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Act Now - The Report of the WCB Legislative Review Panel to the

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Recommendations: 3.1.1 <strong>The</strong> Purpose <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Act</strong>s1. <strong>The</strong> legislation should be amended <strong>to</strong> include a statement <strong>of</strong> purpose that describes<strong>the</strong> intent <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> legislation and provides direction on its administration.2. <strong>The</strong> statement <strong>of</strong> purpose should include <strong>the</strong> following elements:a) <strong>The</strong> ultimate public policy objective is safe workplaces and safe work practices asgoverned by <strong>the</strong> Safety <strong>Act</strong>s and Mine Health and Safety <strong>Act</strong>s.b) Even with <strong>the</strong> best <strong>of</strong> intentions, work-related accidents happen, or workersacquire industrial diseases.c) To address <strong>the</strong> impact on injured workers and <strong>the</strong>ir dependants, <strong>the</strong>re exists a n<strong>of</strong>ault system <strong>of</strong> compensating injured workers and <strong>the</strong> dependants <strong>of</strong> deceasedworkers.d) Compensation is available <strong>to</strong>:(i) get an injured worker back <strong>to</strong> work that <strong>the</strong>y are able and capable <strong>of</strong>performing;(ii) mitigate <strong>the</strong> effects <strong>of</strong> a work-related injury or disease on <strong>the</strong> worker’squality <strong>of</strong> life through compensation; and(iii) provide for <strong>the</strong> dependants <strong>of</strong> deceased workers.e) Compensation includes financial, medical, and vocational rehabilitationcompensation.f) <strong>The</strong> legislation shall be administered with a presumption in favour <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> injuredworker and by applying <strong>the</strong> principles <strong>of</strong> natural justice.g) <strong>The</strong> Accident Fund, which provides for <strong>the</strong> compensation system, must besustained in a manner that recognizes risk and safe work practices.Recommendations: 3.1.2 Definition <strong>of</strong> Worker1. <strong>The</strong> legislation should be amended <strong>to</strong> include reference <strong>to</strong> an employmentrelationship. Ontario’s legislation should be considered in this regard.2. <strong>The</strong> legislation should be amended <strong>to</strong> consolidate <strong>the</strong> definition <strong>of</strong> a worker so that allinclusions and exclusions are found in <strong>the</strong> same section.<strong>WCB</strong> <strong>Legislative</strong> <strong>Review</strong> <strong>Panel</strong> <strong>Report</strong> Page 109 <strong>of</strong> 128December, 2001

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