Despite not being able to gather in person, National Day of Mourning was marked Tuesday in Grande Prairie. The Grande Prairie Regional Safety Committee held a virtual ceremony to honour people who have died or suffered injury or illness on the job.
In a social media post, Chairperson Kendall Kenig says 165 men and women died at work in Alberta in 2019. She hopes everyone will take the time on April 28th to remember and honour those who didn’t return home.
“It is our day to renew our commitment to preventing further tragedies at work.”
Minister of Labour and Immigration Jason Copping also issued a statement, recognizing the extra difficulty of the day due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Today reminds us that employers, workers and government all have the responsibility to create healthy and safe workplaces. We are committed to protecting workers and preventing further workplace tragedies.”
The National Day of Mourning was first recognized in 1991 after the Workers Mourning Day Act was passed.