Mr. Gerry Martiniuk (Cambridge): I’m pleased to introduce my private member’s bill that protects reserve soldiers’ civilian jobs. This bill would amend the Employment Standards Act in order to protect the civilian jobs of Canadian Forces reservists who volunteer for active service. Upon their return to their civilian jobs, reservists would receive the same salary, benefits and seniority status they would have attained had they remained in their civilian employment. While Canadian employers are encouraged to adopt policies concerning leave for military service, there is no legislation in Ontario that offers job protection to reservists willing to commit to a tour of duty.

The Canadian Forces currently has a reserve force of 25,000 members. I ask all of you in the Legislature to support my private member’s bill and offer a measure of job security to the members of the Canadian reserve forces. It is time that Canadian reservists’ contributions to world peace are recognized by the people of Ontario.