Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond continues her fight to get a bill passed that would make it mandatory for every public building in British Columbia to be equipped with an automatic external defibrillator.
She’s introduced her Defibrillator Public Access Act three times in the Legislature, and each time, the NDP government has refused debate. This week in Victoria, Bond questioned why Premier David Eby and his government have failed to act on the bill’s recommendations.
Bill said the medical community backs her proposed legislation for its potential to save lives and that when combined with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), a defibrillator can double the odds of survival for a patient suffering cardiac arrest.
The former health minister cited the case of Ken Carusco, a survivor who told Bond he is alive today because he was helped by somebody who used an AED placed in a hockey arena to get his heart started again.
“British Columbians have no idea why a bill that has the potential to save lives, has broad support, has been introduced multiple times in this Legislature, is stubbornly refused by this premier to be called,” said Bond.
“So could the premier stand up today and explain to British Columbians how he continues to block a debate about a bill that could save lives?”
