The 7th Prairie Region Health and Safety Conference was held December 1 – December 3, 2023 at the Hilton Garden Inn East Village in Calgary, Alberta. There were a total of 56 participants from throughout the prairies in attendance. Over three days, attendees participated in a variety of discussions involving key issues identified in the Prairie region, with the input and participation of the Prairie Regional Health and Safety Committee representatives and REVP Marianne Hladun. To compliment the lively discussions there were a number of knowledgeable and experienced PSAC staff on hand to facilitate at the conference, enriching the experience for all.
The conference wrapped with a discussion on the Prairie region’s direction on Health and Safety initiatives for the next three years, through political action, campaigns, and education opportunities.
Attendees also participated in an opportunity to mobilize on the Canada Life fiasco and discuss the significant impact that the change has had on members. Additionally, participants discussed the need to support the work of communities finding missing and murdered Indigenous women and children.
Below is a list of the plenary and workshop sessions, along with the resources used and cited for those discussions;
Occupational Health and Safety Committees- Andrea Peart & Denis St-Jean (link to committees pres)
Trauma Informed Response– Dolly Ablitt and Clint Wirth (powerpoint presentation slides, self care checklist, and trauma informed checklist, handout things that will help you hold space for someone)
Gender Gap in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)- Clint Wirth (Anya Keefe slides)
Workshop- Duty to Accommodate– Jackie Pierre (attached DTA slides, DTA guide, DTA participant handouts)
Workshop- Shift Work as a Health and Safety Issue- Anne-Marie Grondin https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/ergonomics/shiftwrk.html
Workshop- Climate Change as a Workplace issue- Andrea Peart & Denis St-Jean (attached climate change guide) link here
WCB and the Adjudication of Psychological Injuries- Clint Wirth (link here)
Linktree provided to participants https://linktr.ee/PSACOHSCONFERENCE2023?utm_source=linktree_admin_share
Link to MMIWG2S+ campaign https://sockrocket.ca/products/red-dress-socks
Link to pictures from the