Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 18, 2015, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A4 A 4 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, SATURDAY, JULY 18, 2015 TOP NEWS winnipegfreepress. com Attention Boaters Remember that safety is a shared responsibility between people enjoying our waters and the agencies that regulate them. As a responsible boater: .. File your sail plan with a responsible person. .. Check the weather forecast before you leave shore. .. .......... .. .................................. .................... .... ................ ................ ............ .......... of the right size, for each person on board. .. Have the required safety equipment on board . Your equipment must be: .. Easy to reach .. In good working order, maintained and replaced according to manufacturer's recommendations .. Carry your pleasure craft licence on board. .. Carry your proof of competency while operating any motor driven vessel. To prepare for your next trip or to get the latest version of the Safe Boating Guide, visit our website: www. tc. gc. ca/ boatingsafety. 892 Sargent Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3E 0C7 ( 204) 984- 1675 pat. martin. c1@ parl. gc. ca www. patmartin. ca Wishing Everyone A Safe And Happy Summer. If someone you know has Alzheimer's disease or another dementia, we're here to help. Call 204- 943- 6622 or 1- 800- 378- 6699 or visit us online at alzheimer. mb. ca WINNIPEG lawyer Maria Mitousis says her " belief in the inherent goodness of people" has been strengthened despite suffering serious injuries in a targeted bomb blast. Mitousis, 38, released her first direct public comments on Friday, two weeks after the explosion rocked her River Avenue law office. She posted a lengthy update on her public Facebook page saying she's been released from hospital and is recovering at home. " Many dear to me have suffered: my colleagues, my family, my friends, my clients. I have suffered, too. But I know, from what I've seen over these two weeks, that the acts of violence we experienced need not carry on with us as we recover from what happened," Mitousis wrote. Guido Amsel was charged with numerous offences, including attempted murder, for allegedly sending bombs through Canada Post. A FTER a harrowing week of bomb scares, the postal workers union in Winnipeg says Canada Post did not do its due diligence to keep postal workers safe. More than 60 workers walked off the job, saying they fear for their safety after three bombs were sent through the mail, their union said. The union said the Crown corporation refuses to pay the workers for the time they took off, because they didn't follow proper protocol. Dave Lambert, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers local health and safety officer, said at least 64 postal workers left the processing plant near the Richardson International Airport due to " their heightened anxiety" after three bombs passed through the mail system. " People feel the corporation hasn't done its due diligence in facilitating a safe work environment, so they have refused to work using a specific article of our collective agreement and have gone home," Lambert told the Free Press Friday. " In the processing plant, they handle 40,000 parcels a shift, and we are not trained bomb- squad members... things can get torn on belts and arbitrarily opened." For security reasons, he can't divulge what measures Canada Post has in place to prevent explosives from going through the mail system. " Canada Post is legally required to investigate conditions that are identified as potentially unsafe, and the worker has a right to take part in the investigation," Lambert said. Police believe three bombs were sent through Canada Post on June 29 or June 30 and delivered July 2 or July 3 in Winnipeg. Maria Mitousis, 38, was rushed to hospital on July 3 after a bomb went off inside the Petersen King law office at 252 River Ave. Canada Post officials knew of possible threats to the mail system on July 3, Lambert said. Postal workers learned about the threat in the media two days later. Three postal depots in Winnipeg were evacuated in the past two weeks due to suspicious packages. All proved to be false alarms. Lambert said the corporation informed them Wednesday that workers who left the job, citing safety concerns, would not be getting paid. " We are not looking for pay for multiple days off or anything like that, but if something came up that is not satisfying their requirements for a safe workplace, we are advocating for workers to refuse the work if they feel it is unsafe. Currently, we are just looking for them to get paid for the hours that they have missed," he said. A spokesman for the corporation said the issue stems from an incident on July 6, at the height of the bomb scare, involving a meeting at the plant. Jon Hamilton said management explained to the workers the measures that had been taken to ensure their safety. " The majority went back to work, but then some went home, just left the building and didn't come back until the next day," he said. Hamilton went on to explain that because the Right to Refuse Work protocol was not initiated, workers cannot be paid for the time off. " They do have the right to refuse work. We totally respect that. What happens if that is initiated, we either reassign them to a different area or have them stay in a different part of the facility until an investigation is completed. It is not a matter of you can just go home," he said. Lambert he was not aware of workers being offered an alternative job. He said workers were concerned after a manager transported a suspicious package from the southwest depot to the processing plant, which is against protocol. " A lot of people shared the same concern that the employer was not concerned for their safety," Lambert said. Hamilton responded: " Let me be clear, if there was any reason or a safety threat to our people, we evacuate, like we have evacuated the plant before." kristin. annable@ freepress. mb. ca ' People feel the corporation hasn't done its due diligence in facilitating a safe work environment, so they have refused to work' - Dave Lambert, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers local health and safety officer Message delivered to Canada Post City postal workers walk off the job after bomb scares By Kristin Annable Full of ' gratitude, love and support' FACEBOOK PHOTO Maria Mitousis posted this photo of her injured hand in front of a pillow her friend gave her in the hospital. By Mike McIntyre They were allegedly targeted at his former lawyer, his ex- wife and Mitousis, who represented his ex- wife in both divorce and civil proceedings against him that police believe were motives for the attacks. Amsel, 49, remains in custody and is looking to find a lawyer from another province. Mitousis is the only one to have the package explode on her. She suffered extensive injuries that required more than 10 hours of surgery, including the loss of her right hand. " I was very lucky in all respects. I will heal physically and emotionally. This terrible thing that has happened has not dampened my spirits," Mitousis wrote. " This event will shape my future and impact all of you on some level. But take comfort in that we can control. Do not let thoughts of anger, fear or hate overcome you. I have not. In fact, from the moment I awoke after surgery I was filled with feelings of gratitude, love and support." Mitousis thanked her colleagues at Peterson King and those in Winnipeg's legal community, many of whom have donated to a fundraising campaign. She vowed to return to work as quickly as possible. " I am so eager to get back to what I do, back to the small firm that I have grown to love, and to the legal community that has shown such solidarity and support not only to me but to my family and my family at Petersen King," said Mitousis. " I have always believed in the inherent goodness of people. That belief has not been shaken in the least, in fact, it has been strengthened by these events." Mitousis released a photo of her injured hand in front of a pillow her friend took to the hospital, with the words " Be Amazing" written on it. " The message is clear: we all have the opportunity to be amazing to each other so let's keep doing that," she wrote Friday. " Over the next weeks and months, I'm going to work hard at getting better. As part of my recovery, I intend to connect with each of you who have sent messages of support and love - as that love has impacted me so profoundly and promoted my ongoing healing. If nothing else, this experience has reinforced my practice of gratitude - and I just have so much to be grateful for." www. mikeoncrime. com Bomb victim releases heartfelt statement TWITTER PHOTO Maria Mitousis was the victim of a bomb attack at her city law office. A_ 04_ Jul- 18- 15_ FP_ 01. indd A4 7/ 17/ 15 9: 34: 58 PM ;