What is also being made clear is that, to be effective, job plans need to involved unions, employers and others. And new jobs must be climate-friendly with the goal of a zero-carbon economy.

"While these recent events may have been the catalyst for the current crisis, the scope of the problem also has its origins in the many decades of neglect and exploitation of Haiti by many developed nations of the world." — Larry Brown, NUPGE President

As more details from the Pandora Papers become public, where Canadian politicians stand on public registries of beneficial owners will be a test. If politicians are serious about cracking down on tax dodging and money laundering, they will support public beneficial ownership registries.

Due to Facebook technical issues the Sisters in Spirit (SIS) Vigil that was to be held on October 4, 2021 has been rescheduled to October 7, 2021. Communities across Canada will have the opportunity to honour the memory of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and gender-diverse people.

You are invited to participate in this webinar on Thursday, October 7 from noon to 1 pm EDT. To receive the link, please register in advance here. 

“LGBTQI2S+ history should have a place in our history curriculums,” said NUPGE Secretary-Treasurer, Bert Blundon. “LGBTQI2S+ history is Canadian history. It’s our duty to pass on intersectional knowledge to future generations.”

“Women continue to be heroes on the front lines of this pandemic! They continue to make huge differences in society, in Canada, and in their communities. As we celebrate their past and current achievements, we must ensure that their future includes economic security and equity!” — Larry Brown, NUPGE President

“It’s up to individuals to ensure governments live up to their promises of reconciliation. We’ve already seen that, without oversight, they are happy to keep the status quo.” — Larry Brown, NUPGE President

This year's ceremony will be a virtual ceremony livestreamed from Parliament Hill on Sunday, September 26.

The response from the NDP claims a strong commitment to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and a desire to use it as a guiding principle for their policies.

“Our paramedics are overstretched and exhausted. There are no more respiratory therapists. Everyone is either working or sick. There are no more rabbits to pull out of the hat. That’s why we need our Premier to swallow his pride and ask the rest of Canada for help.” – Mike Parker, HSAA President

Gender Equality Week overlaps with Election Day. Voters will go to the polls to elect the next federal government — a government that will be responsible for getting us through the COVID-19 pandemic recovery and beyond. NUPGE encourages its members and the public to consider the political parties’ commitments to gender equality when casting their ballots.

Whether we have a fair recovery will depend on whether the federal government we elect on September 20 is willing to learn from the mistakes of the last 30 years. Will the government assume handouts for corporations will be enough, or will it seek to lift everyone up with improved public services, stronger labour rights, and by tackling barriers that have held back women, racialized Canadians, Indigenous people, and people with disabilities?

The federal government must maintain its historic role in helping fund services delivered by provinces and territories like health care, education, social assistance and social services. It must also ensure national standards are met. That includes upholding the Canada Health Act requirements that no federal money goes to for-profit health of any kind.

"This polling shows that Canadians understand that our LTC system needs to change. Before the vaccines, Canada was the worst country at protecting our seniors in LTC. 80% of pandemic-related deaths were in LTC. Invest and make it public, these are 2 key steps toward better protecting our seniors and the workers who care for them." — Larry Brown, NUPGE President