Responsibility for safety education is currently held by both the Department of Safety and Public Services and the Workers' Compensation Board. Generally this arrangement is not working badly at the present time, but the standing committee was uncertain as to the level of communication and co-ordination which takes place between departmental and board initiatives. The standing committee wishes to urge the Minister to take an active role in ensuring the co-ordination of safety education activities.

The standing committee on agencies, boards and commissions was intrigued as well by part of the submission received from the NWT Council for Disabled Persons. The council stressed that workplace education could be carried out by non-government organizations. The standing committee subsequently received information from the Federation of Labour outlining workplace education programs being carried out for cross-cultural awareness. The standing committee was also aware that local governments could be in a position to take on a role in the provision of safety education. There could be definite merits in bringing education and awareness initiatives closer to the people who benefit from them by funding social agencies, labour groups and local governments to run them.

Motion To Accept Recommendation 27, Carried

Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends, that the Minister consider establishing a contribution fund from funds within the Workers' Compensation Board in order to support local training initiatives in the area of safety education.