Sask. government's poppy protection bill passes
The Saskatchewan government has passed its bill to prevent employers from implementing a poppy ban in the workplace.
Bill 139 The Saskatchewan Remembrance Observance Act was introduced on Wednesday afternoon and received unanimous support, leading to it being passed immediately.
"Our veterans, current and past, have fought for our freedom and peace in Canada," Labour Relations and Workplace Safety Minister Don McMorris said in a news release.
"Providing the right for workers to wear a poppy while in the workplace is a way to honour the sacrifice veterans and their families have made."
When the government announced its intention to create the new law in last week's throne speech, Premier Scott Moe said it was due to complaints from people — including government workers — who weren't allowed to wear a poppy at work.
"Honouring our veterans and what they have done — in giving us the opportunity to A, have a democracy, [and] B, the opportunity to wear any other pin on our … [lapel] at all — that should be recognized and honoured each and every day," Moe said last Wednesday.
"Wearing a poppy and having the right to wear a poppy at your place of work, or anywhere you choose in this province, most certainly, I would say, is significant."
McMorris said the government heard from a couple of employees in recent months who were asked to remove their poppies.
He said in one case, a judge in Estevan asked an employee to remove their poppy. He said the policy had since change. McMorris said another case involved an employee at a store in the southeast was asked to remove their poppy at work.
The law offers exceptions in cases where a poppy poses a health and safety risk to the worker.
Saskatchewan joins Ontario and Manitoba as provinces with similar poppy laws.
"The legislation being proposed would provide all provincially regulated workers with the right to wear a poppy recognized by the Royal Canadian Legion in the workplace from November 1 to 11 annually," the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety said in a news release.
The law will not cover federally regulated workers in places like banks, telecommunications and inter-provincial transportation, the government said.
