This series will explore key challenges facing working people – from the fights unions are leading today, to global trends affecting workers, to what the future holds for the labour movement. Each session will feature CLC experts and leaders sharing insights and analysis on the issues that matter most to workers.

The first webinar in the series will focus on the ongoing retirement security crisis.

The Issues and You: The Retirement Security Crisis Today
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET

Participants will hear from Chris Roberts, National Director of the CLC’s Social and Economic Policy Department, and the CLC’s in-house expert on pensions and retirement security. The webinar will examine why retirement insecurity remains a major issue for workers, even a decade after the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) enhancement, and what it means for workers today.

This webinar will be delivered in English, with simultaneous interpretation in French.

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With more than 9,300 jobs on the line, it is unacceptable that HBC is choosing to funnel up to $3 million in bonuses to executives and managers while denying severance to the very workers who built the company.

Canada’s unions stand in full solidarity with HBC workers and demand that the company reverse course immediately. This is not restructuring, it’s a betrayal. No executive should be pocketing bonuses while workers are left without a safety net.

HBC must honour its responsibilities to its workers, including wages, benefits, and severance. These are not optional.

This situation is yet another example of why Canada’s unions have long advocated for changes to federal laws like the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the Pension Benefits Standards Act. For decades, we have fought to protect workers and ensure that they are not left at the back of the line when companies go bankrupt, forcing them to wait behind lenders, suppliers, and tax collectors for the wages, severance, and pensions they are entitled to. In 2023, following years of advocacy, the federal government successfully passed the Pension Protection Act, a crucial step forward. However, these vital protections will not come into effect until April 27, 2027.

We also call on the federal government to ensure that no worker falls through the cracks and that programs like the Wage Earner Protection Program are accessible without delay, and that no Employment Insurance benefits are clawed back in this process.

Make no mistake: thousands of workers at Hudson’s Bay are facing economic uncertainty thanks to corporate greed and government weakness. Every leader in this election must be asked what they will do to strengthen protections for workers and their livelihoods. Workers deserve respect, security, and the dignity of knowing they won’t be abandoned in a difficult economy.

Canada’s unions are watching closely. Hudson’s Bay must act with integrity. It’s time to put people before profit.

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

The post CLC statement: Hudson’s Bay hands $3M to executives and no severance to workers appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Pensions and workers’ livelihoods are too important to toy with. We cannot allow workers’ financial security to be used as a bargaining chip by elected officials. Withdrawing from the CPP in favour of a provincial plan carries significant risks and uncertainty. It’s not up to the Premier to gamble with people’s futures, simply because she thinks it might win her political points,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.

The Canada Pension Plan is tried, true and highly valued by Albertans. For a majority of workers in Alberta and across Canada, the CPP is the only workplace pension they have. In 2016, over two-thirds of Albertans indicated they supported an expanded CPP.

The CPP pays a secure, predictable, guaranteed benefit until death, and the pension is protected against inflation. At a time when fixed retirement incomes and private pensions have been eaten away by higher prices, CPP benefits rose 6.5% in January 2023. The CPP is fully sustainable and is currently being enhanced—it will be there for Albertans, for generations to come.

The CPP is fully portable, following workers wherever they work, regardless of how often they change jobs. Canada has bilateral social security agreements with over 50 countries, to ensure full eligibility for pensionable employment, coordination and
non-duplication. In addition to the retirement benefit, the CPP also includes death benefits, survivor’s benefits, and disability benefits.

“At a time with so much other economic uncertainty, we need to protect and preserve the valuable supports we currently have, like the CPP. We should be working to ensure retirement security for all Albertans and Canadians, not jeopardizing the few secure sources of retirement security workers do have,” said Bruske. “We are committed to working with the Alberta Federation of Labour and our other affiliates in Alberta to ensure workers are well informed on the advantages of remaining within the CPP, as well as the very real risks and disadvantages of withdrawing from it.”

The post Alberta Premier Danielle Smith gambling with workers’ futures appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

OTTAWA- As the cabinet retreat adjourns and all parties prepare for the return of Parliament next Monday, Canada’s unions are urging cooperation and collaboration focused on helping struggling families.

December’s CPI numbers showed that inflation is moderating in Canada, but workers continue to see their wages lagging. According to the Bank of Canada’s most recent survey, Canadians are cutting down on their spending by fear of higher interest rates and the specter of a looming recession.

