Saturday, October 16, 2010
LOCAL EVENTS WINNIPEG:
PROTEST HONORARY DEGREE TO VIC TOEWS:
As Molly has mentioned before tomorrow there will be a ceremony to present federal Justice Minister Vic Toews with a (dis ?)honorary degree at the University of Winnipeg. It's a strange case of "honour" as one can question the basis for it in terms of service to the community. Has VT saved even one medical patient from a deadly disease ? Has he given even one person hope via raising them from poverty ? Has he established even one innovative social program that has done any good whatsoever ? I don't mean building more prisons. Has he contributed anything whatsoever to the literary or artistic legacy of this country at least once ? Has he even been entertaining and told at least one original funny joke in his life ? In other words has he ever done anything whatsoever to make anyone's life better at any time in the past present or future ? Or has he been a good and crafty political timeserver and held enough offices for enough years to coast into a bizarre "port of honour". What on Earth does "honour" mean in this case ?
Some will be opposing the granting of this 'honorarily' degree. Here's the notice of the protest.
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Vic Toews Honorary Degree Protest
Time Sunday, October 17 · 12:00pm - 2:00pm
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Vic Toews Honorary Degree Protest
Time Sunday, October 17 · 12:00pm - 2:00pm
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Location University of Winnipeg, Bulman Centre basement
515 Portage Ave
Winnipeg, MB
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More Info
515 Portage Ave
Winnipeg, MB
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More Info
Join the Coalition for Integrity in Academic Accolades on Sunday, October 17th at 12:00 noon in the Riddell Hall Cafeteria (U of W) for a protest of the University of Winnipeg's decision to grant Vic Toews an Honorary Doctorate of Laws. We will be meeting in the cafeteria to coordinate before moving outdoors to the protest... location which will remain undisclosed until Sunday. All who attend the protest are asked to be respectful towards those attending the convocation ceremony.
The sins of Toews are too numerous to list, but here are a few lowlights:
-Vic Toews believes that a bill adding queer Canadians to a list of groups protected by hate propaganda legislation is "a dangerous bill that will toss fundamental Canadian freedoms out the window.”
-Vic Toews has suggested lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 10 and is not opposed to putting 10-year-olds in jail.
-Vic Toews spoke in favour of re-criminalizing abortions at the National Pro-Life Conference that was held in Winnipeg in 2004.
-Vic Toews has compared legalizing same-sex marriage to the “government celebrating a Black Mass.” ( Molly Note- In which case it should be right up the Harperite alley. The federal Conservatives seem pretty Satanic to me )
Labels: conservatives, local events, protests, Vic Toews, Winnipeg
Saturday, September 04, 2010
HUMOUR:
A SENSE OF PRIORITIES:
Labels: Canadian politics, cartoons, conservatives, humour, jokes, Stephan Harper
Thursday, June 03, 2010
HUMOUR:
ALL THE NEWS THE TORIES WANT YOU TO HEAR:
Labels: Canadian politics, cartoons, conservatives, government, humour, jokes, secrecy, Steven Harper
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
CANADIAN POLITICS: WHAT IS HARPER'S SECRET ?:
The story of the "power pair", Rahim Jaffer and Helena Guergis continues to develop by the day. The latest is that Canada's Ethics Commissioner has excused herself from investigating the so far secret (how typically conservative !) "allegations against Guergis because it is "not within her mandate". What this means is that whatever Guergis is guilty of is probably not connected with how she allowed her husband to use the perks of her office as a junior minister. What exactly Guergis is accused of and probably guilty of (beyond sharing her husband's cocaine) has been conveniently buried beneath an RCMP investigation which will no doubt take an extended time, especially as the government will apply all sorts of pressure to extend such time.
What are the skeletons in the closet ? Molly has noticed that one thing that was "in the news" a week ago is no longer such ie how Guergis got a "sweetheart deal" on her recent purchase of an Ottawa house. If the "influence" on the bank was from her and her husband's organized crime contacts then yes; it is not within the purview of the Parliamentary Ethics Commissioner. But it is still criminal. Look for this to be thoroughly buried for a long time to come. *It seems to have been forgotten by the mass media in the last week. for memory's sake here's an article from the Toronto Star a week ago about this particular pit that the couple has gone swimming in.
CPCPCPCPCPCPCP
Probe Helena Guergis mortgage, Liberals ask ethics czar
Probe Helena Guergis mortgage, Liberals ask ethics czar
Tory minister received $800,000 for new home without down payment
OTTAWA–The Liberals are asking the federal ethics commissioner to look into a big mortgage given to embattled Tory cabinet minister Helena Guergis.
They want to know if Guergis received preferential treatment to finance an expensive new home.
Liberal MP Marlene Jennings wrote to commissioner Mary Dawson on Tuesday, asking her to look into reports that Guergis was given a mortgage for the full $880,000 cost of the Ottawa home.
Jennings says reports suggest a Bank of Nova Scotia branch in Edmonton granted the mortgage without requiring a down payment.
She notes that the conflict of interest code for MPs stipulates that no MP or family member shall accept – directly or indirectly – any gift or benefit that might be perceived as an attempt to influence the MP.
Guergis, the minister of state for the status of women, came under opposition fire in February for throwing a tantrum at Charlottetown airport.
And last week, she faced further calls for her resignation after it was revealed that several current and former staffers had written letters to newspapers praising the minister – without identifying their links to her.
Guergis's husband, former Edmonton Tory MP Rahim Jaffer, has helped keep the spotlight on the minister. He was fined last month for careless driving after charges of cocaine possession and impaired driving were dropped.
Labels: Canadian politics, conservatives, corruption, current events, Helena Guergis, rahim jaffer, Steven Harper
Thursday, April 08, 2010
CANADIAN POLITICS:
CONSERVATIVE CORRUPTION:
Ex Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer has become the subject of outrage to the average Canadian and amusement to those who take politics as a spectator sport. From accomplishing the almost impossible in being beaten by an NDP candidate in Edmonton of all places to having an aide imitate him on a talk show his is a hard act to follow. It's very hard to top being caught over 0.08 while driving and having cocaine found in one's possession at the time of the arrest and getting off with a "driving without due care and attention" slap on the wrist. Mr Jaffer, however, has managed to top himself, as the following story from the Toronto Star about the events that preceded his arrest details.
There is only one person on the Canadian political scene that gives Jaffer any competition for the title of loosest cannon, and that is his wife, sitting Conservative MP Helena Guergis. While the public may wonder how anyone could escape and double whammy change of drunk driving and cocaine possession (political interference ???) the spectacle of someone throwing a vandalistic temper tantrum at airport security and not only not being charged but actually being allowed to proceed onto the plane may be equally mystifying. Guergis also apparently took a page from her husband's book and had her staff fake letters to the editor from supposed 'unconnected' members of the public. the latest pit that she has fallen into is that there are now demands for a investigation on the part of the Ethics Commissioner concerning the details of her house purchases. A fine pair indeed. Obviously meant for each other.
Here are the sordid details of Jaffer's night out before he got nailed. It begins with a high end party at a Toronto steak house attended by 5 characters of ill repute plotting how to soak the Canadian taxpayer. Their escorts for the night are three ladies of the same.
CPCPCPCPCPCPCPCP
Former MP Rahim Jaffer connected to alleged conman
Former MP Rahim Jaffer connected to alleged conman
Jaffer boasted to businesses: I can get government money easily
Kevin Donovan
Staff Reporter
The booze was flowing on the back patio at Harbour 60 Steakhouse in downtown Toronto.
Nazim Gillani of International Strategic Investments, four business associates, and three busty hookers dined in style last Sept. 10.
Former MP Rahim Jaffer, a self-described peddler of government grants, credits and loans, was in fine form, chatting up prospective clients. Early the next morning, Gillani would greet the day with a colourful email to the night’s guests: “Mr. Jaffer has opened up the Prime Minister’s office to us,” he boasted, unaware at the time of how Jaffer’s night had ended. Gillani is a character. By last September, at least two major police departments and the federal taxman were after him on fraud or tax evasion allegations.
Sixty kilometres north of the dark wood panelling of Harbour 60, a dozen Ontario Provincial Police officers were setting up a RIDE check, a routine stop and sniff assignment that is the bread and butter of the Caledon OPP detachment. Sgt. Mike Garant was the boss. Ten-year veteran Kim Stapleton, a by-the-book officer, was also on duty. Often praised for her work, Stapleton was one of a group of OPP officers selected to travel to the Olympics to work on a security detail in the new year. With other Caledon officers that night, she set up a highly visible RIDE checkpoint just north of the road that snakes past the Pumpkin Patch Childcare Centre. Proudly displayed in their tiny OPP detachment is a MacLean’s article on strict policing with the headline: Caledon: Where you can’t get away with anything.
