Alongside other laws that advance real equality in the workplace—including human rights, pay equity and accessibility legislation, as well as collective bargaining protections—the EEA is a vital tool for workers facing entrenched, systemic barriers to employment. At its core, employment equity is about ensuring workers have fair and equal access to good, stable jobs—also known as decent work.

In 2023, after extensive consultations with workers, unions, employers, and other stakeholders, the federal government’s Employment Equity Review Task Force released a landmark report with 187 recommendations to modernize and strengthen the Act. These recommendations outline concrete steps to tackle systemic discrimination in hiring, promotion, and retention practices, and provide strong enforcement and compliance measures to hold employers accountable.

Following the report’s release, the previous Liberal government announced initial commitments to modernize the Act. These included creating two new designated groups under the EEA: Black and 2SLGBTQI+ workers; replacing the term “Aboriginal Peoples” with “Indigenous Peoples,” and updating the definition to include First Nations, Métis and Inuit people, and ensuring it is consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act; replacing the term “visible minorities” with “racialized people” and updating the corresponding definition; and, aligning the definition of “persons with disabilities” with the Accessible Canada Act to make it more inclusive.

But three years later, workers are still waiting.

The government’s failure to act means that workers from designated groups—who already face significant equity challenges—continue to be held back by outdated legislation and systemic discrimination. The Task Force report provides a clear roadmap for change, and at a time of deepening inequality, implementing its recommendations is more urgent than ever. Modernizing the Employment Equity Act is an opportunity for the federal government to take meaningful steps toward dismantling barriers faced by the many workers covered by the Act.

Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to fully implement the comprehensive recommendations made by the Task Force and quickly introduce an updated Act. This must also include sufficient funding to support employers in implementing the Act and the resources necessary for the Canadian Human Rights Commission to carry out enforcement and ensure compliance and effective evaluation.

“No more waiting. A strengthened Act that reflects the current realities of Canada’s workforce and labour market is a critical tool for overcoming workplace barriers faced by workers from the existing designated equity groups, as well as those from the proposed new ones,” said Larry Rousseau, CLC Executive Vice-President.” While the EEA alone cannot eliminate systemic discrimination and racism in the workplace and labour market, it is of a broader framework of laws designed to advance fairness and inclusion. When strengthened and properly enforced, it can help correct systemic injustices and ensure that workers who have been historically excluded from opportunity are fully represented in Canada’s workforce.

The post No More Waiting: Canada’s Unions Demand Action to Modernize the Employment Equity Act appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

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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Today, we remember all the Indigenous children taken from their families and communities and sent to residential schools. We honour the lives of those who never returned home, and those who survived.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a day of remembrance and action. We are reminded of the ongoing responsibility we have as workers, union members, and allies to confront the historical injustices and ongoing inequities faced by Indigenous communities.

“Truth and reconciliation are not abstract ideas; they are tangible and achievable, but they require sustained commitment and action toward real change. This is why we are calling on Canadians from coast to coast to coast to take this day to learn more about and reflect on Canada’s colonial history and the enduring impact of the residential school system on Indigenous communities and to take action in their communities, workplaces and unions toward reconciliation and justice,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

Within the labour movement, this means we must continue to be proactive in supporting Indigenous workers in all sectors. This includes fighting for fair wages, safe working conditions, and culturally appropriate policies that reflect the unique needs of Indigenous workers, as well as advocating for greater Indigenous representation and leadership within our own structures.

We must keep pressuring government and advocating for broader policy change, including: safe drinking water; justice for missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people; and, implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action 71-76, Missing Children and Burial Information, to properly address the devastating legacy of residential schools.

We need to keep working to dismantle systemic anti-Indigenous racism and discrimination, and address unequal access to employment opportunities experienced by Indigenous workers. We must also continue to place an emphasis on educating our leaders and members about the history and legacy of colonization, and actively create spaces for dialogue and learning, and opportunities for individual and collective action.

“Reconciliation is a continuous journey – one that requires accountability and consistent action. On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we urge all non-Indigenous people to consider their role in the fight for justice for Indigenous communities and encourage workers to ask themselves how they can contribute to reconciliation within their workplaces, unions, and communities. Whether it’s deepening their own understanding of Indigenous history, spearheading and supporting policies that foster equity at work, or standing in solidarity with Indigenous co-workers, every action makes a difference, not just today, but every day,” said Lily Chang, CLC Secretary-Treasurer.

Want to take action? Check out our resources:

Actions workers can take on September 30 and beyond

Actions unions can take on September 30 and beyond

You can also find more resources in our Indigenous Rights and Justice Resource Centre, where you can send a letter to your MP, letting them know you want to see concrete action for justice for Indigenous communities.

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WINNIPEG—Canadian Labour Congress President Bea Bruske released the following statement in reaction to the Manitoba election results.

“Congratulations to premier-elect Wab Kinew and the Manitoba NDP for their stunning historic victory last night. Wab and the NDP offered the positive change Manitobans were looking for—better health care, lower costs, and good jobs.”

“Manitoba voters also showed that using hate and divisiveness to drive your campaign is a losing proposition. In the privacy of the ballot box Manitobans expressed their best nature yesterday, not their worst selves as the Manitoba PCs had urged them to do.”

“It was reprehensible to see Manitoba’s Progressive Conservatives end their campaign by trying to exploit racism against Indigenous people and anti-2SLGBTQI+ sentiment for electoral gain. It was very heartening to see Manitobans soundly reject these messages of intolerance.”

“I was also proud to see how working people stood up against the PC’s record of imposing wage restraint laws on health workers and attacking workers’ rights. Health care workers, provincial and municipal workers, members of private and public unions, and so many others mobilized in large numbers to knock on doors and talk with their neighbours about what was at stake in this election.”

“Workers came out because they knew Stefanson’s Conservatives couldn’t claim to care about how expensive life has gotten for people after they refused to pay workers a fair wage and even attacked the very unions that represent them. The PCs may have thought their anti-union rhetoric could be a winning argument as the campaign started against a backdrop of strikes at Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries and Manitoba Public Insurance. But at the end of the day, Conservatives just drew more attention to their uncaring incompetence.”

“Stefanson and the Conservatives’ defeat should serve as a clear warning to politicians across the country thinking about trying to win government through negative attacks and messages of intolerance. Appealing to extremism and intolerance may help get your base out to volunteer and donate, but Manitoban voters showed the whole country yesterday it’s a failing strategy for winning elections.”

-30-

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

The post Hate is a Losing Proposition appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Today we must all take time to remember and honour all the Indigenous children taken from their homes, families, and communities to be sent to residential schools, where they faced mistreatment, violence and abuse. No child should have to endure these atrocities, nor should any community have to experience the fallout of these racist policies,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

Approximately 80,000 residential school survivors are still alive today. The trauma inflicted by the residential school system has had far-reaching and devastating impacts on survivors, their families, and Indigenous communities more broadly.

“While residential schools closed, the impacts of the system remain, and the horrors of the residential school system are echoed in current government policies. This includes the use of birth alerts, the underfunding of child and family services on reserves, and the over-representation of Indigenous children in the child welfare system. Indigenous children, workers, and communities deserve better, and it’s long past time for these injustices to be righted,” said Lily Chang, CLC Secretary-Treasurer.

For survivors, their families, and the families of the children who never made it home, the traumatic impacts of the residential school system continue to be felt today. The ongoing discovery of the graves of thousands of Indigenous children at former residential schools, and the slow degree to which action has been taken to release records on residential schools to survivors and their families, creates additional trauma for community members.

In order to redress the legacy of colonization and advance the process of reconciliation in a meaningful way, it is imperative that the federal government address the harms caused by the residential school system, as well as the colonial policies and practices that have and continue to have devastating consequences for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples.

This is why on October 3, 2023, workers from across Canada will be heading to Parliament to meet with Members of Parliament and Senators as part of CLC’s second National Indigenous Lobby Day. There they will urge lawmakers to take action on Indigenous justice, including:

• Addressing the harms caused by the residential school system by implementing, without delay, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action 71 through 76: Missing Children and Burial Information;
• Providing appropriate funds and resources to support the development of essential publicly delivered water infrastructure and ensuring the elimination of all long-term boil water advisories in First Nations communities;
• Immediately creating a national Red Dress Alert system to notify the public when an Indigenous woman, girl, or Two-Spirit person goes missing;
• Releasing an implementation plan for the government’s National Action Plan, and accelerating fulfilment of all the Calls for Justice from the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people; and
• Along with the government of Manitoba, prioritizing and adequately funding a search of the landfills to return Marcedes Myran and Morgan Harris of Long Plain First Nation, and Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe to their loved ones without further delay.

Show your solidarity and join the calls by signing our action letter and letting your MP know that you want to see concrete action for justice for Indigenous communities!

Other ways to take action on this day and beyond:

• Visit CLC’s Indigenous Rights and Justice Resource Centre, for information and resources on tangible actions you can take to support Indigenous workers in your workplace, union, and community.
• Find and join an event or action in your area to commemorate Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (example in Ottawa).
• Wear orange to show your support for Indigenous communities impacted by residential schools.
• Donate to and support Indigenous organizations and Indigenous community supports such as the Indian Residential Schools Survivor Society, and First Nations Child & Family Caring Society.

