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But if there isn’t leadership and coordination by government, a lot Matt Wayland:
of workers will be displaced while the market slowly transitions. Why do you think it’s important that the Building Trades, affiliated
Strategic investment to not only create work, but to provide training unions and most importantly our members, be involved in politics
and retraining to people in the workforce to be ready to do that work and come out to vote this fall?
as it comes online and their previous work dries up, is what
Daniel Blaikie:
government can provide. That means a coordinated transition that
The key to our success as tradespeople has been fair collective
is planned to cause the least amount of disruption in the lives of
bargaining, rules around projects that require meaningful benefits
working people.
to the communities that they’re in, and regulations that protect our
It was inspiring to see IBEW 213’s training centre and the way they safety and the integrity of our trades. None of that happens without
are investing in solar power, not just for their facility or for the governments setting the rules of the game.
training, but also to become an important partner in research and
When we don’t show up, our opponents do. They attack our ability
development of the technology. It’s a forward-looking approach that
to organize workplaces, gut the requirements that keep our work
people in government could learn a lot from.
safe, make it easier for people without the right training to do our
Matt Wayland: work, all so that the most unscrupulous company owners can make
What are you most proud of, in the time you’ve spent as a member a little more money.
of parliament?
That is why we have to show up, and keep showing up. To make
Daniel Blaikie: the case for the kind of economy we want and make sure we get
I was surprised at the extent to which MPs outside of the NDP really governments that understand that.
don’t understand or value collective bargaining.
Matt Wayland:
I fought alongside RCMP members when the Liberals were trying to What do you miss most about being on the tools?
pass legislation that would restrict their right to bargain collectively.
Daniel Blaikie:
The Liberals were happy to take direction from a clearly antagonistic
Finishing a job. It’s always really satisfying to finish a job, have it
management at the RCMP, instead of listening to the members
look good and work the way it should.
whose boots were on the ground. Being a voice for them, and for
fair collective bargaining generally, was something that made me You don’t get many days like that in politics. You have to keep
very proud. working at things and even when you make progress, there is
always the danger that it could slide backward.
I did that again when Canada Post workers were on a rotating strike.
The Liberals allowed Canada Post management to cut off benefits The labour movement has made progress over many decades, but
to workers on short-term disability insurance as a mean-spirited it is a political project and we have seen how quickly things can
strike tactic. Even though the strike was rotating, these vulnerable slide backwards when our opponents get into to government. That’s
workers couldn’t access their benefits for the entire period of the why we have to keep showing up and keep pushing.
strike. The strike ended quickly when the Liberals decided to
hammer through back-to-work legislation; something a labour-
friendly government should not be doing and I was proud to lead
the charge against that legislation.

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