YARMOUTH, N.S. – People clutched flowers, kind and loving words were spoken and some tears flowed as a Day of Mourning ceremony was held in Yarmouth on April 28.
Amid a backdrop of the Lost to the Sea memorial on Water Street – which bears the names of more than 2,000 people who lost their lives to the sea – people gathered to honour and remember those who have died in the workplace or have been injured physically or emotionally while on the job.
The ceremony also extended support to their family and friends.
During the ceremony there was reference made to five Nova Scotians who lost their lives in 2017 when they went to work one day and never came home – the fishing, construction, manufacturing and food and beverage sector were all impacted. In addition to those who lost their lives as a direct result of their jobs, it was mentioned another 16 Nova Scotians died as a result of occupational diseases and other related issues, such as heart attacks suffered at work.
As mentioned, it’s not only those who died who are honoured on the Day of Mourning. There are also those who have been injured or whose lives have been forever shaped by a tragic event as part of their job. First responders, for instance, were part of people’s thoughts.
“Jan. 7 of this year was my worst call,” said East Pubnico fire chief Joe d’Eon, one of the day’s speakers, referring to a devastating fire in Pubnico Head. “We were called to a fire in which we lost four children, and I have a hard time dealing with it.”
He said days later firefighters and other first responders went through a major incident stress debriefing with a team from the province.
“They said the best thing to do is talk about it,” he said. “Well, some people can’t.”
He said there are still two firefighters he keeps a close eye on who have struggled since the fire.
This year in Nova Scotia there have been several residential fires that have resulted in fatalities.
Several family members and friends of the children who died in the Pubnico Head fire were present at the ceremony, including Lynette Hayward-Byrd, who is also a member of the South West Labour Group that organized the ceremony in Yarmouth. Clutching a bouquet of roses with the children’s photos attached to them, she read the names of the four children who died in the fire – Jayla Kennedy, age 4; Winston Prouty, age 4 months; Mya Prouty, age 7 and Mason Grant age 7.
“We love them and miss them very, very much,” she said, adding thoughts continue to be with the first responders, including firefighters, RCMP members and paramedics.
Marina Nixon, a nurse and one of the people involved in the Day of Mourning ceremony, read a prayer during the ceremony and sang the hymn Amazing Grace as wreaths and flowers were laid.
Yarmouth MLA Zach Churchill, also the province’s education minister, was among those who spoke. He said it is important never to forget those who have died or been injured in the workplace, and to take away lessons from these incidents.
“While we mourn these losses and while we extend our condolences to their families, friends and loved ones of those we’ve lost, and we think about those who still suffer from physical or psychological ailment from workplace injury, let us allow those stories to motivate us to ever strive for safer workplaces and ensure that we have the proper support in place for those who need it,” he said.
MORE ABOUT THE DAY OF MOURNING:
Every year the Day of Mourning is observed on April 28 to pay tribute to those who have died or been injured at work.
In 2017, 21 Nova Scotia workers lost their lives at work or because of work-related injuries, diseases or conditions.
The annual Day of Mourning event is organized provincially by the Federation of Labour to publicly acknowledge those affected by workplace tragedy. In Yarmouth the South West Labour Group helps to organize the ceremony here.
For more information on the Day of Mourning visit dayofmourning.ns.ca.
