On the most advanced list, I would mention the Province of Manitoba and some of the new changes in Nova Scotia, as well as Newfoundland and Labrador and the Yukon. They are leading the way. There is still work to be done because a lot of the latency periods that were applied were initially applied when the presumptive cancers were first established, based mostly on epigenetic research.
For instance, my cancer was not recognized. However, if I were in about 20 or so U.S. states, I would have almost three times the number of years of service required to be recognized. I fell short with my cancer, so it's not just about the number of cancers but about the latency and other disqualifying factors. For instance, there are 23 chemicals shared between cigarette smoke and smoke from residential fires; they're analogues of each other. Smoking can disqualify certain members from claiming for cancers they acquired from their job exposures.
With respect to the question on funding research and prevention, the IAFF has stood up a whole department on that. Our members know the value. We have skin in the game. We have locals who don't even make $15 an hour who are taking money out of their pockets for us to pay for research. That's why I commend all of you for supporting this bill, because it shows that you're standing alongside firefighters in this effort.