“I hope that Governor Macklem and the Bank of Canada are seriously considering pausing rate hikes this year,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Let’s hope they are just as quick to start reducing rates as they were hiking them. If we are thrown into a recession, that would initiate massive job losses and downward pressure on wages.”

Across the country, the effects of the Bank of Canada’s interest rate hikes are apparent. Big banks are expecting tens of thousands of people to default on their mortgages, and food banks are reporting a massive increase in usage. Meanwhile, before noon on January 3, Canada’s top CEOs had already pocketed the average workers’ annual salary.

“Parliament will resume next week and we’re at a crossroads. The rising costs of food, housing, and prescription medication are affecting everyone, meaning more and more people must make difficult choices – buying food to put on the table or buying the medication their kid needs. No one should have to make that impossible decision,” added Bruske.

“We are seeing public health care failing across the country – we have ERs shutting down, children’s hospitals are swamped, wait times for critical surgeries just keep getting longer and the worst recently happened when people died while waiting for care in an emergency room. At the heart of the crisis facing our health care system right now is the critical shortage of workers – the government needs to address this, and fast,” said Bruske.

To tackle the never-before-seen staff shortage, the government must invest in health care workers with better pay, benefits, pension plan and working conditions. Canada’s unions are asking the government to invest in addressing the underutilization of internationally educated health care workers with meaningful and faster licensure and certification.

Canada’s unions will be urging the government to increase investments in health care and to strongly oppose the privatization of our care systems. The Prime Minister needs to call a First Ministers’ meeting and work with provinces and territories to put in place programs like pharmacare and dental care for all to help alleviate some of the costs families are facing, ultimately helping reduce the impacts of inflation.

Canada’s unions will be pushing the government to fix the shattered Employment Insurance (EI) system. This must start with restoring temporary EI measures until permanent improvements can take effect.

Canada’s unions will also be calling on Parliament to pass anti-scab legislation, quickly. Workers don’t just need anti-scab legislation, they need strong anti-scab legislation. The government has an excellent model for this legislation in NDP MP Boulerice’s private member’s Bill C-302 and we are urging all parties to work together to pass this Bill.

Senators must also act swiftly to pass Bill C-228. This Bill will safeguard the hard-earned pensions of millions of workers and pensioners. It will also ensure that super-priority is given to pensioners and pension plan members in the event of an employer becoming insolvent, meaning they will have to pay pensions before addressing other financial liabilities.

Senators have a historic opportunity to restore fairness for workers and pensioners and ensure the injustice faced by Sears, Nortel, and Stelco workers is never allowed to happen again.

“Parliamentarians working together, across party lines, is key to progress. Cooperation between the New Democrats and the Liberal government resulted in significant gains – and Canada’s unions will continue to push for more cooperation to tackle the pressing challenges ahead of us,” said Bruske.

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To arrange an interview, please contact:

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

The post Politicians must collaborate to find solutions for Canada’s struggling workers appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

OTTAWA — Canada’s unions are happy to see Bill C-228 passed in the House of Commons today. This bill aimed to ensure that in the event of an employer becoming insolvent, the employer will have to prioritize paying pensions before addressing other financial liabilities.

‘‘Bill C-228 is about fairness for workers. We’re encouraged by the cross-party support for this legislation,’’ said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “For decades we have seen companies pay out creditors, even pay out bonuses to executives after declaring bankruptcy, while workers wait at the back of the line. We are glad to finally see workers being prioritized over banks and CEOs in bankruptcies situations.’’

We are disappointed in the actions of Liberal MP, Kevin Lamoureux, which resulted in the removal of important protections that would have given super priority to workers’ severance and termination. 

“Pensions are earned and paid for by workers, and that money belongs to them. Workers depend on that money when they retire,” added Bruske. “It is frustrating and unjust that workers are left with crumbs when a company enters insolvency.”

Bill C-228 is an important move towards protecting workers. Canada’s unions are now asking senators to act urgently and pass this bill. The Senate has an obligation to represent the interests of Canadians, particularly those who are underrepresented. Bill C-228 will provide crucial protections for workers across the country in the event that their employer declares bankruptcy.

It is important to remember that workplace pensions are not gifts from the employer. Pensions are essential to the financial security and well-being of working people in Canada. Next to their homes, pension savings are one of the most important pools of assets that workers accumulate over their lifetimes. We believe defined benefits plans are an excellent way to attract and retain employees, and we are determined to maintain and improve these plans.

