Cariboo-Prince George MP Todd Doherty has introduced a private member’s bill to the House of Commons regarding assaults against health-care professionals and first responders.
“This piece of legislation, if passed, will amend the Criminal Code to consider an assault against a nurse, paramedic, firefighter, or other frontline healthcare staff an aggravating circumstance during the sentencing of the perpetrator of the assault,” Doherty said in a statement. “While providing essential care to our communities, our frontline heroes are assaulted, belittled, and are forced to confront a growing epidemic of violence. We need to work together, to ensure all nurses, paramedics, firefighters, and other frontline staff are safe at work.”
According to the Canadian Federation of Nurses Union, 61% of nurses reported a serious problem with violence over a recent 12-month period and two-thirds considered leaving their jobs as a result. Nearly half of nurses (46.4%) reported exposure to physical assault 11 or more times.
In 2018, Doherty saw his private member’s bill for federal support for first responders suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder approved with support from all three major political parties. In late 2020, his private member’s bill to create a national 988 suicide prevention hotline was approved in the House of Commons.
