RCMP’s head of HR suspended; Firefighter’s cancer death ‘unexpected’; Around the clock pay before you pump
RCMP’s head of HR suspended
Ottawa — Amid allegations she covered up fraud and abuse of management of the RCMP pension and insurance plans, the RCMP has suspended the head of its human resources department. In March, Deputy Commissioner Barbara George told a parliamentary committee she and former commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli had nothing to do with removing officers who were investigating alleged misuse of RCMP pension and insurance plans. However, earlier this month four Mounties testified before the committee that senior Mounties, including Zaccardelli, tried to thwart the investigation. George will continue to receive her pay until the code-of-conduct investigation is concluded.
Firefighter’s cancer death ‘unexpected’
Toronto — The city of Toronto must pay “killed-in-the-line-of-duty” benefits to a firefighter who died of kidney cancer in 1998, ruled an Ontario court. The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, Ontario’s workers’ compensation board, ruled in 2004 that the nature of his job contributed significantly to District Fire Chief Bruce Ritchie’s death from renal cell cancer. But a labour arbitrator ruled his death was not accidental or unexpected, so his estate wasn’t entitled to the firefighters’ accidental death benefit. Following an appeal by the Toronto Professional Firefighters’ Association, the Ontario Divisional Court ruled firefighters in Ritchie’s time did not expect to die of cancer as a result of their work and, as such, the city must pay the benefit.
Around the clock pay before you pump
Vancouver — Drivers in British Columbia will have to pre-pay at gas pumps 24 hours a day if the province’s workers’ compensation board has its way. Following the 2005 death of gas station attendant Grant De Patie, the province considered implementing a law that would require drivers to pre-pay for gas at night in major cities. WorkSafeBC held a series of consultations about the proposed law and found the public wanted the government to go further. The new 24-hour pre-payment rule could come into effect as early as the end of the year.
Ottawa — Amid allegations she covered up fraud and abuse of management of the RCMP pension and insurance plans, the RCMP has suspended the head of its human resources department. In March, Deputy Commissioner Barbara George told a parliamentary committee she and former commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli had nothing to do with removing officers who were investigating alleged misuse of RCMP pension and insurance plans. However, earlier this month four Mounties testified before the committee that senior Mounties, including Zaccardelli, tried to thwart the investigation. George will continue to receive her pay until the code-of-conduct investigation is concluded.
Firefighter’s cancer death ‘unexpected’
Toronto — The city of Toronto must pay “killed-in-the-line-of-duty” benefits to a firefighter who died of kidney cancer in 1998, ruled an Ontario court. The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, Ontario’s workers’ compensation board, ruled in 2004 that the nature of his job contributed significantly to District Fire Chief Bruce Ritchie’s death from renal cell cancer. But a labour arbitrator ruled his death was not accidental or unexpected, so his estate wasn’t entitled to the firefighters’ accidental death benefit. Following an appeal by the Toronto Professional Firefighters’ Association, the Ontario Divisional Court ruled firefighters in Ritchie’s time did not expect to die of cancer as a result of their work and, as such, the city must pay the benefit.
Around the clock pay before you pump
Vancouver — Drivers in British Columbia will have to pre-pay at gas pumps 24 hours a day if the province’s workers’ compensation board has its way. Following the 2005 death of gas station attendant Grant De Patie, the province considered implementing a law that would require drivers to pre-pay for gas at night in major cities. WorkSafeBC held a series of consultations about the proposed law and found the public wanted the government to go further. The new 24-hour pre-payment rule could come into effect as early as the end of the year.
