Aaaawe

...Sid Ryan is upset:

Union disclosure Bill C-377 angers Ontario Federation of Labour

Bill C-377 forces unions to disclose expenditures

"Sid Ryan, president of the Ontario Federation of Labour, which represents 54 unions, says his organization will redouble efforts to make sure Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservatives don't win October's federal election.
The federation's leader is upset with the passing of Bill C-377, the Conservatives' controversial private member's bill that forces labour unions to publicly disclose how they spend their money.
The bill, sponsored by Conservative MP Russ Hiebert and backed strongly by the Prime Minister's Office, gained Senate approval Tuesday and requires unions to publicly disclose any spending of $5,000 or more and any salary of more than $100,000.

Unions will have to provide that information to the Canada Revenue Agency, which would publicly post the information to its website."

It's No Accident...

...that this bill is the last one to be passed prior to the fall election. It's a good one. Voters will have this one still in mind come the election this fall:

Tory senators take unusual steps to force vote on controversial union bill

"Bill C-377 is a private member’s bill from Conservative MP Russ Hiebert that would force unions to publicly disclose a wide range of financial information including salaries and expenses.

Supporters say it addresses concerns from union members who say they face intimidation if they ask for too much information from their leadership.

Unions strongly oppose the law and argue that only union members should be able to view such information. Critics of the bill warn it will place unions at an unfair disadvantage during collective bargaining because management will have new insight into the financial situation of unions.

The bill was previously blocked by the Senate two years ago and had not received much attention since."

Tories upend Speaker over labour bill

"Segal predicted that the bill will eventually be struck down by the courts as unconstitutional. But in the meantime, he said it could do real political damage to the Conservatives in this fall's election."

All the more reason to open up the constitution and amend it.

Conservatives move to push anti-labour bill through Senate

"The legislation would require unions to publicly disclose details of all expenses over $5,000 and remuneration to anyone totalling over $100,000.

Unions have complained that the measure, backed strongly by a B.C. lobby group that advises companies on how to de-certify unions, is a veiled attempt to tie unions up in costly red tape.

“It’s a bill that’s essentially about attacking unions because Conservatives don’t like unions, they don’t like the equality we bring,” B.C. Federation of Labour President Irene Lanzinger told The Vancouver Sun Friday."

More:

Conservative senators overrule Senate Speaker on union transparency bill

"The bill, which seven provinces, including Ontario, have argued is unconstitutional and would interfere with their jurisdiction over labour relations, is now likely to become the law of the land by Tuesday."

Never Saw This Coming

Alberta passes bill banning corporate and union donations

"Corporate" I can understand. After all, they are Dippers. But Union donations???? Unions have to be their biggest funders, bar none. I think I just saw more pigs flying.

"Getting union and corporate donations out of politics is good for democracy, it’s good for Alberta. The NDP even accepted one of our amendments, which shows some progress,” said Jean. “But there is still a horrendous loophole in this legislation; unions can actually pay their employees to volunteer for a political party. We don’t think that’s right.”"

[---]
"Alberta’s NDP has traditionally gained about 10 per cent of its funding from unions, while the PCs have relied heavily on corporate donations."

My guess is, Notley and crew didn't want egg or their faces. Can't make it too obvious, you know.

About Time!

The overarching power of unions appears to be under a full on attack:
Pro-business group launches ads targeting alleged union influence over Ontario government

Fight Back Against Union Bosses

New non-partisan anti-union group emerges as Tories push labour issues to the forefront

"A new anti-union group has sprung up just as the Progressive Conservatives threaten to make labour issues a key ballot question in the next election.

With Ontarians expected to go to the polls as early as May, Working Canadians wants to raise awareness about the influence of “union bosses” on the province.

Like Working Families, a coalition of unions that has successfully run ads attacking the Conservatives in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 provincial elections, Working Canadians considers itself non-partisan.

“Part of the purpose is to counter the Working Families and that type of organization,” spokesperson Catherine Swift, chair of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said Monday.

Swift stressed the CFIB is not officially part of the new organization, which is run by volunteers and funded by small businesses and Merit Canada, which lobbies for “open shop,” or non-union, construction companies.

“It’s not partisan, it’s just making sense,” she said, noting a decade of hefty contracts to unionized public servants, such as teachers, nurses, and police officers, has helped create a “structural deficit” in Ontario."

And they're fighting back:
New ads to ‘fight back’ against union influence

"There are plenty of bones to pick with the charges levelled by Working Canadians, as Ms. Swift’s group has branded itself. Taxes have not gone up in any significant way since the last election; the deficit has gone down, albeit more slowly than many would wish; organized labour’s culpability for unemployment rates is highly debatable.

