Liberal party withdraws support for federal anti-scab bill

Decision follows ruling by House of Commons Speaker to reject essential service amendments

Ottawa (2 March 2007) - The Liberal party has withdrawn support for the federal anti-scab bill (C-257) after the House of Commons speaker ruled that amendments to assure continuation of essential services during federal work stoppages were unacceptable on procedural grounds.

As a result, Opposition Leader Stephane Dion has seized on the ruling as an excuse to withdraw Liberal support for the bill, even though all the safety provisions contained in
the amendments exist in Section 87.4 of the Canada Labour Code and have been the law of the land for years.

Previously, the Liberals had joined with the New Democratic Party and the Bloc Quebecois in a full opposition alliance to pass the BQ-sponsored bill at second reading. The vote, last October, was 167 to 101. Since then, a massive lobby has been conducted by the business community to persuade MPs to change their minds.

Still a chance bill can pass

James Clancy, president of the National Union of Public and General Employees, expressed disappointment in the Liberal policy switch, calling it a betrayal of the interests of working Canadians. "We expected more from the new leader of the opposition," he said.

However, Clancy emphasized that there is still a chance the legislation can pass in the current minority Parliament since the upcoming vote at third and final reading will remain - technically at least - a free vote for Liberal MPs.

"Despite the setback, we should not abandon our responsibility to carry this through," Clancy said.

"We are hopeful that the majority of Liberal MPs still recognize the critical need for this legislation to bring balance and fairness into federal labour relations. The success of getting this done will depend on thousands of labour activists contacting their Members of Parliament and asking them to continue supporting this legislation."

Bill C-257 is currently scheduled to come up for a vote at third reading on March 21 following a two-week parliamentary adjournment. NUPGE is asking all activists across the country to redouble their efforts to lobby MPs in the interim to support the bill.

The ruling by Speaker Peter Milliken killing the essential services amendments was praised by business organizations across the country who have waged an expensive media campaign in recent weeks to defeat the bill.

Supported by a generally anti-labour media, they have spread as much alarm as possible about the impact of the bill while ignoring the fact that anti-scab legislation has been on the books for years in two of the biggest provinces in Canada - B.C. and Quebec - and it has worked well.

Even B.C.'s right-wing premier, Gordon Campbell, has refrained through two majority governments - during which he gutted a lot of labour legislation - from tampering with the province's anti-scab law. NUPGE

More information:
• Tories drag out anti-scab hearings at committee
• Corporate Canada's last desperate push to stop C-257
• Anti-scab vote a landmark moment for Canadian workers
• Anti-scab legislation a victory for workers' rights in Canada
• What's good for Quebec and B.C. is good for Canada
• NUPGE president James Clancy says it's time for Parliament to act
• Labour Day Launch for final bid to win anti-scab law
• NUPGE's labour rights page