Category: Top Stories

We often say that the work performed by unions goes beyond improving the lives of its members and forges a greater impact on society as a whole. If you’re looking for concrete proof of this, you needn’t look further than the PSAC’s Social Justice Fund.

The 2003 national convention of the PSAC offered delegates an amazing opportunity to connect with labour leaders from South America. Two years later, in a speech to UTE convention delegates, PSAC president Nycole Turmel said it “marked a new era in international solidarity within the PSAC.”

“Our Social Justice Fund has started this process,” said Turmel. “I think that it has the potential to become a significant part of what our union stands for and does. But our Social Justice Fund also works in Canada and with our members who are involved in organizations promoting social justice at the international level.”

This still holds true today. About half of the fund is directed at programs within Canada. Its mandate is to support initiatives in five priority areas:

• Humanitarian assistance in Canada and around the world
• Anti-poverty initiatives in Canada
• International labour development
• Worker education in Canada and around the world
• Worker-to-worker exchanges

During her speech, Turmel said she was especially proud of the work the fund was doing to eliminate poverty in Canada.

“It’s a disgrace that in 2005, poverty is still very much a fact of life here in Canada – one of the richest countries in the world.”

Unfortunately, things haven’t gotten much better in the last ten years. The gap between the rich and poor is growing. Canada’s tax benefit system used to offset income inequality by more than 70%; these days, it’s less than 40%. Canada’s richest 20% own almost 70% of all Canadian wealth. All the while, nearly five million Canadians are grappling with poverty.

That’s why the Social Justice Fund is focused on building a poverty-reduction strategy.

“The Social Justice Fund enables trade unionists, community leaders, social justice groups and those affected by poverty to develop strategies together to eliminate poverty. As supporters of Canada Without Poverty and Dignity for All, we are helping to develop a national poverty reduction strategy giving low-income people greater dignity and control. The Social Justice Fund supports the New Brunswick Common Front for Social Change, Alternatives North, NWT and Mackillop Centre, PEI working to create solutions at the provincial and territorial levels.”

In most collective agreements, the Social Justice Fund calls on employers to contribute one cent per staff hour worked. There are currently 91 collective agreements that include contributions to the Social Justice Fund.

There’s a bill before the Senate that could once and for all protect transgender people from discrimination. Bill C-279 would finally insert gender identity into the Canadian Human Rights Act and into hate crimes legislation.

In the past, we’ve urged our members to contact their senators to express their support for this bill. We were ecstatic when, last year, Bill-279 passed the House of Commons with the support of 18 Conservative MPs.

Unfortunately, Conservative Senator Donald Neil Plett aims to bring toxic amendments to the bill; if passed, these amendments will likely lead to the bill dying on the order paper.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can take a stand for the trans community by contacting Senators on the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee. Tell them not to pass any amendments to Bill C-279 and to pass the bill in its current form.

Here are a few tips from PSAC:

What to say

• My name is __________________ and I am calling from _____________________ to urge you to support the swift passage of Bill C-279 on Gender Identity as it is currently drafted.
• Canada’s transgender communities have long suffered discrimination and violence and this legislation is part of the solution to protecting the human rights of transgender individuals.
• I would like you to know that I am not afraid of sharing public spaces including bathrooms with transgender people.
• But I am afraid that unless C-279 passes unamended, transgender people will continue to live in fear each and every time they enter a public space such as a bathroom.
• Delays in passing legislation cost lives. This bill is as perfect as it’s going to get. Please do the right thing and support Bill C-279 as drafted. Let this be your legacy for this Parliamentary session.
• Thank you for your time.

What else can I do?

• Call other Senators! Contact details here
• Email Senators, post messages on their Facebook pages, or send them Tweets! Remember to use the hashtag #SupportBillC279.

By Céline Ahodékon

From coast to coast to coast, in Canada, we see Canadians of African descent. But for some reason, how some came to land here isn’t clear – or rather, nobody talks about it. And worse, there are few Canadian history books to learn from.

During my first years in Canada, I was shocked when I asked people of my colour where they are from. I expected them to say Benin, Rwanda, Kenya or, at the very least, “somewhere in Africa”. To my great surprise, some answered “from Canada”. The connection of some Canadians of African descent to Canada is “hush, hush and shuuuuuu”! For some Canadians of African descendants, Canada is their only home. But for others, Canada is their adoptive home; they are immigrants to this land.

Anyway, it doesn’t matter where we are from or who was here first. What matters is – whether we are Canadian of African descent or African Canadians – our common ground is the mother continent: Africa. And, like other communities in Canada, people of African descent, both past and present, face human right struggles. But as the saying goes: “it doesn’t matter how you start a race, what matters is how you end it”. People of African descent have made – and continue to make – important contributions to Canada. They have emerged as community and political leaders in Canada. This article is too short to name them all, but there is one whose name makes Black History Month worthy of celebration: Governor Douglas. In fact, celebrating Black History Month on the West Coast without giving homage to Governor James Douglas, the Father and Founder of British Columbia, is like baking rhubarb pie without sweetening; it will surely be sour!

Six-feet-tall, courageous and ambitious, “Black” Douglas, (as he was called in Fort Vancouver, Washinghton), was born in British Guyana. He was the son of an African Creole mother from Barbados and a Scottish father. A long-time Hudson Bay Company employee, James Douglas started his career as an apprentice and worked his way up: from chief factor to manager, and eventually to Governor of British Columbia.

Even though James Douglas faced many challenges, he never gave up. With determination, he stood strong and firm when faced with trials and dangers that arrived alongside the thousands of gold-seekers from California.

As James Douglas often said of himself, “it is the bold, resolute, strong, self-reliant man, who fights his own way through every obstacle and wins the confidence and respect of his fellows. As with men, so it is with nations.” During the gold rush in 1858, Douglas asserted British sovereignty on the mainland and Victoria by bringing British law and order. He demonstrated his authority and loyalty to British and went to create the colony of British Columbia and was appointed Governor of the new colony in the same year.

James Douglas’ sensitivity to his pairs enabled him to invite the very first large wave of black people from California to settle in British Columbia for a better life.

“Though still faced with intense discrimination, these pioneers enriched the political, religious and economic life of the colony.”

They even went on to form one of the earliest colonial militia units: the Victoria Pioneer Rifle, also known as the African Rifles.

No man had a greater influence on the early history of British Columbia than James Douglas. As the bishop said at his funeral in 1877, “James Douglas was the right man in the right place at the right time”.

It’s entirely possible that if James Douglas had not lived and stood firm to prevent a takeover by Americans, there might not be a British Columbia today. James Douglas may be gone, but his legacy lives forever! There are many roads, ports, bays and mountaintops in British Columbia that still bear his name today.

Brothers and Sisters, this is just one example among many of prominent Canadians of African descent’s contributions to our society. There are many more, past and present, who have changed the Canadian landscape. Black History Month provides an opportunity to share and learn about the experiences and contributions to society by Canadians of African ancestry. Let’s build a better community and richer workplaces by supporting each other and by educating ourselves regarding things and people we don’t know. Tasting spicy food, listening to beautiful African and Caribbean music, and learning some Zumba dance steps are just some of the things you can do!

Céline Ahodékon is the national equity representative for racially visible people. This article was written as part of our union’s member journalism program. If you’d like to find out more, click here – to pitch a story or for any questions, please send an email to communications@une-sen.org.