The intersection of Gillani, Jaffer and the waiting RIDE program is central to the unanswered question surrounding events that Thursday night – how did Jaffer escape serious charges with a slap on the wrist? And its raises another question – was the former MP selling government access he did not have?
Nazim Gillani lives and works out of a rented, million dollar, two-storey home on a busy stretch of Kipling Ave. in Etobicoke. Hanging around the house at any given time are a former CFL offensive guard who once faced steroid production and marijuana possession charges (they were dropped); a lawyer suspended three times for not cooperating with Law Society probes into his business ; a creeping nest of would-be-titans-of-finance; and an odd parade of 20 something interns from business schools across the country.
In the driveway there is usually a Porsche Turbo, two BMWs, a sleek Infiniti, a Mercedes, and a lumbering old white van. Gillani owns none of his empire, at least on paper.
Gillani, the ceo of ISI, is a 43-year old wheeler dealer whose company boasts it “has been successful in obtaining grants and loans from various Government bodies.” A typical day for Gillani involves a late breakfast on the Queensway, an afternoon meeting around the kitchen table at the house, an early evening visit to his “Bloor Street Office” (the VIP lounge at strip joint Club Paradise) and a dinner like this one.
At Harbour 60, Gillani was doing what he always does: Talking big about deals. Gillani – “Naz” to his pals – has a habit of finding new businesses, promising to take them public. As the first part of that process he convinces owners of companies to pay him cash to cover his fees. Businessmen who have walked away angry say Gillani owes them hundreds of thousands of dollars, and they received nothing in return. Some speculate that Gillani raised money for them, and kept it. Though some would like to complain to police, they say they are reluctant to because Gillani has told them he has compromising photographs of them at strip clubs.
Keeping a close watch on Gillani at the dinner, as he always does, was former Toronto Argonaut offensive guard Mike Mihelic, his six-foot-five inch, 310 pound vice-president of business affairs (who owns most of the cars in the driveway).
Mihelic and Gillani, that night, were feeling heat from York Region Police, who were probing their involvement in a $1.5 million wire transfer fraud against home buildings supply company Rona, a case unrelated to Gillani’s investment schemes. The allegations of investment fraud were being looked into by the Integrated Market Enforcement Team, an RCMP-led task force.
Gillani was visibly drunk; Jaffer was not, though he drank steadily.
Jaffer is known in Ottawa, where the Edmonton native was an MP for a decade, as a party animal. To those assembled at Harbour 60 though, Jaffer explained that he could not stay out all night. He had borrowed his wife’s Ford Escape, parked it at the Kipling Street house, and Mihelic had driven him to Harbour 60 in the Porsche. Jaffer said his wife, Helena Guergis, the minister of state for the status of women, was returning from a business trip and he had to get home to the house they shared in Angus.
The night progressed from cocktails to wine to liqueurs.
The women were supplied by 23-year-old Jasmine of high class escort agency Cachet Ladies. Gillani tells his friends he is engaged to Jasmine, whom he met a year ago on an escort date.
Jaffer, as he often does, told businessmen that he and his company, Green Power Solutions, were experts in obtaining government money. “I can get it, no problem,” he said. His company’s promotional material boasts a “thorough knowledge of government policies and incentive programs.”
“I have access to a green fund,” Jaffer said at the table.
A few weeks before the Harbour 60 dinner, Jaffer and Gillani held court at another steak restaurant, La Castille in Etobicoke. Gillani told a group of invited businessmen that his company could arrange start-up financing, and that Jaffer could come up with federal government funds. Jaffer explained that he had expertise, particularly in securing what he called “green loans” at very low interest rates.
Though Jaffer has not been an MP since he lost an election in 2008, he still gives out his MP business cards and did so at La Castille.
(Former and current associates of Gillani were granted anonymity for this story for several reasons, primarily because they fear physical retribution from Gillani and his associates.)
Also on hand at both steakhouses was Dr. Hai Chen, a business associate working with Gillani and Jaffer on a murky deal Gillani calls the ‘China initiative.’
At Harbour 60, Jaffer and Chen made plans for the first of two trips to Shanghai to grow business contacts between Canada and China. After Jaffer said he could secure Canadian government money for businesses, Chen said he could do the same in China. There was much talk around the table of “green” projects, particularly a Canadian venture where waste could be turned into solid fuel.
Shortly before 11 pm, the dinner party ended. The bill for dinner and drinks for nine was more than $3,200. Gillani paid and he and his guests went to the parking lot. It’s unclear where everyone went, but Jaffer and Mihelic drove off in the Porsche. There was much talk at the dinner that some would head off to Club Paradise.
Constable Kim Stapleton was going off shift and left her fellow officers at the RIDE program in Palgrave at 12:45 am. A diligent officer, she activated her mobile radar detector as she drove south through Palgrave on Highway 50. The speed limit in the small town was 50 kph. The detector beeped and clocked the approaching Ford Escape SUV at 93 kph.
“I’ve got a high miler here,” Stapleton said into her radio, turning on her lights. She told Sgt. Mike Garant back at the RIDE program that she was pulling over an SUV.
Walking up to the car, the female officer shone her flashlight in at the driver. Rahim Jaffer looked back. Stapleton smelled alcohol and asked Jaffer several questions.
“I smell alcohol, I am doing an alc test,” Stapleton radioed to Garant.
Pulling a roadside breathalyzer unit from her cruiser she administered the test, which showed positive for alcohol. Stapleton radioed for a male officer to join her because she was arresting Jaffer. Stapleton called for a tow truck to take away the Ford.
Sgt. Garant sent an officer down to Stapleton’s position. The officer searched Jaffer and found a bag in his pocket, which turned out to be cocaine.
The police officers looked inside Jaffer’s car and found a stack of Helena Guergis’ business cards. They drove Jaffer to the Caledon East OPP detachment and administered a blood alcohol test, which showed a level above the legal .08 level (police have not released the level or amount of cocaine). In Ontario, the penalty for being found guilty of driving above the legal level is a one year licence suspension, a $1,000 fine and a requirement to install an ignition lock that prevents a vehicle from starting unless the driver provides a sober breath sample.
Officers at the OPP detachment conducted a strip search of Jaffer, which police say is standard protocol when drugs are found on a person.
Stapleton charged Jaffer, 38, with driving over the legal blood alcohol limit, speeding 93 kph in a 50 kph zone; and possession of cocaine. He was released from the station around 6 am on Friday, Sept. 11.
The news of the high profile former MP’s arrest did not trickle out for a week. The morning Jaffer was charged, Gillani sent out an email to investors that was full of positive bluster.
“As most of you may have heard, we had a rather earth moving experience last night at dinner with Rahim Jaffer and Dr. Chen. Mr. Jaffer has opened up the Prime Ministers’ office to us and as a result of that dinner – he today advised me that is just as excited as we are and joining our team seems to be the next logical step,” Gillani wrote to a dozen close associates. (Tory insiders say Jaffer has no such access). (Well he doesn't now-Molly )
When news of Jaffer’s arrest leaked out the next week, it was front page news. Toronto lawyer Howard Rubel was hired to defend Jaffer. Jaffer told associates that the cocaine was in his jacket pocket, which was hanging in the back seat of his car, which he said meant he would likely get off on a technicality. The police maintain the cocaine was in his pants pocket.
OPP officer Stapleton, with the realization that this high profile case was likely coming to court during her Olympic duties, prepared her notes and understood that if needed she would fly back to testify.
Meanwhile, York Regional Police detectives charged Gillani, Mihelic and several others in November with fraud in connection with a deal Gillani allegedly orchestrated. A former senior employee of Rona was coerced into using his computer and finance knowledge to wire $1.5 million of Rona money to a dummy account in Hong Kong. Jasmine, the Cachet Ladies escort, was with Gillani in his bedroom when detectives arrived to make the arrest. Sobbing, she pleaded with them not to take her boyfriend away.
Two of those accused have said they will plead guilty in return for providing evidence against Gillani. No findings of guilt have been made and the case continues in Newmarket court later this month.
At IMET, the detectives who investigate financial market fraud allegations, senior officer Kevin Harrison said through a spokesman that he is aware of Gillani, but won’t confirm that an investigation is underway. Gillani has previously faced charges of carrying a handgun in B.C., and is being probed in a tax evasion case. Neither of these cases have been resolved.
Jaffer and Gillani’s friendship and business association cooled by November, though Jaffer and Chen are still friends. Jaffer had four brief court hearings on the cocaine and driving charges last fall and early winter. His lawyer showed up; he did not.
