Statement by the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister of Labour

April 28, 2020              Gatineau, Quebec              Employment and Social Development Canada

The Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister of Labour, issued the following statement marking the National Day of Mourning:

“On the National Day of Mourning, Canadians gather to pay respect to and remember all workers who have lost their lives, been injured or suffered illness on the job or due to a work-related tragedy, and we honour the families and friends affected by these incidents.

Some of us do not return home safely at the end of the working day. Every year, thousands of Canadians are killed, injured, or suffer workplace-related illnesses on the job. These tragedies remind us that workplace health and safety is an ongoing, shared effort between labour, industry and government to keep people safe when they are at work.

We must work carefully and collaboratively to protect every worker in the face of the COVID‑19 pandemic. Healthy and safe workplaces are the result of diligent, deliberate actions carried out by workers, employers and the organizations that represent and support them, and we thank everyone for their continued commitment to keeping our workplaces safe and healthy during this challenging time.

I would also like to take this opportunity to recognize the thousands of Canadian frontline and essential workers whose critical work ensures we continue to have access to essential goods and services. We are relying on those working in health care, trucking, farming, rail, ports, airlines, shipping and delivery, banking, broadcasting, telecommunications, the public service, and many others in many other industries, now more than ever before. I would like to extend my deepest thanks and respect for the important work they do.

On this National Day of Mourning, we are facing an enormous challenge that underlines the importance of remembering hard-working Canadians who were injured or lost their lives in the workplace. Let’s honour that memory by making sure that Canadian workers, during this crisis and afterwards, can work with the confidence that their workplaces are both healthy and safe.”

Associated Links
National Day of Mourning
Workplace health and safety
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety

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