Wednesday, September 20, 2023

THE WAR ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Protests planned across Canada to
counter anti-LGBTQ2 rallies

By Staff The Canadian Press
Posted September 19, 2023 

Protests and counter-protests for and against Canada’s trans and LGBTQ community are being planned across Canada on Wednesday.

Posters created by a group called “1MillionMarch4Children” say rally participants are “standing together against gender ideology in schools,” which is a reference to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity programs being taught in B.C.’s public schools.

Sarah Worthman, an LGBTQ advocate who is helping organize at least 63 counter-protests across the country, said Canadians need to stand up for the community outside of Pride events.

“Allyship is a verb,” she said, as she called on supporters to stand in solidarity with LGBTQ folks who have increasingly been the subject of hate and political debate by attending the No Space for Hate events.

“There’s this small but vocal minority of far-right individuals who constantly think they’re the majority, and that everyone shares their views,” Worthman said.

Click to play video: 'Nova Scotia has no plans to create policy for gender identify in schools'
Nova Scotia has no plans to create policy for gender identify in schools

She said she hopes the planned counter-protests can help show most Canadians are generally supportive, while countering hateful messaging they expect from protesters.

“Doing these small things shows there is social pushback,” she said. “There is real danger in all of this.”

British Columbia’s Human Rights Commissioner, Kasari Govender, called the anti-LGBTQ marches “hate-fuelled” and said while peaceful demonstration protects democracy and generates debate, the human rights of the trans and LGBTQ community “is not up for debate.”

She said in a statement Tuesday that an inquiry by her office showed almost two-thirds of LGBTQ students don’t feel safe at school, compared with 11 per cent of heterosexual students, and attempts to erase them from school curriculums are hateful.

Worthman said politicians, too, “should be louder” about their support for the LGBTQ community, and against individuals who seek to further marginalize members.



Clint Johnston, the president of the BC Teachers’ Federation, wrote a letter to B.C. Premier David Eby about the union’s concerns about the planned protests.

He said they’re part of a co-ordinated attack against the trans and LGBTQ community.

Click to play video: 'New Saskatchewan education minister responds to gender, sex-ed. policy backlash following cabinet shuffle'
New Saskatchewan education minister responds to gender, sex-ed. policy backlash following cabinet shuffle

“These rallies are part of a movement across North America that uses ‘parental consent’ as a dog whistle for rising homophobia and transphobia. This movement is concerning and must be stopped,” he said in the letter.

In response, the premier said school must be a place where every student feels secure and it’s upsetting to see misinformation and disinformation used to attack vulnerable children and youth.

“Without hesitation, I denounce threats, hate and violence against 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. We are seeing a concerning rise in incidents where trans people are being targeted with threats and violence in person and online,” Eby said in the statement.

“We cannot and must not stand idly by in the face of any kind of bullying. Any political leader who targets our most vulnerable, at-risk children and youth is no leader at all.”

A statement from the City of Whitehorse said it is aware of a march planned for Sept. 20 in the Yukon city, and anti-LGBTQ messaging that targets community members will not be tolerated.

Bylaw officers in Whitehorse are also aware of the planned march as a counter-protest and the city said RCMP will be monitoring.

Govender said in a statement that those who want to “protect” children by removing school-based supports for gay, bisexual, trans and other students are misinformed.

“As a parent, I plead with those who may think they are protecting their children: Erasing LGBTQ2SAI+ people from our curriculum will not change your child’s identity, but it will make schools, and the LGBTQ2SAI+ people in them, less safe,” she said.

Trans people have become the focus of a “surge of disinformation, conspiracy theories and hate,” Govender said.

Click to play video: '‘Life or death’: LGBTQ2 people warn education policy changes on pronouns, names pose dangers'
‘Life or death’: LGBTQ2 people warn education policy changes on pronouns, names pose dangers

“This is not only about hate on the basis of gender identity; these rallies are an affront to human dignity, expression and rights for all of us,” she said

A letter from Govender to Eby, urged him to release details about the effectiveness of 12 recommendations Govender’s office submitted to the province in March.

