Roundup: Effacing labour

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Yesterday having been Labour Day, there were a couple of topical stories out there – that the government’s look at updating the Canada Labour Codemay look at more measures to help with work-life balance, and that there are ideas on the table to look at taxing robots who replace workers with automation (though this seems fraught with all manner of complications). There is even talk about how this government has given the labour movement a seat at the table with trade negotiations (though there is some talk about how it’s all for show, and that they have little actual impact). But all of this having been said, I found the statements by the leaders to be interesting.

https://twitter.com/MinWorkDev/status/1036629441517182984

Trudeau’s tweet was fairly standard, spoke about the labour movement, and the attached statement went into more detail about the achievements of the aforementioned labour movement. His minister of labour, Patty Hajdu, had a video message that talked about ways they are working on improving the current conditions, with a focus on harassment and coming pay equity legislation. Jagmeet Singh, true to NDP form, spoke about the focus on workers. But Andrew Scheer?

Nothing about the actual meaning of Labour Day. Nothing about the gains made by the labour movement, or the safety of workers, or the eight-hour work day, or weekends. Nope. It’s a holiday before getting “back to the grind.” Now, the previous government was no friend to labour, with vexatious legislation designed to make certification harder, impose onerous financial reporting requirements, the fight with public sector unions over sick days, and numerous back-to-work bills. But to not even mention the history of the movement and the gains made, whether it’s with occupational health and safety, weekends, pensions, anything? It smacks of pettiness, and of effacing history – you know, something he gets riled up when it’s a statue of Sir John A. Macdonald, but apparently not the Winnipeg General Strike.

Good reads:

  • Here’s a look at getting the momentum back in NAFTA talks after Trump’s threats, which would make the deal unworkable if he cut Canada out.
  • Chrystia Freeland has condemned the sentencing of two Reuters journalists in Myanmar who were convicted for reporting on a massacre.
  • Health Canada is attempting a “nuanced” legal cannabis education campaign after decades of “don’t do it” messaging.
  • The head of the Toronto Police Association would rather more resources for police and social services than a handgun ban.
  • Some Saudi students in Canada are filing for asylum rather than adhering to the demand that they return home after the diplomatic spat.
  • If you’re following the drama, VADM Mark Norman is back in court today and is expected to enter a not guilty plea.
  • The cancelled Border Security series (with its preternaturally telegenic agents) remains Canadians’ best source of information on how CBSA operates.
  • Here’s a look at the problems with our whistleblower protections as one civil servant fights the system after she blew the whistle on EI fraud audit practices.
  • There’s a grassroots push in Liberal MP Denis Paradis’ riding to have him ousted in a nomination meeting, but he met the conditions to have his nomination protected.
  • Kevin Carmichael makes the case that IP will be the bigger issue for wealth creators in NAFTA talks than autos and dairy.
  • Susan Delacourt delves into the growing strains in Canada’s relationship with Mexico amidst the strains imposed by the US.
  • Chantal Hébert suspects that the Trans Mountain setback will be a blow to Trudeau’s re-election narrative.
  • My weekend column looked at how the attempts to force the Trans Mountain pipeline through rather than doing the hard work would only make things worse.

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