The online petition I am sponsoring to exempt the Arva Flour Mill from the provisions of the Canadian Labour Code has now been certified by the Clerk and is available for your signature.

Please sign Petition e-370 (Canada Labour Code) as soon as possible.

I am hoping to present the petition before the House of commons rises for the summer. Once I have presented the petition, the government must respond within 45 days.

You can also print a paper copy of the petition found HERE. Hard copies with original signatures should be mailed to me as soon as possible.

My letter to the Minister of Employment, Workplace Development & Labour:

May 20, 2016

The Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk
Minister of Employment, Workplace Development & Labour
House of Commons
Ottawa ON, K1A 0A6

RE: Arva Flour Mill

Dear Minister,

By now, I am sure you are aware of an issue regarding the Arva Flour Mill, located in my southwestern Ontario riding of Lambton-Kent-Middlesex. Recently, the mill was subject to a routine inspection. The inspectors apparently found a number of violations under the Canadian Labour Code, which falls under the jurisdiction of your Ministry.

Some of the violations require compliance by the end of the month. As it stands now, the Mill’s three employees are not allowed into the Mill, although the owner is free to continue operating the machinery himself. In totality, the owner estimates compliance costs even if possible in a 200-year old building is far beyond the ability of the business to justify or expend.

I have met with the owner of the Mill and spoken by phone with one of the inspectors. Minister, I want to be clear neither the owner nor I have any issue with either the inspectors or the inspection. We appreciate there is good legislation in place – legislation which was enacted for sound reasons. We do not challenge the importance of worker and workplace safety, nor would we challenge the inspectors who we recognize were doing the job they are charged to do.

Rather, I would like to ask that you to consider whether or not the Arva Flour Mill belongs under federal legislation and standards designed for workplaces such as those found in the mining industry. In this regard from my review of the legislative history of the Canadian Labour Code, it would appear the standards were upgraded significantly as a result of the Westray Mine Disaster.

Minister, the Arva Flour Mill is for all intent and purposes today a ‘functioning museum’ and regional tourist attraction. The Mill has operated without a workplace accident for 197 years.

I would invite you to join me in visiting the Mill and seeing the operation for yourself. I would hope you would agree with the many thousands of people who have reached out to me in these last few days in determining that as an operating museum and tourist attraction, the continued operation of the Mill poses little if any risk to worker safety; and further that the public interest would best be served by providing the Arva Flour Mill with an exemption under the CLC.

I can assure you I and the 1000’s of Canadians from across the country would welcome a favourable determination on your part, and on behalf of your government.

Minister, time is of the essence. I would welcome the opportunity to speak with you by phone, or I would be happy to coordinate a meeting with the owner at your earliest opportunity.

Yours truly,

BEV SHIPLEY, M.P.
Lambton-Kent-Middlesex