Across the country, people are losing jobs and struggling to make ends meet.

“The reality facing workers right now is grim,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “In the last quarter alone, Canada lost 66,000 jobs. Growth has dropped every month for two straight quarters. The trade war continues, with no end in sight. Concessions we’ve made to appease Donald Trump haven’t worked. Just look at what happened last Friday, we got hit with new U.S. tariffs on buses and trucks. Working people are still trapped in an affordability and housing crisis that just won’t quit. Families are stretched to the limit and so are our public services and healthcare.”

Trump’s reckless tariff escalation is pulling investment and production out of Canada and into the United States, undermining decades of partnership and cooperation. His aggressive trade tactics are threatening jobs in key sectors like auto, steel, aluminum, lumber, and manufacturing — and Canadian workers are paying the price.

Inflation has climbed again, reaching 2.4% in September, with grocery prices up 4%. Families are being squeezed harder than ever; paying more for food, housing, and gas while watching good jobs vanish from their communities.

Canada’s unions are calling for an all-hands-on-deck approach to protect Canadian jobs, strengthen our economy, and support families through this crisis. That means:

• Focusing on jobs and affordability: Invest in public projects and build more housing to create good, stable jobs and ease the cost-of-living crisis;

• Fixing Employment Insurance: Modernize EI and ensure workers impacted by the trade war aren’t left behind;

• Protecting public services: Now is not the time for cuts. With more Canadians depending on healthcare, education, and community supports, we must not reduce services — and we must not add to the jobless; and

• Standing up to Trump: Match U.S. tariffs with strong, targeted retaliatory measures, including a 50% tariff on U.S. steel and aluminum, to defend Canadian industries and show that we will not be bullied.

“Canada’s unions remain ready to work with the government and Parliament to get Canada through this crisis,” Bruske added. “Workers power our economy, and together, we can rebuild it stronger, fairer, and more resilient.”

It’s time to protect Canadian jobs, defend our industries, and put workers first.

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Bill C-5, An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act, passed in June 2025, provides an opportunity to facilitate internal trade and accelerate critical nation-building projects. These objectives could support good union jobs and generate lasting economic benefits for workers and communities across Canada.

However, as it relates to Indigenous rights and implementation of the Act, we urge government to heed the concerns of Indigenous organizations and community members regarding consultation with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Government must ensure it is fulfilling its commitments to respecting treaty and constitutional rights of Indigenous peoples, as well as its international obligations under UNDRIP, which include the requirement to obtain free, prior, and informed consent when undertaking projects and developing related policies affecting Indigenous peoples’ rights to land, territory and resources.

“Upholding these commitments as part of implementation of the Building Canada Act is not merely a legal duty. It is a matter of enacting true reconciliation and demonstrating that respecting Indigenous peoples’ rights to decision-making is integral and deeply linked to protecting and advancing the national interest,” said Lily Chang, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Canada’s unions believe that any project deemed to be in the best interest of the Canadian economy must not only reflect economic objectives but also advance labour and human rights, equity, sustainability, and community resilience.

The Building Canada Act offers government an important opportunity to prioritize Indigenous rights and advance reconciliation by guaranteeing a high-standard, rights-based consultative process with Indigenous peoples, an approach that puts people-centred partnership with Indigenous communities, rule of law and human rights first, all of which are essential to building a just and strong economy for all.

Resources:

Check out the links below to find out about events and calls to action from Indigenous organizations across Canada marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation:

Assembly of First Nations

Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
Métis National Council
Native Women’s Association of Canada
Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada

And visit our Indigenous Justice Resource Centre for resources to advance reconciliation in your workplace or union.

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Last night, the CLC Executive and key unions representing workers on the front lines of Trump’s trade war held an emergency meeting to discuss the urgent need for action.

Minister Steven MacKinnon and government officials were also in attendance.

“Canada must act decisively to protect workers and push back against these harmful policies. The U.S. needs to feel immediate consequences for targeting our economy and the livelihoods of Canadian workers.” – Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress

Labour leaders made it clear: workers should not pay the price for Trump’s reckless tariffs.

The CLC is calling for a full-scale response that includes:

• Cutting off U.S. access to critical Canadian resources—including electricity, lumber, critical minerals, oil, and gas—until the tariffs are lifted.
• Dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs to ensure the U.S. administration faces the consequences of its actions.
• Immediate support for impacted workers, including financial assistance, job protection measures, and transition programs.
• A long-term strategy to reduce Canada’s reliance on U.S. trade, diversifying markets to protect workers from future foreign policy disruptions.