For the OPP in Caledon, the Jaffer arrest was a routine case. That’s why officers were surprised to be told in early January by Crown Attorney Marie Balogh that she did not want a trial. Instead, she was seeking a guilty plea on reduced charges. A pre-trial conference – the matters discussed are secret – was held on Feb. 18, 2010 before a judge. Caledon OPP were notified that the deal with Jaffer was made at “the most senior levels” of provincial law enforcement. OPP Caledon pushed back but to no avail. ( No luck for the OPP- Molly )
The next night, Jaffer and Dr. Chen had dinner to discuss their recent trip to Shanghai and another planned for April. Jaffer told Chen his wife was flying in from Prince Edward Island – he was hoping to pick her up at the Toronto airport but heard she was delayed.
Chen said he learned the next day from news reports that the delay came because Charlottetown airport staff had asked Guergis to take her boots off for screening and the minister threw a tantrum. Guergis later apologized.
On March 9, 2010, crown attorney Balogh told a hearing (in front of a different judge) that she was withdrawing all charges – speeding, driving over the legal blood alcohol limit, and cocaine possession – against Jaffer because there were issues with the evidence and she saw no reasonable prospect of a conviction. She replaced the charge with one count of careless driving, to which the former MP pleaded guilty. He was fined $500 and also voluntarily made a $500 payment to a cystic fibrosis charity.
In Ottawa, politicians speculated that Jaffer received a deal – the judge described it as “a break” – because of political connections. Former Stephen Harper spokesman Kory Teneycke said that is “ridiculous.”
In Toronto, former associates of Gillani speculate that Jaffer has “rolled over” on Gillani, provided evidence, and in return was given a good deal on his drug, speeding and drunk driving charges. ( Possibly-Molly )
Jaffer lawyer Rubel said it that is “laughable.”
Neither Gillani, Mihelic or Jaffer would respond to interview requests. Gillani cancelled numerous appointments with a Star reporter.
“Last night I woke up in excruciating pain and my feet were the size of footballs. I don't know what it is - but I haven't moved at all,” Gillani wrote in one cancellation email.
Kevin Donovan can be reached at (416) 312-3503 or kdonovan@thestar.ca
CPCPCPCPCPCPCPCP
Further Molly Comment:
I can't say that I'm surprised by this sort of story. Over the years I've come to believe that while left wing politicians may be more annoying overall that right wing ones beat them hands down for sheer unmitigated dishonesty and corruption. This tendency reached truly astronomical heights in the USA, but as far as I can determine it is universal. I explain it by the shrivelled conscience that seems to go with the pursuit of power through right wing politics. Not that every conservative shares this disability, but it seems to be characteristic of their leaders.
Left wing politicians can indeed be venal, but the evidence is that right wing ones are very much more so. I think this is because their concept of "morality" has shrunk down to attempts to control the sexual behavior of others. If all it takes to appear moral is to condemn the behavior of those who say "have sex with knotholes in trees" then items such as theft and telling lies simply don't register as "sins" in such a world view.
Just to close it should be noted that Jaffer's little deception on the talk show happened in 2001. In 2006 that infallible judge of character and pillar of morality Prime Minister Steven Harper appointed him Chair of the Conservative caucus in Parliament. Think about this as you watch the conservative wheels spin as they attempt to distance themselves from him and his battle-axe wife. This pair gave lots of warning about their tendencies a long time ago, but to a Conservative politician such things are unimportant. Getting caught big time is, however, quite important.
Labels: Canadian politics, conservatives, corruption, current events, Helena Guergis, justice, rahim jaffer, Steven Harper
Sunday, April 04, 2010
CANADIAN LABOUR:
PROTEST CANADA POST CALL CENTRE PRIVATIZATION:
Plans on the part of Canada Post to privatize its customer service call centres have stirred up protests from the workers involved. Here is the basic story from the CBC.
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Planned Canada Post cuts draw union's ire
Plans by Canada Post to privatize its customer service call centres in cities across Canada are drawing fire from one of the country's largest unions.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), representing more than 165,000 public-sector workers, has pledged to combat the move, which is expected to result in the loss of 300 jobs across the country.
Call centres in Fredericton, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Edmonton are affected. The centres handle telephone inquiries from the public about postage rates and parcel tracking.
Canada Post's National Philatelic Centre in Antigonish, N.S., will also close, affecting about 70 jobs. The centre sells stamps from several other postal agencies around the world.
The Crown corporation said on Thursday that decreasing mail volumes prompted the cuts, which are slated to take place in 2011 after selected workers' contracts expire.
No full-time workers will be laid off, and the call centres will not be outsourced to overseas locations, a Canada Post spokesperson said.
In Manitoba, as many as 30 temporary employees at Canada Post's Winnipeg-based call depot will not have their contracts renewed. About 70 other permanent staff will move to other jobs with the Crown corporation.
Data for the other centres was not immediately available.
Privacy concerns raised
PSAC spokeswoman Janet May told CBC News that the changes are part of a broader effort by Canada Post management to move the company further toward complete privatization.
"Canada Post is in its 15th year of profit," May said. "So to an average Canadian, does it make sense that part of your postal system is getting privatized?"
The union said it also worries about the loss of people's privacy if they have to offer up personal information to a private company — especially if the call-centre work is outsourced to a U.S. company.
"I'm not sure that Canadians are ready to see their postal service become an information collection agency for the American government," said Robyn Benson, PSAC's executive vice-president for the Prairies.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/04/01/man-canada-post-cuts-call-centre.html#ixzz0kA223Zrt
Planned Canada Post cuts draw union's ire
Plans by Canada Post to privatize its customer service call centres in cities across Canada are drawing fire from one of the country's largest unions.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), representing more than 165,000 public-sector workers, has pledged to combat the move, which is expected to result in the loss of 300 jobs across the country.
Call centres in Fredericton, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Edmonton are affected. The centres handle telephone inquiries from the public about postage rates and parcel tracking.
Canada Post's National Philatelic Centre in Antigonish, N.S., will also close, affecting about 70 jobs. The centre sells stamps from several other postal agencies around the world.
The Crown corporation said on Thursday that decreasing mail volumes prompted the cuts, which are slated to take place in 2011 after selected workers' contracts expire.
No full-time workers will be laid off, and the call centres will not be outsourced to overseas locations, a Canada Post spokesperson said.
In Manitoba, as many as 30 temporary employees at Canada Post's Winnipeg-based call depot will not have their contracts renewed. About 70 other permanent staff will move to other jobs with the Crown corporation.
Data for the other centres was not immediately available.
Privacy concerns raised
PSAC spokeswoman Janet May told CBC News that the changes are part of a broader effort by Canada Post management to move the company further toward complete privatization.
"Canada Post is in its 15th year of profit," May said. "So to an average Canadian, does it make sense that part of your postal system is getting privatized?"
The union said it also worries about the loss of people's privacy if they have to offer up personal information to a private company — especially if the call-centre work is outsourced to a U.S. company.
"I'm not sure that Canadians are ready to see their postal service become an information collection agency for the American government," said Robyn Benson, PSAC's executive vice-president for the Prairies.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/04/01/man-canada-post-cuts-call-centre.html#ixzz0kA223Zrt
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Here's how the situation is viewed by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) who represent many of the workers employed in the customer service call centres. Here's the press release from their website.
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Canada Post to privatize 300 contact centre jobs across Canada
Ottawa—The Public Service Alliance of Canada, the largest federal public service union in the country, will be taking swift action to prevent Canada Post from privatizing an important part of its operations. Yesterday, the crown corporation announced that it would outsource its contact centres and the National Philatelic Centre, resulting in the elimination of more than 300 jobs across the country.
Affected locations include:
Edmonton
Ottawa
Winnipeg
Antigonish
Fredericton
“This obsession with privatization will badly damage the quality of the Canadian postal service as well as the communities it serves,” said Robyn Benson, the PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President for the Prairies. “Many regions in the country will lose local contact with Canada Post as well as jobs that are important for the local economy,” she added.
For Benson, the privatization of Canada Post’s answering services also raises the question of protection of confidential information provided by Canadians.
“I’m not sure that Canadians are ready to see their postal service become an information collection agency for the American government,’ Benson said. “If an American company answers calls for Canada Post, then the U.S. Patriot Act gives the government access to all information the company collects. Is that what Canadians want?”
Richard Deslauriers, the National President of PSAC component, the Union of Postal and Communications Employees (UPCE) said this type of economic reasoning will bring Canada Post closer to a complete privatization.
“The privatization of Canada Post has always been an objective of the current management and the conservative federal government,” Deslauriers said. “The slippery slope of partial privatization of services will end up with Canada Post in the hands of private companies and Canadians will be deprived of a service they have relied on for decades”.
The PSAC represents more than 166,000 members across the country including 2,000 at Canada Post.
To arrange media interviews:
Alain Cossette, PSAC Communications, 613-293-9210
Canada Post to privatize 300 contact centre jobs across Canada
Ottawa—The Public Service Alliance of Canada, the largest federal public service union in the country, will be taking swift action to prevent Canada Post from privatizing an important part of its operations. Yesterday, the crown corporation announced that it would outsource its contact centres and the National Philatelic Centre, resulting in the elimination of more than 300 jobs across the country.
