Mr. Speaker, farming is not a nine to five business. It involves early mornings, late nights and weekends, which most child care operations do not accommodate. As a result parents are forced to leave their children alone or take them along when they work with heavy machinery or livestock.
For every six deaths resulting from farm accidents, one of those victims is a child. Fifteen per cent of those hospitalized as a result of farm accidents are children under 16 years of age.
Last week was National Farm Safety Week. I would like to recognize the people and organizations who are working to find flexible, accessible and affordable solutions for rural child care, namely: the National Coalition for Rural Child Care; the Women's Institute; the Rural Development Institute of Brandon, Manitoba; and many others. I applaud their commitment and dedication to the safety of farm children.