Mr. Speaker, every year we join together to celebrate North American Occupational Safety and Health, or NAOSH, week. This year NAOSH week was May 4 to 10. First marked by an agreement between Canada, Mexico and the United States in 1997, NAOSH week focuses on creating safety cultures at home, at work and at play. It reminds us of the importance of preventing injury and illness.
This year’s theme, “Start Today, Live it Every Day!” expands on last year’s theme of making a lifetime commitment to safety and health. It is never too early or too late to start learning about and practising safety.
As part of this year’s activities, the organizing committee planned several exciting safety and health-related events. Over 80 students from Yellowknife schools explored the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission’s trail map to safety. The trail map to safety, held May 9, featured safety demonstrations and activities facilitated by the commission and Life Care Planning. The commission also visited local Yellowknife classrooms throughout the week to deliver safety talks and play the safety trivia game “Are You the Safest Link?” CJCD hosted the “Are You the Safest Link?” radio trivia game three times a day from Monday to Thursday. Listeners called in and answered a series of safety-related trivia questions to win prizes provided by the commission and BHP Billiton Diamonds. The Department of Transportation hosted video lunches in Inuvik, Fort Simpson and Hay River to help raise northern safety awareness.
NAOSH week culminated with a well-attended Yellowknife community event in the Centre Square Mall parking lot from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on May 9. In addition to the Northern Territories Federation of Labour free barbeque and Arctic Response safety demonstration, the commission held its second annual “Ready, Set, Go Safe!” team challenge where local area teams participated in the safety trivia showdown “Are You the Safest Link?”
NAOSH week event participation grows every year. This year a total of 16 teams of four members each, representing a wide range of employer groups, took part in the challenge.
In closing, I would like to thank everyone who helped make this year’s NAOSH week activities a success. The Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission continues its commitment to build on the successes of these events to develop northern safety cultures for which we can all be proud. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Before we go on, colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to the presence in the visitors’ gallery of the Consul General for the Republic of Indonesia, Mr. Saptomo. Accompanying him is the Consul for Protocol and Consular Affairs, Ms. Bakrie. Welcome to Yellowknife again, and welcome to the Assembly.
