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5th Annual BCTD Canadian Legislative Conference
Canadian Local Leaders Take Training Issues to Parliament Hill

Representatives from the Conservative Government and the Opposition Parties spoke at the Conference program, including The Honourable Jack Layton of the New Democratic Party.

Gilles Duceppe, Bloc Québécois, spoke about his party’s support for anti-scab legislation, which would ban the hiring of non-union replacement workers, at the Legislative Conference.

Ten BAC Local Union and IU representatives from across Canada joined a record turnout at the 5th Annual Canadian Legislative Conference of the Building & Construction Trades Department (BCTD) held in Ottawa, May 7-9, 2006, reflecting the conferees’ keen interest in promoting a legislative agenda that will help address the challenging issues facing the organized construction industry.

Co-chaired by Boilermakers International Vice President and the Chair of the BCTD Canadian Executive Board Joseph Maloney, and BCTD Director of Canadian Affairs Robert Blakely, the 2006 Legislative Conference was “one of the best I’ve ever attended,” according to BAC Canadian Regional Director Fred Vautour. “We heard from the top decision-makers and policy experts, and better yet, they heard from us,” said Vautour.

In his keynote address, BCTD Secretary-Treasurer Sean McGarvey stressed unity among the trades, calling special attention to BCTD’s efforts to work with leaders in Canada on the pressing issues of pension solvency and market share enhancement. Both topics were examined in greater depth in later plenary sessions.

The speaking program featured three Cabinet Ministers from the new Conservative Government. All three referred to the trades-related provisions that had just been announced in the 2006 Budget: an Apprentice Incentive Grant of $1,000 per year during the first two years of apprenticeship; an Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit for employers, equivalent to 10 per cent of an apprentice’s wage for the first two years of a contract up to a maximum of $2,000 per apprentice per year; and a Tools Tax Deduction to a maximum of $500 per year.

Each Minister, however, focused on a unique theme:

• The Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour, touched on skills shortages and the need to attract young people to careers in trades.
• The Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, noted that his department is working closely with Human Resources and Social Development Canada to improve the Temporary Foreign Workers Program and that he is looking forward to further discussions with the Canadian Building Trades on related issues.
• As a journeyman carpenter, the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources, spoke of his affinity toward trades-related issues, acknowledging the trades’ important socio-economic contribution to Canada.

The Opposition Parties were also represented on the program. The Honourable Jack Layton, New Democratic Party, commented, “The Conservatives haven’t gone far enough” with their Budget. He challenged the Government to lead by example and, as a major employer of trades, to hire apprentices. Gilles Duceppe, Bloc Québécois, spoke about his party’s support for anti-scab legislation to ban the hiring of non-union replacement workers, and of the unique opportunity for the advancement of labour and social causes during this minority Government. The Honourable Bill Graham, Liberal Party of Canada, spoke about the role of the Building Trades in shaping policy for the working lives of Canadians.

The President of the Canadian Labour Congress, Ken Georgetti, reinforced that minority Governments create a dynamic in which “the Government and the Opposition Parties too, are more attentive to the voices of working people.” He congratulated the Canadian Building Trades for the momentum gained with each successive Legislative Conference.

A plenary session titled The Construction Workforce of Tomorrow, which Blakeley co-presented with George Gritziotis, Executive Director of the Construction Sector Council (CSC), and CSC Director of Operations Rosemary Sparks, reinforced the need for more apprentices, higher completion rates, and greater ease of mobility for building trades members.

Lobbying Members of Parliament is a popular and powerful aspect of each Legislative Conference. This year, participants met with approximately 120 Members from all parties. Before setting off for the Hill, however, Blakely outlined the legislative priorities they would soon voice on Parliament Hill, including two areas of public policy that can help or hinder efforts to increase apprenticeships. The first is the inappropriate use of temporary foreign workers, which jeopardizes apprentice recruitment among Canadian youth, Aboriginals, and resident immigrants. The second calls for developing a mobility assistance program that would provide out-of-work tradesworkers with the means to travel to areas where demand is high. Despite some reservations with the Government’s apprenticeship-related budget provisions, Blakely pledged the Building Trades’ commitment to work hard to strengthen them, for example, by linking the Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit to apprenticeship completion.

The activities of the first day were crowned by a reception on Parliament Hill to which all Members of Parliament and Senators were invited. This was yet another lobbying opportunity as many Members of Parliament in particular sought out attendees from their riding.

The National Dad’s Day Golf Tournament was held following the Conference and raised $12,500 for the Diabetes Islet Transplant Program of the University of Alberta.