Governments, with the exception of some NDP administrations, refuse to honour the day--even though there are more workers killed every year than there are soldiers who die in wars and other military related activity.

It's simply a day for people to show respect for all the unsung heroes out there who started work one day and never came home, or did so with a major life-changing injury or illness.

If folks who read this, would just take a few seconds to think a kind thought or two, about trying to take better care at avoiding this situation for yourself and your colleagues—including refusing to do something you may feel is unsafe or unethical--and pay a quick bit of respect for those who haven't been so fortunate, it would be a good endeavour. Not too much to ask.

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. . two young children laid a wreath of flowers at the workers memorial statue in honour of fallen workers. Four-year-old Zachary Sandford was one of the children and is the son of Jim Sandford Jr. who was killed on the job in 2005.
"Jim was athletic, articulate and full of life. His greatest passion in life, his son, came only two years prior to his sudden death," said his father, Jim Sandford Sr. "Although Zachary isn't able to see his father anymore, it's days like today that keep Jim's spirit and memory alive."

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"In 1984, when the National Day of Mourning was created by CUPE, there were 744 workplace fatalities recognized by compensation boards across Canada," Moist said. "In 2005 there were 1,097 recognized fatalities. As horrendous as these statistics are, the real picture is even worse because compensation boards do not recognize a number of occupational illnesses."

Five CUPE members - Kim Weitzel, Shawn Currier, Jason Negrich, Alain Simard and Frederick Michael Bonvie - died while on the job in 2006 and thousands more were injured.

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