The following story is by our Co-op Editor Saleh Waziruddin, who lives in St.Catharines, Canada.
INGERSOLL, ON - “We will physically take the plant,” said Unifor Local 88 plant chair Mike Van Boekel after GM missed a deadline from the Canadian Government to present its plan to keep the factory open.
The GM CAMI plant had 1,200 workers before a shut down earlier in April, and production was supposed to resume last month. However, instead GM said they would be pulling production, laying off all of the workers.
GM says this is because of low demand, but Unifor says it’s also Trump’s tariffs.
"The reality is that CAMI was hit from both directions by Trump as he aggressively acted to undo EV support and hit Canadian auto assembly plants with a 25 per-cent tariff," said Unifor President Lana Payne.
"It's devastating," Ingersoll Mayor Brian Petrie told the CBC. "There's been a lot of hard times for the employees and GM on this project, and to hear that it's going to cease production ... it's the worst-case scenario.”
Canadian unions say that they are preparing for an all-out fight to resist the shutdowns as they fear more looms on the horizon.
"If we don't push back hard against him (Trump) and against these companies, we're going to lose it all," said Unifor President Lana Payne earlier this year.
An occupation of the Ingersoll plant could inspire actions elsewhere. Workers there say they are prepared to occupy the plant if need be to keep it open.
"We have made our position with the company crystal clear: nothing comes in and nothing goes out. If they try to remove even one single thing from the plant, we are ready to take over. We are not kidding," Unifor leader Mike Van Boeckel said in a statement. "We are fighting to ensure CAMI stays open…we will do whatever it takes to protect our jobs, our members, and the future of this plant".
The following story is by our Co-op Editor Saleh Waziruddin, who lives in St.Catharines, Canada.
Thousands of elementary and high school students across Alberta walked out yesterday to support teachers whose strike was just broken unconstitutionally by the United Conservative government. The contract that was imposed by the Alberta government was already rejected by teachers twice, by almost 90% in the last vote.
“I see it every day, every class. Forty people, at least, in every single class! It’s taking away from my learning, my classmates’ learning,” student protester Wyatt Gubersky told Global News.
Students in Alberta organized the walkout through social media and group chats. On Friday, thousands of students walked out of classrooms with catchy picket signs like “If kids were pipelines, would they get some funding?”
Alberta has one of the lowest per-student funding rates in Canada for public schools but one of the highest for private schools. Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) President Gil McGowan called this, “a MAGA-style agenda – an agenda that Albertans did not vote for.”
When over 50,000 teachers went on strike over class size and pay earlier this month, they enjoyed broad public support.
However, the United Conservative government broke the strike using a loophole in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the “notwithstanding clause,” that forced teachers to return to work.
AFL President McGowan denounced the government, “You’re the bully going after workers’ rights and democracy. We will stand up to the bully.”
Ontario used the same loophole against K-12 education workers in 2022 but backed off under threat of a general strike. Despite a contract being imposed on the teachers, the walkout by students allows the union to continue to place pressure on the Alberta government to meet their demands.
To continue to mobilize publicly, the Common Front, a coalition of unions including affiliates of the AFL, have launched a campaign called “Ready to Resist.” They are named after the Front Commun in Quebec, where hundreds of thousands of public sector workers struck for nine days in 2023.
For now, Alberta teachers said that they would return to the class, but won’t rule out taking more drastic action.
“We will begin the process of organizing towards a potential general strike,” AFL President McGowan said.
Students are continuing to build momentum as the Alberta Federation of Labour prepares to fight.
About 200 people gathered outside the St. Catharines, Ont., courthouse for a protest this month as the 25-year-old accused in the sexual assault of a young Welland girl was due for a court hearing. Community members and many politicians are calling for changes to the justice system. (Thomas Daigle/CBC)
WARNING: This story references child sexual assault.
The councils in the Niagara Region and City of St. Catharines have joined the growing call for changes to the justice system following the assault of a three-year-old girl in Welland, Ont., and arrest of a registered sex offender who was released early from prison.
St. Catharines councillors on Monday passed a motion urging the federal government to open the national and Ontario sex offender registries to the public, to better support victims of sexual and violent crime and to implement bail reform measures.