The recommendations flowed from a public inquiry that examined reports of hate in B.C. and provide a “road map of how to take tangible and transformative action against hate,” Govender said























Protests for and against LGBTQ2S+ inclusive education in Kitchener


Alison Sandstrom
CTVNewsKitchener.ca Digital Content Producer

Updated Sept. 20, 2023 

There are hundreds of people in Carl Zehr Square in downtown Kitchener, protesting for and against LGBTQ2S+ inclusive education.

Demonstrations, under the banner “1 Million March 4 Children,” are planned in cities across Canada today. According to the group’s website, they are advocating for the elimination of what they call “sexual orientation and gender identity curriculum, pronouns, gender ideology and mixed bathrooms” in schools.

Counter protests have been organized in response.
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Cross-country rallies against 'gender ideology' in schools met with counter-protests

Multiple groups including the City of Kitchener and the Waterloo Region District School Board released statements yesterday expressing solidarity with LGBTQ2S+ people ahead of the protests.

“Unfortunately, underlying some of the motivations behind these demonstrations are hate and inaccuracies about what is happening in schools," the school board said. "We continue to focus on creating inclusive, safe spaces, and ensuring the well-being of all students and staff… especially those most marginalized."

As of 10 a.m., there are hundreds of people in Carl Zehr Square on both sides.

Police are keeping the two groups separated.


Protesters against queer-inclusive education are in the foreground. Counter protestors are on the other side of the fountain. (Chris Thomson/CTV Kitchener)

British Columbia

Protests against teaching gender diversity in schools planned across B.C.

Counter-rallies also expected in some communities

CBC News · 
People holding up pink signs that read, 'Leave Our Kids Alone.'
People at a protest in Windsor, Ont., on June 20, 2023 hold signs saying 'Leave Our Kids Alone,' in regards to the local school board's gender identity policy. (Jennifer La Grassa/CBC)

Protests against schools teaching children about gender and sexual diversity are planned to take place across B.C. Wednesday.

Posters created by a group, called 1 Million March 4 Children, say participants are "standing together against gender ideology in schools" — which, in B.C., references Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) programs being taught in public schools.

Similar events are planned across Canada today, with some parents and socially conservative groups protesting LGBTQ-inclusive education policies in the classroom and in extracurricular settings under the banner of parental rights. 

But critics and researchers say the term "parental rights" is a misnomer because it doesn't address the concerns of LGBTQ parents or parents of LGBTQ children.

Counter-rallies are also expected in some communities. 

There is no specific SOGI curriculum in B.C., however K-12 students have subjects around human rights, respecting diversity, and responding to discrimination. 

"Teachers may include discussions around the B.C. Human Rights Code, sexual orientation and gender identity," the provincial government's website says.

Parents can also arrange for alternative ways to educate children about "sensitive topics related to reproduction and sexuality," including learning about them at home or through self-directed studies. This does not mean students can opt out of studying those subjects. 

"It is expected that students will, in consultation with their school, demonstrate their knowledge of the learning standard(s) have arranged to address by alternative means," the website reads.

Bullying claims

In an interview with CBC News, David Low, one of the organizers of a rally against SOGI programs in Prince George, B.C., claimed children were being "bullied" by teachers into changing their pronouns.

Low, who unsuccessfully ran for school board in by-elections earlier this year — losing to two candidates who explicitly endorsed SOGI — said he worries children are being pushed towards getting body-altering surgery without parental knowledge. 

He also said he has heard stories of children identifying as a "kitty cat."

The rumour that there are children or teachers identifying as cats in classrooms is one that has often been cited by opponents of sexual and gender education programs, and has repeatedly been denied by school boards across North America.

"It's one thing to say, well, we have various people who have different feelings about sexuality," Low said.

"It's a different thing to teach everybody that it is perfectly normal, and that you [the student] should look into that, if it's applicable to you."

Protests seem driven by misinformation: teachers federation

Clint Johnston, president of the B.C. Teachers' Federation, said much of the support for the protests seem to be driven by disinformation and misinformation about what is happening in classrooms.

"This [SOGI] is a program that's been running successfully for a long time … supported by every one of the major political parties in British Columbia," he said.

"It is just very frustrating to continue to see this type of activity happening based on what are just factually incorrect assertions and misunderstandings."

He said he's heard claims that teachers are trying to influence children to "change" genders. 

"Nothing could be further from the truth," Johnston said.

