A ceremony in Yellowknife remembering those who lost their lives on the job drew calls to action in an ongoing struggle for stronger workers’ safety protections in the North and across the country.
It’s been more than four decades since the first National Day of Mourning. And it’s been over one century since the first Workers Compensation Act in Canada received its third reading
Statistics show that each year about 1,000 people across the country do not make it home from work, losing their lives because of workplace hazards.
Reports show that the territories of the North have the highest mortality rates in the country in proportion to worker populations.
“Today is about mourning. It’s about mourning the tragic loss of workers’ lives, lives that were cut short and taken for no other reason than that they just went to work. Workers expect, and rightly so that at the end of each work day, they will return home safely to their families and to their friends,” Tłı̨chǫ / Samba K’e Regional Vice President of the Northern Territories Federation of Labour Anthony Spirito told the gathering.
Two workers from the N.W.T. and one worker from Nunavut are among those who did not make it home from work in 2025.
Their names, among thousands, were recorded in the Book of Mourning.
“There are far too many names in that book,” said Spirito, who explained that since 1949 the name of every person confirmed to have died due to a work related hazard has been recorded into the book.
Spirito and Union of Northern Workers President Gayla Thurnstrom were joined by Workers’ Safety Minister Vince McKay and Yellowknife Mayor Ben Hendriksen to remember those who were lost and call for stronger protections.
Mayor Hendriksen spoke about conditions in the territory and the daily challenges workers face across diverse disciplines.
“In the North, work is often shaped by hard conditions — extreme weather, remote locations, abandoned Industries. From mining, construction to transportation, healthcare, public services, traditional livelihoods, workers in the N.W.T. take on risk every day to provide for their families. Those risks make workplace safety, not an abstract principle, but a shared responsibility of us all.”
Hendriksen reflected that the day of mourning is a time for compassion but also a call to action to strengthen “safety cultures.”
McKay said the Day of Mourning is a day of grieving that has the capacity to join people across the country, reflecting that the territory is made up of communities closely connected.
“These were our family, our friends, our coworkers and people who share our lives together,” said McKay.
Thurnstrom urged that worker death is not acceptable under any circumstances, even in jobs considered dangerous.
“One injury, one death is one too many. We mourn them and we will remember them. Many professions face a certain level of risk, but that doesn’t mean that dangerous work can’t be done safely, and it doesn’t let an employer or government off the hook.”
Thurnstrom emphasized that properly functioning equipment and protective measures are “non-negotiable.”
Thurnstrom said that to be effective, workplace policies must be guided by worker input and prioritize safety.
Workers’ involvement in the process of reviewing and improving these policies and laws is important to address safety.
Having a space for workers voices is “key” to shaping safer workplaces, said Thurnstrom.
‘It’s also important for legislation to be up to date on the hazards and risks of different types of working conditions and environments.”
Thurnstrom acknowledged the ongoing work of IAFF Local 2890, the union representing Yellowknife municipal firefighters, who are calling for changes to the current workers’ safety and compensation legislation. They want to expand the list of diseases that would make structural firefighters eligible for workers’ compensation. The firefighters are also calling for changes to the act to expand it so more frontline workers could qualify for compensation if they are diagnosed with PTSD.
“It is absolutely critical to listen to workers and learn about their experiences to recognize the practical, hands-on work knowledge workers can provide in conversations about the policies and legislation that directly affects them,” said Thurnstrom.
“Hopefully, our Legislative Assembly will find the way to work together to incorporate these changes into the Act sooner rather than later. Politics should never get in the way of taking care of the workers who willingly put themselves at higher risk to serve the public and keep the rest of us safe.”
