To promote safe and active play among children and youth
OTTAWA, Dec. 3, 2012 /CNW/ - The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of
Health and Royal Galipeau, Member of Parliament for Ottawa- Orléans,
today announced support for projects to reduce the number of sports and
recreation-related injuries among children and youth across Canada.
"Many sports and recreational injuries are both predictable and
preventable," said Minister Aglukkaq. "Our Government is committed to
creating safe sport and recreational environments so that our children
and youth can participate in activities that are safe and healthy."
The funding announced today will support three projects across Canada.
Open Water Wisdom, led by the Lifesaving Society, will deliver drowning prevention
education programming and distribute life jackets in an effort to
reduce incidents of drowning and near drowning among children and
youth.
"Drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related death among
children and youth," said Yvan Chalifour, National Executive Director
of the Lifesaving Society. "We want to help communities and families
enjoy open water activity while managing the risks. We encourage the
wearing of lifejackets to reduce the incidence of drowning."
Active and Safe Inuit Children and Youth, led by Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, will engage Inuit youth to
develop safety messages to be used as part of a safety awareness
campaign. Once developed, the messages will be distributed to all 53
northern Inuit communities and to southern cities with large Inuit
populations to increase injury prevention knowledge.
"Children and youth living in the North are injured far more often than
those living in southern Canada," said Rebecca Kudloo, President of
Pauktuutit. "This initiative will provide an opportunity for youth to
share ideas on ways they can take part in daily recreational activities
safely."
Winter Sport Coach and Official eLearning Module: Brain Safe, led by Speed Skating Canada, will increase safety awareness among
coaches so they can pass on this information to children and youth who
speed skate, ski and snowboard.
"The coaches, officials and volunteers responsible for delivering sport
programs play an important role in creating safe, fun and fair sport
and recreation environments that promote lifelong physical activity,"
said Ian Moss, Chief Executive Officer, Speed Skating Canada. "As
community leaders and role models, the safety information they share
and behaviours they model make them part of the first line of defence
in preventing injuries and helping young Canadians make healthy
choices."
"Today's investments will encourage our children and youth to
participate in sports and recreational activities that are safe and
fun," said Member of Parliament, Royal Galipeau.
Through the Public Health Agency of Canada's Active and Safe initiative, the federal government invests in a number of projects that focus on
preventing injuries among children and youth by reaching Canadians in
the communities where they live and play. Active and Safe encourages community level action to increase sport and recreation
safety awareness.
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Image with caption: "Minister Aglukkaq and MP Royal Galipeau meet members from the Gloucester SpeedSkating Club following an announcement to promote safe and active play among children and youth. (CNW Group/PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121203_C5566_PHOTO_EN_21486.jpg
SOURCE: PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA