when C-45 was passed, and asked, 'How do we make sure we're compliant?' Now they're sitting up again and saying, 'Let's check again and make sure we're not doing something that contravenes the Criminal Code.' I think it's being watched nationally," she said. ghamilton@nationalpost.com Page 11 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Our Goals CIWA/ACVAMT Is about  Support We are a national network of injured worker's groups (IWG's) and we exist to strengthen and support the work of local and provincial IWG's across Canada. Independence We believe that injured workers should be in control of their own destinies & Injured Workers Groups must be democratically controlled by injured workers. Partnerships We believe that we can best assist these objectives by providing training and educational resources in partnership with provincial or territorial organizations of injured workers and the trade union movement at all levels. Information Sharing We believe that by sharing our stories and our experience we can learn from each other and become better educated and exert more control over our lives. To work towards a just system of compensation, rehabilitation and reemployment in all of Canada.  To provide a national forum for debating issues concerning injured workers at national conferences and board workshops.  To gather and share information with groups across Canada.  To improve the Occupational Health & Safety of workers across Canada.  To identify and make available, educational and training resources produced by the union movement and other agencies, that focus on organizing and maintaining effective injured worker groups.  To enhance the local base of the injured workers movement through all our activities.  To form partnerships that will achieve common goals. Publications Available  The VOICE OF INJURED WORKER  PLAIN TALK  HOW TO IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN INJURED WORKERS & ORGANIZED LABOUR  REPORT ON RELATIONS WITH LABOUR SESSION AT CIWA NATIONAL CONFERENCE, REGINA 1992  RETURNING TO WORK  VOC REHAB & RE-EMPLOYMENT FROM THE INJURED WORKER'S PERSPECTIVE  INJURED WORKERS … ON THE MOVE  COMING TOGETHER VIDEOS & WORKBOOKS  YOUTH PROJECT MANUAL, 2002  SURVIVORS, 1997  TOGETHER WE CAN WIN, 1997  PEER HELPER TRAINING MANUAL, 2000 - "PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE"  LE COMBAT QUOTIDIEN DES VICTIMES DU TRAVAIL, 1999 To find out more, please contact us at: CIWA/ACVAMT 1201 Jasper Drive Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6R2 Ph: 807-345-3429/Fx: 807-344-8683 Toll Free: 1-877-787-7010 Email: ciwa@vianet.ca Web Site: www.ciwa.ca Connect with an injured workers group near you. Check out our web site at: www.ciwa.ca  OR  Call our office at (807) 345-3429 or Toll Free at 1-877-787-7010 This Newsletter is intended to share information of interest to injured workers/ groups / organizations, union activists and their supporters. It provides a forum for sharing our experiences - so we can learn from each other - in order to improve the lives of injured and disabled workers and the system that is there to assist them. Please help - by sharing your story with us. Page 12 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource CIWA Highlights Newsletter Spring 2008 Description An account of the resource Announcement of winner of 50/50 draw. Reports on the state of injured workers rights in British Colombia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia. Articles on recourse for the Workers Compensation Board breaching client privacy, review of the Railway Safety Act, a new Employment Standards Act poster for workplaces in Ontario, new workplace safety video sent out to Ontario high schools, a review of the WSIB Experience Rating Program, a digital medical dictionary, Bill 14, changes to Bill 187, tips for safe lifting, the sentencing of the first corporation in Canada to be convicted of criminal negligence causing death in a workplace accident. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource CIWA Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Subject The topic of the resource Labour and Labour Unions https://writingresources.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/3dd44c982b1cdf43a369b322f93b384e.pdf 4dc85d1172aed7e75ee16bbabf8ef384 PDF Text Text CANADIAN PUBLICATION MAIL SALES AGREEMENT #1685422 Knowledge Exchange and Translation (KET) The Canadian Injured Workers Alliance is leading a project in collaboration with researchers from the University of Western Ontario, the University of Toronto and McMaster University which received developmental funding for a one year project through the WSIB Research Advisory council. The goal of this project is to examine the role of IWG’s in interpreting and communicating policy, insurance, support, health, and research information to injured workers. The project’s focus will to find out what IWG’s needs are in providing information, as well as how information is shared and how information can be put into useful formats for use by injured workers. Strategies that IWG’s and other