To arrange an interview with Bea Bruske, please email: media@clcctc.ca.

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Israel’s new coalition government has announced it will move forward with the process of annexing West Bank settlements and the Jordan Valley as early as July.

The unilateral annexation of territory has been strictly prohibited under international law since 1945 when the Charter of the United Nations was adopted. Israel’s control of the Palestinian territories has been denounced as illegal under international law and in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 and the Geneva Convention.

Under Israeli occupation, Palestinians have been forced to live under heavy restrictions that limit their access to work, health, housing and social affairs. As Israel has expanded its settlements and built a separation wall around Palestinian lands – illegal acts under international law – Palestinians have been subject to evictions and displacement, confiscation of land, settler violence and loss of access to natural resources.

This annexation will have devastating social and economic implications. It is expected that this would disconnect around 200,000 Palestinians from their communities and livelihoods. It will also advance the annexation of Jerusalem and destroy the establishment of a Palestinian capital in the city, breaking the territorial contiguity between East Jerusalem and the West Bank. This contiguity is essential for the fabric of life for Palestinians.

The government of Canada must send a strong message in opposition to the illegal and unilateral annexation of Palestinian lands and officially recognize the State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders. Canada must consider a forceful response, including revisiting the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement and other bilateral agreements and the imposition of economic sanctions against Israel.

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In its ongoing negotiations on the Mercosur trade deal with Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, Canada must ensure the agreement contains enforceable provisions that uphold environmental protections, labour and Indigenous rights.

Increased North American and European market access for Brazilian beef, soy and other agricultural products has been a primary driver behind the fires and deforestation of the Amazon, made increasingly possible by the Bolsonaro government’s attempt to dismantle environmental and Indigenous protections. 

Any trade deal reached with Mercosur must ensure that such kinds of environmental, labour and human rights violations are halted through the inclusion of enforceable provisions in the agreement and a complaint system that allows concerned citizens to initiate inquiries where violations are suspected. Furthermore, future rounds of negotiations with Mercosur must be made transparent to the public, allowing citizens to monitor the process and ensure that effective environmental protections are enshrined in any agreement that is ultimately ratified. 

Canadian labour stands in solidarity with our Mercosur sisters and brothers in ensuring the global protection of human, environmental and labour rights.

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“The cancellation of steel and aluminum tariffs is good news for workers,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “Canada’s unions welcome this decision to restore stability and predictability to our economy and to workers’ lives. For almost a year, these tariffs have had a damaging impact on an industry and the people who work hard to make it thrive.”

Last year, Canadians were shocked to learn that their most significant trading partner was imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum that would have a damaging effect on an industry, and indeed the entire Canadian economy. Canada’s unions have consistently called the American tariffs, imposed under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, unjust and illegal because they cited an imaginary threat to U.S. national security.

“In reality, the tight integration of Canadian and U.S. steel industries has underpinned the economic security and prosperity for both countries for over half a century. Arguing the opposite during a trade negotiation was always more about politics than economics,” said Yussuff.

Since their imposition on June 1, 2018, these tariffs have hit the workers in one of Canada’s key industries hard. The steel sector supports 22,000 direct jobs across Canada and the aluminum sector supports nearly 10,000 direct jobs mostly in BC and Quebec, with supply chains and related industries affecting more than 100,000 additional workers.

Today’s announcement also provides for continued monitoring of steel flows, to ensure that Canada doesn’t become a dumping ground for other countries. Yussuff expressed his continued support of careful monitoring and robust anti-dumping measures to counter trade diversion.

“In the resolution of this dispute is a reminder of the importance of Canada maintaining a strong trade remedy system and vigilance against unfair competition so that dumped and subsidized steel from China and elsewhere are not redirected through the Canadian economy,” said Yussuff.

Canada’s unions commend the Prime Minister and Minister Freeland for their determination and diligence in working to reverse these tariffs, without condition.

Workers are hopeful that today’s agreement puts an end to threats of politically-motivated tariffs that harm workers in both countries and fuel economic uncertainty.

“Canadian workers and their families are breathing a big sigh of relief today, and we hope that affected companies will be able to reverse any layoffs. Ending tariffs means Canadians can get back to work,” said Yussuff.

