Brother of deceased radio station intern hopes new bill will prevent abuse –
By Terry Pedwell / The Canadian Press
June 16, 2014
OTTAWA – The Harper government is taking a look at an NDP bill aimed at ending the exploitation of unpaid interns in Canada, but wouldn’t say Monday whether it plans to support the move or bring in legislation of its own.
“We are currently reviewing the bill’s proposals and we won’t be able to comment until that review is complete,” a spokesman for Labour Minister Kellie Leitch said after the bill was introduced in the House of Commons.
If passed, the bill would cap the number of hours an intern can work for federally regulated employers and grant interns the right to refuse dangerous work. It would also set conditions for the use of interns and provide protection from sexual harassment.
“Our government is committed to keeping Canadian workplaces safe, fair and productive,” Leitch’s press secretary Andrew McGrath said in an email.
Matt Ferguson, whose 22-year-old brother Andy died in a head-on collision in 2011 after working excessive hours as an unpaid intern at an Edmonton radio station, called the bill a move in the right direction.
– Read more HERE
Related Story from Puget Sound Radio HERE
None of the stories about the Andy Ferguson case say whether his family sued Bell (or I guess Astral at the time) over Ferguson’s death. I’m wondering if anyone knows if this happened.?Thanks.
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