April 28, 2025
Statement from Labour and Immigration Minister Malaya Marcelino on International Day of Mourning
Each year on the International Day of Mourning, we pause and reflect on the Manitobans who died from injuries and illnesses they suffered at work. We remember so many of our friends, family members and neighbours who were not given the safety they deserved.
Manitobans deserve to feel safe on the job and when they leave for work in the morning, their loved ones should be able to count on their safe return home.
Our government is taking action to make workplaces safer for all Manitobans. Last year, we re-established the Advisory Council on Workplace Safety and Health to strengthen worker protections in Manitoba and we restored the one-to-one apprentice-to-journeyperson ratio so workers get high-quality training with the highest possible safety standards.
Through single-step certification, we have also made it easier for Manitobans to join a union. We extended long-term leave for serious injury or illness to 27 weeks and banned replacement workers to protect good-paying jobs for Manitobans. We’re creating thousands of good jobs through investments to build Manitoba, while increasing worker protections.
We know there is still more work to do to protect workers. That’s why we introduced legislation to recognize the importance of mental health in the workplace by adding psychological safety into the Workplace Safety and Health Act’s purposes. We’re leading the way as the first jurisdiction to do this in Canada, laying the groundwork for future regulations to support workplace mental health.
We have made changes to the Workers Compensation Act to make sure all Manitoba families can access the lump-sum fatality benefit in the case of a workplace fatality.
Today, we encourage all Manitobans to take a moment of solemn reflection to remember the lives lost and the loved ones no longer with us. We reaffirm our commitment to keep working together to improve safety and supports for all workers in Manitoba.
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