Ministers of Labour Meet in Quebec City

The Honourable Elmer MacFadyen, Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs and PEI Minister responsible for Labour recently returned from a federal/provincial/territorial meeting of Ministers of Labour in Quebec City.

Among the areas of discussion were labour co-operative agreements related to international trade agreements, employment relationships and occupational health and safety initiatives for youth.

"This meeting was an opportunity to meet with colleagues and discuss common challenges and solutions," stated Minister MacFadyen. "It was also an opportunity to discuss successful initiatives and learn from each other."

Ministers reviewed the progress made regarding youth occupational health and safety initiatives across the country. These initiatives are a priority area for labour ministries across Canada. A national youth committee has been created to address the concerns and need of youth.

In Prince Edward Island, the Workers Compensation Board has been working with the Education system to integrate health and safety resources into the provincial curriculum. Young people are the workers of the future, and it has been shown that the actions a person takes at work are largely the result of attitudes and knowledge acquired at home and at school.