Labour Calls For Action on Pensions and E.I.

Wednesday, August 05, 2009 02:41 PM

Regina, Saskatchewan, – Canada’s Territorial and Provincial Federations of Labour, representing more than two million workers, called on the Premiers to act immediately to revamp the Canada Pension Plan, to dramatically improve employment insurance benefits for Canadians and to jumpstart stimulus funding targeted to creating jobs for Canadians.

"Now is the time to implement concrete solutions. With more than 1.5 million Canadians unemployed, and fewer than 50 per cent of them receiving employment insurance benefits, our Premiers need to respond immediately to the crisis," says Jim Sinclair, President of the B.C. Federation of Labour.

Today the Federation Presidents also endorsed a new joint statement signed by over a dozen labour and civil society groups, including the Council of Canadians.

The statement calls on the Council of the Federation to reject any federal proposals that would eliminate or restrict their ability to ensure that public procurement policies maximize benefits to the local and Canadian economies.

"Canadians are tired of economic policies that move decent jobs offshore, and will only send our economy into a deeper recession. We need policies that protect jobs in Canada, not export jobs from Canada. More North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and more free trade will mean higher unemployment," added Sinclair.

Premiers are expected to decide this week on a federal proposal regarding procurement under NAFTA and also to discuss pension reform.

"Local procurement policies are what keep communities strong," said Sinclair. "They create greater local employment, increase tax revenues, encourage communities to buy locally and environmentally sustainable goods and services, and can be drivers of innovation and economic diversity. They also allow governments to set proactive policies that are best for their communities."

The Federation Presidents will also be making concrete proposals on pension reform aimed at extending coverage to the 65 percent of working Canadians who currently have no pension.

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Posted on Wednesday, August 05, 2009 02:41 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Born in BC on August 5 2009 3:15 PM

Its so painful to read Lefty Non-economic policy 101. I bet this idiot has no understanding of the fact that the global economy raises the standard of living overall on average.

Jim your labor practices are anti-trust and monopolistic, although I am sure that you have no idea what these terms mean and how clearly they apply to you and your organization.

Posted by: lost it all on August 5 2009 5:14 PM

Go Jim Go!

Without the Federation of Labour, the Labour Board, Unions, and other like minded institutions most Canadians would be living in mud huts.

As far as Born in BC's comments of anti-trust and monopolistic, they can clearly be applied to business.

Posted by: REALIST on August 5 2009 6:31 PM

opinions vary but only the truely ignorant could be oblivious to the fact that the "global economy" talk is just another concentrated attempt to wrangle more wealth for the wealthy at the expense of the poor. Wake up Canada and realize that you are being sold into slavery.

Posted by: ammonra on August 5 2009 7:17 PM

I seem to recall that the current world wide economic downturn was brought about by the greed of wealthy bankers who wanted to skim even more money from even more people, and they didn't give a damn about whether they could afford to pay thecosts.

But, hey, it must be an attempt to take from the rich, mustn't it. Black is white, left is right!

Posted by: ammonra on August 5 2009 7:19 PM

My apologies, I misread. I thought REALIST said, "wealth from thge wealthy". I should read more carefully.

Posted by: ammonra on August 5 2009 7:19 PM

Mind you, the Left is right!

Posted by: MrPG on August 5 2009 7:46 PM

"Without the Federation of Labour, the Labour Board, Unions, and other like minded institutions most Canadians would be living in mud huts."

Typical pro-union rhetoric. Yeah, you're right... without the Federation of Labour, broom pushers probably wouldn't be able to make $21.00 an hour like they do now.

Posted by: MrPG on August 5 2009 7:47 PM

On another topic, the world must be backwards. Carole James and the NDP are coming out against the HST. You would figure this would be right up their alley.

Posted by: Chester on August 5 2009 8:11 PM

So, just where does the money come from? Labour Unions? Government? Unemployed? Unemployable? No, money comes from people providing a product or a service that others want and need and are willing to pay for. (Business) If you think business is a dirty word. You have to ask yourself where all the jobs are supposed to come from?

