By Patrick Book

Asbestos registry legislation introduced in Saskatchewan

Mar 15, 2013 | 11:42 AM

A two-year fight that ended with a Regina man's death will not be in vain.

On Thursday, the provincial government committed to passing an NDP-drafted bill that would create a registry of public buildings containing asbestos.

The legislation came about as a result of two years of lobbying by Howard Willems, a former building inspector who died last November. After more than three decades of working inside buildings that used asbestos in construction materials, he contracted mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer brought on by the inhalation of asbestos.

Members of Willem's family were in the Legislature for Question Period Thursday morning, introduced as guests of the NDP and welcomed by the government. They watched as labour minister Don Morgan pledged government support for Bill 604.

“After giving it careful consideration we feel there are some very positive aspects of the bill and therefore members of the government will be supporting it,” he explained.

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The government had created a voluntary registry last year after the NDP brought Willems and his story to the Legislature. On Thursday, Morgan said it will become mandatory for public buildings, including health region and public school board facilities.

“The more buildings the better,” he told reporters after Question Period had concluded. He said after seeing the extensive information brought forward by the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region, which included where in specific buildings the asbestos is located and in what form it's present, he feels the bill needs to have more teeth.

“The bill doesn't require any detail at all,” he explained. “So we think we've looked at, and using Regina Qu'Appelle as an example, that would be the kind of detail we would want provided.”

To that end, the bill will go to the committee level so that it can be strengthened and the requirements increased.

“It's a wonderful tribute to the hard work that Howard did,” Jesse Todd, Willems' stepson insisted. “He started this fight just over two years ago and he was working so hard at it up until his passing.”

“Hopefully in the future it will prevent any further exposure to other construction workers, emergency workers, or the general citizens of Saskatchewan.”

Todd, who is the chair of the Saskatchewan Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, conceded that their work isn't done yet. He says the organization, along with the Canadian Cancer Society and the Lung Association, have collected almost 1,200 signatures of support for the mandatory registry. He also says he plans to keep a close eye on the committee proceedings until the bill is made official.

The government expects the legislation will pass this spring.

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