groups involved in knowledge exchange with other consumers will also be examined. Ultimately, the information collected through this project will lead to the development of a larger study involving a large survey to evaluate injured workers’ use of information and knowledge in decision-making and which approaches best support getting the information into the hands of injured workers. PARTICIPATION: If you take part in this study, you will be involved in a focus group with up to 9 others who provide information that injured workers need and request. If you are interested in taking part in this Focus Group, please contact us. Phone: 1-877-787-7010 / Fax: 807-344-8683 / Email: ciwa@vianet.ca We look forward to hearing from you. NOTICE We have cancelled our post office box, and will only be receiving mail at our physical address. Please change your records to reflect that only this address will be used: 1201 Jasper Drive Thunder Bay, ON. P7B 6R2 Table of Contents CIWA/ACVAMT Contacts ...................................... 2 CIWAY Contacts, Web Sites to Visit ....................... 3 Page 1 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail PLEASE HELP ………… S U B S C R I B E T O D A Y ! Name: ________________________________ Date: Organization: ________________________________ Address: ________________________________ Highlights is published 4 times per year ________________________________ Injured Worker/Unemployed $ 5.00 __________ Postal Code ________________________________ Individuals $ 10.00 __________ Phone ________________________________ Organizations $ 15.00 __________ Fax ________________________________ Donations $ E-Mail ________________________________ Total Web Site ________________________________ CIWA THANKS YOU for Your SUPPORT! ________________________________ Newsletter Subscription: $ __________ __________ Editor’s Note This newsletter is distributed via email, fax, or mail to CIWA/ACVAMT members and groups with an interest in injured worker issues as resource tool to share and exchange information. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the individuals or groups making submissions. We take no responsibility for their accuracy or for their opinions. You are welcome to share and distribute this newsletter with others that are interested. It is also available on our website at www.ciwa.ca. PROVINCIAL REPRESENTATIVES OF CIWA/ACVAMT VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS… EXECUTIVE OFFICERS… President ... Secretary … Treasurer … SK ... Robert Lindsay, Regina Western Injured Workers Society NS... Dave MacKenzie, Westville Pictou County PEI ... Leonard J. Crawford, Summerside ON ... Gerry Landry, Thunder Bay Ontario Network of Injured Worker Groups AB... Sherri Scott, Fort MacMurray NL... Clive Hamilton, Labrador City Rob Lindsay Leonard J. Crawford Dave MacKenzie ADVISORS… Vincent Boyce, Injured Worker, Manitoba Andy King, U.S.W.A. Lynn Shaw, University of Western Ontario Patti MacAhonic, BC Injured Workers and Survivors Education Association STAFF… Phil Brake, National Coordinator Monika Wiitala, Office Manager L’ALLIANCE CANADIENNE DES VICTIMES D’ACCIDENTS ET DE MALADIES DU TRAVAIL CANADIAN INJURED WORKERS ALLIANCE Phone: 807-345-3429 Fax: 807-344-8683 Page 2 1201 Jasper Drive Thunder Bay, Ontario. P7B 6R2 Toll Free: 1-877-787-7010 email: ciwa@vianet.ca Web-site: www.ciwa.ca �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Canadian Injured Workers Alliance of YOUTH (CIWAY) BOARD OF DIRECTORS – Since MARCH 2004 PRESIDENT TARA DORVAL VICE PRESIDENT DUSTIN EASTMAN SECRETARY JULIE SHOEMAKER TREASURER JESSICA BELANGER Thunder Bay, ON Regina, SK Sommerset, MB Winnipeg, MB BOARD MEMBERS / Provincial Reps ANDREW BACCHUS DAWN HAMILTON PAIGE MOORE AMANDA PERREAULT DEAN RUDD LILI TRINH SCOTT WOLBAUM JAMIE WOODHOUSE Toronto, ON Labrador City, NF Montague, PEI Brampton, ON Whitehorse, YT Toronto, ON Regina, SK Winnipeg, MB For information on how to contact any of the above provincial representatives, please contact our office in Thunder Bay, Ontario at 807-345-3429, or toll free: 1-877-7877010, fax: 807-344-8683, email: ciwa@vianet.ca or visit our website at www.ciwa.ca Message from the National Coordinator / President SDPP/D funding has historically been a critical component of CIWA’s operating budget. This has enabled us to achieve our annual objectives, maintain an operating National Office, hold bi-annual BOD meetings, provide services and materials to the public and IWG’s, acquire new IWG members, support the creation of new Injured Workers Groups in Alberta and B.C., and bring forward proposals on matters relevant to our mandate. Some of our recent and upcoming activities include the following: 1. Continued partnerships include the following: Round Table Project – Dr. Celeste Johnson, Robert Lindsay, CIWA Rep Canadian Pain Coalition KET Project - Lynn Shaw, OT, University of Western Ontario, Robert Lindsay, and Phil Brake, CIWA Reps, Peter Page, ONIWG, Colin Argyle, OFL, Sylvia Boyce / Andy King, Steelworkers Council of Canadians with Disabilities 2. We attended the ―End Exclusion‖ Forum, ―Building and Inclusive and Accessible Canada‖ in Ottawa, on November 2, 2006 hosted by the Council of Canadians with Disabilities. 