Publications

Walking Away from a Bad Deal Was the Right Choice. Now Canada Must Protect Workers

WINNIPEG — Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, issued the following statement after Canada-U.S. trade negotiations broke down Friday night: “Walking away from a bad deal was the right choice for Canada. We support the Prime Minister and Canada’s negotiating team in this crucial decision. “Donald Trump has once again chosen economic intimidation over fair trade, imposing 50…

BRUSKE: Canada Must Stand Firm for a Trade Deal That Delivers for Workers

CLC president Bea Bruske issued the following statement in reaction to Prime Minister Carney describing the Canada-U.S. trade talks as “delicate and intense.” As trade unionists, we know what it takes to win at the negotiating table against a powerful counterpart. It takes strength, clarity, unity. It means knowing your bottom line, understanding your leverage and being prepared to use…

Second Labour Code submission warns Ottawa not to entrench powers to end legal strikes

OTTAWA — The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) says the federal government’s second round of consultations on the Canada Labour Code raises troubling new concerns by asking how the government’s power to intervene in lawful strikes should be preserved, rather than whether it should continue to exist. “The government is asking the wrong question,” said Bea Bruske, President of the CLC.…

Emancipation Day: Justice requires action, not just reflection.

OTTAWA — Canada’s unions are marking Emancipation Day by reiterating their calls for the federal government to strengthen the Employment Equity Act. Emancipation Day recognizes the abolition of slavery in Canada and other British colonies on August 1st, 1834. It is a day to reflect on this nation’s history and participation in slavery, and to remember and honour those who were…

Statement from Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress

OTTAWA — “The Bank of Canada has now been found twice in two weeks to have broken Canada’s anti-scab law. Parliament passed this law to protect workers’ right to strike and ensure collective bargaining is fair. When employers use scab labour, they undermine that fundamental right. The Bank of Canada should immediately stop using scab labour, comply with the Canada…

Statement from Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress

OTTAWA — “The Bank of Canada has now been found twice in two weeks to have broken Canada’s anti-scab law. Parliament passed this law to protect workers’ right to strike and ensure collective bargaining is fair. When employers use scab labour, they undermine that fundamental right. The Bank of Canada should immediately stop using scab labour, comply with the Canada…

Letter to the Prime Minister: Call for federal acknowledgement and apology for Canada’s role in the trafficking of enslaved Africans

Dear Prime Minister, On behalf of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), which represents over three million workers across Canada, I am writing to you today about a matter of historical and moral importance. On March 25, 2026, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution declaring the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans a crime against humanity. Canada abstained. At least four…

New poll: Canadians draw a line: protect workers, don’t restrict strikes

National Pollara survey finds strong cross-partisan support for the worker protection measures under review, concern that large corporations have too much power, while the proposal to make workers wait longer before striking receives no net support OTTAWA — As the federal government reviews the Canada Labour Code, new national polling conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights for the Canadian Labour Congress…

Canada’s unions support stronger action on forced labour, reject Trump’s tariff pretext

OTTAWA – Canada’s unions support stronger measures to keep goods produced with forced labour out of Canada, but reject attempts to use workers’ rights as a pretext for a trade war. “Forced labour is a fundamental violation of workers’ rights,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Workers in Canada should not be forced to compete against exploitation,…

Statement From CLC President Bea Bruske On Senate Report: Keep Canada Moving

OTTAWA—Workers are the backbone of Canada’s supply chains. They are the people who keep them moving every day. And we know that a strong economy depends on strong collective bargaining and strong workers’ rights. As Canada looks for ways to strengthen supply chain reliability, we must not lose sight of a fundamental principle: the right to strike is a human…