Affected locations include:
Edmonton
Ottawa
Winnipeg
Antigonish
Fredericton
“This obsession with privatization will badly damage the quality of the Canadian postal service as well as the communities it serves,” said Robyn Benson, the PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President for the Prairies. “Many regions in the country will lose local contact with Canada Post as well as jobs that are important for the local economy,” she added.
For Benson, the privatization of Canada Post’s answering services also raises the question of protection of confidential information provided by Canadians.
“I’m not sure that Canadians are ready to see their postal service become an information collection agency for the American government,’ Benson said. “If an American company answers calls for Canada Post, then the U.S. Patriot Act gives the government access to all information the company collects. Is that what Canadians want?”
Richard Deslauriers, the National President of PSAC component, the Union of Postal and Communications Employees (UPCE) said this type of economic reasoning will bring Canada Post closer to a complete privatization.
“The privatization of Canada Post has always been an objective of the current management and the conservative federal government,” Deslauriers said. “The slippery slope of partial privatization of services will end up with Canada Post in the hands of private companies and Canadians will be deprived of a service they have relied on for decades”.
The PSAC represents more than 166,000 members across the country including 2,000 at Canada Post.
To arrange media interviews:
Alain Cossette, PSAC Communications, 613-293-9210
Labels: Canada Post, Canadian labour, conservatives, labour, layoffs, privatization, PSAC
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
CANADIAN POLITICS/CANADIAN LABOUR-SASKATCHEWAN:
WALL GOVERNMENT ATTRACTS UNWANTED ATTENTION:
I guess it's an example of overweening ambition. The Saskatchewan Party (read right wing conservative) government of Premier Brad Wall of Saskatchewan is in an unseemly rush to demolish any and all legislation that might benefit workers or ordinary people. Wall should really take lessons from that master of slyness, our beloved Prime Minister, about how to go about these things piecemeal. patience is, after all, a virtue. This rush to take away rights has attracted the unwanted attention of the International Labour Organization (ILO) who have made it plain to the Premier that his plans violate international law. Here's the story from Larry Hubich's Blog. Hubich is the President of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL).
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ILO blasts anti-labour laws adopted by Saskatchewan
UN body instructs government of Premier Brad Wall to consult with labour and work out an acceptable solution to essential services legislation, union organizing votes and a labour relations board all parties can trust.
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The International Labour Organization (ILO) has issued a stinging rebuke to the government of Saskatchewan, primarily over two pieces of anti-labour legislation adopted in 2008 (Bills 5 and 6).
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The United Nations body has directed the province to go back to the drawing board and rewrite the laws in full consultation and cooperation with workers and labour groups affected.
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In an unusually-pointed decision, the ILO – which is based in Geneva – has also instructed the Brad Wall government to keep ILO officials informed of corrective steps as they are taken to bring the province into compliance with international labour standards that Canada as a UN member country is bound to uphold.
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“The ILO has told the Wall government that these laws clearly violate international law and the principles of freedom of association. The government has an obligation and a duty to consult meaningfully with those who are affected by the laws it intends to enact,” said SFL President Larry Hubich.
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“SGEU is particularly pleased with the decision of the ILO and its impact on our collective bargaining. The outrageous and illegal use of designations to take away our members’ right to strike and force upon us collective agreements which do not reflect free and fair bargaining will be addressed through all means at our disposal including the courts if necessary,” said Bob Bymoen, president of SGEU.
.
“This government must repeal its regulations and honour our previous agreement. International law is not just about business. It’s also about human rights and it’s time the Wall government started to respect those rights,” added Bymoen.
.
“The ILO has also stated that the Labour Relations Board, which enforces both Acts, needs to enjoy the confidence of labour, and since the 2008 firings of the chair and vice-chair, those conditions do not exist. That’s another mess the ILO is calling upon the Wall government to fix,” added Hubich.
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“Brad Wall’s government appears eager to go out of their way to ensure the province complies with international trade agreements. It’s time they respected and lived up to our international obligations to ensure labour rights and human rights are consistent with those of other modern democracies,” said Hubich and Bymoen.
.
The ILO Committee on Freedom of Association is referring the decision to the ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations. The Committee of experts is expected to meet in June and to issue a report on the government’s compliance in November.
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Download PDF version of news release here....
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Download complete ILO decision here....
ILO blasts anti-labour laws adopted by Saskatchewan
UN body instructs government of Premier Brad Wall to consult with labour and work out an acceptable solution to essential services legislation, union organizing votes and a labour relations board all parties can trust.
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The International Labour Organization (ILO) has issued a stinging rebuke to the government of Saskatchewan, primarily over two pieces of anti-labour legislation adopted in 2008 (Bills 5 and 6).
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The United Nations body has directed the province to go back to the drawing board and rewrite the laws in full consultation and cooperation with workers and labour groups affected.
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In an unusually-pointed decision, the ILO – which is based in Geneva – has also instructed the Brad Wall government to keep ILO officials informed of corrective steps as they are taken to bring the province into compliance with international labour standards that Canada as a UN member country is bound to uphold.
.
“The ILO has told the Wall government that these laws clearly violate international law and the principles of freedom of association. The government has an obligation and a duty to consult meaningfully with those who are affected by the laws it intends to enact,” said SFL President Larry Hubich.
.
“SGEU is particularly pleased with the decision of the ILO and its impact on our collective bargaining. The outrageous and illegal use of designations to take away our members’ right to strike and force upon us collective agreements which do not reflect free and fair bargaining will be addressed through all means at our disposal including the courts if necessary,” said Bob Bymoen, president of SGEU.
.
“This government must repeal its regulations and honour our previous agreement. International law is not just about business. It’s also about human rights and it’s time the Wall government started to respect those rights,” added Bymoen.
.
“The ILO has also stated that the Labour Relations Board, which enforces both Acts, needs to enjoy the confidence of labour, and since the 2008 firings of the chair and vice-chair, those conditions do not exist. That’s another mess the ILO is calling upon the Wall government to fix,” added Hubich.
.
“Brad Wall’s government appears eager to go out of their way to ensure the province complies with international trade agreements. It’s time they respected and lived up to our international obligations to ensure labour rights and human rights are consistent with those of other modern democracies,” said Hubich and Bymoen.
.
The ILO Committee on Freedom of Association is referring the decision to the ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations. The Committee of experts is expected to meet in June and to issue a report on the government’s compliance in November.
.
Download PDF version of news release here....
.
Download complete ILO decision here....
Labels: Brad Wall, Canadian labour, Canadian politics, conservatives, current events, ILO, labour, larry Hubich, Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, Saskatchewan Party
Saturday, March 13, 2010
CANADIAN LABOUR- ALBERTA:
ALBERTA NURSES CONSIDER OPTIONS IN FACE OF ROLL BACKS:
There was once a bumper sticker current in Alberta that read (more or less) 'Oh Lord Grant Us another Boom And We Promise Not To Bugger It Away Again'. Well...this sticker was current before the most recent boom, and, of course, it was buggered away once again. In a last ditch effort the Alberta government tried to apply higher royalty rates on the oil industry just as the financial crisis was breaking. To say the least this didn't lead to increased government revenue, though how much was because of royalty rates and how much was because of the economic downturn may be a matter of eternal dispute. The hike in rates didn't work, and now Alberta has gone from flush to bust, and they have to live with the deficits that other provinces in Canada have had to endure for decades. In an attempt to recover financial probity the Conservative government of Alberta resorts to the usual mechanism of all conservative governments ie "make the working class pay". One recent victim of this strategy is the nurses of Alberta. Here's a story from the Edmonton Sun about what the Alberta government wants and what the nurses of Alberta think of it.
ALALALALALALALALALAL
Nurses reeling from proposed rollbacks
By SHAWN LOGAN and FRANK LANDRY QMI Agency
Alberta nurses say morale has flat-lined after a tough opening salvo in contract negotiations with the province’s health board.
By SHAWN LOGAN and FRANK LANDRY QMI Agency
Alberta nurses say morale has flat-lined after a tough opening salvo in contract negotiations with the province’s health board.
United Nurses Association president Heather Smith said while union negotiators had anticipated some rollbacks as talks began Monday, there was no way to anticipate the magnitude of proposed cuts that she said marks the most significant contract surgery she has seen in 25 years.
“This is an out of the blue punch in the gut,” she said Tuesday. “For whatever reason, Alberta Health Services wanted to be provocative and some would say insulting.”
The union, which represents 24,000 registered nurses, will see its contract expire at the end of March.
