Sunday (April 28) is a National Day of Mourning in Canada to remember those injured, killed, or afflicted with an occupational disease while on the job.
The Day of Mourning was first established by Canada’s biggest labour federation, the Canadian Labour Congress.
Then in 1991 the Canadian federal government passed legislation marking April 28th as a national “Day of Mourning for Persons Killed or Injured in the Workplace”. It has since become an international movement, according to the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada.
In its 2013 message titled “Is Today the day you die at work?” the Canadian Labour Congress writes:
“Over 1,000 Canadian workers are dying every year. In Canada, four workers die each day.The number of people killed at work each year in Canada has risen for the past 15 years. This is in contrast to almost every other OECD country where the incidence of workplace fatalities is declining. In 2007, according to the latest report from the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada, 1,055 people lost their lives at work. That’s four people every work day. Dead because their workplace was not safe.”
On Thursday (April 25) just before Question Period, Canada’s Members of Parliament stood a minute in silence to remember the injured, disabled and killed workers remembered on the Day of Mourning.
More information:
Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada – Day of Mourning info – here
Workers’ Compensation Board Day of Mourning activities – here
Canadian Labour Congress Day of Mourning activities (April 26-29) – here
Canadian Labour Congress Day of Mourning message – here
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