Creating a meaningful strategy to change health policyThe Canadian Cancer Society’s mission is the eradication of cancer and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer. The Society’s Saskatchewan Division works collaboratively with partners to influence social change that will help us reach our mission. The following is a series of comprehensive interconnected steps that were applied with key partners which resulted in the first health policy of its kind in Canada.

Framing the issueAsbestos is the leading cause of industrial cancer deaths in Canada - a third of occupational cancer deaths are caused by asbestos. All forms of asbestos cause cancer and there is no safe level of exposure. From the 1920s to 1990s, asbestos was used as insulation and sound proofing in buildings throughout Canada. During renovations and repairs to older buildings, construction workers, trades people, building maintenance workers and homeowners may be exposed to this deadly substance. If a building contains asbestos, then appropriate action can be taken to protect people from it. Creating a public registry of all buildings containing asbestos is a crucial first step in ensuring Canadians are not exposed to this harmful substance. The registry must be free and easily accessible to the public.

Creating empathy through storytellingBetween 1981 and 2012, Howard Willems worked as a building inspector with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. He was active in his union, advocating for stronger occupational health and safety regulations to protect workers. In 2004 he began working on the asbestos issue that unbeknownst to him, would dramatically impact his own life. In 2010 he helped found the Saskatchewan Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (SADAO) to raise awareness about the dangers of asbestos and the need for a public registry. Howard had just been diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer from inhaling asbestos fibres while at work. Despite his illness, he collaborated with organizations to successfully lobby the federal government to include chrysotile asbestos in the Rotterdam Convention, a global list of hazardous

Howard’s Law

substances. He was also the subject of a national television documentary where he advocated for a federal public asbestos registry. This story helped raise Canadian’s awareness of asbestos in the workplace. Howard died in November 2012 at the age of 59, a week after learning that the Opposition party in Saskatchewan had introduced a private members bill. Bill 604 would make it mandatory for all Saskatchewan government or government regulated buildings that contained asbestos, to be included on an electronic registry accessible to the public.

Actively engaging in changeUpon learning of the Private Members’ Bill, the Society contacted the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) who authored the bill and put us in touch with Howard’s family. The family was still actively involved in SADAO and Howard’s union. The MLA also invited the Society to be at the legislature to speak to the media the next time he raised the issue in the house. The Society also sent a letter to the Minister of Labour urging him and his government to support the bill.

Building capacity and mobilizing supportThe Canadian Cancer Society is skilled at fostering collaboration on shared issues and works collaboratively to achieve improved public policy changes. With support from the family we organized our first meeting with SADAO, Howard’s labour union and the Lung Association of Saskatchewan. Our strategy was to garner as much support as possible by targeting workers who would benefit most from a registry. First responders immediately came to mind as the first people on the scene of any emergency. We contacted the Association of Fire Chiefs, Professional Fire Fighters Association, Association of Police Chiefs and Emergency Medical Services Association. We provided a letter, key messages and encouraged them to write to the Minister of Labour expressing their support. All of them agreed to support the bill. We wrote to community organizations and labour unions. We provided them with a letter that we asked be signed and returned. We then forwarded the letters to the government. We also contacted school boards and health regions to encourage them to voluntarily provide the government with a list of buildings that contain asbestos that can be added to the government’s non-mandatory on-line registry.

Creating key messagesIn order to educate people about the issue, we developed key messages and an asbestos fact sheet so that we all were using the same language. Some examples include: • All forms of asbestos cause cancer and creating a mandatory public registry is a crucial first step to make sure

that Canadians are not exposed to this harmful substance.• In the case of an emergency where a building explodes or collapses, first responders should know ahead of

time if that building contains asbestos. A registry would allow them to easily access potentially life-saving information.

• Most of our schools and healthcare facilities are more than 30 years old which means we can assume they contain asbestos…The workers doing those renovations have a right to know if those buildings contain asbestos as do the students, teachers or healthcare workers…A parent and family members have the right to know whether the school or health care facility has taken the proper steps to ensure the safety of everyone.

Howard’s Law

Developing an online petition – ‘grassroots mobilization’

The Canadian Cancer Society used its data base to develop an online petition which was sent to every donor and Society supporter. It was promoted through our Society newsletter and contact lists. An electronic postcard was also developed and shared. The key to the petition’s success was our decision to frame it around Howard’s story, by referring to the bill not as 604 but as Howard’s Law. Extensive media coverage had raised awareness of Howard’s diagnosis with cancer and had moved many people to want to help. Signing the petition provided people with a way to take action, and help finish what Howard had started. Those who signed the petition were later sent speaking notes and contact information to call their MLA to urge them to vote YES for the bill.

Embracing Opportunities - Society announces new Leadership Award

It was as though the stars were aligned. Right around the same time we began working on getting the bill passed, we learned that the Canadian Cancer Society’s national office was calling for nominations for a new national award, the Impact Award for Leadership in Public Policy. Given Howard’s advocacy nationally and provincially, we felt he deserved to be posthumously recognized for his selfless efforts. Our national awards committee agreed.

At a special ceremony attended by Howard’s family, two cabinet ministers, journalists, and Society staff and volunteers, his stepson and wife accepted the award. Despite their grief, they used the emotional event to ask the public to support the petition for Howard’s Law. The presentation received wide spread media coverage. Within two weeks we had more than 1200 signatures on our petition.

Promoting best practices Prior to the Private Members’ Bill being introduced in the legislature, the government addressed the issue including Howard’s concerns by developing a non-mandatory registry. While the initiative was commendable, we believed it would be ineffective if it was voluntary. Some health regions and school boards did voluntarily submitted information to the registry but it lacked detail and substance. However, it was important that we informed the government each time of the problems associated with a voluntary registry.

Howard’s Law

A registry should include several pieces of information including: the exact location of the asbestos, the condition, when the asbestos was last inspected, potential for disturbance, and recommended action (whether or not the asbestos should be removed).

Media advocacy (earned and paid)Throughout the legislative process, there were several opportunities to to use the media (e.g. award ceremony, online petition launch) which garnered a lot of earned media attention across our province. Howard’s stepson also wrote a piece about Howard which we provided to all weekly newspapers, many of whom chose to print it.

Financial and in kind contributionsThis campaign used minimal dollars to advertise. The approximate financial contributions amounted to $10,000. An important part of the campaign was the many in kind contributions from the partner organizations. Their time, connections and supporters helped to advance the public education and promotion of the petition. Contributions both in kind and financial allowed us to do the following: • through social media (Twitter and Facebook ), we distributed posts to share with our partners • in house development of e-postcards for unions and first responders and health groups to distribute to their

members about signing the petition• on-line Google ad words and click-thru Google ads targeting SK residents 40+• sending out province wide news release• engaging donors and supports through our own Society newsletter• using our data base to email all our supporters • providing speaking notes and contact information to petition supporters to use when speaking to their local

Member of the Legislative Assembly

ResultsIn an extraordinary show of non-partisanship, the government worked with the opposition party and adopted the Private Members’ Bill as a government bill. This was the first time in our legislature’s history. It received unanimous support. Through this strategy we were able to create meaning for the public to get on board and mobilize the government to pass the bill. Also in a rare move, the bill was officially named Howard’s Law.

For more information contact: Donna Ziegler, Director Cancer Control Donna Pasiechnik, Manager, Media & Government RelationsCanadian Cancer Society Canadian Cancer SocietySaskatchewan Division Saskatchewan Divisiondziegler@sk.cancer.ca dpasie@sk.cancer.ca (306) 790-9876 (306) 790-9871

Howard’s Law