Teamsters Canada Rail Conference

As far as I can remember, I have never experienced a year as full of emotion as 2008. The economic crisis, federal elections, and political uncertainty in Ottawa have sparked many debates—the kind of debates that move a country forward.

Despite the economic crisis, we are ending a year in which the Teamsters Union has made a lot progress, both in the United States and Canada. Thanks to the untiring work of union officials, Teamsters Canada has succeeded in increasing its membership. Dozens of recruiters, shop stewards, and business agents have worked to strengthen our organization, sometimes day and night. I take off my hat to them.

In addition, the participation of our local unions in the well-being of their members and their communities has made the difference in the lives of tens of thousands of Canadians. I would like to thank them for their tireless efforts in carrying out  this work, so very important!

Teamsters Canada has never been a proponent of an empty chair policy. Our organization’s presence in the various debates that have animated our society is essential, and we are planning to stay the course over the coming year. We want to remain a preferred point of contact for governments, companies, and employers’ associations; otherwise no one will take our members’ and Canadians’ needs into consideration. More than ever, Teamsters Canada is keeping a watchful eye on what is going on to defend Canadians’ interests and advocate good sense. I believe that unionism has never been as relevant as in 2008

The economic crisis that is beating down on Canada and other industrialized countries has only just begun. In the coming months, we may expect that thousands, even tens of thousands, of our fellow citizens will be affected in some way or other by this financial tsunami. This slump is directly attributable to the financial sector’s greed and bad decisions, and once again, it is your tax money that will be used to repair the damage.

For this reason, in an earlier open letter, I called upon all Canadians to write to their Members of Parliament to let the federal government know that financial institutions are not alone in needing assistance. We have an individual and collective duty to make our viewpoint known. Otherwise, the government will continue to inject our tax money into the financial system, without producing any measurable results in the lives of workers.

On that note, I wish you a very happy holiday season, and health, happiness, and prosperity to all Canadians.

Robert Bouvier,
President
Teamsters Canada