Workers will be meeting with MPs to push for concrete action on affordability, health care, trade and tariffs, and rebuilding strong public services. CLC President Bea Bruske will outline how the federal government’s 2025 budget failed to address the daily realities facing workers and what working people are demanding instead.

“Budget 2025 leaves workers behind. It ignores the crushing cost of living, the cracks in our public services, and the strain on frontline workers who keep this country running. Workers showed up today because this government didn’t. We’re here to demand a plan that actually puts working people first.”–Bea Bruske, CLC President

WHAT: Budget 2025’s failure to support working families
WHEN: Monday, November 24, at 6:15 PM ET
WHERE: Rogers Centre, Ottawa (55 Colonel By Drive), Trillium Room
WHO: Bea Bruske—President, Canadian Labour Congress (CLC)

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To arrange an interview, please contact: 
CLC Media Relations 
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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“When it comes to defending Canadian jobs, this government needs to get its elbows back up. Trump’s tariffs and trade threats are putting Canadian workers on the line, and sitting on the sidelines won’t cut it. We need generational investments in housing and public infrastructure—built by union labour, using Canadian-made materials—to secure good jobs and keep prosperity here at home,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

“You can’t create jobs by cutting thousands of them,” said Bruske. “You can’t grow the economy by shrinking public services. Workers need a budget that invests in people and public infrastructure.”

“With no majority in Parliament, this budget is not a done deal—and Canadians don’t need an election,” said Bruske, “Canada’s unions are calling on the Liberal government to work with other parties to amend the budget to deliver the supports, investments, and safeguards workers need to withstand U.S. tariffs, protect Canadian jobs, and build lasting economic security. This is the moment for Parliament to stand up for working people.”

There are measures worth building on in the Budget, including billions in home building and infrastructure funding, the doubling of the Union Training and Innovation Program and the new $1,100 tax credit for personal support workers. These are exactly the kinds of investments working people need: ones that strengthen skills, raise wages, and improve care.

But to truly protect workers and our economy, we need more of that—and fewer cuts.

Parliament must come together to strengthen this budget: protect public services, strengthen health care, modernize Employment Insurance, ensure labour standards in our trade, close corporate tax loopholes, and make the generational investments in housing, infrastructure, and domestic production Canada needs to secure our economic future. Working people are ready to build that future.

“Workers have shown time and again that when Canada needs rebuilding, they step up,” said Bruske. “It’s time for our government to match that determination.”

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To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

The post Canada’s unions call for stronger action on jobs and public services appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

CLC Senior Economist, DT Cochrane, will also participate in the lock-up and be available for comment following the budget’s release. 

CLC Executive Vice-Presidents Siobhán Vipond and Larry Rousseau will be available for comment following the budget release (but will not be part of the lock-up). 

Budget 2025 Media Lock-Up Details 

Date: November 4, 2025 
Location: John G. Diefenbaker Building, 111 Sussex Drive, Ottawa 

Media Availability: 

• CLC President, Bea Bruske — in lock-up from 2:30 p.m. until the release; available in the foyer afterward 
• CLC Executive VPs, Siobhán Vipond & Larry Rousseau — available by request only 
• CLC Senior Economist, DT Cochrane — in lock-up all day; available in the foyer afterward 

“For workers, the test of this budget is simple: will the richest corporations finally pay their fair share so we can invest in people, good jobs, and communities? Workers can’t keep carrying the load while profits soar.” – Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress 

“What matters in Budget 2025 is whether it delivers real job-creating investments in housing, public infrastructure, and a net-zero future while ensuring workers can move into secure, union jobs with fair wages and benefits.” – Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress 

“Canada has the capacity to build a fairer, more resilient economy, but only if we stop letting concentrated corporate power dictate our priorities. This budget must shift us from short-term profit-first thinking to generational investment in people, productivity, and shared prosperity.” — DT Cochrane, Senior Economist, Canadian Labour Congress 

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To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

The post Canadian Labour Congress available for comment on Budget 2025 appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Workers are doing their part to hold this country together, our elbows are up, but they’re being squeezed from every direction,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “This budget must invest in people and infrastructure”.

Bruske warned that balancing the books on the backs of working people would only deepen inequality and stall economic recovery.

“Any move to shore up Canada’s finances must be done fairly,” she said. “That means asking those who’ve made record profits and amassed the most wealth to pay their share—not cutting services or putting the squeeze on workers.”

Investing in people and communities

Canada’s unions are urging the federal government to launch a new wave of public investment focused on shovel-ready municipal and provincial projects—including housing, schools, transportation, public health, and child care.

“These investments must come with strings attached,” said Bruske. “They must create good union jobs, be community supporting, use Canadian procurement, and guarantee that the jobs stay in Canada for the long term.”

Budget 2025 should also build the next generation of public infrastructure including housing, transit and energy, expand early learning and child care, and make major investments in public health care, including pharmacare and safe long-term care.

“Blank cheques to corporations won’t solve the crises we face,” added Bruske. “Public dollars must deliver public good—good jobs, good wages, and the services working families rely on.”

Protecting jobs and preparing for the future

Canada’s unions are calling for a comprehensive job creation plan built around public infrastructure and a funded net-zero industrial strategy developed with unions. The plan should invest in clean energy, manufacturing, and retrofit programs while ensuring workers in high-emitting sectors can transition to new, secure, unionized jobs with fair wages and benefits.

To help workers through economic shocks, the government must also modernize Employment Insurance—restoring federal contributions, improving benefits, and lowering eligibility requirements—so that no worker falls through the cracks in the next downturn.

Fair taxation and fiscal responsibility

Bruske emphasized that real fiscal responsibility means ensuring everyone pays their fair share.

“Workers shouldn’t be asked to carry the burden of recovery while corporations hoard record profits,” she said.

Canada’s unions are calling for tax fairness measures, including:

• Public country-by-country reporting for multinationals;
• Maintaining the Digital Services Tax;
• Increasing the capital gains inclusion rate;
• Introducing wealth and windfall profit taxes; and
• Investing in the Canada Revenue Agency to close loopholes and enforce compliance.

“When corporations and the wealthy pay what they owe,” said Bruske, “Canada can invest in housing, health care, and good jobs for everyone.”

Housing for everyone

The rising cost of homes and rents is taking a toll on workers whose wages are not keeping up. Workers want their government to make serious efforts to combat financial speculation in housing, starting with taxing house-flipping and vacant properties to capture windfall real estate gains that go to the wealthiest Canadians. 

Canada’s unions are calling on the government to put in place ambitious and direct funding for the construction of new, non-market, affordable public housing, including social housing and co-ops for all, including Indigenous peoples, survivors of domestic violence, and people living with disabilities and particularly for marginalized groups.

Putting workers first

“Workers built this country, and workers will build the future,” said Bruske. “Budget 2025 must put people before profits—by investing in the infrastructure, jobs, and public services that make life more affordable and secure for everyone in Canada.”

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To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

The post Budget 2025 must create jobs by investing in people and infrastructure—not cuts and corporate giveaways appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Doubling the Union Training and Innovation Program is a smart investment in Canada’s future. Unions deliver the most comprehensive, advanced, and high-quality training in the country and provide direct pathways to good union jobs. With this expansion, we can train the skilled workers Canada urgently needs to meet our infrastructure, housing, and clean-energy goals.

The new Hero Tax Credit for personal support workers will deliver long-overdue relief to some of the lowest-paid yet most essential workers in our health-care system. These workers care for people through the hardest years of our lives, and they deserve real recognition and respect.

We also welcome the consultation on restricting non-compete clauses, and would like to see greater steps toward fairness in the workplace, including strengthening workers’ ability to form unions, raise wages, and strengthen the quality of their jobs.

Finally, the $97-million fund for faster foreign credential recognition — especially in health care and construction — is a practical and positive measure that will help ensure newcomers can put their skills to work sooner.

These measures signal a shift toward putting workers at the heart of Canada’s economic strategy. Canada’s unions will work with the government to ensure we can build on this momentum by investing in good union jobs, expanding public services, and ensuring every worker shares in the prosperity they help create.

The post Bruske on pre-budget measures: When government listens to workers, we see progress appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

OTTAWA – Prime Minister Carney is right to say that Canada faces uncertainty, but for many workers, that uncertainty is now a reality.

Across the country, workers are being squeezed by an affordability and housing crisis, job losses tied to the ongoing trade war with the United States, and growing anxiety about what AI and automation will mean for their livelihoods. These are not abstract challenges; they’re daily realities for families trying to keep food on the table, pay rent, and build a better life.

The Prime Minister spoke today about “spending less and investing more.” Canada’s unions agree that investment is key — but workers cannot be asked to pay the price through cuts to the public services and supports their families rely on. You don’t build resilience by hollowing out the very systems that help people weather hard times.

If the government is looking for fiscal room, it should start with those who can afford it — the corporations and CEOs who have seen record profits while workers struggle to get ahead. Over the last several years, corporate profit margins have soared, while wage growth has barely kept pace with inflation. Closing tax loopholes, tackling corporate concentration, and ensuring profitable companies pay their fair share are far better choices than cutting the services that workers and their families rely on and keep communities strong and resilient.

Canada’s unions also urge the government to make bold investments that secure good jobs and strengthen our economic foundations — by rebuilding domestic manufacturing, supporting public infrastructure, and developing a climate strategy that delivers for workers as well as the planet. That includes retraining and upskilling programs, industrial policy that rewards employers who create union jobs, and a Just Transition plan that leaves no worker or community behind.

We welcome any effort to invest in sustainable growth and a modern industrial strategy that builds Canadian capacity and strengthens our communities. But those investments must include workers — at the table, not on the sidelines — to ensure they create good, union jobs and secure futures in every region of this country.

Canada’s unions are ready to work with the government to grow our economy through fairness — not austerity. Together, we can build a Canada that works for working people.

The post Statement by Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“We appreciate moves to increase taxes on the wealthiest Canadians and profitable corporations, and investments in housing and school meals will help families in need. However, the sky-high price of groceries and essentials continue to stretch household budgets, and much more ambitious action is needed to make life affordable,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Amidst rising unemployment, the government’s failure to fix our broken Employment Insurance system, its inability to respond to health workers’ low pay and overwork, inaction to invest in a full universal pharmacare system, and the lack of support for migrant workers are disappointing.”

The School Food Program will feed 400,000 more students every year, including many from racialized, Indigenous, and low-income families. Budget 2024 also reflects progress made through the federal government’s agreement with Canada’s New Democrats, including investments in housing affordability.

However, more action is necessary to tackle the housing crisis. The government must get back to building public housing, address the financialization of housing, and take action to make renting more affordable.

We are concerned by plans to incentivize pension investments that could lead to privatization. Every worker deserves financial security in retirement; the government must strengthen public pensions and do more to ensure every worker has access to a decent workplace pension – pensions should not be used to expand privatization.

Furthermore, the proposed cuts to public sector jobs are alarming. Canada’s unions will fight to ensure these cuts do not impact workers or the services that Canadians rely on. “Public spending must prioritize the workers and families who drive our economy,” emphasized Bruske. “That means investing in public services and investing in people.”

Investments in the Canada Disability Benefit are a good first step; however much greater levels of support are required to support people with disabilities across Canada.

While we welcome funding for childcare spaces and plans for a sectoral table on the care economy, the lack of investment to address the health crisis is concerning. Bruske added, “Decades of cuts, the health workforce crisis, and creeping privatization mean our care system—and the workers holding it together—are stretched to the limits. We need investments to ensure our loved ones can access the care they need.”

“Budget 2024 provided improvements to our tax system by increasing the capital gains tax, but greater ambition is needed on tax fairness to not leave revenue on the table,” said Bruske. “With figures like Pierre Poilievre siding with bosses and promoting false solutions, it’s crucial for the government to step up. We need bolder action to tackle corporate greed and fund support for struggling families.”

The post Bolder action needed to make life more affordable and tackle corporate greed appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Powerful corporations do better than ever while families are forced to pay for the affordability crisis. The upcoming budget is an opportunity to deliver much-needed help and address these inequities,” explained Bruske. “We must invest in non-profit rental and social housing, to make homes affordable for every family. And the budget can take additional steps to make life more affordable, including cracking down on corporate price gouging and junk fees in banking.”

Bruske warned that Budget 2024 must also better support workers, including fixing Employment Insurance, improving pensions, and delivering better skills training.  

“As the unemployment rate continues to rise, we must make sure help is there for people when they need it most. After years of broken promises, the government must finally fix EI,” warned Bruske. “We must also prepare today’s workers for the low-carbon jobs of the future. This means investing in good sustainable union jobs, alongside better skills training and upskilling.”

Bruske added that if corporations are made to pay their fair share, government can afford to invest in help for people who are struggling.

“We can afford to improve the care economy, implement universal pharmacare, and invest in people. But only if we make the most profitable corporations pay their fair share,” concluded Bruske. “Budget 2024 is an opportunity to fight back against a vision of Canada where wealthy corporations get more tax giveaways, and deeper government spending cuts mean even less help for people who need it most.”