3. RIDEAU CANAL / INTERNATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING – APRIL 28, 2007 The Ottawa & District Injured Workers Group (ODIWG) and Mr. Kevin Dooley (WCB Pensioner) of the Canal Workers Commemorative Group of Ottawa plan and hope to have the Canal, which is currently a National Parks Historic site, to be declared a World Heritage Site in 2007. This will be the 175th Anniversary of the completion of the Canal. Events are planned in conjunction with the International Day of Mourning and plan to raise awareness and monies/donations which will be shared with the ODIWG, and the Ottawa Valley Head Injury Association. 4. ―Building worker capacity for participation and collaboration for achieving Return to Work (RTW) success‖. A revised proposal focusing on RTW and the gaps that exist. This proposal is to compliment collaborative research already in progress between CIWA, the NW Ontario School of Occupational Therapy, other rehab clinics, universities, the Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists, the Institute for Work & Health, the WSIB, the National Centre of Audiology. This research emphasizes and Occupational Science perspective that considers a holistic approach addressing the person/injured worker, the occupation, and the environment to investigate strategies and approaches to support more effective RTW. 5. ―Rob coauthoring book w/Lynn‖. CIWA has been asked to coauthor a Page 3 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Group Demands Recognition of Disability Caused by Toxins in the Environment MONTREAL, November 23, 2006 The Allergy and Environmental Health Association of Quebec (AEHAQ) presented a Petition for the recognition of disability and immediate adequate support for people made ill from environmental exposures and was tabled in the National Assembly of Quebec on Thursday, November 23, 2006 by Mrs. Yolande James, Member of the National Assembly for Nelligan. The Petition reads as follows: "We, the undersigned residents of Quebec, call upon the Government of Quebec to: - formally acknowledge and recognize the disability caused by Environmental Illness, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Syndrome; - establish centers for research, education, diagnosis, treatment and testing for toxins in the human body; - ensure safe adequate accommodation in hospitals; - homecare support; - recognition in the workplace; - affordable, environmentally-safe housing and emergency shelters; and, - offer immediate help for the chemically injured across Quebec. Contact:Ms. Rohini Peris - President, Mr. Michel Gaudet - Vice President, Ms. Paula Mckeown – Secretary Tel: (514) 683-5701 Email: aeha-quebec.ca More information on chemical sensitivities can be found at: http://aeha-quebec.ca The following definition of ―Environmental Sensitivities‖ has been copied from the website at: http://aeha-quebec.ca Environmental sensitivities can occur when people become sensitive to substances or phenomena in their everyday environment at levels well below what would be considered to be acceptable to "normal" people. Sensitivity reactions can be triggered by scented products, cleaning products, laundry detergents, paints, petrochemicals, cigarette smoke, pesticides, pets, plants, fuels, electromagnetic radiation, molds and foods. are able to find a safe environment in which to live and work, and if they can obtain (and afford) treatments that are both tolerable and effective for them. Sadly, despite skills and education, some people with sensitivities end up on social assistance. Many become socially isolated as they are forced to retreat from places and activities they love, and for some, the devastation extends to losing spouses, family and friends who may not believe that they are ill. The effect of environmental sensitivities can be overwhelming. Productive people may suddenly or gradually become unable to tolerate offices, homes, schools, hospitals and public places. Employers, who may or may not be aware of the problem, may refuse to make the accommodations necessary to allow people affected to continue working in safety. Many people with sensitivities lose their jobs if they are not provided with the accommodations they need to work productively. Some become homeless. All too often, retirement savings are depleted and debts are incurred in an attempt to create safe living conditions and to fund the cost of treatment. Treatment of these problems can be expensive and difficult to obtain, and includes avoidance of offending agents. Some people with sensitivities do improve after many years if they The disability may be invisible, but it is real. Like others with disabilities, persons with sensitivities have special needs which include, but are not limited to: housing in a safe and tolerable environment so that their bodies can heal, well-tolerated, environmentally safe products available at a reasonable cost, consumer self-help