“Never again should the injustice faced by Sears workers, Nortel workers, Stelco workers, and others should be allowed to happen,” noted Bruske. “We are glad to see progress on protecting people’s pensions, and making sure that workers receive what they are owed in the event a company goes bankrupt—workers should always be the first priority, not the last, and they need senators to stand up for them and pass this bill.”

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

The post Unions welcome new protections for workers’ pensions appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“Pensions are a deferred pay cheque. Workers have put in their hours, their hard work, and have earned those pensions. That investment deserves to be protected,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “At a time when so many families are finding their budgets tight and anxiety around finances rising, it is important for workers to know their pension is protected.”   

The Canadian Labour Congress has been advocating for changes to the Bankruptcy Act and the Pensions Benefit Act for decades. Canada’s unions have worked alongside many New Democrat MPs over the years; including Daniel Blaikie (C-225), Scott Duvall (C-259) and Pat Martin (C-281), to previously bring forth elements of today’s Pension Protection Act (C-228). With today’s cross-partisan collaboration, MPs can now make protection for Canadian pensioners the law.

“For decades we have seen companies pay out creditors, even pay out bonuses to executives after declaring bankruptcy, while workers wait at the back of the line,” added Bruske. “The current law says if a company goes bankrupt, their taxes, lenders and suppliers are all paid before employees get their pensions, severance, or even are paid their wages for work they’ve already completed. This is unfair.”

Opposition MPs have now agreed on amendments so the Pension Protection Act, in addition to covering pensions in bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings, will also protect termination and severance pay of workers. The bill, with support of these three parties, will now move on to the Finance Committee for review and amendment before returning to the House for final approval. It now has sufficient support to become law.

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

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Canada’s elderly population is growing: Statistics Canada reports that nearly one in every five Canadians is 65 years of age or older. Nearly one in five current retirees have less than $25,000 in savings and investments.

“Our population is aging, but we don’t currently have adequate supports to help keep seniors out of poverty in retirement,” said Bea Bruske, President of the CLC. “With the economic upheaval brought on by COVID, more than one in ten Canadians now say they do not expect to ever retire. And as the number of private-sector workers covered by a decent workplace pension steadily declines, strong public pension benefits are crucial to helping people retire with dignity.”

Over 2 million seniors with low and modest incomes rely on the Guaranteed Income Supplement each month. The current bout of relatively high inflation is especially difficult for pensioners on fixed incomes.

Thankfully, Canada’s public pension benefits – Old Age Security, the Guaranteed Income Supplement and the Canada and Quebec Pension Plans – remain fully indexed against inflation. This inflation protection is yet another reason to expand Canada’s universal public pensions.

“Canada’s unions have been calling for the federal government to expand our social safety net as part of their pandemic recovery plans. Seniors were especially vulnerable to the health impacts of COVID-19, and now many are struggling to manage the financial impacts as well. We owe it to the seniors who helped build this country to ensure that they aren’t left behind in Canada’s recovery plans,” said Bruske.

The post UN Day for Older Persons: Canada’s unions call for strong supports for seniors appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Erin O’Toole’s pensions announcement today is long on rhetoric about concern for workers, but short on real answers to helping workers and pensioners in need.

“Mr. O’Toole and the Conservatives’ platform doesn’t say if workers and pensioners will come before banks and money lenders,” said Canadian Labour Congress President Bea Bruske. “The question working Canadians are asking is: can you really trust Conservative Erin O’Toole, who spent a career defending big corporations, to stand up now to his friends on Bay Street? Will he really tell the banks, who rake in billions in profits, to step aside and let workers go to the front of the line?”

In 2018, O’Toole presented his own bill on commercial bankruptcies, but it would actually have allowed executive bonuses to rise by a factor of ten once a company entered creditor protection.

“Conservative Erin O’Toole’s rhetoric just doesn’t match his record. He has repeatedly failed to support pensioners – and even wrote a law to make it easier for corporations to walk away from pension obligations,” said Bruske. “Workers and pensioners, who have given decades of blood, sweat and tears to these companies, should stand at the front of the line. It’s their money, their savings at stake. Yet when Sears pensioners or Stelco pensioners needed help, time and again Conservatives failed to stand up.”

Bruske noted that when working people and Canada’s unions came together to fight to enhance Canadian Pension Plan (CPP) benefits, through Bill C-26, O’Toole repeatedly said: “There is no retirement crisis in Canada.”

Today’s announcement comes on the heels of O’Toole’s proposal to divert pension contributions away from the CPP and into individual savings accounts managed by the big banks – paving the way to privatizing public pensions.

