Recent BAC Articles for Canadian Members

Policy Conference Takes on Tough Issues
Issue 3 - 2007

Expanding mobility for construction workers and reasonably regulating the use of temporary foreign workers in construction were among the topics that attracted more than 300 Canadian building trades’ leaders to the Canadian Policy Conference of the Building and Construction Trades Department (BCTD).

BAC was well represented at the Canadian Policy Conference of the Building and Construction Trades Department, held April 29th to May 2nd in Ottawa. From left, IU Canada Regional Director Fred Vautour, Local 7 Canada Business Manager Oliver Swan, Local 2 British Columbia President Rob Tuzzi, Local 1 Saskatchewan President Clarence Medernach, IU Assistant to the President for Canadian Affairs Graeme Aitken, and Local 1 Newfoundland Business Manager John Leonard.

According to IU Canada Regional Director Fred Vautour, one of six BAC conference attendees, “It was a valuable opportunity to hear from a wide spectrum of decision makers on the issues that impact our members the most.” Featured speakers included members of the Federal Government, the Official Opposition, one Provincial Premier, and a representative of the Liberal Party of Canada.

• The annual BCTD Canadian Policy Conference set aside a full day for lobbying on Parliament Hill. IU Canada Regional Director Fred Vautour, center, met with Paul Zed, the Member of Parliament from Saint John, New Brunswick.

  The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, focused on the Federal Budget that was passed and recently implemented in the House of Commons, as well as the construction industry’s important role in sustaining Canada’s economic wellbeing.
• The Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSD), outlined worker- and training-provisions of the Conservative Government’s Knowledge Advantage (one of three major “pillars” of Advantage Canada, the Conservative Government’s central economic plan) designed to educate and train a highly skilled, flexible and globally competitive workforce. One new program, the Apprenticeship Incentive Grant, is intended to increase apprentice recruitment and retention through cash awards to
  registered apprentices in the first two years of a Red Seal trade program.
• The Honourable Stephane Dion, Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada (the Official Opposition), discussed plans to move forward with the Building Trades to develop a reasonable policy on Temporary Foreign Workers that would protect, not lower, wages and benefits for Canadian construction workers. He took several questions regarding the recently defeated Bill C-257, which would have made it illegal for federally regulated companies to hire replacement workers during a strike.

Rounding out the conference’s speaking program were presentations on pension solvency, World Skills 2009, and the changing demographics of the Canadian workplace.