Page 4 Congratulations to Ontario Mine Rescue celebrating both its 90th anniversary and the 70th anniversary of the Ontario Mine Rescue Competitions Since its creation in 1929 Ontario Mine Rescue has estab lished a reputation for high standards in training equipment and emerge ncy respons e and serves as a role model for training and safety programs for mine rescue organizations across Canada and around the world The mine rescue competitions provide intensive learning opportunities test emergency response capabiliti es and en sure that mine rescue volunteers across Ontario are trained to the same high standards The Ontario governmen t is a strong supporter of the mining and mineral exploration sector and Im proud to say that the province is a global leader in mineral exploration and production The sector directly supports 26000 jobs and indirectly supports about another 50000 jobs Due to the commitment of the mines and the highly skilled rescue teams mining is one of the safest indus tries in the province and Ontario is one of the safest mining jurisdictions in the world On behalf of the Government of Ontario I would like to salute Ontario mines and their rescue teams for their hard work and dedication in keeping our men and women safe Greg Rickford Minister of Energy Northern Development and Mines Page 2