November 30th, 2020
Hon Carla Qualtrough
Minister of Labour
House of Commons *
Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada
K1A 0A6
Email: [email protected]
Honorable Minister Qualtrough:
Injured, ill and disabled workers have suffered harms seeking fair treatment through administrative justice procedures in Canada for a generation. Law, policy and regulations governing Canada's worker's compensation and safety systems empowers provincial worker's compensation agencies, employers and provincial governments to deny legitimate worker claims for injury and/or illness; physically and psychology suffered by workers in the course of our employment.
Negative outcomes include: imposition of poverty; denial of required professional healthcare services; infliction of psychological harm by way of what's coined sanctuary traumatization; moral injury to worker's families; and in most tragic circumstances, worker death to suicide.
We propose that Provincial/Territorial Workers Compensation Law, Policy and Regulations as drafted and in force today, November 30th, 2020: persist in causing egregious harm to injured, ill, and/or disabled Canadians and by proxy to our families.
We further propose, that as law, policy and regulations are drafted with clear intent to favor compensation agencies, employers and governments: Canadian workers are disempowered when consequences of workplace accidents and exposure result in our need for financial compensation for healthcare, retraining, rehabilitation, recovery and in cases of disability, a earnings loss pension and whatever care is needed moving on through our lives.
When expected protection is denied, avenues for redress are effectively blocked. Due to intentionally constructed language in law, policy and regulations that impedes our timely access to receipt of appropriate justice: struggling for some lasts our remaining life-times.
Injustice demands Justice. Restorative Justice that wrongs are expressed and corrected for.
We believe that the Federal Minister for Jobs, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion is the appropriate representative of the the Government of Canada to whom we raise these concerns.
This is not an official petition; rather, this letter intends to gather as many signatures as possible for purposes of exploration. We do so as those provisions in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms allow.
We are seeking our Government of Canada's protection. As we begin this campaign, we're informed that thousands of Canadian Workers have suffered such egregious violation of rights for over a generation. In British Columbia, this letter represents 280 BC abandoned workers.
We call on the Minister to proactively intervene. These matters demand a National Public Inquiry be initiated in due course by the Government of Canada, which is what we've written you to request.
We await any reply with united resolve.
Respectful Regards,
Darren Michael Gregory
5474 Cory Road
Wynndel BC V0B 2N1
November 30th, 2020
The purpose of the inquiry we request is to determine the extent of harms put upon injured, ill and/or disabled Canadians in provincial and territorial jurisdictions nationally.
We raise these concerns to ensure as well our own full and fair redress in the form of workers compensation benefits as we are entitled to receive and rightly, legitimately deserve.
We believe that only with a National investigation of provincial law, policy and regulations that govern provincial/territorial occupational health and safety can troubling issues be properly rectified.
Those agencies and agents so empowered by law, policy and regulations have not responded to our direct engagement to address these issues with integrity.
As these issues are of long-standing national concern, we assert that the concerns receive the attention that these matters require as it is in the National interests of all Canadians to do so.
This letter will be delivered to the Minister by Email at the close of this campaign.
3). Fifteen years of this for me battling this issue. Twenty-Five years now hoping to recover. That's how long it's taken to get here. That's how messed up our society is. I know former public safety workers who've been working to shift things on the PTSD issue in first responders in Canada for over 30 years.
4). How many suicides might have been prevented if those in power acted when we brought forth these concerns? How many families saved? How many might not have ended up permanently disabled?
5). The BC Liberals were in power at the time and they did NOTHING as myself and others begged for change. 2001-2017. The BCNDP Government did more over three years than was accomplished trying to persuade those in the BC Liberal Party. That bunch frankly abused power, breached the public trust and with the incompetent decisions they made we're now in the throes of a social injustice crisis in every corner of British Columba.
6). Across Canada, egg-heads ignored the vulnerable while we died under this society's nose. In 2017 in BC with a change of elected officials, we're at least baby-steps in the right direction finally.
We had to push them too. Everything's a fight.
Fifteen years for me. This is where it started. March 20th, 2006, with Corky Evans.
