President's Commentary

President's Commentary: It’s time to stop the corporate gravy train

dduffy — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:06:40 -0500

Rather than spending wildly on no-strings attached corporate tax cuts, Harper could have provided tax refunds to corporations after they actually created jobs; instead, job-killers like Caterpillar get to take our tax money and run.

President's Commentary: Speaking truth to power - The Occupy movement has already won

dduffy — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:24:23 -0500

The Occupy movement is here to stay. It will morph into something else. But it’s not going away until there are serious reforms to our economy and democracy.

President’s Commentary: Harper government denying fundamental human rights

dduffy — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:25:20 -0400

It is the role of a democratic government in a civil society to defend all human rights. Human rights cannot flourish where labour rights are not enforced.

President's Commentary: Time to reverse the downward spiral of income inequality

dduffy — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 09:31:14 -0400

It’s time for true political leaders in Canada to emerge and rise to the challenge of addressing inequality. And the rest of us must be more demanding of our governments to justify their policy choices – will they reduce inequality or make the problem worse?

President's Commentary: Economic insecurity hangs like a cloud over Labour Day 2011

lbush — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 10:10:45 -0400

There’s a dark cloud hanging over Labour Day celebrations this year. Workers and their families are scared and angry as they struggle to cope with the ongoing economic crisis.

A Modern Post: Powered by People - Why we should care about CUPW bargaining

dduffy — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:18:41 -0400

The real question now is whether or not Canada Post is up to the job to be the innovator the country needs. There is a massive opportunity for CEO Deepak Chopra to make a transformative shift in our postal system. Now is the perfect time for Canada Post to open itself to the future, to invest and expand.

President's Commentary: Election 2011 - Don’t forget Harper’s record on international affairs

dduffy — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 10:18:02 -0400

The Conservative campaign has so far reinforced the image of Harper as a controlling, angry dictator. It’s definitely dented any momentum he had going into the campaign.

President's Commentary: Federal budget should include Fairness Test

dduffy — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 10:14:52 -0400

How bad is income inequality in Canada? Really bad. And it is getting worse. A Fairness Test would ensure that the poorest Canadians are not hit the hardest by deficit reduction policies.

President's Commentary: Tories aren't tough on crime; they're dumb on crime

lbush — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 22:28:56 -0400

The Conservative government’s "tough on crime" agenda is a waste of resources and is actually making the real problems in our justice system worse.

President's Commentary: Lessons from Wisconsin

lbush — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 10:06:44 -0500

Wisconsin Governor’s attack shouldn’t be a surprise to any of us. Indeed, the question has only been when and which jurisdiction in North America would be first to take such heavy handed action.

President's Commentary: Time for tax fairness, not more corporate tax cuts

dduffy — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 17:31:01 -0500

There's very little evidence these tax cuts will lead to more jobs. In fact, they come with no strings attached so companies that eliminate jobs are actually rewarded - James Clancy, NUPGE national president.

President's Commentary: An appeal to Ontario political leaders - listen to public sector workers

dblaikie — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 17:50:00 -0500

Tim Hudak is misleading voters by pretending that an attack on public sector jobs and wages will deal with a financial mess that the financial sector has caused, says James Clancy, NUPGE's national president.

President's Commentary: NUPGE – CLC dispute over raiding

lbush — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:56:00 -0500

Please read this commentary by National President James Clancy to learn more about the dispute with the Canadian Labour Congress over raiding.

President's Commentary: The top ten reasons to expand the Canada Pension Plan

dfudge — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 13:00:00 -0400

CPP is the envy of the world: it’s secure, funded on a sound basis and well managed by professional staff independent of government.

President James Clancy’s Labour Day message

dblaikie — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 13:02:00 -0400

It’s time for Canada to put into practice our international commitments to labour rights.

President's Commentary: dismissal of ombudsman shows military equipment matters more than people

lbush — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 13:01:30 -0400

(19 Aug. 2010) - Perhaps if Colonel Stogran had a well-financed lobby behind him the situation would be different. Unfortunately, unlike the arms industry, veterans tend to lack the money needed to 'effectively' lobby federal politicians.

