Bruce Hyer Statement on International Day of Mourning

Thunder Bay–Superior North MP commemorates workers injured or killed on the job

April 27, 2012

OTTAWA – Bruce Hyer, MP for Thunder Bay–Superior North, is recognizing workers injured or killed on the job this International Day of Mourning, coming up on Saturday. The MP is calling for a renewed commitment to workplace safety on the occasion.

“Every year on April 28, we recognize our injured workers, and those who lost their lives in the workplace,” said Hyer. “Over a thousand Canadians are killed or injured at work each year. Sadly, these deaths and injuries are largely preventable. While the International Day of Mourning is time of remembrance, it is also an opportunity to renew our commitments to safer workplaces, so that no more workers need to pay the ultimate price.”

Workers around the world recognise the International Day of Mourning to remember lost and injured co-workers. The occasion was a Canadian initiative launched in 1984 by the Canadian Labour Congress and the Canadian Union of Public Employees. The date April 28 was chosen because the country’s first comprehensive workers’ compensation act was passed on that date in 1914.

“Too many Canadians are still being killed or injured on the job. We should be seeing improvement, but instead the number of Canadian workers killed at work has risen ever year for over a decade. Most other developed countries are going in the other direction.” said Hyer. “Three Canadians are killed on the job ever day, on average. Killed because of unsafe working conditions, because of occupational diseases, or because they weren’t trained properly. It’s time to renew our commitment to workplace safety and save lives.”

In 1996, April 28 became the International Day of Mourning when it was adopted by the International Labour Organization, the United Nations’ agency that deals with labour issues.

Ceremonies are to be held Saturday at the Labour Council Day of Mourning Monument at the Lakehead Labour Centre, 929 Fort William Road, at 11:00 am.

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Constituency Office: (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) 69 N. Court Street Thunder Bay, ON P7A 4T7 Tel: 807-345-1818 Toll-free: 1-888-266-8004 Fax: 807-345-4752 bruce@brucehyer.ca Parliamentary Office: (No postage necessary) Bruce Hyer, MP House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6 Tel: 613-996-4792 Fax: 613-996-9785