What:              Comment on workers’ expectations for Budget 2024

When:             By arrangement

Who:               Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress

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To arrange an interview, please contact:

CLC Media Relations

media@clcctc.ca / 613-526-7426

The post BUDGET 2024 MUST INVEST IN AFFORDABILITY, REJECT AUSTERITY appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

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 on both workers and the government.

As Budget 2024 approaches, we must confront these anti-worker narratives head on. Because we’ve seen this movie before and, spoiler alert, it really doesn’t end well for workers and families.

Business lobbyists argue wages should be dependent on productivity when it suits them but ignore how for more than 30 years, pay for the bottom 80% has lagged far behind productivity growth. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg of how imbalanced our things have become.

A February 2024 report from Jim Stanford and the Centre for Future Work showed that “corporate profits remained historically high in 2023, despite the stalling of economic growth, rising unemployment, and stagnating consumer demand.”  Even the Bank of Canada’s January 2024 Monetary Policy Report acknowledged that “higher wage costs could be absorbed by businesses’ profit margins.”

So, let’s not get taken in by corporate gaslighting that takes aim at workers’ wages and public investments. Government should steadfastly reject a corporate narrative that rests its case on mistreating workers. Instead, government can use the upcoming budget to push companies to invest in their workforce. Things like new incentives to improve training and upskilling, and measures that will create good, sustainable union jobs in low-carbon industries.

With a looming recession, rising layoffs and so many struggling to get by, it would be devastating to families if we cut help now. The reality is slashing our social safety net will only weaken our economy.

National child care has meant more families can find affordable spaces and more women with young children could join the workforce. Creating affordable non-profit housing means more families have an affordable place to call home. According to a 2023 Deloitte report, increasing community housing to the OECD average by 2030 “would boost economic productivity by a staggering 5.7% to 9.3%.” Universal pharmacare will improve health outcomes and provide tangible, financial relief to families, while strengthening EI will mean more workers getting help when they need it most.

Can we afford these investments? Absolutely. Canada is a significant economic power. We’re in the top ten economies in the world with one of the lowest debt-to-GDP ratios in the G7. We can also make profitable corporations pay their fair share and use that revenue to help people.

We know what a Pierre Poilievre budget looks like. Poilievre and the Conservatives slashed programs and services and radically cut corporate taxes last time in power. This boosted companies’ bottom line but didn’t spur businesses to invest in their workforce. Instead, we saw CEOs acting like real-life Scrooge McDuckshoarding ever-growing piles of cash. Just like today, companies cry poor while handing out record bonuses to top executives.

Chrystia Freeland must reject the false narratives flooding in from business lobbyists and fight back against a vision of a Canada where corporations take care of themselves while our government stops caring for people. On April 16, let’s see a budget that puts workers and families, not corporate interests, first.

The post Reject corporate gaslighting and deliver help for people in Budget 2024 appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

OTTAWA – While today’s federal budget includes measures to create good, sustainable jobs and ease financial pressures for some, more action is needed to extend a helping hand to hard-pressed families.

“Canada’s unions applaud the government’s investment in sustainable jobs and training, which will benefit workers as our economy shifts to address the climate crisis,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “The government’s move to attach strings to tax credits to ensure that investments in clean energy create good jobs is positive. We will continue pressing for unionized, low‑carbon jobs across all sectors of our economy to ensure workers aren’t left behind.”

Budget 2023 fulfills a significant commitment made in the agreement between the New Democrats and the Liberal government by expanding dental care, benefiting approximately nine million Canadians. However, we were alarmed to see three percent cuts to public sector funding, which could have a significant impact on workers and the services that people rely on.

As well, today’s budget only scratches the surface of Canada’s care crisis. Provincial health funding does not go far enough without accountability to ensure health care is publicly delivered.

“American-style, for-profit clinics drain resources from public systems, costing more and driving up wait times, with dire consequences,” said Bruske. “Our health care system is being slammed by extreme staffing shortages. We need a fully funded workforce plan to retain care workers and recruit staff where they are needed, and direct investments to bolster public health care.”

The government missed an opportunity to overhaul our failing Employment Insurance (EI) system and invest in prescription drug coverage for all Canadians. “The affordability crisis means public programs like universal pharmacare and EI are more critical than ever. It is disappointing that the federal government continues to resist calls to implement a full pharmacare program and fix our inadequate EI system,” she added.

Canada’s unions are also calling for the government to tackle rampant corporate greed.

“The proposed grocery rebate will provide some relief, but it fails to tackle the root of the problem: corporations putting profits before people. While we welcome the introduction of a new 2% tax on share buybacks and a corporate beneficial ownership registry it doesn’t go far enough. Workers are tired of watching their budgets get stretched further while big business rakes in blockbuster profits,” said Bruske.

Canada’s unions will continue to press for the government to make corporations and Canada’s wealthiest pay their fair share, for investments that put money back in workers’ wallets and tackle soaring shelter costs, and concrete action to address the staffing crisis in our care systems.

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To arrange an interview, please contact:

CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

The post Budget 2023: Progress for workers but only scratches the surface of pressing crises appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Canada’s unions are calling for a workers’ budget, that prioritizes real and strategic investments in publicly funded, publicly delivered services like health care, and measures to permanently strengthen our EI system. 

Workers and their families are falling behind, and our inadequate social safety net is failing them. Workers expect the government to throw them a lifeline. 

What:          CLC President available to talk about Budget 2023 

Where:       In person, by phone or by ZOOM 

When:        March 28, 2023, and/or in advance of the budget, by arrangement 

Who:           Bea Bruske, President of the CLC  

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Contact information: 

CLC Media Relations 
media@clcctc.ca 
613-526-7426  

The post CLC President Bea Bruske available to react to budget appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Across Canada, celebrations and ceremonies highlighting community practices, performances, art and customs of Indigenous peoples will help mark Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21. National Indigenous Peoples Day falls during Indigenous History Month, which is a time to learn about and reflect on the rich history of Indigenous peoples in Canada.

“Our commitment to Indigenous peoples extends beyond a specific day or month. We honour the diverse cultures, heritage and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada 365 days a year. First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities continue to live with the heavy legacy of residential schools, generational trauma and persistent systemic barriers as a result of Canada’s historic and present-day colonial practices. We must all commit to standing in solidarity with Indigenous peoples and call for swift action towards reconciliation,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

Indigenous peoples and communities continue to face significant hardships due to the impacts of colonization. Their history has been one of struggle and resilience.

The 2022 federal budget fell well short of both the scale of investment needed and pre-budget expectations of Indigenous leaders. Significant investment is required to truly work towards reconciliation and the fulfillment of outstanding promises to Indigenous peoples across the country.

Just one year ago, Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc made the devastating discovery of the remains of hundreds of Indigenous children at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. Since this discovery, more Indigenous communities in B.C. and across the country have announced similar horrific findings, and more will surely come.

“The discoveries of the graves of thousands of Indigenous children, and the slow degree to which action has been taken to release records on residential schools to survivors and their families, is a sobering reminder of how far Canada has yet to travel on the road to reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples,” said Lily Chang, Secretary-Treasurer of the CLC.

This National Indigenous Peoples Day, the CLC invites all Canadians to show their support by sharing in the events of the day wherever they are.

“We must all take the time to learn and reflect on the ongoing harm caused by colonialism. It is our responsibility to actively work towards dismantling the systems that continue to perpetuate harm against First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples,” said Bruske.

—

To learn more about the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada, and how you can take action to support justice:

• Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Final Report, including the 94 Calls to Action.
• Read the findings of the Final Report by National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, including the 231 Calls for Justice.
• Donate and support Indigenous-led organizations and Indigenous community supports such as the Indian Residential Schools Survivor Society, First Nations Child & Family Caring Society and Legacy of Hope Foundation.
• Read CLC’s recommendations for the federal government on Indigenous rights and justice.

The post Indigenous Peoples Day 2022: Honouring Indigenous cultures on June 21 and beyond appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

OTTAWA –– Canada’s unions welcomed progress in today’s Budget Implementation Act on a number of vital issues the labour movement has long pushed for but were disappointed with new delays and restrictions implementing the new paid sick leave policy for all federally regulated workers.

“We are happy the government listened and took action on critical issues Canada’s labour movement has long fought for. A labour mobility tax deduction to support tradespeople, allowing unions to independently file trade remedy complaints, and amending the Competition Act to outlaw wage collusion by employers are welcome steps that will benefit workers,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “We are also pleased the government is implementing a Luxury Items Tax, another step towards making sure everyone pays their fair share.”

Bruske said that the government’s budget bill, C-19, also included important progress on training and Employment Insurance, and encouraged MPs to work together to pass the bill.

“While there is more work to do on permanently reforming EI, today’s progress on establishing a new EI Board of Appeal is something we have long fought for,” said Bruske. “And the government’s commitment to work with unions to create better employment supports and training opportunities is good news for Canada’s workers.”

Bruske added that Canada’s unions were concerned about workers being excluded from the implementation of the new paid sick leave rules, which will now only initially apply to federally regulated companies with over 100 employees.

“There are thousands of workers in small- and medium-sized businesses who are being told they have to wait longer for this critical policy, including people in the trucking industry and other frontline workers who would particularly benefit,” concluded Bruske. “We will keep up the pressure on the government and MPs to work with us to fix this and make sure these workers get the 10 days of paid sick leave they were promised, as soon as possible.”

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To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

The post Workers welcome wins in budget bill appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

OTTAWA – Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to focus on the country’s economic recovery and social safety net in its budget to be released Thursday, prioritizing ten key demands.

“The reality is, not everyone is sharing in the economic recovery,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “Many families are still facing enormous insecurity and a precarious job market. It is critical that the government use Budget 2022 to launch our country on a path to economic recovery and a stronger social safety net to ensure no one is left behind,” said Bruske. 

The CLC’s top priorities for Budget 2022 include:

1. 1. Expand funding for Canada’s health care system, with dedicated transfers for investments to address the staffing crisis in the sector, a national dental care program, public and not-for-profit long-term care, and mental health care. A multi-year commitment to implement a national pharmacare program beginning with $3.5 billion in 2022-23 and increasing incrementally in subsequent years to implement a national essential medicines formulary, as the first step towards implementing a full national, universal, single-payer pharmacare system. 
   2. Ambitious direct federal funding for the development of new, non-market, affordable housing (including co-op and non-market rental housing), and serious efforts to combat financial speculation in housing by fairly and progressively taxing house-flipping and vacant properties to capture windfall real estate gains that go to the wealthiest Canadians. 
   3. A commitment to pass and implement a worker-centred Just Transition Act in 2022, and make multi-billion dollar investments over 5 years to support training; and develop renewable energy, home and building retrofits, and low-emissions public transportation.
   4. Make significant investments in health care, education, social services, clean drinking water, housing, and infrastructure for Indigenous communities; take immediate steps to fund and implement the recommendations of the Report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission; and additional investments to undertake the work of burial searches at the former sites of residential schools.
   5. Investments in the care economy, including a $10 million commitment over three years to establish a Care Economy Commission tasked with planning for the future of Canada’s care economy, and long-term funding for a high quality, affordable, public and not-for-profit child care system, including a commitment to improve compensation for early childhood educators and child care workers, implement a workforce strategy and develop a multi-year capital investment plan to build new and expanded public child care facilities.
   6. Make workplaces fairer for everyone by bringing in 10 paid sick days and anti-scab legislation in the Canada Labour Code into effect in 2022, cracking down on employee misclassification, and a commitment to implement the recommendations of the Report of the Expert Panel on Modern Federal Labour Standards.
   7. A commitment to permanently increasing accessibility of employment insurance benefits and restoring direct federal government contributions in order to improve EI access and benefit adequacy.
   8. Concerted action on fair taxation reform, including a wealth tax, as well as a tax on windfall oil and gas profits, closing regressive tax loopholes, and tax changes on financial institutions that have made strong profits during the pandemic.
   9. Protect and strengthen retirement security with increases to OAS and GIS benefits, and put workers and pensioners at the front of the line in insolvency proceedings. Commit to reforming the Companies’ Creditors Arrangements Act and Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act to exempt post-secondary education institutions and other public entities.
      
   10. A commitment to providing unions in Canada with the explicit right to file anti-dumping, countervailing duty and safeguard complaints under Canada’s trade remedy legislation.

To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

The post Top 10 things unions and working people are looking for in Budget 2022 appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Bruske is available to outline how Canada’s unions are looking to the Budget to take concrete steps to strengthen public health care and make life more affordable.

“The reality is, not everyone is sharing in the recovery. Many are still facing enormous precarity, anxiety, and an uncertain job market. It is critical that the government use Budget 2022 to launch our country on a path to economic recovery that doesn’t leave workers and their families behind,” said Bruske.

Canada’s unions are demanding MPs come together behind helping families and avoiding the extreme rhetoric that has too often become the norm on Parliament Hill.

“While Conservatives continue to use toxic partisanship to try and block progress in the House of Commons, we are urging MPs to work together and deliver help to Canadians. Give struggling families a break and bolster our public health care system, including through investments in pharmacare, dentalcare and action to address the health workforce crisis,” Bruske added.

