The Ontario Federation of Labour brought its The Ontario We Need tour to Sudbury, but it’s not just labour issues on the minds of those who gathered in Copper Cliff last week.
“This is a big road trip,” said Jessica Montgomery, president of the Sudbury and District Labour Council, referring to Laura Walton, president of the Ontario Federation of Labour, who attended the meeting. “The objective is to see and hear about the issues in our communities. Not just labour issues.
“Affordability, housing costs, opiates – including in the workplace – and families with autism on waitlists for services are just some of the challenges,” Montgomery said. “We have special needs in the north. Access to doctors and distance to treatment is another problem.
“When our local CT (computed tomography) scanner was down, people were being rerouted. We should not have to go to Toronto to access basic medical care.”
A series of posters at the event included one that stated “Health care should be where we need it.”
The OFL has launched The Ontario We Need tour as a cross-provincial circuit. Walton said the meeting at the CUPE Local 4705 town hall was a chance for OFL to listen and engage.
The town hall conversations started right after Labour Day and runs to early October. The visits included stops in Belleville, Thunder Bay, Oshawa, Kingston, Ottawa, Sault Ste. Marie, Windsor, Kitchener-Waterloo and Barrie, and end in Peel.
“It is good we are seeing the federation leadership here in Sudbury. The potential of a provincial election is on everyone’s mind,” said Max Lafontaine, vice president of CUPE Local 4705, which represents City of Greater Sudbury workers.
Officials said Sudbury is the biggest hub and concentration of unionized employees in Ontario. “Sudbury is a union town,” Montgomery said. So it was only natural this stop was on the agenda, she said.
Walton said Ontario is facing a host of challenges. “From the cost of living to the health care crisis to overcrowded classrooms, we know people in this province are struggling,” she said. “More importantly, we know the solutions can be found in our communities. That’s why we’re travelling across the province to hear from community members.
“I am up here a lot. Sudbury is a model for Ontario on fairness. But we see folks here fed up with what is happening. They are coming out and they want to make change … they are developing tangible actions. We find many of the challenges are common, but how they address them in each community is unique.”
Jackie Taylor also arrived from Toronto. “I am the executive vice president of the OFL. I come from the health-care industry and am a Steelworker. We need to be able to be here and engage. We want to know what matters to members here.”
NDP MPPs France Gelinas (Nickel Belt) and MPP Jamie West (Sudbury) were also present. West offered his observations. “These kinds of meetings are super important. It is an interesting format. It’s not just the problems, but we get to talk about what we can do about them.
“At first, people say, ‘there is nothing we can do,’ then together we see there are things we can do. Be involved, educate each other, and make change, he said
“Who would think workplace violence would be a common theme in a variety of sectors? We can learn from each other and know you are not the only one. The pinch of prices … even the year I was elected, I’ve been hearing about that more and more. Affordability is the number one item for everyone. We don’t want to feel gouged. The prices today don’t make sense to me.
“When we are talking about people not having doctors, out of the blue, the premier (Doug Ford) offers us beer at corner stores. That is not one of the top three issues.
“And at what did that cost? Now there is the proposal to build a tunnel underneath (Highway) 401 (to ease traffic congestion in Toronto). It is unbelievable. No details
“I am one of the many who don’t have a family doctor. I found out at the (Ontario Medical Association) meeting that my doctor retired. My kids don’t see themselves owning their own home. There is a crunch everywhere. That’s why it is important for Laura to be here – out of the 905 and 416 – and listening.”