groups, a support system, tolerable meeting places, publicly funded treatments, safe hospitals, schools and other pubic facilities, and accommodation in the workplace. Like all Canadians, we are entitled to freedom from discriminatory treatment, which includes the right to accessible workplaces, accommodation and public facilities. Notably, environmental sensitivities have been recognized as disabilities by the Canadian Human Rights Commission and many provincial human rights commissions. Page 4 �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Federal Government Cuts Funding Tuesday, September 26, 2006 Summarized from the publication entitled: ―A Voice of Our Own‖, from the Council of Canadians with Disabilities. Website: www.ccdonline.ca Here are some of the programs there were cut from the federal budget:  Court Challenges Program - $5.6 Million. o The Court Challenges Program of Canada provided funding to ordinary Canadians to undertake constitutional challenges against federal laws or programs – such as Workers’ Compensation.  Youth Employment - $55.6 million o Some youth employment agencies received federal funding for part of their budgets.  Industrial Programs - $42.2 million. o Technology Partnerships Canada  Medical marijuana research program - $4 million  Adult Learning and Literacy Skills Program $ 17.7 million o Non-profit organizations received this for development programs and research. Court Challenges Program and Other Programs Cut Abolition of the Court Challenges Program (CCP) and others announced in the fall of 2006 has upset many. A website campaign has been developed at: http://www.savecourtchallenges.ca where you can find out more on what you can do, and all about the CCP program. In brief: The Court Challenges Program (CCP) was established in 1978 to supply limited funds for selected test cases for official minority language cases based on sections 93 and 133 of the Constitution Act, 1867. There are many cases where funding was provided to plaintiffs or interveners in order for ordinary Canadians to have access to the court system and have their voices heard and their Right considered when government laws and policies failed to take into account their needs and aspirations. The CCP has been successful in a number of important court cases that have had direct impacts on the implementation of linguistic and equality rights in Canada. By cutting this program, the Canadian Government is saying yes to continued discrimination against persons with disabilities and unfairly limiting Canada’s Constitutional Rights only to the wealthy. If ordinary Canadians cannot use their rights because of financial barriers, then Canada’s Constitutional democracy is hollow. The CCP has an established track record as an effective and accountable institution that promotes access to justice. Their website contains reports and statistics on its activities. During the last election campaign, Prime Minister Stephen Harper stated that if elected, a Conservative government would ―articulate Canada’s core values on the world stage,‖ including ―the rule of law‖, ―human rights‖ and ―compassion for the less fortunate.‖ By cancelling the CCP, the government is basically indicating that those deserving the Right to be heard in order to live on an equal footing with others, will not and do not deserve to be heard. AN IRISH FRIENDSHIP WISH: May May May May May May there always be work for your hands to do; your purse always hold a coin or two; the sun always shine on your windowpane; a rainbow be certain to follow each rain; the hand of a friend always be near you; God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you. Page 5 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Health/Labour Man lives with lead poisoning Endured hazardous working conditions for years Deana Stokes Sullivan, The Telegram (St. John's) Front, Sunday, January 14, 2007, p. A1 When Charlie Thompson began working in the early 1970s, repairing and painting automobile radiators, he had no idea of the occupational hazards associated with his work. He felt fortunate to have a steady job that paid decent wages. But after years of inhaling fumes and dust from lead-based solder and the vapours of automotive paint, Thompson began experiencing numerous symptoms, including severe headaches. "I used to have to come home from work, take 222s and cover my head in blankets, I was in so much pain," Thompson recalls. Thompson, 52, and two co-workers repaired radiators in an automotive shop. Three torches were going all day, he said, soldering in a small room, measuring about 35 by 40 feet. Lead solder was used up until 1994. recently, a separate paint booth was constructed on the site. Thompson filed a claim for workers' compensation in 1993, but it took almost a decade for his symptoms to be recognized as an occupational illness. He was removed from the workplace in 2001, but his blood lead levels are still above normal. The result of blood testing last year showed a lead reading of 0.796 micromoles per litre (umol/L), where the normal reference should