Leo Gerard passed away on Sunday at age 78. He leaves behind a legacy of fighting for workers' rights, safety and health. He is known as a leader in worker advocacy not only in his hometown of Sudbury, the Province of Ontario, and the entire country, but gained worldwide recognition as a champion for the cause. A CTV news segment states he was "one of the best known labour leaders in the world."

One of OHCOW's Founders

Leo Gerard is remembered as a founding father of OHCOW, having been a powerful voice at the bargaining session with the provincial government to establish the funding for the first OHCOW clinic in Hamilton in 1989.

Those who worked with him over the years appreciated his reputation as a tough negotiator and his strong leadership qualities, as well as his warmth, humour, and mentorship. He has been described as "titan," who armed generations of activists with the knowledge to prevent injuries, and helped worker-led medical clinics when employers failed to provide safe work. On OHCOW's opening day, he spoke of the struggles workers faced getting justice from the compensation system, and the need to demand, and get, fair treatment.

Honoured by the Nation, and his Proud Hometown

Leo received  the Companion of the Order of Canada in 2023, which is the country's highest civilian honour.  The Governor General's announcement stated that it was “for his vast and influential work in labour advocacy, notably as the seventh International President of the United Steelworkers union.”

In a press release, United Steelworkers noted he was the longest-tenured president in USW’s history, leading it for more than 18 years before his 2019 retirement. He served the union in numerous leadership roles throughout a career spanning more than 50 years, which began at the age of 18 at a nickel smelter in his hometown of Sudbury. Laurentian University offers scholarships in his name for Labour Studies students. In 2018, a park in Greater Sudbury was commemorated to remember those who have died from occupational disease. It is formally called Leo Gerard Workers' Memorial Park in recognition of his lifelong contributions to fighting for workers' rights.

Visiting Sudbury's OHCOW Open House Event

In 2024, Leo visited the Sudbury office on the occasion of OHCOW's 35th Anniversary. The photo on the right shows OHCOW Executive Director Kimberly O'Connell, Leo,  Sudbury MPP Jamie West, OHCOW Executive Director Brittney Ramakko, and Andreane [Andie] Chenier, Chair of the Sudbury LOC. Leo remarked that he was pleased to be on hand to celebrate the anniversary. He recalled the early days when OHCOW was first established in Hamilton in 1989 by the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL). It was an honour for the office to be able to celebrate with him!

Leo Gerard passed away on Sept. 21, peacefully with his family by his side. He will be deeply missed by his wife of 56 years, two daughters and three grandchildren, as well as an incredible number of friends and colleagues.