[SARA-Members] UPDATE - MEETING WITH THE MINISTER

[Monica Ahlstrom]

SAR Alberta Board Meeting Update October 26, 2009

Attendees

Minister of Municipal Affairs Ray Danyluk

Executive Assistant to the Minister Ethan Baynes

Managing Director AEMA David Hodgins

SAR Alberta President Monica Ahlstrom

SAR Alberta Vice President Don Drebert

SARVAC President Harry Blackmore

The outcomes of the meeting this morning with Minister Danyluk are as
follows:

1.      The government will buy the insurance this year, which will run
until September 2010 which will allow all the options for a more permanent
solution to be explored. Options could include national insurance coverage
with the SARVAC insurance, paid for by the federal government or by both
federal and provincial partners, provincial legislation similar to that
being put in place to protect firefighters or a combination of legislation
and insurance. Minister Danyluk announced he will be putting the insurance
in place, to the Legislature this morning, following our meeting. 

 

2.      Minister Danyluk asked Harry Blackmore to talk to Algoma to see if
they will give the government a pro-rated rate for the remainder of the year
on the insurance- Harry will be getting back to the Minister by next week. 

 

3.	Minister Danyluk has met and will be meeting again with the federal
Minister of Public Safety Van Loan to discuss the issue nationally. Danyluk
is also Chair of a meeting in January with all the provincial Ministers
attending and this issue will be on the table. 

 

4.	The issue of communication between the Minister's office and SAR
Alberta was also brought up - it was made clear that SAR Alberta can call
directly to the Minister's office and will be working with the Minister's
Executive Assistant Ethan Baynes on the insurance issue. 

 

5.	AEMA Managing Director David Hodgins is meeting with Monica Ahlstrom
this week to discuss improving the lines of communications with AEMA -
Executive Director of Operations Colin Lloyd has also requested a meeting. 

 RCMP

 

          Don Drebert and Monica Ahlstrom met with Mike Self and Al Fraser
from RCMP "K" division in the afternoon and discussed the insurance issue
and the consensus is that there are gaps in coverage, and that the proposed
solution will close all of the gaps and protect the membership. There will
be a follow up report from Don and Monica in more detail surrounding the
RCMP,s involvement as a major stakeholder 

 

          The RCMP stated that they will come to the table in support of SAR
Alberta and recognize they are a key stakeholder in discussions that need to
happen between SAR Alberta, AEMA and the police.

 

 

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