What:              CLC President available to talk about Budget 2022

Where:            By phone or by ZOOM

When:             April 7, 2022 and/or in advance of the budget, by arrangement

Who:               Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress

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Contact information:

CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-355-1962

The post Canadian Labour Congress’ President Bea Bruske available to react to Budget 2022 appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“The Conservatives’ swiss-cheese fiscal plan leaves voters with more questions than answers. Erin O’Toole still refuses to say what he’s willing to cut to balance the budget,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.“ Last time he was in government, Mr. O’Toole and the Conservatives cut heath care funding and scaled back EI, while handing out generous tax breaks to their corporate friends. He’s already promising to cut child care. What else is he planning to cut, this time?”

Bruske also noted that the Conservatives’ plan promises a review of the tax system to “improve competitiveness”, which is Conservative-speak for more tax giveaways to those at the top.

“We urgently need a wealth tax and a fairer taxation system. It’s long past time Canada rebalanced our tax system so we can repair our tattered social safety net,” said Bruske. “But Conservatives always cut taxes on corporations and give the wealthiest a free ride – while cutting health care and the vital services working families rely on.”

To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-355-1962

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Canada’s unions are warning that a huge fiscal hole in Erin O’Toole’s platform and proposals that leave workers behind would put Canada’s already weakened social safety net at risk.

Experts have been pointing to how the Conservatives’ unrealistic growth projections create a gigantic fiscal gap in their plan.

“Mr. O’Toole’s risky plan not only has a large fiscal hole at its heart, his policies seem to be written by his friends at Uber and his buddies on Bay Street,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “He’s trying to build a social safety net out of hot air and empty promises.”

Bruske pointed to O’Toole’s pledge to cancel agreements with provinces to create new child care spaces and his proposal to create an “Employee Savings Account” as two prime examples of how Conservative policies would weaken Canada’s social safety net.

“Workers – mostly women – faced an impossible choice when schools and daycares closed. Many were forced to put their working lives on hold. What is Mr. O’Toole’s answer to parents?” asked Bruske. “After working women fought and struggled for decades for child care, Mr. O’Toole is vowing to tear up agreements for more high-quality affordable child care spaces.”

In a separate move that further weakens Canada’s social safety net, the Conservatives’ proposed “Employee Savings Account” would deny some gig economy workers real access to a pension and EI, forcing them to rely on costly financial products sold by banks and financial institutions instead.

“Mr. O’Toole would not only chip away at the foundations of EI and the CPP, he would entrench a two-tier system where low-paid workers have to accept second-class status,” said Bruske. “The pandemic taught us we must expand EI coverage to all workers, yet Conservatives would instead weaken the social safety net workers rely on.”

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“Erin O’Toole is now scaremongering about debt and deficits – a page right out of the classic Conservative playbook. This always leads to healthcare cuts, longer wait times, and fewer nurses and doctors,” said Bruske. “The fact is, Conservatives Jason Kenney, Doug Ford and Brian Pallister all broke their promises and cut health care when elected. It’s clear O’Toole plans to be just another Conservative cutter.”

O’Toole went further, making the contradictory and unfounded claim that spending on emergency help for people threatens our social safety net. Today’s inflation is the result of pent-up consumer demand and supply disruptions, not a consequence of investing in people. In fact, stimulus spending during the last fiscal crisis did not lead to inflation.

“Retreating from needed support programs and reducing investments in the care economy won’t help rebuild our social safety net and ensure a strong recovery, it puts them at greater risk,” said Bruske. “Either Mr. O’Toole doesn’t understand basic economics or he’s trying to fool Canadians into giving him a mandate to cut help for people.”

With the lowest net debt in the G7 and gaping holes in our care system, Canada’s unions have been calling on the parties to put working families at the centre of their recovery plans. Where lost jobs are replaced with better ones; Canada’s social safety is disaster-proofed through investments in housing and childcare; and public health care is strengthened through pharmacare and removing profit from long-term care.

“Last time O’Toole and the Conservatives were in power they put Canada on a path of tax cuts to the wealthy and austerity for everyone else. This meant a decade of health cuts, slow economic growth, and rising inequality,” concluded Bruske. “Erin O’Toole’s priorities are all wrong. His dangerous economics would leave working families behind, just when they need help the most.”

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“Pride is and has always been political, with deep roots in protest and resistance,” said Larry Rousseau, CLC Executive Vice-President. “As we enter the second Pride season marked by lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, it’s more important than ever to celebrate Pride with calls to action. This includes strengthening Canada’s social safety net so that we are all part of a strong pandemic recovery.”

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2SLGBTQI communities were already experiencing severe inequities. Over a year later, the situation has become even more dire, as 2SLGBTQI populations have been heavily impacted by the pandemic.

The recent federal budget committed to a $15 million investment over three years for a new LGBTQ2 Projects Fund, and $7.1 million, also over three years, for Heritage Canada to continue to operate the LGBTQ2 Secretariat.

While welcome, these funding commitments won’t address chronic underfunding of supports and services for these populations.

“Without proper investments in community organizations and support services, those who are already most vulnerable will be overlooked and left out when it comes to pandemic recovery,” said Rousseau.

In the coming months, the federal government will be developing an 2SLGBTQI Action Plan to guide its work around issues affecting 2SLGBTQI communities and conducting consultations with organizations to shape the Action Plan.

In order to meet the needs of 2SLGBTQI communities, the root causes of systemic inequity must be addressed. Canada’s unions urge the federal government to:

• Guarantee, in partnership with provinces and territories, long-term, core operational funding for 2SLGBTQI community organizations and service providers across the country, so that they are better equipped to provide the supports needed by community members;
• Strengthen the Employment Equity Act by including 2SLGBTQI workers as a designated population under the Act to combat systemic barriers and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. They must ensure that 2SLGBTQI communities are thoroughly consulted during the process of modernizing of the Act; and
• Ensure that the implementation of GBA+ analysis across all levels of government includes meaningful intersectional 2SLGBTQI experiences and perspectives to properly identify the possible impacts of government policies, programs and services on 2SLGBTQI communities across Canada.

This Pride season, Canada’s unions continue to stand in solidarity with and fight alongside 2SLGBTQI workers and communities. We are calling for change toward a more equitable Canada for all. Sign our petition and join the fight.

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May Day is an annual celebration held every May 1^st during which workers from around the world celebrate the achievements made by trade unions. This year, the pandemic remains a focal point for the concerns of workers and their families.

“Millions of workers around the world have lost their jobs since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “Here in Canada, the federal government recently promised significant investments to help with our recovery. Canada’s political leaders must now work together to pass the budget implementation bill and turn these promises into action.”

The government’s recently announced investments in child care, training and skills development and a $15 federal minimum wage, in addition to a further expansion of emergency benefits would bring much needed relief to workers and their families.

Workers in Canada – and around the world – continue to struggle under the weight of the year-long pandemic. Developed countries have a responsibility to ensure that all workers in developing and under developing nations have access to vaccines to help put an end to this global health crisis.

In the meantime, gaps in the social safety net, both at home and abroad, have become painfully clear. Those gaps include a shameful lack of paid sick leave in most provinces.

“Workers and advocates have been calling for paid sick leave since before the pandemic,” said Yussuff.

“However, COVID-19 has highlighted just how dangerous a lack of paid sick time can be. Being able to stay home when you are sick is fundamental to reducing workplace exposures and illness. Essential workers being forced to choose between going to work sick and putting food on the table puts us all at risk and is prolonging and deepening the impacts of the pandemic. Provincial and territorial governments must act immediately.”

Canada’s unions further remind all levels of government to respect and uphold the collective bargaining rights of workers, even during times of crisis.

“Upholding workers’ rights is integral to the functioning of a free and fair democracy in which there is a counterweight to the unfettered power of employers and monied interests. Collective bargaining ensures a more fair, equitable present and future for all.”

To learn more about what unions are calling for, visit canadianplan.ca.

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These shortcomings were not accidental; they were the result of a political agenda that prioritized cutting taxes, minimizing costs and regulatory burdens for employers, keeping workers vulnerable and reducing social program spending and public investment. In the 2020 pandemic, the decades-old priority placed on balanced budgets and holding down social investment failed Canadians spectacularly. Equally, however, the improvised emergency income supports, caregiver benefits, sick benefits and other measures rushed into place contained the seeds, however partial and incomplete, of a more resilient, equitable and inclusive society.

The CLC, which represents over 3 million workers in Canada, previously responded to the budget announcement, and is now issuing a more in-depth analysis of what these commitments by the federal government will mean for Canadian workers and their families.

Read the CLC’s full analysis here.

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“This budget will bring some relief to the country’s workers and their families. Women workers have long borne the brunt of the absence of high-quality, universal child care in this country. That’s a reality that has been grossly exacerbated in this pandemic,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Crucial investments in affordable, quality, universal child care will help women return to the workforce much more rapidly and help undo the damage wrought this past year on hard-fought gains.”

The government committed nearly $30 billion in early learning and child care funding over five years and promised that Canadians will have access to child care costing an average of $10/day by 2025.

Budget 2021 also promised investments of $2.5 billion in skills and training that includes a commitment to create 500,000 training and work experience opportunities for young and core-age workers over five years, as well as over $8 billion to address climate change through the support of green infrastructure and technology.

The budget also commits several changes to improve labour standards, including addressing the harmful practice of contract flipping in federal regulated workplaces and strengthening Employment Insurance.

Furthermore, the federal government has extended emergency benefits to support workers currently struggling due to the ongoing pandemic and whose jobs are impacted by current lockdowns.

However, Canada’s unions say the government missed an opportunity to implement a universal, single-payer pharmacare program in Canada. According to the federal government’s own Advisory Council on Pharmacare, a universal plan would reduce drug prices, save billions for families and businesses, and provide vital medicines to millions of Canadians who cannot afford to fill their prescriptions.

“We are disappointed that the government didn’t seize the opportunity to invest in prescription drug coverage for all Canadians,” said Yussuff. “Canadians were struggling to pay for prescriptions before this pandemic. Many have now lost their jobs and their workplace drug coverage. People in Canada can’t wait any longer for universal prescription drug coverage.”

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“The devastating effects of the pandemic were made worse by years of austerity by successive governments,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “As a result of cuts, the social programs that would have helped sustain people were not in place. We cannot let that happen again.”

The CLC’s top five priorities for Budget 2021 include:

• A national, high-quality, public, accessible early learning and childcare system;
• Funding a national medicines formulary to establish a universal, national Pharmacare program;
• Green jobs and a Just Transition for workers;
• Improve working conditions and labour standards; and
• Fair tax reform.

“This government has promised to create one million jobs, and we need to focus on ensuring those are decent, sustainable jobs,” said Yussuff. “We also need to reform Employment Insurance so that it reflects the realities workers are facing today.”

Canada’s unions are further calling on the federal government to institute a $15 federal minimum wage and outline a plan to work with the provinces to enshrine paid sick leave across Canada.

The CLC also wants to see ambitious investments in skills training, literacy and apprenticeships, including targeted measures to help youth, women, equity-seeking groups and the long-term unemployed.

Job creation should also focus on expanding Just Transition measures, to help affected workers access training and support to transition to new jobs or retirement. For more details on what unions are asking for, read our pre-budget submission here and details on the top five priority demands here.

To arrange an interview, please contact:
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Statistics Canada released its latest Labour Force Survey today. It shows that more than 1.5 million unemployed and under-employed workers continue to struggle to find work, and thousands more have dropped out of the labour force altogether.

While February and March numbers showed strong job gains, the cresting of the Third Wave in April and subsequent lockdowns mean many of those gains could be lost.

“Following February’s achievements, a second month of strong job growth is welcome, but the federal government must stay the course and ensure a strong and broad-based recovery,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “We need to see strong fiscal support to bring people back into the job market, especially women and workers of colour, and into decent green and care-economy jobs.”

Last fall’s Speech from the Throne promised the largest investment in Canadian history in training. That investment is what Canada’s unions will be looking for in the federal budget on April 19.

Ambitious investments in training and education are much-needed over the short- and medium term to help workers affected by ongoing technological change. Unions want to see expanded investment in upskilling opportunities and targeted support for the 30% of jobless Canadians who count among the long-term unemployed.

“Now is the time for a rapid return to full employment and investing in improving job quality to help workers fully get back on their feet,” said Yussuff.

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Among the top priorities for Canada’s unions are:

• fully containing the public health crisis and implementing national pharmacare;
• investing in the care economy; and
• and getting Canadians back to work and fully-employed in safe, decently-paid, productive and sustainable jobs.

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The government announced 12-week extensions for both the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) and the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB), as well as an additional 24 weeks of eligibility for Employment Insurance.

“This will come as very good news for the millions of Canadians who still don’t have a job they can go back to and who were growing concerned about how they would pay their bills once their benefits ended next month,” said Canadian Labour Congress President, Hassan Yussuff. “The extension will allow families to continue paying for their basic needs.”

