Mixed feelings continue towards Bill 6
Posted Dec 5, 2015 3:52 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A new poll shows a majority of Albertans are opposed to the NDP’s Bill 6.
The Mainstreet-Postmedia poll surveyed more than 3,000 Albertans and 67 per cent said they are not in favour of the the new farm safety legislation.
David Valentin, executive vice-president for Mainstreet Research, told 660 NEWS, the poll shows that Albertans seem to believe Bill 6 is unfair for small and family-run farms.
“This is legislation that would bring in protection for workers, but a lot of people have pointed out that it could have the potential to be more onerous for family-owned farms, to be more onerous for small businesses that are in the agricultural sector,” Valentin said.
“These big corporations that own and operate farms, they’re fine with legislation. They don’t have any farmers that work on their farms,” Valentin said. “But for smaller operations and for small businesses, I really do think they sort of perceive it as an attack. And these are people who live in areas that don’t traditionally support the NDP in the first place.”
The poll shows, 60 per cent of those surveyed do want protection for paid agricultural workers, but don’t believe family farms should be impacted by the bill.
Valentin said, some of the opposition could be a result of the change in government, which ended 44 years of Tory rule.
“It’s too early to tell if this kind of opposition will last,” Valentin said. “The premier has been making some conciliatory remarks. She says she wants to bring some changes potentially to lower the impact on family farms and family workers. But for now, there’s a lot of opposition to the plan as it’s currently been put forward.”
The highest support for the bill is in Edmonton, the NDP’s stronghold, where 50 per cent back it. However, even this is seen as a low amount of support.
Despite recent and growing opposition, premier Rachel Notley vows to pass the legislation.
Notley has admitted there was a lack of communication when it comes to the bill, and at least one person in the agriculture industry believes the legislation is actually necessary.
Philippa Thomas, a former farm worker who was injured and is now disabled, said the Notley government is trying to update safety legislation to match safety standards for every other industry.
She added, more people are talking about the fact that there wasn’t enough consultation on the bill, when they should be discussing safety of farmers.
“Why should a farm worker be without protection, simple protection, the right to refuse dangerous work, which means inclusion into the labour code? That’s extremely important,” Thomas said. “If this happened in any other industry, all Hell would have broken loose.”
Thomas has been lobbying for changes for “ages,” and said the voice of reason is being drowned out by ramrodded farm and ranch owners.
She said, miscommunications and a lack of consultation on the bill is overshadowing the good changes coming.
“There was miscommunication right from the start, and Rachel Notley has admitted that there was a problem,” Thomas said. “They have to be a little more diligent about what they present to people. Not just Bill 6 but anything. I’m just hoping that the rest of their bills don’t go this way and get misunderstood and cause a lot of angst.”
Thomas added, the good intentions are there, and that people need to remember that the bill is for the good of farm workers.