The post Federal government must do more to fulfill its promises on reconciliation appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

WINNIPEG—Canadian Labour Congress President Bea Bruske, with the support of Manitoba Federation of Labour President Kevin Rebeck issued the following statement today:

“Canada’s unions call on governments at all levels to commence a search for the remains of Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran, and an unidentified woman who has been named Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe (Buffalo Woman) in the Prairie Green landfill.”

“The decision on whether to search the landfill, first and foremost must be made keeping basic decency, respect for human life and spirit in mind. Indigenous Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S) are not garbage. These MMIWG2S were sisters, siblings, daughters, aunties, and mothers. People loved them. Their lives mattered. Governments must do all they can to ensure that a landfill is not their final resting place.”

“As allies, we stand in solidarity with the families and communities of these MMIWG2S. The police have stated they believe their remains are in the landfill. A search must be conducted. It is unacceptable that the provincial government is not prepared to look at ways to move forward.”

“In 2019, the National Inquiry report into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls called for action directing police to put into place protocols to ensure that all MMIWG2S cases are thoroughly investigated. We must all heed the report’s 231 calls for justice and work to improve the quality of life of Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit and gender-diverse people. 

“The health and safety of workers must be prioritized in moving forward with search plans, including ensuring proper personal protective equipment (PPE), training, and expert planning at every stage.”

“The families and community have been dealt with too many delays, court battles and jurisdictional disputes. We call on governments at all levels to begin a landfill search immediately, as the sooner the search begins, the sooner the healing and closure may commence.”

“This is our collective responsibility towards meaningful reconciliation.”

-30-

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

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“The impacts of Canada’s violent colonial history continue to be experienced by Indigenous peoples. Disproportionately high rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit peoples, persistent drinking water advisories on reserves, the over-representation of Indigenous children in the child welfare system and the same over-representation of Indigenous adults in the Canadian judicial system are all manifestations of colonial systems, which continue to cause serious harm to Indigenous peoples to this day. This is our collective shame as a nation and we must do absolutely everything in our power to address it,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

At the CLC’s 30th Constitutional Convention last month, Indigenous delegates from across the country spoke powerfully about the pressing need for unions to play a more active role in reconciliation, as well as the need for stronger commitments and action from settler allies more broadly. Delegates came together to adopt an action plan on Indigenous justice: one that closes gaps in equity and advocates for improved socio-economic conditions for Indigenous workers and communities; increases awareness and education around Canada’s history and legacy of colonization and its ongoing inhumane impacts on First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples; and advances Indigenous rights and justice both within and outside of the labour movement.

“We are dedicated to moving forward in partnership with Indigenous Peoples, in a spirit of reconciliation and striving for justice. We are committed to making substantive change in our workplaces, our communities and within the labour movement,” said Bruske.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) 94 Calls to Action, the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two Spirit People (MMIWG2S) Inquiry’s 231 Calls to Justice, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) all uphold the rights of Indigenous peoples to maintain and protect their cultural heritage, as well as the responsibilities of government to integrate Indigenous rights and justice into its practices and policies. Canada’s unions will continue to fight to ensure the full implementation of all three.

There remains much work to be done: as of April 30, 2023, 37% of the 94 TRC Calls to Action were either stalled or not started, and to date, only two of the MMIWG2S Inquiry’s 231 calls have been completed. More than half haven’t even been started.

“Reconciliation requires immediate, concrete and sustained action from government. Inuit, Métis and First Nations peoples should not have to keep waiting for justice, especially when the path to achieving this has been so clearly laid out. Justice is long overdue,” said Lily Chang, Secretary-Treasurer of the CLC.

Canada’s unions continue to firmly support Indigenous communities’ demands for the federal government to:

• End all short and long-term boil water advisories in First Nations communities and improve on-reserve infrastructure and reliable access to clean drinking water; 
• Complete all of the TRC Calls to Action and the Calls to Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing Murdered Indigenous Women Girls and Two Spirit People; and 
• Implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as the framework for reconciliation, and develop a strong national action plan, strategies, and other concrete measures to achieve the goals of the UNDRIP

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We are also encouraging Canadians – particularly those who have most benefitted from colonialism – to take the time to learn about Canada’s colonial past and to take meaningful action towards supporting Indigenous communities in their quest for justice. Visit the CLC’s Indigenous Rights and Justice Resource Centre for tools to help advance our collective work, like tangible actions individuals can take to support Indigenous workers in their workplace, union and community.

“This federal government has made many promises of action on reconciliation. It’s time to follow through on those promises,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “The horrific discoveries of the remains of so many Indigenous children in mass and unmarked burial sites at former residential schools is a shattering consequence of Canada’s colonial actions. However, we must remember that this isn’t something from the distant past – Indigenous communities continue to face violence, oppression and systemic discrimination to this day. It’s up to all of us to acknowledge this and take action against it.”

September 30, historically known as Orange Shirt Day, is a day to remember and honour all the Indigenous children stolen from their families and communities, and sent to residential schools. Here they experienced widespread violence and abuse, the generational trauma of which has had a lasting impact. It is also a day to mourn all the children who never returned home.

Missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people, the over-representation of Indigenous children in the child welfare system, persistent drinking water advisories and disproportionate rates of incarceration are all the result of continued systemic racism and discrimination against Indigenous communities.

“On this day, we encourage everyone to show solidarity with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples by reflecting on the history of the residential school system and the harms it caused – and continues to cause – to Indigenous people in Canada. We must reflect on what action each of us must take in order to be strong allies in our workplaces, unions and communities,” said Lily Chang, CLC Secretary-Treasurer.

What you can do:

• Send a letter to the Prime Minister urging him to follow through on his government’s promises to take concrete action on reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
• Find and join an event or action in your area or online to commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, such as the Yellowhead Institute’s “A Calls to Action Conversation on Truth and Reconciliation” on September 29.
• Read about Orange Shirt Day and wear orange to show your support for Indigenous communities impacted by residential schools.

The post National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: A day for meaningful action and solidarity 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.

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“We are committed to working toward reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples and we stand in solidarity with them,” said Bea Bruske, CLC President. “We call on the new federal government to recommit to reconciliation and to make it a priority as they plan their new mandate.”

September 30, 2021 marks the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, recognized by the Federal and some provincial and territorial governments as a new statutory holiday. This day has also historically been recognized and commemorated across the country as Orange Shirt Day, a day to remember and honour all the Indigenous children taken from their families and communities and sent to residential schools, where they experienced abuse, racism, violence, and mistreatment.

Canada’s residential school system is estimated to have violently uprooted and impacted the lives of at least 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, and its multi-generational impacts are still deeply felt across Indigenous communities to this day.

“The residential school system is a significant part of Canada’s heinous history of colonial violence enacted upon Indigenous communities. Its legacy continues with the ongoing marginalization and traumatization of Indigenous peoples and communities, and the creation of widespread socioeconomic and health inequities that have rippled across generations,” said Bruske.

“A National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is important in recognizing and facing the historical and present-day harm inflicted upon Indigenous people and communities, and reminds us all of our individual and collective responsibility in working toward reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. We all have a role to play when it comes to fighting to dismantle the systems that continue to perpetuate these longstanding injustices,” said Lily Chang, CLC Secretary-Treasurer.

For Canada’s unions, this means continuing to support Indigenous workers and communities and pushing all levels of government to make concrete commitments and take action on reconciliation by:

• Implementing all of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ Calls for Justice, beginning with implementation of the TRC calls to action 71 through 76 on the Missing Children and Burial Information, which include searching all residential school burial sites in Canada and providing sufficient funding to the National Residential School Student Death Register;

• Urging all provincial and territorial governments to recognize September 30 as a statutory holiday to observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation;

• Dropping government court battles against residential school survivors;

• Ending discrimination against First Nations children in the delivery of child welfare services on reserves Implementing by reforming the First Nations Child and Family Services (FNCFS) program in compliance with the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal’s ruling.

“We’re encouraging all workers to take time on September 30 to learn more about the report and recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, to reflect on what reconciliation means, and to take the first steps on this journey toward justice by pushing for change,” said Bruske.

Take Action:

Send a letter to the Prime Minister to push for real commitments and meaningful action toward reconciliation and justice for Indigenous people and communities.

Other actions you can take:

• Learn more about Orange Shirt Day and wear orange to show your support for Indigenous communities impacted by residential schools;

• Participate in an event online to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation such as Truth and Reconciliation Week (September 27 to October 1) or attend an event in your area (Example: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day at Beechwood Cemetery (Ottawa) or Intergenerational March for Orange Shirt Day (Vancouver);

• 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 and learn more about Canada’s history and legacy of colonialism:

o Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action

o Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and its 231 Calls for Justice

o Native Women’s Association of Canada’s Action Plan to End the Attack Against Indigenous Women, Girls, and Gender-Diverse People

o Yellowhead Institute’s Calls to Action Accountability: A 2020 Status Update on Reconciliation

o CLC’s recommendations for the federal government on Indigenous rights and justice

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“Indigenous people and their communities are still processing the horrifying discovery of mass and unmarked graves at former residential schools,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “This is not a time for celebration; it is a time for reflection and action. Canada’s unions are standing in solidarity with the communities mourning these losses, and we are calling for justice and accountability for the harmful and destructive impact of colonialism, violence and systemic racism.”

