Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during the past week I have toured an underground mining operation and have spoken with labour leaders and mine management to hear their views and to let them know that the occupational health and safety of miners is an extremely important issue to our government.
As a result of concerns in this area, I am announcing today that the government has concluded that the proposed new mine safety bill tabled in the previous House will not go forward in its present form and that a new consultative process will be undertaken. The government still wants to have initial comments on the draft bill and regulations. Many interested parties have already given a great deal of thought to the tabled document, and we do not want their efforts to be lost.
Mr. Speaker, the new consultative process will take place under the auspices of a mine safety bill committee that will have an independent chairman who is knowledgeable in mining, two representatives from industry, and one representative each from unionized and non-unionized labour. We expect this committee to begin its work in January.
Good health and safety legislation must satisfy three requirements. It must be acceptable to workers; it must be achievable by management; and it must be enforceable by the regulators. To allow those directly affected by the legislation to participate in its formation will create a better climate for its administration and its effectiveness. I believe the establishment of this committee will meet these requirements. Work of the committee will hopefully lead to a new Mine Safety Act for introduction at the Assembly's fall session in 1992 or, at the latest, during its budget session in 1993.
Mr. Speaker, I also wish to announce that interim amendments to the existing Mining Safety Act will be introduced at the 1992 budget session. These amendments, in part, flow from the coroner's inquest into the death of a miner in Yellowknife last year.
In conclusion, I am looking forward to working with labour and industry to develop effective new legislation to present to this House which will meet everyone's desire for a safe, healthy and productive workplace. Thank you.