Assembly Vote
17th Assembly, 5th SessionMarch 7, 2014
Motion Sponsor
Topic
Motion Text
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. WHEREAS every 26 minutes a Canadian suffers a sudden cardiac arrest;
AND WHEREAS more Canadians die each year from cardiac arrest than from car accidents, diabetes, breast and prostate cancers combined;
AND WHEREAS each minute that passes decreases the chance of survival from cardiac arrest by nearly 10 percent;
AND WHEREAS almost 80 percent of all cardiac arrests in Canada occur in homes and in public places;
AND WHEREAS a defibrillator can dramatically improve cardiac arrest survival rates by more than 50 percent;
AND WHEREAS automated external defibrillators can be installed at any location throughout any community, such as recreation centres, arenas and schools;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that this Legislative Assembly strongly recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories take the steps necessary to ensure widespread access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs);
AND FURTHER, that the government work with the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the NWT Association of Communities, the NWT fire marshal’s office and the NWT fire chiefs, and the RCMP to ensure access to defibrillators across the NWT by designating locations where AEDs must be made available, and require mandatory registration of all installed AEDs;
AND FURTHER, that the government develop protocols to ensure the monitoring and maintenance of all defibrillators in NWT communities;
AND FURTHER, that the government make funding available to NWT communities for training of staff in public buildings where defibrillators are placed;
AND FURTHERMORE, that the government provide a response to this motion within 120 days.
Thank you.