Day of Mourning honours those killed in the workplace

The Lindsay event, calls for greater efforts to reduce the growing number of preventable deaths and injuries

Canada has come a long way in improving occupational health and safety laws, but more needs to be done to make a real difference in reducing the number of workers killed and injured on the job.

This message, along with the theme “Safe work now!”, is once again being punctuated in Lindsay on Sunday the National Day of Mourning.

Hosted by the Lindsay & District Labour Council, the day helps commemorate those who have died or been injured as a result of their job.

This year’s theme is a call to action for workers, decision-makers and employers to take immediate and concrete steps to keep people safe at work.

“Many more employers are being fined for violations than what was done 20 years ago, but too many workers are still getting hurt and even dying as a result of their job,” said council president James Mulhern, adding that more concerning is the fact those that are penalized continue to operate and violate.

“What cost do we put on a human life? I don’t care where you work, or how much you make, it’s not worth your life … I know there are some jobs that are inherently dangerous, but everyone deserves to return home alive.”

According to the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada, there were 993 accepted workplace fatalities in 2022 — 300 in Ontario alone — and 348,747 accepted lost time claims, a marked increase over the previous year.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Westray Law, named for the 26 workers in Plymouth, Nova Scotia, who lost their lives in the 1996 Westray Mine explosion. In the years following this tragedy, Canadian unions lobbied for change so that employers could be convicted of criminal negligence.

In 2004, the Westray sections of the Criminal Code of Canada were brought into effect, allowing corporations to be held criminally liable for workplace deaths and injuries.

However, notes Mulhern, only a handful of criminal charges have since been laid.

The National Day of Mourning event takes place in Victoria Park starting at 1 p.m. Remarks will be presented by special guest speakers, along with the laying of memorial wreaths.