And as cabinet minister under Stephen Harper, O’Toole went along with cuts to veterans’ services and attacked the public employee’s union for standing up for veterans while Conservatives spent $700,000 in court costs trying to clawback pension and disability benefits.

Here is O’Toole’s record on helping workers:
• voted to make it harder to refuse dangerous work.
• voted to make it harder for us to organize, and easier for employers and the government to pry into union work.
• voted for unfair trade deals that cost thousands of good manufacturing jobs then lied to defend them.

The post O’Toole speaks out of both sides of his mouth on pensions appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

OTTAWA – Hidden in Erin O’Toole’s Conservative policy platform is a kick in the teeth for the retirement and job security of gig workers.

“Conservatives have a policy plan that includes a blatant attack on public pensions. They would permanently relegate gig workers to second-class status in Canada’s workforce,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

The Conservative platform proposes a new private retirement and wage-loss scheme for gig workers that would replace the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Employment Insurance (EI) program. It’s called the portable Employee Savings Account, and it forces workers to depend on a private fund at the mercy of bank fees and subject to unpredictable stock markets.

“The Conservatives’ plan denies over a million gig economy workers access to not only the protections of basic labour standards, but to the Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance as well,” said Bruske. “These workers kept Canada going during the darkest days of the pandemic, yet Erin O’Toole and the Conservatives would deny them retirement security, EI benefits and even basic legal protections. That is reprehensible.”

The policy, as outlined in the Conservative election platform, would exclude gig economy workers from vital social programs that provide employees cost-effective retirement and unemployment benefits and force them into a riskier private plan.

“If Erin O’Toole forms government he would create two tiers of Canadian workers. One with basic workplace protections and hard-fought benefits, built by generations of Canadians – the other left to the whims of the market,” said Bruske. “Mr. O’Toole has made quite a show of claiming he is pro-union and pro-worker, but his platform amounts to a hypocritical attack on workers,” concluded Bruske.

“Canada’s unions will fight this unfair scheme and stand up for gig economy workers.”

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

The post Hidden in Conservative platform: An attack on public pensions and EI appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Pension plans are complex, long-term arrangements. Funding, design and investment decisions made today will affect generations far into the future. Choices made about pensions cannot be based narrowly on current economic and demographic circumstances and certainly not unrelated political grievances.

Creating an Alberta Pension Plan, and withdrawing from the CPP, carry significant risks and uncertainties. Alberta’s economic and industrial structure and currently favourable demographics will almost certainly continue to evolve and change in the future.

When Quebec chose in 1966 to establish the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) outside of the CPP, that province’s population was younger than the rest of Canada and its share of people aged 65 and over was lower. What was unforeseen at the time was that the drop in the birth rate in Quebec following the postwar baby boom also proved greater than the rest of Canada, while other provinces experienced greater immigration inflows. Because of these trends, Quebec announced in 2011 a gradual increase in contribution rates for the QPP. For the first time since the creation of the CPP and QPP, Quebeckers were forced to pay a higher contribution rate than other Canadians for the same pension benefit – because of a decision made almost 50 years earlier to create the QPP.

The CPP has been in place for over half a century. It is a well-established and mature pension plan. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), which invests the assets of the CPP, is an experienced and successful global investment manager. If Alberta withdraws from the CPP, it will have to replicate the CPP’s institutions and administrative capacity, virtually from scratch. It will have to pool risk across a much smaller group of contributors. It will have to negotiate new agreements with Quebec and the federal government to prevent a loss of portability rights. It will have to match the sophistication and stature of the CPPIB, amidst uncertain and sometimes volatile market conditions where inexperience can lead to costly blunders – as the Alberta Investment Management Corporation recently discovered. There are also significant legal and financial uncertainties entailed in withdrawing from the CPP, which themselves risk undermining confidence in pensions.

Pensions and workers’ livelihoods are too important to play politics with. We cannot allow workers’ financial security to be used as a bargaining chip or political plaything of elected officials. If the Government of Alberta proceeds with a referendum on an Alberta Pension Plan, the CLC and its affiliates commit to working closely with the Alberta Federation of Labour to inform all Albertans of the advantages of remaining within the CPP and the risks and disadvantages of withdrawing from it.

The post CLC Canadian Council Statement on an Alberta Pension Plan appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

“We’re glad to see the government announce support for hard-hit sectors, and companies that employ millions of Canadians,” said Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) President Hassan Yussuff. “Most importantly, the government has included explicit directives to respect collective agreements, bargaining and pension protections.”

