Canada's NDP

Skip to main content

September 2nd, 2019

Reality Check: Liberals Side with Big Business Time and Again

On Labour Day, NDP promises a $15 minimum wage, blasts Trudeau for blocking it!

OTTAWA – On Labour Day, Justin Trudeau is marking four years of letting down Canadians workers:

On respecting labour rights:

In 2018, the Trudeau Liberals forced Canada Post workers back to work [1] - even invoking super-closure,

making it clear they were on Canada Post’s side, not workers looking for a fair deal.[2]

When big business asked for exemptions to Canada Labour Code provisions meant to protect workers, the Liberals caved – granting them an opt-out before the law was even in force.[3]

With Canada’s hugely profitable banking sector securing no fewer than 25 meetings with the Liberal government on labour issues sine 2015, it’s clear who has Justin Trudeau’s ear.[4]

On the minimum wage:

During the 2015 election, Justin Trudeau attacking the idea of a $15 per hour federal minimum wage[5] - and later told a business audience that he opposed raising it because "it's not just about putting a little more money in peoples' pockets."[6]

In 2017, Justin Trudeau lectured a business audience in Germany and saying that “[i]t’s time to pay a living wage,”[7] then refused to even establish a $15 per hour minimum wage for Canadians.

On banning scabs:

In 2010, Justin Trudeau voted in favour of anti-scab legislation while in opposition.[8]

In 2016, the Trudeau Liberals voted down NDP legislation that would ban the use of replacement workers.[9]

According to an issue paper from Employment and Social Development Canada, an increase in the federal minimum wage “has been found to increase job stability”, would “reduce the gender wage gap” and would even benefit other workers making above the minimum wage.[10]

“Justin Trudeau says what workers want to hear in public, then bends over backwards to make life easier for his corporate friends – that’s on his record,” said NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. “New Democrats know whose side we’re on. We’re in it for working people, and we owe big business nothing.”

-30-

[1] https://www.parl.ca/LegisInfo/BillDetails.aspx?Language=E&billId=10194193

[2] https://www.ourcommons.ca/Parliamentarians/en/votes/42/1/947/

[3] https://thelogic.co/news/exclusive/liberals-to-exempt-large-firms-from-elements-of-new-labour-code-after-federal-election/

[4] Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada, monthly communication reports for RBC, CIBC, Scotiabank, BMO, TD and the Canadian Bankers Association.

[5] http://rabble.ca/news/2015/08/trudeaus-jabs-mulcair-show-gaping-holes-liberal-platform

[6] https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/federal-minimum-wage-trudeau-1.3796315

[7] https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/trudeau-merkel-germany-nato-spending/article34065401/

[8] https://www.ourcommons.ca/Parliamentarians/en/votes/40/3/102

[9] https://www.ourcommons.ca/Parliamentarians/en/votes/42/1/111

[10] https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/esdc-edsc/documents/services/reports/SPAWID-SPLR-IssuePaper-MinWage-FINAL-EN.pdf