But then, those on Ontario’s right would argue that turnabout is fair play. For years, they have complained that Working Families – the coalition of unions to which Working Canadians is an obvious response – has done the governing Liberals’ bidding by spending buckets of cash demonizing the Tories. Ms. Swift’s effort is a manifestation of those frustrations; it is also, in its scale, evidence of the uphill battle to provide a counterbalance."

Yup. They've done that in Saskatchewan, too.

A Little Bit Disappointing...

...to say the least:

Sask. government overhauling labour laws

Every thing proposed is good, but it doesn't go nearly far enough. I thought Brad Wall et al had bigger balls than that.

More info here:

Labour law changes introduced in Sask. legislature

And here:

Saskatchewan enacts new legislation for unions

CRFA encouraged by changes to Saskatchewan labour legislation

Meanwhile, someone working for Saskatchewan's chief union goon has brought a complaint to the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board alleging harassment by her boss. Oh, the irony.

Who Organized The Reindeer???!!!

Santa Claus comes to Courtland Center via helicopter

They should be declared an essential service. And so should the elves.

Santa is such a scab!!

Of Course

Larry Loudmouth Hubich would be against this.

The writing's on the Wall, Mr. Hubich. Your days as a loudmouth boor exploiting Saskatchewan's workers, living off union dues, using 19th century issues to rally early 20th century's lost causes are numbered. Good riddance!!

Unions in Crisis?

Maybe if they stuck to their original purpose, they might have a better chance of survival. Look at this:

It could be hike-dues-or-die time for federal union

"One of Canada’s largest federal unions could face extinction as an independent organization unless its members accept a 42-per-cent dues increase to forestall a financial crisis triggered by the Conservatives’ job cuts."

Too bad. So sad.

Or this:

Caw tackles social issues to boost ranks: Union steps in to pro-choice debate

Are you telling me that each and every member of the CAW is pro-choice? Or those that aren't are okay with their money going to support that cause?

Or this:

Elections Canada orders NDP to pay back some union sponsorships at convention

"For the second time in a year, the NDP has run afoul of political financing laws.

Elections Canada has ordered the NDP to pay back money it collected from unions who sponsored events at the party's national convention last year.

The party, which has criticized the Conservative government for a lack of transparency, offered no details on how much it paid back or to whom."

And this is just hilarious:

Public sector sick days cost $1B a year

From the CBC, yet! Whose annual budget costs the taxpayer the same amount and a bit more, if you call $100,000,000 a "bit more".

And this?

Unions see benefit to open membership

"Two of Canada's biggest unions are considering opening member-ship to everyone, including the unemployed and retired, when they merge. A committee working on the merger of the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers unions floated the proposal in a recently released report outlining the potential structure of the new union."

Let's just say they're getting desperate. Or the Union bosses want a bigger raise.

No wonder they are getting nervous:

Union bill causes stir in labour circles

"A proposed private member's bill that would compel unions to disclose their spending is causing ripples in Canada's labour community.

Bill C-377 -- put forward by Conservative MP Russ Hiebert -- would reveal how labour groups use funds collected through union dues."

Some good background reading here.

All Hail Brad Wall

Labour law under scrutiny Public asked for input

Yup. This is a province where the NDP legacy equals stranglehold and it's main arena is legislation giving labour and, especially unions, the upper hand. The employer, or capitalism in general, is seen as guilty until proven innocent, and its a forgone conclusion that if you are an employer you must be guilty, guilty of something, even if you haven't been charged.

Keep going, Brad! I mean, if this isn't intrusive, I don't know what is:

"The province's Trade Union Act allows an employee to opt out only on religious grounds, and the employee must pay an amount equal to the union dues to an agreed upon charity."

I wonder which charities the union bosses would agree with.

Don't Fly Air Canada!!!

Notwithstanding the fact that their service has been lousy for years, we need to put these pilots out of work as soon as possible. And their names should be plastered all over the internet so they never work in the airline industry again.

I Didn't Know...

...this was in the works, but what a great idea!!

"It's a move that would change the game board for players in Canada's labour movement.

Bill C-377, a private member's bill put forward by Conservative MP Russ Hiebert, has passed second reading in the House of Commons and appears destined to eventually become law -- a rare feat for private member's legislation.

It would compel labour unions, and their associated groups, to disclose how and where they spend money, exposing their political spending to scrutiny."(Emphasis mine)

There will be howling and screaming from leftards, especially those of the Dipper persuasion. Mark my word.

Government Cuts Civil Servants From Payroll

Union whines.

"“This exercise is all about money and a government obsessed with the bottom line,” said Corbett."

And oh my God. Some of them are climate scientists!!