The CRB and CRCB extensions will help thousands of workers who have been unable to return to their jobs get through the next 12 weeks, though there are still concerns about what happens next.

“These COVID benefits have been a lifeline for gig workers who, by the nature of their work, don’t qualify for Employment Insurance,” said Yussuff. “If the goal is to wind down these pandemic programs, the government needs to reform EI to support the realities these workers face.”

The government also announced an additional two weeks for the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, which helps to protect workers who have to isolate but have no access to paid sick leave.

“It’s good to see the federal government fulfill its promise to take care of workers with these measures, including extending the duration of the federal sickness benefit for those who aren’t covered through their workplace,” said Yussuff. “The provinces must step up and offer workers universal paid sick leave. Experts have repeatedly said such access would help slow the transmission of COVID-19 and keep workers safe. It’s long overdue.”

The federal government has already promised much needed changes to Canada’s EI system. Read CLC’s recommendations for EI reform here.

For more information:

CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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Following higher than expected job losses at the end of 2020, workers faced another large drop in employment, with 213,000 jobs lost last month.

“We’ve lost the small gains we had made in the fall. Canada lost three times more jobs in January than we did the previous month,” said Canadian Labour Congress President Hassan Yussuff.

“Many workers are due to exhaust both unemployment and recovery benefits next month. The federal government must extend these benefits so that workers who are unemployed, through no fault of their own, will be supported until our economy begins a more stable recovery.”

Ongoing lockdown measures aimed at slowing the spread of the virus are inevitably having a devastating effect on job growth. Workers of colour and women have been hit especially hard by the economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Workers are struggling to make ends meet. The federal government must implement strong measures that will help ensure a healthy economic recovery when the pandemic is over. These job numbers highlight the important need for greater access to training opportunities for jobless workers looking to retrain or improve their skill set while receiving EI and recovery benefits,” said Yussuff.

To read more about the direct investments the CLC is calling for, visit canadaplan.ca.

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Read our recommendations for EI reform here.

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The December Labour Force Survey, released today by Statistics Canada, shows higher than expected job losses last month. Unemployment rose to 8.6 percent, with employment down 63,000 and job-market participation dropping for the second month in a row.

“These are unprecedented times. The important public health precautions implemented over the past year have had an exceptionally hard impact on workers,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Workers in Canada need to know that when the virus is contained, they can count on decent jobs, with good wages, and adequate benefits to help their families bounce back.”

Facing another round of shutdowns as COVID numbers rise, many workers across the country worried that their financial forecast is getting bleaker. Recent reports have revealed stories of personal support workers checking into homeless shelters and other workers failing to claim the federal government’s sick leave program out of fear of reprisal.

“Investing in Canada’s workers is a direct investment in our economy and it is vital to an economic recovery. The federal government must remain focused on income support and assistance to ensure that workers’ jobs are protected,” said Yussuff. “As we invest in a healthy recovery, Canada must also prepare for the long-term future by disaster-proofing our economy so that we are ready when the next crisis hits.”

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November’s labour force survey released today by Statistics Canada showed high rates of long-term unemployment. A total of 1.5 million people are currently unemployed and looking for work; 400,000 have been without work for six months or longer. Another 317,000 workers dropped out of the labour market altogether last month.

“The scale of the jobs crisis has been without parallel in recent memory,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “The second wave of this pandemic is making life very difficult for many workers, many of whom have given up trying to find work for the time being. Beyond the immediate emergency supports that are helping to put food on the table for these families, government stimulus will be key to putting people back to work.”

The survey also showed that women continue to bear the brunt of child care responsibilities, with 55 per cent more mothers with young children working less than half their usual hours compared to this time last year.

The federal government has made commitments towards the creation of one million jobs and investments in skills and training.

“We’re heartened that the government has promised to make investments in long-term care and child care, two areas that employ significant numbers of women, including many who are racialized,” said Yussuff. “However, time is of the essence and workers need to see concrete actions.”

A recent study showed that investment in early learning and child care would create 200,000 new jobs in child care provision and another 80,000 indirect jobs, including 8,000 construction jobs. It would also increase women’s participation by as many as 725,000 additional workers.

Austerity policies implemented soon after the 2008-09 global economic downturn led to sluggish growth, prolonged unemployment and growing precarity in Canada. In our current crisis, continued income support and expanded public investments will be crucial to help people weather the pandemic’s second wave and to move the nation towards a strong recovery.

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Today’s update extends critical income support and economic measures to help Canadians and businesses. While today’s commitments on key priorities remain modest and reflect past promises, the government has signalled it will make further investments as the recovery begins to take shape.

“Canada’s workers and their families are staring down a harsh, frightening winter of economic uncertainty in the midst of a health crisis that shows no sign of letting up,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

“They have received assurances that their government will help them make ends meet and safeguard their health and well-being. However, it’s clear that many essential investments will be required around critical priorities like child care, pharmacare and towards key industries to ensure a rapid recovery.”

The federal government made numerous commitments towards workers and their families, including:

• The promise of improved working conditions and measures to support retention and recruitment of care economy workers and early childhood educators;
• Creation of new national standards for long-term care and a $1 billion fund to improve the quality of care;
• Green economy investments, including support for home energy efficiency retrofits and the goal of planting 2 billion trees;
• Limited sector-specific support for the hospitality and aviation sectors;
• Measures to tax the multinational digital giants and improve tax compliance;
• The creation of a Federal Secretariat on Early Learning and Child Care; and,
• The announcement of a task force on modernizing the Employment Equity Act.

Canada’s unions join other experts and stakeholders in emphasizing that the priority must remain on returning Canada to full employment rather than on reducing debt.

“Harsh cuts in the past have put Canadians more at risk today. We need only to look at the state of long-term care, the erosion of public health capacity and an insufficient Employment Insurance program,” said Yussuff. “This is why we have been calling on governments to disaster-proof the country to help us withstand future crises while we recover from this one.”

To read more about the directed investments the CLC is calling for, visit canadianplan.ca.

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Canada’s unions have been calling for targeted federal investments to help workers and their families get through the pandemic and to ensure a swift economic rebound and recovery.

Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, will be available to comment once the update is released.

To arrange an interview, please contact:

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On any given day of a normal year, Parliament Hill is buzzing with people lobbying elected representatives. According to the federal government’s lobbying commissioner, there were 18,728 monthly communications reports submitted in 2019 20.

Those communications reports were generated in large part by paid, registered lobbyists working with large corporations.

This year, there are far fewer meetings on the Hill but that doesn’t mean that elected representatives aren’t hearing from anyone. They are. And we want to make sure they’re hearing from workers, too. We know that pressing issues are mounting for many workers and communities across the country. In the past six months, people have seen their livelihoods disappear or they are staving off disaster, all while worrying about their health and the health of their families.

Workers want to see governments make decisions that will improve their lives and move Canada forward. They want to trust the government will make decisions based on the needs of everyday working people and of their communities. We only need to look South to see what can go wrong when governments let down their citizens.

In 2019, a study done by the OECD showed trust in government is falling worldwide. In 2019, only 38 per cent of Canadians said they had confidence in the government. The good news is that it has gone up since the pandemic made government more central to our lives than ever, according to a report from Samara Canada. Trust in government now stands at 59 per cent. This should not be taken for granted.

One of the best ways to maintain trust is to encourage citizen engagement in decision making.

This is why we are organizing the first-ever virtual lobbying effort, National Action Week. It’s an opportunity for workers from across the country to participate in our democracy, even in the midst of a pandemic. We are helping them reach out to their elected representatives to tell decision-makers what needs to happen in their communities.

Our hope is that our week of action will not only allow for conversations that will build trust in our democracy, but that these meetings will open the door for further conversations. Knowledge sharing is also essential for trust in democracy, meaning elected representatives should provide information and answer questions from their constituents – and constituents should know to ask questions.

After all, so much has changed and Members of Parliament need to hear from their constituents on what they need to focus on. Millions of people who were employed in March are now dependent on the government for support. As we continue to respond and as we move towards a recovery stage, the Minister of Finance has indicated the government is willing to make more and longer-term investments to provide economic stimulus, given historically low interest rates.

The most important thing right now is to move government investment into those sectors that will offer the most benefit to the most people across the country. The Prime Minister talks about building back better, and there are priorities that can’t be ignored if this government plans to improve the lives of those most affected by this pandemic.

The government made clear in September’s Speech from the Throne that it is listening to the concerns of workers and their families. The speech promised investments to create new jobs, accelerate the implementation of universal national pharmacare and focus on child care and long-term care. Workers across Canada are trusting that the government will include all these investments in the next federal budget and go even further, including raising the federal minimum wage to $15 dollars an hour as promised in the last federal election.

Those who have been working on the front lines without proper protective equipment, those who have watched their loved ones suffer in for-profit long-term care homes, parents who have been stuck with no options for child care, women forced to choose between career and family after all these years of progress deserve support. These workers know where investments need to go and so should their representatives.

They are ready to bring their stories and experiences directly to policy-makers. It’s up to those making decisions to listen carefully and act accordingly in the best interests of the nation’s workers and their families.

Hassan Yussuff is the president of the Canadian Labour Congress. Follow him on Twitter @Hassan_Yussuff

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The pandemic exposed deep disparities and vulnerabilities in our economy and society. It has also radically changed the lives of people across Canada.

Workers want the federal government to disaster-proof the economy by committing to investments in job creation, pharmacare and child care, among others.

CLC President Hassan Yussuff is available to comment on the Action Week priorities and to discuss the importance of hosting such a large-scale virtual lobbying event, even in the midst of the current crisis.

To arrange an interview, please contact:

CLC Media Relations
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Office: 613-526-7426
Cell: 613-355-1962

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“Despite ongoing gains, the latest numbers continue to signal medium-term risks to Canada’s labour market,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “We are seeing increases in long-term unemployment, and young people, low-wage workers, women and racialized workers continue to struggle in this job market.”

While unemployment rates declined further in September, new rounds of layoffs are threatening the aviation, hospitality, accommodation and food service sectors. The federal government did pledge that it would create 1 million new jobs in last month’s Speech from the Throne.

“Now is not the time for austerity. The government must work quickly to ensure immediate action on job creation,” said Yussuff. “There needs to be focused investments on programs that will show immediate benefits for employment, like a national, universal public child care program.”

Canada’s unions are also calling on the government to take advantage of low interest rates to build a green economy through innovative infrastructure projects.

After the 2008 global economic downturn, Canada’s government failed to invest in the economy and it took years for workers and their families to bounce back. With the COVID-19 crisis, Canada’s unions are calling on all levels of government to resist calls for austerity and to instead expand investments in working people in order to ensure a robust recovery.

To read more about the directed investments the CLC is calling for, visit canadianplan.ca.

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“We were very glad to see sick leave specifically mentioned in this agreement,” said Canadian Labour Congress President, Hassan Yussuff. “Canada’s unions have been fighting for paid sick leave for all workers. This ensures that every worker can take time off when they are sick and need to self-isolate. Workers should not be penalized for taking care of themselves and safeguarding public health.”

It should be noted that BC Premier John Horgan acted as the champion of sick leave during these negotiations.

Unions are also welcoming other important measures in the new agreement including funding directed at municipalities and investments in child care and long-term care.

“Communities across the country are in financial crisis after months of unanticipated costs and collapsing revenues,” said Yussuff. “Municipalities are not only major employers, they are major economic drivers. This deal will have a significant impact, though we still have a long way ahead towards full recovery.”

The CLC is calling for reforms to the Employment Insurance system to support workers who will no longer be covered by the Canada Emergency Response Benefit in September.

“There is no quick way out of this crisis; funding must be directed towards social supports that will help workers get back on their feet,” said Yussuff. “Millions of Canadians are still facing uncertainty and governments will need to continue to step up.”

To arrange an interview, please contact:

CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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“A single deficit number does not tell the full story. If we look at the total debt to GDP ratio, Canada is still in good shape,” said Canadian Labour Congress President, Hassan Yussuff. “This means the country is in a strong position to ensure that workers and their families continue to receive the support they desperately need. Calls for austerity and cuts are misguided, cruel and out of step with what most Canadians expect from our governments.

“We are still in the midst of dealing with the social and economic fallout of an ongoing pandemic. Two million jobs are currently being subsidized by the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program. Almost seven million Canadians still don’t have a job to go back to, and with the Canada Emergency Response Benefit ending in August, we urgently need a plan to help those who continue to face uncertainty.”

The CLC has six recommendations for EI reform to ensure a smooth transition for those currently on CERB. These reforms include waiving qualifying hours to maximize access to the program, increasing the duration of EI and allowing EI claimants to enroll in education programs.

Furthermore, the CLC will be calling on all levels of government to learn from the lessons of COVID-19 to build a stronger, more resilient economy. The recovery should include reforms of social programs to ensure no one falls through the cracks.

“The federal government responded quickly when we needed them to,” said Yussuff. “There is still capacity to deal with what has been the most significant financial and health crisis in recent history. The government is right to continue financially supporting Canadians throughout these unprecedented times.”

Canada has the lowest debt to GDP ratio among G7 nations, and is the only G7 country below 50 per cent.

