Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As our economy in the Northwest Territories changes, businesses -- particularly in the service industry -- are relying more and more on young workers under the age of 25. In the last three years, employment of these young workers has risen almost 10 percent. According to the Northwest Territories Bureau of Statistics labour force activity study in 2002, 84 percent of the workers are employed in the service industry. These young workers are less likely to be informed and aware of their rights and responsibilities on the job, particularly with respect to workplace safety.
The Workers' Compensation Board of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut has recognized this trend and has developed the workplace safety and the young worker program to take proactive steps to ensure that these young workers have the training they need to stay safe on the job and avoid workplace accidents. Workplace safety and the young worker program is a 25-hour course that young workers may take in the classroom or as a self-study, either as a CD-ROM or in traditional text format. It provides an introduction for new workers as to their rights and the basic safety issues they should be concerned about in the workplace.
Beyond the development of the course, the WCB has taken a variety of actions to make sure young workers, their parents, teachers and employers are aware of the program and the importance of teaching workplace safety practices at a young age. These actions include starting a workplace safety competition at the NWT/Nunavut skills competition and sending winners of this competition to the National Skills Canada competition where NWT and Nunavut students have won gold two years in a row. Becoming a Skills Canada partner can help ensure safe work practices become a part of all skills competitions. They are sponsoring a safety video competition, which was won this year by Hay River's Kelvin Redvers, and encouraging northern employers to request safety and young worker training when hiring young workers.
The Hay River Northern Store, now known as Northmart, partnered with the WCB in 2002 to have all of their young employees trained in the program. Finally, Mr. Speaker, the WCB will be hosting a young worker safety conference in May of 2004. Safety is a way of life and through the young worker safety initiatives of the WCB, we are ensuring young Northerners get a good safe start in the workplace.
I would like to commend the Minister and the Workers' Compensation Board for this very impressive initiative. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
