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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, May 5, 2016 | 20 As workplace injuries and deaths decline, Flynn vows to eliminate most continued from p.19 time things have happened that didn't have to happen, which resulted in somebody losing their life. We're treating it very, very seriously at the Ministry of Labour." The Oakville MPP attributes the steps made to unions, organizations such as the ODLC, "good, responsible" employers like Oakville Hydro and Ford Motor Company of Canada and "ordinary people (who) go to work every day, who keep it in the forefront in their minds." "They look out for their colleagues. They see a young worker doing something unsafe and they're not afraid to talk to them and say, `That's not how we do things here,'" said Flynn. Since 2003, the number of workplace incidents in Ontario has dropped 40-50 per cent, Flynn said, a stat "we should be proud of, but we shouldn't be satisfied with." "It tells us we can do this. It tells us we can come that far. In 13 years, if you can drop it by half, why can't we get the other half? If you got half of the injuries out of the way, why can't we do the other half?" asked Flynn, noting the number of injuries to young workers has decreased by about 70 per cent since 2012. The time when people are most vulnerable to injury is the "very first couple of weeks at the very first job you have," he said. "By the end of the day, there will be 17 kids who will be hurt on the job, requiring them to take time off work. That's something we need to change, that's something I'm determined to change as Minister of Labour," said Flynn. Although it started in Canada, the Day of Mourning is commemorated in 70 countries. April 28 is the date the first comprehensive Workers' Compensation Act passed in Ontario. "It's a movement, it's an idea...people are starting to pay attention," said Flynn. Ward 5 Town Councillor Marc Grant has attended the event since 2003 and said when he learned of the number of workplace deaths, it "scared me. It freaked me out," he said. Emil Mesic, Unifor Local 707 health and safety representative, said April 28 is a day "we fight for the living and we mourn for the dead." He noted 919 workers died in Canada in 2014 (Association of Workers' Compensation Boards of Canada), which is roughly equal to five employees losing their lives every two days. Mesic also cited an Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) statistic ­ 226 provincial deaths in 2015 due to workplace injuries or occupational diseases. The health and safety rep recalled the stories of Sean Kells, 19, and Oakville's David Ellis, 18, who both died in the first days of their jobs in 1994 and 1999, respectively. "Both of those families have tried, and are still trying to this day, to keep their sons' memories alive by pushing forward the agenda of health and safety in the workplace, especially young people," said Mesic. Official Opposition and Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown released a statement on the Day of Mourning, urging Ontarians to make workplace health and safety a priority and to discuss it with their co-workers and loved ones. "The Ontario PC caucus is committed to working with all affected groups and parties to develop the safest working conditions in the world, right here in Ontario, so people can return MORNING MADNESS SALE Saturday May 7th 2016 8 am - 12 noon....Only !! FREE $ South Oakville Centre · 905-465-3499 30% OFF STORE WIDE Leaky Basement? Call Us! · Crack ack Injection Injec Repair Specialist · Wise Dry Interior Drain Systems · Lifetime Fully Transferrable Warranty · Sump Pump Renewal Installations R0013795443 10 Call Us... 905-510-9739 Gift * Card Professional, Cost Effective Solutions for Wet wayne@wisecracks.com Basements w w w. H a l t o n Wi s e C ra c k s. co m when you spend $20 or more on fresh produce valid Mon - Thurs only *Free Gift Card to be used on your next shop. No coupon required. Offer is only valid in a single transaction and cannot be combined with any other offer. Compression soCks... Your legs will thank You! * Offer valid only at Aurora Sobeys - 15500 Bayview Ave., Aurora; 1250 Brant St. - Burlington Sobeys; Tillsonburg Sobeys - 678 Broadway Street, R.R. 7 Tillsonburg; Milton Sobeys - 1035 Bronte Street S., Milton; Flamborough Sobeys ­ 255 Dundas St., Waterdown; Stratford Sobeys ­ 581 Huron St., Stratford; Maple Grove Sobeys ­ 511 Maple Grove Dr., Oakville; Bronte Sobeys ­ 2441 Lakeshore Rd, West, Oakville; and Glen Abbey Sobeys ­ 1500 Upper Middle Rd., Oakville locations. Offer is only valid in a single transaction. Offer is non transferable for cash. No cash back. Limit one gift card per Customer. Limit one offer per customer. Re-production of this offer 7 7 0 974 0 6 90 5 will not be accepted. Cannot be combined with other offers. Oakville Burlington 380 Dundas St. E. 3350 Fairview St. T: 905.257.4335 T: 905.637.4335