Outside Province House on April 28, a solemn gathering was held to honor workers who have lost their lives or been injured on the job. The date marks the National Day of Mourning for workers in Canada; the provincial ceremony in Nova Scotia is led each year by the Nova Scotia Federal of Labour, with support from the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, the Workers’ Compensation Bureau of Nova Scotia, and the organization Threads for Life. As always, representatives from Formation Halifax were on hand to pay respects and acknowledge the importance of the day. Captain (Navy) Jonathan Lafontaine, Commanding Officer of Fleet Maintenance Facility (FMF) Cape Scott, laid a wreath outside Province House following the ceremony. He was joined by Chief Petty Officer 1st Class Ginette Seguin.
Speakers included guest of honour Nicole Beck-Maceachern, who lost her father, Ronald William Beck, in 2004, due to an incident involving rail cars with faulty brakes. She spoke about the devastating and lasting impact of the loss, which she believes could have been prevented. “Twenty years later, I’m allowing myself to tell my story out loud,” she said – both to help herself through the healing process and to raise awareness of the importance of workplace safety.