Environment Canada to get rid of 60 scientists

Expect the whining to reach feverish pitches.

"Not all surplus employees may end up losing their jobs. They could be needed elsewhere and be promised a “reasonable job offer.” Those without such an offer, however, have three options — they can collect a cash payments based on years of service; get an education allowance for retraining, or go on the priority list for a year in hopes of landing a job elsewhere in the public service."

Sounds like a reasonable severance arrangement to me, but what's with the "environment" spin?

An Even Better Christmas Present

Sask. changes clear in study

"The first wave of analyses from a massive study undertaken by the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy indicates just how great a sea change has occurred in Saskatchewan.

That the province's environment is remarkably different from a decade ago is difficult to miss. But just how much of an impact the changes have had on traditional voting trends wasn't clear until the school took advantage of the Nov. 7 election to parse out why people voted the way they did.

As political scientist David McGrane put it, "The Saskatchewan Party killed the NDP.""

[---]

"Of the 30 groups the researchers examined, the majority in 29 groups voted for the Saskatchewan Party. These included such traditional NDP supporters as those with low incomes, young persons and the elderly, unionized workers, urban, suburban, and rural voters, and even public sector workers.

Not only was the Saskatchewan Party successful in getting its message out, but Monday's throne speech made it clear Mr. Wall was also listening. Included in the 20-page document are promises to make housing more affordable, help for young families and first-time homeowners, provide more childcare spaces, help for low-income seniors, and a commitment to work with unions to provide greater accountability for members."

[---]

"In fact, the Johnson-Shoyama study suggests that when it comes to tapping into what union members want, Mr. Wall has been more successful than the union leaders who spent copious amounts of their members' dues to buy advertisements opposing the premier's ideas.

The government is wise to suggest it would like to work with unions to make sure the leaders are attuned closer to what their members want. It's a message the union leaders should take seriously."

[---]

"But the study points to places where Mr. Wall seems offside, particularly with his own base. When researchers asked about support for the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly on the sale of Saskatchewan grain, there was considerable ambivalence.

But when the University of Saskatchewan's Social Responsibility Research Laboratory used its geographic data system to calculate concern about the board, it showed that the regions west and south of Saskatoon, where most of the province's wheat, barley and durum is grown, are also where there is greatest support for the monopoly.

There is a message in here for Mr. Wall that his ideology and that of his base might not be in sync, at least on this one critical issue. This could be a damaging aberration for a premier who has built his reputation on pragmatism."

The University of Saskatchewan's Social Responsibility Research Laboratory - three guesses what this "Laboratory" is all about. No doubt it's infested with NDPers, just as the rest of the U of S is - seems to have forgotten that most Saskatchewan farmers quit growing wheat a long time ago and have been growing crops they can sell without the approval of the Wheat Board. The region described is likely the area where the farmers are too chicken-shit to try marketing their own crops - precisely the group that needs nanny's protection.

Charter Rights And Occupiers: A Judgment From The Bench

The limits to occupation

"On Monday, Justice David Brown of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice issued a lengthy decision weighing the various rights and interests in play. Ultimately, Justice Brown found that the City of Toronto was entitled to enforce its trespass bylaw and to require the occupiers to vacate St. James Park between midnight and 5 a.m., and to remove the structures they have built there.

His decision likely will figure heavily in other cities confronting this issue."

[---]

"Justice Brown acknowledged that the protesters in Toronto’s St. James Park are engaging in activity protected by the Charter of Rights. Contrary to those who make much of the fact that the Charter nowhere mentions the right to “occupy public parks,” Justice Brown correctly noted that our civil liberties are not defined by specific activities, but the meaning that they hold. Thus, it is not the right to “occupy” that is at issue, but whether by such occupation the protesters are expressing political opinions (freedom of expression), living out sincerely held convictions (freedom of conscience) and attempting to form a common front to influence public discourse (freedom of assembly and association). The Charter guarantees everyone the ability to fashion their expressive and associational activities as they wish. If the protesters believe that their message relies on a particular physical structure (say, a “tent city”) then that structure becomes part and parcel of the Charter-protected activity. If the protesters believe that their message relies on prolonged occupation, then their desire to remain in the park indefinitely (or, at least, longer than the City might wish) is similarly protected.

But that, of course, is not the end of the story. The Charter’s rights and freedoms are protected only to the extent of such “reasonable limits” as are imposed by law. No right or freedom is absolute — that is the price of a civilized society."

[---]

"Justice Brown seemed particularly persuaded by the non-protesters who explained the impact on them of having St. James Park rendered virtually off-limits (although it should be noted that these were anecdotal reports and the protesters disputed that characterization). Strikingly, he spoke of the need to keep urban parks as “oases of tranquility” rather than “battlegrounds of competing interests.”"

