SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - "I could have saved a life that day, but I chose to look the other way," read Mary Lou Cherwaty, president of the Northern Territories Federation of Labour, from a poem at the 27th annual National Day of Mourning Ceremony at the legislative assembly Thursday.

The poem explained how everyone holds the responsibility to ensure people are working in a safe environment.

The flags were at half-mast throughout the city to honour workers who have been killed, injured or suffered illness due to workplace-related hazards and incidents.

Eight candles were lit this year. Five candles were lit for Northern workers who died in 2010, four were in NWT communities outside of Yellowknife and one was in Nunavut. One candle was lit for all workers who died due to a work-related incident in the past and two candles were lit for two workers who died prior to 2010. Blake Cooper, who was working in Fort Nelson, B.C., and Ronald Rufus, working in Tuktoyaktuk, were added to the Day of Mourning Book kept at the legislative assembly, although they died prior to 2010.

It is only now, years past the date the latter two workers died, that it is known the cause was due to a work-related incident, so they are now recognized in the Day of Mourning book kept at the legislative assembly.

The ceremony opened and closed with the young voices of the Mildred Hall School choir, which filled the Great Hall.

Municipal and Community Affairs Minister Robert C. McLeod said work-related deaths cause voids that last forever.

"Every year we gather to recognize those that are lost in workplace accidents," he said. "It leaves a void in the communities and leaves a void in the homes and the lives of the families.

"It is my hope, not my hope, our prayer, that next year we gather and we read no names."

Bill Aho, chair of the NWT Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission, said it is important to foster strong safety policies and that workplace safety is achieved through partnerships with workers, employers, labour groups and safety associations.

"Everyone plays a role," said Aho. "Workplace incidents are preventable and thus, unacceptable."

Western Arctic MP Dennis Bevington said over the years, the number of workplace fatalities has been increasing nationally.

"In the last decade that increase was a staggering 35 per cent. No one should leave their home in the morning and wonder whether today is the day they die on the job," Bevington said. "Let us work together to make this the year we finally see the statistics improve."

Last year, there were three deaths. In 2009, there were five, six in 2008 and nine in 2007.

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