To arrange an interview, please contact:
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The federal government moved quickly to respond to the economic fallout precipitated by COVID-19. Since March, the government has spent heavily on a variety of programs that ensure workers and businesses received support throughout this crisis.

“The Canadian Emergency Response Benefit and the Canada Emergency Wage Supplement have provided urgent relief to many workers and businesses devastated by the pandemic,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Millions of people continue to be out of work and many businesses remain shuttered or are operating at diminished capacity.”

While this unexpected government spending has no doubt resulted in significant deficits, Canada’s unions maintain that the country requires ongoing investment to ensure a full recovery.

“The federal government has spent these past few months investing in people at a time of uncertainty and heightened fears about the future,” said Yussuff. “This pandemic continues to have devastating financial impacts on workers and families across the country. Millions of people still require help to get through these unprecedented times.”

The CLC is calling on the government to recognize the critical need for a responsive Employment Insurance program to protect low-wage workers who were hit the hardest by the crisis. This will necessitate significant reforms to ensure unemployed workers currently dependant on the CERB are able to transition smoothly to the EI program.

“Our focus must be on the people who still don’t have jobs to go back to,” said Yussuff. “The government recognized that the EI system was not good enough to help every worker affected by the pandemic. It still isn’t.”

The CLC has six recommendations for EI reform, including waiving qualifying hours to maximize access to the program, increasing the duration of EI and allowing EI claimants to enroll in education programs. For further details, click here.

Furthermore, the CLC urges the federal government to ensure our country’s robust public service remains intact in order to oversee and deliver the programs that Canadians rely on.

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“The expansion of the CERB to include those continuing to work in low-income, precarious jobs is an important step,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “This move will be a relief to many workers who have been struggling and were left out of previous supports. The NDP should be credited with helping to influence this expansion of the emergency benefit.”

The Prime Minister’s announcement of top-up payments for essential workers, including those working in long-term care, is also a necessary move, said Yussuff.

Workers in long-term care often hold multiple part-time positions in different facilities in order to make a decent living. These workers are often without sick leave or benefits of any kind.

“This crisis has made it clear that our society’s essential workers have been grossly undervalued for too long,” said Yussuff. “When we start to re-open the economy, we must work to rectify these structural inequities around compensation and support. We must go to bat for the very workers who are ensuring our society continues to function throughout this pandemic.”

The CERB expansion also includes supports for hundreds of thousands of seasonal workers, Canadians who became unemployed before the COVID crisis and workers who have exhausted their EI claims.

“We will continue to work closely with government and opposition parties to bring attention to the experiences and needs of workers throughout various sectors in order to identity any new or emerging gaps,” said Yussuff.

For more information:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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“We know that universal, public pharmacare will be less expensive and keep more people healthy and out of the hospital,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “For 7.5 million Canadians that are uninsured or underinsured, pharmacare won’t just change their lives, it can save them.”

Canada’s minority governments have a history of advancing public policies that have significantly improved the lives of millions of families. On top of pharmacare, labour activists are also pressing the need for a $15 federal minimum wage, protections for worker pensions and the ratification of ILO Convention 190 on ending violence and harassment at work.

“On C-190, Canada brought this to the ILO and we have an opportunity to show real leadership by becoming one of the first countries to ratify it,” said Yussuff.

The creation of a federal minimum wage for workers in federally regulated workplaces would lift up more than 70,000 workers. These workers have been without a minimum wage since 1996, it is long overdue.

It has also been too long that workers have been told they have to wait for the creditors to be paid before they get the pensions they are owed. The government needs to protect these workers so they can retire with confidence.

“This government has a historic opportunity, and mandate, to build a more progressive Canada,” added Yussuff. “When Canadian workers come together, our collective voice has real weight with decision-makers. Canada must grasp this opportunity to make pharmacare a reality and improve Canadians’ lives.”

The Canadian Labour Congress is the voice of Canada’s labour movement representing over 3 million union members who work in every industry across the country.

To arrange an interview, please contact:

CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

The post Hundreds of activists bring union priorities to the Hill appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“The Hoskins Report is done, the election promises have been made, the Ministers’ mandate letters are clear and the majority of MPs are with us. Canadians are ready. It’s time for pharmacare,” said Canadian Labour Congress President Hassan Yussuff. “With a critical mass of support, it’s time for this Liberal government to seize this historic opportunity to implement universal, single-payer national pharmacare.”

The Hoskins Report stated that an initial investment of $3.5 billion will be required in Federal Budget 2020 as the first step toward implementing universal pharmacare. The group of advocates emphasised this investment is needed immediately to kick start this process.

“Right now, 7.5 million Canadians have inadequate drug coverage or none at all. In fact, 16 per cent of people in Canada go without medication for heart disease, high blood pressure or cholesterol because of cost,” added Heart & Stroke CEO Yves Savoie. “We can’t wait any longer.”

Besides Budget 2020, stakeholders identified other milestones to ensure the implementation of this key missing piece of Medicare can be a success. Most importantly, they discussed how to bring pharmacare supporters and Canadians along this historic journey, and where it can lead us into the future.

“The cost savings of a single-payer model has been proven time and again,” added Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions President Linda Silas. “With government and opposition support, we’re closer than ever to making single-payer pharmacare a reality,”

The group of pharmacare advocates is made up of organizations representing civil society, business, labour and patient interest groups.

For more information:

CLC Media
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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The CLC, which represents over 3 million Canadian workers, issued an immediate response to the budget but is now releasing a more detailed budget analysis that outlines the commitments on important issues for working Canadians.

This budget takes tentative steps toward national pharmacare, and provides important measures to support lower income seniors, skills training for workers, reforms to the Employment Insurance (EI) appeal process and infrastructure funding for communities to assist as Canada transitions away from coal-powered electricity.

However, the budget’s failure to provide pension protection in the face of corporate bankruptcy, lack of investments in child care, and inaction on measures to support workers in terms of income, training and re-employment as recommended by the Just Transition Task Force, leaves much work unfinished.

Read the full analysis here.

The post The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) releases detailed analysis of Budget 2019 appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Canadian workers, their families and their communities will benefit from new budgetary measures that lay the groundwork for curbing exorbitant medicine prices, income inequality, and climate change,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “We are pleased to see a budget that acknowledges some of the most pressing issues facing Canadians, because these are the issues that voters will be taking to the ballot box in the federal election.”

 Canada’s unions have long advocated for the introduction of a universal, single-payer pharmacare plan to reduce drug prices, save billions for families and businesses, and provide vital medicines to the 3.6 million Canadians who cannot afford to fill their prescriptions. Today’s federal budget delivers on a recommendation of the interim report of the federal Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare by announcing funding for a new federal drug agency to lead to the future development of a national formulary, as well as new funding for medicines for rare diseases.

“Canada’s unions continue to feel cautiously optimistic that a universal pharmacare plan is on the horizon. Today’s budget clears important obstacles but waits on the government’s pharmacare advisory council to prescribe the model for pharmacare delivery,” said Yussuff. “Experts all agree that Canada’s patchwork approach to prescription drug coverage needs to be streamlined, but drug costs won’t come down unless there is one plan and one buyer.”

Today’s federal budget also announced plans to introduce improvements to the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) by raising the $3,500 annual earnings exemption for employment income. Two million elderly Canadians, roughly one third of all seniors, receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement, which is targeted to the most vulnerable.

“Allowing working seniors to keep more of their GIS benefit will reduce financial insecurity in old age and make a material difference in the lives of seniors,” said Yussuff.  

Budget 2019 announced the government’s plan to prioritize skills and training, including the establishment of the Canada Training Benefit to assist with fees and provide income support for lifelong learning and skills development.

“The commitments in today’s budget signal that the government recognizes access to continuous learning must be a priority to ensure workers can adapt to technological change and emerging skill needs,” said Yussuff. “The success of today’s commitments will depend on funding and training opportunities reaching those who need it most. The Canadian Labour Congress has concerns about the design of the benefit, but remains committed to promoting worker awareness of, and access to, these new training opportunities.”

The CLC also welcomed Budget 2019’s funding commitment to reform the Employment Insurance appeal process. “Unemployed workers and Canada’s unions have long urged the government to restore transparency, efficiency and fairness to the appeal process. We applaud this important funding commitment,” said Yussuff.

Canada’s unions are pleased to see the federal government announce measures to ensure a just transition as the government addresses climate change. The 2019 Budget pledges $150 million in infrastructure funding to directly assist resource-based municipalities in establishing new fiscal drivers.

“I was proud to serve as Co-Chair for Canada’s Just Transition Task Force, and to work together with government to put people and communities at the heart of climate policy. Today’s budget commitment will help begin to ensure that communities are not left behind as Canada transitions away from coal-powered electricity by 2030,” said Yussuff. “Canada’s unions are looking forward to working with the Minister of Natural Resources as the newly named lead minister, but are disappointed to see that the government has not addressed key Task Force recommendations to support workers, in terms of income, training and reemployment needs. Without this, workers will be left behind.”

The Congress highlighted other positive announcements in today’s federal budget, including:

• Investments in stabilizing Phoenix in the short term, noting that more is needed for long-term planning and funding for a new system.
• Funding to support a new anti-racism strategy, funding for LGBTQ2+ organizations and establishment of an LGBTQ2+ Secretariat, Gender Equality funding to expand the Women’s Program and funds for Black Canadian communities.
• Action on tax avoidance and restrictions on stock-option deductions, which overwhelmingly benefit a small number of high-income earners.

The Congress also noted several concerns over budgetary omissions, including:

• A missed opportunity to immediately provide pension protection and address the injustice workers and pensioners face during employer bankruptcy.
• A failure to expand the EI sickness benefit.
• A lack of new investments in high quality, affordable, public early learning and childcare.

For more information, please contact:

Chantal St-Denis
CLC Communications
613-355-1962
Email: cstdenis@clcctc.ca

The post Canadian Labour Congress welcomes progress in the federal budget, but says much is riding on the next election appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

To advance the goals of fairness and to deal with urgent unmet needs, Canada’s unions are looking for expanded investments in pharmacare, Employment Insurance, child care, affordable housing, and just transition measures to create good jobs while moving Canada toward a low-carbon economy. These investments must address the significant and growing inequality that is intensifying economic insecurity for working people, undermining the social mobility of families and the health of communities across Canada.

Here’s what a “Fairness Budget” means for working people:

1. Universal National Pharmacare

When calling on their government for a national pharmacare plan, Canadians have been clear: we do not want half-measures that continue to grossly inflate medication costs, driving up corporate profits at the expense of universal public coverage. Budget 2019 must outline the federal government’s plan and budget future expenditures to implement a universal, single-payer pharmacare program in Canada. The Interim Report from the Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare called on the government to create a new, arms-length, national drug agency to develop and manage a comprehensive national drug formulary and conduct negotiations with drug manufacturers. Budget 2019 should allocate money for this purpose. Universal pharmacare won’t just ensure everyone has access to the life-saving medications they need, it will save households and employers billions of dollars. Canada is the only developed country in the world with a universal public health care system that does not include universal coverage for prescription drugs. As a result, more than 3.6 million Canadians cannot afford to fill their prescriptions and Canadians pay the third highest drug prices in the world. A universal public pharmacare program will ensure that all Canadians have equitable access to life-saving prescription drugs and it will save families and employers billions of dollars.

2. Pensions and Retirement Security

Canadians have been shocked by the high-profile bankruptcies of Sears and other companies that have left retirees stranded, without the pension protection they had been promised after decades of loyal service. The federal government must take steps to ensure that workers who have paid for pensions throughout their working lifetime are not penalized if their employer enters insolvency. The government has many options for ending this injustice. Budget 2019 should take steps to reform federal bankruptcy laws to ensure that plan members and retirees are protected, introduce mandatory pension insurance to look after pensions and benefits in bankruptcy, and implement better monitoring and regulation of companies that sponsor underfunded defined-benefit pension plans (DBP).

3. Affordable Housing

In 2017, the federal budget committed to a new National Housing Strategy and the government has publicly recognized that access to shelter is a human right. Canada’s unions want to see the federal government partner with provincial counterparts to build new affordable housing and invest in the existing affordable housing stock. In particular, budget 2019 should expand investments in First Nations housing on reserve and signal the federal government’s intention to work with provinces, territories and cities in order to crack down on absentee ownership and speculative investment in housing. Canadian workers also want to see the government build and re-invest in temporary and emergency shelter spaces for women and children, and expand social housing, mental health support, and addiction services to help the homeless and those at risk of homelessness.

4. Just Transition

Canada must broaden its economy, invest in new jobs and new industries in all communities, and invest in training to prepare workers for the jobs of the next decade. As Canada transitions away from coal-powered electricity, the federal government needs to ensure affected workers have support to transition to new employment or a dignified retirement, depending on where they are in their working life. Coal communities need targeted investment and transitional supports. The final report of the labour-led Task Force on Just Transition for Canadian Coal Power Workers and Communities was released on March 11. The federal government should act quickly on the recommendations of the Task Force and build on the $35 million announced in budget 2018 to support just transition training and adjustment measures for workers and their communities. Investing in renewable energy, efficient buildings and retrofits, and public transportation will create good jobs while reducing emissions. Ambitious green job-creation targets and support for the low-carbon economy should serve as a framework for sustained, long-term investment in Indigenous communities and low-income urban youth, in order to counteract the forces of inequality, discrimination and despair.

