Laval, March 22, 2016 — The Teamsters Union is satisfied with the Trudeau government’s first budget, which respects many of the commitments the Liberal Party made during the elections.
“This budget is not an austerity budget,” said François Laporte, the President of Teamsters Canada. “Today’s announcements are in line with a policy of economic recovery, which our union supports entirely.”
The new infrastructure spending will help workers and revitalize the job market. Recall that the latest job figures from Statistics Canada show that unemployment is now at 7.3%, the highest it’s been since 2013.
“Massive job losses in the oil industry, particularly in Alberta, hit our members hard,” explained François Laporte. “We’re talking about thousands of working families going through very tough times.”
The Teamsters Union will be keeping a close eye on these infrastructure investments to ensure that new jobs are, in fact, created.
Employment Insurance, Retirement and Tax Credits
Teamsters Canada is very pleased that the government decided to tackle the problem of employment insurance in its first budget.
The President of Teamsters Canada was also happy to see the retirement age maintained at 65.
Reinstating the tax credit for contributions to labour-sponsored funds, like the FTQ Solidarity Fund, is another welcomed announcement. These funds support Canadian businesses and start-ups while helping workers save for retirement.
“It will take more than one budget to undo the damage caused by the previous government,” concluded the President of Teamsters Canada. “But, in general, I am encouraged by the Trudeau government’s first budget, and am hopeful that the Canadian economy will improve in the coming months.”
The Teamsters represents 120,000 members in Canada in all industries. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, with which Teamsters Canada is affiliated, has 1.4 million members in North America.
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Media contact:
Stéphane Lacroix, Director of Public Relations
Cell: 514 609-5101
[email protected]
