The following statement was issued today by Oliver Langdon, Minister of Environment and Labour. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour

It is with great pleasure that I announce today that this province has just given its support to the federal government to ratify the International Labour Organization�s Convention 182, which will attempt to eliminate the worst forms of child labour throughout the world.

Convention 182 addresses the urgent need to protect children from such things as slavery, sexual exploitation, hazardous work, forced recruitment in armed conflict, the sale and trafficking of children, bondage and compulsory labour. Although these activities are illegal in both this province and in Canada as a whole, they are quite sadly a common practice in other countries. Canada�s becoming party to this convention will demonstrate to the world its commitment to the protection of all the world�s children.

In Canada, only the federal government has jurisdiction to ratify an international convention and to do so they need the consent of all provinces and territories. After extensive review and consultation with federal officials, this government feels it must give its consent and support to this convention to protect all the world�s children.

2000 04 05                                             3:35 p.m.