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May 2013 9 UP CLOSE ALL PROFILING PERSONALITIES WITHIN THE HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMUNITY By Mari-Len De Guzman W hen fi refi ghters rush into a burning building, they go in with one priority: to save lives. Facing danger in the line of duty just comes with the territory. e selfl ess nature of these unsung heroes is what makes people like Alex Forrest — a lieutenant with the Winni- peg Fire Department — want to fi ght for the cause of fi refi ghters. Forrest has been fi ghting the legal battles for thousands of fi refi ghters across Canada since he was called to the bar in 1996. Even before then, the 25-year veteran fi refi ghter has been an advocate through his involvement with the United Firefi ghters of Winnipeg (UFW). Being a lawyer just gives Forrest the ammunition to tackle the issues on behalf of these servicemen. As both a practicing lawyer and fi re- fi ghter, Forrest gets to do the two things he enjoys most. "I have always enjoyed university, and law was a perfect combination with fi re- fi ghting," says Forrest. "One occupation is extremely physical, and law is extremely intellectual. It's a good bal- ance for me." Although he was going to full time law school at the University of Mani- toba, Forrest continued to work in the fi re department. He never le the ser- vice, even a er he was called to the bar and started his private practice in the late 1990s. "I started getting more involved with fi refi ghter issues, and I used my law degree to help my fi refi ghting union career," recalls Forrest. In 1997, Forrest was elected president of the UFW, a year a er he was called to the bar. His private law practice on one hand and his fi refi ghting career on the other, Forrest had his hands full for a while, until he realized one carried more weight to him than the other. He gave up his private practice and dedicated his legal skills to the fi refi ghters' union. "Being a union leader today means you have to be very involved in the legal issues, so I can honestly say I have never given up law, I just stopped practicing in a private fi rm," says Forrest. Cancer coverage One such legal issue was getting workers' compensation coverage — known as presumptive legislation — for cancers linked to fi refi ghting. Presumptive legislation is a provision under workers' compensation law that decrees certain types of cancer as occu- pational disease. Firefighters who develop any of the cancers listed in the legislation would be covered under workers' compensation — even if the disease occurs at a later stage in the fi re- fi ghter's life. "Too many of our fi refi ghters are dying of occupational cancer and they were not properly being compensated. I wanted to change that," says Forrest, who is also the Canadian trustee for the International Association of Firefi ghters (IAFF). In the late 1990s, the fi refi ghters' union noticed a signifi cant number of its members were dying of cancer believed to be linked to the occupation, Forrest recalls. "We had known there were some places in the United States that had rec- ognized occupational cancer as part of professional fi refi ghting, but no place in Canada had any legislation." Forrest knew something needed to be done. Backed by research and armed with his law degree and fi eld experience as a fi refi ghter, Forrest led the union in taking the cause to the legislature, work- ing to get presumptive legislation passed in Manitoba. In 2002, he landed a major win for fi refi ghters when, for the fi rst time in Canada, certain types of cancer were declared compensable under Manitoba's workers' compensation system. "(Occupational cancer is covered) in the same way that if a fi refi ghter was going into a building and the fl oor col- lapsed. If they were hurt they would be looked a er, and if they were subse- quently killed because of that action, their families would receive fi nancial compensation," Forrest explains. Getting presumptive legislation passed in Manitoba was only the fi rst step for Forrest and his group of fi re- fi ghter advocates; for while they may have secured a victory for their broth- ers in the province, hundreds were facing the same ordeal in other parts of the country. In his national role as Canadian trustee for the IAFF, Forrest goes on a mission to get the rest of Canada UP onboard with presumptive legislation. e political element became one of the biggest challenges, he says. "It's always hard to get any province to be the fi rst (in passing legislation) because basically, politics is a very conservative element," says Forrest. " ey don't want to be the fi rst because they aren't sure what the repercussions were." Despite the political challenges, fate and sci- ence were on the firefighters' side as research around fi refi ght- ing-related cancers started to increase, fueling the argument for presump- tive legislation. e types of cancer covered under the legislation also increased from 5 to 15. It also now covers heart attack if it occurs within 24 hours a er an emergency response. To date, eight provinces and two territories have adopted the legislation — British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatch- ewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, North- west Territories and the Yukon — covering 80 per cent of fi refi ghters in Canada. Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland are getting close to pass- ing presumptive legislation, according to Forrest. Since Canada started embracing pre- sumptive legislation, other countries have started to take up the issue as well, and Forrest has been a signifi cant part of the process — helping Australia become the third country in the world to pass presumptive legislation (U.S. and Canada are the fi rst two). Sweden and Finland and other parts of Europe have also started the process for pre- sumptive legislation. " is whole issue of presumptive leg- islation is still in its infancy," says Forrest. " ere are thousands of fi re- fi ghters around the world that are dying of occupational cancer and are not for- tunate to live in Canada and the United States or Australia." "Firefi ghters are fi ghting the same fi res, dealing with the same cancer- causing agents and are dying, and they are not being recognized by their governments." Fighting politics Forrest has been serving his country long before he became a fi refi ghter. He enlisted with the Canadian Forces when he was 17. ree years later, he was hon- ourably discharged and went back to school at the University of Winnipeg where he gained his bachelor of arts. He worked briefl y at the RCMP, before he fi nally found his true calling at the Win- nipeg Fire Department. e discipline that came with serving in the military and the RCMP perhaps helped hone Forrest's skills in dealing with the politics involved in pursuing the fi refi ghters' agenda. " e one thing I have learned is that fi refi ghters have to be politically involved," says Forrest. " ey have to be active in the community politically. We can't aff ord to leave the politics alone because politics doesn't leave fi refi ghters alone." "Every decision — in regards to safety, the number of fi refi ghters on the street, our personal protective equipment — comes down to political decisions." His work with presumptive legislation is not over — and takes up a good chunk of his time — but Forrest's other respon- sibilities with the UFW and the IAFF keep him occupied. Many people commend Forrest for his accomplishments for fi refi ghters, but he is always mindful and thankful of all the people who helped him along the way — especially those who have been diag- nosed with cancer and helped him give voice and face to the cause. Alex Forrest, President United Firefi ghters of Winnipeg UP CLOSE legislation. me one of ys. any in e