"How can we even imagine stopping infections when millions of people do not have access to adequate sanitation, affordable housing, nutritious food, and safe and healthy working conditions? We have a responsibility to fight for universal access to physical and mental health care not just at home, but around the world." — Elisabeth Ballermann, NUPGE Secretary-Treasurer

“The Finance Minister pledged to both protect frontline services and impose a hiring freeze. These 2 actions are incompatible." — Mike Parker, HSAA President

“These webinars are intended to give pension activists, advisory committee members, union officers, and trustees the tools they need to secure and protect decent pensions for our members” — Elisabeth Ballermann, NUPGE Secretary-Treasurer

"Nova Scotia's Auditor General did his job. Now it's time for Stephen McNeil to do his and take action to fix the current crisis in health care." — Kim Jenkins, second Vice-President NSGEU/NUPGE

The MGEU/NUPGE has spoken out about cuts that are driven by the bottom line instead of patient care. The union will continue to urge the Premier and Minister of Health to reverse health care cuts that are putting patient care in jeopardy. 

Thomas said it was “ironic, but not funny” that the government had passed Bill 148, which improves certain labour standards, “just a few days after it had walked all over the Charter rights of more than 12,000 workers.”

"Leaving things like the quality of care, safety, monitoring and enforcement to the whims of cabinet places politics ahead of our health care. It's no way to ensure the system will be available to all who need it." — Elisabeth Ballermann, NUPGE Secretary-Treasurer

“When a company in financial difficulties is giving $1.4 billion to shareholders and handing executives millions of dollars in bonuses, it’s ridiculous to claim that legislation to protect pensions will affect the ability of the company to survive. What legislation to give pension plans priority in bankruptcy proceedings will do is protect workers and retirees from greed and incompetence.” — Larry Brown, NUPGE President

"The government of Canada needs to take a stand in defense of the majority of internet users to maintain equal access to internet sites and services, and to support our new and developing industries by opposing the implementation of two-tiered access to internet services. In an interconnected world, allowing large companies to control internet access for the many is unacceptable." Larry Brown, NUPGE President

"Lack of availability of safe and affordable housing is a major barrier for women fleeing violence." — Lise Martin, Executive Director of Women's Shelters Canada

“When working people . . . say what they need, they have the power to get it. Bill 148 is a significant step forward for workers’ rights, and I think every union, community group, and individual who helped make it happen should take a bow.” — Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President

 "The rising cost of housing is forcing many to leave their communities, while others are leaving the province altogether. We need to do something before our communities are hollowed out." — Stephanie Smith, BCGEU President

"There must be a shift from a culture of reacting to violence in the workplace, to a culture of violence prevention." — Karen Jackson, PEI UPSE President

“We should be long past the days where we turn a blind eye to women and girls suffering from violence,” — Elisabeth Ballermann, NUPGE Secretary-Treasurer

Despite her bold declaration in Germany, what Minister Catherine McKenna did not disclose to the world is that Canada continues to mine and export millions of tonnes of coal for other countries to burn, mainly but not exclusively for steelmaking plants. And this will not change.