BAC Journal > Local 7 Canada Celebrates 125 Years of Building the Future

Local 7 Canada Celebrates 125 Years of Building the Future

2014 Issue 4
Canada
JOURNAL: ISSUE 4 - 2014


From the 1899 Journal, A. R. MacDonald, the first President of Local 7 Canada.


Local 6 ON Business Manager Mike Gagliano, left, presented a beautifully polished black marble plaque in honor of Local 7’s 125th anniversary to Business Manager Oliver Swan.

Members of Local 7 Canada and representatives of the Ottawa Region Masonry Contractors Association gathered in Ottawa on November 15th in celebration of the Local’s 125th anniversary. BAC Executive Vice President Tim Driscoll attended the ceremony on behalf of the International Union Executive Board.

Local 7 Canada was chartered by the International on November 17, 1889. Its first President, A. R. MacDonald, was, according to a 1899 Journal article, “one of the most widely known labor men in the Dominion of Canada and an enthusiastic international trades unionist.”

“In the last 125 years, there have been good times and hard times, and good times again.  Our Local has weathered many storms and in spite of them, what was begun 125 years ago has succeeded in ways our founding members could only dream of,” said Local 7 Business Manager Oliver Swan. “I think we can all take pride in the continuing success of our Local, what our members, together with our signatory contractors, have accomplished in the past, what they are accomplishing and what they will accomplish in the future.”

BAC Canadian Director Craig Strudwick, also a Local 7 member, agreed. “Yes, pride in our craft and also in this Local’s caliber of leadership, from 1889 to the present,” said Strudwick, noting Brother Swan’s service to the Local and nearly one term as the elected Co-Chair of the IU Canadian Congress.

 
From left, BAC Canadian Director Craig Strudwick, retired Local 7 Business Manager Dan Plunkett, BAC Executive Vice President Tim Driscoll and Local 7 Business Manager Oliver Swan.

Ottawa Region Masonry Contractors Association representatives were on hand to present a special commemorative gift. Front row from left, Brent Cuddihey of GA Masonry, Andre Pare of Paranis Construction, Joe Costa of GA Masonry, Mario DeMarinis of DeMarinis (DMA), Rick Giacomini of RJW-GEM Campbell Stonemasons Inc., and GEM Campbell (Eastern) Inc, Local 7 Business Manager Oliver Swan, holding the gift, a glass block with inscriptions from contractor representatives. Back row from left, Art Lytle of McGonigal Construction, Dan Danis of Paranis Construction, and Robert Watt and Doug Watt, both of RJW-GEM Campbell Stonemasons Inc.