Thirty-six health care workers received compensation through WorkSafeBC in 2023 after being exposed to substances of various kinds, including drugs.

B.C. Labour Minister Harry Bains revealed that figure Tuesday (April 9) while answering questions about his ministry香蕉视频直播檚 budget.

香蕉视频直播淪o 36 health care workers, which include nurses, had time-loss claims accepted for exposure, a number of exposures that include tobacco, medications or even drugs and 14 of these workers were nurses,香蕉视频直播� Bains said in response to questions from B.C. United香蕉视频直播檚 Greg Kyllo.

Starting last week with a leaked memo, parts of the political opposition have accused the B.C. NDP of ignoring the safety of health care workers in calling for an end of decriminalization. These calls have cited several anonymous reports of nurses being exposed to illicit substances and open drug dealing in hospitals. According to one such report, a nurse was told not to breastfeed her infant as a precaution after being exposed to smoke following her return from maternity leave.

The subject has dominated Question Period during recent days and did again on Thursday when B.C. United香蕉视频直播檚 MLA Shirley Bond raised it.

香蕉视频直播淚t takes courage for nurses in British Columbia to stand up, and they are standing up every single day and telling this premier and this minister that they do not feel safe in the hospitals of British Columbia,香蕉视频直播� Bond said. 香蕉视频直播淲hat do we hear in here? 香蕉视频直播極h, don香蕉视频直播檛 worry about it. It香蕉视频直播檚 not allowed.香蕉视频直播� Well, it may not be allowed, but nurses are tired of the lack of action of this premier (David Eby) and (Health Minister Adrian Dix) and it is embarrassing that they stand up every day and dismiss stories like this one.香蕉视频直播�

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Dix disagreed.

香蕉视频直播淲e know that we need stronger security in our health care system,香蕉视频直播� he said during his exchange with Bond. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 why, listening to nurses, and listening to the (Health Employers香蕉视频直播� Union), and listening to health science professionals, we added 320 regional security officers. This is a contrast to a government that downgraded and privatized security. We are committed to working, supporting, protecting and every day doing the work required to make our health care system better by working with nurses, and we香蕉视频直播檒l continue to do so.香蕉视频直播�

Conservative Party of B.C. Leader John Rustad, meanwhile, questioned B.C. decriminalization process, asking why a worker in a government-funded supportive housing project in Victoria had to wear a gas mask 香蕉视频直播渂ecause of the amount of drug fumes.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚t is not normal for people to be exposed to dangerous fumes in the workplace,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淲e should not accept open drug use. We should not be accepting drug-fuelled violence, toxic fumes, and this should not be the new normal.香蕉视频直播�

Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said the building in question is older with poor circulation. But the building also houses vulnerable individuals and enforcement of its strict no-smoking-indoor policy would force residents onto the streets.

Kahlon said government is moving all the residents to a new building with better circulation to not only protect workers but also tenants. He also accused the Conservatives of being blind to issues of addiction among people living in shelters and scoring political points off them.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 easy to punch down on the most vulnerable people,香蕉视频直播� Kahlon said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 easy to punch down on homeless people.香蕉视频直播