Tag: Federal
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E-Day: Let’s set a record
Dear friends: Well, this is it. Interest in the federal election is at a fever pitch across Canada. Last week, a whopping 3.6 million Canadians voted at advance polls. That’s a 71 per cent increase compared to the last election! I have to say I’m not surprised. Everywhere I go, I’m getting the same feeling:…
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OPSEU Voters’ Guide 2015
The following overview of the election platforms of the three parties that hold federal seats in Ontario is intended for OPSEU members who want more information before Election Day, October 19. Please be aware that the party platforms are much more detailed. To find out more, click on the links in each section or read…
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Provincial Young Workers Committee releases final #DontVote video
The Provincial Young Workers Committee has released the final video of its provocative campaign to encourage young people to vote in the federal election. The PYC, with the encouragement of OPSEU’s Executive Board and the Central Political Action Committee, decided that the best way to get the attention of youth was through something humourus and…
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Harper’s “TPP” leaves Canada out in the cold
Dear friends: Winter is coming. As Canadians, we all know what that means. We’ve built our northern country by knowing how to survive in a harsh, unforgiving climate. Staying alive means staying warm. It doesn’t mean saying inside, though. It means putting on your parka and going to work in the cold. At one time,…
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Message to progressive Canadians: the Liberals aren’t
Dear friends: I won’t be voting Liberal on October 19. With Election Day coming fast, the two-thirds of Canadians who don’t want Stephen Harper as Prime Minister are mulling their options. For many of these voters, the ballot-box question is this: Who is the “progressive” choice? Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, or Tom Mulcair’s New Democrats? Trudeau…
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Fresh music video plays to youth apathy
As part of its campaign to encourage young Canadians to vote in the upcoming federal election, OPSEU’s Provincial Young Workers Committee has released a provocative music video featuring its signature song, Don’t Vote. Performed by Ottawa-based band Arms of the Girl, the catchy, upbeat tune uses a strong dose of irony to hit home the…
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Register opposition to Hydro One sellout at the ballot box: OPSEU
TORONTO – Ontarians opposed to the privatization of Hydro One, the provincial electricity transmission company, can make their opposition felt by not voting Liberal in the October 19 federal election, the president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union says. “With the latest Environics poll showing that 83 per cent of Ontarians oppose what the…
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Let’s get our message out loud and clear: #DontVote!
So here’s what OPSEU is telling young people today: Don’t Vote. You may think a message of #DontVote makes no sense at election time, but there is method in our madness. Let me explain. In his August President’s Message, Smokey lamented that so many Canadians, and particularly young people, don’t bother to vote. I find…
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Indie band Arms of the Girl rocks Don’t Vote anthem
The Don't Vote campaign, led by OPSEU's Provincial Young Workers Committee, is rocking to the beat of a new anthem. Carolyn Côté, lead singer of Arms of the Girl, Professor at Algonquin College, and OPSEU Local 415 member, crafted the song's lyrics in the Don't Vote campaign's tongue-in-cheek tone. (Full lyrics below) The catchy tune…
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International Youth Day and Launch of “Don’t Vote” Campaign
The atmosphere was electric this morning as OPSEU’s Eighth International Youth Day got underway at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Toronto. Running until noon on Friday, the event has brought together 140 enthusiastic, energized and engaged young people from every corner of the province – more than double the number who attended last year.…
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Media Advisory: International Youth Day Conference and Launch of “Don’t Vote” Campaign
Warren (Smokey) Thomas, President of OPSEU, will help kick off the Eighth International Youth Day conference, Invest in YOUR Future. Hosted by OPSEU's Provincial Young Workers Committee, this two-and-a-half day event is designed to help motivate, educate and mobilize young workers. Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2015 Time: 9 a.m. Location: Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, Yonge/Carleton,…
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Get out and vote. It can be fun!
Many people enjoy a special memory of the first time they were legally entitled to vote as a young person. I know I do. It was the federal election of 1972. The riding was Kingston and the Islands. The three main party leaders were Pierre Trudeau for the Liberals, Robert Stanfield of the Progressive Conservatives…
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A Labour Day commitment to union and community
Fire up the barbeque, Labour Day has arrived. Celebrated across the country, the first Monday in September is often thought of as the last one before kids go back to school and the long, hot days of summer turn to autumn. Labour Day is more than just the unofficial end to summer. The holiday was…
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Even with a majority, we can force change
Ontario is moving on from the June 12th election. The people have spoken. Some MPPs are packing up while others are getting ready to head to Queen’s Park for the first time. Across Ontario, OPSEU members voted in support of public services. They voted against cuts and right-wing threats to take us back to the…