First responders shouldn't have to prove jobs caused illness to WSCC, says MLA

Avery Zingel · CBC News

· Posted: May 26, 2025 8:11 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours ago

Northwest Territories MLA Kieron Testart is proposing a backstage members measure that would marque it easier for archetypal responders successful the territory to entree workers compensation for post-traumatic accent disorder, cancers and bosom disease.

At a property league Monday, Testart said he'll array a backstage members measure this week proposing amendments to found "presumptive coverage" for sick and injured archetypal responders alternatively of requiring them to beryllium their occupation made them sick. 

He says the projected amendment would bring the N.W.T. successful enactment with different jurisdictions successful Canada, by recognizing the inherent risks of occupations similar firefighting.

"Despite spending years asking for support, the process has ever moved excessively dilatory to really effect successful the changes these heroes request erstwhile they get sick," helium said.

Christian Bittrolff, president of International Association of Firefighters Local 2890, which represents Yellowknife firefighters, says the amendments would support workers from the trauma of repeating their aesculapian concerns to aggregate radical to get Workers' Compensation coverage.

"You already told your communicative to the registered scientist oregon the doctor, and you don't person to spell done a bureaucratic process of reliving the happening that is causing you post-traumatic accent and putting you successful situation continuously," helium said. 

Bittrolff says the amendments that would grow crab attraction sum bring designation to the International Agency for Research connected Cancer's classification of firefighting arsenic being a carcinogenic occupation.

"It's adjacent much important successful a tiny bluish assemblage wherever the entree is limited, wherever the resources are limited, to person that presumptive authorities that streamlines the full process," helium said.  

Bittrolff says firefighters often cognize the radical they are helping and these stressors are amplified successful tiny communities. 

Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh MLA Richard Edjericon says determination are unpaid firefighters successful communities similar Fort Resolution, and helium has constituents who are going done immoderate of the challenges code by the bill.

"We privation to marque definite we get sum for them," helium said.

Expanding covered cancers

Bittrolff says the precocious Gregg Pratt, a Yellowknife firefighter, was diagnosed with a uncommon signifier of bile duct crab not covered by WSCC. 

"When you person that benignant of news, those kinds of conversations, having that combat oregon adjacent going down the WSCC way to look and spot if this is going to beryllium covered, is the past happening you privation to beryllium reasoning about," helium said. 

"His absorption was connected warring cancer, and that's wherever it should be."

The projected amendments would necessitate firefighters to enactment for 2 years to beryllium eligible for the presumptive coverage.

Bittrolff says location fires enactment retired 256 known carcinogens, but firefighters respond to concern fires too.

Pratt was the archetypal one in connected the Fitzgerald Carpeting fire successful 2016 wherever flooring, paints and solvents burned. 

"The vulnerability connected that azygous lawsuit unsocial is concerning," helium said. 

The changes projected by the measure would screen firefighters, constabulary officers, nurses, paramedics, correctional officers, sheriff's officers, exigency dispatch operators, and continuing-care assistants.

The measure is expected to beryllium tabled this Thursday by Testart.