Coun. Kevin Townsend tabled the initial motion, highlighting "public concern" about "bail practices with repeat violent and sexual offenders being released back into communities under conditions that have proven inadequate to protect the public." It called for such offenders not to be released "unless it can be clearly demonstrated that they do not pose a risk to public safety."
Council's amendments to the motion include calls on Ottawa to provide more services and financial support for victims, and asked the federal government to address "significant gaps in practical implementation of support for victims, inconsistent provincial and territorial services, and the needs of marginalized groups within the justice system."
Also this week, at a Regional Municipality of Niagara meeting, Welland Coun. Pat Chiocchio tabled a motion calling on Queen's Park and Ottawa to have "more restrictive" bail, sentencing and release conditions for repeat violent and sexual offenders, and ensure they "are not prematurely released into communities where they pose an ongoing threat."
The motion asks the Ontario government to "establish stricter monitoring measures," which includes mandatory long-term supervision and GPS monitoring of sexual offenders.
Daniel Senecal, the accused in the Welland case, had previously been added to the National Sex Offender Registry for 20 years, stemming from the sexual assault of a 12-year-old boy.
Earlier this month, Senecal, 25, was charged with breach of probation to go with previous charges of aggravated sexual assault and sexual interference on a person under 16, break and enter, choking and assault. Senecal is accused of breaking into the family home of the three-year-old girl overnight on the Labour Day weekend and attacking her.
When arrested on Aug. 31, Senecal was serving a year of probation for the sexual assault of the 12-year-old in 2021 and sentenced to 18 months in jail, but was released six months early, in March, according to the boy's family.
Daniel Senecal was arrested on Aug. 31 and charged with sexual assault of a person under age 16. (Submitted by Koreen Perry)
A case that's caused public, political outcry
The case has stirred anger and debate, among community members as well as by politicians at the federal, provincial and local level.
Earlier this month, Welland Mayor Frank Campion wrote to Prime Minister Mark Carney, demanding sentencing and bail reform, the elimination of the possibility of parole for "heinous offences," and "more stringent use and enforcement of the National Sex Offender Registry."
Mayor Mat Siscoe of St. Catharines then wrote to Ontario Premier Doug Ford with similar demands.
Ontario and federal officials — including Niagara Centre NDP MPP Jeff Burch, Brantford-area Conservative MP Larry Brock, Premier Doug Ford and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre — also have spoken out and would like to see harsher penalties.
It's estimated 200 people were outside the St. Catharines courthouse for the demonstration. The accused is set for another court hearing in October. (CBC)
At the community level, there was a public demonstration outside the St. Catharines courthouse when Senecal was due for a bail hearing. Many of the about 200 protesters were carrying signs displaying messages opposing bail for the accused or demanding broader reforms to keep violent offenders in prison longer.
After the arrest of Senecal, the Niagara Regional Police Service warned against "vigilante actions" as the case proceeds.
The next court date is scheduled for Oct. 8.
Bail reform won't fix problem, says activist
Despite the outcry for tougher bail and other conditions, at least one activist urges caution.
"This isn't a catch-and-release problem," Saleh Waziruddin, executive member of the Niagara Region Anti-Racism Association, said at Monday's St. Catharines council meeting.
Waziruddin believes stricter bail rules would mean more people in detention before they've been convicted. That could also disproportionately affect racialized people who are overrepresented in the criminal justice system, he said.
For instance, in 2021, only five per cent of Ontario's general population were Black adults, yet they made up 14 per cent of those in custody, according to the federal government.
Waziruddin believes early detection and treatment is more effective than a focus on incarceration to prevent sexual offenders from reoffending. He also expressed concern for vigilante violence if the National Sex Offender Registry were to go public.
If you're in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911. For support in your area, you can look for crisis lines and local services via the Ending Sexual Violence Association of Canada database.
Diona Macalinga is a St. Catharines-based reporter covering communities in the Niagara region. Before that, she was a video journalist reporting on the Quebec legislature, culture and community news in Montreal. You can email story ideas and tips to her at diona.macalinga@cbc.ca.
