Regina, November 5, 2013 – Roxanne James, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, today opened the Fourth Annual National Roundtable on Disaster Risk Reduction in Regina, Saskatchewan.
“Our government is determined to find solutions to reduce risks and that's why we will continue to stand with Canadians in their time of need. Building a safe and resilient Canada is a responsibility shared by all levels of government, as well as the private sector, NGOs and individual Canadians,” said Ms. James. “The members of Canada's Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction are contributing to building community resilience by advancing discussions about innovative ways government, organizations, the private sector and individuals can reduce the risks and impacts of disasters.”
“We must go beyond disaster response and recovery and focus on mitigation measures that will result in proactive, cost-effective solutions to protect our communities,” she added.
The Harper Government will continue to support building community resilience, which can mitigate the worst impacts of natural disasters before they happen. As committed to in the 2013 Speech from the Throne, our Government will work with provinces and territories to develop a National Disaster Mitigation program focused on reducing the impact of natural disasters. For more information on mitigation, please visit our website: www.publicsafety.gc.ca.
The National Roundtable of Canada's Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction began in 2010. The Platform holds this annual Roundtable to make Canadians safer by reducing risks, making communities more resilient and partnering with all levels of government, universities, professional associations, voluntary organizations and the general public.
For information on how to prepare for emergencies, Canadians are encouraged to follow @Get_Prepared on Twitter or visit www.getprepared.gc.ca.
