Imagine How Much More Could be Accomplished

Working families deserve a parliament that makes their needs a top priority.

This election working families have a choice to make. We need a parliament that always works for us, not against us.

By mobilizing and being visible, working people got the last two minority parliaments to debate and vote on measures that make a real difference in workers' lives.

Working families need politicians who will make jobs, equality and the environment a top priority. On election day get out and vote for a party that is on your side.

Accomplishments of the last minority government included:

• The Wage Earner Protection Program guaranteeing workers their unpaid wages and holiday pay in the event of bankruptcy. Judges and bankruptcy trustees can't open up collective agreements. Workers’ contributions to their pension plans have priority ahead of other creditors.
• Regulations to protect workers against violence and other forms of unhealthy situations at work.
• Ergonomic regulations which will reduce repetitive-strain injuries at work.
• A 'Buy Canadian' public purchase policy in the transportation sector to make sure government buys Canadian-made buses, rail cars, airplanes and other vehicles. A motion supporting the policy was adopted by the House of Commons.

A few other important changes were almost achieved.

• Employment Insurance qualification and benefits: bills to help workers got debated debated but died with the election call.
• Universal child care: A comprehensive bill to really help working families was debated but also died when Stephen Harper called this election.

Imagine how much more we can achieve with even more politicians in Parliament who will work for working families.

• Protecting Canadian jobs from unfair trade practices and other countries’ protectionism measures with International trade and investment policies guaranteeing workers’ rights and decent work.
• Protecting and creating jobs in the manufacturing and forestry sectors through targeted government support for new investments, rather than across the board corporate tax breaks favoured by the Conservatives and Liberals.
• Helping the domestic auto industry retool to make new energy efficient vehicles. Requiring greater domestic processing of Canadian resources.
• Creating new green jobs by supporting industries of the future; making major new public investments in basic municipal and public transportation infrastructure, renewable energy and energy efficiency, all twinned to a tough Made-in-Canada buying policy.
• Providing decent Employment Insurance benefits and retraining to laid-oft workers, and support for community Taxing huge windfall oil industry profits.
• Stopping profit-driven delivery of publicly-funded health care and creating a national pharmacare program to cover the costs of prescription drugs.
• Abolishing wage discrimination through federal pay equity legislation and introduce a $10 per hour minimum wage; anti-scab legislation.
• Protecting public safety with the government as regulator by putting a stop to letting industry regulate itself. Hiring government inspectors to keep our food, our lifesaving drugs, and other necessities safe to use,