The recent findings include the Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia and Marieval Indian Residential School on Cowessess First Nation in Southern Saskatchewan. More graves are expected to be uncovered across Canada in the coming months and years.

“We cannot see residential schools as simply a moment in Canada’s history. We know that systemic, state, and interpersonal violence and discrimination against Indigenous peoples in Canada continues today,” said Bruske. “We see it in health and income disparities, in the unsafe drinking water on so many reserves, in the extractive industries that strip the land, and in the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and the families who have been left without answers or justice – to name just a few.”

This July 1^st, Canada’s unions are urging their members to reflect not only on the devastation and harmful impact of residential schools, but also on our individual and collective responsibility to raise awareness about colonization and to dismantle the systems that continue to perpetuate harm and injustice.

“Today, and every day, we must support Indigenous peoples in this country, act in solidarity, and work towards reconciliation. We all have a role to play. This includes all levels of government, communities, families, individuals, and the labour movement,” said Bruske.

Send a letter to your elected representatives letting them know that you expect to see real commitments and concrete action for justice for Indigenous people and communities.

Other actions you can take:

• Wear orange to show your support for Indigenous communities and those impacted by residential schools (Learn about Phyllis (Jack) Webstad and the original orange shirt)
• Participate in an Indigenous-led vigil, march, or event on July 1^st (Example: events in Montreal, Ottawa, or find a list of events by town/city here)
• Support Indigenous organizations, causes, and businesses (Example: donate to the Indian Residential Schools Survivor Society, Legacy of Hope Foundation or other Indigenous-led organizations)
• Learn about residential schools and colonialism in Canada and in your own community:

o https://education.afn.ca/afntoolkit/
o https://legacyofhope.ca/english/education/

• Engage in conversation and reflection on genocide, colonialism, white supremacy, and violence against Indigenous people.

Learn to be a better ally

• Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action and its 94 Calls to Action: http://trc.ca/assets/pdf/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf
• Read the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and its 231 Calls for Justice: https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/final-report/

Access support services

Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line
1-866-925-4419

Crisis Services Canada
1-833-456-4566
Text: 45645

Hope for Wellness Helpline
1-855-242-3310

Kids Help Phone
1-800-668-6868
Text: 686868

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“Our hearts are with residential school survivors, their families and all the children who never returned to the homes from which they were taken,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “This devastating discovery is yet another disturbing chapter in Canada’s long and ongoing history of colonial violence against Indigenous communities and the deeply traumatic legacy of residential schools.

“While the Canadian government has formally apologized, as have many faith institutions involved in the residential school system, survivors have not yet seen a formal apology from the Catholic Church. This must happen, and those responsible must be held accountable,” continued Yussuff.

While Canada’s unions welcome the federal government’s recent passing of Bill C-5, which would establish September 30 as a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation per Call to Action 80 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), we now call on the Senate to pass this legislation without delay. Currently recognized as Orange Shirt Day, this day is one to recognize the history of residential schools, and honour the experiences and healing journey of survivors and their families, toward reconciliation.

“Without a doubt, Canada needs a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, but this is only one step on the path to justice for Indigenous communities,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the CLC. “As this recent horrific news has shown us, there remains much work to be done when it comes to addressing the enduring and destructive impacts and outcomes of colonialism, violence and systemic racism experienced by Indigenous community members to this day. Reconciliation means pursuing justice for Indigenous communities on all fronts.”

The TRC report documented the tragic history and reverberations of Canada’s residential school system, in which more than 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis children were subjected to widespread systemic abuse, racism and mistreatment.

Canada’s unions are once again urging the federal government to swiftly implement all of the calls to action laid out in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report. Indigenous communities need urgent, concrete and meaningful action when it comes to justice, beginning with implementation of the TRC calls to action 71 through 76 on the Missing Children and Burial Information.

“The TRC report and National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) clearly laid out a path to action on reconciliation, and it is well past time for the federal government to act on every single one of their recommendations. There can be no justice or reconciliation until this is done,” Yussuff noted.

The CLC is also calling on the federal government to comply with the ruling of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ordering an end to discrimination against First Nations children in the delivery of child welfare services on reserves. The government failed to reform its First Nations Child and Family Services (FNCFS) program — which funds prevention and protection services — and by not doing so, failed First Nations children and families.

Lastly, Canada’s unions are urging the government to commit to stop fighting Indigenous families in court who are seeking access to services covered by the federal government. Since 2013, the Canadian government has spent $3.2 million battling a group of Ontario residential school survivors in court. “The government should be supporting residential school survivors and their families who have suffered tremendously as result of this system, not fighting them in court,” said Rousseau.

As we embark on Indigenous History Month, Canada’s unions reaffirm their commitment to reconciliation, to fighting for truth and justice for Indigenous communities, and continue to stand in solidarity with Indigenous workers and communities across the country.

Join us in this fight by writing to all levels of government today to urge action for justice for Indigenous communities.

RESOURCES:

Yellowhead Institute
Calls to Action Accountability: A 2020 Status Update on Reconciliation – Yellowhead Institute

Emergency Residential School Crisis Line, available 24/7 for those who may need support after the recent news:
1-866-925-4419

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The new bill, Bill C-15, comes four years after former NDP MP Romeo Saganash introduced Bill C-262, a similar private members bill that died in the Senate.

“By introducing Bill C-15, the federal government is taking a long overdue and much needed step on the path toward reconciliation,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “The Bill would require the government to take concrete action to ensure that Canadian laws are consistent with the Declaration.”

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People establishes a framework of global minimum human rights standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of Indigenous peoples. Just as Bill C-262 did before it, the new Bill affirms UNDRIP as a universal international human rights framework with application in Canadian law.

The Bill would require the federal government, in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous peoples, to:

• Ensure the laws of Canada are consistent with the Declaration;
• Prepare and implement an action plan to achieve the objectives of UNDRIP, to be completed as soon as practicable, but no later than three years after the day on which this section comes into force; and
• Prepare and table an annual report on progress on the action plan, and to align the laws of Canada with UNDRIP.

Both the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls called for the government to fully adopt and implement UNDRIP as the framework for reconciliation and justice for Indigenous peoples, including Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit persons who continue to face the deep brunt of the legacy of colonial violence.

Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to pass and enact Bill C-15 in a timely fashion and are joining Indigenous leaders and community members in stressing that Indigenous peoples have been waiting far too long for substantive and resolute measures from the federal government when it comes to justice and reconciliation.

“The government must seize this opportunity to make significant and meaningful change in the lives of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples and move forward on the path to true reconciliation,” said CLC Executive Vice-President Larry Rousseau.

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“We are appalled and outraged by the relentless attempts to disrupt and undermine the Mi’kmaq fisher fleets and their right to a moderate livelihood as guaranteed by the Supreme Court of Canada,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. 

“We are also alarmed that even in the midst of the escalating violence by non‑Indigenous fishers, there have been troubling reports of the RCMP’s failure to protect the Mi’kmaq people, further entrenching a relationship of distrust between Indigenous communities and law enforcement,” added Yussuff. “This points to systemic racism that cannot be left to stand. Law enforcement must take the appropriate actions to end the violence.”

All levels of government have a duty to uphold the inherent rights of Indigenous peoples, as per section 35 of the Constitution, the Peace and Friendship Treaties, and relevant court decisions. Canada’s unions call on the federal government to:

1. Uphold the rule of law and respect treaty rights. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans must negotiate in good faith with the Sipekne’katik First Nation representatives, to work out a reasonable solution to the fishery dispute that respects the Marshall Decision;
2. Address the threats, attacks and discrimination against Mi’kmaq people; and
3. Ensure the safety and security of Mi’kmaq people as they exercise their legal treaty rights.

Justice for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) peoples is long overdue, and Canada’s unions are committed to ensuring the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission are fully implemented. Reconciliation is only possible when the rights of First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples are fully respected.

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Orange Shirt Day serves as an important reminder of the legacy of residential schools, the generational trauma and systemic barriers still faced by First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities in what we call Canada today.

“Orange Shirt Day is an opportunity to honour Indigenous lives and work to confront ongoing colonialism and violence against Indigenous communities,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

The horrors of the residential school system are an important part of Canada’s colonial history. For unions, part of taking action on Orange Shirt Day includes recognizing that the legacy of residential schools is echoed in existing government policies, including the discriminatory practice of birth alerts, the over representation of Indigenous children in the foster care system, and the underfunding of child and family services on reserves.

“There is no erasing the experiences of the victims of residential schools and the ongoing generational impacts, we can only honour their memory by moving forward towards reconciliation,” said Rousseau. “That’s why we, as unions, have taken action to support Indigenous-led campaigns to address the systemic inequities and injustices faced by Indigenous communities, and push all levels of government to adopt the calls to action from the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Report.”

Residential schools are estimated to have impacted the lives of at least 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Metis children between 1880 to 1996. Approximately 80,000 survivors are still alive today.

“There is still a long way to go to ensure justice for Indigenous children in this country, but by taking part in Orange Shirt Day, unions can take a meaningful step in raising awareness of the legacy of residential schools and the work that lies ahead to combat racism and colonialism in this country,” said Rousseau. “In the midst of a global pandemic, we cannot and we won’t leave behind Indigenous children and their families. Every child matters.”

The trauma inflicted by residential schools has had far-reaching and devastating impacts on survivors, their families and Indigenous communities.

