BONNYVILLE – “The waves reach many, the pain washes over those who knew them. They say time heals all pain – how much time is irrelevant,” said Debora Martin, the Town of Bonnyville Corporate Health and Safety Manager.
Martin shared her own experiences relating to the loss of coworkers during a special ceremony held at the townhall on April 28, in recognition of the National Day of Mourning.
Day of Mourning ceremonies have been held across the country since the Canadian Labour Congress initiated the first National Day of Mourning on April 28, 1984.
The day is meant as time to remember and honour co-workers, friends and family who have lost their lives to workplace injury and disease.
“We are here today to reflect on those who have been taken from us during our work day, taken from our work families, homes, businesses and communities,” she said.
Martin told those in attendance that throughout her working life, five of her colleagues had lost their lives.
“I can still remember each of these men. I remember where I was when I got the call. I remember names, dates, husbands, wives, children. I remember the funerals,” Martin continued.
“I remember the events that took them from us. A suicide, heart attack on-site, after hours farm accident, young fellow on a service rig from New Brunswick, and a welder inside the fluid hauler trailer.”
Each loss is felt by many she says, “No man is an island.”
Following Martin’s remarks, Mayor Elisa Brosseau stated that as employers of municipal staff it is important that the Town does all it can to keep employees safe when they are away from their families.
“The Town of Bonnyville, MD of Bonnyville and the City of Cold Lake, will join Albertans in remembering those workers injured or killed on a job, and honour their memory by committing to work together to prevent workplace injuries,” said Brosseau.
“I hereby proclaim April 28, 2022, as the National Day of Mourning in the Town of Bonnyville.”
In 2021, Alberta lost 178 men and women to workplace injury or illness, according to information provided by the Town of Bonnyville.
From personal loss to promoting safe worksites
During the ceremony, Arik Nelson, a superintendent for Stuart Olson at Imperial Oil Resources, shared his own first-hand experience with worksite-related loss.
“I'm 34 years old, and I had an event happen to me 22 years ago – I lost my father in a workplace accident,” said Nelson.
“I carry that every single day,” he continued. “This tragic event has only made me stronger as a person and allowed me to touch other people in their personal lives to help them get home safely.”
Nelson says he keeps his own personal tragedy in the back of his mind every day so that he doesn’t lose sight of his responsibility to keep workers safe.
“When I look at my crews in the morning, I speak heavily of trust. The trust and a commitment that a family has given to me to allow them to make it come home safe.”
He knows the pain of getting a phone call that your loved one has died, and he doesn’t want any of his coworkers' families to be left wondering ‘What if... And what should have been done?’
Nelson says having a Day of Mourning is an occasion to reflect on all the lives that have been lost.
“My story is one of millions of stories of people that have been lost. Everyone's felt the heartache of loss, and we should feel their presence and celebrate their joy,” he added.
The Day of Mourning is a time to collectively renew the commitment to create safer workplaces in the province.
At 11 a.m. a moment of silence was taken to remember the Albertans who lost their lives while on duty. The Town’s flags were also lowered in recognition of the Day of Mourning.
The event was hosted by the Town, the Bonnyville and District Chamber of Commerce, local safety companies and community volunteers.
Also in attendance was the City of Cold Lake Mayor Craig Copeland and the MD of Bonnyville Reeve Barry Kalinski, who both took the opportunity to speak.
