Updates

The Council of Canadians is in full solidarity with UFCW workers who are being forced to work in unsafe conditions at Cargill meat-packing plants in Canada.  

Regard for human rights is essential in times of crisis. Human rights principles provide a valuable framework for government action and establish crucial safeguards against abuses. Yet respect for human rights is particularly vulnerable – tenuous at best – in times of crisis. That holds true whether the crisis is related to national security, natural disasters or a public health emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

OTTAWA – A total of 301 organizations, academics and former politicians from across the country are calling on all levels of government in Canada to take urgent steps to strengthen human rights oversight amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier in April, the federal government announced several changes to the leadership of the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB). Michael Sabia, the Director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy and former CEO of Caisse de dépôt et placements du Québec (CDPQ), is now Chair of the Board. 

Letter to Minister Freeland urging them to rescind the decision to refuse the Manitoba Chiefs' request/plan for a Cuban Health Brigade to provide health care in indigenous communities in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ottawa—A large collection of health, faith, environmental, labour and social justice groups, representing one million three hundred thousand Canadians, have sent a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau and his cabinet asking that in the federal bailout to the oil and gas industry, expected later this week, no more money be given to companies, only to workers.

A large collection of health, faith, environmental, labour and social justice groups, representing one million three hundred thousand Canadians, have sent the following letter to Prime Minister Trudeau and his cabinet asking that in the federal bailout to the oil and gas industry, expected later this week, no more money be given to companies, only to workers.

To the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, 

Cc: Federal Cabinet Ministers 

On March 11, 2020, Vancouver earned the designation of “Blue Community” – a bold move which will keep water protected from privatization and ban the sale of bottled water in municipal buildings.

Join Councillors Christine Boyle (Vancouver) and Joe Keithley (Burnaby), Chief Kukpi7 Judy Wilson (Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs) and Joey Hartman (board member, the Council of Canadians) on March 23, 2020 to celebrate World Water Day as the Council of Canadians presents Blue Communities certificates to the City of Vancouver and the City of Burnaby.

At its meeting on January 19, 2020,  the Council of Canadians Board passed the following motion with respect to the CUSMA

To respond to CUSMA with the following frame – 

Ottawa – Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland committed to changing the way Canada negotiates and adopts trade agreements in a letter released as Parliament discussed the ratification of NAFTA 2.1.