"There is no influence on students to do anything other than to learn to be themselves and to be comfortable with themselves and to be comfortable with everyone in their school around them.

"And to understand that there are differences in each of those people around them and how to live together and support each other to be happy and healthy." 

Mikara Pettman, a social worker in 100 Mile House in the Interior — about 353 kilometres northwest of Kelowna — started Cariboo Gender Support in 2016, where parents of trans, non-binary, two-spirit and other gender-diverse children can access support and resources.

Pettman said while children tend to be quite knowledgeable in terms of the gender spectrum, the lack of education around gender diversity historically has led to a lot of confusion now for parents. 

"Really it's a shock," she told Daybreak Kamloops host Shelley Joyce. "Especially of course if parents are cisgender, meaning that they were assigned a gender at birth and it fit for them and they've grown up, which is many of us."

But people like her are trying to change that, she said.

"We've come to a place as a society and a culture where we're being more inclusive and understanding," she said, "and that's really good news."

Leaders condemn 'hate-fuelled marches'

B.C. Premier David Eby posted a letter on social media on Tuesday raising concerns about the planned protests and denouncing hate toward LGBTQ communities.

 

"It's upsetting and distressing to see misinformation and disinformation used to attack some of our most vulnerable children and youth," he wrote.

B.C. Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender says she is disturbed by what she calls "hate-fuelled marches.'' 

In a statement, Govender says peaceful demonstration protects democracy and generates debate, but the human rights of the trans and LGBTQ community "is not up for debate.''

She says an inquiry by her office showed almost two-thirds of LGBTQ students don't feel safe at school, compared with 11 per cent of heterosexual students, and attempts to erase them from school curriculums are hateful.

With files from Sonya Hartwig, Courtney Dickson and the Canadian Press

B.C. human rights commissioner slams 'hate-fuelled' anti-LGBTQ2S+ rallies planned across Canada


The Canadian Press
Updated Sept. 19, 2023


VICTORIA -

Protests and counter-protests for and against Canada's trans and LGBTQ community are being planned across Canada on Wednesday.

Posters created by a group called “1MillionMarch4Children” say rally participants are “standing together against gender ideology in schools,” which is a reference to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity programs being taught in B.C.'s public schools.

Sarah Worthman, an LGBTQ advocate who is helping organize at least 63 counter-protests across the country, said Canadians need to stand up for the community outside of Pride events.

“Allyship is a verb,” she said, as she called on supporters to stand in solidarity with LGBTQ folks who have increasingly been the subject of hate and political debate by attending the No Space for Hate events.

“There's this small but vocal minority of far-right individuals who constantly think they're the majority, and that everyone shares their views,” Worthman said.

She said she hopes the planned counter-protests can help show most Canadians are generally supportive, while countering hateful messaging they expect from protesters.

“Doing these small things shows there is social pushback,” she said. “There is real danger in all of this.”

British Columbia's Human Rights Commissioner, Kasari Govender, called the anti-LGBTQ marches “hate-fuelled” and said while peaceful demonstration protects democracy and generates debate, the human rights of the trans and LGBTQ community “is not up for debate.”

She said in a statement Tuesday that an inquiry by her office showed almost two-thirds of LGBTQ students don't feel safe at school, compared with 11 per cent of heterosexual students, and attempts to erase them from school curriculums are hateful.

Worthman said politicians, too, “should be louder” about their support for the LGBTQ community, and against individuals who seek to further marginalize members.

Clint Johnston, the president of the BC Teachers' Federation, wrote a letter to B.C. Premier David Eby about the union's concerns about the planned protests.

He said they're part of a co-ordinated attack against the trans and LGBTQ community.

“These rallies are part of a movement across North America that uses 'parental consent' as a dog whistle for rising homophobia and transphobia. This movement is concerning and must be stopped,” he said in the letter.

In response, the premier said school must be a place where every student feels secure and it's upsetting to see misinformation and disinformation used to attack vulnerable children and youth.

“Without hesitation, I denounce threats, hate and violence against 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. We are seeing a concerning rise in incidents where trans people are being targeted with threats and violence in person and online,” Eby said in the statement.

“We cannot and must not stand idly by in the face of any kind of bullying. Any political leader who targets our most vulnerable, at-risk children and youth is no leader at all.”