[---]

"...the protesters have a difficult argument in the idea that the Charter guarantees them an exclusive right to control the extent and degree of their occupation of a public space designed to be open to and used by all. The decision confirms their right to occupy, but imposes limits on it."

And soooo, sanity prevails:

Canadian Occupy protests on the ropes

"Authorities in Quebec City and Calgary have removed Occupy protesters' tents — all of the tents in Quebec City and the ones that sat empty in Calgary Monday night — but despite the City of Toronto's victory in court Monday, authorities there have yet to make their move.

At 11:30 p.m. Monday, a half hour after Olympic Plaza in downtown Calgary had legally closed for the night, bylaw officers began dismantling any tent that didn't have a person inside.

Tickets were issued to the dozen or so people still living in the park space."

[---]

"While police were there to back up bylaw, Bruce said there would be no arrests for those opting to continue to stay at the park.

"We're going to ask them to remove them. If they don't, we'll charge them," he said. "This is exactly what we said we'd be doing.

Loaded to near-capacity was a large Budget moving truck, filled with the unoccupied tents and any materials found inside them.

When the truck left, there was just eight "lived in" tents, a warming tent and an information tent left behind."

[---]

"In Quebec City, officials tore down the remaining tents at the downtown Occupy encampment. The park was cleared by 7:30 a.m. and police say no arrests were made.

City spokesman Jacques Perron said the camp was dismantled in the early morning because many of the protesters were absent.

“It avoided confrontation and it allowed us to clear the entire area,” he said.

Meanwhile in Montreal, Mayor Gerald Tremblay on Monday asked occupiers to leave.

He had originally told protesters they could stay as long as they complied with fire department rules.

However, Tremblay said safety could no longer be guaranteed on the site after a local paper reported on a series of violent altercations at the encampment over the weekend."

[---]

"In Toronto, a judge on Monday upheld the city's eviction order for the protesters camped out at St. James Park.

Some occupiers masked their faces with bandanas, barricaded their ragged, nylon tents with wooden skids, chained themselves to yurts, and bellowed anti-establishment rhetoric as the sun set."

[---]

"Hours after the judge upheld the eviction order, St. James Cathedral, which owns a chunk of the greenspace, ordered them off the church's land. Protesters had considered the property a possible source of sanctuary should police move in.

On Tuesday, the protesters plan to march with labour leaders to Nathan Phillips Square at 4 p.m., where a rally is planned."

Of course, we'd have to have unions involved this way. And hah!! Even the churches are pissed off. Too bad, so sad.

Unions - Ugh!

Canadians have no interest in joining unions

"The vast majority of non-unionized Canadians have no interest in joining a union, according to a new poll released Monday.

The Canadian LabourWatch Association, which describes itself as a not-for-profit, pro-employee choice advocacy group, commissioned Nanos Research to survey working Canadians on their impressions of unions and found just under a third belong to an employee union. For most, membership came when they took the job.

Nearly eight in 10 who did not hold a union job would not want to be unionized if given the choice, Nanos said. Nearly 84% agreed with having a secret ballot vote when forming a union is on the table.

Roughly three-quarters agreed with the right of workers to cross picket lines."

More details here with an interview with Canada's chief union thug.

I've never understood how compulsory membership in a union could withstand our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, particularly Section II.

Good Place To...

...cut.

Prepare for howling from all the usual suspects.

What they won't tell you, though, is that there are budget cuts across the entire gamut of government departments.

IT services, for example.

"As it stands, government departments and agencies operate their own IT programs. Because of that, there are more than 100 different e-mail systems, more than 300 data centres and more than 3,000 network services operating across the government, Ambrose said."

Sounds good to me.

I HATE UNIONS!!!!!!

WITH A PASSION!!!!

From the folks at SDA.

Holy Schmoly!!

Saskatchewan Positioned for Population Boom

"Statistics Canada thinks there will be a lot less elbow room in this province by 2036.

The federal agency says Saskatchewan's population could boom to as much as 1.3 million.

Labour minister Rob Norris believes it's a realistic goal, and the province will be ready."

[---]

""People have come up and said, 'Keep going. Don't back down.' We want to make sure that population growth continues. We want to make sure that the economy continues to be recognized as one of the leading forces in the country."

The 1.3 million projection is on the high end of StatsCan's forecast. The low end has just over 1.1 million people calling this province home a quarter-century from now.

Norris says the newcomers or returning expats will be needed to address what he calls a talent challenge."

We can do it, Saskbabies. All we gotta do is keep the Now Dead Party, and their enablers, at bay for the next quarter century. Should be doable.