be zero to 0.48. Thompson was also found to have higher-than-normal levels of cadmium and zinc in his blood. Large radiators, averaging 500 to 800 pounds, had to be lifted through a door to the room and after the soldering job was completed, they were often painted with potent automotive coatings, using lacquers and thinners. A letter dated July 18, 2001 from the provincial labour department's Workplace Health and Safety Inspections division to Budden, Morris Barristers and Solicitors, representing the Transportation and Allied Workers Union, states that Dr. Jacques Levesque of New Brunswick, "was very clear in pointing out that in his opinion, three of the workers have chronic ill-health effects related to long-term lead exposure." Levesque is a lead expert who assessed the workers. Thompson said at times the clouds of dust and fumes were so thick he couldn't see his co-workers, who were just 20 feet away from him. Thompson blames a lack of action by Occupational Health and Safety for allowing his illness to progress to the point of impairing his cognitive abilities Besides the headaches, he experienced other health problems, including high blood pressure, kidney stones, gastrointestinal problems, muscle deterioration and pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome, a condition affecting ligaments, nerves and bones in the arms and wrists. "The way I feel, I didn't get injured on the job, I got poisoned," he said. Blood testing for lead absorption wasn't conducted on the employees until the mid 1980s. Around 1988, Occupational Health and Safety conducted a workplace inspection and made recommendations for a ventilation system to improve the conditions. After numerous other inspections and air testing, which showed elevated airborne lead levels, the workers were given respirators and, more Page 6 The Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission (WHSCC), which eventually accepted that Thompson suffered damage from lead exposure in his workplace, said in a labour market referral report last year, "Mr. Thompson's restrictions are mentally, more than physically. He has had lead exposure which has resulted in cognitive deficits, problems with new learnings, etc." Trish Dodd of the province's injured workers' association wishes Occupational Health and Safety and the WHSCC would recognize the other physical health implications from Thompson's lead exposure. �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Lead is absorbed by the bones and organs and accumulates in the body, causing numerous symptoms besides cognitive problems, Dodd said. Thompson's case was presented to the Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Commission as well as the province's citizens' representative office, which has been investigating how Occupational Health and Safety handled his case. A document from Dr. Levesque, included in the Human Rights Commission report, says Thompson cannot return to work in a lead-contaminated work environment. "This recommendation has to be considered as a formal permanent work restriction and is supported both by the physical and neuropsychological evidence available in his medical record," Levesque wrote. While not considering Thompson totally disabled from any type of employment on a permanent basis, Levesque went on to say that his reinsertion into the workforce in another capacity may be problematic, if not met by some degree of failure, given his age, limited past work experience and academic training, cognitive and emotional deficits, and current physical ailments. Dodd said despite this assessment, in 2003 the WHSCC decided to reduce Thompson's disability pay by about $400 a week, on the basis that he could potentially work as a light duty cleaner, leaving him with only about $250 a week. She said the commission obviously didn't consider that cleaners work with chemicals, which could further jeopardize Thompson's health. Dodd plans to continue working on Thompson's behalf with the hope that he will get full extended earnings loss, based on his physical and mental disabilities from lead exposure. When Thompson left his job, he was earning about $40,000 a year. In addition to losing earnings, he also lost health and medical benefits. He said the impact his occupational illness has had on his life and his family has been immeasurable. If his wife didn't work, he'd never be able to live on his workers' compensation payments, he said. For years, Thompson said, he has had trouble sleeping because of muscle and bone pain, and he often has to resort to taking medications before going to bed. "It has left my whole life, financially, emotionally and personally, in ruins." dss@thetelegram.com © 2007 The Telegram (St. John's). All rights reserved. Deana Stokes Sullivan, Health reporter The Telegram P.O. Box 5970 Columbus Drive St. John's, Nfld. A1C 5X7 Tel: 709-364-2323 or 709-364-6300 EXT. 325 Remember: You have the right to refuse unsafe work! Page 7 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Wednesday, September 20, 2006 Error cost $1.5M By DEANA STOKES SULLIVAN, The