Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Monday he doesn害羞草研究所檛 yet have a position on the Liberal government害羞草研究所檚 proposed legislation to ban the use of replacement workers during strikes and lockouts in most federally regulated workplaces.
The bill, known as Bill C-58 in the House of Commons, was introduced last week and will apply to most federally regulated industries such as banking, airports and telecommunications, and ports. It will not apply to the federal public service or workplaces that are regulated by a province or territory.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e going to study the legislation,害羞草研究所� Poilievre told reporters at a press conference in Vancouver. 害羞草研究所淚 never take a position before I have had a chance to actually look at what害羞草研究所檚 written down on paper.害羞草研究所�
His response comes as the Conservatives try to make inroads with the more of the country害羞草研究所檚 workers, placing a front-and-centre focus on cost of living issues and the anxieties it has brought to the country害羞草研究所檚 working class.
On Monday he said that while he hasn害羞草研究所檛 yet taken a position on the anti-replacement workers bill, he害羞草研究所檚 on the side of workers.
害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 blame the workers who are voting for strikes right now,害羞草研究所� Poilievre said.
害羞草研究所淐onservatives are 100 per cent on side with workers, union and non-union, who are fighting for pay hikes,害羞草研究所� he said.
He laid the blame for rising costs at the feet of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government spending.
Poilievre害羞草研究所檚 political pitch has him selling himself as the one with the 害羞草研究所渃ommon sense害羞草研究所� approach that helps the 害羞草研究所渃ommon people害羞草研究所� while Trudeau and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh as elite and out of touch. He害羞草研究所檚 targeting the message in particular at NDP and Liberal-held ridings in northern Ontario and parts of British Columbia where Conservatives think they could win in the next election.
At the party害羞草研究所檚 national policy convention in Quebec City this past September, Poilievre used his keynote speech to say that workers were being 害羞草研究所減unished害羞草研究所� through inflation and other taxes.
But some labour leaders are watching with skepticism, and are using the replacement workers legislation as a test for the Conservative leader who says he害羞草研究所檚 friendly to workers. Unifor called on all parties to back the legislation in full, president Lana Payne said Monday, in a statement.
害羞草研究所淚f Pierre Poilievre truly supports the rights of working people there is only one way to vote,害羞草研究所� she said.
But Payne also pointed to Poilievre害羞草研究所檚 record when it comes to workers, adding 害羞草研究所渨e are not holding our breath.害羞草研究所�
Poilievre has voted multiple times in favour of back-to-work legislation over his nearly 20 years as an MP, including when the former Conservative government was in office.
Marty Warren, president of the United Steelworkers said the bill isn害羞草研究所檛 perfect but supporting it should be a clear choice.
害羞草研究所淢r. Poilievre and his team have had plenty of time to review the bill,害羞草研究所� Warren said in a statement.
害羞草研究所淲e know it needs some work, but supporting it to committee is a no brainer for anyone who actually supports workers. Far from showing workers the support they need, again and again, Conservatives have recently refused to come clean with where they stand.害羞草研究所�
The Liberals promised in the 2021 election to ban the use of replacement workers in the event of a lockout, but Bill C-58 expands it to include strikes. That expansion is part of the confidence-and-supply deal the Liberals have with the NDP and is why Singh is celebrating the bill as a victory for his party.
The NDP has long advocated for the provision, along with union leaders. But business leaders aren害羞草研究所檛 in favour of the bill.
Both the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Federation of Business say the legislation could prolong labour disputes and removes an incentive for labour unions to remain at the negotiating table.
Robin Guy, a vice-president at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement Monday that when similar legislation has been presented in the House of Commons over the years both Liberal and Conservative MPs voted against it, 害羞草研究所渒nowing the damage it could inflict upon our economy.害羞草研究所�
Jasmin Gu茅nette, vice-president of national affairs for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, called on all MPs to reject the legislation.
害羞草研究所淲e hope that throughout the study of this bill and the different votes, that tough questions will be asked,害羞草研究所� Gu茅nette said.
One of those questions should be about the timing of the bill, which he said appeared to have been done by the Liberals to satisfy the New Democrats in their agreement.
Gu茅nette said the CFIB wants parties to consider declaring federally regulated workplaces, such as ports and railways, an essential service, which he says would benefit small businesses and the wider economy.
Goldy Hyder, president of the Business Council of Canada warned the Liberals in a recent letter that the legislation could increase the cost of collective bargaining units 害羞草研究所渞esulting in higher costs for consumers.害羞草研究所�
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