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<p class=”MsoBodyText2” style=”MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt”><span style=”FONT-SIZE: 12pt”><strong><font face=”Arial”><p /></font></strong></span></p><p class=”MsoNormal” style=”MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt”><span style=”FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt”><font face=”Arial”> <p /></font></span></p><p class=”MsoNormal” style=”MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt”><span style=”FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt”><font face=”Arial”>Union leaders met this week at a two-day Canadian Labour Congress economic summit to create an industrial strategy that meets the needs of workers and citizens.<p /></font></span></p><p class=”MsoNormal” style=”MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt”><span style=”FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt”><font face=”Arial”> <p /></font></span></p><p class=”MsoNormal” style=”MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt”><span style=”FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt”><font face=”Arial”>CLC president Ken Georgetti and other union leaders used the summit to reaffirm the labour movement’s long-standing opposition to the free trade agreements.<p /></font></span></p><p class=”MsoNormal” style=”MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt”><span style=”FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt”><font face=”Arial”> <p /></font></span></p><p class=”MsoNormal” style=”MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt”><span style=”FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt”><font face=”Arial”>”We continue to oppose NAFTA and other similar trade deals.<span style=”mso-spacerun: yes”>  </span>And we continue to call for government action to protect Canadian jobs,” said Georgetti, correcting widespread media reports.<p /></font></span></p><p class=”MsoNormal” style=”MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt”><span style=”FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt”><font face=”Arial”> <p /></font></span></p><p class=”MsoNormal” style=”MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt”><span style=”FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt”><font face=”Arial”>Numerous speakers also called for government intervention to rebuild and strengthen all key sectors of the economy using both “carrots and sticks,” including tax measures, government spending authority, and regulations.<p /></font></span></p><p class=”MsoNormal” style=”MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt”><span style=”FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt”><font face=”Arial”> <p /></font></span></p><p class=”MsoNormal” style=”MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt”><span style=”FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt”><font face=”Arial”>CUPE National President Paul Moist challenged the CLC to keep the interests of workers at the centre of labour’s strategy for economic growth.<p /></font></span></p><p class=”MsoNormal” style=”MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt”><span style=”FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt”><font face=”Arial”> <p /></font></span></p><p class=”MsoNormal” style=”MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt”><span style=”FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt”><font face=”Arial”>”We don’t accept the view that an increase in the gross domestic product automatically benefits workers.<span style=”mso-spacerun: yes”>  </span>We have to ensure equal distribution of that wealth.”<p /></font></span></p><p class=”MsoNormal” style=”MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt”><span style=”FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt”><font face=”Arial”> <p /></font></span></p><p class=”MsoNormal” style=”MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt”><span style=”FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt”><font face=”Arial”>Conference panelist Jane Stinson, CUPE research director said the public sector helps build the kind of economy workers need.<p /></font></span></p><p class=”MsoNormal” style=”MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt”><span style=”FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt”><font face=”Arial”> <p /></font></span></p><p class=”MsoNormal” style=”MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt”><span style=”FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt”><font face=”Arial”>”Both physical and social public infrastructure enable businesses to do well.<span style=”mso-spacerun: yes”>  </span>And public services create wealth in their own right,” said Stinson.<p /></font></span></p>