A statement from the City of Whitehorse said it is aware of a march planned for Sept. 20 in the Yukon city, and anti-LGBTQ messaging that targets community members will not be tolerated.

Bylaw officers in Whitehorse are also aware of the planned march as a counter-protest and the city said RCMP will be monitoring.

Govender said in a statement that those who want to “protect” children by removing school-based supports for gay, bisexual, trans and other students are misinformed.

“As a parent, I plead with those who may think they are protecting their children: Erasing LGBTQ2SAI+ people from our curriculum will not change your child's identity, but it will make schools, and the LGBTQ2SAI+ people in them, less safe,” she said.

Trans people have become the focus of a “surge of disinformation, conspiracy theories and hate,” Govender said.

“This is not only about hate on the basis of gender identity; these rallies are an affront to human dignity, expression and rights for all of us,” she said.

A letter from Govender to Eby, urged him to release details about the effectiveness of 12 recommendations Govender's office submitted to the province in March.

The recommendations flowed from a public inquiry that examined reports of hate in B.C. and provide a “road map of how to take tangible and transformative action against hate,” Govender said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2023.




B.C. Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender speaks in Vancouver, on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

Hundreds expected to counter-protest anti-LGBTQ2S+ demonstrations in Toronto

Demonstrations protesting queer inclusive education are planned in at least 80 cities across Canada

Hannah Alberga, 
CTV News Toronto Multi-Platform Writer
Published Wednesday, September 20, 2023T

Demonstrations protesting LGBTQ2S+ inclusive education are planned in at least 80 cities across the country on Wednesday, with hundreds of people planning to participate in a counter-protest in Toronto.

The demonstrations, under the banner “1 Million March 4 Children,” are advocating for the elimination of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) curriculums in Canada.

Gender identity in the education sector has frequented headlines in recent months, since Saskatchewan and New Brunswick adopted gender and pronoun policies that require parental consent for students under the age of 16 who want to change their given names and/or pronouns at school.

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Megan Poole, manager of community relations and communications for the 519, an agency in downtown Toronto that supports members of the LGBTQ2S+ community, said Ontario Premier Doug Ford has accused school boards of indoctrinating students and insisting parents should be informed of their child’s gender identity. Poole called this a dangerous discourse that forcibly outs children.

“Unfortunately not all of us come from deeply supportive families,” Poole said.

The 519 is planning a counter protest, with 600 participants registered to congregate at Barbara Hall Park on Wednesday before marching to Queen’s Park, to make it clear that “hate has no home in Ontario.”

“If you showed up for Pride this year, it’s really time to show up for the community the rest of the year as well. Pride is every day,” Poole said.

 

WHO IS PROTESTING?

There are two “brands” promoting protests across Canada on Wednesday, Hands Off Our Kids and Family Freedom, Canadian Anti-Hate Network Executive Director Evan Balgord explained. The groups did not respond to requests for comment.

Balgord said one of the groups is religious and openly intolerant of the LGBTQ2S+ community while the other is more secular and appears to be more inclusive. Fundamentally, both are advocating for SOGI to be stripped from the curriculum by hiding behind the illusion that they are just trying to protect children, Balgord noted.

“The concern is that when you let these people organize unopposed, they gain more power,” Balgord said.

To support LGBTQ2S+ communities, counter protests are planned in every province across the country. Several are taking place in Toronto, with more spanning Ontario in Kingston, Kitchener, London, Ottawa, Peterborough, Sarnia, Sudbury and Windsor

“I think from the teacher’s side, it’s fair to say there is some frustration and anger about how what we do to support students in schools is being twisted and misconstrued to be something it isn’t,” Jamie Mitchell, an Ontario high school math teacher, said.

“To see initiatives that would take us backwards, good teachers know that would be harmful for students and families.”

 

WHAT’S THE RESPONSE?

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said she has stood shoulder-to-shoulder in support of LGBTQ2S+ communities, and against discrimination, hatred and bigotry for decades.

“From the earliest Pride parades, through the AIDS crisis, winning same-sex marriage, and much more. I continue to stand with you today in the face of hate," Chow said on Wednesday.

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) said it “unequivocally” stands with trans, Two-Spirit and non-binary students, staff and families. “We support everyone's human rights and expression of gender,” the TDSB said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.

