Farmers upset over Bill 6 stage protest at Alberta Legislature

A few dozen farmers and ranchers came to the Alberta Legislature Friday to protest the province's new farm safety bill, arguing it's at odds with their rural way of life.

If Bill 6 is passed into law, Alberta farmand ranch workerswould no longer beexcludedfrom Occupational Health and Safety protection a right alreadyheld by agricultural employeesin every other province in Canada.

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The Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act would also force the agricultural sector to provide minimum wage, vacation payand Worker Compensation Board coverage.

There are now almost15,000 names on a petition against the bill.

Jocelyn Nave, who operates a small farm near the village of Delia, Alta., about 200 kilometres northeast of Calgary, says what the new rules classify as unpaid labour is really just neighbours helping neighbours.

She says the way the bill is written is in direct conflict with the farming lifestyle.

"I farm for my children and the lifestyle of farming. And this does not allow us to continue on the way we always have. And quite frankly that is the most important part of farming, the way your family is involved."

Bill 6 unfair to children, rancher says

Clint Lewing, a rancher in Leduc County, says the legislation would limit the time children can spend doing chores on the farm a move he says could result in more accidents.

"When you introduce these kids at a very young age to the equipment, to the animals, having them raised into that lifestyle, that's a huge reason why there are so few incidents," he told CBC News.

The proposed regulations would also be unfair to kids enrolled in 4H programs.

"That's their recreation, that's what they do for fun," he said.

"This is their hockey practice, this is their dance class. They're taking that away from those kids."

Town halls

The province is holding town halls regarding the bill in rural communities across Alberta before Christmas.

But critics say those sessions will come too late if the government passes the bill before Dec. 3 the last day of the fall sitting.

Foothills Conservative MP JohnBarlowis calling on the province to relocate planned information sessions inLethbridgeandOkotoksto larger venues so that more farmers and ranchers can participate.

"Farmsafetyisimportantandaprovincewidedialoguetoimproveitiswelcome,butAlbertaproducers needtobeabletocontributetoproposedlegislativechangestoensuretheyreflecttherealitiesoffarm life," he said in a release.

In light of the backlash, Jobs, Skills,Training and Labour Minister LoriSigurdsonsays the province may extendthe consultation period

Another protest is planned for Monday in Red Deer, Nave says.