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Fedeli accuses Premier and House Leader of blocking Hawkins Gignac Act

Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli News Release ********************* Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli is extremely displeased that the Premier, her Government House Leader and NDP House Leader Gilles Bisson blocked an effort to bring a final vote in the Legislature o
Kate Adams
Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli
News Release

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Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli is extremely displeased that the Premier, her Government House Leader and NDP House Leader Gilles Bisson blocked an effort to bring a final vote in the Legislature on the Hawkins Gignac Act, which would require carbon monoxide detectors in Ontario homes.



“Since Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman first introduced this bill four years ago, we have lost more Ontarians in tragedies that could have been prevented,” Fedeli said.



“It is distressing that the Wynne Liberals and the NDP would all block this bill despite their public statements about working together.”



This morning, with family member Tom Hawkins from North Bay in the Legislature looking on, Hardeman asked for unanimous consent to call the Hawkins Gignac Act for Second and Third Reading. In the motion he pointed out that the bill had been introduced five times, passed second reading three times and been through committee once.



“I’m very disappointed Tom had to witness that sorry display by the Liberals and NDP today,” said Fedeli.



Hardeman first introduced the Hawkins Gignac Act on December 11, 2008, shortly after Ontario Provincial Police Const. Laurie Hawkins, her husband Richard and their two children, Cassandra and Jordan, died of carbon monoxide poisoning in their Woodstock home. The couple was originally from North Bay, and their deaths touched many in the community.



In 2009 while serving as Mayor of the City of North Bay, Fedeli and his fellow councillors passed a bylaw making it mandatory for all homes in the City that have a fuel-fired appliance to install a carbon monoxide detector.



“Carbon monoxide detectors save lives, and I can’t understand why the Premier would object to a final vote in the House on having a device in people’s homes that could save their lives.”



Carbon monoxide is a leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in Ontario and in Canada. In total, 414 Canadians died of CO poisoning between 2000 and 2007, including 87 in Ontario.

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