Labour council releases candidate endorsements

The Sudbury and District Labour Council identified the slate of candidates they're backing in the Oct. 25 municipal election at a press conference at the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Council office Oct. 4.

The endorsements came as part of the labour council's launch of the Municipalities Matter Campaign, which emphasizes the importance of local government to labour causes.

Incumbent mayoral candidate John Rodriguez was on the list of those endorsed by the group.

“I am honoured and consider myself privileged to be endorsed by the union movement in the city of Greater Sudbury,” Rodriguez said. “I suppose they don't give these indictments lightly. They recognize my contribution to working men and women in this community over the last four years.”

He said one of his first acts as mayor was to close the stores on Boxing Day.

“That was to recognize that there is a quality to life attached to being a worker,” he said. “Our hours of shopping are appropriate.”

John Closs, Sudbury and District Labour Council president, said the endorsements are based on candidates' policies in five areas - public infrastructure, adequate municipal revenues and taxation, procurement or buying Canadian goods and services, a living wage and environmental sustainability.

“These priorities were developed in conversation with local unions and community groups and will go a long way to make the Sudbury community a better place for everyone,” Closs said.

“We want people to talk about these issues-fair wages, sustainability, important of protecting public jobs, importance of developing a good infrastructure in our community. When we endorse candidates we feel they will support the spirit of our campaign.”

He said he understood that when candidates take their place on city council “they can't necessarily run things through a screen that the Labour Council provides” but, “we know these candidates will deal effectively with the concerns of working people on city council.”

Closs said he appreciated Rodriguez's support of Steelworkers Local 6500 members during their prolonged labour dispute, as well as his positive relationship towards unionized city workers.

Derik McArthur, the union leader for 3,500 retail, wholesale and department store workers in the city, said his membership will be informed of the preferred candidates list.

Besides Rodriguez, councillor candidates Leo Bisson, Richard Paquette, Claude Berthiaume, along with Sudbury Catholic District School Board trustee Barry MacDonald, were present at the press conference.

Berthiaume, running for reelection in Ward 3, brought up the matter of Vale housing replacement workers at the smelter site a number of times during the strike, saying the city should prosecute the company for violating its city bylaws.

Bisson, a Ward 8 candidate, said although his background is in business, the cab company he owned in southern Ontario was unionized.

He said his dad worked for Inco for 42 years, and he is aware of union issues. He said he's upset the Vale strike went on for so long.

“It really had a terrible effect on families in my ward,” Bisson said.

Some of the candidates supported by the labour council have direct union ties.

Paquette, running against incumbent Evelyn Dutrisac, said he was a president of Laurentian University's mature and part time student association (LAMP) for five years.

“I have worked with organized labour to advance student priorities,” he said. “I believe in labour's plan for the city-infrastructure spending and new revenues.”

Closs said Paquette was interviewed by the unionists, and they felt he had the interest of working families at heart in his campaign.

MacDonald said he was president of the transportation workers union local in Capreol for 15 years.

“Funding is the big issue in this school board,” he said. Some of our buildings need fixing up. We also need more money for wireless and computer equipment.”

The list of candidates endorsed by the Sudbury and District Labour Council includes:

Mayor-John Rodriguez

Councillors-Claude Berthiaume (Ward 3), Richard Paquette (Ward 4) and Leo Bisson (Ward 8)

Rainbow District School Board
School trustees
Area 2 (Ward 3 and 4) Tyler Campbell
Area 3 (Ward 5 and 6) Robert Kirwan
Area 4 (Ward 7 and 8) Lee Ferguson
Area 5 (Ward 9 and 10) Judy Hunda

Sudbury Catholic District School Board

Zone 1 (Ward 1 and 2) Estelle Scappatura
Zone 2 (Ward 3 and 4) Felicia Fahey
Zone 4 (Ward 7 and 8) Barry MacDonald

Conseil scolaire de district du Grand Nord de l' Ontario
Area 11 (Ward 8 and 12) Raymond Labrecque

For more information, contact Shelley Condratto, Municipalities Matter Campaign co-ordinator at 705-674-1223.