To learn more, visit these links:

• History of residential schools
• Video on Orange Shirt Day
• The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation online event for students and teachers on September 30
• CLC’s recommendations for the federal government on Indigenous rights

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“We as a movement are raising our voices to express alarm and outrage over recent incidents of police brutality, including the deaths of Chantal Moore and Rodney Levi,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “We can no longer ignore the systemic racism in this country.”

In light of these tragedies, Canada’s unions reiterate their support for all calls to action calling for reforms of policing and the criminal justice system found within the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report, as well as the final report of the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

These incidents also come in the midst of a global health crisis that has, again, exposed inequities faced by Indigenous peoples and communities.

“The CLC supports the calls from the Assembly of First Nations for a dedicated plan in response to the unique realities that have made Indigenous communities vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19,” said Rousseau. “This day is one occasion to celebrate the history and cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples across this northern part of Turtle Island, also known as Canada, but they cannot be ignored for the other 364 days.”

The Assembly of First Nations has pointed to the remoteness of many First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, inadequate housing that is often over-crowded, a lack of safe drinking water and more.

“Continued inaction is not an option. We must cement our solidarity as trade unionists in the struggle for justice that Indigenous communities face every day across Canada,” concluded Rousseau.

You can mark National Indigenous People’s Day 2020 with us by reading and reviewing the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, as well as the final report of the Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. In both reports, you will find specific calls to action and calls to justice for organizations, individuals and governments. Do what you can in your communities to support these calls to action and pressure all levels of government to take immediate action to implement them.

Check out the links below to find out about virtual events and calls to action being organized by Indigenous organizations across Canada to mark National Indigenous People’s Day 2020:

Assembly of First Nations
Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
Metis National Council
Native Women’s Association of Canada
Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada

For further reading on Indigenous history and racism in Canada:

• Children of the Broken Treaty : Canada’s Lost Promise of One Girl’s Dream by Charlie Angus
• #IdleNoMore by Ken Coates
• Clearing the Plains by James W. Daschuk
• Peace Pipe Dreams by Darrell Dennis
• Surviving Canada: Indigenous Peoples Celebrate 150 Years of Betrayal, Edited by Myra Tait and Kiera Ladner
• Indigenous Relations: Insights, Tips & Suggestions to Make Reconciliation a Reality by Bob Joseph
• Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death and Hard Truths in a Northern City by Tanya Talaga

Find more resources here.

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The fight against anti-Black racism and police brutality is based in the long, despicable history of slavery, oppression and colonization of Indigenous communities and Black people in North America. The impact of which continues to be felt today.

There is no reason that Black people in Canada should die at the hands of our police services. Yet the deaths of Black Canadians, Abdirahman Abdi, Bony Jean-Pierre, D’Andre Campbell and most recently under investigation, Regis Korchinski-Paquet, demonstrate that anti-Black racism continues to be a leading cause for the loss of Black lives.

“Anti-Black racism is a destructive force in our society afflicting families and communities,” said Hassan Yussuff, Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) president. “Canada’s unions are committed to fighting all forms of discrimination and are urgently calling for accountability and systemic change.”

It’s important to highlight the severe lack of mental health supports, the lack of access to prescription medication and poor working conditions facing many workers who are often Black and racialized. Research clearly shows that Black communities have diminished health outcomes compared to the broader population as a result of historic neglect on the part of our system. This is playing out in this current pandemic, with early indications of a disproportionate impact on Black, Indigenous and other racialized communities.

“It’s time to hold some very uncomfortable conversations and reflect on the policy decisions and choices that have led us here,” continued Yussuff. “The whole country is looking to our government for leadership and immediate action that will lead to real and meaningful changes in the way Black communities are treated.”

The CLC is committed to raising awareness on the role of Canada’s labour movement to combat anti-Black racism, including providing educational opportunities to union members, as well as to the broader public, and publicly advocating for accountability and systemic change at the policy level.

For further reading related to anti-Black racism in Canada:

Policing Black Lives by Robyn Maynard

White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

The Skin We’re In by Desmond Cole

BlackLife: Post-BLM and the Struggle for Freedom by Rinaldo Walcott and Idil Abdillahi

There’s Something In The Water by Ingrid R. G. Waldron

Until We Are Free: Reflections on Black Lives Matter in Canada edited by Rodney Diverlus, Sandy Hudson, and Syrus Marcus Ware

Find more resources here.

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Persons with disabilities – especially those living at the intersections of multiple marginalized identities – face high unemployment rates and high levels of poverty and need additional support during the COVID-19 crisis and after.

“The current health crisis has intensified the discrimination and stigma workers with disabilities were already facing,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Hard-won workplace accommodations are at risk when the office becomes virtual, and workers with disabilities are at a greater risk of being laid off or having their jobs furloughed.”

The Canadian Labour Congress is marking National AccessAbility Week to shine a light on the challenges faced by persons with disabilities, and those whose experiences are amplified by multiple marginalized identities, including being a woman, Indigenous, racialized and 2SLGBTQI, et al.

Canada’s unions have joined with disability rights organizations in the Include Me coalition, calling for a number of priorities to protect the health and safety and provide care and support to persons with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal government has yet to announce specific targeted income supports for persons with disabilities to navigate their unique financial impact of this crisis.

Unemployment rates are between 35 per cent for people with ‘mild’ disabilities and 74 per cent for people with ‘severe’ disabilities. High levels of poverty and unemployment means more reliance on affordable housing, income and health care supports – programs whose funding and availability vary greatly across the country.

“We are working together to ensure that Canada’s response to this crisis leaves no one behind,” said Rousseau. “We need to see targeted income supports for persons with disabilities to address the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, and, in the longer-term, recovery planning must make accessibility and inclusion a core priority.”

For more information on on-going advocacy efforts from disability related organizations in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic, check out the Include Me coalition’s COVID-19 resource centre.

National AccessAbility Week was first introduced in 2019 after the implementation of the Accessible Canada Act, learn more about the history of the week here.

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Although there is still much we do not know about this tragedy, now the deadliest massacre in Canadian history, it has come to light that the killer began his shooting spree by assaulting his intimate partner.

Women’s shelters in Nova Scotia and across the country have called on the media and police to call the recent massacre what it is: an act of gender-based violence.

“We must acknowledge that these murders were rooted in misogyny,” said Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress. “They are not ‘senseless,’ ‘random’ or ‘isolated’. They are part of the nationwide crisis of violence against women. It is the same crisis that sees a woman or girl killed every three days in this country.”

Research shows that in the majority of mass shootings there is a history of domestic violence. Misogyny was also at the root of Canada’s other deadliest killings: the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre in Montreal and the 2018 Toronto van attack.

While misogynist violence can touch any woman, some groups of women are impacted disproportionately: Indigenous women, young women, women with disabilities, and trans women and non-binary folk all experience higher rates of domestic violence.

Other groups of women face barriers to support and to accessing justice. Black and Indigenous women, refugees and migrant women, and trans women may be reluctant to seek the support of police or social services because these systems may expose them to other forms of structural violence and discrimination. Accessible services are difficult to find for deaf women and women with disabilities. Few such services exist in rural and remote communities.

“This pandemic, along with the public health recommendation to stay at home has put women further at risk,” said Clarke Walker. “Canada’s unions applaud governments’ efforts to ensure that shelters and other support providers have the resources they need to manage an increase in demand and to assist women whose homes are not safe.”

Over the last five years, the Canadian labour movement successfully fought for and won paid domestic violence leave both federally and in the vast majority of provinces and territories. Now, we must go further.

Canada needs a National Action Plan on Violence Against Women and Girls. A Plan would help plug the gaps in anti-violence services while establishing clear targets for progress and ensuring consistency across and within jurisdictions. Although the federal government has signaled its intent to develop a Plan, it needs to establish the funding and the process to see it through.

The federal government needs to step up and accelerate these efforts. Women and non-binary people – especially those who are marginalized – are literally dying while we wait.

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This October 4, Canada’s unions are echoing calls from Indigenous families, communities and organizations for the implementation of all 231 Calls for Justice from the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

“The tireless efforts and painful testimony of Indigenous families, communities and organizations demands immediate attention,” said Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary-Treasurer for the Canadian Labour Congress. “With less than three weeks left in the federal election campaign, unions are calling on all parties to commit to developing an action plan to carry out the report’s recommendations.”  

The inquiry’s final report was delivered on June 3 after three years of powerful testimonies from 2,000 individuals and their families who have experience tragedy. These emotional testimonies were shared during dozens of community meetings across the country.

It includes 231 Calls for Justice, which include the immediate transformation of Indigenous policing, review and amendments to the Criminal Code, and other crucial steps that would make this country a safer place for Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people.

“On October 4, we will be on Parliament Hill, standing in solidarity with all Indigenous families, communities and organizations demanding action to end violence against Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people,” said Clarke Walker.

People across Canada can show their support for the implementation of the National Inquiry’s Calls for Justice by attending a vigil in their community.

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“Gender Equality Week was created to celebrate recent gains while reflecting on the work that needs to be done to improve gender equality and women’s rights across Canada,” said Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “With a federal election underway, we are asking political leaders to take this opportunity to prove their commitment to women’s rights and gender equality.”

