I had the opportunity to attend the CEO Health & Safety Leadership Charter event last week in Edmonton and it seems there is a movement by Canadian business leaders to position safety as a leading priority with their organizations. This initiative was launched in April, 2005 by Duncan Hawthorne, President and CEO of Bruce Power Inc. in Ontario, for the purpose of achieving a Canada-wide breakthrough in health and safety performance. Over 250 Chief Executive Officers in 8 provinces across the country have already joined the Charter which currently falls under the umbrella of the Conference Board of Canada. Learn more about the CEO Charter at http://www.ceosafety.org/CEOHealthSafetyHome.aspx.

It has long been recognized that a company's safety performance is only as good as the CEO's willingness to recognize its importance and to invest accordingly. To put it another way, more and more business leaders are considering safety an investment versus the "cost of doing business". And rightfully so, considering the exponential returns safety investments can provide while at the same time, improving the quality of life for employees, their families and the communities within which they reside.

I'm pleased to say that plans are underway for Safe Saskatchewan to partner with the Conference Board of Canada and bring the Health & Safety Leadership Charter to Saskatchewan!! We expect this will take place in the first quarter of 2010 and it will be another milestone on the path to moving injury prevention in our province to another level.

The Vision of a Safe Saskatchewan is taking shape... at work, at home and at play!