Two years of grief and fighting for change

A difficult day for families of Sullivan Mine accident victims

By CAROLYN GRANT
Kimberley Daily Bulletin

Friday, May 16, 2008

It will be two years tomorrow since that dreadful day in 2006 when four people died at the Sullivan Mine in Kimberley.  For George Weitzel, who lost his wife Kim, each anniversary brings it all back again.

“I’ve been thinking about it a lot for the past couple of weeks,” Weitzel said.  “When we get close to the anniversary it just all comes back to me.”

Events this week have made it even more difficult.

“With the helicopter crash, I went in the tank,” he said.  “I know the pain involved for the families.  It’s just horrible.”

But in these two years of grieving there has also been accomplishment.

It began with the families fight to get an inquest into the deaths.

“That’s what enabled us to make changes,” Weitzel said.  “And we would never have gotten the inquest without Jim Ogilvie and the Kimberley Council, Ross Priest and Cranbrook Council, the Ambulance Paramedics Union, the Steelworkers and Norm Macdonald.  Just a lot of people who saw the Chief Mines Inspectors report for the inadequacies it contained.

“As painful as the inquest was, we achieved our goal of improvement in work place safety.  That’s all we were left to do.

“We, the families, are grateful to the Mines Minister for the changes that have been implemented by they would have had more impact if the jury recommendations on inspection and enforcement had been followed.  As it stands, it’s just status quo with no reason for people in the mining industry to change their practices.  That’s a worry.”

Columbia River – Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald offers condolences to the families of Kim Weitzel, Bob Newcombe, Doug Erickson and Shawn Currier.

“I know I speak for everyone here when I say that our thoughts are with the families on what will again be a very difficult day,” said Macdonald in the Legislature.

“On July 9 of last year, a coroner’s inquest was held in Kimberley to determine what happened and to make recommendations that would prevent such a tragedy in the future.  The families and community wanted this, and I’m hopeful it has provided part of what the family needed.  There is no question that it was a difficult process for them.

“Kimberley has consistently shown how special a community it is.  The people of Kimberley have looked out for the victims’ families and joined them not only in grieving but also in the search for truth about what has happened.  The strength of the families has been truly amazing.  They have been resolute and incredibly articulate.

“It’s important to mention the paramedics union and the steelworkers union.  They provided the legal support that allowed the families to fully participate in the inquest, and they also pushed for the inquest, as did the BC Federation of Labour.

“I want to thank the coroner’s jury, the coroner and his staff, who were very professional.  I also want to take this time to thank the MLA for New Westminster and the Minister of Labour for their work. 

“The inquest led to findings which have been put in front of this House with the expectation that they will be acted on.  That has only partially happened.  My commitment to the Sullivan mine families is to see that all recommendations are acted on.  The people have a right to expect those who go to work to come home safely.”

Macdonald was scheduled to meet with the Minister of Mines on Thursday during the estimates process.