The City of Elliot Lake is inviting the public to attend the National Day of Mourning set for April 28th at the Miner’s Memorial Park.
held at 10:30 a.m. on April 28 at the Miner’s Memorial Park, when 12 names of Elliot Lake miners will be added to the monument.
Amelia D’Amato, museum curator for the Elliot Lake Museum, says the nation-wide day of mourning honours all workers who have lost their lives or were injured on the job, including occupational illnesses or disease.
She adds the purpose of the day of mourning is to connect with those who mourn the loss of workers and to concentrate on workplace safety and preventing future accidents or illnesses.
She says 12 miners’ names will be added to the wall of remembrance as part of the ceremony, which begins at 10:30 am.
The Parliament of Canada passed the Workers’ Mourning Day Act in 1991, making April 28 an official Day of Mourning.
That day is now recognized world-wide in more than 100 countries, under different names, such as Workers’ Memorial Day, or International Workers’ Memorial Day.
“Twelve Elliot Lake miners’ (names) are going up on our memorial wall,” explains D’Amato.
“The criteria to have your name go up on the wall is to have passed away due to an accident that happened at the mine or were injured or suffered illness from working in the mine.”
She said the miners are recognized by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Bureau (WSIB).
For more information on the event, contact D’Amato at the Elliot Lake Museum at 704-848-2287.
