On April 28, the National Day of Mourning for workers killed on the job, we are reminded that although workplace injuries and fatalities may be accidents, they are preventable. While preventing injuries and deaths benefits both employer and employee, it is always left to government to create and enforce regulatory regimes that keep Canadians safe.

Many Canadians may not realize that the federal government has significant health and safety responsibilities. Unfortunately, federal underfunding and understaffing of safety inspectors are putting employees of federal departments, crown corporations and cross-provincial companies, such as trucking, air transport, banking and the like, in harm's way.