Telegram A group of workers on long-term disability received more than $1.5 million in retroactive pay and interest from the provincial Workplace Health Safety and Compensation Commission (WHSCC) last year, all because of an error in calculating consumer price index adjustments. The error dates back to 1994, and by the time it was corrected, some of the claimants had passed away. The fact the mistake wasn’t detected for 11 years has the Newfoundland and Labrador Injured Workers’ Association calling for more accountability at the WHSCC. The commission, however, says it acted quickly when the error was discovered and promptly paid up. The error was picked up in a claim review, a WHSCC spokeswoman confirmed Monday. She said it originated from one per cent being applied as a consumer price index (CPI) — or cost-of-living — adjustment in 1994 instead of 1.9 per cent. The WHSCC policy manual states that long-term disability benefits are fully indexed to the annual change in the CPI for Canada. The CPI measures inflationary changes in the cost of products and services. The 1994 error had an accumulative effect on indexation calculations for subsequent years until it was corrected in 2005. The error affected 1,448 active claims for what the commission terms extended earnings loss or long-term disability. In cases where claimants had passed away, money owing was paid to their estates, the commission said. The amount paid to fix the error is said to have been roughly $1.56 million — $1.35 million owed to claimants plus approximately $214,000 in interest. According to the WHSCC, the average individual payout was about $800 and the maximum was about $2,100, including interest. Cheques were sent by midMay last year. Trish Dodd of the injured workers’ association said she’s aware of much larger retroactive amounts being paid out. She has a letter from the WHSCC dated Feb. 16, 2005, referencing a payout of more than $21,000 to an injured worker which explains that the person’s longterm disability benefits were not indexed properly because the CPI rate wasn’t calculated properly. Page 8 ―The letter doesn’t give any other reason,‖ Dodd said, adding if there were other errors, that just backs up her point that there needs to be more accountability to ensure that claimants are compensated properly. She said she was surprised to be contacted about the indexation error personally last year by Ann Marie Hann, then chief executive officer of the WHSCC. In the 11 years during which the error went unchecked, there were several chief executive officers and board appointments to the commission. Hann, who assumed the top position with the WHSCC in 2000, is no longer with the organization. She was replaced in June 2005 by Joe O’Neill, who continues to be acting chief executive officer. The WHSCC said his appointment last year was on an interim basis while it went about recruiting a permanent CEO. Although the indexation error has now been corrected, Dodd said she wonders what other errors might be slipping through and where accountability is at the WHSCC, especially considering that it was an injured worker questioning his claim who caused the error to be detected. The WHSCC spokeswoman said a process has since been put into place to double check CPI indexation amounts every year for long-term disability claimants. She said the error and resulting payout have not had any affect on employer’s assessment rates. ―We called employers. We were proactive and very upfront and honest to explain the error,‖ she said. Dodd said the injured workers group wants the provincial auditor general to review the commission’s financial affairs. Auditor General John Noseworthy’s annual reports have raised concerns about the commission’s unfunded liability in recent years. In the WHSCC’s 2005 annual report, its unfunded liability was reported to be $139.2 million. It was $160.1 million in 2004. In its response to the auditor general’s inquiries, the WHSCC said one of its key financial objectives is to eliminate its unfunded liability by 2020. In 2001, it stood at more than $200 million. dss@thetelegram.com �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Chronic Pain: 'It’s not in people’s heads' An article from: The ChronicleHerald.ca (Halifax, NS – May 16/06) MEMBERTOU — Chronic pain is real, and health professionals have to get that message across, an expert in the field says. "It’s not in people’s heads, it’s not just that they’re trying to get out of things they don’t like to do. It’s that they have real physical pain and we now understand chronic pain to be a neural response to tissue injury," said Dr. Mary Lynch, interim director of the QEII Health Sciences Centre’s pain management unit. Dr. Lynch was the keynote speaker at the recent third annual Pain Day conference at the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre, where seven doctors spoke to other health professionals about chronic-pain management. Topics included the use of narcotics in palliative care and in treating non-cancer pain, as well as reviews of hip, knee and ankle