By Hassan Yussuff, as published in The Hill Times As we transition from reacting to COVID-19 to living with the virus, Canada’s unions are providing a clear blueprint for a robust recovery that leaves no one behind and addresses the inequities laid bare by the pandemic. Workers and their families have been hit hard by this crisis. Practically overnight, millions…

By Hassan Yussuff, as published in The Province COVID-19 has forced rethinks on many aspects of our lives that we previously took for granted. That includes thinking about how our communities function, and specifically about who ensures that they continue to, even in times of upheaval. This has brought more visibility to the workers who many of us don’t often…

OTTAWA – Canada’s unions welcome the policy direction the government has laid out in today’s Speech from the Throne, with a focus on investing in job creation and social programs that will support those most impacted by the pandemic. “The government is making it clear that it is listening to the concerns of workers and their families by recognizing that…

Canada’s unions are marking Gender Equality Week by calling on the federal government to ensure a recovery plan that is rooted in equity and leaves no one behind. This year’s week-long commemoration is happening against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Speech from the Throne. “This pandemic has laid bare the gender inequities in our society,” said Marie…

OTTAWA – Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to make firm commitments towards investing in the country’s economic recovery in the upcoming Speech from the Throne. “Social programs like national pharmacare and child care will help to rectify structural inequities that this pandemic has made all the more clear,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.…

OTTAWA – Canada’s unions commend the federal government for acting decisively to end the standoff over U.S.-imposed tariffs on the country’s aluminum exports. Earlier today, the American government reversed the highly contentious tariffs just hours before the Canadian government was set to impose its own retaliatory actions. Those actions would have had significant repercussions in the U.S. and would have…

OTTAWA – Canada’s unions applaud the decision by the BC Supreme Court to uphold the integrity of the country’s single-payer health care system. The Cambie Surgeries Centre case put Canada’s public medicare system on trial and threatened the principle of universal and equal access to health care. The court’s decision to reject the arguments made by Dr. Brian Day is a…

By Hassan Yussuff, as published in The Globe and Mail Last year, workers in Canada marked the 100th anniversary of the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike. It was the largest labour uprising in the country’s history and paved the way for reforms that redefined fair and safe working conditions across the nation. Yet, in all the commemorations, a major part of…

By Hassan Yussuff, as published in the Toronto Star As we continue to cope with the challenges of COVID-19, we must recognize the opportunity presented by such massive upheaval, and move to implement deep social change in our communities. We must re-imagine what our society can be and re-shape the country to address long ignored inequities – inequities that this…

Ottawa – To mark Labour Day, Canada’s unions are calling on all levels of government to focus on investments and community supports to help restart our economies and protect Canadians. Forward Together: A Canadian Plan is a new campaign centred on ensuring that Canada is ready to disaster-proof our nation so that no one is left behind when crisis hits.…