As the National Day of Mourning marks its 10th anniversary, the Honourable Claudette Bradshaw, Minister of Labour, expressed her deepest regrets at the number of lives lost each year due to workplace accidents. The best way to pay tribute to those we remember is to continue to strive for safer and healthier workplaces that will prevent needless accidents from happening. Each year nearly 800 Canadians are killed and 800,000 are injured as a result of workplace accidents.
Young workers are the highest risk group.
Between 1994 and 1998 close to 30 per cent of all accident victims compensated for lost time were young Canadians aged 15 to 29. This day focuses our attention on the tragic consequences of workplace hazards and it reminds us that we must remain committed to working together, making workplaces safer for all Canadians. For the past ten years, the Government of Canada has demonstrated its commitment to occupational safety and health through educational awareness and legislatives measures. Amendments to strengthen Part II of the Canada Labour Code came into force last September improving occupational health and safety for Canadian workers under federal jurisdiction.