20 Year Anniversary of Westray Disaster, Launch of Campaign to Put Legislation into Practice

WHAT: Honouring those who fell at Westray and renewing commitment to the resulting legislation.

WHO:  Hon. Peter MacKay
Ken Neumann, United Steelworkers' National Director
Megan Leslie, NDP Deputy House Leader
Westray survivor Vernon Theriault

WHERE: Parliament Hill, Centre Block, Room 130S

WHEN: May 8, 2012,    9:00 A.M.

OTTAWA, May 7, 2012 /CNW/ - The 20th Anniversary of the Westray Coal mine explosion in 1992 is being recognized in a news conference on Tuesday, May 8, in Room 130S of the Centre Block on Parliament Hill.

The United Steelworkers (USW), together with the Honourable Peter MacKay, NDP Deputy Leader Megan Leslie and Vernon Theriault, a former employee of the Westray mine and a statement from the families of those fallen, will be available to journalists at 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 8, to remember the explosion 20 years ago that led to landmark changes to the Criminal Code of Canada.

USW National Director Ken Neumann will discuss commemoration events and how the changes to the Criminal Code have failed to be fully implemented in the eight years since a unanimous vote in the House of Commons to make corporations, their directors and executives criminally accountable for workplace health and safety.

Mr. MacKay, whose riding of Central Nova is home to the Westray memorial on the site of the infamous mine, was instrumental in building all-party support for Bill C-45, the "Westray Bill" in 2003.

Ms. Leslie is the NDP Member of Parliament for Halifax, the same riding that was represented by former NDP Leader Alexa McDonough also instrumental in the Bill's passage.

Mr. Theriault was an employee at Westray in 1992 and part of the rescue and recovery effort that ended when the company called it off, leaving 11 of the 26 miners' bodies underground. Mr. Theriault was given the Medal of Bravery by then Prime Minister Jean Chretien and was one of several rank-and-file members of the United Steelworkers who lobbied for years for the Criminal Code changes that will forever be linked to Westray.

A statement will be read from family members of those who died on May 9, 1992.

Ken Neumann, USW National Director, 416.544.5951
Pat Van Horne, USW Legislative Representative, 613.859.1763
Bob Gallagher, USW Communications, [email protected], 416.434.2221