Smith said AHS has proposed rollbacks in all but 10 of 44 negotiating areas including: reducing time off between shifts from 15.5 to 10 hours, elimination of the requirement to have a nurse in charge of every unit, allowing casual workers to be terminated without cause, as well as trimming RRSPS, vision care, and long-term service retention payments.
Smith said it’s too early to consider the possibility of strike action with a second round of talks scheduled to begin March 17, but she noted miffed nurses will be mulling their options.
“If Alberta Health Services isn’t prepared to negotiate an agreement, the membership will have to decide what it’s prepared to do,” she said.
Ken Hughes, chairman of the Alberta Health Services board, refused to comment on the negotiations but told an Edmonton Chamber of Commerce luncheon that AHS will follow a number of “guiding principles” in talks. ( The dog speaks to its master- Molly )
The UNA has asked for a two-year deal with a 4% raise in each year while AHS’s four-year proposal calls for two years of no pay increases followed by two more cost of living raises.
Labels: Alberta, bargaining., Canadian labour, conservatives, economic crisis, labour, nurses, United Nurses Association
Friday, March 12, 2010
CANADIAN LABOUR-PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE:
PORTAGE POSTIES PROTEST PUBLIC PULL-OUT:
Postal workers in Portage la Prairie Manitoba, a small city about 50 kms west of Winnipeg, are protesting the recent decision by Canada Post to reduce public service at the main office in Portage. As the following from Portage On-Line makes plain this will not save Canada Post any money, but it is definitely in line with the long standing desire of the Federal Conservatives to destroy Canada Post, however much inconvenience that may cost smaller communities. Or, of course, is could be simply an example of "management muscle-flexing" whereby managers, who are usually as useful as tits on a boar, try to justify their existence by making a change, any change whatsoever whether it makes sense or not. Truly wise managers realize the futility of their work existence and cruise through to retirement while doing as little as possible and letting those who know the job get on with it. The Portage posties are represented by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW).
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Postal Workers Union Upset With Service Cutback
The recent decision by Canada Post to reduce the hours of its "Call For" services at Portage's main post office isn't sitting well with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.
Postal Workers Union Upset With Service Cutback
The recent decision by Canada Post to reduce the hours of its "Call For" services at Portage's main post office isn't sitting well with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.
Todd Jarema, regional union representative for all CUPW offices in Manitoba, says they've been told the move is to bring the service in line with other offices around the province, but notes the union sees it instead as a blatant service cutback.
Jarema notes the folks who had been handling the "Call For" service will still be working in the building during those hours, so closing the wicket is of no real financial benefit to Canada Post.
He adds rural customers and business people who can't make it to the main post office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. no longer have the opportunity to get parcels, registered letters or C.O.D. items after hours.
Jarema says CUPW has put together a mailer for affected customers, asking Portage-Lisgar MP Candice Hoeppner to try and reverse Canada Post's decision.
Labels: Canada Post, Canadian labour, conservatives, labour, Manitoba, Portage la Prairie, postal service, postal workers
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
CANADIAN POLITICS:
THE CAW ON THE NEW FEDERAL BUDGET:
Molly blogged a couple of days ago on the new Conservative federal budget. We also offered you the opportunity to express your opinion on this issue over at our sister site Molly's Polls. Since then there have been numerous opinions expressed. Here's one from the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW).
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
Conservatives Take More than Two Months on Do Nothing Budget, CAW President says
"This budget does little to help Canadian workers secure their footing during a period of severe economic instability and is rooted in government-destroying, deeply ideological values," CAW President Ken Lewenza said in response to Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's budget today.
"This budget does little to help Canadian workers secure their footing during a period of severe economic instability and is rooted in government-destroying, deeply ideological values," CAW President Ken Lewenza said in response to Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's budget today.
The budget shifts the Conservative government policies further in favour of businesses and corporations, to the detriment of average Canadians. It outlines a series of plans to reduce the federal deficit through major spending cuts, including $6.8 billion from the public service budget. The budget also highlights the government's intent to further reduce tariffs on manufacturing inputs, deregulation of the telecommunications and uranium mining sectors, an expansion of free trade, and boasts that Canada will have the lowest corporate tax rate in the G7 by 2012.
The Harper government also re-announced $19 billion earmarked for stimulus projects in 2010. Lewenza said what Canada needs is a commitment from government to invest in ongoing infrastructure development to close the current funding deficit and genuinely build the country, not just through one-off stimulus projects.
"With hundreds of thousands of Canadians facing tremendous insecurity and hardship because of inadequate Employment Insurance and pension benefits, I expected to see tangible support from this government," Lewenza said. "After taking more than two months to recalibrate, this budget is nothing short of pathetic."
The Harper government is refusing to improve eligibility criteria and ensure the special EI extensions go to all workers, so that more workers will be covered by EI, instead of falling through the cracks in the country's social safety net. Lewenza said these demands are even more important today with approximately 800,000 unemployed Canadians expected to lose their EI in the coming months and that all EI enhancements are still scheduled to end this year.
"The past months have shown us that Canadians are very concerned about their pensions and retirement savings," Lewenza said. "In the face of a looming pension crisis, this was the time for our government to take the lead and act on major pension reforms, including major improvements to Canada's public pension system. They did nothing."
On positioning Canada's economy for future growth, the Conservative government has once again failed to provide the necessary investments in long-overdue renewable energy infrastructure projects, public transit improvements and other initiatives to spur sustainable and 'green' economic development that help put people back to work, Lewenza said.
"This government refuses to consider the long-term and strategic economic and ecological benefits of taking on the global climate crisis."
"It is outrageous to think that the Harper government undercut our country's democracy, abused the privileges of the Prime Minister's Office and wasted away two months of work to show up with a budget that does nothing."
Labels: canadian budget, Canadian labour, Canadian politics, CAW, conservatives, labour
Sunday, March 07, 2010
CANADIAN POLITICS:
THE NEW FEDERAL BUDGET:
After presenting an incredibly lenghty Speech From The Throne that was long on platitudes and short on substance the federal Conservative Government has presented its budget. This presents a quandary for the opposition as no party wants to risk an election, and they have to figure out a way "to be seen as opposing" the budget while not opposing it in fact. Ignatief, the leader of the Liberal Party, has set the tone by saying that the Liberals will vote against the budget while making sure that enough of their MPs are out of the House to make sure that it will pass.
The Throne Speech was, of course, nothing, and its major "blip" has disappeared 2 days after its presentation. I refer to the bizarre idea of making the national anthem "gender inclusive". That sort of thing was, of course, cooked up by Conservative strategists who thought that they could outflank the "left" (as it is). It failed because the average person, of whatever persuasion, came in first with their opinion before academic feminism did. The cynicism of the general public is very correct here. For something that should cost nothing it is guaranteed that at least a million would be spent on revising the words of a song that very few people know the full words to anyways. The million would not be paid out to such as the federally funded "feminist" quangos like the 'National Action Committee On The Status Of Women'. It would go to corporate buddies of the government.
Molly may actually be in a 1% club for knowing the first two verses of the national anthem. Only God and the IODE only know the others. To say the least "nobody cares". but there are other things that people actually do care about. Here's the statement of the Canadian Labour Congress on the budget.
CPCPCPCPCPCPCPCPCPCP
The 2010 Federal Budget:
Canadian Labour Congress Analysis
1. Summary
The Budget contains no big surprises but is still a big disappointment. Despite the fact that unemployment is and will remain very high, economic stimulus measures effectively end after this year. A few very small new investments in jobs and skills will be made, but they do not amount to even the beginnings of a strategy to build a new economy. There will be a temporary extension of EI work-sharing, but about 500,000 unemployment claims filed during the Great Recession will still be exhausted. Corporate tax cuts continue, and are even modestly increased in this Budget, so the burden of deficit reduction will fall on government programs. Despite very low interest rates and one of the lowest debt levels in the advanced industrial countries, federal program spending will be slashed. Spending on international assistance is to be frozen.
While the world’s and Canada’s economic recovery is still very fragile, the Harper government has decided to focus on eliminating the deficit. Creating jobs would help balance the books at far lower cost.
2. Impact on Jobs and the Economy
Since October 2008, almost 500,000 permanent, paid jobs have been lost as the manufacturing and forest industry jobs crisis intensified and spread to other sectors. In the last Budget, under intense pressure, the federal government passed an economic stimulus package that, combined with ultra-low interest rates, seems to have stabilized the economy. The Budget estimates that the stimulus package has saved or created 130,000 jobs as of today.
But, a significant proportion of layoffs that occurred in the last few years are permanent, the result of bankruptcies and plant closures. Unemployment is expected by the Budget to average 8.5% this year, and 7.9% in 2011, and the real rate of unemployment — counting people who have been forced into part-time jobs or have given up looking for jobs — is already over 12%. Many unemployed workers are able to find only very low wage, insecure jobs.
