Leaders of Canada’s Building Trades Unions Meet with Prime Minister Trudeau

Leaders of Canada’s Building Trades Unions Met with Prime Minister to Talk Infrastructure and Apprenticeships

October 15, 2018, Ottawa, ON – This morning, leaders of Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) met with the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Minister Patty Hajdu and Parliamentary Secretary Rodger Cuzner to discuss issues that matter most to the half a million skilled construction workers of the building trades.

“Canada’s Building Trades Unions were pleased to meet with the Prime Minister today. We have a strong working relationship, and that’s built off the Federal Government’s firm belief that unions are  instrumental in lifting Canadians up into the middle class, and keeping them there,” said Canadian Operating Officer, Robert Blakely. “While we were able to discuss many of our issues, it was clear that the Government is in favour of creating jobs in extractive industries where both the economy and the environment are balanced. This is important to our members and to all Canadians.”

The Federal Government has actively taken steps to make things better for workers, including banning asbestos and repealing regressive, anti-union legislation enacted by the previous government including Bill C-377. Moving towards 2019, Canada’s Building Trades Unions want to continue to work closely with the Federal Government to continue building a stronger Canada which includes steps to address labour mobility across the country and allow skilled workers the same tax exemptions that other professionals are able to use when traveling for work; investing in apprenticeships to train the workforce  of tomorrow; and ensuring public tax dollars invested in infrastructure benefit the communities and all people in those communities where these projects are happening.

Leaders of the CBTU participated in a number of roundtables with various Ministers and MPs throughout Monday, with more members participating in meetings on Tuesday, October 16 in Ottawa.

“The CBTU advocates on issues that matter to the half a million men and women that go to work every day to build this country. We will continue to communicate and work closely with the Federal Government to ensure those issues are reflected in policy decisions now and well into the future,” stated Blakely.

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ABOUT CANADA’S BUILDING TRADES UNIONS
Canada’s Building Trades Unions is an alliance of 15 international unions in the building and construction industry that collectively represent over half a million skilled craft professionals in Canada. Each year, our unions and our signatory contractor partners invest over $300 million in private sector money to fund and operate over 175 apprenticeship training and education facilities across Canada that produce the safest, most highly trained and productive skilled craft workers found anywhere in the world. Canada’s Building Trades Unions represent members who work in more than 60 different trades and occupations, and generate 14 per cent of Canada’s GDP.

For more information, please contact:
Kate Walsh
Director of Communications and Marketing
CBTU (Canada)
kwalsh(at)buildingtrades.ca
613-298-0652