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“Workers across the country will be happy to learn that NAFTA’s Chapter 11 has finally been eliminated from this trade agreement,” said Canadian Labour Congress President, Hassan Yussuff. “Decades of unfairness have cost Canada over $300 million in penalties and fees and made it clear that the investor-state dispute settlement clause was working against our national interest.”

Canada’s unions are also pleased to see the side agreements on labour moved into the main agreement, now subject to a state-to-state dispute resolution process. “The USMCA gets it right on labour provisions, including provisions to protect workers against employment discrimination on the basis of gender,” said Yussuff.

Protections for the Canadian auto industry, including exemptions from tariffs and labour value requirements, were welcomed. The agreement also maintains exemptions for cultural industries and expands these to include digital industries.

Intellectual property provisions will be strengthened under this new agreement, extending pharmaceutical drug patent protection to 10 years. “Drug costs will rise as a result of this deal. Now more than ever, Canada needs a universal, single-payer prescription drug program to cancel out the impact of mounting costs on Canadian families,” said Yussuff.

Access to Canadian dairy was a focus through the negotiations. Under the new USMCA, US dairy producers will have access to 3.59% of Canada’s domestic milk market. “The federal government must take necessary measures and provide compensation to workers who will be negatively impacted by these concessions. Canada’s unions are concerned and seeking more details on provisions around egg and poultry exports and imports,” said Yussuff.

Yussuff expressed disappointment that the elimination of US tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum products was not part of the new agreement. “The illegal steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by the US earlier this year should have been lifted with this agreement, and I urge the Canadian government to redouble its efforts to eliminate these tariffs,” he said.

Read the 13 facts you need to know about USMCA here.

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CETA has been provisionally applied since September 2017. Both the EU and Canada agreed to an early review “with a view to the effective enforceability of CETA provisions on trade and labour and trade and the environment” as stated in the Joint Interpretative Instrument (JII) at point 10.[1] However, no progress has been made in this regard.

In July 2017, the European Commission launched a consultation on the implementation and enforcement of Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) chapters in EU Free Trade Agreements. The ETUC replied to the consultation in October 2017. The Commission eventually issued a paper outlining 15 action points to revamp the TSD chapter. However, the ETUC deeply regrets that the Commission has brushed away the possibility of introducing a sanction mechanism in the case of persistent breaches of labour rights within EU trade agreements, as has been consistently proposed by the ETUC and other stakeholders.

We note that Canada has been committed to a sanctions-based approach regarding labour rights in its free trade agreements. The EU’s inaction in reviewing CETA is already undermining effective enforceability of labour rights by Canada in third countries with which the EU and Canada have free trade agreements. The EU should finally start to engage seriously to ensure that commitments made by both parties in the TSD chapter to respect core ILO standards and promote the Decent Work agenda become effectively enforceable.

The EU cannot continue to delay reviewing the TSD chapter. Commitments were made by the EU and Canada in the JII to pursue fairer and more progressive trade and investment agreements. The ETUC and CLC call on the EU to join Canada and honour the commitment taken in the JII and start the review of the trade and sustainable development provisions as soon as possible.

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“I am pleased to see Canada respond so quickly and decisively to defend Canadian workers and industry against President Trump’s bullying tactics. Canada cannot waver in its defence of balanced trade,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff.

Today, Canada announced plans to stand up to sweeping American tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada. Canada’s plans include new surtaxes and other targeted measures on steel, aluminum and other imports from the U.S. amounting to $16.6 billion, the value of total Canadian exports of steel and aluminum to the U.S. in 2017. These surtaxes are set to take effect on July 1^st, 2018 and will remain in place until U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs are dropped.

“Trump’s aggressive trade provocations against Canada are a totally unjustified and unwarranted sanction against a fair-trading ally,” said Yussuff. “The implications of Trump’s tariffs will be felt on both sides of the border, but in Canada, it will impact the lives of more than 20,000 workers directly employed by the industry, and another 100,000 indirectly employed workers.”

Every year, Canada exports $6 billion worth of steel products to the U.S., and, because of the integrated nature of the North American steel industry, imports steel products of the same value from the U.S. Last year, Canada exported $9.3 billion worth of aluminum products to the United States. Canada’s steel industry is also responsible for millions of dollars worth of research and development throughout the economy.

“Unfair and one-sided trade tactics cannot be allowed to undermine Canadian workers and industry,” said Yussuff. “In the days and weeks ahead, Canada’s unions will be calling on the Canadian and provincial governments to assist Canadian workers and steel and aluminum manufacturers who will need support to maintain their livelihoods and stay in business until this dispute can be resolved.”