The education minister released a message on Wednesday morning stating the government’s commitment to the safety and well-being of all children in Ontario schools, “irrespective of your faith, heritage, sexual orientation, or color of skin.”

Toronto, Durham and Burlington police forces said they will be monitoring the demonstrations on Wednesday, keeping the peace and enforcing applicable laws.

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) condemned the planned protests and said it is “alarming” that several politicians have contributed to this “disturbing” discourse.

“Instead of spewing rhetoric they know is harmful and dangerous and that pits parents against educators, they should be ensuring safe and inclusive spaces for every student in the province,” the ETFO said in a statement on Tuesday.

To visibly show support, the Pride flag will be raised all week at TDSB and Durham District School Board institutions. 

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 Windsor

Unifor and Ford reach tentative deal, averting strike

Contract deal comes a day after strike deadline passes

CBC News · 
A fence that says "Windsor Engine Plant Annex Truck entrance" and "Ford" in front of an factory building.
Ford Motor Company of Canada has two plants in southwestern Ontario's Windsor-Essex region. The plants make engines for F-series trucks and Ford Mustangs. Unifor and Ford have reached a tentative contract deal, averting a strike that would have seen around 5,600 Canadian workers hit the picket lines. (Dax Melmer/CBC)

Unifor and Ford have reached a tentative contract deal, averting a strike that would have seen around 5,600 Canadian workers hit the picket lines, and providing a roadmap for an agreement for thousands of other autoworkers employed by General Motors and Stellantis.

Unifor National President Lana Payne said the deal addresses the concerns of the membership.

"We believe that this agreement will solidify the foundations on which we will continue to bargain gains for generations of autoworkers in Canada," she said in a media release just after 9 p.m. ET Tuesday.

The agreement was reached a day after the collective agreement with Ford employees expired.

'Financial security'

Neither the union nor Ford offered specifics on what the tentative deal entailed, as members have yet to vote on it.

However, Unifor Ford Master Bargaining Chair John D'Agnolo said the deal "makes the kind of gains our members need today and adds greater financial security for the future."

Ford Motor Company's biggest Canadian plant is in Oakville, Ont., where the Ford Edge and Lincoln Nautilus are made.

It also has two engine plants in Southwestern Ontario's Windsor-Essex region, and parts distribution centres in Leduc, Alta., and a few other locations in Ontario.

The auto contract negotiations began in August. In an update to members last Thursday, Unifor said it had rejected two previous offers from Ford.

In addition to pensions and wages, Unifor said it was seeking a deal that offers electric vehicle (EV) transition support and secures additional investments with Ford. 

Template for future negotiations

While negotiations are taking place with Ford, the union is ultimately seeking new collective agreements for members employed by each of the Detroit Three automakers.

A Ford deal will become the template for negotiations with the other two automakers, General Motors and Chrysler parent Stellantis, in what's known as pattern bargaining.

The Ford deal comes amid a historic autoworkers strike in the U.S., where for the first time, UAW members at each of the Detroit Three are on the picket lines, though the strike action is only affecting a portion of the U.S. plants.

The union said it was seeking wage increases of 36 per cent over four years.


Ford avoids Canadian auto strike with Unifor union deal


PUBLISHED TUE, SEP 19 2023
CNBC
Michael Wayland@MIKEWAYLAND


KEY POINTS

Ford avoided having to face labor strikes on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border

 Tuesday night, as it announced a tentative deal with Canadian union Unifor covering 5,600 autoworkers.

The sides announced the agreement, which must still be ratified by members, hours before an extended 11:59 p.m. Tuesday deadline.

Ford and Unifor declined to immediately release details of the agreement.


Lana Payne speaks to delegates after being elected as president of UNIFOR, Canada’s largest private sector union, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Aug. 10, 2022.
Richard Lautens | Toronto Star | Getty Images

DETROIT – Ford Motor avoided having to face labor strikes on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border Tuesday night, as the automaker and Canadian union Unifor announced a tentative deal covering 5,600 autoworkers in the country’s Ontario providence.

The Detroit automaker and union announced the agreement — which must still be ratified by members — hours before an extended 11:59 p.m. Tuesday deadline. The sides extended the talks by 24 hours following Ford’s last-minute proposal Monday night to Unifor.

