Man who lost family wants CO detectors to be mandatory

A man who lost four family members to carbon monoxide poisoning is urging the governing Liberals to pass legislation that would make CO detectors mandatory in all homes in Ontario.

There are only a few weeks left to support the private member's bill before the legislature shuts down for the summer, said John Gignac, a former firefighter and fire captain in Brantford, Ont.

His niece, Laurie Hawkins, died in 2008 along her husband Richard and two children Cassandra and Jordan after a blocked chimney allowed carbon monoxide to seep into their home. They didn't have a CO detector.

Gignac has worked since then to warn Canadians about the dangers of the "silent killer."

He said he's frustrated that the bill, introduced by Conservative Ernie Hardeman, has been delayed so many times. Private member's bills rarely become law, unless they gain the support of the government.

"For the protection of all people in Ontario, we are urging our government to please do the right thing and pass Bill 69 into law before June 2," Gignac said.

"I can feel Laurie tapping me on the shoulders and saying, 'John, keep pushing forward. Let's get this bill done."'

Health Canada says carbon monoxide is colourless, odourless and tasteless, and hard to spot without a detector.

Frank Lamie, director of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs, said having a detector makes all the difference.

"Carbon monoxide will kill you faster than any other gas that's normally in everyday homes," said Lamie, who is also deputy chief of fire prevention and public education with Toronto Fire Services.

It's produced by gas lawnmowers, automobiles and fuel-fired appliances that aren't vented properly, he said.

"If that fills your home, you're not going to get out alive unless you have an alarm," Lamie said.

This is Hardeman's second try at making carbon monoxide detectors mandatory in all Ontario homes.

He introduced the current bill a year ago, after a previous version died when the legislature prorogued in March 2010. That bill received all party support before it died on the order paper.

"Getting it passed should be a no-brainer," said Gignac. "Twice, it was approved by all parties. Yet it remains stalled even after unanimously passing second reading last December."

Hardeman said shares Gignac's frustration that the bill is languishing in a "political process" when it could save lives.

"Meanwhile, deaths are occurring because there's no way of detecting CO concentrations in the house that are lethal," he said.

Liberal House Leader Monique Smith said the bill is expected to be discussed Wednesday at a meeting with her Conservative and New Democrat counterparts.

All three house leaders usually meet to discuss bills that the opposition parties wish to bring forward, Smith said.

"I think there is some work to be done on this particular bill in committee," said Smith, who represents a North Bay riding.

"Personally, I support moving forward with the bill, but we wait for the Conservatives to bring it forward as their priority."

Gignac said no province has made carbon monoxide detectors mandatory in all residences, but more than 30 states have passed similar laws and Australia is considering doing the same thing.