The 2019 federal budget was released on Tuesday, March 19 and despite being the last budget before this fall’s federal election, sets out only a modest fiscal plan rather than a bold vision for the future. The CLC, which represents over 3 million Canadian workers, issued an immediate response to the budget but is now releasing a more detailed budget…

The Canadian Labour Congress welcomes new measures to lay the groundwork for national pharmacare, provide assistance for the neediest seniors, skills training, and a community-centred approach to carbon reduction, but says Canadians have a lot riding on the next election. “Canadian workers, their families and their communities will benefit from new budgetary measures that lay the groundwork for curbing exorbitant…

The 2019 federal budget signals the government’s plans and priorities leading up to the fall election. Canada’s unions expect Budget 2019 to outline a multi-year roadmap making significant improvements to the well-being of working people and vulnerable groups in Canada. At the same time, the budget must address urgent priorities for working people in its spending plans for the 2019-2020…

Canada’s unions welcome the interim report presented today by the federal Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare. Its key recommendations begin to address the existing inefficiencies in an unfair system that leaves millions of Canadians unable to afford their prescriptions and grappling with the third highest drug prices in the world. “The recommendations in today’s report have the…

On October 20, 1904 the leader of Canada’s first social democratic government and the father of Medicare – Tommy Douglas – was born in Camelon, Scotland. A Baptist minister by calling, Douglas would serve as one of Canada’s first CCF Members of Parliament, Premier of Saskatchewan and the first leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada. Often called the…

A diverse coalition representing health care providers, non-profit organizations, workers, seniors, patients and academics has come together to issue a statement of consensus principles for the establishment of National Pharmacare in Canada. Our coalition believes that National Pharmacare should be a seamless extension of the existing universal health care system in Canada, which covers medically necessary physician and hospital services,…

The first Monday in September has been an official holiday in Canada since 1894, and in the United States since 1892. But the origin of Labour Day came 20 years before that, when unions started holding parades and rallies in Toronto and Ottawa to celebrate the successful 1872 Toronto printers’ strike – the original “fight for fairness” that won major…

This Labour Day, Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to get it right on pharmacare by creating a single-payer, universal prescription drug program for Canada. Labour Day offers Canadians an important opportunity to reflect on the legacy of unions, to take stock of our progress and to commit ourselves to working together for a fairer future. Canada’s unions…

Canadian Labour Congress President Hassan Yussuff reacted with optimism and anticipation to today’s announcement of the appointees to Canada’s Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare. “I am excited to welcome the six appointees to Canada’s newly minted pharmacare advisory council. They have an important job ahead of them and Canada’s unions are ready and willing to work with…

Canada’s unions are kicking off Pride season by renewing the call for universal pharmacare. Too many LGBTQ2SI people are among the more than 3.5 million people living in Canada who can’t afford to fill their prescriptions; and over half of people living in Canada are afraid they won’t be able to afford their prescription medication in the future. The LGBTQ2SI…