In the wake of today’s announcement, labour leaders continue to push for requirements to preserve employment and maintain these investment in Canada, and the necessity for all employers to supply proper health and safety protections for returning workers.

Today’s announcement could have gone further by restricting access from firms who use offshore tax havens and tax-shelters, as well as halting share buybacks, dividend payments and executive bonuses.

“Overall, we believe that the terms laid out in this announcement will help save Canadian jobs,” added Yussuff. “Beyond today’s announcement, we will be advocating for further measures to protect the pensions of employees of companies facing insolvency who aren’t large enough to qualify for LEEFF.”

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

The post Canada’s unions welcome support for large industries appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

Representing 40,000 employees, Canada’s airline unions participating in the meeting included the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Unifor, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) Canada, the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) as well as the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

“A key priority for today’s call was to ensure that front-line aviation employees still working have the appropriate personal protective equipment,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “This includes pre-board screeners, flight crews, and passenger agents who are working to ensure the safety of both employees and the travelling public.”

Union leaders urged the federal government to consider measures similar to those in U.S. Congress where affected airline and airport workers are to be provided top-up benefits similar to those in U.S. Congress where 80% of wages are guaranteed. The Unions also proposed that employers extend health benefit plans and ensure pensionable service is accrued under retirement plans. Moreover, they also wanted to ensure that any federal aid allows laid-off employees to return to payroll and maintains employment levels.

Unions also asserted that any government support be accompanied by tight restrictions on executive compensation. This includes bonuses and stock options, share buybacks and dividend payments, as well as debt repayment designed to increase shareholder value.

“Air travel is a vital part of Canada’s transportation network and economy, and the success of any federal financial aid package will require worker supports,” added Yussuff. “Canada’s unions welcome the federal government’s efforts to work with Labour to ensure the airline industry will continue to flourish into the future.”

To arrange an interview, please contact:

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

CUPE
Philippe Gagnon
613-894-0146

UNIFOR
Hamid Osman
Hamid.Osman@unifor.org
647-448-2823

IAMAW
Frank Saptel
fsaptel@iamaw.org
416-386-1789

ALPA
media@alpa.org

ACPA
Kym Robertson
krobertson@acpa.ca

The post Canada’s unions deliver clear priorities for federal airline relief package appeared first on Canadian Labour Congress.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To arrange an interview, please contact:

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

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The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) reaffirmed their commitment and solidarity with Unifor Local 594 workers who are ready to bargain a fair deal.

“The union has demonstrated a strong desire to bargain with their employer to get back to work,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “Today, I’m calling on CLC’s affiliates to extend their support to these workers, and pressure the employer to bargain in good faith. It’s time to end this lockout.”

Executives at Federated Co-operatives Limited locked out Unifor Local 594 members on December 5, 2019. The dispute deepened through the use of replacement workers and picket lines.

“Over the last 60 days, this protracted dispute has not only harmed refinery workers, but the broader Regina community and needs to end,” added SFL President Lori Johb. “Regina area families, farmers and Co-op members have suffered enough. The community is frustrated and wants this lockout over.”

For more information and to set up an interview, please contact:

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613-526-7426

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“Canada’s unions know the sacrifice it takes for workers to stand against an unreasonable employer,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “The arrest of Unifor Local 594 workers on the picket line, including Unifor President Jerry Dias, is unacceptable. It is time for this lockout to end.”

Following the nationwide call for solidarity by Unifor leadership, Canada’s labour movement is answering in support of all workers. The escalation of this labour dispute through the use of replacement workers and last night’s arrests, signal that it is time for this lockout to end.

“Here we have a wealthy and powerful employer who makes billions in profits annually, locking out workers over pension concessions. The disrespect and unreasonable demands need to end,” added SFL President Lori Johb. “We understand the Co-op Refinery workers’ frustration and want to reaffirm that our support will be steadfast and ongoing.”

For more information and to set up an interview, please contact:

media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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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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You can be forgiven if you’ve avoided thinking about the upcoming federal election all summer, but Labour Day is here. That means it’s time to return to the fall routine and start thinking about how you are going to cast your ballot.

You may have seen politicians working the barbecue circuit, vying for the support of workers and their families. They often claim to know what voters need. Let’s tell them what voters want.

After all, voting for the country we want is both a cherished right, and a significant responsibility.  And it’s under threat.