Gender Equality Week runs from September 22 to 28, 2019 and was first introduced by the federal government in 2018 through Bill C-309, the Gender Equality Act. This year’s theme is #EveryoneBenefits and is inspired by the vision of a gender equal society and the benefits of advancing gender equality to women, men and people of all gender identities.

“On election day, voters will have the chance to reject the politics of division by voting for a party that stands firmly for gender equality and women’s rights,” said Clarke Walker. “We hope to make that choice much easier by asking candidates to distinguish themselves through concrete platform commitments.” 

The CLC’s plan for “A Fair Canada for Everyone” asks political parties to commit to taking action on five key priorities for working people and their families – actions that can make a real difference for women and help promote gender equality.

Women deserve good jobs, liveable wages and fair working conditions.

Unions are calling for action on pay and employment equity, access to universal, affordable child care and a federal task force on care work and care jobs.

Women deserve opportunities to learn and advance their careers. They deserve adequate support to balance work, family and personal time.

Women should not face barriers in accessing medication.

Many women do not have workplace benefits and face difficult choices when they or a loved one requires medication they cannot afford. Everyone in Canada deserves a universal, single-payer, public prescription drug plan that would guarantee pharmacare for all.

Women deserve retirement security.

Thanks to the persistent gender pay gap, senior women are among Canada’s poorest populations. After a lifetime of hard work (whether paid or unpaid), no one should have to struggle to make ends meet. Action on retirement security means improved Old Age Security benefits and a reformed Guaranteed Income Supplement.

Women must be at the centre of climate action.

The climate crisis will have a disproportionate impact on women and marginalized populations. Smart investments in a clean future will put people at the centre of climate action. Investments in renewable energy, clean technology and green manufacturing can provide a source of good, green jobs for women. Climate action can also include investments in social infrastructure to help create and support good jobs and resilient communities.

Women deserve a government focused on equity and inclusion.

Canadians need a government committed to challenging hate and intolerance in all its forms. They need a government ready to improve our immigration and refugee policies, track and report on hate groups, and commit to strengthening Canada’s action plan against racism.

They also need an action plan to implement the recommendations of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

“The CLC’s election campaign outlines a plan that would promote gender equality and make a real difference in the lives of women and their families,” said Clarke Walker. “Everyone benefits if we unite together to challenge racism, welcome refugees and support real reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. This election we are demanding fairness.”

This Gender Equality Week, unions are calling on voters to attend local election town halls and debates to ask candidates what their party is prepared to do to promote gender equality and a fairer Canada for everyone.

CLC Secretary-Treasurer Marie Clarke Walker will be hosting a Facebook Live event on Wednesday, September 25 at noon EST featuring a conversation about what is at stake for gender equality in the federal election.

Voters can sign up for real-time election updates from the CLC as the campaign progresses.

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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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Earlier this month, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) released its final report, including 231 Calls for Justice to address the alarming rate of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people. To date, no implementation plans have been outlined to address these Calls for Justice.

“First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples have endured extreme abuse and neglect for generations. It is our collective national shame and we must take deliberate steps to right the wrongs of the past. Reconciliation mustn’t wait any longer. Now we must work towards a fairer future through action,” says Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Canada’s unions support Indigenous communities’ calls to:

• Establish a National Council for Reconciliation with adequate, multi-year funding to measure, monitor and report on progress; and
• Develop and implement an action plan to address the MMIWG report Calls for Justice.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission released a comprehensive report on the brutal legacy of colonialism and its impact on First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples in 2015. The report included 94 Calls to Action. While there has been some progress, 28 calls to action have not yet been addressed.

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The report, released today, follows three years of painful testimonies from 2000 affected individuals and their families, shared during dozens of community meetings across the country.

“The final report calls what is happening to Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people a ‘genocide’,” said Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

“Indigenous women remain six times more likely than non-Indigenous women to experience gender-based violence in Canada,” noted Walker. “This report must be the blueprint for an urgent action plan to address this national shame.”

Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to:

• develop an action plan to implement the report’s recommendations;
• fully implement S-3, An Act to Amend the Indian Act; and
• pass Bill C-262, An Act to ensure that the laws of Canada are in harmony with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The report offers sweeping recommendations, including the immediate transformation of Indigenous policing, review and amendments to the Criminal Code to eliminate definitions of offences that minimize the culpability of the offender, and other crucial solutions to make this country a safer place for Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people.

“Canada’s unions will continue to consult with their working groups and community partners to develop an internal strategy and plan of action to support Indigenous communities,” added Walker.

The CLC and many of its affiliates have been closely monitoring and engaged with the inquiry’s process since its launch in 2015.

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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.

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“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

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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.

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This Black History Month, Canada’s unions say there can be no environmental justice without racial justice: addressing anti-Black racism is an integral part of the conversation on environmental activism.

Alongside Canada’s Indigenous communities, Black and people of African descent are disproportionately burdened with environmental hazards. This environmental racism includes exposure to toxic waste facilities, garbage dumps, and other sources of environmental pollution that negatively impact quality of life and health outcomes.

Africville, a small, yet vibrant, Black community in Halifax, NS, is an important example of how anti-Black racism was perpetuated by environmental policies. Despite paying municipal taxes, the community was deprived of basic services such as access to clean water, sewage, and waste management. Africville’s proximity to the development of an infectious disease hospital, a prison and a garbage dump, over time, added to deplorable living conditions imposed by the City.

The residents, after 120 years of resilience, were subject to a forced and dispersed relocation. Often overnight, over the span of a number of years, residents had their personal items transported in garbage trucks and their homes demolished.

This forced relocation, after years of marginalization by the City of Halifax, impacted the community by displacing residents both from their homes and their place of work, therefore exacerbating their economic insecurity.

Today, compounded by the barriers to sustainable employment, pay inequities, and barriers to opportunities for advancement in the workplace, Black workers and their families are still exposed to harmful and often life-threatening conditions in their home communities.

Hogan’s Alley in British Columbia, Leamington in Ontario, and Shelburne in Nova Scotia, are only a few examples of Black communities faced with the serious challenge of environmental racism.

“In the case of environmental racism in Black communities, environmental justice is linked to economic justice and that is at the root of why this is a trade union issue,” said CLC Executive Vice-President, Larry Rousseau.

A UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent recommended that the “Government of Canada should encourage federal, provincial and municipal governments to seriously consider the concerns of African Nova Scotians and help to develop legislation on environmental issues affecting them.”

Ingrid R.G. Waldron, author of There’s Something In The Water: Environmental Racism in Indigenous & Black Communities, has said that although environmental racism has a disproportionate impact on Black and Indigenous communities, pollution travels to adjacent communities, meaning this injustice affects everyone and will require collective action.

“Ingrid Waldron’s research shows the true reach of this issue — it expands far beyond Nova Scotia. We can’t ignore or deny the history of mistreatment of Black communities across Canada. Canada’s unions can play a key role in connecting the dots between environmental justice and anti-Black racism,” said Rousseau.

Last February, the Federal Government acknowledged the International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024). While this recognition is important, more action is required. Canada’s unions and our allies are ready to take on the issue of environmental racism in Canada.

To learn more about anti-Black racism in Canada and how workers are challenging it, sign up here.

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With hate crimes on the rise, the Canadian Labour Congress is encouraging people to endorse the Charter for Inclusive Communities which promotes “inclusive, just, and respectful communities in Canada”.

Recent data released by Statistics Canada shows that police-reported hate crimes in Canada rose dramatically in 2017, up by 47% over the previous year. Incidents targeting the Muslim community rose by 151%. Hate crimes targeting Jewish people rose by 63% and those targeting Black people rose by 50%.

“The hate crime numbers are profoundly disturbing,” said CLC President, Hassan Yussuff. “Canada has been a proud champion of human rights, at home and abroad. These numbers illustrate the impact of ongoing normalization of hatred. While Canada continues to address its painful legacy of colonialism, it must additionally do more to promote values of diversity, acceptance, and inclusion. We must work collectively to confront all forms of racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia.”

As well, Canada’s unions have joined in the call for January 29^th to be recognized as a National Day of Remembrance and Action on Islamophobia. The date marks the tragic anniversary of the Quebec mosque massacre in which a gunman killed six people and severely wounded eight more.

In the 2018 budget, the federal government committed to additional funding to help support anti-racism initiatives. In addition to $2 million already allocated to anti-racism engagement, the government announced:

• $21 million was added to strengthen the Multiculturalism program’s resources for anti-racism and discrimination community support. This included additional funding for events and projects that address racism and discrimination with a priority on Indigenous Peoples as well as women and girls;
• $19 million was allocated to enhance local community supports for Black Canadian youth and to develop research in support of more culturally focused mental health programs for Black Canadians.

“It’s imperative that any new funding support the varied needs of communities”, said Yussuff. “This means the federal government must continue to consult with those most impacted by racism, and ensure their voices inform policies intended to remove barriers to participation. This is how we can truly promote inclusive communities.”

The post Canada’s unions mark Human Rights Day by challenging rising racism and discrimination appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Each year, the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) and Families of Sisters in Spirit (FSIS) organize vigils to remember the missing and murdered indigenous women in this country. Family members, Indigenous community members, and concerned citizens gather together to stand together in solidarity, raise awareness, demand action, and provide support to those who have lost love ones.

