Macdonald wants action from Mines

By CAROLYN GRANT

Kimberley Daily Bulletin

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

In the mind of Columbia River – Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald the Ministry of Mines has had ample time to implement the recommendations brought forward during the Sullivan Mine Inquest last July.

Macdonald plans to take his first opportunity to speak in the Legislature this session – which will be in response to the Budget – to push the Minister of Mines for more concrete answers than what has been provided thus far.

“What we’ve been told so far is that there is a review underway that touches almost all the recommendations under the Mines Act,” Macdonald said.  “They’ve promised a number of things.  Now we need to see them in the code.  One of the recommendations is to meet or exceed WCB standards for confined spaces.  We’ve been told that there will be a revised code; that there will be more inspections.  We need to see concrete actions.  There’s no time line for when any of these revisions will be implemented.

“That’s what I want to remind the Minister when I speak in the Legislature.  We are watching closely to see if there will be answers this session.

“It happens a lot.  Promises are made and before you know it the session is done.  So I wanted to take the first opportunity to remind them that we want to see the changes recommended in the Inquest.”

Macdonald also said that he still had some questions around the recently announced Ambulance Service actions around the Inquest recommendations.

I need to understand better their explanation around oxygen sensors – why they won’t be supplying them.  I need a full explanation.  Is it just a cost issue?  We need to push for full implementation of the recommendations.  It they are not going to follow them, I need to hear a convincing argument.”