National Day of Mourning 2020
Today is the National Day of Mourning—the day that workers and employers gather to pay tribute to those who lost their lives at work, or whose lives were forever changed through workplaces injuries or illnesses.
The National Day of Mourning was proclaimed in Canada by the Canadian Labour Congress in 1984. It is now recognized by approximately 100 countries around the world.
Canadian flags on Parliament Hill and at Queen’s Park will fly at half-mast to commemorate the occasion.
Typically, the event is marked with solemn vigils attended by thousands of workers and the friends and families of fallen workers in communities across the country. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has forced many of those events to be hosted digitally.
Canada’s Building Trades Unions, for example, will participate in an event hosted by the Ottawa and District Labour Council.
“This year, April 28 comes at a time when Canada is facing an unprecedented time, and the need to protect the health and safety of frontline workers is paramount to stopping the spread of COVID-19,” said Robert Kucheran, Chairman, Canada’s Building Trades Unions and International Vice President of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades.
“The National Day of Mourning gives us all an opportunity to remember those we lost, and to strongly, and unequivocally reinforce our commitment to raise our collective voice for the health and safety of our workers today. This includes the courageous frontline workers still going to the job site – be it in a hospital, delivering goods, or on our many construction sites from coast to coast. Safety precautions need to be upheld and enforced so no one has to face the tragedy of their father, mother, sister or brother not returning from work.”
The latest statistics from workplace safety boards across the country show that 1,027 workers lost their lives to workplace accidents or illnesses in 2018—an average of about five per working day.
“Add to these fatalities the 264,438 accepted claims for lost time due to a work-related injury or disease,” says the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, “and the fact that these statistics only include what is reported and accepted by the compensation boards, there is no doubt that the total number of workers impacted is even greater.”
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) suggests that there may be 10 to 13 times as many people dying because of work in Canada than are officially accepted in the workplace compensation system.
A study released in early 2019, entitled Work-related deaths in Canada, suggests that fatality statistics provided by the Association of Workers' Compensation Board of Canada account only for those illnesses and injuries that are approved through compensation claims. The reality, says the report, is that thousands of additional deaths and injuries—such as those suffered by workers who are exempt from coverage, or who are killed by commuting fatalities or stress-induced suicides—go unreported in occupational health and safety statistics.
"This situation is akin to crime statistics only ever including solved homicides, therein leaving the impression that attempted murders, unsolved murders or suspicious deaths are not a concern," says the study.
CUPE is calling for governments and employers to invest in accident and illness prevention through strong health and safety committees, and to create a stronger health and safety enforcement regime that conducts more vigorous inspections, and punishes those employers that refuse to fulfill their duties to ensure safe workplaces.
Below is a list of tributes and virtual events being held across the province to commemorate the National Day of Mourning. Most live events begin at 11:00 a.m.
Barrie & District Labour Council
Pre-recorded video to be shared on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/bdlc.info/
Brantford & District Labour Council
Pre-recorded video of laying wreath ceremony to be posted on the council’s Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brantford-and-District-Labour-Centre/186938171333008
Chatham-Kent Labour Council
https://www.facebook.com/CKLabourCouncil/
Durham Region Labour Council
https://tinyurl.com/DOM-Durham
Guelph & District Labour Council
Virtual event starts at 5:00 p.m.
https://www.facebook.com/Guelph-District-Labour-Council-1593522250974861/
Hamilton & District Labour Council
Streaming video goes online 11:00 a.m.
https://www.facebook.com/hamiltonlabour
Kenora & District Labour Council
A pre-recorded video will be uploaded to their Facebook page.
www.facebook.com/Kenoradistrictlabourcouncil/
London & District Labour Council
Virtual event starts at 10:00 a.m.
Niagara & District Labour Council
Pre-recorded video to be posted on Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/niagaralabour/
North Bay & District Labour Council
Zoom meeting being shared via Facebook Live at 11:00 a.m.
www.facebook.com/NorthBayLabour/
North Simcoe Muskoka & District Labour Council
Pre-recorded video to be shared with affiliates.
https://m.facebook.com/nsmdlc/
Northumberland & District Labour Council
Live event with guest speakers at 4:00 p.m.
https://tinyurl.com/DOM-Northumberland
Orangeville & District Labour Council
Remarks and events begin at 10:00 a.m.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1724402700989789/
Ottawa & District Labour Council
Webinar at 12:30 p.m.
Peel Regional Labour Council
Live webinar at 10:00 a.m.
www.facebook.com/Peel-Region-Labour-Council-172725789474737/
Peterborough & District Labour Council
Live event at 10:55 a.m.
https://www.facebook.com/events/178688813224403/
Renfrew & District Labour Council
https://www.facebook.com/renfrewlabourcouncil/
Sarnia & District Labour Council
https://www.facebook.com/SARNIAANDDISTRICTLABOURCOUNCIL/
St. Thomas & District Labour Council
A video of the monument with Mayor Joe Preston and Mayor Sally Martyn.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1488614627964117/
Sudbury & District Labour Council
Thunder Bay & District Labour Council
www.facebook.com/Thunder-Bay-and-District-Labour-Council-609800519112955/
Toronto & York Region Labour Council
York Region event starts at 11:00 a.m.; Toronto region event starts at 12:00 p.m.
Waterloo Regional Labour Council
Live event at 10:30 a.m.
https://www.wrlc.ca/domlive-presidents
Windsor & District Labour Council