News

In recognition of decades spent on the legal frontlines advocating for injured workers and a more just workers’ compensation system, IWC’s John McKinnon recently received Osgoode Hall Law school’s  Dianne Martin  Medal for Social Justice Through Law.

In a career that began as a law student volunteer at Parkdale CLS, he has continued to focus on representing low-income and marginalized clients through Ontario’s community legal clinic system. After working as staff lawyer with Parkdale and  Central Toronto (Kensington-Bellwood) clinics, John joined Injured Workers Consultants in 1989, providing legal leadership as Executive Director. Co-chair for many years of the Ontario Legal Clinics’ Workers’ Compensation Network (OLCWCN), he continues to serve also on the executive team of the Association of Community Legal Clinics of Ontario (ACLCO) contributing to strategies to strengthen the clinic system and legal aid program.

As noted by a former co-worker, his approach in handling the appeal cases of individual injured workers is “a study in patience, empathy and persistence. Once the file is opened, John ensures that justice is sought as far as is possible.  A case which might seem hopeless, will spring to life in John’s hands.”  Dedicated also to making system-wide change through test cases and workers’ compensation law and policy reforms, with his customary humility John would attribute his many achievements to the power of collaboration and working in teams within the clinic and externally. This he continues to do  through active participation in legal networks such as OLCWCN and by supporting the injured worker community, including the  Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups, to undertake their own reform and self-advocacy initiatives.

John shares his encyclopedic knowledge of workers’ compensation law and its history through legal education, clinics training & support, as well as through regular information exchanges and workshops with the injured worker community. Injecting creativity and humour into the clinic’s popular education campaigns, he has successfully raised public awareness of problematic workers’ compensation issues. In addition to in-house analysis, he continues to support inclusive worker-focused research projects that value shared expertise and experiences, such as the six-year Research Action Alliance on the Consequences of Work Injury (2006-2012) for which he was a partner lead.

John’s energy and commitment to access to justice combined with his intellect and curiosity has made him a highly respected member of both the Ontario legal clinic community and the injured worker/workers compensation world. He has quietly and  tirelessly dedicated himself to working for social justice through law.

The staff and Board of IWC warmly congratulate him on receiving this award.

In the leadup to Injured Workers’ Day, our office is hosting an online roundtable discussion that will compare and contrast the challenges facing health & safety and workers’ compensation systems in the United States and Canada. The conversation will feature experts, advocates, activists, and injured workers from both countries, and will take place Friday March 31st at 1pm. Participants will include:

• Glenn Shor (Lecturer – University of California Berkeley)
• Orlando Buonastella (Community Legal Worker – IWC)
• Alec Farquar (Advocate)
• Steve Mantis (Injured Worker / Activist – Ontario Network of Injured Workers’ Groups)

This event is on zoom or call-in only (though we are hoping to have similar events in person in the future). Register here or visit tinyurl.com/May31Roundtable to get zoom/call-in information sent to your email.  

(** For updates on future events, sign up to IWC’s email list at http://tinyurl.com/IWCMailingList ).

The next monthly injured & ill worker meeting (which you can attend in person or by Zoom/telephone) will take place on Wednesday May 8th from 1pm to 3pm.

You will need to register if you want to attend online or by phone, and we also request that you register to attend in person as well so that we know how many people to prepare for.

As usual, the meeting will be split into two, with the first half containing an educational aspect and the second half being more interactive. You are welcome to join for just one section, or attend both. On the agenda: a history of June 1st, Injured Workers Day and the Injured Worker Story Project; discussion of the OFL’s Injured Workers’ Bill of Rights

If you are attending online or by phone, information on how to join on Zoom or by phone will be emailed to you after you register.

If you’re not able to join us on May 8th mark the next meeting (June 5th, 1pm to 3pm) in your calendars now, and keep an eye out for details closer to the date (sign up to IWC’s email list to get the most up-to-date information at tinyurl.com/IWCMailingList)

We are happy to announce that IWC is launching a new monthly hybrid meeting (in person and on zoom/telephone) that will combine the educational aspects of our Know Your Rights sessions with the social aspects, peer support, and group activities of an Injured Workers’ Group meeting.  

The meetings will usually take place on the second Wednesday of the month, from 1pm to 3pm. The first hour will include a “Know Your Rights” session, and the second will be a more informal, participatory meeting. You are welcome to join for one or both – we hope to see you at the first meeting this week on April 10.

There will be a few exceptions to the regular schedule throughout the year, so please sign up to IWC’s email list to get the most up-to-date information at tinyurl.com/IWCMailingList

– a champion of Ontario’s community legal system  and the clinics’ role in providing equal access to justice.

IWC joins with the community in honouring former Attorney General Roland Roy McMurtry’s “unparalleled legacy on justice, equality and democracy in Ontario”. Acknowledging his many accomplishments in furthering citizens’ human and constitutional rights, the Association of Community Legal Clinics of Ontario highlights also his pivotal role in “ensuring a robust network of community legal clinics charged with providing legal services for those with low incomes…”  Read the full ACLCO Tribute to Roy McMurtry

• Law Times (Mar. 20, 2024). “Roy McMurtry, Ontario’s former attorney general and chief justice, dies at 91: he is remembered as an advocate for legal aid, bilingualism in the courts, and social justice.”
• CBC News (Mar. 19, 2024).  “Former Ontario attorney general Roy McMurtry dead at 91: McMurtry, a major advocate for human rights, remembered as a ‘giant’ whose vision helped shape Canada.” 
• TVO Ontario (Mar. 19, 2024). “In memoriam: Remembering Roy McMurtry, one of Ontario’s most influential attorneys general.” 

Submission prepared for IWC’s presentation to the Standing Committee on Social Policy (Feb. 12) comments on proposed changes (benefit indexation, occupational disease reform) to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act in Schedule 4 of Bill 149, the Working for Workers Four Act. Clinic highlights that the strong financial position of the WSIB creates an opportunity for the government and the WSIB to fairly rebalance the workers’ compensation system with significant improvements in compensation for injured and ill workers. IWC makes specific recommendations on what should be also included in the Bill: restoration of the wage loss (LOE) benefits to 90% of net earnings; and, addressing poverty among older injured workers, restoration of the loss of retirement income (LRI) benefit to level of the Canada Pension Plan and ending the age 65-based termination of wage loss benefits.

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