About 70 people attended a 10:30 a.m. outdoor ceremony at Miners’ Memorial Park today. Mayor Andrew Wannan lead a ceremony inducting five fallen miners: Giovanni Angaran, Raymond Cameron, Roger Desilets, Leonard Horton Sr., and Richard McCartney Sr.
The ceremony included speakers, Sandy Ibbitson, health and safety specialist; Sue Girard on behalf of MP Carol Hughes, MPP Michael Mantha, Janice Martell of the McIntyre Powder Project, and Mayor Andrew Wannan.
Museum Curator Amelia D’Amato welcomed the attendees, including many family members and friends of the inductees. “This day, we come together to honour those who've lost their lives or who have become injured or ill due to unsafe working conditions."
"By being here today, we are helping to gain awareness to the importance of health and safety in the workplace,” D’Amato said before inviting the speakers to the podium.
Sandy Ibbitson, a health and safety specialist with three decades in occupational health and safety, spoke with a theme of heroes. She noted Terry Fox began his run in April, and while he did not complete it, it is annually carried on.
Ibbitson continued, “We are Elliot Lake. We are the north. We are a community that has lost so much when it comes to lives and dreams - death and safety. So, as a community, why don’t we develop ourselves into being safety heroes?”
Ibbitson reminded the gathering of the three-week long, wildcat strike that began 50 years ago on April 18, 1974. “People need to be reminded of the struggle that took place back then, and we need to rededicate ourselves to continue this fight.”
Addressing those responsible for workers’ safety, she said, “I want you to feel a deep need to keep the people around you safe. I want to know that your workplace has a culture of safety. I want you to do the right thing, simply because it’s the right thing to do.”
Sue Girard spoke on behalf of MP Carol Hughes, “It is important to me that it is with thanks to the labour movement and the work of the NDP, that the National Day of Mourning was enacted.” And adding for Hughes, “Let us also keep in our hearts, all of the families who’s loved ones are etched on this memorial, as well as all workers who are living with the effects of workplace injuries.”
MPP Michael Mantha said, “I want to thank you for being here demonstrating your respect and appreciation for the thousands of men and women who have been killed in their workplace.”
Mantha described how soldiers “going off to war” know the risks, but “it is a workers and their families' understanding that they will be home at the end of that day.”
“In addition to government regulation, it is our sole duty of every employer, supervisor, union member, and worker, to put health and safety, every minute of every day, ahead of every thought,” he said.
Janice Martell of the McIntyre Powder Project, said about the Miners’ Memorial, “This is a tangible, beautiful, peaceful gathering place for us to remember and honour. It is really meaningful to a lot of people. We are very grateful. I want to thank Elliot Lake for your commitment to the Miners’ Memorial Wall."
“In doing so, you give face and form and name, to statistics of occupational disease that are vastly underrepresented in the official counts,” she said.
Martell also spoke of the devastation that occupational disease and illness has caused, adding, “Every name, every new section of the wall makes it harder and harder for those who have the power to make change to bury their heads in the sand.”
And a poetry dedication by Linda Aelick, ‘Voices,’ began, “Memories. Our memories are here in our minds, blowing around like the dust in the wind …”
Mayor Wannan read the names of the inductees and invited their family members to join him as a flag was lowered to half mast and a minute of silence observed.
Following the minute of silence, the inductees’ family members spoke, sharing very meaningful memories of their loved ones.
The museum curator thanked the families “for sharing these stories and being with us today in recognition of their contributions, joining the names of their coworkers and friends,” and she thanked the speakers and city staff for preparation of the ceremony area at the memorial park.
“A very special thanks goes out to the Rogers family for their continued support of our Day of Mourning events.”
“The Rogers family who lost husband and father to workplace tragedy, and five families we met today who lost loved ones to occupational disease, are real life examples of the resounding effects of unsafe work conditions,” D’Amato said.