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Mother remembers son on Day of Mourning by Nathan Howes Special to the Beaver 7 | Wednesday, May 1, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com On Sept. 11, 2011, Oakville's Ann Grant received the news that is a parent's worst nightmare -- her son was killed in an accident. Evan Horkoff, 25, was one of 919 Canadians who lost their lives that year as a result of workplace-related accidents. Along with local labour representatives, politicians and residents, Grant was at the Oakville Central Library Sunday for the annual National Day of Mourning ceremony to remember her son and other workers killed or injured on the job in Canada. The day also strives to renew a public commitment to finding better ways to protect workers. "One statistic, one injury, one industrial illness and certainly one fatality is one too many. My son lost his life at work on Sept. 10, 2011. He was barely 25 years old. He lost his hopes and his dreams that day, and so did our family," said Grant. "To lose my son is to know hopelessness, despair, helplessness and devastation. He lives safely and lovingly in our hearts forever." Horkoff had enrolled at Conestoga College for a power-line technician program and was in Alberta in September 2011 completing a summer co-op term. While there, he was recruited by a second company for a full-time position, she said. "He told us he wanted to take a year off school and make some money and work. We tried to persuade him to come back to school, but he said he was tired of being a poor student," said Grant. After Labour Day, he was assigned to a crew at Crowsnest Pass to remove temporary transmission poles from the mountain. Horkoff travelled to work by helicopter and was very excited about this particular assignment, Grant recalled. "On Sept. 9, Evan called us and he said he was working hard. He was with his crew on the mountain and he was waiting for the helicopter to pick them up. He said there is nowhere else he would rather be," said Grant. "We supported him every step of the way." "We ended our conversation with the usual, `I love you mom' and `I love you, Evan.' When I As part of the National Day of Mourning, the Town of Oakville paid tribute to workers who have died on the job at their memorial in front of Central Library on Navy Street, Sunday morning. Oakville's Ann Grant speaks of her son, Evan Horkoff, who was killed on the job while working as a apprentice power line technician in Crowsnest Pass, Alta. in September 2011. Grant was flanked by wreaths and two large photos of her son at the memorial. photo by Graham Paine ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog) 2011 was down from 2010's total of 1,014, according to the Association of Workers' Compensation Boards of Canada. A tally of 249,511 workers suffered lost-time injuries. Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn said the Province has doubled the amount of enforcement in the last year. However, there are employers that "don't get it yet" when it comes to workplace safety. "They don't understand that, at the end of the day, everyone wants to return from work. We don't think that's a lot to ask. There (are) employees who simply go and do unsafe things even though they know that they shouldn't be doing it," said Flynn. On Dec. 28, 1990, the Government of Canada passed the Workers' Mourning Day Act, which established an official day observed annually to commemorate workers injured on the job, killed, disabled or who suffer from occupational illnesses. April 28 was selected as the date of observance because it was the day the first thorough Workers' Compensation Act passed in Ontario. "Work-related injuries, illnesses and deaths are morally, socially and economically unacceptable. Everyone deserves to come home from work every single day. Safety is not a privilege, it is a right," said Grant. "I have the rest of my life to mourn for my son and I have the rest of my life to make a difference." The National Day of Mourning is commemorated in more than 70 countries worldwide. hung up, I knew on that Friday night he was safe and happy," she added. But on Sept. 10 something went wrong. The 60-foot transmission pole he was working on, and harnessed to, collapsed and slid downhill before "landing on a rock face," Grant said. "He was only an apprentice. The coroner said the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries. There were very few unbroken bones in his body," said Grant. She said her son grew up as a "passionate, caring, compassionate, funny, fun-loving and beautiful young man" who loved elementary school, sports, music and chess. "My husband taught him to play chess when he was eight years old. By the time he was nine, my husband couldn't play with him anymore because he would beat him," said Grant. The 919 Canada-wide deaths reported in JOIN The Oakville Children's Choir Choral Music Excellence for Children and Youth ages 4 - 24 AUDITION DATES for 2013/2014 Season Tues. May 28 ­4:30 ­ 9:30pm ­ Hall Mon. June 3 - 4:30 ­ 9:30pm ­ Hall Tues. June 4 ­4:30 ­ 9:30pm ­ Hall Sat. June 22 ­ 9:00am ­ 1:00pm - Hall Book your child's audition today: phone 905-337-7104 Little Notes Preparatory Choir Cherub Choir Intermediate Choir Senior Choir Chamber Choir Boys & Young Men's Choir Vocal Coaching Theory Instruction Music Festivals Community Performances Social Activities Recordings International Tours Let's Play Bingo! OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 483 Speers Rd. Oakville,(905) The Oakville Children's Choir - 123 Maurice Dr., Suite 203, Oakville L6K 2W6 905-337-7104 www.oakvillechildrenschoir.org UPCOMING EVENTS: Singing Our Stories! 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