Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) congratulate Avi Lewis on his election as leader of the New Democratic Party. On behalf of the more than 500,000 skilled trades workers represented by our 14 affiliated unions across the country, we welcome this moment of opportunity for the party.
CBTU is a non-partisan organization. Our focus is, and always will be, on advocating for public policies that improve the lives of our members and by extension, all construction workers in Canada. That’s the union way.
Over the years, we have found areas of meaningful alignment with the NDP, particularly on advancing the interests of working people.
With the support of the NDP in the last Parliament, through the Supply and Confidence agreement with the governing Liberals, important progress was made for Canada’s labour movement; including, anti-scab legislation for federally regulated workers, the establishment of prevailing wage requirements tied to clean energy investment tax credits through Bill C-59, and the introduction of the labour mobility tax deduction for construction workers. These achievements have made a tangible difference in the lives of construction workers and their families.
At the same time, we recognize that the Canada we once knew has drastically changed.
In a recent ABACUS survey commissioned by CBTU, 500 of our members shared their views about the challenges facing Canada. The results showed overwhelming support for “investing in domestic infrastructure to make Canada more self-sufficient” and “investing in export infrastructure to bring our natural resources to new markets.”
Canadian workers expect leadership from all parties that protect our economic independence.
“Now is the time to rebuild the party to meet the moment of today’s economic reality,” said Sean Strickland, Executive Director of Canada’s Building Trades Unions. “Canadian workers expect leadership that will protect our economic independence, create good union jobs, and ensure that major projects are built to the highest labour and environmental standards.”
CBTU believes that nation-building projects, from energy and resource development to critical infrastructure, must move forward responsibly and expeditiously. Public investments should be tied to strong labour conditions, including prevailing wages, apprenticeship opportunities, and commitments to local and Indigenous hiring. At the same time, Canada must continue to uphold rigorous environmental standards and play its part in addressing climate change.
We look forward to working with Avi Lewis and the NDP as they chart their path forward.
CBTU remains committed to working with all political parties and their leaders to underscore critical priorities for Canada’s skilled trades people and to advance policies that deliver good jobs and economic growth.