We face a severe social and poverty crisis as tens of thousands of workers, who are unemployed through no fault of their own, exhaust their EI benefits and as the incomes of working families fall. The crisis has also had a devastating impact upon retirement savings and pension plans.
The CLC called on the government to build on existing stimulus measures and to launch, in partnership with the provinces and cities, a major, multi-year, public investment program which would create jobs now, promote our environmental goals, and build new “green” industries for the future. The current infrastructure program is far too small to have much impact on the jobs crisis, and excludes the larger and longer term projects which would have the greatest positive impact on our future economic potential. We also called for investments in job-creating public services, such as child care and home care.
The CLC also said that the federal government should invest directly in sector renewal strategies to save jobs and promote successful restructuring in hard-hit industries, such as auto, forest, and fish products.
What We Got
The Budget praises corporate tax cuts as its key economic lever, and maintains already announced stimulus measures only for this coming year, as expected. Stimulus money not spent in 2009-2010 will be carried over, but the program will end in March of next year. The Budget also adds some very modest new job creation initiatives. New measures listed under the category “building a strong economic foundation” total just $1.5 billion over the next two years (on top of funds already committed). One hundred and eight million dollars will be spent over three years on employment and skills measures aimed at youth, including Aboriginal and at-risk youth. About $500 million will be spent over two years on programs to build a more innovative economy, including through support for the National Research Council, and university and college research. There are small increases for regional economic development agencies, some very minor green jobs programs, and more support for basic infrastructure (including $175 million over two years for Marine Atlantic, and $330 million over two years for First Nations infrastructure).
Billed as a job creation measure, the Budget eliminates remaining tariffs on machinery and equipment, as well as on industrial inputs to manufacturing. These tariff cuts will be front-end loaded but phased in over five years, and will save business $200 million next year, rising to $300 million per year when the process is completed. The net effect on jobs may be negative if these tariffs result in higher imports at the expense of Canadian producers. Also, they eliminate a key bargaining chip in ongoing trade negotiations.
3. Employment Insurance
What We Wanted
EI is a critically important program for Canadian workers. Laid-off workers deserve adequate benefits to support themselves and their families. And EI is an effective form of economic stimulus which can help maintain hard-hit communities.
Our EI program has left far too many Canadians, especially women and lower wage, insecure workers, out in the cold. Only half of all unemployed workers qualify for benefits, and the average weekly benefit for those who do qualify is just $343. The more than 800,000 unemployed workers now on EI qualify for an average of just 38 weeks of benefits, and tens of thousands of workers who lost their jobs in the early stages of the crisis have already exhausted their claims. EI benefits have been temporarily extended for five weeks for all workers who file their claims before September 11, 2010, and up to 20 weeks for a few older workers under an extension program that will be phased out from June of this year and closes in September. But this is not enough in a jobless recovery. Provincial social assistance caseloads are starting to rise rapidly.
The CLC has called for a uniform entrance requirement of 360 hours of work across the country so that more unemployed workers will qualify. We want higher weekly benefits based on the best 12 weeks of earnings before a layoff, and a replacement rate of 60% of insured earnings. We also call for longer benefits of at least 50 weeks in all regions. As in the United States, benefits should be extended on an emergency basis for at least 26 weeks so long as unemployment remains so high. Work-sharing agreements under EI currently cover about 160,000 workers saving many from layoff, but they are about to run out, and must be renewed. The unemployed must also be given access to long-term skills training.
What We Got
The only EI measure in the Budget is a welcome extension of EI work-sharing. Arrangements can be extended for a further 26 weeks to a maximum of 78 weeks until March 2011. This measure is keeping some 30,000 workers from being laid off.
4. Pensions
What We Wanted
The crisis has exposed major faults at the heart of our pension system. Our public pensions — Old Age Security (OAS) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), plus the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) — provide a secure income in retirement, but the maximum value of public pensions falls well short of replacing the 50% to 70% of pre-retirement income needed to maintain living standards. Meanwhile, the private part of our pension system is in deep trouble. Only about one in five workers in the private sector now belongs to an employer pension plan. The average pension plan is seriously underfunded because of low interest rates and the recent collapse of stock markets, placing pensions at risk if employers go out of business. Those without pension plans must rely on high cost RRSPs, which will leave many with very low incomes in retirement.
The labour movement believes that Canadians should not have to “fend for themselves” in retirement. We have called for a phased-in doubling of benefits under the Canada Pension Plan, from 25% to 50% of pensionable earnings, financed by a modest increase in worker and employer premiums. This will require federal/ provincial agreement. The pension priority for the federal budget is to improve the Guaranteed Income Supplement (or GIS) which is paid to low income seniors to bring their incomes up to a minimum level. We call for an immediate increase in the GIS of 15% or about $100 per month, at an annual cost of about $1 billion. This measure would ensure that no senior lives below the poverty line.
The federal government should guarantee pension benefits in the federal jurisdiction up to $2,500 per month, and work with the provinces to create a national pension insurance system.
What We Got
Consultations on reform of the pension system are promised before the next meeting of federal and provincial finance ministers to be held in May, with the process to be launched this month.
5. Public Spending Cuts: Putting Deficit Reduction Before the Real Priorities
Economic stimulus from increased government spending in combination with low interest rates helped stabilize the economy. Deficits have financed programs which created jobs and helped the unemployed at a time when the private sector was very weak. As even the International Monetary Fund argues, the recovery is largely driven by government stimulus measures, and countries risk a quick return to recession if anti-crisis measures are withdrawn too soon.
The Budget argues that we have to move back quickly to balanced budgets through cuts to social programs, public services, and public sector jobs. For the Conservatives, deficits are the problem, not unemployed workers and their families. For them, balancing the books today is more important than helping people and building a better social and economic future.
Deficits are not a problem when they are used to finance public investment programs which create jobs for people, raise our economic potential, and further our environmental and social justice goals. And they are not a problem when the total government debt today is the lowest of the advanced industrial countries (53% of GDP in 2008-2009 compared to 102% in 1995-1996), and interest rates are at an all-time low. The federal debt is just one-third of GDP, and the cost of servicing that debt is very modest, just 2% of GDP. The federal deficit run this year (2009-2010) sounds scary in dollars, but is still less than 4% of national income, far lower than it was in the early to mid-1990s.
With low interest rates, we can and should finance public expenditures which create jobs now while raising our productive potential and the future tax base.
What We Got
As expected, the Budget focuses on balancing the federal government books at the expense of new investments. Significant spending cuts are to be imposed and potential new investments are to be foregone even though the government notes that Canada’s overall debt is very low by comparison to other advanced economies. As a result of economic recovery, the end of economic stimulus measures after this year, and net changes to spending and revenues, the deficit is forecast to shrink from $54 billion in 2009-2010, and $49 billion in 2010-2011, to under $2 billion in 2014-2015. In this coming year, 2010-2011, there are spending cuts of $800 million, and spending increases of $1.1 billion, but from then on spending cuts gather pace and begin to bring down the deficit. By 2014-2015, federal government program spending is forecast to shrink to just 13.2% of GDP compared to 15.6% this year — a difference of about $35 billion in annual spending. The burden of spending cuts is spread across three major areas: the administrative cost of government including strategic review of programs, international assistance, and military spending.
Deep cuts are imposed on Canada’s international assistance programs. After reaching $5 billion per year this year, spending will be frozen rather than increased at the planned rate of 8% per year. This means spending will be $1.8 billion less than planned by 2014-2015, and will be $4.5 billion less than planned over the period from now through 2014-2015. The planned rate of increase in military spending is also to be reduced from 2012-2013.
In this Budget, the focus is on cuts to federal departments. Compared to the existing path of planned spending, there will be $15 billion in cuts over five years starting in 2010-2011. The federal government will cut, by a total of $6.8 billion, the operational cost of government. Departmental budgets will not be increased to fund increased demands as a result of population growth, the increased cost of goods and services purchased by government, and the 1.5% increase in annual wages already in place. Operating budgets will not rise by 1.5% this year to pay for wage increases, and will be frozen for the next two years. Departments will be required to reallocate from the remainder of budgets the means to fund these wage and other cost increases. A lot of the burden will likely fall on jobs as vacancies arise and are not filled, and there may be layoffs. The government plans to meet with unions to discuss “all compensation costs.” The freeze on operational spending will be effectively extended to federal Crown corporations. On top of this, the government expects to cut another $1.3 billion over five years through program review. It is clear that, contrary to previous years, savings achieved through the program review will not be allocated to new programs, but to the deficit.
It is too early to predict what will be the results of these cuts, but they will have an impact on jobs and the economy that will limit the impact of the stimulus package this year, and slow economic recovery moving forward.
