Elected Officials as Volunteer Firefighters

WHEREAS volunteer firefighters are essential for providing adequate emergency fire response services in many smallrural communities, and there is great difficulty in finding and retaining volunteer firefighters in these communities; AND WHEREAS volunteer firefighters are deemed to be employees for election purposes requiring them to take a leave of absence to be nominated for elected office and then to resign from being a volunteer firefighter to hold office: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of BC Municipalities request the provincial government to amend the Local Government Act, Division 5, Section 67 to exempt volunteer firefighters from being designated as employees for election purposes.