Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am sure that we are all very grateful for the wonderful summer and fall weather that we enjoyed this year. However, we all knew that the coming of winter was inevitable. The arrival of winter means that many of us will be able to get back onto the land, even for a short period, and renew our spirits. But in order to make sure that we enjoy and survive the winter, there are a number of safety precautions that we should all be taking now.
Madam Speaker, the Department of Safety and Public Services is mailing information packages to the communities which contain five "infograms" on topics of special interest during the winter season. These infograms are safety tips on the following subjects:
- snowmobile safety
- ice road safety
- heat trace cable (to make sure heat trace cable is properly installed to reduce the risk of fires)
- carbon monoxide poisoning (which can result from faulty furnaces, wood stoves and gas-fired appliances) and
- approved sources of heat for clearing frozen propane lines (no tiger torches, please!).
The infograms on snowmobile safety and ice road safety are available in English, French and Inuktitut, and the others are available in English and French.
I would like to remind Members that the Department of Safety and Public Services staff are very happy to answer any questions about these or other safety issues that the general public may have. I would also like to advise Members and residents of the Northwest Territories that the department has an excellent resources centre located on the first floor of the Northway Building, which carries many different educational aids including brochures, booklets and videos on safety hazards. People in the communities can access the resources centre by calling our resources librarian, Ms. Rita Denneron, at 873-7470. Ms. Denneron provides services in English and Slavey, and there are other departmental staff available who can provide assistance in French and Inuktitut.
Madam Speaker, the Department of Safety and Public Services also provides a wide range of inspection and investigation services. My staff and I sincerely hope that we do not have to conduct investigations of fatalities which occur this winter because of a failure to take safety precautions. I urge all Members and their constituents to take the time to keep informed about basic winter safety precautions. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
---Applause