5. Employment Insurance

The government has committed to a broad review of the EI program to address the fact that EI leaves far too many unemployed workers with no safety net. Canada’s unions welcome a full and immediate review of the EI program, and immediate changes to improve the access of unemployed workers to benefits, as well as the adequacy and duration of those benefits. The federal government should also expand the EI sickness benefit and re-examine the financing of the EI program. Finally, the budget should restore fairness and tripartite participation in the EI appeals process to ensure that workers receive the benefits they are entitled to in a timely manner.

6. Investments in Skills Training, Literacy and Life-Long Learning

In order to prepare workers to adapt to technological change and emerging skills needs, budget 2019 should fund access to continuous workplace training and lifelong learning. Given that strong literacy and essential skills are vital for equal participation, the government should ensure core funding for literacy organizations and invest in a new national workplace literacy program delivered in partnership with trade unions. The government should prioritize broad access to training opportunities, for women as well as men, and groups with fewer opportunities including youth, lower-skilled workers, workers with disabilities, newcomers to Canada, and workers of colour. The government should expand vocational education and training opportunities for youth, including in-work apprenticeships and on-the-job experience, while recognizing the vital role of public education and community colleges. The budget should also strengthen Just Transition labour adjustment programming to assist workers, their families and their communities affected by plant closures and climate change policy to access training and employment services, shift to new jobs, and transition to retirement.

7. Fairness for Children and Working Parents

Affordable, accessible and high-quality public child care is essential for women’s full and equal participation in paid work, for dividing unpaid care work more fairly between women and men, and for closing the gender wage gap. Canada needs a plan to achieve affordable child care for all families. Budget 2017 committed $7.5 billion over 11 years to create more child care spaces, but the government can and should expand this investment. Budget 2019 should allocate $1 billion for child care in the 2019-2020 fiscal year, with funds earmarked for Indigenous child care, and increase that amount each year until public spending on child care reaches at least one percent of GDP, the international benchmark used by the OECD, UNICEF and other international bodies.

8. Fairness for Indigenous People

True reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and undoing generations of injustice and discrimination will continue to require expanded multi-year investments in Indigenous communities. The federal government should invest in First Nations-led approaches to resolving the potable water crisis, including the development and implementation of source water protection plans, while ensuring expedited upgrading and maintenance of water systems. Budget 2019 should set aside funding to support equitable and statutory funding to ensure Indigenous child welfare services and expand investments in direct job creation, skills training and apprenticeship opportunities for Indigenous youth, men, and women

9. Fairness for Newcomers to Canada

Immigrants, migrants, and refugees are essential to Canada’s economy, diversity and regional development, yet newcomers continue to face enormous barriers in gaining access to decent jobs, housing, and settlement services. There are many important aspects to doing this. For instance, budget 2019 should include funds to expand settlement services to those who need it, including refugee claimants, migrant workers, citizens and those with precarious immigration status. Canada’s unions want the federal government to invest in the recognition of foreign credentials and expand bridging programs for internationally-trained immigrants and refugees to help newcomers find jobs that match their level of training and experience.

10. Tax Fairness and Reducing Inequality

Expensive tax cuts and tax loopholes have benefited the wealthiest in Canada to the point where the top one percent of income-earners now pay a lower overall effective tax rate than the poorest ten percent. In order to address growing inequality, Canada’s unions want the federal government to eliminate regressive tax loopholes that overwhelmingly benefit high-income earners. Budget 2019 should target new revenues from taxing foreign e-commerce firms appropriately in order to create a level playing field for Canadian providers, and by clamping down on corporate tax dodging through offshore tax structures, including through the application of a one percent withholding tax on Canadian corporate assets held in offshore tax havens.

The post Working people need a fairness budget: 10 things Canada’s unions want to see in Budget 2019 appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Introducing a new Pay Equity Act will bring in long-awaited legislation requiring federally-regulated employers to create proactive pay equity plans that will begin to address Canada’s gender wage gap. The government also announced the establishment of a Pay Equity Commissioner to independently oversee implementation and hold employers accountable.

“Canada’s unions have been fighting for proactive pay equity legislation for over a decade and we’re glad to see the government take meaningful action to close Canada’s shameful gender pay gap,” said CLC President, Hassan Yussuff.

For all federally-regulated employers with ten or more workers, the new legislation will adapt existing compliance frameworks to include pay equity, and set out specific timelines for implementation and compulsory maintenance reviews.

Changes to Part III of the Canada Labour Code were also included in the omnibus bill, and are being heralded by Canada’s unions as an important modernization of federal labour standards in Canada. These changes will restrict exploitation by prohibiting employers from misclassifying workers and paying them less, simply because they work for a temp agency or on a part-time, casual or term basis.

Canada’s unions were also pleased with new measures that will prevent employers from using contract flipping as a means of undermining the wages, benefits, and job security of workers.

“The Canada Labour Code used to be upheld as the gold standard across the Country but federal labour standards were significantly eroded over a decade by the Harper government,” said Yussuff. “Providing additional vacation time and leave provisions, as well as new scheduling notice protections, are important steps that will lift employment standards for Canadian workers,” said Yussuff.

After an intensive campaign by Canada’s unions, survivors of domestic violence working in the federal sector will now receive five days of paid leave. This will help to set a national standard as many provinces move to allow people experiencing violence at home to seek the support and services they need to help keep themselves and their children safe.

“Canada’s unions will continue to push to elevate labour standards for everyone working in Canada,” said Yussuff. “Along with this week’s announcements, immediate action to establish a $15 federal minimum wage would raise the bar across the country.”

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“Canada’s unions have been advocating for paid domestic violence leave for years. What started as a relatively modest undertaking with a national study, resulted in important insight into the impact of domestic violence in the workplace. Now we are seeing real progress,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff.

Yussuff commended Manitoba for being the first province to introduce paid domestic violence leave in 2016. Manitoba now provides all workers the right to five paid days of domestic violence leave, plus an additional ten unpaid days. When necessary, a worker can request up to 17 weeks of unpaid leave without jeopardizing their employment. Earlier this year, Ontario also introduced five paid days of leave for survivors of domestic and sexual violence and if necessary, up to 15 weeks of unpaid leave.

“Paid domestic violence leave for people experiencing violence helps them take steps that can help keep themselves and their children safe. Dealing with violence is time consuming – especially when it comes to tasks like finding housing, opening a bank account, or meeting with lawyers and the police, a lot of which has to happen during office hours,” said CLC Secretary-Treasurer Marie Clarke Walker.

Momentum for paid leave is building across Canada. Many local unions have now negotiated domestic violence leave clauses. However, Canada’s unions want this right extended to all workers, so across Canada, workers are calling on their provincial and territorial governments to amend their Employment Standards and offer paid domestic violence leave to any worker who needs it.

Paid leave is one of many forms of support people who experience domestic violence can access in their workplace. The CLC has developed training for stewards and union representatives, to empower them to identify and respond when a member is dealing with domestic violence. Our Domestic Violence at Work Online Resource Centre has resources for individuals, representatives and unions who want to learn more and support others. Canada’s unions are also proud to have negotiated support for victims of domestic violence in many workplace collective agreements.

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The Canadian Labour Congress, which represents 3.3 million Canadian workers, today released a detailed budget analysis, which outlines the commitments on important issues for working Canadians.

This budget provides initial steps forward toward national pharmacare and pay equity in the federal jurisdiction, dedicated parental leave for male and non-birthing partners, action to assist seasonal Employment Insurance (EI) claimants, support for victims of domestic violence, more help for workers seeking unpaid wages from insolvent employers, and Just Transition funds for workers and communities affected by climate change policy.

However the budget’s failure to offer an expanded commitment to early learning and child care weakened its consistent gender equity focus. The limited movement on protection for pensioners and pension plan members in the restructuring and bankruptcy process, and limited progress on the government’s tax fairness commitments also detracted from the budget’s equity goals.

Read the full analysis.

The post CLC releases detailed analysis of Budget 2018 appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Today’s federal budget commits to setting up an Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare headed up by former Ontario health minister Dr. Eric Hoskins.

“We are very pleased to see the government committing to a pathway that will finally establish a universal prescription drug plan for all Canadians, regardless of their age, income or where they live. We hope to see the promise of universal pharmacare fulfilled before the next federal election,” said CLC president Hassan Yussuff.

The federal budget also promises to deliver long overdue proactive pay equity legislation in the Budget Implementation Act.

“Women in Canada have waited far too long for fairness, and Canada’s unions look forward to working with the government to get this legislation right,” said Yussuff. “That means ensuring, for example, that it establishes both a distinct Pay Equity Commission and a Hearings Tribunal – two essential components of a proactive pay equity regime.”

Yussuff was also encouraged to see implementation of a long-standing call for dedicated leave for second parents, but had hoped that child care would be more of a priority in a federal budget focused on boosting participation of women in the workforce.

“The evidence is very clear that the most effective way to remove barriers to women’s participation in the workforce is with a universal child care system,” said Yussuff. “That’s why we had hoped to see this budget commit to increasing child care spending – over time – to reach the internationally recognized benchmark of one percent of GDP.”

Yussuff said he was happy to see the budget commit to expanding protections to workers under the Wage Earner Protection Program Act.

The budget increased the maximum limit so that workers’ final paychecks, severance and vacation pay are better protected when companies go bankrupt.

“It’s unfortunate, however, that the government didn’t go further, ensuring that pensioners have the same protections and are prioritized in bankruptcy situations,” said Yussuff.

Yussuff highlighted other positive announcements in today’s federal budget, including:

• New apprenticeship and training initiatives including incentive grants for women entering the Red Seal trades, pre-apprenticeship programs targeting under-represented groups, additional supports for women in trades and investments in skills building for women new to Canada.
• Extending Working While on Claim provisions to those on maternity and sick leave.
• Making Status of Women Canada an official government department and providing it with $100 million over five years to enhance the Women’s Program.
• A commitment of an additional $86 million over five years to the Gender Based Violence Strategy and additional commitments to combat workplace harassment and violence.
• A commitment to five days of paid leave for victims of domestic violence.
• Funding to combat anti-black racism.
• Moves to close tax loopholes and crack down on tax evasion, including the imposition of a $50,000 threshold on passive income.
• A pledge to replace the beleaguered Phoenix pay system.

The post Canada’s unions encouraged by federal budget commitments on pharmacare and pay equity appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

1. A commitment to universal public pharmacare

Canada is the only developed country in the world with a universal health care program that doesn’t include a universal prescription drug plan. Our patchwork prescription drug system is inefficient and expensive, and has left 3.5 million Canadians unable to afford the medication they need. Budget 2018 must commit to a timeline to work with the provinces and territories to design and implement a universal, comprehensive, national public prescription drug program that covers all Canadians, regardless of their age, income, or where they work or live.

2. Long overdue action on pay equity

Canada’s gender wage gap is the sixth highest in the OECD. This wage discrimination exists regardless of women’s education or whether they work full or part-time. Lower lifetime earnings means less retirement security and more poverty for older women. Canada’s unions have long advocated for proactive, stand-alone pay equity legislation and are hopeful that it will finally be tabled later this year. In anticipation of that, Budget 2018 must fund the establishment of an independent Pay Equity Commission and Hearings Tribunal, and commit funding to support workers’ and advocacy groups’ access to advice, information, training, and participation in the pay equity process.

3. Education and action on gender-based harassment and violence

The #metoo movement has demonstrated that gender-based harassment and violence is a widespread and very serious issue that requires strong leadership from the federal government. That’s why Canada’s unions want Budget 2018 to commit to a national public education campaign on gender-based harassment and violence. Gender-based violence costs the Canadian economy $12 billion annually, but the women’s organizations providing frontline support and services to survivors of gender-based violence have no stable core operational funding. Budget 2018 must restore the Status of Women Canada’s mandate to provide core funding to women’s organizations for research, advocacy and services, and increase its funding by $100 million annually so it can do that.

4. Long-term investment for child care

Canada is facing a child care crisis. The OECD says child care costs in Canada are among the highest in the world. Canadian families are spending almost one-quarter of their income on child care. Single parents spend an average of 32 percent their income on child care. For women, access to affordable, high quality child care is about economic justice. Budget 2017 announced some long-term funding for early learning and child care, but not enough to solve the crisis. Budget 2018 must allocate $1 billion for child care in the 2018-2019 fiscal year and increase that amount each year until public spending on child care reaches at least one percent of GDP, the international benchmark used by the OECD, UNICEF and other international bodies.

