Honour the Fallen. Protect the Living. A Reflection Leading to the National Day of Mourning
- trevor3861
- Apr 24
- 4 min read
By Trevor Eliott, Assistant Rabban, Al Shamal. AKA Mr. Fancy Fez.
On April 28, flags will lower, candles will burn, and Canadians from all walks of life will pause for a moment of silence. It is a ritual observed across the country—but it is far more than symbolic.
April 28 marks the National Day of Mourning—a day to honour the workers who have died, been injured, or fallen ill because of their jobs. A day to grieve, yes—but also to ignite purpose. To turn sorrow into solidarity. To transform memory into action.
Here in Alberta—where we value hard work, resilience, and community—this day carries a powerful weight. And whether you’re a tradesperson, a teacher, a nurse, or someone like me who proudly wears a fez and serves through fraternity and philanthropy, the message is universal:
No one should lose their life for a paycheque.
A Made-in-Canada Movement with Global Reach
The Day of Mourning is a Canadian creation. It began in 1984, when the Canadian Labour Congress and CUPE designated April 28 as a day of remembrance. The date commemorated the 1914 passage of Ontario’s first Workers’ Compensation Act—an early attempt to recognize that when a worker is harmed, it’s not just a private tragedy. It’s a public responsibility.
In 1991, the Government of Canada enshrined the Day of Mourning in legislation. Today, over 100 countries mark this date around the world—making it not only a national commitment, but a global call to action.
And yet, for all the progress we’ve made, the canary is still singing.
The Canary in the Coal Mine: A Symbol That Still Speaks
You’ve likely seen it—the black and yellow canary pin. A powerful visual that recalls an earlier era when miners carried canaries underground to detect toxic gas. If the bird stopped singing, it meant danger. It meant it was time to act.
Today, the canary remains a symbol of worker vulnerability and the need for vigilance. For many of us, it represents someone we’ve known—a co-worker, a loved one, a brother or sister who never came home.
The canary is more than a warning. It’s a promise. That we’ll do better. That we’ll speak up. That we’ll build workplaces where people thrive—not sacrifice themselves for the job.
The Alberta Numbers: Grief in Plain Sight
Nowhere is that promise more important than here in Alberta.
According to the 2023 Workplace Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities Overview from the Government of Alberta, our province recorded:
165 workplace fatalities
41,866 disabling injury claims
That’s 165 Albertans who went to work and never made it home. More than three per week. These aren’t just statistics. They are lives lost—fathers, mothers, daughters, sons, friends, and neighbours. People whose contributions helped build, heal, feed, and fuel this province.
And for every life lost, there are dozens more permanently changed. Workers living with chronic pain, post-traumatic stress, or life-altering injuries. Families left behind, navigating grief and financial hardship.
Sectors in Crisis
Some industries carry a greater burden than others. In Alberta, certain sectors consistently see the highest number of fatalities and injuries:
Construction
Continues to account for a disproportionate number of deaths.
Common causes include falls, crush injuries, electrocution, and equipment failure.
Many victims are young or new workers, with limited experience and training.
Transportation
Trucking and delivery workers face long hours, poor road conditions, and fatigue-related accidents.
Alberta’s vast geography, coupled with intense weather, increases risk.
Healthcare and Social Assistance
Nurses, aides, and frontline caregivers experience not only physical injuries but emotional trauma and burnout.
Violence in healthcare settings is on the rise, with long-term mental health consequences.
Oil & Gas / Agriculture
High-risk sectors involving hazardous equipment, toxic exposure, and often remote, unsupervised worksites.
Many workers are migrants or contractors with limited access to benefits or advocacy.
The Injuries We Don’t Count
Beneath these statistics lies an even more troubling truth: many injuries go unreported.
Why?
Fear of retaliation.
Lack of knowledge about reporting rights.
Cultural stigma around mental health or “toughing it out.”
Psychological injuries—like harassment, moral injury, PTSD, and burnout—are often harder to quantify, but just as devastating. While WCB Alberta does recognize psychological injuries, many workers still struggle to have their claims accepted or to access timely mental health care.
The reality is this:
Our statistics are not the ceiling. They are the floor.
Why Leadership Matters
You might ask, why is “Mr. Fancy Fez” writing about worker safety statistics?
Because leadership is about showing up where it counts—not just in lodge rooms or community halls, but on job sites, in classrooms, and in boardrooms. Because leadership means having hard conversations. And because safety is not a niche issue. It’s a moral one.
Whether you’re a Mason, a union leader, a small business owner, or a young worker on your first job—you have power. The power to:
Normalize conversations about mental health.
Equip new workers with safety knowledge.
Refuse unsafe work.
Report hazards.
Push for better policies.
Five Things You Can Do This Week
As we move closer to the Day of Mourning on April 28, here are five meaningful actions you can take:
Learn: Visit wcb.ab.ca or canadianlabour.ca to understand your rights and responsibilities.
Attend: Join a local Day of Mourning ceremony. Show your face. Bring a friend. Light a candle.
Reflect: At 11:00 AM on April 28, join thousands across Alberta for a moment of silence. Honour those we’ve lost.
Wear the Pin: Display the black and yellow canary as a sign of remembrance and a conversation starter.
Speak Up: Talk to your team, your family, or your community about what safety really means. Especially mental and emotional safety.
References
Government of Alberta. (2024). Workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities: 2023 Alberta overview. https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/2ed32e8d-b5e4-4703-bd8e-a71c595fb4f5/resource/f5b28e08-c64c-46f8-930f-6418911a741f/download/jet-workplace-injuries-illnesses-and-fatalities-2023-alberta-overview.pdf
Workers’ Compensation Board – Alberta. (2024). 2023 annual report: Our year at a glance. https://www.wcb.ab.ca/annual-report-2023/Our-year-at-a-glance.html
Canadian Labour Congress. (n.d.). National Day of Mourning. https://canadianlabour.ca/campaigns/day-of-mourning/
CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees). (n.d.). April 28 Day of Mourning. https://cupe.ca/april-28-day-mourning
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