MONTREAL -- Staff from the Grace Dart long-term care centre in Montreal east will participate in a minute of silence on Friday as a tribute to their colleague Victoria Salvan who died of COVID-19 on April 17.
Salvan had 28 years of experience, according to Jonathan Deschamps, the local president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which Salvan was a member of. CUPE will be holding the tribute.
Deschamps said Salvan was still at work a few days before she died – she had picked up several extra shifts to be there for the long-term care facility’s residents.
Deschamps is inviting all the members of his union from the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal to join their colleagues from Grace Dart for the tribute. He says employees need this moment of meditation because they are going through a rough period that has yet to end.
CUPE said Thursday that it wants the moment to be a tribute to frontline workers from all health centres across the province.
A symbol has been created for social networks – an illustration of a heart with two wings and the word "essential," referring to frontline workers. The image is available on CUPE's Facebook page, so people can participate in the commemoration virtually. The minute of silence will take place at 2 p.m. on Friday.
Deschamps says Salvan gave her life for her work, and that she will never be forgotten.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 23, 2020.
