Mr. Speaker, the International Association of Fire Fighters is meeting in Ottawa this week which makes this a good time to reflect on the tremendous contribution our firefighters make to the safety and well-being of our communities. They serve the public with distinction and heroism.
Despite their dangerous jobs, the federal government is not doing all that it can to ensure their safety in action. Firefighters have been pleading with the government to take some basic measures to add safety to a very perilous profession, so far to no avail.
They are asking for items that would not only be of personal benefit but would also help to protect their families, friends and communities, items like mandatory notification protocol to inform them when they come into contact with infectious diseases in the line of duty, items like the hazardous material identification process so they will know what kind of dangerous goods may be present at the scene of an accident. These are things that could benefit everyone, firefighters and the public alike.
I call on Parliament to lend its support to ensuring that the people who are entrusted with saving our lives are given the full protection for their lives as well.