5. Reforms to Employment Insurance

Successive federal governments have made the Employment Insurance program less equitable and harder to access, at the same time as our labour market has undergone major changes. Right now, too many vulnerable workers are left behind because of gaps in the system that is supposed to support them. Budget 2018 must reform the EI appeals process by restoring the Board of Referees and bringing labour back into the adjudication of claimants’ appeals. It must also establish a single national eligibility standard for EI regular benefits with a 360-hour threshold, and raise the replacement rate for insured earnings to 60 percent. Canada’s unions are also calling on the government to reform the claw-back of EI sickness benefits by allowing workers to top up their income by working during their benefit claim, and by expanding the number of weeks for sickness benefits to deal with episodic or long-term illnesses.

6. Fairness for federally-regulated workers

Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to commit to fairness for workers in federally-regulated workplaces. First, Budget 2018 should commit to a federal minimum wage. This would have an immediate, significant and positive impact for workers at Canadian airports and those performing outsourced maintenance work in federal buildings and offices. Second, Budget 2018 must reinstate the Fair Wages and Hours of Labour Act for federal government procurement and construction contracts. Third, the budget must commit to ending contract flipping in federal workplaces like airports. Employers must not be allowed use contract flipping to undermine job security, wages and benefits. Fourth, the government must reform Part 3 of the Canada Labour Code to provide paid leave for personal reasons; prevent misclassification of workers as independent contractors; prevent discrimination in pay and benefits based on employment status (part-time, temporary and contract workers); and make employers responsible for labour standards violations in their supply chains.

7. Training and skills-building for workers

Canada’s unions will be looking for commitments on training and skills-building for workers in Budget 2018. For example, we have proposed that the government support the right to lifelong learning with guaranteed paid training leaves so that workers can upgrade skills. We have also urged the government to create more training opportunities for skilled trades jobs by investing in pre-apprenticeship training and mandating apprenticeship training for federally funded infrastructure projects, procurement contracts (for example in defence and shipbuilding), and building maintenance. Budget 2018 must also invest in workers by restoring funding for literacy programs and core funding for literacy organizations, and investing in a new national workplace literacy program.

8. Tax fairness

Canada’s unions want all Canadians to pay their fair share and are calling on the federal government to act for tax fairness by closing costly tax loopholes (like the stock option deduction and capital gains deduction), cracking down on Canadians’ foreign tax haven use, including by pension funds and Crown corporations, and ending the unfair advantage enjoyed by Google, Netflix, Amazon, Facebook, and other foreign companies who sell services in Canada but are exempt from Canadian sales and corporate income taxes.

9.Investments in a green economy

The federal government must implement a bold green economic program of targeted investments over the next five years for renewable energy development and infrastructure, including job creation and greenhouse gas reduction targets, in order to boost electricity generated from solar, wind, and geothermal energy sources.

10. Just Transition training and adjustment funds for workers

Canada’s unions are calling for the establishment of Just Transition training and adjustment funds for workers affected by climate change and the transition to a low-carbon economy, automation, the digitisation of work, and job losses caused by trade agreements like CETA.

11. Improvements to the disability tax credit

Budget 2018 must increase the federal disability tax credit for people with disabilities and make it refundable, clarify eligibility, and simplify the application process. This would be a first step toward addressing poverty for people with disabilities. A refundable disability tax credit would provide a modest annual amount of money to many people living with significant disabilities, particularly those who are not able to participate in the workforce. This is a long time demand of the disability rights community and a necessary step toward greater inclusion and fairness for people with disabilities.

The post What Canada’s unions would like to see in the federal budget appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The Ontario government has announced a renewed Early Years and Child Care Policy Framework that pledges to make child care more accessible and affordable to all families, including a plan to invest in new child care spaces and a pledge to grow the non-profit sector.

The federal government is expected to release details about its own National Early Learning and Child Care Framework soon. This year’s federal budget pledged $7 billion over 10 years for early learning and child care.

“We are especially pleased to see that the Ontario government make universal access a priority and we hope the federal government’s framework will ensure the same approach for families in all provinces and territories,” said CLC President, Hassan Yussuff.

The Ontario government’s framework included many of the elements the CLC and its allies say are crucial to any child care and early childhood education system, specifically:

• Access to high quality, public and not-for-profit child care for all families who need it;
• Making child care more affordable;
• Ensuring that child care workers have decent wages and working conditions; and
• Ensuring the child care system is inclusive of children with special needs.

The CLC and its allies have called on the federal government to announce a framework that paves the way for a well-designed child care system that takes into account the diversity of needs: not a one-size-fits-all approach.

“The goal must be affordable, inclusive, high-quality child care systems across Canada,” said Yussuff. “We also need a workforce development strategy that addresses wages and working conditions, as well as recruiting and training.”

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The Canadian Labour Congress, which represents 3.3 million Canadian workers, today released a detailed budget analysis, which outlines the commitments on important issues for working Canadians.

The analysis notes that the budget plan does include a few positive changes to Employment Insurance, and new funding for child care, home care, mental health, and especially, housing.

However, when measured against the scale of the need that exists – for child care, green job creation, EI fairness, health care, and rights for Temporary Foreign Workers – Budget 2017 undoubtedly falls short.

Read the detailed analysis of Budget 2017.

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The Canadian Labour Congress, which represents 3.3 million Canadian workers, today released a detailed budget analysis, which outlines the commitments on important issues for working Canadians.

The analysis notes that the budget plan does include a few positive changes to Employment Insurance, and new funding for child care, home care, mental health, and especially, housing.

However, when measured against the scale of the need that exists – for child care, green job creation, EI fairness, health care, and rights for Temporary Foreign Workers – Budget 2017 undoubtedly falls short.

Read the detailed analysis of Budget 2017.

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“We are pleased to see today’s budget invest in several key areas that unions have long championed, including infrastructure, skills training, and child care,” said Canadian Labour Congress President Hassan Yussuff.

“By investing in skills training and infrastructure, including $11 billion in support of a National Housing Strategy, this budget lays the foundation for the creation of good jobs with a social benefit. It also sets the stage for an ongoing, constructive dialogue between government, unions and employer groups to advance skills training in this country,” Yussuff said.

However, Yussuff noted concerns with the establishment of a new Canada Infrastructure Bank, designed to facilitate private investment in public infrastructure, even though reports consistently show these P3 projects are more costly and offer lower-quality jobs and services.

“Government must ensure public infrastructure is publicly financed and operated. We do not need more of the same private-public partnerships that short-change workers and communities,” Yussuff said.

Child care is another issue that has been a top priority for unions for many years, and Yussuff said he was pleased to see the government commit multi-year funding ($7 billion over 10 years) under a national child care framework. This includes 40,000 new subsidized child-care spaces for low- and modest-income families.

“This is an important step in the process towards quality, accessible child care for all Canadian families. Next, the federal, provincial and territorial governments must work to ensure increased funding that is tied to the principles of the Shared Framework on child care,” Yussuff said.

Unions are pleased to see Budget 2017 commit to measures to strengthen Canada’s trade remedy system, including amendments to ensure that unions have the right to participate as interested parties in trade remedy proceedings. Unions will continue to push to ensure unions can also file complaints to initiate proceedings.

However, the CLC expressed disappointment on other issues that impact Canadian workers. First, Employment Insurance, which will continue to leave too many unemployed Canadians behind due to very strict eligibility requirements and inadequate benefits.

Second, on the issue of health care, the CLC welcomes today’s investments in mental health and home care, but had been hoping to see the government commit to stable and long-term health care funding under a national health accord. Unfortunately, this budget maintains the Harper government’s reduction in the Canada Health Transfer, which ensures continued underfunding of the health care system as a whole.

Finally, unions were disappointed that Budget 2017 did not improve the Working Income Tax Benefit, which means it will continue to remain inaccessible for full time, minimum-wage workers.

Read the CLC’s detailed analysis of Budget 2017 here.

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But working Canadians and their families were left waiting for sustained funding for health care and child care, and action on other key campaign commitments.

Here are the top 10 things Canada’s unions are looking for in the 2017 federal budget:

1. Education and Training

This year, unions are looking for government to create good jobs and boost our economy through investment in education, apprenticeship, and skills training. A start would be for the government to do the following in 2017:

• Follow through on its commitment to mandate employers to train apprentices on federally-funded infrastructure projects;
• Expand pre-apprenticeship training programs, including plans to recruit more women and Indigenous people to apprenticeships and the skilled trades;
• Support provinces and territories to harmonize their apprenticeship systems;
• Reinstate the Fair Wages and Hours of Labour Act for federal government procurement and construction contracts;
• Lift the 2% cap on the Post-Secondary Student Support Program – the main mechanism by which status First Nation and Inuit students receive post-secondary financial assistance – and increase funding for the program.

Budget 2017 is also an opportunity for new investments in Canada’s literacy and essential skills sector. Unions are hoping to see funding and a willingness to partner to improve literacy and essential skills in the workplace.

2. Pharmacare and sustained, fair funding for health care

Canada is the only country with a public health care system that doesn’t include prescription drug coverage. As a result, we have the second-highest prescription drug costs in the world. Many Canadians stop taking the drugs they need because they can’t afford them. Unions are looking for government to commit to negotiating a national, universal, and single-payer prescription drug plan. Because no one should have to choose between filling their prescription and buying groceries.

The federal government also needs to commit to stable and long-term health care funding, and a national Health Accord that increases federal health transfers to the provinces and territories annually.

3. Infrastructure

Investing in infrastructure is one of the best things government can do to create jobs, stimulate our economy and build greener, more equitable communities. Unions are looking to Budget 2017 for major, sustained investment in renewable energy, public transportation, and green building retrofits, with an emphasis on public financing rather than relying on costly public-private partnerships. Budget 2017 should also announce concrete steps towards negotiating Community Benefits Agreements on federally-funded infrastructure projects.

4. Child care

We all benefit when people can go to work knowing their kids have a safe place to play and learn, but today only one in five kids under five has access to a regulated child care space and fees exceed the cost of university tuition in most Canadian cities.

Budget 2017 needs to include stable, multi-year funding to build a system of quality, affordable child care for all families. Funding should be linked to an agreement between the federal, provincial and territorial governments to ensure money is used for child care and tied to the principles of the Shared Framework on child care. The budget should also include a separate stream of funding for Indigenous communities to design and deliver child care services, consistent with recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

5. Fairer, more accessible Employment Insurance

Unemployed Canadians still face issues with access and fairness when it comes to Employment Insurance. These are just a few things government could introduce in Budget 2017 to fix our EI system:

• Launch a broad review of EI to improve access to regular and special benefits. This should include a uniform entrance requirement of 360 hours, expanded number of weeks for the EI sickness benefit, and improved design for workers with episodic or long-term illnesses;
• Add an improved low-income supplement that is based on individual income, rather than household income;
• Reform the EI appeals process to ensure a fairer process with fewer delays.

6. Green Job Creation

Canada needs to envision the next hundred years as a Clean Growth Century, and we know it can be done in a way that is economically and socially responsible, without leaving behind workers and their communities. Budget 2017 should kick off ambitious programs to expand renewable energy generation, support home and building retrofits and dramatically increase the scale and quality of public transit in Canada.

Unions are also looking for a budget commitment to a just transition framework to assist workers and communities affected by climate change.

7. Refugee Resettlement Services

Refugees arrive in Canada with next to nothing, and are given little time to adapt to our culture, school system and labour market. Budget 2017 should allocate new funding towards labour market supports and employment services to assist refugees in need of language training, literacy and essential skills training.

8. Support for Good Jobs

Government should use the budget to work towards the establishment of a federal minimum wage. This would have an immediate, significant and positive impact for workers at Canadian airports and those performing outsourced maintenance work in federal buildings and offices.

In order to foster engines of growth and employment creation, Budget 2017 could include sectoral funding to develop key industries like automotive and manufacturing, aerospace and forestry, to encourage innovation, value-added activity, environmental performance, and good job creation.

Budget 2017 should also further improve the working income tax benefit (WITB), which is currently inaccessible for full-time minimum-wage workers.

9. Indigenous Justice and Reconciliation

Unions stood alongside Indigenous communities calling for a National Inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women. Now the inquiry has been announced and budget 2017 must ensure it is properly funded, in order to ensure the inquiry can address the root causes of violence against Indigenous women.

Additionally the budget must reflect the government’s commitment to implement the full recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation commission, and address issues related to clean drinking water, affordable housing, and poverty reduction in Inuit, First Nations and Métis communities.

10. Fairness for migrant workers

Canada’s unions believe that no matter where you’re from, if you work in Canada, you should be treated fairly. Workers such as those who come to Canada under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) can face discrimination and dangerous working conditions on a daily basis.

Unions want to see Budget 2017 eliminate work permits that tie an employee to one employer, and allow adequate funding for on-site enforcement of workers’ labour rights.

Of course, these are only some of the issues that affect working Canadians. You can read the Canadian Labour Congress’ submission to the government’s pre-budget consultation for more.

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“We have been calling for the government to ensure the eligibility age remains at 65 since the Conservatives announced the change four years ago. It’s good to see our new government is listening,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff.

Yussuff pointed out that the Conservatives’ move to raise the age of eligibility was totally unjustified in the first place. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Parliamentary Budget Office pointed out at the time that Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement are affordable programs. Meanwhile, provinces were suddenly left facing lost revenue and higher costs as they scrambled to compensate for the Conservatives’ decision.