President's Commentary: Decisions by G-20 leaders point to a bleak future for struggling families

dblaikie — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:29:00 -0400

(5 July 2010) - 'The big winners were the same financial institutions responsible for the economic crisis in the first place. Rather than seize the opportunity to act, the G-20 leaders failed to agree on any new regulations for the financial sector.' - James Clancy.

Updated with video.

Harper's divisive tactics are damaging Canadian civility and undermining democratic traditions

dblaikie — Thu, 20 May 2010 18:50:00 -0400

(19 May 2010) - President's Commentary: Harper has personally fired, threatened and bullied so many agency and commission heads who have disagreed with him that it’s difficult to keep track of them all, says NUPGE's James Clancy.

President’s Commentary: Budget advice from the National Union to the Harper government

dblaikie — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 11:58:00 -0500

(11 Feb. 2010) - The top priority for the upcoming federal budget must be to preserve and create good jobs. The budget should also invest in building a healthier, smarter, greener and more secure Canada, says NUPGE president James Clancy.

President’s Commentary: Two steps forward and one step backward for labour rights in 2009

dblaikie — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 11:58:59 -0500

(29 Jan. 2010) - While 2009 provided several significant victories for workers across Canada, governments continued their legislative attack on the rights of labour, says NUPGE president James Clancy.

President's Commentary: National Pensions Summit needed to explore all retirement security options

dblaikie — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:44:00 -0500

(16 Dec. 2009) - 'We need a National Pensions Summit that provides Canadians from all walks of life with an open forum to fairly explore and assess the viability of all options designed to improve retirement security for all Canadians.' - James Clancy.

President’s Commentary: Stephen Harper is diminishing Canada's international reputation

dblaikie — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:23:00 -0500

(27 Nov. 2009) - NUPGE president James Clancy says Harper is changing Canada so radically that we could lose more than our good name – already badly damaged on the world stage. "We just might lose Canada altogether," he writes.

President’s Commentary: Canada needs tax fairness not the HST

lbush — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:01:39 -0400

(22 Oct. 2009) - NUPGE president James Clancy says Canada needs serious tax reform. But he says the new HST in Ontario and BC unfairly targets working families and should be cancelled. Instead, Canada must look at restoring fairness to its tax system by cancelling the Harper government's planned corporate tax cuts and by creating new tax brackets at the top for the wealthiest Canadians.

President’s Commentary: Wall government’s Bill 80 is pay back to big business and phony unions

dblaikie — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:30:00 -0400

(16 Oct. 2009) - The objectives of the legislation are threefold: to eliminate sectoral bargaining, to allow the establishment of employer-dominated company unions and to greatly reduce the power of unions in the construction industry.

President's Commentary: Cruel and needless recession hangs like a cloud over Labour Day 2009

dblaikie — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:44:59 -0400

(31 Aug. 2009) - 'I ask you to reflect on the victims of this powerful recession and to speak out for the changes that our government must make if we are to build a better world for ourselves and our families.'

President’s commentary: Still waiting after 60 years

dblaikie — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 18:45:00 -0400

(28 July 2009) - Why is Canada still refusing to ratify ILO Convention No. 98 – the right to form unions and bargain collectively? After 60 years, the federal government has run out of excuses. Even the Supreme Court of Canada has recognized this right. - James Clancy.

Clancy praises B.C. forest service firefighters

dblaikie — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:15:51 -0400

(22 July 2009) - "My heart goes out to all those families whose lives have been disrupted by the fires. I can’t imagine what they have felt." - James Clancy.

President’s commentary: Canada's shameful refusal to ratify the ILO convention on forced labour

dblaikie — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:33:00 -0400

(18 June 2009) - Canada has a shameful secret, says NUPGE president James Clancy. It is one of only nine countries in the world that have failed to ratify the International Labour Organization's Convention No. 29 on Forced Labour.

President’s Commentary: Lies about the deficit

dblaikie — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:30:59 -0400

(2 June 2009) - Canada's social infrastructure is starving for funds despite right-wing lies about the cause of Jim Flaherty's projected $50 billion deficit.

President’s Commentary: The Harper government refuses to stop credit card companies from gouging

dblaikie — Sun, 24 May 2009 18:01:00 -0400

(24 May 2009) - As long as Harper and his cabinet let the big banks write the rules, we'll continue to have a financial system that's good for them and bad for everyone else.

