Publications

Making the Shift to a Green Economy

A Common Platform of the Green Economy Network As members of Canadian-based labour, environmental, faith and social justice organizations, we have come together to form a common front for the building of a green economy in Canada. We have done so recognizing that we are living in one of those critical moments of human history wherein decisions must be made…

Don’t touch it if you can’t fix it – Live-in Caregiver Program

Late last year, the government announced they were going to make some changes to the Caregiver Program that is part of the Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) program.  They added a mix of lower-skilled and higher-skilled categories for workers: Caregivers for children under 18 years of age that has lower skilled positions such as babysitters, nannies, and parent’s helpers. Caregivers for…

75% of Canadians have never heard of major “TPP” trade deal being negotiated in secret

Three out of four Canadians have no idea that the federal government is negotiating a huge international trade deal known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) that could have serious repercussions for the country, a new poll suggests. The poll, conducted by Environics Research Group for Trade Justice Network, found that 75 per cent of respondents had not heard of the…

OECD warns world economy stuck in low-growth, low-investment, high-unemployment equilibrium

On June 2nd, the OECD released its twice-yearly Economic Outlook. Following the contraction of the Canadian and US economies in the first quarter of 2015, what was the weakest period of global growth since the Great Recession, the OECD downgraded its forecast for global growth to 3.1% in 2015, from 3.7% projected last November. Canada’s 2015 growth was projected at…

Red River Women – on the trail of the murdered and missing Aboriginal women in Winnipeg (From the BBC)

Each year, dozens of Canadian Aboriginal women are murdered or disappear never to be seen again. Some end up in a river that runs through the heart of Winnipeg.  BBC reporter Joanna Jolly went on the trail of the murdered and missing to find out why so many of Winnipeg’s Aboriginal women and girls have been killed. This is an…

It’s a secret! The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)

The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement is a broad “next generation” international trade and investment agreement that is being negotiated behind closed doors. TPP is not primarily about trade, but is a broad agreement that aims to change Canadian public policy without domestic debate. As such, the Canadian Labour Congress continues to work with other TPP nation labour centrals, international…

The gig-economy: Uber good or Uber bad?

If you’ve used the Uber app for a cheap ride, bought or sold products on Kijiji, rented room on Airbnb, donated to a campaign through Indiegogo, or used Handy for help around the house, you’ve taken part in a rapidly emerging trend: the gig-economy. The gig-economy has generated USD $15 billion in revenues for transportation, retail, accommodation, service, and financial…

The jobs market is still stuck in the ditch

April’s employment numbers tell a very different story about Canada’s economy than the one delivered by Joe Oliver to Canadians when he presented the 2015 Federal Budget earlier that month. The jobs market is still stuck in the ditch. Youth unemployment jumped to 13.6% last month, with the underemployment rate for young workers elevated to 29%. Compared to just a…

What’s the best way to improve health care – with cuts or by investing wisely?

Solving the Health Care Crisis Canada is aging. By 2026, one in five of us will have reached age 65, and over the next 10 years we face a shortage of 86,000 long-term care beds. Considering many of us already struggle to find quality long-term care for our loved ones, it’s no wonder we worry about having the health care we’ll…

Are you looking forward to retirement, or worrying about ever being able to?

You can choose a more secure retirement for all workers. Solutions for A Better Future Canadians are worried about their retirement, and the number of seniors living in poverty in Canada is on the rise. As older workers near retirement age, many fear they won’t have enough money saved. For some, the investment returns they were promised never materialized. Others…