Thank you,

Mr. Speaker. Every June the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission proudly sponsors the annual Mine Rescue Competition in celebration of Mining Week, June 9 to 14. This week celebrates the rich culture of the North’s leading industry. The commission will host the 42nd Mine Rescue

Competition on Friday, June 13, and Saturday, June 14, in Yellowknife.

The Mine Rescue Competition evaluates and compares the quality and effectiveness of mine rescue training programs across the North. All NWT and Nunavut mines are invited to compete for the surface and underground commissioner’s trophies. The winners from each category then compete in the Western Regional Mine Rescue Competition, which challenges teams from all western provinces, the three territories and the northwestern United States.

Friday’s closed competition events will be held at the Giant mine site, and Saturday’s competition and the Miner’s Picnic, a community barbecue hosted by the NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines, will be at the Yellowknife Community Arena.

The Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission will also host a continuing medical education session on Friday, June 13. All northern physicians and allied health care professionals are invited to participate in the Focus on Psychiatric and Psychological Disability course. Accredited by the College of Family Physicians of Canada, the course explores the unique opportunity presented to physicians and front-line health care workers to identify and intervene in psychiatric and psychological disabilities as it impacts a patient’s employment and employability.

In closing, I encourage everyone to attend Saturday, June 14

,

at the Mine Rescue Competition

and the Miner’s Picnic. Your attendance encourages the development of a positive safety culture in the Northwest Territories. The Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission remains committed to working with northern workers, employers and health care workers to return Northerners home safe every day.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.