pain. Dr. Lynch said the problem of chronic pain is dismissed because ours is a pain-denying culture and the problem costs a lot to alleviate. "The human suffering alone and the economic burden that comes with that is huge. You’ll see insurers and policy-makers and workers’ compensation boards trying to deny that it’s real." She said the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia can no longer deny the problem is real since a 2003 Supreme Court of Canada ruling that workers with chronic pain are eligible to be assessed for longterm benefits. Conference moderator Dr. Robert MacNeill, who works in pain management at Cape Breton Regional Hospital in Sydney, said the service is under-funded in Nova Scotia, resulting in longer waiting times. "If you have slower access to diagnostic services or specialists you tend to build a greater population of people that would have chronic pain," he said. "Long wait lists is our biggest headache." gmacvicar@herald.ca) Chronic Pain Awards ? PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND Mr. Clarence Fraser, of the PEI Coalition of Injured Workers Group would like to know whether the Supreme Court of Canada decision of Martin & LaSeur, October 3, 2003 has had any effect on other provinces in regard to awards for Chronic Pain and which version of the AMA Guidelines to Permanent Impairment are used. If there has been a percentage given for chronic pain, as was initially allowed in WCAT No 915A in Ontario, please let us know. A copy of the PMI policy indicating how workers are compensated for a permanent impairment on PEI is available by contacting Clarence Fraser @ cfraser@islandtelecom.com or the CIWA office. ONTARIO: Submitted by: Francis M. Bell, of TBWISE: PI assessments for workers injured from January 2, 1990 are completed via the Third edition (b) of the AMA Guides for Impairment Ratings. The WSIB has reviewed and determined that they will not move to newer versions of the AMA guide. Workers who have pension claims are rated via the "The Ontario Rating Schedule" guide. NOVA SCOTIA: It has been over 2 years since the ruling of Martin & LaSeur in the Supreme Court of Canada and individuals eligible for the Chronic Pain award, are still waiting. Some have actually won their cases through all three stages of the Appeals Tribunal, and the Workers’ Compensation Board has actually found ways of going against these rulings and not paying the award out as ordered by the courts or tribunals. THE FIFTH ESTATE We have acquired the direct phone line of the Executive Producer of the 5th Estate, Mr. David Studer. Anyone having a problem concerning issues with their provincial workers compensation board, should leave Mr. Studer a brief voice mail concerning their case. Perhaps if they receive enough information, then will they pay attention and help injured workers receive their due benefits. ALBERTA The Edmonton Sun covered a story over 2 pages in November 2006 from Sherri Scott July 2006 Page 9 �Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Alberta continues to grow at explosive rates, especially in the oilsands construction industry, providing employment for many Canadians and foreigners alike. Alberta companies tout environmentally friendly policies and procedures however are throwing their injured workers to the streets. With over 200,000 workers being injured every year, of which approximately 20-25% are serious, career changing or disabling injuries. 95% of these cases never receive a penny from their WCB claims and are forced to welfare after selling their homes to provide for their families in an attempt to 'hang on' while their claims are processed. The injured worker’s family is put under incredible hardship and duress as they usually end up loosing their homes, their families through divorce and are financially destroyed as a result. Due to the depression that accompanies the loss of control in their life, along with the above complications in an injured workers life, it is no wonder that in Alberta five percent of these cases end in the injured worker committing suicide. The Canadian Injured Worker's Group is working towards building bridges between the injured workers, Alberta Construction Association and these companies who employ these injured workers with a common goal of less injuries on the jobsite, and the employer taking responsibility for their injured workers. As this is a huge project, requiring years to implement, thousands of volunteers, and incredible financial support, as our starting point, we are approaching the companies for their support and financial backing to build an Injured Workers support/information centre in Alberta. Fort McMurray is the choosen location, as it is the hub of the oilsands, and would be the perfect location as a means of educating all individuals involved (whether it be the injured worker, the family members of an injured worker, health care professionals, employment agencies, and employers) in all topics that concern both the employer and the injured worker's. CanadaHelps.org CanadaHelps is a unique Canadian donor