CEP Ontario Council - Tenth Annual Conference March 28, 29, and 30 2003 Brothers and Sisters, 75 delegates gathered in St. Catherines for the Annual CEP Ontario Council conference. President Rick Williams welcomed everyone to the conference and introduced the executive. Brother Bob Huget A.V.P. for Ontario, brought greetings from the Evans Ave. National office and from V.P. for Ontario Cec Makowski who could not attend due to other commitments. Brother Huget touched on the Medicare Campaign, which is progressing and the Tory election (alleged) budget infomercial presented at Magma Corp. He says the NDP are getting the best poll results that they have had since 1990. He urged CEP members to buy memberships in the New Democratic Party and to support local condidates. An NDP goverment would bring back anti scab laegislation and reinstate worker protections like real saftey inspectors who visit work places. The NDP would also protect public power and refinance public health and public education and protect other vital public services. Bob spoke on the roll back of the sale of Hydro One, which is great but warned that the Tory agenda is not over. The legislation to sell Hydro One is still on the books and could be used by the goverment to sell the utility if given a new mandate. On the Bell pay equity issue the corporation (Bell), launched and appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada of a decision by the Ontario Human Rights Commission on the basis that the Human Rights Commission was biased against Bell. Keith McMillan, formerly of Dow, has become a full time Health and Safety Rep with the National working out of the Evans Ave. office. Keith has helped to file over 200 claims with regard to asbestos and helped to change policy for the better at the WSIB. Organizing continues across Ontario. Strike votes are pending or already taken in the Natural Gas Indusrty, Black Diamond Cheese in Eastern Ontario, and Sifto Salt in Goderich. I have some more information to post on the web site for the Al McLeod Scholorship. Congratulations to Dan Rawlings who was awarded a scholorship. Dan applied through Local 848, and was one of 12 application and one of three scholorships awarded. Congratulations again Dan. Well Done. Brother Andre Faucault, CEP National Treasurer told us that the finances of the National are good at this time and reminded us that the CEP has the highest strike pay of any major Union in Canada. We remain a militant and progressive union. Steve Rumbold and I took training on Saturday on organizing and legislative changes. On Sunday we heard from Erna Post on the First Ontario Fund, a Labour Sponsored Fund that the CEP participates in. We also heard from Peter Kormos MPP for Welland and the NDP Labour Critic. As usual Peter was in fine form railing against the Tory/Liberal Conservative reactionary agenda. Thanks for sending me to this conference. Dan Hennaert |