UNVEILING MONCTON MONUMENT, 1995: Roméo LeBlanc, Governor General of Canada, and Nancy Riche, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress, at the unveiling of the Day of Mourning Monument in Moncton, 28 April 1995.

On 28 April 1995 the Governor General of Canada stood with union leaders, church and civic officials in Moncton to pay tribute to workers killed and injured on the job in one of the province's largest urban areas. The event was organized by the Moncton and District Labour Council (MDLC), and the occasion was the unveiling of a monument in the well-known downtown Bore Park. Roméo LeBlanc, the first Acadian to hold the position of Governor-General, was born and grew up at l'Anse-aux-Cormiers near Memramcook and started his career as a teacher and journalist in the Moncton area. Alongside Roméo Leblanc was Nancy Riche, secretary-treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). In addition, John McEwen, President of the New Brunswick Federation of Labour (NBFL), Moncton labour council president Wayne Brown and Moncton mayor Léopold Belliveau also took part in the ceremony. All of the speakers emphasized the importance of safe workplaces for workers. The inscription on the monument reads: “April 28 A National Day of Mourning for Workers Killed, Injured or Disabled on the Job Each Year. Mourn for the Dead. Fight for the Living. Moncton & District Labour Council – C.L.C. Dedicated April 28 1995” .

Thanks to the efforts of the Moncton and District Labour Council, city council formed a special committee in early May 1993 to plan for the commemoration of the Day of Mourning in the region. The committee included Earl Garland, a member of the Canadian Auto Workers Union (CAW) and a representative of the health and safety committee of the labour council, as well as the MDLC president Wayne Brown, a member of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), and Jean-Claude Basque, representing the CLC. At first, the committee considered placing a memorial plaque in one of the city parks. Gradually, the idea of a plaque was abandoned in favour of a monument, and in December 1993 the City of Moncton gave its support to the erection of a commemorative monument in Bore Park. The City also undertook to provide a base for the monument and prepare and maintain the site. The labour council took responsibility for purchasing and erecting the monument. With the support of donations from its members, the MDLC brought the project to a successful completion. A monument was created by Nelson Monuments of Sussex, and the unveiling ceremony was set for 28 April 1994. However, because of a strike by members of CUPE Local 51 of the City of Moncton, the ceremony was postponed until the following year.

On every 28 April since 1995, the Moncton labour council has organized a small ceremony in Bore Park to mark the Day of Mourning. Short presentations are made by representatives of the NBFL and the City of Moncton or another town in the region. Roses are laid at the foot of the monument and a minute of silence is observed, and this is usually followed by a last word from a representative of the labour council.