Labour rights focus of International conference set for Toronto, March 26 - 28

Richard Wilkinson, one of the world’s most preeminent researchers on social inequalities, and author of the bestseller "Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone" will kick off the CFLR conference as the keynote speaker.

 Toronto (20 March 2013) – A three-day international conference in Toronto, March 26 - 28, is set to provide a forum for new evidence and research that confirms the critical role labour rights and unions play in advancing democracy, creating greater economic equality, and promoting the social well-being of all Canadians.

The conference, "Labour Rights and Their Impact on Democracy, Economic Equality and Social Justice", is presented by the Canadian Foundation for Labour Rights (CFLR) and sponsored by the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW Canada) and the Canadian Teachers' Federation (CTF).

With labour rights under attack in many jurisdictions across Canada and around the world, this crucial conference explores how regressive labour laws have increased income inequality, eroded the middle class and threaten the foundations of democracy. The conference is also a strategic forum in building a broad-based progressive coalition in support of shared values of Canadians and the labour movement.

Richard Wilkinson, one of the world’s most preeminent researchers on social inequalities, and author of the bestseller "Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone" will kick off the CFLR conference as the keynote speaker on Tuesday, March 26, at 7:00 p.m. His headline-generating research shows that societies with more equal distribution of incomes have better health, fewer social problems and are more productive than ones in which the gap between the rich and poor is greater.

Other speakers will include Canadian and international human rights advocates, labour leaders, progressive labour relations academics, and labour lawyers recognized for their work on issues related to the conference.

WHAT:
International conference presented by the Canadian Foundation for Labour Rights:
Labour Rights and Their Impact on Democracy, Economic Equality and Social Justice

WHEN:
Tuesday, March 26, 2013, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 27, 2013, 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

WHERE:
Hilton Toronto
145 Richmond St W, Toronto, ON

WHO:

Presenters at the conference include:
James Clancy, National President, NUPGE
Wayne Hanley, National President, UFCW Canada
Paul Taillefer, President, Canadian Teachers' Federation
Richard Wilkinson, Co-Director, The Equality Trust and Co-author, "The Spirit Level"
Armine Yalnizyan, Senior Associate, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Lars Osberg, Professor of Economics, Dalhousie University
Michael Lynk, Professor of Law, Western University
Nathalie Des Rosiers, General Counsel, Canadian Civil Liberties Association
Paul Champ, Senior Partner, Champ and Associates
Naveen Mehta, General Counsel, and Director of Human Rights, UFCW Canada
Paul Cavalluzzo, Senior Partner, Cavalluzzo Shilton McIntyre Cornish LLB
Steven Barret, Managing Partner, Sack Goldblatt Mitchell LLP
Fay Faraday, Founder, Faraday Law, and McMurtry Visiting Fellow, Osgoode Hall Law School
John Hendy, QC, President, International Centre for Trade Union Rights
Eric Tucker, Professor of Law, Osgoode Hall Law School
Anouk Collet, National Representative, UFCW Canada
Elisabeth Ballermann, President, Health Sciences Association of Alberta
Ken Georgetti, President, Canadian Labour Congress (CLC)

More information: 

Canadian Foundation for Labour Rights

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE