On November 14, the Council of Canadians held a Stop the Cuts! People’s Assembly in response to the wide-sweeping cuts announced in the 2025 Federal Budget. The intent was twofold: to provide a space for individuals and organizations to connect and understand how the cuts will affect all of us, and to build community power for a livable future.
In attendance: a kaleidoscope of workers, labour, and community organizers, Council members and students from across the city.
The Assembly was in response to a raft of Harper-style cuts to healthcare, climate action, foreign aid, and public services. The budget boasts an additional $81.8 billion for military spending over the next five years, while health agencies, including Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, will see a $1.2 billion cut. Meanwhile, Carney’s government plans to fast-track nation-building projects through Bill C-5 and aims to create a mass deportation machine that will further erode the labour rights of migrant workers and cancel permits for entire groups without due process through Bill C-12.
While details remain murky, the effect of these policies is clear: this government has investors and corporate CEOs, not the interests of the masses, in mind. It will continue to serve Canada’s defence industry and provide tax breaks to the wealthy, while causing an amalgamation of hurdles for the working class.
Attendees had a chance to hear from David Macdonald, Senior Economist, from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, and Nikolas Barry-Shaw, Trade and Privatization Campaigner from the Council, on the impact of this budget, before breaking out into discussion groups. The groups covered a breadth of topics: climate action, Indigenous services, migrant rights, increased militarism, and healthcare—each one a chance to connect people across sectors and movements.
For climate action, there was discussion around building an intersectional movement and collaborating with other groups beyond the environmental movement. For Indigenous services, supporting legal challenges will be important. Nine First Nation communities in Ontario are fighting against Bill 5, which violates UNDRIP by essentially declaring respect for Indigenous rights optional.
Regarding migrant rights, there was discussion around Bill C-12, which gives the government power to cancel work permits, study visas, and PR cards, and blocks refugee claims after just 1 year in Canada – you can take action to stop Bill C-12 here. For increased militarism, there was discussion around building a new narrative to articulate the resource drain that is occurring to our public services due to new military contracts. Lastly, the healthcare group discussed innovative ways to continue organizing, including adding levity to their planned actions.
The People’s Assembly concluded with a reflection from CAPE’s President, Nathan Prier, about the current state of the federal austerity agenda and the deliberate nature of unspecific budget cuts. To build our collective power, we require a united front across our joint struggles – a revitalized fightback.
On December 4th and 6th, the Council of Canadians will host canvassing trainings to build local, collective power in our neighbourhoods. Join us in the fight against austerity – when we fight, we remember that we can win.
Namrata Tilokani
Namrata is a Campaigns Organizer with the Council of Canadians, and a writer and poet. They have been organizing on issues around anti-colonial and anti-imperial struggle for over a decade.