Nothing wrong with standing up for the rights of workers. But, not at the expense of the people who hire them.

Posted by: foxtrapper on August 5 2009 8:20 PM

How about getting our Canada pension increased by about 50 percent just to keep up with rising costs. Same as Old Age pension which has been 500 dollars since the day it atarted.

Posted by: Palopu on August 5 2009 9:31 PM

Canadian pensions for the most part are sufficient. For those without pensions lets keep in mind that they were without them for 30 or 40 years. What did they do about it. Obviously nothing. Ever heard of an RRSP???

Think about this for a minute.

Married couple. Both worked for 30 years and paid into a pension fund, plus into RRSP. At age 65 these people will each receive.

(1) Their employee pension.
(2) Canada Pension
(3) Old Age Pension
(4) RRSP Pension.

This would be a total of 7 Pension payments that would amount to approx $7,000.00 per month, or $84000.00 per year.

I think we can safely say that a hell of a lot of people in Canada are pension rich, especially Government employees.

I always have to laugh when dudes like Jim Sinclair work their butts off the get the NDP elected, and then when it doesnt happen, they begin to tell the Conservatives how to run the Government, and what programs they should implement.

Im sure Harper and his Cabinet have been waiting with bated breath to hear from Mr Sinclair. Not bloody likely.

Posted by: lost it all on August 5 2009 10:03 PM

"Nothing wrong with standing up for the rights of workers. But, not at the expense of the people who hire them."

Does that mean business must be saved at the expense of the worker, Chester?

MrPG, what is your point, should workers live in mud huts?
Afterall for every broom pusher who recieves $21/hr there is a CEO who agreed to it and signs his cheque.

Posted by: Palopu on August 6 2009 7:57 AM

The Point?????

The CEO is stupid, and the broom pusher is overpaid.

Posted by: CaringSoul on August 6 2009 8:34 AM

The new combined tax is going to tax everything under the sun. School supplies right down to your total food bill. And this right after the Carbon Tax was just increased. Global News said that this combined tax is going to cost the tax payers and the poor between 800.00 and 1200.00 extra a year. I just do not get why government would put more stress on the ever shrinking tax payer group like this in a time of a recession. Its like all levels of government have gone absolutely mad. And can anyone tell me why the governments are not reducing staff like most other companies have to? And to blatenly state on the news that "This new tax is going to happen so get used to it" is a slap in the face to the people of this province. How freaking arrogant!! This is the attitude we now get because we were stupid to give government full control. IMO all government does is pave the way for the rich to get richer. I will cherish the day that the Canadian people finally say ENOUGH!! We need to take back the power we have given stupidly back from the mere men WHO ARE SUPPOSE TO WORK FOR US!

Posted by: Denaljo on August 6 2009 10:51 AM

The govt own numbers say the ordinary taxpayer [not business] will pay another 4 billion.
Screwed again!

Posted by: Palopu on August 6 2009 3:27 PM

CaringSoul//Denaljo. Youve got it right.

We have to complain loud and clear to the Liberal Government that this tax is totally unaceptable, and we do not want anymore tax increases.

Its time to reduce Government Employees, and salaries across the board. These guys are hugely overpaid, and underworked. They have been feeding at the trough for so long, they now think it is their God give right to increase their salaries anytime they want, and just go to the taxpayer to cover the costs.

It has to come to an end. Get a petition going on this tax. Send a letter to Campbell, with a copy to Colin Hansen, and Pat Bell, Rustad, and Bond, stating that they have crossed the line, and they better back off or suffer the consequences.

They all have email addresses; Just look up Government of BC, and you will find them.

Posted by: lost it all on August 6 2009 8:46 PM

The point.

So the CEO is outwitted by the broom pusher and the broom pusher is overpaid.

Would that mean at millions of dollars a year in CEO salary and bonuses the CEO is market value?