(Adrian St.Onge/CHAT News)

By Adrian St.Onge

‘We can make a difference’: Medicine Hat remembers work-related deaths and accidents during National Day of Mourning

Apr 28, 2024 | 3:37 PM

Medicine Hat residents converged on Medicine Hat Memorial Arboretum Sunday morning to pay respects to workers and their families, across all industries, who died on the job site.

Vice Chair of the Medicine Hat Regional Safety Committee Jason Wheeler said that the community impact the National Day of Mourning has is entirely subjective and varies from person to person, but said that more work needs to be done to prevent further tragedies.

“I think it’s really important to stop and take the time to grieve, but it’s really important as well to reinvigorate ourselves and step up again to the challenge of keeping people safe for our future generations,” Wheeler said.

“A lot has changed over many, many years and we’re getting better, but there’s a long way to go. 165 workers lost their lives this year in this province and so we have a lot of work to do,” he said.

“It’s great to bring people together in small community like this, but again you get together to remember, but also to pick up and push forward again.”

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Speakers for the National Day of Mourning included Assistant Deputy Chief Garnet Decker from the Medicine Hat Fire Department, Police Chief Alan Murphy and Mayor Linnsie Clark.

“I just hope that everyone today just thinks about what they’re doing in their workplace and is it safe and asking am I contributing to the safety of my workplace. If all of us take this seriously and help our colleagues out to do the same, I think we can have a safer workplace in Medicine Hat,” Clark said.

“Having people who are willing to organize things like this year after year, to keep it top of mind. Having advocates in the workplace and within our community, ensuring that we have workplace security and that we don’t forget and who people who care about workplace safety is so important,” she said.

Wheeler said that the message he wants the community to hear is one of continuous improvement.

“Some very powerful messages were shared. Great to have people here. The mayor, people from the city, police and fire, really inspiring to hear their words,” Wheeler said.

“I hope everyone takes something away today and leaves with a message of ‘hey, we can make a difference’,” he said.