portal, that offers a low-cost online fundraising option for Canadian charities. They operate on the premise that facilitating online donations is rendered most cost-effective by using electronic fund transfer (EFT) and electronic communication methods. Using EFT, all the funds, minus a 3% transaction fee, are transferred directly to the charity's bank account on a weekly basis. Email communication provides the charity with real-time reporting and notification of each donation made on the site. While we list all 78,000 charities, only those that register with us can proactively use our services, download donation data, and update their profiles on the CanadaHelps.org portal. http://www.techsoup.org/ TechSoup Stock connects nonprofits and public libraries with donated and discounted technology products. Choose from over 240 products from companies such as Microsoft, Adobe, and Symantec. They also conduct surveys, discussion forums, educational sessions on technology and many other topics. Remember: A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort! Herm Albright Page 10 �Alliance canadienne des victimes d’accidents et de maladies du travail Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Our Goals CIWA/ACVAMT Is about SUPPORT We are a national network of injured worker's groups (IWG's) and we exist to strengthen and support the work of local and provincial IWG's across Canada.  To work towards a just  INDEPENDENCE We believe that injured workers should be in control of their own destinies & Injured Workers Groups must be democratically controlled by injured workers.  PARTNERSHIPS  We believe that we can best assist these objectives by providing training and educational resources in partnership with provincial or territorial organizations of injured workers and the trade union movement at all levels.   INFORMATION SHARING We believe that by sharing our stories and our experience we can learn from each other and become better educated and exert more control over our lives.  system of compensation, rehabilitation and reemployment in all of Canada. To provide a national forum for debating issues concerning injured workers at national conferences and board workshops. To gather and share information with groups across Canada. To improve the Occupational Health & Safety of workers across Canada. To identify and make available, educational and training resources produced by the union movement and other agencies, that focus on organizing and maintaining effective injured worker groups. To enhance the local base of the injured workers movement through all our activities. To form partnerships that will achieve common goals. Publications Available         The VOICE OF INJURED WORKER PLAIN TALK HOW TO IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN INJURED WORKERS & ORGANIZED LABOUR REPORT ON RELATIONS WITH LABOUR SESSION AT CIWA NATIONAL CONFERENCE, REGINA 1992 RETURNING TO WORK VOC REHAB & RE-EMPLOYMENT FROM THE INJURED WORKER'S PERSPECTIVE INJURED WORKERS … ON THE MOVE COMING TOGETHER VIDEOS & WORKBOOKS  YOUTH PROJECT MANUAL, 2002  SURVIVORS, 1997  TOGETHER WE CAN WIN, 1997  PEER HELPER TRAINING MANUAL, 2000 - "PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE"  LE COMBAT QUOTIDIEN DES VICTIMES DU TRAVAIL, 1999 To find out more, please contact us at: CIWA/ACVAMT P.O. Box 10098, 1201 Jasper Drive Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6R2 Ph: 807-345-3429 Fx: 807-344-8683 Toll Free: 1-877-787-7010 Email: ciwa@vianet.ca Web Site: www.ciwa.ca Connect with an injured workers group near you. Check out our web site at: www.ciwa.ca and click on "Who to Contact"  OR  Call our office at (807) 345-3429 or Toll Free at 1-877-787-7010 This Newsletter is intended to share information of interest to injured workers/ groups / organizations, union activists and their supporters. It provides a forum for sharing our experiences - so we can learn from each other - in order to improve the lives of injured and disabled workers and the system that is there to assist them. Please help - by sharing your story with us. Printed by CUPE 87 / Imprimé par le SCFP 87 Page 11 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Canadian Injured Workers Alliance Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource CIWA Highlights Newsletter Fall 2006 Description An account of the resource Message from the president about the use of the CIWA's budget and events. Articles about a IWA research project on the IWA's role in interpreting and communicating policy, a petition for the recognition of injuries caused by toxins in the environment, cuts to the Federal government's budget, reactions to the Court Challenges Program being cut, a man who is living with lead poisoning, an error made by the WHSCC that resulted in injured workers being awarded $1.5M, chronic pain. An Irish Friendship Wish. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource CIWA Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2006 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Subject The topic of the resource Labour and Labour Unions