Between 1980 and 2012, the RCMP reported close to 1,200 cases of missing or murdered Indigenous women and girls across Canada (although many working on the front lines believe the number is much higher). While they make up only 4% of Canada’s female population, Indigenous women and girls make up over 16% of female homicides and 11% of missing women.

What began with eleven vigils in 2006 has grown to over 200 vigils today, in communities across Canada, including a vigil on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

In response to calls from Indigenous families, communities and organizations, including unions and the Canadian Labour Congress, the Government of Canada launched an independent National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in September 2016.

In response, the CLC stated:

“We must ensure the inquiry addresses the root causes of violence against Indigenous women, such as racism, sexism and misogyny so that it truly does result in justice and meaningful change.

Canada’s unions will stand in solidarity with Indigenous women, girls and their communities both as the inquiry is underway and beyond to help ensure our country truly addresses the root causes of violence against Indigenous women.

We will also continue to urge the government to implement strategies that include clean water, affordable housing, accessible education and poverty reduction in Inuit, First Nations and Métis communities.”
(news release, 02-21-2017)

NWAC has created a quarterly report card about the inquiry to encourage transparency and to measure its progress.

The post Standing in solidarity for our missing sisters appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Earlier in June, the Commission was only granted a six-month extension in response to its request to add an additional two years to their mandate.

“We must avoid making the same mistakes of the past and learn from our history,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “This means we must centre the voices of Indigenous communities in order to fully confront the ‘destructive legacies of colonization’, as described by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.”

The Commissioners called for an extension in response to the needs expressed by Indigenous communities, survivors and family members of those who are missing or have been murdered.

“If the process, the method, the solutions and the advocacy is not steered by those who are impacted, we are reinforcing the very colonial tactics that brought us here today with respect to our relationship with Indigenous, First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples,” said Yussuff.

The extension balances the need to urgently address violence against Indigenous women and girls with the necessity of ensuring thorough and comprehensive recommendations in the final report. The two-year extension would allow for increased community participation, as well as specific consideration of LGBTQ and two-spirit people.

For Canada’s unions, recognizing National Indigenous Peoples Day is about recognizing the needs of Indigenous people and standing in solidarity with their social, economic, and political needs. The government has a responsibility to ensure that the public inquiry adequately meets the objectives set out in the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

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• Addressing systemic discrimination of all forms, including stopping anti-Black racism and Islamophobia;
• Reconciliation and nation-to-nation relationship building with First Nations;
• Launching an inquiry into the overrepresentation of Black and Indigenous children and youth in the care of child protection services; and
• Reforming the criminal justice system, with a shift to restorative justice, and addressing the disproportionate number of incarcerated Black and Indigenous people.

“Recent high-profile cases underscore the urgent need to address the systemic discrimination that is woven into the fabric of multiple Canadian institutions. Systemic failures can have life-or-death consequences,” said Yussuff.

Twenty-two-year-old Colten Boushie from the Cree Red Pheasant First Nation of Saskatchewan was shot and killed in the summer of 2016. Boushie’s family spoke publicly about the mistreatment they received from law enforcement when they were informed of his killing. The accused was acquitted of all charges in Boushie’s death, and experts have indicated that the lack of diversity on the all-white jury played a significant role in the acquittal.

The body of Tina Fontaine, a 15-year-old Anishinaabe girl from Sagkeeng First Nation, was found discarded in the Red River in Winnipeg. She was in contact with child protection, law enforcement and medical professionals in the weeks leading to her disappearance and death. Fontaine’s case is one of many examples of systemic failures and helped prompt the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

Abdoul Abdi, a young Somali refugee who was brought to Canada as a child has been failed by a system not designed to support him. Upon his arrival in Canada at the age of six, Abdi was removed from his family and ended up being moved between 31 group and foster homes where he faced psychological and physical abuse. He ended up in trouble with the law and serving a four-and-a-half-year sentence. Once released, he learned he would face deportation because the Nova Scotia government failed to fulfill its responsibility to secure his citizenship while he was in their ward. His deportation hearing has been scheduled for March 21 which is – ironically – the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

“These cases and so many more demonstrate why we must do more to end systemic racism, xenophobia and discrimination at home and around the world,” said Yussuff.

The post Canada’s unions continue to challenge racism, xenophobia and discrimination appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

What is “decent work”?

• Access for all workers to quality jobs, dignity, equality, and safe working conditions.

• Putting workers at the centre of development and giving them a voice in what they do.

This year’s global focus is on struggles to win living minimum wages and a pay raise for all workers.

The Canadian Labour Congress has outlined steps Canada needs to take in a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau, outlining several steps the federal government can take to ensure better access to decent work at home and abroad.

“We need federal leadership on decent work, not just so that we improve work for Canadians, but so we can set an example for other countries too,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff.

What our federal government can do

• Ensure the creation of high-quality jobs needed by millions of unemployed, underemployed, and precariously-employed workers in Canada.

• Promote and uphold collective bargaining rights at home and abroad.

• Restore the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, indexing it to wage growth, and bring back full employment as a primary policy target.

• Create public employment programs for regions and populations with high unemployment or a high concentration of low-wage workers. That should include job creation programs for youth, Indigenous and Northern communities, newcomers to Canada, Alberta and the Atlantic provinces;

• Commit to long-term funding for high-quality, public, universal, affordable child care;

• Adopt strong, proactive pay equity legislation incorporating the recommendations of the 2004 Pay Equity Task Force;

• Use all available tools to eliminate discrimination in hiring, promotion, and pay, including strengthening the Employment Equity Act and the Federal Contractors Program;

• Introduce paid sick leave and paid leave for victims of domestic violence for workers in the federal jurisdiction, and encourage provinces and territories to follow suit;

• End the systematic violation of migrant workers’ rights by abolishing tied work permits and implementing a proactive compliance assessment and enforcement regime;

• Promote fairness by tightening regulations on hours of work and scheduling;

• Increase staffing, training and resources for federal employment standards and health and safety inspectors; and

• Improve the Wage Earner Protection Program to better protect wages when employers go bankrupt or simply disappear.

Canada’s unions are also asking the federal government to promote decent work in global supply chains and the extractive sectors by:

• Appointing a human rights ombudsperson to investigate how Canadian companies’ foreign operations impact human rights;

• Introducing national due diligence legislation with a monitoring mechanism and an enforcement procedure for large companies.

The post October 7 is the World Day for Decent Work appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Each year, the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) and Families of Sisters in Spirit (FSIS) organize vigils to remember the missing and murdered indigenous women in this country. Family members, Indigenous community members, and concerned citizens gather together to stand together in solidarity, raise awareness, demand action, and provide support to those who have lost love ones.

Between 1980 and 2012, the RCMP reported close to 1,200 cases of missing or murdered Indigenous women and girls across Canada (although many working on the front lines believe the number is much higher). While they make up only 4% of Canada’s female population, Indigenous women and girls make up over 16% of female homicides and 11% of missing women.

What began with eleven vigils in 2006 has grown to over 200 vigils today, in communities across Canada, including a vigil on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

In response to calls from Indigenous families, communities and organizations, including unions and the Canadian Labour Congress, the Government of Canada launched an independent National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in September 2016.

In response, the CLC stated:

“We must ensure the inquiry addresses the root causes of violence against Indigenous women, such as racism, sexism and misogyny so that it truly does result in justice and meaningful change.

Canada’s unions will stand in solidarity with Indigenous women, girls and their communities both as the inquiry is underway and beyond to help ensure our country truly addresses the root causes of violence against Indigenous women.

We will also continue to urge the government to implement strategies that include clean water, affordable housing, accessible education and poverty reduction in Inuit, First Nations and Métis communities.” (news release, 02-21-2017)

NWAC has created a quarterly report card about the inquiry to encourage transparency and to measure its progress.

The post October 4: Sisters in Spirit Vigils appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Between 1980 and 2012, the RCMP reported close to 1,200 cases of missing or murdered Indigenous women and girls across Canada (although many working on the front lines believe the number is much higher). While they make up only 4% of Canada’s female population, Indigenous women and girls make up over 16% of female homicides and 11% of missing women.

What began with eleven vigils in 2006 has grown to over 200 vigils today, in communities across Canada, including a vigil on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

In response to calls from Indigenous families, communities and organizations, including unions and the Canadian Labour Congress, the Government of Canada launched an independent National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in September 2016.

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In response, the CLC stated:

“We must ensure the inquiry addresses the root causes of violence against Indigenous women, such as racism, sexism and misogyny so that it truly does result in justice and meaningful change.

Canada’s unions will stand in solidarity with Indigenous women, girls and their communities both as the inquiry is underway and beyond to help ensure our country truly addresses the root causes of violence against Indigenous women.

We will also continue to urge the government to implement strategies that include clean water, affordable housing, accessible education and poverty reduction in Inuit, First Nations and Métis communities.”
(news release, 02-21-2017)

NWAC has created a quarterly report card about the inquiry to encourage transparency and to measure its progress.

The post TWLH-Oct-1 appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“What we call Canada today was inhabited by hundreds of diverse societies long before the arrival of Europeans, but our colonial history has entrenched inequalities that have been compounded by hundreds of years of racism, exploitation, injustice and systemic discrimination,” said CLC President, Hassan Yussuff.

“We have a long way to go to re-build relationships with Canada’s Indigenous communities so we can better support their ongoing struggle for justice through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls,” said Yussuff.

