Canadian workers throng Parliament Hill in Rally for Jobs

Prime Minister Stephen Harper conspicuous by his absence

Ottawa (30 May 2007) - Workers thronged to Parliament Hill Wednesday, demanding action by the federal government to stem the loss of more than 250,000 manufacturing jobs in just five years. An estimated 50,000 jobs have been lost in the first five months of 2007.

Organized by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), the rally was addressed by CLC president Ken Georgetti, several national labour leaders and three national political party leaders – NDP Leader Jack Layton, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion and BQ Leader Gilles Duceppe.

NDP Jack Layton addresses rally on Parliament Hill
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Job Loss Cemetary
OPSEU Banner Flies High
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Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion and BQ Leader Gilles Duceppe
Jack Layton with NDP caucus members and CLC president Ken Georgetti
'Fight for the dignity of labour'
Solidarity

Harper and Dion Booed

Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, conspicuous by his absence, was roundly booed at each mention of the federal government and its failure to stem the loss of good-paying jobs across the country.

Dion was also booed by demonstrators upset at him for withdrawing Liberal support earlier this spring of legislation that would have outlawed the use of scabs – replacement workers – during strikes and lockouts in areas of federal jurisdiction.

The protesters set up a "Job Loss Cemetery" complete with dozens of symbolic tombstones to highlight the destruction that has taken place, especially in the manufacturing sector.

The RCMP, apparently acting at the instruction of the prime minister's office, ordered organizers to dismantle the display and remove it. They refused and eventually it was allowed to remain until the rally ended. The mock headstones were emblazoned with the names of companies that have chopped jobs and, in many cases, moved them to Mexico or overseas.

"They wanted our graveyard taken away," CLC President Ken Georgetti told the crowd ."They don't like to see tombstones with all of those jobs gone in Canada."

Soaring trade deficit

Georgetti said the lost jobs were some of the best available, paying an average of $20.68 an hour.

"Their disappearance is closely linked to Canada’s soaring deficit in the trade of manufactured goods, and the increased penetration of the Canadian domestic market and the US market for manufactured goods by exports from low-wage Asian countries," he said.

"Two other factors have weakened our manufacturing sectors: high energy prices and a Canadian high dollar."

Dion, Layton and Gilles Duceppe told the rally the Harper government has taken a laissez-faire approach to the manufacturing sector and failed to do anything to address the impact on workers and their families.

They said Ottawa should spend more on job training, invest in goods-producing industries, develop an industrial strategy to promote domestic manufacturing and refrain from signing free-trade deals that hurt the Canadian economy.

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good.