On Thursday June 20, 2013, President Bob Hatfield
represented the Workers’ History Museum as Peter Kent,
Minister of Environment and Parks Canada, unveiled a plaque
commemorating the national historic significance of the contributions of the
Rideau Canal workers.
Hatfield remarked that it was a "moving
ceremony," especially noting the speech by Kevin Dooley of the Canal Workers Commemorative Group that made reference to the canal workers - the Irish and French
Canadians in particular - who laboured to build the canal, and to the hundreds
of workers and family members whose lives were sacrificed during its
construction. "He made the connection between those people and workers
today who are still being injured and dying at work," said Hatfield,
"and how that struggle for better safety conditions for workers is an
important one, and an ongoing one."
|
Kevin
Dooley was a prime mover in the bid to have the historical importance of Rideau
Canal Workers officially recognized. 19 June 2013, Mr. Dooley spoke at a
ceremony to unveil a plaque which recognizes the Rideau Canal
workers. Photo by: Bob Hatfield
|
Ensuring that workers were recognized in this national
monument was an important campaign for the WHM. An earlier designation of the
Rideau Canal as a site of historical import credited Colonel John By, who
supervised construction, but failed to mention those who actually built the
canal: the Scottish and English masons and the labourers particularly “the Navvies” who were largely Irish immigrants and French Canadians.
This oversight was contested by
the CWCG. The WHM was among the
groups that successfully lobbied Minister Peter Kent
and other parties in support of the CWCG's proposal. The contributions and
sacrifices of working men and women are now enshrined on the plaque that stands
at the Rideau Locks in Ottawa.
For more information about the ceremony and the campaign for recognition, please follow the link to Kevin Dooley's article at True North Perspective.