Indigenous communities are struggling to receive basic necessities like clean drinking water, education, and health care. These communities are further devastated by the continued rise of suicides in young people.

“It’s shameful that many Indigenous families live without basic services, like clean drinking water, educational facilities and mental health support,” said Yussuff. “We cannot continue to look away from conditions that would never be acceptable for other communities. It is time for Canada to invest in concrete measures to elevate the standards in Indigenous communities in this country.”

Canada’s unions have been active in the call for justice for Canada’s First peoples. They made the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls a priority, launching petitions and actively lobbying government to take action. Unions also supported the Native Women’s Association of Canada and the Sisters in Spirit project, by encouraging union members to attend annual vigils, and assisting Indigenous women to bring their voices to UN bodies to raise international awareness.

When the federal government finally launched the long-awaited inquiry in August 2016, union representatives stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) and other allies to respond to the terms of reference.

Canada’s unions also recognize that the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women is linked to the intergenerational legacy of residential schools, as outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission final report.

The federal government today announced its intention to rename National Aboriginal Day to National Indigenous Peoples Day in order to better reflect the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The post CLC celebrates First Nations contributions on National Aboriginal Day appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Indigenous women have worked tirelessly with allies for years to draw attention to and stop violent crimes committed against women and girls in their communities. Last year, the federal government finally heeded their calls and announced a long-overdue inquiry into the disappearance and murders of Indigenous women across the country.

Over the last decade, Canada’s unions supported the call from Indigenous communities for this inquiry by launching petitions, lobbying the government, encouraging members to attend vigils, and assisting in bringing Indigenous women’s voices to the UN. We also called on the government to reject proposed cuts in bus service to the Highway of Tears.

“Indigenous women have finally won the inquiry they had demanded for so long, but the work doesn’t end there,” said CLC Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Byers.

“We must ensure the inquiry addresses the root causes of violence against Indigenous women, such as racism, sexism and misogyny so that it truly does result in justice and meaningful change,” she added.

The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) has created a quarterly report card about the inquiry to encourage transparency and to measure its progress. NWAC is also making recommendations over the course of the inquiry to ensure Indigenous communities are properly included in the consultation.

“Canada’s unions will stand in solidarity with Indigenous women, girls and their communities both as the inquiry is underway and beyond to help ensure our country truly addresses the root causes of violence against Indigenous women,” said Byers.

“We will also continue to urge the government to implement strategies that include clean water, affordable housing, accessible education and poverty reduction in Inuit, First Nations and Métis communities,” she added.

Details on the Vancouver march
Details on the Calgary march
Details on the Edmonton march

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“Your government made a promise to Canadians that it will implement the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and we believe that it is past time for action,” said CLC president Hassan Yussuff in a letter to the prime minister.

Yussuff has asked the prime minister to support an NDP motion before Parliament on November 1 – the motion outlines a number of concrete measures that would help end the discrimination against First Nations children.

“The success and welfare of Canada’s First Nations children is an issue that transcends politics and is broadly supported by the Canadian people,” wrote Yussuff. “I hope we can count on you to begin to address this historic wrong and redeem Canada’s reputation on the world stage.”

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Following a series of consultations that began in late 2015, the government announced the inquiry’s terms of reference and the names of the five commissioners.

“We welcome the fact that the government has finally called this inquiry and has committed to ensuring it examines the root causes of violence against Indigenous women, such as racism, sexism and misogyny. But we need to make sure the government gets it right,” said Yussuff.

NWAC, alongside victims’ families and leaders from Indigenous groups, raised several concerns with the announced terms of reference:

• The lack of a process for families to reopen cases they feel need to be re-examined;
• The need for trauma informed and culturally based counselling that extends throughout and beyond the inquiry process;
• The need to examine the role played by police and the justice system;
• The need to explicitly outline the role of provinces and territories ; and
• The need for a 6th commissioner representing Inuk communities.

Over the last decade, Canadian unions have actively supported the call from Indigenous communities for this inquiry.

“We heard the concerns raised about the terms of reference by Indigenous leaders and families, and we hope the government listens and does as they ask,” added Yussuff.

The post Government launches inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The CLC is also taking this opportunity to congratulate the government for endorsing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples this past May. The declaration recognizes Indigenous peoples’ basic rights on issues including language, land, health, and education.

“It is an endorsement that was a long time coming and we applaud the federal government for publicly making this important commitment to Indigenous rights,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff.

But Yussuff noted there is still much work to do to ensure the principles in the declaration – as well as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report recommendations – are put into practice in Indigenous communities across Canada.

The CLC will work with affiliates on a labour framework for action to guide implementation of the TRC report recommendations.

“Unions, employers and government must all come together to challenge existing policies that have led to inequality and discrimination, gaps in equal access to employment, education, housing, child welfare, justice, and safe drinking water in Aboriginal communities,” said Yussuff.

For example, the unemployment rate of Indigenous Canadians has been in the double digits since 2007, compared to single-digit rates for non-Indigenous Canadians. When they are employed, Indigenous Canadians, particularly women, experience a significant income gap.

Indigenous women and girls are also at heightened risk of violent crime — 16 percent of women murdered in Canada between 1980 and 2012 were Aboriginal, according to government statistics.

“The inquiry into missing and murdered Aboriginal women remains a priority for Canadian unions and we stand in support of women in Indigenous communities who are calling for a thorough process with a human rights framework,” said Yussuff.

The post Celebrating National Aboriginal Day appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

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 very first march happened in 1991 out of a sense of anger and hopelessness following the murder of a Coast Salish woman on Powell Street in Vancouver.

Indigenous women have been persistent and forthright in raising awareness and demanding justice for the violence they experience. They led the call for an inquiry and have organized marches, roundtables and vigils, and the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) recognizes their strong leadership. Without their work, families and communities of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women would continue to suffer injustice.

The labour movement is optimistic that the federal government will soon begin building a framework for a national public inquiry into the disappearances and deaths of indigenous women across the country.

In addition to a national inquiry, the CLC calls on the federal government to implement a strategy that includes clean water, affordable housing, accessible education and poverty reduction in Inuit, First Nations and Métis communities. If these issues go unaddressed, women and girls in these communities will continue to suffer unfairly and unjustly, lacking basic human rights.

“Unions and governments of all levels need to listen and respond to what women in Indigenous communities are fighting for,” said CLC Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Byers. “The federal government needs to truly listen to Indigenous people, to ensure all people of Canada receive basic human rights; there are no more excuses.”

You can support justice and human rights for indigenous women by attending a march this February 14.

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The final report, formed after six years of collecting testimony from more than 6,500 survivors, makes it clear that the physical and sexual abuse, and disease and death resulting from poor living conditions, are directly connected to systemic racism First Nations people continue to experience today.

Canadian Labour Congress President, Hassan Yussuff, responded to the report by thanking the survivors and echoing the commission’s call on governments to swiftly implement all the recommendations.

“We need to recognize the incredible courage and trust shown by the survivors who shared their stories. In order to do justice to that trust, the federal government must work with the provinces, territories and First Nations governments to ensure all the commission’s recommendations are passed without delay,” said Yussuff.

This includes the commission’s recommendation to sign on to and implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as the framework for reconciliation.

However, Yussuff recognized today’s observation by commission chair Justice Murray Sinclair, that “reconciliation is not an Indigenous problem: it is a Canadian one.” Yussuff agreed that all sectors of Canadian society, not just governments, must do their part to dismantle systemic racism and support an indigenous-centered process of reconciliation.

Over the past several years, the Canadian Labour Congress and its affiliated unions have been working to support First Nations leadership to campaign on issues like safe drinking water on reserves, child welfare reform, and the need for a national inquiry on missing and murdered Indigenous women.

The commission also raised specific labour issues, calling upon the federal government “to develop with Aboriginal groups a joint strategy to eliminate educational and employment gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians.” Yussuff noted the unemployment rate of Indigenous Canadians has been in the double digits since 2007, compared to single-digit rates for non-Indigenous Canadians. When they are employed, Indigenous Canadians, particularly women, experience a significant income gap.

“All Canadians have a responsibility to further the reconciliation process. We, in the labour movement, will continue to support First Nations people on the issues the commission has raised,” Yussuff said.

Read the full report here.

Photo Credit: Library and Archives Canada

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Across the country, the labour movement joins families, Indigenous and women’s organizations at vigils and events to support the Sisters in Spirit movement.

The RCMP now estimates that over 1,100 indigenous women and girls have gone missing or been murdered – but many agree the number is likely much higher. This disproportionate violence experienced by Indigenous women in Canada has received the attention of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, which has called out the Canadian government for its failure to act.

The CLC supports the call for an inquiry
Barbara Byers, Secretary-Treasurer of the CLC, said that the crisis may not be on Stephen Harper’s radar, but it is on labour’s.

“The CLC and its affiliates believe a public inquiry is necessary in order to begin to repair the injustices and bring some closure to the families of the missing and murdered,” Byers said. “This election, we have a chance to honour these women and girls by voting for a party that is committed to calling a public inquiry.”

The CLC encourages members to support the families by attending vigils and events being held across the country.

“Whether it’s a vigil, a rally, a moment of silence or a community feast, let’s all take some time to mark the day,” Byers said.