6. Fair Taxes
What We Wanted
If the government wants to return to balanced budgets over the medium-term without cutting the programs and services needed by working families, there is scope to raise taxes. In the next fiscal year (2010-2011), the two-percentage-point GST cut will cost the government over $12 billion in lost revenues, and their corporate tax cuts will cost almost $9 billion, without any significant impact on real job-creating business investments. Any so-called “structural deficit” — the deficit that would exist after an economic recovery — is almost entirely the result of short-sighted Conservative tax cuts. The CLC has supported higher personal income taxes for very high income earners and a return to the corporate tax rates in place before the Conservatives took office.
What We Got
While tax revenues will rise in line with the forecast economic recovery, the government has more or less stuck to its promise of no tax increases. The promised cut in the general corporate tax rate, from 22% when the government took office to 15%, will continue. On top of the phasing out of some tariffs, the Budget also cuts taxes by $30 million per year for Canadian companies which operate internationally by “improving Canada’s system of international taxation.” In fairness, the Budget also proposes to raise about another $400 million per year by closing down tax loopholes.
Conclusion
The priority in this Budget should have been jobs and support for the unemployed, not deficit reduction. The jobs crisis is still very much with us. Our national debt is low, and interest rates are and will remain very low. It is up to governments to deal with the human impacts of the crisis, and to set the stage for shared progress in the next economy.
Canadian Labour Congress
www.canadianlabour.ca
Canadian Labour Congress Analysis
1. Summary
The Budget contains no big surprises but is still a big disappointment. Despite the fact that unemployment is and will remain very high, economic stimulus measures effectively end after this year. A few very small new investments in jobs and skills will be made, but they do not amount to even the beginnings of a strategy to build a new economy. There will be a temporary extension of EI work-sharing, but about 500,000 unemployment claims filed during the Great Recession will still be exhausted. Corporate tax cuts continue, and are even modestly increased in this Budget, so the burden of deficit reduction will fall on government programs. Despite very low interest rates and one of the lowest debt levels in the advanced industrial countries, federal program spending will be slashed. Spending on international assistance is to be frozen.
While the world’s and Canada’s economic recovery is still very fragile, the Harper government has decided to focus on eliminating the deficit. Creating jobs would help balance the books at far lower cost.
2. Impact on Jobs and the Economy
Since October 2008, almost 500,000 permanent, paid jobs have been lost as the manufacturing and forest industry jobs crisis intensified and spread to other sectors. In the last Budget, under intense pressure, the federal government passed an economic stimulus package that, combined with ultra-low interest rates, seems to have stabilized the economy. The Budget estimates that the stimulus package has saved or created 130,000 jobs as of today.
But, a significant proportion of layoffs that occurred in the last few years are permanent, the result of bankruptcies and plant closures. Unemployment is expected by the Budget to average 8.5% this year, and 7.9% in 2011, and the real rate of unemployment — counting people who have been forced into part-time jobs or have given up looking for jobs — is already over 12%. Many unemployed workers are able to find only very low wage, insecure jobs.
We face a severe social and poverty crisis as tens of thousands of workers, who are unemployed through no fault of their own, exhaust their EI benefits and as the incomes of working families fall. The crisis has also had a devastating impact upon retirement savings and pension plans.
The CLC called on the government to build on existing stimulus measures and to launch, in partnership with the provinces and cities, a major, multi-year, public investment program which would create jobs now, promote our environmental goals, and build new “green” industries for the future. The current infrastructure program is far too small to have much impact on the jobs crisis, and excludes the larger and longer term projects which would have the greatest positive impact on our future economic potential. We also called for investments in job-creating public services, such as child care and home care.
The CLC also said that the federal government should invest directly in sector renewal strategies to save jobs and promote successful restructuring in hard-hit industries, such as auto, forest, and fish products.
What We Got
The Budget praises corporate tax cuts as its key economic lever, and maintains already announced stimulus measures only for this coming year, as expected. Stimulus money not spent in 2009-2010 will be carried over, but the program will end in March of next year. The Budget also adds some very modest new job creation initiatives. New measures listed under the category “building a strong economic foundation” total just $1.5 billion over the next two years (on top of funds already committed). One hundred and eight million dollars will be spent over three years on employment and skills measures aimed at youth, including Aboriginal and at-risk youth. About $500 million will be spent over two years on programs to build a more innovative economy, including through support for the National Research Council, and university and college research. There are small increases for regional economic development agencies, some very minor green jobs programs, and more support for basic infrastructure (including $175 million over two years for Marine Atlantic, and $330 million over two years for First Nations infrastructure).
Billed as a job creation measure, the Budget eliminates remaining tariffs on machinery and equipment, as well as on industrial inputs to manufacturing. These tariff cuts will be front-end loaded but phased in over five years, and will save business $200 million next year, rising to $300 million per year when the process is completed. The net effect on jobs may be negative if these tariffs result in higher imports at the expense of Canadian producers. Also, they eliminate a key bargaining chip in ongoing trade negotiations.
3. Employment Insurance
What We Wanted
EI is a critically important program for Canadian workers. Laid-off workers deserve adequate benefits to support themselves and their families. And EI is an effective form of economic stimulus which can help maintain hard-hit communities.
Our EI program has left far too many Canadians, especially women and lower wage, insecure workers, out in the cold. Only half of all unemployed workers qualify for benefits, and the average weekly benefit for those who do qualify is just $343. The more than 800,000 unemployed workers now on EI qualify for an average of just 38 weeks of benefits, and tens of thousands of workers who lost their jobs in the early stages of the crisis have already exhausted their claims. EI benefits have been temporarily extended for five weeks for all workers who file their claims before September 11, 2010, and up to 20 weeks for a few older workers under an extension program that will be phased out from June of this year and closes in September. But this is not enough in a jobless recovery. Provincial social assistance caseloads are starting to rise rapidly.
The CLC has called for a uniform entrance requirement of 360 hours of work across the country so that more unemployed workers will qualify. We want higher weekly benefits based on the best 12 weeks of earnings before a layoff, and a replacement rate of 60% of insured earnings. We also call for longer benefits of at least 50 weeks in all regions. As in the United States, benefits should be extended on an emergency basis for at least 26 weeks so long as unemployment remains so high. Work-sharing agreements under EI currently cover about 160,000 workers saving many from layoff, but they are about to run out, and must be renewed. The unemployed must also be given access to long-term skills training.
What We Got
The only EI measure in the Budget is a welcome extension of EI work-sharing. Arrangements can be extended for a further 26 weeks to a maximum of 78 weeks until March 2011. This measure is keeping some 30,000 workers from being laid off.
4. Pensions
What We Wanted
The crisis has exposed major faults at the heart of our pension system. Our public pensions — Old Age Security (OAS) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), plus the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) — provide a secure income in retirement, but the maximum value of public pensions falls well short of replacing the 50% to 70% of pre-retirement income needed to maintain living standards. Meanwhile, the private part of our pension system is in deep trouble. Only about one in five workers in the private sector now belongs to an employer pension plan. The average pension plan is seriously underfunded because of low interest rates and the recent collapse of stock markets, placing pensions at risk if employers go out of business. Those without pension plans must rely on high cost RRSPs, which will leave many with very low incomes in retirement.
The labour movement believes that Canadians should not have to “fend for themselves” in retirement. We have called for a phased-in doubling of benefits under the Canada Pension Plan, from 25% to 50% of pensionable earnings, financed by a modest increase in worker and employer premiums. This will require federal/ provincial agreement. The pension priority for the federal budget is to improve the Guaranteed Income Supplement (or GIS) which is paid to low income seniors to bring their incomes up to a minimum level. We call for an immediate increase in the GIS of 15% or about $100 per month, at an annual cost of about $1 billion. This measure would ensure that no senior lives below the poverty line.
The federal government should guarantee pension benefits in the federal jurisdiction up to $2,500 per month, and work with the provinces to create a national pension insurance system.
What We Got
Consultations on reform of the pension system are promised before the next meeting of federal and provincial finance ministers to be held in May, with the process to be launched this month.
5. Public Spending Cuts: Putting Deficit Reduction Before the Real Priorities
Economic stimulus from increased government spending in combination with low interest rates helped stabilize the economy. Deficits have financed programs which created jobs and helped the unemployed at a time when the private sector was very weak. As even the International Monetary Fund argues, the recovery is largely driven by government stimulus measures, and countries risk a quick return to recession if anti-crisis measures are withdrawn too soon.
The Budget argues that we have to move back quickly to balanced budgets through cuts to social programs, public services, and public sector jobs. For the Conservatives, deficits are the problem, not unemployed workers and their families. For them, balancing the books today is more important than helping people and building a better social and economic future.
