MONTREAL – Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is deeply disappointed by false statements about the party’s position on organized labour made by NDP leader Jagmeet Singh during his speech to CUPE workers in Montreal, Quebec.
“Mr. Singh’s remarks are outrageous,” said Ms. May. “The Green Party’s support for the labour movement has always been unwavering and is a core element of our plan for Canada’s future.”
Union membership, and therefore protection of workers, is at an all-time low. In the growing gig economy, more and more Canadians are engaged in precarious work without benefits or security. The climate crisis necessitates a rapid transition away from the fossil-fuel dependent economic sectors towards a renewable energy economy. We are overdue to modernize our Employment Insurance program to better meet the needs of today, including through portability of benefits.
The Green Party is committed to helping the workers who drive our economy through a just transition into new positions as the fossil fuel industry inevitably declines. This will include measures such as income protection, jobs guarantees, retraining and resettlement. The detailed programs would be developed in partnership with workers and their unions.
“All Mr. Singh had to do was look at our election platform to see that his accusations are untrue,” said Ms. May. “As we have seen with other NDP attempts to attack our plan and our record, checking the facts is not their strong suit.”
The party’s 2019 platform contains a clear commitment to respect the unionized employees of the federal public service and the bargaining process by rejecting back-to-work legislation as a bargaining tool.
The Green Party supports using Canada Post’s extensive physical infrastructure to offer a range of services to communities, building self-reliance and helping to cut greenhouse gas emissions. In diversifying services, as recommended by the Canadian Union of Postal Employees, Canada Post can become more profitable while offering support to rural communities.
The Green Party will also continue to fight for justice in the workplace by:
- Banning unpaid internships in private sector workplaces. The exception is work-study or experiential learning placements associated with for-credit courses at post-secondary institutions.
- Fully implementing federal pay equity rules.
- Establishing a federal Ombudsman to provide impartial and non-departmental help to harassed and demoralized employees.
For more information, please see the Green Party Platform here.
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For more information or to arrange an interview contact:
Rosie Emery
Press Secretary
613-562-4916x206
rosie.emery@greenparty.ca