We must treat our workers like the heroes they are

April 28, 2021

QUEEN’S PARK — Mike Schreiner released the following statement in recognition of National Day of Mourning:

“Today, in a year unlike any other year, we come together to remember workers who have lost their lives or have been injured on the job.

Every day in the middle of a global pandemic millions of Ontarians are heading off to work, doing their part to keep our communities functioning and our neighbours safe.

Government has a responsibility to do everything possible to ensure workplaces are safe. Every single Ontarian, no matter their occupation, deserves to return home safe and healthy at the end of the day.

We owe a great deal of gratitude to frontline and essential workers and must treat them like the heroes they truly are. This means providing workers with paid sick days and paid time off to get tested and vaccinated, prioritizing vaccines for workers who can’t work from home, mandating medical grade PPE, rapid testing and other measures to make sure workplaces are safe.

Too many workers have gotten sick or lost their lives at work. And I offer my sincere condolences to the families, friends and co-workers of those we’ve lost on the job.”

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