Yussuff views this move, and the government’s election commitment to increase Guaranteed Income Supplement benefits for single, low-income seniors, as a sign that the current government is committed to addressing seniors’ poverty.

“Rolling back the age restriction and increasing the GIS for those who need it most is a significant move to address seniors’ poverty. Now the missing piece is universal expansion of the Canada Pension Plan for tomorrow’s seniors,” Yussuff concluded.

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Working Canadians and their families are facing a precarious economic picture, but Canada is well-positioned to turn things around. Last October, the Liberals were elected precisely because they recognized this picture and promised to be bold in addressing it.

Here are the top 10 things Canadian unions will be looking for in next week’s federal budget:

1. Strategic infrastructure investment

Making targeted and strategic investments in infrastructure is one of the best things our government can do to create jobs, stimulate our economy, and tackle climate change.

Unions are urging the government to act on its election promises to invest in infrastructure, especially public transit infrastructure, affordable housing, and social infrastructure like seniors’ and child care facilities.

2. Employment Insurance fixes

Employment Insurance is a critical lifeline for unemployed workers and their communities. But unfortunately, Conservative changes have meant it’s not always accessible to the unemployed workers who need it, where and when they need it.

Fixing Employment Insurance is actually one of the best things we can do for economic stimulus, because unemployed workers get and spend EI benefits in their local communities within weeks.

Much has to be done to bring back the EI benefits where they should be to help Canadian workers. Here are just a few things the government could do to immediately improve our EI system:

• Eliminate the 910-hour eligibility hurdle for new labour force entrants and re-entrants;
• Reverse the Conservatives’ 2012 changes creating separate categories for claimants based on past history of claims, and changing the definition of suitable employment and reasonable job search efforts; and
• Reverse cuts to front-line services, which have been causing long delays accessing benefits.

3. Skills training and workforce development

Canadian unions were encouraged by the government’s election commitments to develop our workforce by helping more Canadians, particularly young people, access skills training. Some key commitments include the following:

• Invest $300 million annually in the Youth Employment Strategy, create at least 40,000 youth jobs a year, and develop or expand Pre-Apprenticeship Training Programs;
• Invest $500 million more each year in training EI-eligible individuals through the provincial and territorial Labour Market Development Agreements; and
• Invest $25 million each year for union training facilities.

Women continue to be underrepresented in skilled trades, making up only three percent of registered apprentices in construction, automotive and industry trades. Federal infrastructure projects are a perfect opportunity for government to work with unions and industry leaders to remove barriers and create opportunities for women in skilled trades.

4. Health care to meet the needs of our aging population

Canadians need urgent action on health care, to meet the challenges of an aging population and begin to undo the damage of more than $36 billion in Conservative cuts. The Canadian Labour Congress is calling on the federal government to do the following:

• Commit to funding at least 25 percent of health care costs by 2025;
• Work with stakeholders to develop a national seniors’ strategy, including home care, long-term care and community support services;
• Develop a national prescription drug program, which could reduce total spending on drugs by as much as $11 billion while fulfilling a vital need among elderly and other vulnerable Canadians; and
• Recruit, train and retain more health care workers to ease wait times.

5. Investment in child care

The high cost of child care and lack of licensed spaces mean that too many Canadian families are being squeezed. Investments in child care can create jobs and help parents, particularly mothers, to re-enter the workforce.

Canada’s spending on early childhood education and care falls far behind that of other OECD countries, but the upcoming federal budget can start to change that, by making immediate, modest investments in child care.

The labour movement has called on the federal government to work with the provinces and territories to develop and fund a common, robust early learning and child care framework. In the 2016 budget, the federal government can allocate targeted federal funding to provinces and territories to build universal, comprehensive, high-quality systems. With funding, provinces and territories could begin to address affordability, support child care workers by raising low wages in the sector, and meet the needs of hard-to-serve populations, such as families with children with disabilities, and refugee and newcomer families.

6. Measures to tackle child poverty

Over 1.3 million Canadian children live in poverty, including 40 percent of Indigenous children. The simple reality is that children live in poverty because their families live in poverty.

The federal government needs to develop a national anti-poverty strategy tackling the many causes of child poverty, including persistent unemployment, the proliferation of insecure jobs, and stagnant wages. Fixing Employment Insurance, creating jobs through infrastructure and other strategic investments, and improving access to child care – as outlined above – are just some of the ways our government can begin to lift children, and their families, above the poverty line.

7. Truth, reconciliation and justice for First Nations

During the election, the government committed to a renewed, nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous peoples. There is much work to be done to get to that point, and to enact all the recommendations of last year’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission final report.

In its pre-budget submission to government, the Canadian Labour Congress identified drinking water and sanitation in Indigenous communities as a key infrastructure priority, saying that “It is unacceptable that, in a nation as wealthy as ours is, this critical necessity is not available to all.”

Unions will also be watching for new funding for First Nations’ child care programs, education and skills training, as well as adequate funding for the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

8. Help for seniors in poverty

Right now, one in nine Canadian seniors live in poverty. Retirement after a lifetime of hard work shouldn’t mean unbearable financial struggle. Expanding the Canada Pension Plan is still crucial; but in the short term, increasing the Guaranteed Income Supplement for single, low-income seniors by 10 percent, as promised in the last election, would be a significant move to help address seniors’ poverty.

9. Literacy investments

Research by the TD Bank Financial Group suggests that the economy-wide impact of raising average literacy levels would be tremendous. Even a 1 percent improvement in literacy rates nationally would boost our economy by $32 billion.

The Conservative government allowed the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills to lapse funding every year. This funding should be restored immediately.

In addition, Canadian unions are urging the government to speed up special investments to support Syrian refugees in need of language training, literacy and other basic employment support programs to help them succeed in Canada’s workforce.

10. Action on climate change

Canadian unions have been working with environmental, Indigenous, faith and community groups since 2009 to develop a “One Million Climate Jobs” plan for Canada.

Through strategic infrastructure investments in public transit, renewable energy and green building retrofits, the federal government could create more than one million climate jobs and reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions by one-third over 10 years. The plan also includes a just transition to help workers affected by climate change move into new economic growth sectors.

Of course, these are only some of the issues that affect working Canadians. The Canadian Labour Congress’ submission to the government’s pre-budget consultation sums it up: on March 22, Canadian unions will ultimately be looking for real, progressive change aimed at “building a fairer and more prosperous Canada” for all.

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The most pressing problems faced by Canadians are a sluggish economic recovery, a stalled jobs market, and record-high levels of household debt, along with inadequate employment insurance coverage and lack of retirement security.

The Canadian Labour Congress believes balanced budgets (even budget surpluses) alone can’t solve these problems. Action is what’s needed and those actions need plans to be effective. Planning comes from a will to act in the first place. And the will to act is what’s missing in Ottawa today.

“Canadians expect their federal government to tackle the big problems in their lives. They are living the reality of an economic recovery that is not as good as they are being told. They see too many young people giving up on finding a job. They see full-time jobs getting replaced with part-time jobs. Most of them think they can never afford to retire. Rather than invest in training or creating jobs, employers choose to sit on $650 billion in dead money. But everything is fine, you see – Joe Oliver has balanced the books,” says Hassan Yussuff.

“I say to Mr. Oliver: you’ve balanced the books, good – now do something to get the economy and job market working for Canadians again,” he adds.

Despite rosy government rhetoric, the overall labour force participation rate and the employment rate have still not recovered to their pre-recession levels. On the contrary, they have stagnated since mid-2012.

The Bank of Canada’s labour market indicator shows that labour market slack is larger than the unemployment rate illustrates. Many economists are concerned about elevated levels of long-term unemployment and involuntary part-time work, as well as high levels of unemployment among vulnerable groups, such as new Canadians and racialized workers.

What can government do to spur economic growth and good jobs? The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF)World Economic Outlook, published in October 2014, suggests that the time is right to make some much needed infrastructure investments. They even go so far as to suggest that clearly identified infrastructure needs could be financed through borrowing without increasing debt-to-GDP ratios, since public infrastructure investment increases growth in both the short term and the long term.

All of the conditions that the IMF identify as ideal for public investment are present in our economy right now. We are experiencing an extended period of labour market slack and low business investment. Canada has a very low level of public debt, borrowing costs for the federal government are and will remain very low, and needed public investments would yield a high rate of return in terms of immediate job creation, public benefits, and growth of private sector productivity.

Skills training and apprenticeship programs are key components of creating good jobs. Canada falls well below the OECD average in the average hours of job-related, non-formal skills training for employees, and in employer investment in skills training for employees. Lifelong learning is critical to a high-skills knowledge economy, and is essential for Canada to remain competitive in the global marketplace.

Instead, this government has slowly strangled public services. Spending cuts announced on an incremental basis add up to a substantial amount – $90 billion between 2012 and 2017.

As long as business and government fail to invest in our economy and well-being, our potential output declines. Rather than laying the groundwork for a more prosperous future that we can all share in, this government has chosen to shrink the federal government and business has decided to hoard profits. This is a no-win situation for Canadians.

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Ken Georgetti was commenting on the 2014-15 budget tabled in the House of Commons on Tuesday, February 11. “Canadians wanted a budget that speaks to their real needs, but the Finance Minister is more interested in continuing with austerity and balancing the budget. If now is not the time to act, when will it be?”

Georgetti says the budget makes noises about protecting consumers and their pocketbooks, and it devotes some money to job training. “The Minister is just tinkering around the edges. We have almost three million Canadians who are either unemployed, stuck in part-time jobs, or who have given up looking for work altogether. This budget does little to deal with that great waste of talent and skill.”

The budget continues the government’s austerity measures. Program spending in 2014-15 will be $250 billion, an actual decline of $1 billion from the previous year. The Finance Minister had earlier promised action on youth unemployment but the youth internship program announced in the budget will create 4,000 internships at best. In January 2014, there were about 400,000 unemployed youth in Canada.

Georgetti says that Ottawa has chosen to slash public services in order to pay for the deep corporate tax cuts it had made over the years. “In return for tax breaks business was supposed to invest in the economy, but the evidence shows that they are instead hoarding mountains of cash and paying their CEOs fat salaries.”

He adds, “People are having trouble making ends meet and they fear especially for the future of their children and grandchildren. Good, family-supporting jobs are the key to Canada’s economic success and we cannot get there with corporate tax cuts and government austerity. Canadians want a government that is committed to fairness and that is not what they are getting in the budget. It’s time for a new vision.”

The Canadian Labour Congress, the national voice of the labour movement, represents 3.3 million Canadian workers. The CLC brings together Canada’s national and international unions along with the provincial and territorial federations of labour and 130 district labour councils.

Web site: www.canadianlabour.ca
Follow us on Twitter @CanadianLabour

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“Recently, some cabinet ministers have tried to justify their government’s policy failures by describing unemployed workers as cheats and fraudsters,” says Georgetti. “The government should stop stigmatizing people who are out of work through no fault of their own, and start adopting policies that will lead to the creation of good, family supporting jobs.”

Georgetti was commenting on the release by Statistics Canada of its Labour Force Survey for January 2013. “A stunning 45,800 people lost their jobs in January and most of those were full-time jobs. The government has to focus on job creation.”

There were 1,322,800 unemployed Canadians in January  and the unemployment rate was 7.0%.  In the 15 to 24 age group, unemployment stood at 13.5% and 46.9% of young workers are employed only part-time.

The government forced legislation through parliament in 2012 that makes it more difficult for unemployed workers to receive Employment Insurance. There have been media reports that the government has provided regional offices with monthly quotas for slashing EI benefits. But according to Statistics Canada figures only 37.9% of unemployed Canadians actually qualify for Employment Insurance, and there are 5.0 unemployed people for every job vacancy.

Georgetti adds, “Unemployment is still unacceptably high and corporations that received tax breaks to create jobs are hoarding cash instead. But the government prefers to demonize the victims of the recession. This is politics at its worst and it’s not going to solve the unemployment crisis.”

Quick Analysis from CLC Senior Economist Angella MacEwen

Job growth in the fall of 2012 had been stronger than economic fundamentals, so many economists anticipated lower growth in January.

There was an overall loss of 45,800 jobs in January 2013 and a majority of those losses were full time jobs for core age (25-54) workers. There was a gain of nearly 24,000 self-employed workers. The unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 7.0%, as discouraged workers left the job market. The real unemployment rate rose from 9.4% in December to 10.7% in January, due to an increase in discouraged workers and involuntary part-time. For youth aged 15-24, the real unemployment rate rose from a low of 16.9% in December, to 19.4% in January.

The Canadian Labour Congress, the national voice of the labour movement, represents 3.3 million Canadian workers. The CLC brings together Canada’s national and international unions along with the provincial and territorial federations of labour and 130 district labour councils. Web site: www.canadianlabour.ca  Follow us on Twitter @CanadianLabour

Contacts:  Angella MacEwen, CLC Senior Economist, 613-526-7412

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