Mr. Speaker, April 28 has been designated as the national day of mourning to recognize workers who have been injured on the job and to honour those who have lost their lives in work related accidents.
The importance of this day becomes clear when we learn that on average three workers are killed every day and hundreds of Canadians are injured on the job each year.
Despite new age technologies and an abundance of safety first warnings, there was a 50% increase in fatalities in the federal jurisdiction in 1997.
As we approach the new century, new challenges will arise and new diseases and workplace illnesses will emerge.
The unprecedented rise in workplace violence requires special vigilance. We cannot ignore the sufferings of our colleagues and we must learn to recognize the danger signals.
Let us use this national day of mourning as a wake-up call to identify and eliminate potential hazards. Workers help to make this country productive and we have a responsibility to ensure that workplace health and safety are a priority.