Take action

•    Attend a vigil near you
•    Light a virtual candle

Background

In 2005 Bridget Tolley, an Algonquin grandmother from the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg in Quebec, began a movement called Sisters in Spirit (SIS) with the help of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, Indigenous communities, their allies, and other National Aboriginal Organizations (NAO).

Sisters in Spirit began as a family-led movement to end violence and stop the disappearances and murders of Indigenous women and girls. The Native Women’s Association of Canada, funded by Status of Women Canada (SWC), gathered statistical information on violence against Aboriginal women and the experiences of the families and communities left behind, and raised public awareness on the numbers of missing and murdered.

In 2011, the Conservative government defunded the Sisters in Spirit initiative, but the number of deaths and disappearances continued to grow. So have the voices supporting the call for an inquiry.

Many of the families, along with other allies, formed a new group, Families of Sisters in Spirit (FSIS), in order to continue community-led action and give support to the many families in need of healing and justice.

Today, more than 80 communities across the country hold annual vigils and events to honour and remember all Sisters in Spirit.

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All findings point to “cultural genocide”

Evidence shows that the government tried to eliminate the culture and language of Canada’s indigenous people for well over a hundred years. They did so by forcibly removing children from their families and placing them in institutions that the Commission has characterized as cultural indoctrination centres. 

The Canadian Labour Congress stands in solidarity with the victims of the residential school system and calls on all levels of government to adopt and implement every one of the Commission’s recommendations.  

Justice Murray Sinclair, who was Manitoba’s first aboriginal judge, said one estimate made in the early part of the 20th century was that 24 to 42 per cent of Aboriginal children who attended the residential schools died at school or shortly after leaving school. The findings point to a ‘cultural genocide’ of Aboriginal peoples.

“The Commission’s research into the abuse, deaths and mental degradation of Aboriginal children must be taken seriously by all levels of government, as well as the Canadian public,” said CLC president Hassan Yussuff. 

“Now Canada, and all Canadians, have a responsibility to ensure that all the recommendations are implemented and everything possible is done to ensure meaningful reconciliation.”

On May 31, in anticipation of the report release, CLC officers, Barb Byers and Donald Lafleur marched with 10,000 staff, affiliates, union retirees and other Canadians in the Walk for Reconciliation in Ottawa.  
The CLC has a strong relationship with the Aboriginal community and will continue to work with labour’s Aboriginal committees and working groups to ensure all levels of government implement the report’s recommendations. 

In addition to continuing to support Aboriginal workers, the CLC will incorporate the Commission’s findings into our educational and other resources.

Photo is property of CBC Canada.

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We’ll be thinking of Rania El Alloul and other Canadian Muslims facing discrimination in their day-to-day lives when we commemorate the United Nations (UN) International Day for the Elimination of Racism on March 21.

We’ll also be remembering how systemic racism has led to epidemic levels of poverty for Indigenous women and girls, meaning a lack of secure housing, an absence of economic opportunities and limited access to justice.

We’ll remember how on March 6, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) concluded that Canada’s ongoing failure to address the extreme violence against Aboriginal women and girls constitutes a “grave violation” of their human rights.

We’ll remember that black males living in Toronto are three times more likely to be stopped and asked for identification by police. And we’ll remember that employers are about 40 percent more likely to interview a job applicant with an English sounding name.

How are we helping to end racism?

• The labour movement is supporting communities that face discrimination. After 9/11 for example, we worked with Muslim communities to fight widespread Islamophobia.
• We speak out when racism happens – such as when migrant workers are targeted for deportation, when Aboriginal or racialized youth are shot by police, or when racism is behind the denial of housing.
• We bargain anti-discrimination and harassment language in collective agreements, helping to ensure that hiring is fair and that workplaces are free of discrimination.
• We work with governments at all levels for stronger employment equity legislation.
• We use education to fight racism, training our leadership and membership on how to deal with harassment and individual and systemic racism.

​Our government must do more to help end racism.

The CLC is calling on the federal government to face up to the reality of racism in Canada today, by acknowledging its own role in sustaining and promoting systemic and overt discrimination. Here are three ways the government can play a constructive role in ending both systemic and overt racism:

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women has joined the call by Aboriginal women and Canadians across the country for a national inquiry into missing and murdered Aboriginal women. It’s time the government listened.

The government must stop using rhetoric and fear mongering that targets Muslim and other racialized communities. The use of terms like “jihadists” and “radical Islam” is irresponsible and sews hatred. This must stop.

The government must meet its international obligations by reporting to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). Canada has never met its obligation to report to this committee.

​Challenge the candidates in the next federal election.

When candidates come asking for your vote in the next election, be sure to ask how they feel about racism in Canada and if they’ll commit to taking those first three steps to help eliminate racism in Canada.

Ahead of the election, the labour movement will be challenging all political parties to outline how they will work to eliminate both systemic and overt racial discrimination faced by Aboriginal and racialized communities in Canada.

Quick facts on racism in Canada today:

• 50 percent of First Nations children live in poverty compared to 17 percent for other Canadians.
• Aboriginal workers earn an average of $19,000 compared to $33,000 for other Canadians.
• The infant mortality rate is one and half times higher for First Nations than other Canadians.
• The average life expectancy for Aboriginal women and men is five and nine years less, respectively, than other Canadians.
• Black males living in Toronto are three times more likely to be stopped and asked for identification by police.
• There were 1,401 reported hate crimes in Canada in 2010.
• Employers are about 40 percent more likely to interview a job applicant with an English-sounding name despite identical education, skills and experience.
•  In 2011, the unemployment rate for visible minority workers was 9.9 percent compared to 7.3 percent for non-racialized workers.
• Racialized Canadians also earn an average of 81 cents to the dollar compared to other Canadians.
• 55 percent of Canadians are satisfied that we have overcome racial discrimination.

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The very first march happened in 1991 out of a sense of anger and hopelessness following the murder of a Coast Salish woman on Powell Street in Vancouver.

“Every international human rights body that has investigated this crisis has called for action. The federal government’s failure to call a National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women is a national embarrassment”, says Hassan Yussuff, CLC President.

Violence against Indigenous women is disproportionately high compared to non-indigenous women. The cycle of poverty and racism directly contributes to the larger number of Indigenous women’s experience of violence in Canadian society. The march serves to remember this and to compel the government to take action on this violence, starting with a National Public Inquiry.

You can support the march by spreading the word and attending an event near you. You can also send a message to the federal and provincial governments supporting the call for a National Public Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

Find an event and learn more about the memorial marches.

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The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has issued the report of its two-year study on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in British Columbia. The report clearly links the disproportionate amount of violence experienced by Indigenous women in Canada to the “past and present institutional and structural inequalities” that these women face, including poverty, discrimination and colonization. It points out that any response must be comprehensive and holistic, which means addressing poverty, lack of housing, and access to education and employment.

The report clearly reinforces calls for a National Inquiry as well as a comprehensive strategy that would include all levels of government, and involve indigenous peoples, particularly indigenous women, at all stages.

Hassan Yussuff, CLC President, said ” Every international human rights body that has investigated this crisis has called for action. The federal government’s failure to call a National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women is a national embarrassment”.

Yussuff stated that he hopes the federal government will consider this new report and its recommendations seriously. A roundtable with First Nations, provinces, territories and Indigenous organizations is planned for February. “The roundtable will be the start of a conversation”, said Yussuff, “but it should just be the start. Indigenous women in Canada and their families deserve to be heard and they need to know their governments are prepared to work hard on a coordinated strategy to address poverty, marginalization, and violence”.

Read the report.

The post It’s time to act: National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

The CLC has encouraged its members to support and attend vigils and events being held across the country. Barbara Byers, Secretary-Treasurer of the CLC, believes that, “together the labour movement, Indigenous groups, workers, and allies of Indigenous communities will fight for the families of the victims to have closure and justice that they deserve and is long over due”.

Since 2005, many families and allies of the missing and murdered women and girls have called on the federal government to hold a national public inquiry to examine the causes of the disproportionate number of Indigenous women who have gone missing or are murdered, and to identify solutions. Instead of bringing justice to Indigenous communities across the country, the Conservative government has consistently refused to honour the wishes of the families and call an inquiry. Instead, funds have been diverted into the criminal justice system or services to victims with no clear evidence that funding will reduce violence.

The CLC has launched a petition to demand justice for the close to 1200 documented deaths and disappearances of Indigenous women and girls over the past thirty years. We encourage Canadians to sign and share.

Over the past decade, Sisters In Spirit vigils have evolved into a movement for social change for all people of Canada and the world. This October 4th, find a way to be a part of this change by participating in an event close to you.

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For far too long, governments have failed to ensure that young Indigenous peoples’ education needs are funded at least at the same level as other public education programs through the country. The federal government shouldn’t be telling First Nations children and students that they must wait longer for the quality of their schools and education to improve – greater investment is needed immediately, and it must respect First Nations rights, Treaties, titles and control over education.

The CLC also calls on the federal government to establish a National Public Inquiry to address the scale and severity of violence faced by indigenous women and girls. The federal government’s refusal to acknowledge this profound injustice is inexcusable. We call on governments to work with indigenous women and their representative organizations, including the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC), to bring justice to the families and communities affected.

The Canadian Labour Movement continues to be inspired by the strength and commitment of First Nations, Inuit and Métis activists who stand up to injustice and demand recognition and respect.

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