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April 11, 2001
MOE clarifies that employees are free to
participate in Inquiry
The Ministry of Environment (MOE) has confirmed
the right of employees to participate in the Walkerton Inquiry "without
fear of retribution".
District Manager Bruce Hancock outlined the
ministry’s position in an April 10 memo to Peterborough MOE
staff:
"Ministry employees are free to attend at
[sic] local Town Hall meetings of the Inquiry and formal public hearings, and
have the right to make submissions to the Inquiry, the right to provide the
Inquiry and its counsel with information and assistance, and the right to assist
OPSEU at the Inquiry without fear of retribution. Ministry employees who choose
to participate in the work of the Inquiry are protected from any reprisals by
legislated "whistle-blower protection".
The memo came the day before the Inquiry held a
town hall meeting in Peterborough to hear local concerns about drinking water.
In an April 10 letter to OPSEU, the
government’s lawyer confirmed that the position outlined in the Hancock memo
applies ministry-wide:
"We are in fact dealing with a matter that
arose in Peterborough…Further, should matters of this type arise in other
offices, we are certainly prepared to reconsider a Ministry-wide statement by a
senior person in the MOE. Hopefully we will not find it necessary to deal with
this type of situation in the future."
This clarification of the government’s position
came at the request of OPSEU. The union heard that Peterborough staff were
discouraged from participating in the upcoming town hall. OPSEU immediately
approached the government with our concerns and required that the MOE set the
record straight.
OPSEU will remain vigilant to any signs that our
members are being discouraged from speaking out. The union will hold the MOE to
its word that employees will not face retribution for participating in the
Inquiry.
Local 308 president Steve Clancy, a correctional
officer, made a presentation to the Inquiry’s town hall in
Peterborough last night on behalf of local MOE members. Clancy told Justice O’Connor
that notwithstanding the clarifications, "employees still feel
concerned."
O’Connor told the town hall that he encourages
all ministry employees to provide their input to the Inquiry.
Inquiry told "overwhelming challenge is
workload"
Local 308 president Steve Clancy told the Inquiry’s
town hall in Peterborough Tuesday that for MOE staff the "overwhelming
challenge is workload".
"Due to every-changing regulations and
legislative requirements, proper training and direction from management is often
convoluted and grossly inadequate," said Clancy in his presentation.
"The combination of these elements is a very real source of stress and
frustration for staff who really want to do the right thing."
Justice O’Connor can expect to hear workload
referred to repeatedly at the town hall meetings and at the hearings in
Walkerton.
MOE hydrogeologist Steve Kistoth told O’Connor
at the town hall in Kitchener-Waterloo March 22 "…that our staffing
resources are very limited under a very heavy workload." Click on http://208.38.27.85/trans/Walk_Mar_22_01/index.htm
for a transcript of Kistoth’s presentation.
The next town hall meeting is in North Bay on May
1. Town halls are also planned for Windsor, Thunder Bay, Kingston, Toronto and
Ottawa. To make a presentation, please contact Megan Park, Campaigns Officer,
1-800-268-7376 ext. 207 or email mpark@opseu.org.
Walkerton presentation honours ‘public service
in the highest tradition’
OPSEU President Leah Casselman honoured members
of locals for their collective response to last year’s fatal outbreak of E.
coli poisoning in Walkerton at the union’s convention April 6.
In an emotional presentation, she commended
members and retirees from the Ministries of the Environment, Health and Natural
Resources, from the Ontario Clean Water Agency, from hospitals in Walkerton,
Owen Sound and London, from the local Health Unit, and from air and land
ambulance services.
The massive response required to deal with the
thousands of sick people and to restore clean water was an example of public
service at it’s best, Casselman said.
"All in all it was a gigantic team effort,
with members going far beyond the call of duty to restore clean drinking water
to Walkerton. People dropped whatever else they were doing and moved in to help
out."
She also commended locals who gave donations to
the Walkerton Fund.
A special award has been created to recognize all
locals and workplaces who helped out. To receive a certificate for your
workplace, please contact Megan Park at 1-800-268-7376 ext. 207 or e-mail mpark@opseu.org.
The presentation to convention included a moving
tribute to Local 275 member Betty Trushinski, an employee of the Walkerton
Hospital who died in the tragedy. Local 275 president Karen Passmore described
Trushinski as a healthy 55 year-old bubbly and energetic person who enjoyed life
to the fullest.
"Please remember Betty as the wonderful
person that she was", said Passmore.
Concluding the presentation, OPSEU General
Counsel Tim Hadwen outlined what the union is doing to ensure the Walkerton
horror is never repeated.
Hearings resume Thursday
The Inquiry will resume hearings Thursday
examining whether government policies contributed to the tragedy in Walkerton.
The former Assistant Deputy Minister of
Operations Division at the MOE, Jim Merritt, will testify Thursday. Merritt will
outline the Ministry’s set-up, the various re-organizations that took place in
the ‘90s and the Ministry’s relationship with other ministries and
municipalities.
Next week, the Inquiry will hear from MOE
managers Tim Little, Robert Shaw and Jim Mahoney on inspections. Shaw will also
provide evidence on the Delivery Strategies and staff reductions.
The Inquiry will call witnesses to discuss
investigations and enforcement the week of April 23. To date, the witnesses have
not been named.
OPSEU has full standing in this phase of the
Inquiry. The union is in the midst of preparing its cross-examination of the
witnesses listed above.
How to get in touch with us
To get on our e-mail list or talk to us about the
Inquiry, contact Megan Park at 1-800-268-7376 ext. 207 or mpark@opseu.org.
Check regularly www.opseu.org/walkerton/index.htm
and the official Inquiry website at www.walkertoninquiry.com.
Original authorized for distribution by Leah
Casselman, president.
Return to Walkerton
Inquiry Index Page
