Hardeman hangs tough on CO detectors
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Five years.
An election.
Two prorogations.
Five reintroductions.
Three readings.
And finally, passage November 27, and royal assent, December 12th, 2103.
"We're very elated we got the bill passed, finally," said Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman Tuesday morning at Tillsonburg's fire hall.
To say Hardeman is a determined man who hung tough with his private member's bill, ultimately passed as the Hawkins-Gignac Act, would be an understatement.
"He had to be," credited South West Oxford Mayor David Mayberry, also present Tuesday. "A private member's bill doesn't happen unless you're prepared to put your nose to the grindstone and keep it there."
Mayberry, happy to claim Hardeman as a 'South West Oxford-ite', cited the MPP's history as a volunteer firefighter and also his work ethic developed and displayed in the feed business, an ability to 'slug his way through' as contributing factors.
"Ernie was never a guy who didn't go to work," said Mayberry.
"Congratulations to Ernie Hardeman for his persistence in bringing this to the forefront in the legislature," added Tillsonburg Mayor John Lessif. "I think this is an example of a good thing happening around the province of Ontario."
Accolades were universal - and justified - but Oxford's veteran MPP was on hand seeking public attention for a crusade to place carbon monoxide detectors in all Ontario residential units, rather than personal praise.
Laurie Hawkins was a dedicated and popular Oxford County OPP constable, well known for her work as a community services officer. A plugged exhaust vent in a fireplace led to the tragic death of Hawkins, husband Richard and their children Cassandra (14) and Jordan (12) in late fall, 2008 from CO poisoning.
In the aftermath of their passing, Hardeman introduced an opposition private member's bill requiring mandatory use of CO detectors in residential buildings. With considerable persistence, Hardeman's post-humous tribute to the family (Laurie's maiden name was Gignac) and functional response to a silent killer statistics indicate claimed the lives of 250 Ontarians (excluding suicides) across the past 15 years has passed. Its full implementation will include government-established standards for CO detectors.
Five years has been far too long, said Hardeman Tuesday. "They (CO detectors) could have been doing a lot of good in the meantime."
Hardeman credited Laurie's uncle John Gignac's formation of the Hawkins-Gignac foundation to raise public awareness of the dangers of CO, and ongoing family dedication to its efforts, as personal inspiration and motivation.
"I think it was that pressure that made me stick with it," Hardeman credited.
If there has been a positive to the battle's drawn-out nature, it has been the publicity generated for a worthy cause, and awareness raised.
"That has been a plus in the whole thing," said Hardeman, noting far more people have detectors today than five years ago. "That's really what it's all about."
His visit to Tillsonburg was intended to continue raising public awareness to the dangers of an odourless, tasteless killer, as well as practical in the sense 96 CO detectors courtesy of the Insurance Bureau of Canada were also in attendance, 48 apiece for fire services in Tillsonburg and SWOX.
The bureau's Doug DeRabbie praised Hardeman for his leadership and persistence on an important issue.
"His dedication has been phenomenal," said DeRabbie. "I just can't thank Ernie enough for his dedication on this."
DeRabbie and Hardeman were scheduled to make a subsequent stop in Ingersoll, dropping off another 48 detectors, a total contribution of around $7,500, and part of over 1,000 provided by the bureau to fire departments in the past year. DeRabbie noted the importance of the issue, and raising public awareness about the dangers of CO poisoning.
"We'll continue to work with Ernie and other stakeholders," he promised.
Tillsonburg Fire Chief Jeff Smith said early detection is the key to preventing CO poisoning, in the same manner in which smoke detectors provide an early warning of fire. The department already has a program which temporarily provides residents without smoke detectors 'loaners' until they are able to acquire their own. Smith sees the new arrivals as a welcome addition to that effort.
"We'll add the CO detectors into the loaner program."