Health Services Minister Kevin Falcon says the H1N1 flu, not the 2010 Winter Olympics, is why the government is ordering B.C. Ambulance Service paramedics back to work.
"We've got a health-care challenge in B.C. and we need all parties working together," Falcon said.
Paramedics, members of CUPE 873, have worked to rule since their contract expired last spring.
The back-to-work legislation gives paramedics a three per cent pay raise and one-year contract retroactive to April 1. The government is appointing an industrial inquiry commissioner, which was among the paramedics' demands.
Falcon said B.C. has "gotten lucky" because he said the strike has not harmed any patients.
"Every day the strike continues increases the risk to patients and it's my view we cannot go another day with the ambulance paramedic system operating at less than its full potential," he said.
Paramedics erected a picket line at the Whistler Sliding Centre Monday morning. Spokesman B.J. Chute said it was unfair that two ambulances and four paramedics were assigned to Olympic training sessions while the number of ambulances in Metro Vancouver was down by 10 on Halloween.
NDP labour critic Raj Chouhan said it's "shocking" the government would suspend the right to strike while the paramedics were considering the most recent offer. He wondered why Falcon would use H1N1 as a reason now when the virus has been spreading for months.
