05) CLC CALLS FOR "GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS FOR WORKING FAMILIES"

(The following article is from the October 1-15, 2008, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $25/year, or $12 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $25 US per year; other overseas readers - $25 US or $35 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 133 Herkimer St., Unit 502, Hamilton, ON, L8P 2H3.)

The Canadian Labour Congress is urging working people to elect "a parliament that works for us, not against us."

     A special federal election flyer circulated by the CLC points to a few gains achieved by mobilizing pressures on the past two minority governments, such as the Wage Earner Protection Program, regulations to protect workers against violence and unhealthy work situations, and improved ergonomic regulations.

     On other important issues, Parliament adopted non-binding resolutions, such as favouring a "Buy Canadian" policy for transportation purchases, or began implementing important programs like the universal child care plan which was shelved by the Harper Tories.

     In this election, the CLC says "working families need politicians who will make jobs, equality and the environment a top priority." The key issues raised by the Congress include:

* 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-off workers, and support for community adjustment. Restoring the $54 billion surplus to the E.I. Fund and reducing qualifying hours.

* 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.

* Giving all children a good start in life with a national not-for-profit child care and early learning program.

* 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.

     For more information, visit http://www.canadianlabour.ca.