The Canadian tentative agreement was reached on day five of the United Auto Workers union initiating targeted strikes against Ford and its crosstown rivals General Motors and Chrysler-parent Stellantis.

A Unifor strike would have impacted Ford’s Oakville Assembly Plant that produces the Ford Edge and Lincoln Nautilus crossovers as well as two engine plants that produce V8 engines used in key products such as the Ford F-Series pickups and Mustang muscle car.

2024 Ford Mustang
Source: Ford

Ford and Unifor declined to immediately release details of the agreement, which Lana Payne, national president of the union, said “addresses all of the items raised by members in preparation for this round of collective bargaining.”

“We believe that this agreement will solidify the foundations on which we will continue to bargain gains for generations of autoworkers in Canada,” she said in a statement Tuesday night.

Unifor, which represents 18,000 Canadian workers at the Detroit automakers, took a more traditional approach to its negotiations than its U.S. counterpart did. The Canadian union picked Ford as its “target” company instead of following the UAW’s new strategy of bargaining with all three automakers. It also announced a traditional national strike, if needed, instead of targeted ones.

The union is expected to release details of the agreement to members in the coming days, followed by a vote. If ratified, the deal will be used as a pattern for Unifor to bargain with GM and Stellantis.

Ford will now focus on its talks with the UAW. Shawn Fain, president of the union, said Monday that the union will announce additional strikes at U.S. plants if the Detroit automakers don’t make “serious progress” in negotiations by noon ET Friday.

Currently on strike are roughly 12,700 UAW workers from GM’s midsize truck and full-size van plant in Wentzville, Missouri; Ford’s Ranger midsize pickup and Bronco SUV plant in Wayne, Michigan; and Stellantis’ Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator plant in Toledo, Ohio.


Canada impacted by U.S. auto strike, despite domestic deal: Industry player

Daniel Johnson , BNN Bloomberg

The head of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association says Canada’s auto industry will likely still face disruptions from a strike by U.S. workers, even as a similar labour action was avoided domestically.

“We've averted, I think, a real big problem in Canada. We are potentially looking at a real big one in the U.S.,” Flavio Volpe told BNN Bloomberg in a Wednesday interview. “The industry is so integrated that we're going to have trouble either way.”

Unifor, the union representing Canadian autoworkers, reached a tentative deal with Ford Tuesday night, after extending a Monday strike deadline.

Meanwhile, around 13,000 workers at the Big Three U.S. automakers have been on strike since last week, with their union threatening to expand the action if progress is not made in labour talks with the companies by Friday.

Volpe said the strike in the U.S. will still be disruptive even after Canadian workers reached a deal.

If the U.S. strike continues into next week, production schedules in Canada will likely have to be altered, he added.

“There's a there's a Jeep plant in Toledo that's one of the ones that's been idle. There's also a Ford Bronco plant in Michigan. A lot of those parts – seats, wheels, consoles, infotainment – come from Canada,” Volpe explained. 

Even if production schedules have to be changed due to the U.S. strike, Volpe said layoffs in Canada would be unlikely, but temporary work stoppages are a real possibility. 


Ford, Unifor reach tentative agreement, averting strike in Canada


Breana NobleKalea HallRiley Beggin

The Detroit News


Unifor, the autoworkers' union in Canada, and Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday night they had struck a tentative agreement, averting a strike for the Dearborn automaker in a second North American country.

Details on the deal won't be presented until after they are shared with Unifor members at ratification meetings being held "in the near future," according to a news release. The parties early Tuesday morning had agreed to extend the talks 24 hours after the original deadline of 11:59 p.m. Monday, with Unifor instructing its members to remain at work unless they received alternate instructions from the union.

“We believe that this tentative agreement, endorsed by the entire master bargaining committee, addresses all of the items raised by members in preparation for this round of collective bargaining,” Unifor National President Lana Payne said in a statement. “We believe that this agreement will solidify the foundations on which we will continue to bargain gains for generations of autoworkers in Canada.”

Ford on Monday had presented a "substantive" offer "minutes before the deadline," according to a Unifor statement sent by spokesperson Kathleen O'Keefe at the time, which also noted "members should continue to maintain strike readiness."

Payne had said on Monday if the union did strike, all of its 5,600 members at Ford would have been on the picket line at Oakville Assembly Plant, two engine plants in Windsor, parts and distribution centers, offices and technical units. Downtime at those plants could have had implications for production at plants in the United States.

