Ontario: On October 6, Vote NDP!

Tax cuts for the rich. Service cuts and fee hikes for the rest of us. That's how the bosses make workers pay for the capitalist crisis around the world. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, is no exception. And if the governing provincial Liberals, or the official opposition Progressive Conservatives, have their way, the austerity drive against workers and the poor will intensify. But the rulers have reason to fear that their plans may be derailed by a wave of votes for the labour-based New Democratic Party on October 6, similar to the orange surge seen in the May 2 federal election. The task of every class conscious worker is to make that happen, for there is much at stake.

Jack Layton 1950-2011

The death of NDP federal Leader Jack Layton evoked an immense outpouring of sadness and solidarity across the Canadian state. The popularity of Layton, who led his party to unprecedented electoral success on May 2 despite his apparent illness, prompted Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper to declare an official state funeral to honour the NDP leader. Normally, such honours are bestowed only on deceased prime ministers and cabinet ministers.

CAAT support staff Strike Back

Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology support staff, represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees' Union, went on strike on September 1 to defend full time jobs and to challenge the threat of a two-tier system for benefits. Both kinds of management attacks have dire implications for all public sector workers.

Canadians live in a sea of debt

Nearly three-quarters of Canadian households carry some debt, according to a Harris-Decima survey done for the CIBC.

Over four in ten households find their debt interferes with achieving financial goals such as saving for retirement or paying for children's education. Those in the 35-to-44 age bracket are the most indebted, with nearly 90 per cent carrying some form of loan.

Two Tier Healthcare at GMC

Many retired employees of GM of Canada (GMC) attended meetings held in early August about the proposed settlement between them and GM of Canada on the future of retiree health care benefits. The settlement will put in place the Health Care Trust (HCT) agreed to in the 2009 contract negotiations. The administrators of the HCT will oversee and allocate these retired workers' health care benefits.