President’s Commentary: A people’s response to the economic crisis

dblaikie — Tue, 19 May 2009 18:28:00 -0400

(18 May 2009) - The “experts” had their chance. We tried it their way. It didn’t work. Now it’s our turn. It’s our turn to ensure our governments find real economic alternatives that work for everybody. — Commentary by NUPGE president James Clancy.

President’s Commentary: Financial Post excuses corporations by blaming unions for the recession

dblaikie — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:28:30 -0400

(31 March 2009) - The same corporate 'experts' who flattened the stock market and triggered the economic crisis with relentless deregulation are now claiming that higher wages for workers is bad for the economy — Commentary by NUPGE president James Clancy.

President’s Commentary: Pension debate must focus on expanding Canada's public pensions system

dblaikie — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 09:17:26 -0400

(20 March 2009) - The second of two commentaries by James Clancy, national president of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), on the challenges facing pension plans in Canada. Read first commentary

President’s Commentary: Don't let the fox guard the henhouse when dealing with Canadian pensions

dblaikie — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:00:00 -0400

(19 March 2009) - The first of two commentaries by James Clancy, national president of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), on the challenges facing pension plans in Canada.

President’s Commentary: Will Obama’s green stimulus leadership rub off on Harper?

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 01:26:55 -0500

(19 Feb. 2009) - Obama understands that the current recession presents national leaders with a unique opportunity to unleash ingenuity and develop green technologies that will renew economies and simultaneously confront climate change.

President's Commentary: Three lessons Stephen Harper could learn from Barack Obama

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:35:27 -0500

(18 Feb. 2009) -- 'Is it really asking too much for a Canadian prime minister to raise his game above the shabby politics of fear, partisanship and rigid ideology?'

Stimulus too timid; tax cuts ineffective

jclancy — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 14:49:41 -0500

(Jan 27, 2009) -- 'Everyone except the prime minister seems to understand that big problems require bold solutions. Canada needs a large-scale fiscal stimulus.'

Economy or environment? It's a false choice

jclancy — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 10:13:01 -0500

(Jan 23, 2009) -- 'The Harper government thinks we have to choose either a strong economy or a clean environment. This is a false choice that sells our country short. We can and must have both.'

How Canada can beat tough times

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:08:10 -0500

'In tough times it is important that our governments show leadership and make smart policy choices that are in our long term interests,' say James Clancy and Peter Olfert.

Socialism for the rich, capitalism for the poor

jclancy — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 20:00:00 -0400

(Nov 11, 2008) -- 'Our challenge is to ensure that a progressive approach of using our common wealth for the common good stirs our collective conscience and becomes the centre of political discourse and policy in this country.'

Harper is out of touch and has no plan for Canada

jclancy — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

(Oct 9, 2008) -- 'The Harper platform is a vapid document, full of slogans but lacking a substantive plan to tackle the current economic and social challenges.'

Poison food crisis shows Harper's contempt for government action

jclancy — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

(Sept 24, 2008) -- 'How many more people must die before the Harper government realizes that public health and safety must always transcend the boundaries of ideology?'

Dignity Denied: Long-term care and Canada

jclancy — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

(Apr 15, 2008) -- 'No longer can governments be allowed to ignore the deepening crisis in our nursing home sector. The care of Canada’s seniors, now so shamefully neglected, must become a top priority for all of us.'

December 10 is International Human Rights Day

kcarruthers — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 19:00:00 -0500

(Dec 7, 2007) -- 'Labour rights are human rights. Seize them. Defend them. Promote them. Understand them and insist on them. It’s a sure way to strengthen our democracy while helping to achieve equality and justice for all working people.'

Activism is still the bedrock of the labour movement

jclancy — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 20:00:00 -0400

(Oct 26, 2007) -- 'Union activity is an integral part of democratic civil society. Our problems are social and economic, but the solution remains political.'

Federal leaders must focus on troubling economic trends

jclancy — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 20:00:00 -0400

(Oct 11, 2007) -- 'Lost jobs, stagnating wages, historic gap between rich and poor. These are the types of trends that can pull a country apart at the seams.'