With files from Samantha Beattie, Thomas Daigle and Marc Apollonio
The Niagara Region adding its muscle in wanting bail reform
Another victory lap for Niagara residents pushing for changes in the justice system and bail reform, after a 3-year old and 12-year old were assaulted.
Niagara Regional council will ask the federal and provincial governments to act, including making child sex offender registries public.
Last night Councillor Peter Secord applauded a number of people who got up to speak. "They're coming forward and telling their stories and getting involved instead of sitting, like most other Canadians, on their hands not doing anything. Don't make this about other things, there's a lot of other things that are wrong in this country with the laws, but this thing that happened here, in our region, is the worst of the worst of the worst, and it's gotta stop."
However, resident Saleh Waziruddin disagrees bail reform would have protected the 3-year old girl, and repeat offenders generally don't get bail.
Instead of jail, he stresses preventing crime in the first place. "Boston reduced murders by 60% with 10% fewer police. You're looking at capping budgets that are faced with increased police budgets because of more crime? Boston has less crime with smaller police force. Glasgow went from being the murder capital of Europe to 40% less violent crime in less than a decade. This wasn't with crackdowns and longer sentences."
The region joins a growing number of Niagara municipalities advocating for change.
An emotional night at Niagara Region Council Thursday as sexual assault victims pled with councillors to support a motion to strengthen laws and make the sex offender list public.
A number of delegates appearing before council, saying it’s time to get tough on crime, and the Niagara Region should advocate for it.
“When parole is violated without meaningful consequences it sends a dangerous message that safety of a community is negotiable.” Local resident
Meantime, Saleh Waziruddin, from the Niagara Anti-Racism Association, spoke against making the sex offender list public knowledge, saying it will only cause more crime and hate.
“It’s no accident some of the same people who push anti-trans messages of hate are behind this push for this crackdown. The Welland case was used to push more anti-trans hate, this is because they are pushing the same buttons, fear and anger to protect kids, but it’s based on misinformation we should reject.”
Council eventually voted to support the motion to call on the federal and provincial government to strengthen laws, sentencing and parole restrictions.
Councillors also unanimously voted in favour of asking the provincial government for more financial help for Niagara to address the homelessness and addiction crisis.
Meantime, Regional Chair Jim Bradley remains in hospital recovering from symptoms of a warning stroke.
Acting Chair for the month of September, Port Colborne Regional Councillor, Vance Badawey, thanked councillors for helping fill the gaps in Bradley’s absence.
The 80-year-old Chair has been hospitalized since the end of August.
We’re told to protect kids we need to cut bail, more jail time, and open offender registries. None of these things will protect kids but that doesn’t matter to some who are pushing this “tough on crime” agenda because it pushes your buttons of anger and fear.
The accused in Welland wasn’t out on bail, so bail changes would have made no difference in protecting the victim. But we were told on Monday at St. Catharines City Council the accused was offered bail. More misinformation. Everyone has the Charter right to try to get bail. But this Charter right is absolutely useless, it’s as useless as offering Trump a Tylenol. What good is a right if you can’t actually use it.
Last year in Ontario less than half got bail. Repeat offenders generally don’t get bail.
We don’t have a catch-and-release problem, we have the opposite: guilty until proven innocent. The government has a name for this, “reverse onus,” because it’s intentional and was part of bail changes made two years ago.
So that crackdown on bail you want to protect the kids? It was already done two years ago, didn’t protect the recent victims. Why are you asking for it again?
Last year almost 60% of people charged in Ontario were found not guilty or had charges withdrawn, stayed, etc. This means most people in jail will never get bail for crimes they will never be convicted of.
We know who this affects the most. Black people are three times more disproportionately in prison in Ontario and for Indigenous people in Canada it’s five times, most without bail. But it gets worse.
Human Rights Watch and the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls found Indigenous women don’t report abuse because they’ll be arrested as well in “dual arrests,” and then will be stuck in jail without get bail charged with violence when they are the victim. We’re on the eve of the Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
As others point out, the reason offender registries aren’t public is because of vigilante violence. We saw nooses brandished in our downtowns (you don’t need the CBC to know this), the meaning is pretty clear. The police have had to talk to people about violating publication bans, it’s clear they won’t stick within the law. But it’s not just registered offenders who’ll have that noose around their neck. A few days ago local papers published a desperate letter from someone with two of their three names the same as one of the accused, worried they or their family will be hurt. Who’s going to protect their kids?