December 9th, 2020
Write for Rights: Write-Athon
Amnesty International Canada
312 Laurier Ave E
Ottawa, ON K1N 1H9
Email: [email protected]
RE: International Human Rights Day: Write for Rights.
Home - Write for Rights
https://writeathon.ca/
Amnesty Team:
This is my first time participating in Write for Rights. I look forward to slamming the keyboard tomorrow.
2). It's humbling to be reminded that there are advocates world-wide who've perished or are jailed, simply for standing up to protect what all human rights principles define as inalienable.
Not to distract from tomorrow's mission: Please consider that our domestic human rights record in Canada is abysmal.
Advocates for those most vulnerable have our own campaign running. British Columbia workers who are permanently disabled are calling on our Provincial and Federal Governments.
3). Rather than dictate the story. For now, I ask that Amnesty International Canada, consider that it's time for the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to come of age. Four decades since the Charter entered our Constitution and Canada has recently been judged with the MMIWG Inquiry rightly and genocide is the charge. There are others who've perished since.
Along with the letter-writing for Write to Write tomorrow, on International Human Rights Day 2020, the day will be also dedicated to the work of standing up for our most vulnerable citizens suffering human rights abuse here at home.
Disabled Workers in Canada Seek Section 7 Charter Protection | Leadnow.ca
Thank you for your work.
Kind Regards,
Darren Gregory
www.traumarecoverybc.com
December 9th, 2020
Insult to Injury: BC Federation of Labor: 2009.
"This paper looks at the changes to the BC Workers’ Compensation System from 2002- 2008, and how these changes have come at a profound cost to workers and to the treatment and benefits that injured workers receive under the compensation system."
BC Federation of Labor.
Stan Guenther, Janet Patterson & Sarah O'Leary.
April 22nd, 2009.
https://bcfed.ca/news/briefs/insult-injury
"(The People) suffer, because they don't know who they are."
~ Senator, Murray Sinclair ("emphasis mine").
"In all countries, it is well-established that poorer people have substantially shorter life expectancies and more illnesses than the rich — inequalities that cannot be explained by differences in health care or by personal health behaviors. Studies have shown that these disparities are associated with structural differences, such as income, employment and working conditions, housing, education, food security, social inclusion and the environment — what we now consider the social determinants of health."
https://cna-aiic.ca/en/nursing-practice/evidence-based-practice/social-determinants-of-health/social-determinants-of-health-e-learning-course
"This e-learning resource is designed for nurses who work with individuals, families and communities that are vulnerable to health inequities. Using evidence-based information and reflective practice questions, each module will help registered nurses and nurse practitioners optimize their role and integrate a social determinants lens into their practice. Nursing students or others with an interest in social determinants will also find the course informative." (Canadian Nurses Association).
https://cna-aiic.ca/en/nursing-practice/evidence-based-practice/social-determinants-of-health/social-determinants-of-health-e-learning-course
Humans: Monkeys with a Cortex.
With CERB coming to an end, some who saw increased disability benefits, like those in BC who receive PWD, are concerned. I agree that the increase has likely relieved financial insecurity grief for many. We've called for increases to Provincial Disability Benefits for a generation.
Earlier in the year, the Federal Throne Speech made an announcement that it seems most of us missed.
Federal Minister for Disability Inclusion, Hon Carla Qualtrough: has confirmed through the press that the Federal Government has committed to a Federal Disability Benefit, based on Basic Income principles.
Of course, we wait with hopeless anticipation. Many times bit, forever shy.
https://www.hilltimes.com/2020/11/05/persons-with-disabilities-deserve-a-basic-income/270908
December 6th, 2020
We're pushing for a Canada-wide investigation of Workers Compensation Agencies.
We're pushing for proper disability supports for all disabled Canadians.
We're pushing, BC workers, for our own claims to be honored.
We're seeking human rights protection under Section 7 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
When governments in Canada and healthy secure Canadians stand up for disabled persons: government representatives will prove themselves deserving of the privilege granted by the People of Canada our representatives serve.
Supporting this campaign, Canadians stand up for 6.5 Million disabled persons coast to coast.
