Ontario won’t force kids to wear helmets while skiing even though such a law may have saved the life of a 13-year-old boy who died in a ski accident last week, Premier Dalton McGuinty said yesterday.
South Korean exchange student James Moon was skiing with other students last Wednesday when he lost control and hit a tree at the Snow Valley ski resort in central Ontario. He wasn’t wearing a helmet.
His death has renewed calls for legislation that would require children to wear helmets while skiing.
Ultimately, it’s up to parents to make sure their children are safe from the dangers associated with the sport, McGuinty said.
“I just think as parents, we should give some serious thought now — if we’re going to put the kids on skis — to making sure they are properly equipped and safe.”
Growing up in Ottawa, McGuinty said he often skied with his large family, but no one gave any thought to wearing a helmet. All that changed when he heard about Moon’s death, he said.
Last weekend, he bought a helmet and wore it while skiing with his daughter.