Deficits are not a problem when they are used to finance public investment programs which create jobs for people, raise our economic potential, and further our environmental and social justice goals. And they are not a problem when the total government debt today is the lowest of the advanced industrial countries (53% of GDP in 2008-2009 compared to 102% in 1995-1996), and interest rates are at an all-time low. The federal debt is just one-third of GDP, and the cost of servicing that debt is very modest, just 2% of GDP. The federal deficit run this year (2009-2010) sounds scary in dollars, but is still less than 4% of national income, far lower than it was in the early to mid-1990s.
With low interest rates, we can and should finance public expenditures which create jobs now while raising our productive potential and the future tax base.
What We Got
As expected, the Budget focuses on balancing the federal government books at the expense of new investments. Significant spending cuts are to be imposed and potential new investments are to be foregone even though the government notes that Canada’s overall debt is very low by comparison to other advanced economies. As a result of economic recovery, the end of economic stimulus measures after this year, and net changes to spending and revenues, the deficit is forecast to shrink from $54 billion in 2009-2010, and $49 billion in 2010-2011, to under $2 billion in 2014-2015. In this coming year, 2010-2011, there are spending cuts of $800 million, and spending increases of $1.1 billion, but from then on spending cuts gather pace and begin to bring down the deficit. By 2014-2015, federal government program spending is forecast to shrink to just 13.2% of GDP compared to 15.6% this year — a difference of about $35 billion in annual spending. The burden of spending cuts is spread across three major areas: the administrative cost of government including strategic review of programs, international assistance, and military spending.
Deep cuts are imposed on Canada’s international assistance programs. After reaching $5 billion per year this year, spending will be frozen rather than increased at the planned rate of 8% per year. This means spending will be $1.8 billion less than planned by 2014-2015, and will be $4.5 billion less than planned over the period from now through 2014-2015. The planned rate of increase in military spending is also to be reduced from 2012-2013.
In this Budget, the focus is on cuts to federal departments. Compared to the existing path of planned spending, there will be $15 billion in cuts over five years starting in 2010-2011. The federal government will cut, by a total of $6.8 billion, the operational cost of government. Departmental budgets will not be increased to fund increased demands as a result of population growth, the increased cost of goods and services purchased by government, and the 1.5% increase in annual wages already in place. Operating budgets will not rise by 1.5% this year to pay for wage increases, and will be frozen for the next two years. Departments will be required to reallocate from the remainder of budgets the means to fund these wage and other cost increases. A lot of the burden will likely fall on jobs as vacancies arise and are not filled, and there may be layoffs. The government plans to meet with unions to discuss “all compensation costs.” The freeze on operational spending will be effectively extended to federal Crown corporations. On top of this, the government expects to cut another $1.3 billion over five years through program review. It is clear that, contrary to previous years, savings achieved through the program review will not be allocated to new programs, but to the deficit.
It is too early to predict what will be the results of these cuts, but they will have an impact on jobs and the economy that will limit the impact of the stimulus package this year, and slow economic recovery moving forward.
6. Fair Taxes
What We Wanted
If the government wants to return to balanced budgets over the medium-term without cutting the programs and services needed by working families, there is scope to raise taxes. In the next fiscal year (2010-2011), the two-percentage-point GST cut will cost the government over $12 billion in lost revenues, and their corporate tax cuts will cost almost $9 billion, without any significant impact on real job-creating business investments. Any so-called “structural deficit” — the deficit that would exist after an economic recovery — is almost entirely the result of short-sighted Conservative tax cuts. The CLC has supported higher personal income taxes for very high income earners and a return to the corporate tax rates in place before the Conservatives took office.
What We Got
While tax revenues will rise in line with the forecast economic recovery, the government has more or less stuck to its promise of no tax increases. The promised cut in the general corporate tax rate, from 22% when the government took office to 15%, will continue. On top of the phasing out of some tariffs, the Budget also cuts taxes by $30 million per year for Canadian companies which operate internationally by “improving Canada’s system of international taxation.” In fairness, the Budget also proposes to raise about another $400 million per year by closing down tax loopholes.
Conclusion
The priority in this Budget should have been jobs and support for the unemployed, not deficit reduction. The jobs crisis is still very much with us. Our national debt is low, and interest rates are and will remain very low. It is up to governments to deal with the human impacts of the crisis, and to set the stage for shared progress in the next economy.
Canadian Labour Congress
www.canadianlabour.ca
Labels: Canadian politics, CLC, conservatives, corruption, federal budget, Speech from the Throne
Sunday, January 31, 2010
CANADIAN LABOUR-SASKATCHEWAN:
GOVERNMENT OFFER TO SASKATCHEWAN HEALTH CARE WORKERS INSULTING:
Out in Molly's old stomping ground, the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, the new ultra-conservative Saskatchewan Party (a temporary parking space for right wingers to avoid the aura of corruption of the old Conservatives-until they get caught enough themselves of course) continues its campaign of attacking ordinary people to increase the income and power of the rich. The latest targets are government employees in the health care sector. Here, from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is the latest news on the so-called "offer" of the government in negotiations that have been ongoing for over a year and a half. Molly has reported on these contract negotiations before last December.
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Health workers incensed by employers’ actions:
The Saskatchewan government and health employers “final offered” 25,000 health care providers and cancelled conciliation. Their actions have angered CUPE, which represents 12,600 health providers in five health regions.
The Saskatchewan government and health employers “final offered” 25,000 health care providers and cancelled conciliation. Their actions have angered CUPE, which represents 12,600 health providers in five health regions.
“We are bitterly disappointed that the employers’ first move in conciliation is to present a final offer and cancel conciliation,” says CUPE Health Care Council President Gordon Campbell. “They’ve made a mockery of the conciliation process.”
The employers’ arrogance is tied to the government’s new essential services legislation, he adds. Under the legislation, three out of four health care providers are deemed essential and unable to strike.
The three health care providers unions – CUPE, SGEU and SEIU – have been negotiating for 17 months. Their contracts expired nearly two years ago.
“This so-called final offer is disgraceful,” says Mike Keith, CUPE’s chief negotiator, adding it contains all of the major concessions CUPE members rejected last June, when they voted 88% in support of job action. “These concessions are a license for health employers to understaff and overwork our members and mismanage our health care system.”
Keith says the union has “lost all confidence” that health employers have the mandate to negotiate a fair agreement.
“We are calling on the government to get serious about contract negotiations and stop trying to provoke a strike,” says Keith.
“We want to return to the bargaining table and negotiate a reasonable contract settlement. And we want the government to put a bargaining team in place to make make that happen,” he says.
Labels: Canadian labour, conservatives, CUPE, health care., labour, negotiations, Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Party
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
CANADIAN LABOUR-MANITOBA:
TEMBEC LOCKOUT ENDS:
The lockout at the Tembec plant in Pine Falls Manitoba, which has been ongoing since last September 1, is now over. Molly has blogged multiple times on the subject of this dispute. Today the Manitoba Labour Board ordered Tembec to end its lockout. It is expected that layoff notices will be issued to the workers involved, allowing them to collect EI. This marks the sterling failure of the claims of both our provincial government and local Conservative MPs that they might influence the federal government to allow the Tembec workers to collect EI. Another thing that Molly is at pains to point out is, while the idea of any "influence" over the feds to persuade them to actually help rather than harm workers is ludicrous, it has always been in the domain of the Province to do what they have done today. The Conservatives make no claims about being a friend of labour. Our provincial NDP does. Why wasn't this action taken long ago ? Here's the story about today's ruling from the CBC.
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Lockout at Pine Falls plant ends:
The Manitoba Labour Board has ordered an immediate end to a prolonged lockout at the Tembec newsprint mill in Pine Falls, Man., CBC News has learned.
Lockout at Pine Falls plant ends:
The Manitoba Labour Board has ordered an immediate end to a prolonged lockout at the Tembec newsprint mill in Pine Falls, Man., CBC News has learned.
The mill has been idle since Sept.1 after the Montreal-based company locked out more than 250 unionized workers and stopped operations. Prior to closing, the company had said it needed "an immediate and significant reduction" in labour costs to stay competitive in the newsprint market.
The United Steelworkers union had applied to the labour board for arbitration in the labour dispute. This morning, the board ordered Tembec to end the lockout, the union said.
Employees on the picket line have just learned of the new development, United Steelworkers union spokesperson Wayne Skrypnyk said.
Not going back to work
However, unionized employees will not be going back to their jobs in the wake of Wednesday's announcement.
Tembec announced in December that it was putting the mill up for sale and would not be resuming operations even if the lockout was ended.
Skrypnyk said the lockout's end isn't considered a victory for the union workers, but will come as some relief to them as they'll now be issued layoff notices and become eligible for Employment Insurance benefits.
An arbitrator will still be appointed to try and resolve outstanding issues between labour and management, Skrypnyk said.
The mill is about 130 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg.
Labels: Canadian labour, conservatives, labour, local news, lockouts, Manitoba, NDP, Tembec, Tembec lockout, United Steel Workers.