“In addition to reaching a master agreement, our members at each Ford location face their own unique set of issues that needed to be resolved by our committees at the bargaining table,” Unifor Ford Master Bargaining Chair John D’Agnolo said in a statement. “This agreement makes the kind of gains our members need today and adds greater financial security for the future.”

Obtaining an agreement without a strike action juxtaposes with the United Auto Workers' negotiations strategy. Unifor's approach was more traditional, selecting a lead company to start the pattern with the threat of a national strike if discussions stalled. Meanwhile, the UAW opted to continue talks with all three of the Detroit automakers and on Friday began executing its "stand-up strike" strategy. It has sent one plant on strike from each of the companies with the risk the union could add more as soon as noon on Friday if "substantial progress" isn't made by then.

"It looks like Ford was very motivated to secure a deal and Unifor proved a willing dance partner," said Larry Savage, a labor studies professor at Brock University in Ontario. "While we don't know the details of the tentative agreement, we should expect Canadian autoworkers to have made significant gains in this round of bargaining." 

The question remains if those gains, whatever they are, will be enough to have the agreement ratified by members since the UAW's "militant posture" has raised autoworker expectations, Savage said. "You can bet that the content of that deal is going to be judged relative to what UAW members are expected to secure south of the border."

The breakthrough in Canada may serve as a sort of morale booster at Ford and an incentive to get a deal done with the UAW, said Marick Masters, a management professor at Wayne State University.

“The more clarity you can bring to the situation, the better at this point in time,” he said. “A strike would have only complicated the situation in the U.S., having adverse implications for Ford and perhaps necessitating the layoff of additional workers, and at the same time, it removes that as a source of Ford’s attention. They can now focus exclusively on negotiations in the U.S.”

An agreement between Unifor and Ford ithout a strike doesn't necessarily mean the Canadian union had the superior strategy, Masters said, but the approaches do rflect the different circumstances in which the unions find themselves

"Te UAW is operating in uncharted waters," he said. "The test of the wisdom of this strategy will be time. It's a risky strategy, and you're in a high-risk game. The downside is great. The upside is great. (UAW President) Shawn Fain's leadership is obviously on the line. Everything revolves around whether he gets a successful contract. If he doesn’t, he will probably have just one term in office."

Fain was the first UAW president to be elected directly by the rank-and-file. Unifor's leadership is voted upon through locally elected delegates.

"The union (Unifor) isn’t encumbered with the internal challenges the UAW has had," Masters said. The UAW "has brand new leadership at a pivotal time, which is more militant. They’re asking for a whole lot. I think they have to know that some of these issues are nonstarters. If they’re insistent on all of that along with the wage increase, in-progression and tiers, they're a long way off from an agreement."

Brock University's Savage said the unions have "overlapping priorities," but there are some key differences and Unifor's leadership could see that "gap is significant enough to make a different set of strategic choices." For example, Unifor selected Ford as its focus initially, unlike the UAW, he said. Unifor also hasn’t publicly released what it wants to see from the automakers in terms of wages and other economic gains.

"They have made some very different strategic choices,” Savage said. “It sounds like they've been in contact with one another, but there doesn't seem to be any high level of coordination.”

There also are issues that affect Unifor's negotiations to a lesser extent, Masters said. For example, the UAW wants to see all of its Detroit Three members receive retirement health care coverage. Canada, meanwhile, has a publicly funded health care system.

Additionally, the automakers have announced billions of dollars in commitments to build electric vehicles at its Canadian assembly plants. Stellantis NV is building a battery plant with LG Energy Solution in Windsor as well. In the United States, though, sites like the idled Jeep Cherokee plant in Belvidere, Illinois, and Trenton Engine Complex could be at risk without product promises

The Canadian government has played a more direct role securing an electric-vehicle future for Unifor members, Masters said. Although the White House says it's sending top aids to Detroit to help broker an agreement, the U.S. federal government is more disconnected from granting subsidies and incentives to specific manufacturers.

Still, both Unifor and the UAW are seeking increased wages and improved pensions following high rates of inflation, job security and support to transition workers from building internal combustion engine vehicles and their parts to EVs.

