OTTAWA – Paul Moist will be in the 400-year old City of Quebec from July 16 to 18. Moist will be available for commentary throughout the Council of the Federation—a meeting of Canada’s 13 provinces and territories.
As national president of Canada’s largest union, Moist will be paying close attention to what these leaders have to say, in particular about internal trade and climate change.
The challenging issue of labour mobility, expected to be a primary topic of discussion among the leaders at this year’s event is also a topic of great interest to CUPE. Last May, CUPE commissioned a legal opinion on the constitutionality of such an agreement between BC and Alberta – Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA).
“The TILMA established a legal process allowing businesses and individuals to contest government or municipal administration measures that are an impediment to profits. For example, if one province has stricter health and safety or environmental regulations than its neighbour, a company can invalidate them, in the event that a province refuses to relax its regulations.”
“On May 21 of this year, Steven Shrybman, the trade and the public interest expert qualified the TILMA as ‘unconstitutional’. This clearly needs to be discussed,” said Moist.
In addition, Moist will call upon the leaders to redouble efforts to deal with the issues affecting climatic change particularly in the blatant absence of federal government leadership.
“The public sector should be showing leadership particularly in areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency and just transition programs.”
- What:
Annual Council of the Federation. Parallel labour events - Who:
Paul Moist, national president—CUPE - When:
Wednesday, July 16 to Friday, July 18, 2008 - Where:
Quebec City
Information: Sébastien Goulet, CUPE Communications: 613-808-0675; Stan Marshall, Managing Director National Services: 613-286-6568