Ottawa asked to bolster criminal code to protect emergency workers

Winnipeg Free Press

3 days ago

A string of assaults against Winnipeg firefighters has ignited calls for all levels of government to beef up protections for emergency workers, who say they are confronted by increasing violence in Manitoba's capital.
United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg president Nick Kasper is leading the charge after fire crews were forced to disarm and restrain a knife-wielding man on Sunday night.
The incident was the latest in a spate of violence affecting first responders and health-care workers in Winnipeg. A firefighter was struck in the face with a pole on Friday; five nurses were sexually assaulted on the Health Sciences Centre campus this month.
'Violence has just become a daily occurrence,' Kasper said. 'Our concern is that, with so many of these near misses and close calls, we are rolling the dice to a potentially serious outcome.'
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
A firefighter was attacked at Logan Avenue and Princess Street on Friday.
A firefighter was attacked at Logan Avenue and Princess Street on Friday.
Also in the past two days, a firefighter was hit in the stomach by a patient and fire crews had to flee from a property when someone inside threatened them with a knife, he said.
On Monday, the union wrote a letter to federal, provincial and municipal leaders, asking each level of government to bolster safety measures.
Chief among the demands is a call to strengthen the Criminal Code of Canada by creating a distinct criminal charge for people who assault first responders and health-care workers.
The union has proposed expanding section 270 of the code to include firefighters, paramedics and health-care providers. The section currently allows for specific charges against anybody who assaults a peace officer.
'I think it's pretty clearly understood across the country that if a police officer is struck, that is a distinct and serious charge. I don't think that we should be differentiating with other public safety providers,' Kasper said.
'When you have to be looking over your shoulder while you're extinguishing a fire, it adds to the psychological toll.'
Parliamentarians were considering amending the Criminal Code to require courts to view assaults against health-care providers and first responders as aggravating factors during sentencing, but that process has stalled.
A private member's bill outlining the proposed changes was tabled in March 2023 and later completed third reading in the House of Commons. Bill C-321 then went to the Senate, which reviewed it in December. It has not advanced to third reading in the Senate.
A separate proposed law, tabled in June 2023, sought to make it an offence to assault first responders. Bill C-345 has not moved advanced through Parliament.
The union has asked the province and city to pass formal resolutions urging the federal government to revive the bills. It would also like Manitoba to create a provincial offence for obstructing, harassing or threatening public safety personnel.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES
'We need stronger federal laws; we need consequences for those that are involved with this,' said Mayor Scott Gillingham.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES
'We need stronger federal laws; we need consequences for those that are involved with this,' said Mayor Scott Gillingham.
Mayor Scott Gillingham said he was drafting a resolution to put before to council Thursday. If approved, it would take the union's calls to the federal government.
He said the two federal bills essentially 'died on the floor' of Parliament during the recent election.
'We need stronger federal laws; we need consequences for those that are involved with this,' Gillingham said. 'I can't see any reason anyone would oppose these changes.'
Justice Minister Matt Wiebe told reporters Tuesday he would call for changes at the federal level.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
Justice minister Matt Wiebe speaks to the media about emergency workers protection in his office at the Manitoba Legislative Building on Tuesday.
Justice minister Matt Wiebe speaks to the media about emergency workers protection in his office at the Manitoba Legislative Building on Tuesday.
'It was a real tough weekend for the people that are out there protecting us every single day and the message is that we've got their backs,' Wiebe said.
The minister said his government would review the potential of strengthening the provincial offences act.
Kasper urged the city to add alerts to the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service dispatch system, so first responders are notified if they are racing to an address or individual with a history of violence.
He proposed reviewing information-sharing protocols between WFPS and the Winnipeg Police Service.
'We'll have our members… attending locations that the police wouldn't otherwise go without backup. That cannot continue. Imagine we have a serious incident and we find out afterwards that another agency at the city was aware of the risk,' Kasper said.
Gillingham said he is open to exploring those ideas.
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In a statement, the Winnipeg Police Service said it meets regularly with the fire paramedic service and has procedures for information sharing when both agencies respond to a call.
'We have had discussions regarding improved information-sharing protocols to ensure the safety of our first responders partners,' the statement said. 'Work continues to finalize protocols that may assist fire or ambulance personnel when they respond to calls that don't require police.'
Darlene Jackson, president of the Manitoba Nurses' Union, said she supports Kasper's calls for change. The Canadian Federation of Nurses, MNU's national counterpart, has made similar demands, she said.
'I believe that this needed to happen long ago,' Jackson said. 'Absolutely, we will be watching, and I'm thinking that we may need to follow up with a letter of support from our union.'
Jackson referenced instances in which nurses have been assaulted at work, but felt discouraged from pressing charges because they believed there would be limited consequences.
In relation to the attacks at the Health Sciences Centre on July 2, a 28-year-old man has been charged with five counts of sexual assault and remains in custody. Police have refused to reveal his identity, citing concerns about the ongoing investigation.
The Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union, which represents city paramedics, also voiced support for reform.
The union released a survey of Winnipeg paramedics in May, in which 93 per cent of respondents reported they had experienced violence on the job.
President Kyle Ross said demands by the firefighters union are 'a good first step.'
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Tyler SearleReporter
Tyler Searle is a multimedia producer who writes for the Free Press's city desk. A graduate of Red River College Polytechnic's creative communications program, he wrote for the Stonewall Teulon Tribune, Selkirk Record and Express Weekly News before joining the paper in 2022. Read more about Tyler.
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