Celine’s husband, Mike, died of cancer last year at the age of 58. The family believes he developed Stage 4 lung cancer, which metastasized to his brain, due to diesel exhaust exposure during his career as a production miner.
“One of the last things my husband said to me was to continue his fight with WSIB and not let them win,” Celine told the crowd at the Fraser Auditorium at Laurentian University.
Workers, unions, and employers across the country marked the National Day of Mourning on Sunday. The day serves to remember lives lost in workplace accidents and those who have suffered occupational injuries or illnesses.
There is also a renewed commitment to workplace health and safety.
“Workers go to work to earn a living and put food on the table for their family,” said Jessica Montgomery, president of the Sudbury & District Labour Council.
“They don’t go to work to be exposed to high levels of diesel exhaust and various other mining exposures. We all just go to work to provide for our families. Nobody expects to get sick.”
Celine told the crowd that it was bittersweet to win her husband’s case with the Workers’ Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) just a few months after he had passed away, after decades of battling.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the ‘Day of Mourning,’ which actually started in Sudbury a couple of years before becoming a national observance.
Sudbury MPP and NDP Labour Critic Jamie West recognized retired Steelworker Leo Gerard, a long-time advocate for health and safety in the workplace, particularly for miners.
Leo Gerard Honored with Standing Ovation at Day of Mourning Ceremony
West said Gerard had to miss last year’s ceremony due to health reasons, but during the indoor portion of the ceremonies, the crowd gave Gerard a standing ovation.
“Leo often says, ‘you’ll never know the people’s lives that you saved’ – and you just don’t,” West said.
“But I know we make a difference because of people like Leo Gerard.”
The Day of Mourning ceremony also included lowering flags to half-mast and observing a moment of silence for those who’ve died in workplace fatalities.
“We default to mourning and caring about people. But how do we care about people who are alive and ensure they don’t get hurt or die?” West said.
The crowd was challenged to share their knowledge with younger or less experienced co-workers.
“They don’t know yet what the experienced workers know. If you tell it in a story they can imagine themselves in, it may save their lives,” said Sandra Dorman, director of the Centre for Research in Occupational Safety and Health.
One hundred countries worldwide recognize the Day of Mourning. Health and safety advocates emphasized that the day is not only about grieving but also about renewing commitments to workplace health and safety.