The Workers Compensation Board of Nova Scotia has recently launched a new campaign silencedoesntworkhere.ca, which got me thinking about how this important message applies to so many facets of life.
In the campaign, a mime represents a worker injured because he or she didn’t say something. I wonder how many of the 29 people who died at work in Nova Scotia last year remained silent. How many of those lives would have been saved if those individuals, or someone around them, said something?
We’ll never know, as they will now remain silent forever, lost to their families.
How often do we find ourselves in a similar situation where we are silent? How often can the outcome be influenced by our involvement?
Everyday, we as Haligonians have an opportunity to express our opinions — both positive and negative — on things that impact our lives.
For instance, the final public hearing for HRMbyDesign will be made at Halifax Regional Council tomorrow. Whether you agree or disagree with this plan, it will impact the growth and future of Halifax.
Have you thought about where you stand on this issue? Have you let someone know what you think? There are countless groups collecting information about this from petitions to postcards to Facebook groups, all providing you with easy ways to let your voice be heard, and easy ways for you to overcome the silence.
Every time we’re silent, we let someone else make a decision for us. This past fall, people of HRM had a chance to have their voices heard in a municipal election.
The result? About one in three people cast a ballot.
That means for every person that expressed their opinion, about two were silent. Those two people let other people make a decision about the future of their city for them. With a provincial election possibly upon on us shortly, will we act differently?
Think about all the hardworking men and women that protect us — from the police force to medical teams and firefighters to military personnel — that are willing to die in their line of work to ensure we are safe and free. Willing to defend our ability to vote and ensure that we continue to have our voices heard. Have they done this all in vain?
Next time you are silent, think about these people that have given up their lives to defend us, and those that have died because of the silence. In this context, do you think being silent is the best approach?
Christina Biluk is Director of Engagement for FUSION Halifax. Visit FUSIONHalifax.ca to find out how to get involved in shaping our city; theurbanscrawl@gmail.com.
