February 14, 2012
February is Heart Month
This month is Heart Month, reminding us all to make heart-healthy lifestyle choices to increase the length and the quality of our lives. We all know that eating healthy, exercising regularly and reducing stress can improve our heart health. But did you know that something as simple as stretching can also contribute to cardiovascular fitness? Stretching can increase blood flow and help keep arteries pliable. Regular stretching is particularly important for people like office workers, drivers and equipment operators, who work in positions where they are required to sit for long periods. Celebrate Heart Month at work by working stretch breaks into your regular routine. The WCB’s Let’s Stretch poster can show you how. Click here to download the poster or contact us for a copy. For more information on ways to improve your heart health, visit the Heart and Stroke foundation website www.heartandstroke.com
February 03, 2012
Review of the Workers Compensation Act commences
The Workers Compensation Board (WCB) is pleased to announce that an advisory committee has been established for the 2012 review of Prince Edward Island’s Workers Compensation Act. Every five years, the WCB is required to appoint a Workers Compensation Legislative Review Advisory Committee to ensure the legislation remains responsive to the evolving needs of Island workplaces and balances the interests of workers and employers. The 2012 Advisory Committee will be chaired by Douglas Stanley, former Chief Executive Officer of WorkSafeNB and past Deputy Minister of Labour and Manpower in New Brunswick, with WCB Board members Margaret Stewart and Mike Annear, representing Island worker and employer interests respectively. Mr. Annear also sat on the 2007 Advisory Committee. “We are very pleased that Douglas Stanley has agreed to Chair the Advisory Committee,” said Nancy Guptill, Worker Compensation Board Chair. “With the combination of Mr. Stanley’s vast experience in compensation legislation and the stakeholder interests that are represented on the committee, we are confident that a comprehensive review will take place.” The review is an opportunity for all Islanders to contribute to improvements to the provincial workers compensation system, and the Advisory Committee invites the public and WCB stakeholders to provide input. Feedback on the Workers Compensation Act may be submitted online, or in writing to the Advisory Committee at PO Box 757, Charlottetown, C1A 7L7, or wcactreview@wcb.pe.ca. The Committee also welcomes the opportunity to meet personally with interested parties. The most recent review of the Workers Compensation Act was conducted in 2007, and the 2007 report will be the foundation for the current review. In addition to consultation with Island stakeholders, the review will include an analysis of the 2007 report recommendations within the present context to ensure any legislative amendments are well-balanced and relevant. For more information about the review, visit the Legislative Review section of the Workers Compensation Board website or contact the Workers Compensation Board at 902-368-5680 or 1-800-237-5049.-30-2012 Workers Compensation Legislative Review Advisory Committee Members Douglas Stanley, Q.C., is Chair of the 2012 Advisory Committee and has an extensive background in public policy and compensation legislation. In addition to his ten-year tenure as President/CEO of WorkSafeNB, Mr. Stanley served as Deputy Minister of Labour and Manpower in New Brunswick for six years. He sat on the Ontario Labour Relations Tribunal and was the Chair of the New Brunswick Public Service Labour Relations Board. Mr. Stanley is currently in private legal practice, specializing in dispute settlement, governance and public policy. Margaret Stewart has represented workers on the WCB Board of Directors since 2005. Throughout her career as a high school teacher, she was extensively involved in extra-curricular activities at the school, district, and provincial levels. From 2001-2003, she spoke for teachers provincially and nationally as President of the PEI Teachers' Federation and as a Canadian Teachers' Federation director. Mike Annear has been a Project Manager and Safety Officer with Kings County Construction Ltd for 20 years. He was formerly on the Board of Directors of the PEI Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association and was a member of the 2007 Workers Compensation Legislative Advisory Review Committee. Mr. Annear has served on the Workers Compensation Board since 2008 as Vice-Chair and employer representative.
