Speaking Notes for the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq Minister of Health - Active and Safe Injury Prevention Announcement

Monday, December 3, 2012

Check Against Delivery

Good morning,

It's a pleasure to be here at this great rink with so many of you.

I'd like to thank Yvan Chalifour from the Lifesaving Society of Canada, Geri Bailey from Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, Douglas Duncan from Speed Skating Canada, and my colleague, Royal Galipeau for joining me today.

Our Government takes the health and safety of children and youth seriously. Whether it's leading the fight against childhood obesity, strengthening legislation around consumer product safety or investing in healthy lifestyles, we aim to give young Canadians the best possible start in life.

Today we are talking about an issue that matters to so many of us - the safety of children. While it's impossible to protect children from every hazard, there are many steps we can take to prevent injuries.

As Minister of Health and as a parent, I'm proud to promote active living and healthy weights. We all want our children to grow up healthy, happy and full of life - but we also want them to be safe.

Unfortunately, in Canada more than 40 percent of child and youth injuries treated in emergency rooms are related to sports and recreational activities. Most of these are both predictable and preventable.

Which brings us to why we're here today.

Our Government's Active and Safe Initiative is investing $5 million, over two years, in community-based activities to help Canadians make safer choices when they get involved in sports and recreation.

Today, I'm pleased to announce that our Government is supporting three new projects that will help reduce injuries among young Canadians. 

I would like to take a moment to highlight these three projects.

The first project, led by the Lifesaving Society, seeks to prevent drowning and reduce the number of near-drowning incidents among children and youth. This work will span over 250 communities across Canada, including northern and remote communities.

The second project is called the Winter Sport Coach and Official eLearning Module: Brain Safe and it's led by Speed Skating Canada and its partners. This project will increase safety awareness among coaches of children who participate in winter activities such as speed skating, skiing and snowboarding.

The third project, led by the Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, is called Active and Safe Inuit Children and Youth. Pauktuutit and its partners will work together to engage youth on ways to increase safety awareness among Inuit children and their families living in northern communities and southern urban centres.

Taken together, these projects help create safe environments so children have greater opportunities to participate in activities that are safe, fun, fair and healthy.

Parents want their children to be both active and safe. That's why our Government is taking action to help prevent as many injuries as we can by developing safe sport and recreation environments.

But we can't do it alone.

Today's announcement is an example of what we accomplish when we come together to protect the health and safety of Canadian children and youth.

We all have a role to play and, today, the Harper Government is doing its part. We thank all of you, for continuing to do yours.

Thank you.