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U.S. President Trump released his finalized steel and aluminum tariff package today, with temporary exemptions for Canada and Mexico.

Despite these exemptions, today’s announcement will mean that Canadian producers will be competing with the excess supply of steel and aluminum diverted from the U.S. market.

“The steel and aluminum sectors are one of Canada’s key economic drivers and employers, directly and indirectly supporting good jobs in nearly every region in Canada,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff.

“Canadian steel and aluminum should have a permanent exemption from American tariffs. Canada and the U.S. have an integrated economy that has yielded economic benefits for both countries, but this move jeopardizes the future of that relationship,” said Yussuff.

The steel sector supports 22,000 direct jobs across Canada and the aluminum sector supports nearly 10,000 direct jobs mostly in BC and Quebec, with supply chains and related industries affecting more than 100,000 additional workers.

“The Canadian government must take immediate action to prevent foreign steel and aluminum dumping in the Canadian market. The federal and provincial governments must also be prepared to assist Canadian workers and steel manufacturers who will need support to maintain their livelihoods and stay in business,” said Yussuff.

Yussuff also underscored that this announcement should not impact ongoing NAFTA negotiations.

The Canadian Labour Congress is asking for the federal government to put together a rapid response working group with industry and worker representatives to develop a package to support workers, businesses, and communities.

Elements of a package could include:

• Action by Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to address any trade diversion caused by US measures;
• Additional resources devoted to border agents and inspections to ensure Canadian market isn’t flooded with dumped products;
• Policy measures that prioritize the use of Canadian made steel and aluminum for energy projects within Canada. This would enable the government to meet its stated aim of developing Canada’s energy resources in an environmentally responsible way.

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• Chapter 12 of the TPP, which gives corporations the ability to bring employees to Canada en masse, without any requirement that they be paid fairly;
• That it allows employers to transfer skilled trades and technical employees to Canada with no requirement that they attempt to hire within Canada first;
• That the deal’s labour provisions have no teeth and provide no guarantees that basic workers’ rights will be protected or that workers will be able to exercise their rights to form a union and to engage in collective bargaining;
• That the deal will mean massive job losses in Canada’s auto sector because it eliminates any incentive to manufacture vehicles in Canada and increases the incentive to source auto parts from low-wage non-TPP nations. No side deal can improve Canada’s auto exports to Japan; and
• That it will undermine efforts to combat climate change. Investor-state dispute mechanisms allow corporations to challenge environmental regulations and could put a chill on governments trying to fight climate change.

Yussuff says it isn’t clear yet whether the new deal will protect the Canadian dairy market. 250 million liters of milk, and the production jobs that come from that, are at risk annually.

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The Auto Pact is credited for invigorating the domestic Canadian auto industry. It established new rules for the manufacture of cars in both the U.S. and Canada. By imposing a content requirement for cars manufactured and sold in Canada, the Auto Pact represented an important compromise between the principles of free trade and market fairness. It stands as an important reminder of the importance for balance, especially in light of more recent trade negotiations, like the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, which threaten to undermine Canada’s auto industry.

The first commercially produced car in Canada, the Le Roy, went on sale in 1902. It was actually a close copy of the popular American “Oldsmobile”. Two years later, Henry Ford established Ford of Canada to produce his famous Model T’s. This was the beginning of the interdependent Canada-U.S. auto industry.

Prior to the Auto Pact, car and truck parts were made in the US and assembled in Canada. The Auto Pact resulted in the removal of tariffs between the two countries, meaning parts and vehicles could travel freely across the border. There were also job guarantees stipulating that automobile production in Canada would not fall below 1964 levels.

The goals of the pact were to increase efficiency and reduce production costs in Canada by producing a smaller range of vehicles and components than previously. The Pact also sought to lower vehicle prices for consumers. The main result was an invigorated Canadian car industry – and a stronger economy. More jobs were created, wages in the sector increased, and within a short time, the auto sector became Canada’s most important industry. However, importantly, the Canadian industry remained firmly in the hands of the American “Big Three” companies – Ford, General Motors and Chrysler.

Ultimately, “free trade” killed the Auto Pact. The deal was always about protecting jobs while improving trade, but today’s global trade regimes put the free movement of capital ahead of workers and communities. In 2001, the World Trade Organization (WTO) decreed that the Auto Pact was illegal and Canada’s auto industry has been in turmoil ever since.

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