Hundreds of people came together in Ottawa for a candle-light vigil in honour of the victims killed in the crash of the First Air flight 6560.
Held at the Canadian Labour Congress workers’ monument in Vincent Massey Park, colleagues, friends and supporters gathered to share poems, prayers, and stories about those lost.
Twelve people, including eight passengers and four crew members were killed in the crash near Resolute, Nunavut on August 20. Two members of the crew, Ann-Marie Chassie and Ute Merritt, were CUPE members.
Many CUPE members attended to show support and solidarity, along with CUPE National President Paul Moist and Secretary-Treasurer Claude Généreux.
Moist addressed the crowd and offered condolences to the family and friends of the victims on behalf of CUPE’s 600,000 members.
“First Air is a family. It’s a family that’s been hit hard… At times like this we close ranks, and offer our solidarity to the families of the victims, to the First Air family, and to the broader flight attendant family as well,” said Moist.
“We mourn the death of these people not just today, and not just on the next April 28, but everyday.”
April 28 is the National day of mourning for workers killed or injured on the job.
The ceremony ended with a touching display, as 12 balloons were released into the sky one at a time in honour of each victim.