Day of Mourning ceremony held at Province House

Tuesday is a sombre day for people who have lost a loved one on the job as Nova Scotia joins the rest of Canada in a Day of Mourning.

In 2014, 19 people died in the province from a work-related accident or sickness.

Estella Hickey's youngest son, Kyle, died after an explosion at Dartmouth's O'Regan's auto shop in 2008.

"Nothing can prepare a parent for the loss of a child," Hickey said.

"I love my son Kyle more than words can describe. I am no longer the same person I was before losing Kyle."

The day of mourning is meant not only for reflection, but awareness of workplace safety.

Shannon Kempton is all too aware. Her father Peter also died after a fiery automotive shop explosion. She attended Tuesday's service at Province House.

"Hearing Estelle talk, seeing 19 flags, remembering there was a flag for my father last year was very difficult to see," she said.

Kempton has been waiting 19 months for justice. Criminal negligence charges under the Westray Act, named for the province's notorious mining disaster, have never been laid in Nova Scotia.

Barb Byers with the Canadian Labour Congress has some tough questions for law enforcement.

"Will you commit to laying charges under the criminal code and send to jail those employers found guilty of criminal negligence causing the death of workers? Because we believe they must pay for their actions," she said.

The RCMP says it's investigating.

Under the Labour Act, the department has up to two years to lay charges. Minister Kelly Regan says they aren't trying to run out the clock.

"What we want to do is a very thorough investigation, so if we do lay charges we can make them stick," she said.

Small consolation for Kempton who has just five months left waiting for charges.

"I'm going to fight until I can't fight anymore for him," she said. "But I feel like until something's done, I can't have that sense that justice has been served."