According to a Nov. 21 news release, the province’s NDP government has re-established the Advisory Council on Workplace Safety and Health — six years after it was done away with by the then-ruling Conservatives.
The re-forming of the board is “part of [the province’s] ongoing commitment to strengthening protections for workers in Manitoba,” states the release.
Thirteen people have been appointed as council members, including lawyer Johanna Willows, who will be chair.
According to a bio page, Willows is a labour, employment and human rights counsel with the City of Winnipeg. She is also a sessional instructor with the University of Manitoba’s Department of Labour Studies.
Willows was the recipient of the Manitoba Bar Association’s Pro Bono Prize in 2014 and 2016. She has a juris doctor from the University of Ottawa and a degree in philosophy from Concordia University.
Commenting on the council’s rebirth, Manitoba labour and immigration minister Malaya Marcelino said workers deserve “to come home safe at the end of the workday.”
“Re-establishing the [advisory council] is a priority for our government and an important step in strengthening worker protections for Manitobans,” said Marcelino in a statement.
The advisory council was cut by the Progressive Conservatives in 2018.
The current NDP government was elected in 2023.
The council’s duties include advising the labour minister on occupational health and safety issues and reviewing the Workplace Safety and Health Act every five years.
If you have any information, story ideas or news tips for Law360 Canada, please contact Terry Davidson at t.davidson@lexisnexis.ca or 905-415-5899.