National fitness day
MP John Weston has announced he will be introducing a private member’s bill in the House of Commons that would see the first Saturday in June declared National Health and Fitness Day.
Weston, MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, made the announcement after running the 21.1-kilometre Whistler Half Marathon on Saturday, June 2.
Weston intends for the day to celebrate the many indoor and outdoor opportunities available for Canadians to maintain good health, to encourage all those who make health and well-being a part of their lives and to motivate all Canadians to take steps to improve their general level of fitness.
“What a thrill it was to stand in Olympic Plaza in Whistler and announce the first official observance of National Health and Fitness Day,” said Weston. “We live in the riding that I refer to as the most beautiful place on earth, in the best nation on earth, with countless options for physical activity and enjoyment. With the private member’s bill this fall, I hope this day becomes a healthy habit as Canada becomes the fittest nation on earth.”
The idea for a national health and fitness day developed from Weston’s parliamentary fitness initiative for parliamentarians and senators in Ottawa, which offers professional instruction each week for running and swimming. That led to the drafting of a private member’s bill, which, Weston said, he plans to introduce in the fall.
The proposal encourages local governments to become involved. All 12 of the local governments in the riding have passed resolutions to recognize National Health and Fitness Day, as well as offering their sports and recreation facilities for free or at a reduced cost on the day.
Powers expand
Backcountry users may notice a new uniform in the woods.
Ministry of forests, lands and natural resource operations compliance and enforcement officers are now known as natural resource officers. Along with a new name, they can enforce a broader range of natural resource legislation.
Previously, compliance and enforcement officers could only enforce acts that they were specifically designated to uphold. As natural resource officers, they will be able to enforce a broader range of statutes, shorten response time and improve their effectiveness in the field.
“Natural resource officers can now enforce a wider range of laws and regulations,” said Steve Thomson, minister of forests, lands and natural resource operations. “This change will improve our response in the field and further streamline our inspection and enforcement procedures.”
A natural resource officer can now respond to violations that are covered by more than one natural resource act, instead of three or four staff that may have been required previously. The new natural resource officer designation is a result of the Natural Resource Compliance Act that was introduced in the fall of 2011 and came into effect on March 15, 2012.
Officers are able to enforce acts governing forests, heritage conservation, land, all-terrain motor vehicles, parks, private managed forest lands, water and water protection, weed control, wildfires and wildlife.
