Sept 8, 2024 | Barry Weisleder
The largest labour council in the Canadian state, a network of unions representing over 220,000 workers in the Toronto area, met at the IBEW Hall in Scarborough on September 5.
The monthly gathering, with about 25 delegates present, and a few dozen participating on-line, celebrated its 152nd annual Toronto Labour Day Parade which saw over 25,000 workers and allies take to the streets on September 2.
With Council President Andria Babbington at the head table, delegates reported on a number of issues. These included the rise of ultra-right wing forces in elections around the world, the danger that the Canadian National Exhibition will sell CNE property long enjoyed by the public to private developers, and the results of recent strikes (and near-strikes) involving railroad, city public transit and Ontario Liquor Board employees.
Noteworthy, however, was the deafening silence on major political issues. Not a word was said about the break of the labour-based federal New Democratic Party with the Liberal minority government in Ottawa. The NDP led by Jagmeet Singh had supported Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for over two years in a “Supply and Confidence” deal. The pact entailed voting for Liberal budgets that funded oil and gas pipelines, increased spending on wars and weaponry, and did little to address severe problems in housing, health care and the soaring cost of living.
While the T&YRLC welcomed hundreds of pro-Palestinian marchers in the last contingent of the Labour Day Parade, its monthly meeting failed to express support for CUPE Ontario president Fred Hahn who is under attack by Zionist groups, and the federal executive of CUPE, for his valiant opposition to the genocide underway in Gaza and the West Bank.
Fortunately, Socialist Action members staffing a display table at the union hall distributed a pertinent leaflet that was also widely circulated on Labour Day, and sold copies of the SA journal The Red Review. One remedy to silence on big working class issues is to have more socialists at labour council meetings.