The accused in Welland was released early by a few months. Would a few more months would have made the difference? A study by Dr. Irwin Waller of the University of Ottawa of over 400 men released from prison found that those who were held for their full sentence were 56% more likely to re-offend than those who were out early on parole where they were under conditions and given supports. IF offenders are going to get out of prison at some point, shouldn’t we have them re-offend less if it’s about protecting the kids?
The uncle of the previous victim of the accused in Welland told CBC he had wanted a longer sentence but for treatment, not punishment. But why not have the treatment before the first victim was even attacked? That’s how other cities have been reducing violent crime and protecting their kids for about 50 years.
The motion for getting “tough on crime” is going in the direction of locking offenders up forever, throw away the key. But for those years and decades you are counting on locking people up, you aren’t counting on how to prevent them from committing the crimes in the first place.
Boston reduced murders by 60% with 10% fewer police. You’re looking at capping budgets but are faced with increasing police budgets because of more crime. Boston got less crime with a smaller police force. Glasgow went from being the murder capital of Europe to 40% less violent crime in less than a decade. This wasn’t with crackdowns or longer sentences.
So how did they protect their kids? Health officials looked at injuries from violence as a health problem, and with any health problem you do early detection, education, and then get treatment early. The uncle of the previous victim of the accused in Welland wanted treatment in prison, but why not do treatment in the first place by catching early signs of violence? Wouldn’t that protect the kids more?
Regional Council recognized racism as a health issue earlier. So why aren’t you advocating for treating violence and crime as a health and social problem to protect the kids? “Tough on crime” sells better because it pushes the right buttons hard, but “smart on crime” actually protects the kids.
Just because everyone is jumping on this bandwagon doesn’t make it non-partisan. This is a partisan issue but I’m not the one saying this. The campaign manager of the federal Conservatives said her party was the one driving this agenda. You didn’t see Liberal, NDP, or Green ads about crime and crackdowns in the election. But after a few months everyone has jumped on board their agenda because of how it pushes our buttons about protecting kids.
It’s no accident that some of the same people who are pushing anti-trans misinformation and hate are behind the push for this crackdown. The Welland case was used to push more anti-trans hate. This is because they are pushing the same buttons: fear and anger to protect kids. But it’s based on misinformation we should reject. Some of those involved in pushing this agenda include one person identified by the CBC as participating in white supremacist groups and I know some of you on this Council are already victims of misinformation from this person, so you know already. This Council should advocate for treating crime and violence as social and health problems like it did with racism earlier, to protect kids. It works. Crackdowns and vigilante violence pushes buttons but doesn’t protect kids.
An emotional night at Niagara Region Council Thursday as sexual assault victims pled with councillors to support a motion to strengthen laws and make the sex offender list public.
A number of delegates appearing before council, saying it’s time to get tough on crime, and the Niagara Region should advocate for it.
“When parole is violated without meaningful consequences it sends a dangerous message that safety of a community is negotiable.” Local resident
Meantime, Saleh Waziruddin, from the Niagara Anti-Racism Association, spoke against making the sex offender list public knowledge, saying it will only cause more crime and hate.
“It’s no accident some of the same people who push anti-trans messages of hate are behind this push for this crackdown. The Welland case was used to push more anti-trans hate, this is because they are pushing the same buttons, fear and anger to protect kids, but it’s based on misinformation we should reject.”
Council eventually voted to support the motion to call on the federal and provincial government to strengthen laws, sentencing and parole restrictions.
Councillors also unanimously voted in favour of asking the provincial government for more financial help for Niagara to address the homelessness and addiction crisis.
Meantime, Regional Chair Jim Bradley remains in hospital recovering from symptoms of a warning stroke.
Acting Chair for the month of September, Port Colborne Regional Councillor, Vance Badawey, thanked councillors for helping fill the gaps in Bradley’s absence.
The 80-year-old Chair has been hospitalized since the end of August.
