By Lincoln DePradine

Every year, at the Labour Day parade in Toronto, there’s at least one issue that predominates among the many concerns of workers and their trade union representatives.

At the 154th annual parade in 2025, central issues were Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government using the Canada Labour Code to end strikes; and U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada.

Trump again will be a feature when workers and union leaders, including officials of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), gather in Toronto on Monday, September 7, for this year’s Labour Day event.

Trade talks between Canada and the U.S. collapsed on August 21, with the Canadians saying they could not accede to what the Americans were asking to reach an agreement, and accusing the United States of making unacceptable last-minute demands.

The CLC, which will be represented at Monday’s march and rally by its president, Bea Bruske, and secretary-treasurer Lily Chang, says it stands behind Canada’s decision to walk away from the talks.

The CLC and other groups, such as the Toronto & York Region Labour Council (TYRLC), have indicated that workers’ job protection and collective bargaining rights are among causes that also will be championed on Monday.

“Things are heating up across our labour movement,’’ said TYRLC, whose activities have also included backing “labour-endorsed’’ councillors and school board trustees running in the upcoming municipal elections.

Among TYRLC’s “labour-endorsed’’ candidates are trustee hopefuls Deborah Williams, Alexis Dawson and Matias de Dovitiis; and in the councillors’ race, the organization’s picks include Amber Morley, Alejandra Bravo, Neethan Shan, Shelley Carroll, Jamaal Myers, Debbie King, Ausma Malik and Anthony Perruzza.

Those endorsed are people “who understand that Toronto works best when working people have a real voice at City Hall,’’ according to TYRLC, which is headed by Jamaica-Canadian Andria Babbington as president.

“Monday, we have an opportunity to send a powerful message: working people are united, organized, and ready to fight for the future we deserve,’’ said Babbington.

Bruske and other CLC representatives will be fanning across the country on Monday, using the occasion, including the opportunity for media interviews, to press for protection of Canadian jobs and industries, and for strengthening workers’ rights.

She is urging the government to strengthen Employment Insurance by increasing benefit levels, lowering qualifying requirements so more workers can access EI, and extending how long benefits last.

She also has stressed that support must reach workers who lose their jobs because of the economic fallout from tariffs, and called on banks to provide temporary mortgage and loan relief to Canadian workers who lose jobs or income because of the trade war.

Bruske, too, has joined labour leaders in calling for a long-term industrial strategy that creates good union jobs and strengthens Canada’s domestic capacity. And, she has warned against weakening collective bargaining rights through the current Canada Labour Code review.

The CLC wants to be a partner as Canada works to diversify trade, said Bruske, adding that, “Canada’s unions are ready to help build a stronger, more resilient country and make sure workers are at the centre of what comes next.”

LJI reporter

#LabourDay #Toronto #CaribbeanCanadian #BlackCanadian #WorkersRights #CanadianLabour #TradeUnions #Canada #TorontoLabour #CaribbeanCamera