UFCW Canada supports Indigenous community members

Toronto – June 22, 2020 – This time last year, UFCW Canada Indigenous members from across the country came together to participate in the National Indigenous Peoples Day Conference in Toronto.

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UFCW Canada activists lobby MPs ahead of National Indigenous Peoples Day

Toronto – June 9, 2020 – Ahead of this year’s National Indigenous Peoples Day, June 21, UFCW Canada’s Indigenous Sub-Committee held virtual meetings with federal elected officials to explore tangible ways in which the government can improve the working and living conditions of Indigenous union members and their communities.

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Racism must end once and for all

Toronto – June 4, 2020 – The death of George Floyd is the latest tragic reminder that racism continues to be an oppressive and terrible reality in the United States, and in our neighbourhoods too.

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Asian Heritage Month

May marks the celebration of Asian Heritage Month, a time to recognize the invaluable contributions of people of Asian descent to Canada’s social, political, economic, scientific, and cultural landscape.

Despite being officially declared by the Canadian government in 2002, Asian Heritage Month has been celebrated since the 1990s. Asian Canadians share a rich diversity in origin, language, and religion, among other facets of cultural identity.

Asian Canadians make up a significant portion of the national population. According to Statistics Canada, in 2016 a total of 6,095,235 people in Canada reported having Asian origins, representing 17.7 percent of the population. In 2016, South Asian and Chinese communities were the two largest visible minority groups in Canada. It is projected that by 2036, immigrants born in Asia could represent between 55.7 and 57.9 percent of all immigrants here. 

Despite the immeasurable contributions of Asian Canadians, the impact of structural inequalities continues to be at the root of anti-Asian hate. Historically, we remember the resistance of Asian Canadians who fought against the Chinese Exclusion Head Tax, the internment of Japanese peoples during World War II, and the resistance against Canada’s continuous journey regulation that restricted passengers of the Komagata Maru from entering the country.

Today, these struggles involve fighting to counter anti-Asian racism. Simply put, many workers do not feel safe in their communities. A 2021 Angus Reid poll found that 71 percent of Asians in Canada cited a worsening in racism and discrimination. A 2022 University of Victoria study also found that two-thirds of respondents who identified as first or second-generation Chinese Canadian had some experience of being treated disrespectfully.

Celebrating Asian Heritage Month means remaining steadfast in challenging racism and discrimination by supporting progressive calls to action that are community- and member-led, and by supporting workers through strong collective bargaining protections and opportunities to celebrate this date of observance across the country.

Honouring International Mother Earth Day – April 22

Calgary – April 21, 2020 – International Mother Earth Day, April 22, is an annual acknowledgement of our interconnectedness with the planet and the community we share with all living beings. Ron Klassen, Métis and Treaty One member and UFCW Local 401 member, knows all about the importance of taking care of each other as human beings and as union members. 

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Celebrating cultural identity on International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Toronto – March 19, 2020 – March 21 marks the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, a day to acknowledge the struggles faced by racialized and Indigenous communities around the world.

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