Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to also take this opportunity to welcome the participants of the National Young Worker Safety Conference to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. There are many who are coming from south of 60 and from around the world, and for them I am sure this will be a great experience to see the North and meet the youth of the North.
Mr. Speaker, I could tell you a number of them are also coming from the North, and their participation at the conference has been made possible not only by the big sponsors mentioned earlier, but by many small businesses who pay the fee to enable the students to attend this gathering. I would like to send our sincere thanks for that.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to also honour the memory of the youth who have died while at work. I know that by the unveiling of the memorial life quilt today we are remembering them and are being strongly reminded of the importance of work safety, especially for the youth.
Mr. Speaker, while I'm on the topic of WCB, I would just like to also remind the Minister and Members of this House that when the WCB says when you go to work we have you covered, this is not always the case to the fullest extent possible. Mr. Speaker, I'm dealing with at least three cases in my riding of relatively young men who worked all their lives and have been injured at work but are not being covered for their rehab, training and living expenses. Mr. Speaker, I am also aware of the fact that there are many workers with chronic pain syndrome who continue to be excluded from coverage. This in spite of the fact, Mr. Speaker, that the Supreme Court has recently rendered a decision that speaks to this issue and says that they must be covered.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that the Minister responsible for the WCB is new on the job, but I want to advise him that I expect to hear from him on this very soon. As well, in the last Assembly, the WCB was comprehensively reviewed and some legislative changes were made, but what remains to be done is the operational review of the WCB which has, I believe, not been concluded.
Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that the Minister has been well briefed on this and that he is setting out direction in this regard, and that we're going to all hear the benefit of his deliberations and decisions. Mr. Speaker, I could tell you that the honourable Minister Krutko worked tirelessly for the little guy for his entire time as MLA on this side of the House, and I expect no less now that he is sitting on the other side. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause