Alberta premier posts letter on Facebook to address farm bill protests

Premier Rachel Notley
(Photo from Notley’s official Facebook account)

EDMONTON—Premier Rachel Notley has posted an open letter on social media that tries to address concerns that have been expressed over the government’s proposed farm safety legislation.

Notley says Bill 6 was introduced to help prevent deaths and injuries on farms and to give workers the same rights as other employees in the province.

She says the legislation would not interfere with a family’s ability to teach its children about farming, to have them do chores or to accept help from neighbours.

Notley says the law would not require parents to register children for workers’ compensation or regulate how farmers operated their households.

The premier says it was a mistake not to include that information in the bill and her government will soon introduce an amendment to change that.

Notley says she takes responsibility for the miscommunication.

“It was a mistake that our intentions and these limitations were not included in the text of the bill,” Notley wrote in the Facebook message posted Friday.

“Between what was explicitly stated and what was intended, fear and miscommunication has filled the gap. I take responsibility for that.”

Notley’s letter follows a week of angry protests by farmers and their supporters, including rallies at the legislature. On Friday, protesters gathered in front of McDougall Centre, the government’s office in Calgary, and more unhappy farmers showed up at a public consultation meeting in Medicine Hat.

The National Farmers Union issued a statement Friday in support of Bill 6.

“By requiring farms that have one or more paid employees to carry workers’ compensation, the new law will ensure that both farmers and farm workers are protected,” it said.

“Farmers will not be vulnerable to lawsuits if a worker is injured on their farm.”

The legislation calls for injury compensation benefits and occupational health and safety rules for 60,000 farm and ranch workers across Alberta.

It also introduces workplace standards on commercial aspects of farming as well as the right for workers to bargain collectively.

Farmers and some opposition leaders have argued the bill is trying to do too much too fast, threatens the viability of family farms and could rip apart the cultural fabric of rural life.

They are asking Notley to pull it pending further consultation.