Day of Mourning Ceremony Remembers 12 Workers

Nova Scotians will remember and pay tribute to 12 workers today, who lost their lives on the job in 2007, at ceremonies across the province to mark the National Day of Mourning.

Mark Parent, Minister of Labour and Workforce Development, and Joan Jessome, first vice-president of the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour, attended a ceremony today, April 28, at Province House to honour those who died or were injured on the job in Nova Scotia.

"Day of Mourning provides us with an opportunity to show our compassion for the suffering experienced by the victims, their family, friends and colleagues," said Mr. Parent. "The best way for us to pay tribute to those individuals who have lost their lives is to continue working towards safer, healthier workplaces. Twelve deaths is 12 too many."

Each year on April 28, government and labour leaders join friends and family members to remember those workers killed or injured on the job, and to renew their commitment to protecting the health and safety of workers in Nova Scotia.

"A person's life should not be at risk when they are at work," said Ms. Jessome. "Every workplace death or injury is preventable. We are committed to continue our campaign for stronger legislation to ensure every Nova Scotian will come home from work injury free."

According to the Workers Compensation Board, 32,038 employees reported on-the-job injuries in Nova Scotia, and 8,230 of them lost time from work because of their injury. Health, social services, manufacturing and retail industries had the most lost-time accident claims in 2007.

"We have made great improvements in creating a safe work culture, but we still have a long way to go," said Mr. Parent. "The Department of Labour and Workforce Development is committed to working with employers and employees throughout Nova Scotia to make it the safest province in Canada to live, work and raise a family."

The Day of Mourning was started by the Canadian Labour Congress in 1984, as a day to honour the dead and remember the living. The ceremony has since spread across Canada and to more than 80 countries around the world.

For more information on occupational health and safety in Nova Scotia and how to protect yourself at work, see the department's website at www.gov.ns.ca/lwd/healthandsafety .