Service NL
November 16, 2016

The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Eddie Joyce, Minister of Service NL:

Minister Recognizes National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House today to recognize the National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims. This year’s theme is “Moments Matter” and moments do matter, Mr. Speaker, because it only takes a moment to lose everything that’s important in someone’s life.

Mr. Speaker, more than 1,800 people are killed in road crashes every year in Canada and another 150,000 are injured. Road safety is a shared responsibility and each of us can take action to make our roads safer.

This afternoon I attended an event at the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Headquarters where I met with many people who are dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of road safety in our province. Service NL’s Motor Registration Division, the RNC and the RCMP are doing valuable work in this regard.

Service NL highway enforcement officers promote safety on public highways by monitoring vehicle traffic to ensure the Highway Traffic Act is respected.

Also, Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to brush clearing and public education. To date, a total of 14 tenders valued at $1.95 million have been identified for brush cutting across the province. We are fortunate to be able to work with groups including Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Stand for Hannah, the Save Our People Action Committee and Safety Services Newfoundland and Labrador, who help spread the message about road safety. These groups participated in today’s event as well.

Mr. Speaker, I call on all of my colleagues here in this Honourable House to join with me in thanking everyone who supports and promotes road safety in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank you.

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2016 11 16                              2:15 p.m.