Canada’s unions call on federal government to eliminate systemic racism in employment
March 21, 2021
Canada’s unions are marking the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination by urging the federal government to ensure its efforts to modernize the Employment Equity Act address the significant inequities experienced by racialized workers as a result of systemic racism and discrimination. “Strengthening the Employment Equity Act is an important step towards addressing disparities in employment, and the…
Canada’s unions call on Ottawa to protect Uyghurs in China
February 24, 2021
Canada’s unions applaud Parliament’s recognition that the Chinese government is committing genocide against its Muslim minority and is now calling on Ottawa to act accordingly. The Government of Canada should now move to officially recognize the genocide and implement the recommendations of the Subcommittee of International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (SDIR). Witnesses…
Canada’s unions mark Pink Shirt Day by calling for an end to workplace violence and harassment
February 24, 2021
Canada’s unions are marking Pink Shirt Day by calling on the federal government to ratify ILO Convention 190, a global convention to end all violence and harassment at work, including gender-based violence. Although Canada adopted Convention 190 in 2019, the federal government has yet to ratify the convention, which would turn the global treaty into law. Pink Shirt Day is…
Latest job numbers point to need for urgent extension of EI benefits and job retraining
February 5, 2021
OTTAWA – Canada’s unions are urgently calling on the federal government to extend EI and recovery benefits along with increasing support for skills retraining as workers continue to struggle with rising unemployment. 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…
Canada’s unions welcome new terrorist listings for far-right white supremacist groups
February 3, 2021
OTTAWA – Canada’s unions welcome today’s announcement by the federal government that it has added four violent, far-right extremist groups to its list of terrorist organizations. The Proud Boys, the Base, Atomwaffen, and the Russian Imperial Movement have been listed as terrorist entities. This means that these groups can no longer raise money or organize. “These groups are a direct…
Canada’s unions mark Black History Month by calling for racial justice in pandemic response and recovery
February 1, 2021
Canada’s unions are marking Black History Month by calling for an end to systemic anti-Black racism. This includes urging the federal government to disaster-proof Canada’s social safety net to ensure a COVID-19 response and recovery that is rooted in racial justice. “This is a time of reckoning,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “The double crisis of…
Canada’s unions welcome National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia
January 29, 2021
Canada’s unions are welcoming the federal government’s announcement that it will designate January 29 a National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia. The country’s labour movement supported community calls to commemorate this painful anniversary since the attack on the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre devastated the community in 2017. Six men were killed in…
Canada’s unions call for National Day of Remembrance and Action on Islamophobia
January 28, 2021
Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to designate January 29 as a National Day of Remembrance and Action on Islamophobia, in memory of the victims of the deadly shooting at a Quebec City mosque four years ago. The attack claimed the lives of six worshippers and injured many more. “Canada’s unions stand in solidarity with Muslim communities across…
Canada’s unions stand with India’s farmers and farm workers
December 22, 2020
Canada’s unions stand in solidarity with farmers and agricultural workers in India as they continue to protest recent reforms to agricultural laws that deregulate the industry and leave farmers and farm workers vulnerable to exploitation by international corporations. “Deregulating local produce markets will have a devastating impact on farmers, farm workers and food security in India,” said Canadian Labour Congress…
Canada’s unions call for pathway to permanent residency for all migrant workers
December 18, 2020
Canada’s unions are marking International Migrants Day by calling on the federal government to offer a pathway to permanent residency to all migrant workers who wish to apply. The federal government recently announced that it will be accepting applications for permanent residence from refugee claimants working in the healthcare sector. This important announcement recognizes the crucial contributions refugee workers have…