Prince George, B.C. –  Council for  the City of Prince George has endorsed a resolution which calls  for  enforcement of the Westray law.

United Steelworkers campaign logo

The Westray law was developed in the wake of a  fatal mine disaster that  happened in Nova Scotia more than 20 years ago. It is meant to  hold corporations their directors and executives criminally accountable for the health and safety of  their  employees. But since the Westray  Law  came into effect  a decade ago, there has not  been one single successful prosecution under that law.

The resolution supports the campaign which calls for several areas of change:

• crown attorneys are educated, trained and directed to apply the Westray amendments;
• dedicated prosecutors are given the responsibility for health and safety fatalities;
• police are educated, trained and directed to apply the Westray amendments
• there is greater coordination among regulators, police and crown attorneys so that health and safety regulators are trained to reach out to police when there is a possibility that Westray amendment charges are warranted.

The campaign was first brought to Council’s attention in July by the United Steelworkers.

The resolution will be going to the Union of B.C. Municipalities, and the City of Prince George would send its resolution to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

Councilor Garth Frizzell called on his Council colleagues to  also send a copy of the resolution to all  Members  of Parliament  from B.C.  as  the real call for change would have to come through the Federal Government.  Council unanimously approved that addition.