For Immediate Release | Check Against Delivery
April 28, 2017
Mayor Crombie Remarks Marking the National Day of Mourning
The following remarks were delivered by Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie during a National Day of Mourning service held at the Milestones of Labour Injured Worker Monument in Brampton:
“Good morning, everyone. Let me begin by acknowledging Jim McDowell, President of the Peel Regional Labour Council.
“I wish to further recognize those elected officials present, along with all individuals who have come together to mark this solemn National Day of Mourning.
“Mississauga joins communities across Canada and around the world to remember those men and women – and often young men and women – that lost their lives because of an unthinkable workplace tragedy.
“We offer our thoughts and prayers to the families who live with the constant pain and grieve day-after-day.
“We think of those workers who were injured on the job and those who struggle with ongoing illnesses as a result of dangerous work environments.
“We’ve all seen the statistics. But lives cannot be reduced to statistics. Workplace disasters change lives forever. For these reasons, the Day of Mourning is also an important call to action.
“Whether you work in government or business, we all have ownership to keep people safe.
“Municipalities are large, complex and demanding. From snow removal, to garbage collection and road maintenance – each and every day there are no shortage of potentially dangerous jobs being undertaken.
“We hire people of all ages. Summer employment with the parks department is popular with young people – looking to jobs to pay for student loans or to save up for vacation. Parents shouldn’t have to think twice about their child’s health and safety when they drop them off for work.
“Council and the team of professionals from the City of Mississauga have built health and safety best practices, continuous improvement and accountability into our organization’s DNA.
“New employees receive comprehensive safety briefings. There are also continuous improvement opportunities for existing workers. We actively work to foster a safety culture. And we demand that all employees – from frontline works to senior leadership – do their part to ensure rules are followed and people are safe.
“We work closely with our provincial counterparts to ensure Mississauga’s own health and safety standards are aligned with the most recent legislation.
“Under the leadership of Fire Chief Tim Beckett, we can be confident that our procedures are in line with the requirements set out in the Ontario Fire Code.
“We provide the latest health and safety equipment.
“We want employees to feel confident to push back if it appears a work responsibility is unsafe and can’t be undertaken. Our whistleblower program ensures workers can speak up safely, and anonymously, if something is wrong. After all, lives could depend on what they have to say. And we want them to be heard.
“Let this day serve as another reminder that we must never stop working toward our shared goal of eliminating workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses.
“Thank you to everyone for coming together today.”
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