Publications

Labour Day Op Ed: It’s Time for a Better Deal for Workers

Canada is at a crossroads. We can continue down a path where workers grapple with rising costs and stagnant wages, or we can work together for a better deal. Workers are the backbone of our economy. Every day, we power industries, drive innovation, and support communities. Yet, as we work to keep Canada running, we face an ever-growing financial squeeze.…

Pro-worker momentum at the DNC spells trouble for Poilievre as well as Trump 

By Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress as published in National Newswatch  Donald Trump has a problem: workers. As he eyes a potential victory in November, the Democrats have strategically chosen a union guy to be Kamala Harris’ running mate.  Despite Trump’s repeated attempts to appeal to workers, the Democrats’ VP pick has unleashed a fresh wave of…

Reject corporate gaslighting and deliver help for people in Budget 2024

By Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress as published in iPolitics We hear a familiar call coming from wealthy interests – joining forces once again with Conservatives – banging the drum for more corporate tax giveaways and deeper cuts to government spending in the upcoming Budget. Bay Street analysts and bank lobbyists loudly lament Canada’s “tumbling productivity”, sneeringly spreading blame…

The world won’t wait for Canada to act

Pass the Sustainable Jobs Act now or risk future jobs and investments

Workers to MPs: Either stand with us or the rich business lobby

By Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress as published in iPolitics Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre speaks so loudly on so many issues. Which makes his silence deafening on how he’ll vote on a new law, Bill C-58, that would ban the use of replacement workers during strikes and lockouts. After months of trying to woo workers with sympathetic…

To address the ongoing affordability crisis, Parliamentarians should support Bill C-56 and back unions to counterbalance corporate power

By Dr. DT Cochrane, Senior Economist at the Canadian Labour Congress as published in The Hill Times Bill C-56, better known as the “Affordable Housing and Groceries Act”, gets its third reading this week. It includes an important change for challenging the corporate power that has worsened the affordability crisis: repeal of the “efficiency exception” from the Competition Act. Currently,…

Stop making those with the least bear the burden of tough economic times

Fiscal Update an opportunity to reply to Conservative ‘rage farming’ by delivering help to those who need it

Former Health Ministers join experts, patients and care providers in calling for universal pharmacare

By Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress; Doug Roth, Chief Executive Officer of Heart & Stroke; Linda Silas RN, President of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions; Pauline Worsfold RN, Chairperson of the Canadian Health Coalition as published in the National Newswatch The call for public universal pharmacare has been bolstered by two former Liberal Health Ministers. Former…

Government, workers and businesses must come together to win the low-carbon economic transition

By Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress as published in iPolitics  Today Canada faces a once-in-generation economic, environmental, and political challenge, and we won’t get a second chance to get this right.  Our neighbour and biggest trading partner is aggressively adapting their workforces and industries. Countries around the world are accelerating their transition to a zero-carbon economy. If…

Hate and intolerance not winning propositions

By Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress as published in The Hill Times Wab Kinew and the NDP’s stunning victory last night is a welcome sign that despite anger and frustration, Manitobans marked their ballot for something positive. Voters rejected Heather Stefanson’s campaign messages of intolerance and spurned the PC’s appeal to people’s worst nature.  The Manitoba PCs…