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The National Assembly is in the latter stages of passing occupational health and safety legislation, Bill 59. That may sound dry and uninteresting, but much is at stake for working women. The future of equitable access to health and safety programs at work, health protection during pregnancy and rehabilitation after workplace injury are being decided. This in a context where women’s rates of serious injuries have been rising three times faster than men’s, according to a study released recently by the research arm of the CNESST workers’ compensation board.
The new bill does not help. In some ways, it will put women at greater risk, as well as men.