One of Toronto’s great annual traditions over the last two weeks of August, “the Ex”, promises to be a much more interesting experience than usual for its 1 million+ visitors. The lock out of the workers who erect stages and move equipment started in late July and is building to a crescendo for the opening […]
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The hopes of the NDP pulling off a surprise victory didn’t materialize and Ontario workers are now faced with the prospect of the most right-wing government since the days of Mike Harris in the 1990s. Does this victory of a right-wing populist signify that Ontario (and, by implication, Canada as a whole – given Ontario’s […]
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Ontario’s June 7 election has heated up, not only because of the participation of Doug Ford, the so-called Canadian Donald Trump and apparent front runner, but because the outcome of the election itself is by no means certain. Since the New Year, Ontario politics have been anything but dull. At the start of 2018, it […]
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Tim Hortons’ attack on low paid workers has ignited protests across Canada. On Friday, January 19, over 50 rallies took place from coast to coast. There is a powerful public backlash against actions of some Timmies franchise holders who have cut paid break times and made their employees pay more for their benefits as they […]
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Finally Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP) has a new leader. Jagmeet Singh won 54% of the votes of party members on the first round. His 35,266 votes were almost three times more than those received by second placed Charlie Angus. He is presented as young, 38, and fashionable. Does this amount to a great new […]
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Ontario College Faculty, 5 weeks on strike, reject employers’ offer – Liberal Government brings in back to work legislation Over 12,000 full-time professors, partial-load instructors, counsellors and librarians, from 24 colleges across the province, had been on strike for a record 33 days when, on November 17, Kathleen Wynne’s government introduced back to work legislation. […]
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Should we be feeling sorry for “our Canadian” Bombardier as it is being picked on by the US giant Boeing which, in turn, is being backed by US government? On Ocober 26, as reported by the Canadian Press “the US Department of Commerce clobbered aerospace giant Bombardier with a 220% duty on the sale of […]
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Tim Heffernan of Socialist Alternative interviewed Harjinder Badial, Vice-President Teamsters Local 419. Since July 27, 700 members of Teamsters Local 419 have been on strike at Toronto’s Pearson International airport. They are in dispute with Swissport, which services some 30 airlines including Air Transat, British Airways and Sunwing. The workers are baggage handlers, cargo handlers, cabin […]
Continue ReadingThe Liberal government is well into its second year and Trudeau’s initial aura is fast fading. Through most of 2016, Liberal poll support was nearly 50%. In the last few months, support has dropped to around 40%. Both the Tories and NDP have made modest gains, but the polls are more or less at the […]
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Justin Trudeau took power in October 2016 adopting the mantra of sunny ways. After more than a year, how has he done? If he was a figure skater his performance might score high on style, but considerably lower on content/substance. Or as a young friend put it, “The smile is a change from before but […]
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