Seniors, Wellness and Social Development
June 3, 2015

The following statement was read today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Seniors, Wellness and Social Development:

June is Recreation Month

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to note that June is Recreation Month in Newfoundland and Labrador, a time to highlight how active, healthy living enhances the quality of our lives.

The theme once again this year is Celebrate! Activate! Motivate! As a government, we work with our partners at Recreation Newfoundland and Labrador to do just that. We celebrate and promote the benefits of recreation, Mr. Speaker, while putting in place a supportive environment at the community level to motivate residents to become more active.

Mr. Speaker, we�ve supported hiking trail development, park development, wellness grants, age-friendly grants, physical activity equipment grants, and provided community-based organizations � large and small � with funding to deliver recreational programs to all ages. We also support Recreation Newfoundland and Labrador in its effort to promote active, healthy living and to deliver key programs like Eat Great and Participate, High Five, the Find Your Fit! campaign, and more.

Our government has put the infrastructure and opportunities in place which allow people to engage in healthy, recreational pursuits. But we also know that at the end of the day, individuals must make the choice to use those opportunities to improve their own lifestyle, and to encourage our children and grandchildren to do likewise.

Mr. Speaker, in February, federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for recreation met in Prince George, British Columbia and endorsed a National Recreation Framework to guide the sector. I encourage those working at the community level to read the document, and incorporate it into their community recreation planning and practice.

Our government has also committed to developing a new Provincial Wellness Plan, Mr. Speaker. It will be representative of the new synergies we have found in forming the Department of Seniors, Wellness and Social Development � with healthy living, recreation and sport development together. It will also represent the views of our stakeholders, both inside and outside of government.

It is a major undertaking, Mr. Speaker. We essentially need to change the collective mindset of our population and encourage more Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to make active, healthy living a way of life. So I welcome this opportunity, Mr. Speaker, during Recreation Month, to encourage everybody to take the first step. Get outdoors. Go for a hike. Start right now to pursue a healthier, more active lifestyle.