“Radical” for its time – the regina manifesto defined Canadian values.
July 19, 2018
On July 19, 1933, at a conference in Regina, people gathered to imagine a better country – economically sustainable, socially responsible, and fair. Their vision was, at first, called “radical”, a recipe for disaster. Within a generation it became the blueprint for Canadian social policy for the remainder of the 20th century and defined the values that many identify as…
On July 15, 1996 federal government workers in same-sex relationships finally received the same workplace benefits as their co-workers had been receiving for partners and spouses of the opposite gender. Equal access to pension, health care, dental and other spousal benefits was finally won after years of struggle by lesbian, gay and bisexual workers who, backed by their unions, took…
On July 1, 1935 thousands of people were on the streets of Regina, not to mark their country’s birthday, but to support a group of workers who were protesting against high unemployment, income insecurity and unfair working conditions. When the RCMP charged in to break things up, it caused the biggest riot in Canadian history (so far). The “On To…
Canadian postal workers go on strike for maternity leave – and win big!
June 30, 2018
On June 30, 1981, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers led its members into a strike to win improved maternity leave benefits. The strike lasted 42 days and changed everything. It won 17 weeks of paid maternity leave and set a new standard for parental benefits that all workers would soon access. In 1981 after a 42-day strike, the Canadian…
“One big union” founded in Calgary on june 4, 1919″
June 4, 2018
The National Industrial Union of the Dominion of Canada – also known as “One Big Union” (OBU) – was born out of a desire to unite all workers into a single union, driven by class rather than profession, occupation or nationality. Aggressive in its willingness to strike to further the interests of its membership, the OBU was painted as “radical”…
The first Bread and Roses March, an initiative of the Fédération des femmes du Québec (FFQ), began on May 26, 1995. Over the course of 10 days, more than 800 Québécoise demonstrators set off from Montréal, Longueuil and Rivière-du-Loup and converged on Québec City with nine demands of the government to combat poverty. In 1994, Françoise David took the helm…
On May 9, 1992, just eight months after opening with federal and provincial government support, an underground methane explosion killed all 26 miners working in the Westray coal mine. An official inquiry into the disaster discovered profound “stupidity and neglect” on the part of the owners, but all attempts to prosecute the company and its officials failed. It took 11…
Unions become legal in canada (but picketing is outlawed).
April 18, 2018
On April 18, 1872, the federal government of John A. Macdonald introduced the Trade Unions Act, Canada’s first labour law, which gave workers the legal right to associate in trade unions. It was a direct response to the arrest and criminal prosecution of 24 leaders of the Toronto printers strike by Macdonald’s political opponents – aimed at garnering votes but…
Quebec’s working class unites with union members in a “common front” for fairness.
April 11, 2018
On April 11, 1972, over 200,000 public workers walked off the job in a province-wide general strike to demand an 8% raise to match inflation, a $100-per-week minimum wage, better job security and working conditions, and equal pay for equal work regardless of region, sector or gender. Unions exist to help working people get organized and stand together to win…
Edmonton lab worker fired for being gay wins new charter protections for all canadians.
April 1, 2018
On April 1, 1998, the Supreme Court of Canada overturned a lower court ruling and ruled that it was illegal for Canadians to face discrimination based on their sexual orientation. It was a landmark ruling that expanded the Charter of Rights and Freedoms into new territory and offered legal protection for Canada’s LBGTQ2SI community. Canada’s unions have a long history…