06) WHOPPER OF THE MONTH AWARD

People’s Voice Editorial

            As a working class publication, we were intrigued to receive an email with the subject line “Release from Working Canadians”, announcing the launch of radio ads highlighting Justin Trudeau’s “inability to relate to and stand up for ordinary working Canadians.” Suffice it to say that the “evidence” for this charge is that the Liberal leader fails to support Stephen Harper’s tax breaks designed mainly to benefit upper-income families where one parent (guess who?) stays at home.

            Justin Trudeau is indeed a third-generation multi-millionaire, and his party certainly won’t be endorsed here. But the real story behind “Working Canadians” should be known to every activist in the labour and democratic movements as we head towards the Oct. 19 federal election.

            Oddly enough, this new organization is fronted by a spokesperson named Catherine Swift, who can be interviewed by contacting Gisele Lumsden. According to the website, “Working Canadians” are “ volunteer individuals concerned that union leaders have too much influence over government... they drive up taxes, debt and deficits and make it harder for people and businesses to get ahead and create jobs.” Those who sort through hundreds of emails every day may recognize these names as current or former staffers for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, a prominent anti-union lobby group. To give just one example, the CFIB recently urged the federal government to slash wages and benefits for public sector employees by $20 billion per year, an average pay cut of $8,150. Enough said.

            A phone call to “Working Canadians” confirms that Lumsden is still on the CFIB payroll (part-time), while Swift has retired from the CFIB. But this new organization, they say, is run by volunteers. That may well be so at the moment. However, while they masquerade as “working folk,” this group actually speaks for a very different category of the population: right-wing business owners, not “ordinary working Canadians.” Don’t be fooled!

(The above article is from the June 1-15, 2015, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading socialist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)