Canadian
Congress: History in the Making
January - February 2001
 Delegates to the BAC 2000
Convention voted unanimously to amend the IU Constitution
in order to establish the IU Canadian Congress. This Convention
action created a new system of governance to respond to
the unique traditions and problems of Canadian Locals and
members, within the framework of a single, unified, International
Union.
Under the Constitution’s new provisions, delegates
to the Canadian Congress were chosen, and attended the
first session of the Congress on January 26 and 27, in
Windsor, Ontario.
The thirteen delegates present were joined by officers
of five Local Unions, which will be represented on the
Congress during future rotations. Also attending were IU
Executive Board members President John J. Flynn, Secretary-Treasurer
Jim Boland, and Executive Vice Presidents Ken Lambert and
Gerald O’Malley.
The session’s first order of business was nominations
for the office of Canadian Congress Co-Chair. The Co-Chair
will serve as a member of the BAC Executive Council and
as an advisor to the IU Executive Board on Canadian matters.
Two candidates were nominated——Peter Homan,
Business Manager of Local 2 Alberta and Fred Vautour, Secretary-Treasurer
of the Atlantic Provincial Conference. A vote by secret
mail ballot was conducted, as provided for by the IU Constitution.
Bob Blakely, director of the Canadian Building Trades,
spoke with delegates about the challenges facing building
trades unions in Canada.
In outlining the Building Trades’ priorities, Blakely expressed confidence
that progress could be made in these areas:
- creating a legislative lobby that works;
- enhanced worker mobility
- stronger health and safety measures; and
- improved, more uniform training systems.
Blakely closed by commending delegates and Local officers
for persevering together to resolve inter-Union differences
under the umbrella of one International Union, and that
their example would be an instructive model for other Internationals.
Delegates also considered a number of other Union and
industry issues: the national construction outlook; the
new International Reciprocal Agreements; results of a recent
Canadian membership survey; and BAC 2000 Convention actions
pertaining to Canadian economic and political questions.
In addition, delegates and officers received a year-end
status report on IPF Canada, which included an explanation
of the partial wind-up process for Ontario participants
necessitated by the withdrawal of BACU-led Ontario locals
from IPF Canada in May 2000.
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