Letters from the president

With the COVID-19 pandemic, the contribution of truck drivers to the well-being of all Canadians has been, more than ever, invaluable. Without them, the economy would have almost completely ceased to function and chaos would have quickly taken hold in our cities and countryside.

I am happy to announce that I have appointed Sister Mariam Abou-Dib as Executive Director of Teamsters Canada. This appointment is in line with the reorganization of Teamsters Canada’s administrative services, which aims to maximize the use of our resources and our employees’ expertise to ensure that all matters requiring action from the national office are covered. This change is effective as of today.

One out of every four violent crimes reported to the police is a case of domestic violence, according to Statistics Canada. Women's Shelter Canada indicated in its most recent report that of the 550 shelters it supports, 59% reported a decrease in calls at the beginning of the pandemic. However, as the lockdown measures eased, more than half of these shelters (61%) experienced a surge in calls.

The past few weeks have been… intense. Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States after weeks of threatening...

On April 28th, we commemorate the National Day of Mourning. This day serves as a reminder of those who have died, been injured, or fallen ill due to their work.

Teamsters Canada is satisfied with the Trudeau Government’s third budget. The union is pleased that the government is taking small steps toward creating a national pharmacare program. However, the government should increase infrastructure investments in coming budgets, and do more to help Canadians through the coming wave of automation and technological changes.

Sister Mariam Abou-Dib has been appointed Teamsters Canada director of government affairs effective September 1, 2020. She will be responsible for working with elected officials and public servants to advance the interests of Teamster members. Our current lobbyist, Brother Phil Benson, will be retiring after a distinguished 18-year career in service to our union.

Today is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to honour both residential school survivors and those who never made it home. It also serves as a reminder for Canadians to reflect on the injustices that Indigenous peoples have endured over the last few hundred years.

My message to you during this 2021 federal election campaign is first and foremost to exercise your right to vote on September 20, 2021. I will not tell you who to vote for as Teamsters Canada is a non-partisan organization. I will, however, tell you what we have been advocating for on your behalf as Teamster members so we can all make informed decisions before we cast our votes.

I would still like to wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year. My thoughts especially go out to all those who lost a loved one and who faced other pandemic-related challenges. Stay strong, friends! We are all in this together.