I need my boat’s life jacket as much as my car’s seat belt!

On May 28, the Conseil québécois du nautisme launched its annual boating safety awareness campaign. To highlight this event, the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary simulated a water rescue in the Old Port of Montreal. Under the heading “I need my boat’s life jacket as much as my car’s seat belt!” the campaign spotlights the life jacket’s importance. Statistics show that 89% of recreational boaters who drown each year are not wearing life jackets or personal flotation devices. Council president Vahé Vassilian hopes with this campaign to promote observance of boating safety rules. The campaign is of particular significance because seven persons have already died following boating accidents, although the 2006 season has barely begun.