Health care and the common good

jclancy — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 20:00:00 -0400

(Aug 15, 2007) -- 'The CMA is undermining the most fundamental premises of our national Medicare system – health care is not a commodity that should be bought or sold. It is a common good and needs to be treated and respected in this manner.'

Much work remains in wake of Supreme Court ruling

jclancy — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 20:00:00 -0400

(July 19, 2007) -- 'The Supreme Court ruling on collective bargaining rights is definitely a victory worth celebrating. But with so much at stake, we cannot and must not stop to rest or relax for long.'

Harper budget out of touch with Canadian priorities

jclancy — Tue, 29 May 2007 20:00:00 -0400

(Mar 30, 2007) -- 'As the facts clearly demonstrate, with last week’s budget stuffed with platitudes rather than solutions, the Harper government just doesn’t have what it takes to build the kind of future most Canadians want and deserve.'

A great Canadian dies - farewell to Doris Anderson

jclancy — Mon, 14 May 2007 20:00:00 -0400

(Mar 15, 2007) -- 'Doris Anderson was an important journalist, women’s rights champion and activist. Canada mourns her loss, but celebrates a remarkable life.'

Canada at War - supporting our troops

jclancy — Fri, 04 May 2007 20:00:00 -0400

(Mar 4, 2007) -- 'We are spending lots of money for war and military equipment but what happens when our soldiers come home?'

An urgent message for Canada's health care ministers

jclancy — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

(Feb 9, 2007) -- 'There is an important message that Canada's provincial and territorial health ministers ought to hear when they meet this week in Toronto: More health professionals are needed to reduce hospital wait times.'

Labour stands diminished by the loss of Kevin Park

admin — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

(Jan 23, 2007) -- 'Kevin Park, a well-known activist and staff representative with the British Columbia Government and Service Employees' Union," was a passionate life-long advocate of causes related to social justice.'

Three cheers for the labour movement

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 20:00:00 -0400

(Aug 28, 2006) -- 'There is a point during the Canadian summer when one starts to think of the fall. It's mid-August and the garden has just peaked. Kids are complaining that they are bored. You can hear the crickets at night. It's a classic Canadian summer.'

Joy rides and hot summer nights

Wed, 02 Aug 2006 20:00:00 -0400

(Aug 3, 2006) -- 'When I worked as a front-line street worker I occasionally met guys who would brag about going on joy rides - taking a car that is not their own out for a spin. These guys would claim there was no harm done as they left the car more or less in the condition they found it.'

Ideology drives workers' rights critic

Wed, 03 May 2006 20:00:00 -0400

(May 3, 2006) -- 'While extreme ideologues can generally be relied upon to defy reality in support of their radical agenda, Ms. Martinuk's article was especially surprising in its shallowness and misrepresentation of the facts.'

Mr. Harper goes to war

Thu, 16 Mar 2006 11:51:56 -0500

(16 March 2006) -- 'Perhaps the Harper government is afraid that good old fashioned Canadian common sense will once again show itself right about Afghanistan as it was about Iraq.'

Albertans must de-Klein the third way on Medicare

Fri, 03 Mar 2006 14:12:52 -0500

(March 03, 2006) -- 'Alberta Premier Ralp Klein's Third Way for health care is about allowing the very wealthy to jump the queue at the expense of the rest of us.'

Harper - a chilling echo of the Bush Republicans?

Sun, 26 Feb 2006 19:00:00 -0500

(Feb 27, 2006) -- 'Harper will, if he gets his way, push Canada down the American capitalist road into a new world of neoconservative American politics.'

Keep the child care promise

Sun, 19 Feb 2006 19:00:00 -0500

(Feb 20, 2006) -- 'In keeping the child care promise, Stephen Harper can demonstrate leadership and a mastery of statecraft that would serve him very well when he next goes to the polls. Does he have it in him?'

It's never too late, Mr. Harper

Mon, 09 Jan 2006 19:00:00 -0500

(Jan 20, 2006) -- 'I urge Mr. Harper to come forward, stand up for working families, and stand up for Canada by adding his name to the Workers' Bill of Rights. It is never too late to do the right thing, Mr. Harper.'