Prince Edward Island has joined other provinces in adopting a resolution supporting Canadian ratification of the International Labour Organization Convention on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour.
The convention came out of the 1996 report "Child Labour: Targeting the Intolerable," which estimated that 250 million children between the ages of five and 14 are working in developing countries.
Canada was the lead country in promoting the convention which received unanimous support from 174 member states. It is Canada's intent to be among the first countries to ratify this convention at the June meeting of the International Labour Organization in Geneva.
Under the new convention, a child is a person under the age of 18 years and the term "the worst forms of child labour" comprises: all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour, including forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflict as well as, use of children for prostitution, production of pornography, or production and trafficking of drugs and work which is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children.
Honourable Wes MacAleer, Minister Responsible for Labour, brought a resolution for the support of convention 182 to his colleagues and received their unanimous endorsement. Minister MacAleer stated, "This endorsement confirms Prince Edward Island's support of Canadian ratification and demonstrates our commitment to ensuring children everywhere have the opportunity to live healthy and productive lives."