Lies, misinformation, and propaganda proliferating online are dividing and distracting people like never before.

We know that domestic and foreign actors will likely continue to foment division through contentious topics like immigration and the environment. We must remain united and focused on what truly matters: a present and future that leaves no one behind.

Not only are we facing an uncertain future, but the strides working people have made in the last four years are also in jeopardy. 

Canada’s unions are cutting through the noise with a simple message to voters: Canadians must elect a government that is committed to a fair Canada for everyone.

This is much more than a slogan but a clear call to action on five key areas that will shape the future of this country. Each of them centre on the health and well-being of Canadians.

Canada’s unions have successfully worked with governments and health experts to make universal pharmacare a ballot box issue this fall.

That’s because over 3.5 million Canadians struggle to pay for the medications they need. Private insurers and pharmaceutical companies have a vested interest in preserving a status quo that sees Canadians paying some of the highest drug prices in the world. Canada remains the only developed country with universal health care, without a universal pharmacare plan. A single-payer system would rein in drug prices and save Canadians over four billion dollars per year, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer.

Also key to the well-being of Canadians is the assurance that they will be able to live in dignity in retirement. Following the Conservative party’s defeat in the last federal election, Canada’s unions lobbied for an expansion of public pensions and won a 50% increase to Canada Pension Plan benefits, along with top-up payments for 900,000 low-income single seniors and the restoration of Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement for those over the age of 65, down from 67.

We need a government that is committed to improving public pensions and protecting hard-earned private pensions when employers go bankrupt. 

We also need to talk about the economic health of our nation’s working people. With a rise in precarious, temporary, and low-wage work, more and more people are struggling to get by. We need to vote for a government that clearly defines what it will invest towards creating good jobs for all Canadians.

It’s also time for bold action that tackles our climate emergency while creating economic opportunities in green industries. We deserve a government that is committed to clean air and water, invests in public transportation, and supports workers and communities transitioning to a greener economy.

With hardline Conservative governments now running the majority of the provinces, we cannot forget what a decade of Stephen Harper’s Conservatives did to working people and their families and risk the rollback of hard-won social gains and the rewriting of the Canadian constitution.

Can Canadians afford a government that cares more about private corporations and tax cuts for the super-rich than it does about everyday working people? Can we risk electing a government that refuses to address the climate catastrophe? Can we accept a government that is prepared to exploit people’s fear and insecurity to fuel racism and intolerance?

This Labour Day, let’s recommit to standing together for an inclusive Canada where everyone prospers.

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

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That means unions will be calling on Canadian workers to vote for candidates who support universal pharmacare, retirement security, climate action, equity and inclusion, and good jobs for everyone.

“Over the last four years, our work has resulted in impressive gains: expanding public pensions, protecting victims of domestic violence, investing billions in infrastructure projects, banning asbestos, and making pay equity the law,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

“While these have been substantial victories, we are only getting started. Low wages, precarious work and underemployment continue to hurt too many Canadians; fear and insecurity are fueling racism and intolerance, and climate change threatens the survival of our planet.”

“We will do our part to mobilize Canadians to choose candidates who will make Canada more fair for workers and their families,” said Yussuff.

“We will be urging every candidate to commit to creating good jobs. We will be pushing the political parties for climate action for a sustainable planet. We will be challenging hate and divisiveness with equity and inclusion.”

By launching a national campaign, “A Fair Canada for Everyone”, the CLC will be working with labour councils, federations of labour and unions across the country to advance the issues at stake for workers and their families.

“Labour Day is a national reminder that workers can come together to improve workplaces and communities, so it is a fitting time to launch our election campaign for a fair Canada for everyone,” adds Yussuff.

To read details about what unions are calling for in this election, visit faircanadaforeveryone.ca

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On Friday, June 14, Brazilian trade union national centres, grassroots unions, students, and popular and social movements are going on a national general strike to protest government neoliberal reforms to the Brazilian social security system. These reforms attack poorer workers while maintaining the privilege of the elites. Brazilian trade union leaders warn that if the reforms are not stopped, the right to retirement will disappear.

Both the government that took power in Brazil after the coup d’état in 2016, and the government elected in 2018 after the illegitimate imprisonment of former President Lula, have implemented a series of measures to weaken and eliminate workers’ rights.

“Social security should not be a privilege for the few who can pay for a private-based system,” says Hassan Yussuff, CLC President and President of the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas. “We join Brazilian workers in fighting neoliberal policies that threaten the security and dignity of workers worldwide.”

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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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