"The contract," Masters said about Unifor's agreement, "could offer insights into with what Ford might be forthcoming in the U.S."

To the UAW, the Blue Oval has offered at least 20% wage increases over four and a half years, a four-year progression to the top wage, a $20 per hour starting wage for temporary employees and the return of a cost-of-living allowance.

Unifor's tentative agreement came as the United Auto Workers' strike against all three Detroit automakers in the United States headed toward its sixth day.

Unifor in August announced that it had selected Ford to serve as the lead company with which it would bargain to model contracts with the other automakers. Unifor represents around 18,000 autoworkers at Ford, General Motors Co. and Stellantis.

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OPINION

The public inquiry into foreign interference can roll back official secrecy


GLOBE AND MAIL
THE EDITORIAL BOARD
PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

People cast their ballots at the Delta Hotel on voting day for the 2021 Canadian election in Montreal, Quebec on Sept., 20, 2021
ANDREJ IVANOV/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

There is not much to quibble with in the terms of reference for a full public inquiry into foreign interference that the federal Liberals unveiled on Thursday, with one exception – the date at the top of the document.

It has been just over six months since The Globe and Mail began publishing details of China’s attempts to meddle in two successive Canadian elections, including efforts to intimidate one of the most outspoken critics of Beijing, Conservative MP Michael Chong.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau first attempted to downplay those concerns, until mounting public pressure prodded him to launch his ill-fated substitute for a public inquiry, the appointment of former governor-general David Johnston as a special rapporteur.

That effort collapsed under its own weight, in large part because of the government’s failure to consult with the other parties in Parliament.

The Liberals have now arrived where they should have started, back in March: a full-throated public inquiry, endorsed by the Conservatives, Bloc Québécois and NDP. Broad parliamentary backing is desirable for any issue that rises to the level of a public inquiry, but it is essential in this instance, with the integrity of the electoral system at issue.

For months, that fundamental point has seemingly eluded the Liberals. However belatedly, the government has acknowledged the need for consensus.

Equally encouraging is the structure and timetable of the inquiry. The first tranche of the inquiry’s report is due by the end of February and will focus on interference by China and other state (and non-state) actors in the 2019 and 2021 elections. The inquiry will assess the impact not only on the overall outcome, but also at the riding level. And, critically, Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, as inquiry commissioner, will scrutinize what actions the government took in response.


That will allow the inquiry to answer the most important set of questions: What did the government know about China’s meddling, when did it know it, and what did it do?

The terms of reference empower Justice Hogue to determine what information will be brought to public light and what will remain secret, while instructing her to “maximize the degree of public transparency.”

The inquiry’s framework says that transparency must be balanced with the need to avoid disclosures that could injure the “critical interests of Canada or its allies, national defence or national security.” The Attorney-General cannot veto the commissioner’s decisions, but there is a process that allows him to present formal arguments against disclosure.

The commissioner must make disclosure the default, allowing Canadians to see for themselves what Beijing has been up to. The national-security bureaucracy has been indulged in its reflexive secrecy for far too long, waving the phrase of “classified documents” as some sort of talisman against mere citizens being allowed to view sacred texts. Much of what The Globe has reported should not be shielded by such invocations.

The government has been able to declassify information, while redacting the most sensitive components, but has resisted doing so.

Justice Hogue should not make the same mistake. Beijing is well aware of what it has done, and tried to do. The commissioner has an opportunity to push back the boundary of official secrecy, while protecting intelligence sources and methods. Her lack of steeping in the national-security culture of secrecy may be cause for optimism.

As for Attorney-General Arif Virani, he needs to demonstrate that he recognizes that he is to act in the interests of the Crown, not as the political bodyguard of the cabinet.

The inquiry’s timetable should allow the government to enact any recommended reforms before a federal election in 2025. But it would be foolish to think that Beijing and others will wait until a campaign is imminent to meddle anew. The Liberals should commit to a speedy implementation of any recommendations, and move quickly this fall to put into place a foreign-agent registry.

The inquiry announced on Thursday opens up the possibility of restoring Canadians’ corroded faith in the electoral system, damage resulting chiefly from the Liberals’ dodges and delays. And Justice Hogue has before her the opportunity to set a better standard for transparency in government – the best repudiation possible of China’s malevolent efforts.
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