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Provincial party event at Ottawa area golf club draws labour demonstrators opposed to wage freeze in 2010 Ontario budget.
Ottawa (23 Aug. 2010) - A fundraiser by Premier Dalton McGuinty at a golf club near Ottawa drew a boisterous crowd of labour movement protesters Friday, continuing a province-wide campaign, continuing an ongoing campaign against a wage freeze announced in the 2010 Ontario budget.
Activists from the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/NUPGE) were joined by members of the Ontario Nurses Association (ONA), the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Ottawa District Labour Council.
“Some activists traveled from as far away as Kingston and the Picton area to be here,” said organizer and OPSEU executive board member Lynn Orzel. “Workers really want their voices heard on this issue.”
Liberal party supporters were offered free OPSEU golf balls and handed flyers with information on how McGuinty’s policies are cutting wages for working people while offering tax cuts to big banks and profitable corporations.
Some party members grew impatient in traffic lines and several incidents occurred, including two involving aggressive behaviour that resulted in police intervention.
A total of about $1,000 in donations was collected for the Champions for Children Foundation of the Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa to help with providing school supplies for children in need.
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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