There are a few things.
It's passingly ironic that this is a Bloc amendment. We just got rid of national standards to recognize cancers linked to firefighting. He just withdrew his own amendment for establishing a list of cancers linked to firefighting that should be recognized as occupational diseases so we have a national thing.
Now we're dealing with a proposed amendment that would force the federal government to recognize occupational diseases even in provinces where it's not done. I can't understand what the logic is of these amendments.
I'll be voting against this, and my main problem is twofold. One is that it is unintelligible, at least in English. It says:
(g) review the eligibility criteria of the Memorial Grant Program for First Responders to make applicants eligible for it even if the disease that caused the death is not recognized as an occupational disease following established provincial practices.
With respect, I don't even know what that means. More importantly, nothing prevents the federal government, under the memorial grant program for first responders, from establishing the broadest list possible, which I would hope they do. They should take up the best and most science-based list in the country, and every firefighter and their family should qualify for a memorial grant based on the widest list of cancers recognized in the country as occupational diseases.
I think it's not necessary, but I support the sentiment of my colleague, which is to make sure that firefighters and their families get a memorial grant program with the widest possible criteria.