Remarks by François Laporte, President of Teamsters Canada
Brothers and sisters,
Labour Day is usually a day of pride and celebration. I will be honest with you, this year it feels a little strange. It is hard to celebrate when workers are wondering whether their plant, their terminal or their route will still be there in six months.
Workers did not start the trade war with the United States. No driver, no warehouse worker, no dairy or brewery worker on either side of the border asked for tariffs. This is a fight between the rich and powerful, over money and pride at the very top. And once again, it is working people who are being handed the bill. Billionaires and corporate executives will not feel a thing. Working families will. We said it when Washington imposed its latest tariffs, and it is worth repeating today.
When Canada announced its most recent countermeasures, our union stood behind them. This country cannot allow itself to be pushed around without answering. But we also said that retaliation alone is not a plan. The billions in support that come with those measures must reach workers directly, through income supports, more flexible employment insurance and real training programs. That money cannot be allowed to vanish into corporate subsidies. Governments always seem to find money for corporations. Our job is to make sure they find it for workers too.
Because this is the truth we mark every Labour Day. Workers like us create all the wealth in our society. Everything of value in this country was grown, built, manufactured, moved or delivered by a worker. Wealth does not trickle down from boardrooms. It rises up from warehouses, highways, rail yards, breweries and loading docks, from the hands of working people.
So let’s take the day. Let’s spend it with our families. We’ve earned it. And remember this. Whatever this trade war brings, this union will always stand with the real wealth creators of this country. We will always stand with workers.
Thank you. Happy Labour Day. Solidarity.
