Recommended by the TYRLC Executive Board January 29, 2026 for Consideration by TYRLC Delegates February 5, 2026
1-Municipal Powers and Funding (142 words)
Submitted by: TYRLC, same as 2023
The CLC will convene a discussion among all interested Labour Councils about a new deal for cities, and what that might look like, including appropriate funding arrangements and powers.
Because municipal delivery of programs and services has become far more complex over time and the funding structures which support municipalities have not kept up or have been reduced.
Because workers live and work in these communities and want to continue to be able to afford to do both.
Because almost ¾ of Canadians live in large cities.
Because municipalities are considered creatures of the provinces and territories and therefore have no constitutional protections.
Because we should challenge those jurisdictions that have trampled on the democratic rights of municipalities and their residents and lessons should be shared across jurisdictions.
Because the federal government is an important partner in municipal program and service delivery.
2-Racism in Canada (127 words)
Submitted by: TYRLC, similar to 2023
The CLC will expand and deepen its human rights/anti-racism training within organized labour to strengthen community solidarity actions that fight back against and neutralize the far right’s efforts to bring white supremacy into the mainstream. By building a broad coalition, the CLC will create a vocal opposition to blatant public racism, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, anti-refugee rhetoric, and against far-right fringe leaders of groups such as Canada Proud, which are manipulating anxieties, concerns and hardships to create deeply troubling divisions in society.
Because hate groups are building on Trump’s behavior and on right-wing tactics within Canada of bullying and harassment of communities across the country, supported by white supremacists in positions of power, influence, and authority.
Because unions, councils, provincial federations and CLC speak out publicly against hateful tactics and stand with community allies.
3-Hot Cargo and Israel (134 words)
Submitted by: Kingsley Kwok. OPSEU, Labour for Palestine
Whereas the CLC has endorsed elements of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement’s calls to sanction Israel over the occupation of Palestine and Israel’s system of apartheid;
Whereas Israel has continued its genocidal bombing campaign, ground invasion, and siege and starvation of Gaza and annexation of the West Bank despite the October 2025 ceasefire;
Whereas the Israeli labour central the Histadrut has been a partner in the colonization of Palestine since the foundation of Israel, and maintains discriminatory practices against Palestinian workers;
Therefore it resolved that the Canadian Labour Congress declare trade, services and relationships with Israel to be “hot cargo” and to cut ties with the Histadrut.
Be it further resolved that the CLC endorse the Arms Embargo Now campaign and work with relevant unions to declare arms shipments to Israel to be “hot cargo,” not to be touched by workers of conscience.
Reference: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sTMdXq_TDBvp4hZMMxXlsR3SpkXqokzmQoGB6zokR68/
4-Heat Stress Campaign (111 words)
Submitted by: The Canadian Union of Postal Workers Toronto Local
WHEREAS extreme heat poses serious health risks to workers across various sectors, including education, postal, health care, municipal, construction, and migrant farm workers.
WHEREAS heat stress disproportionately affects Black, Racialized, and Indigenous workers, contributing to environmental racism.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the CLC will:
- Advocate at the federal level for legislation to protect workers from heat stress and including the adoption of a Humidex-Based Heat Stress Calculator in the Canada Labour Code.
- Lobby the federal government to issue stop-work orders in cases of heat-related hazards.
- Educate workers and employers about the impact of heat stress, with a focus on vulnerable communities.
- Collaborate with unions and community groups to ensure comprehensive protections against extreme heat at federal workplaces.
5-Demand Public Steel, Auto, & Energy Industries (132 words)
Submitted by: CLC Action Caucus
Because:
- Federal and Provincial governments have handed over billions in subsidies to the largest corporations such as General Motors, Stellantis, Volkswagen, Honda, and Ford, and Stelco, Defasco, and others
- The domestic steel industry and the electric vehicle transition has been subsidized with no guarantees; no ownership and no longer-term plan for workers and communities
- Multinational energy corporations are raking in billions while Canadians struggle to keep the heat on
The CLC will:
- Support the creation of a Canadian publicly owned car company, steel industry, and energy corporation under democratic control
- Work with others in the labour movement to study the viability of a nationalized steel, energy, and auto sectors which could be the central features of a green transition
- Develop educational resources for affiliates to educate their members on nationalization and help develop local campaigns
6-Campaign for a Worker’s Bill of Rights (128 words)
Submitted by: CLC Action Caucus
Because:
- Worker’s rights, including the right to strike, are under threat through increasing government interventions, including from Section 107;
- Immigrants and migrant workers are forced into a system of exploitation the U.N. has referred to as “modern slavery”
- Workers’ rights are the foundation upon which all other civil, democratic, and human rights are built;
The CLC Will:
- Develop and resource a campaign to enshrine a Worker’s Bill of Rights that will include:
- An unlimited, unqualified, and irrevocable right to strike for all workers
- A ban on the use of scabs during a strike
- A return to a model of “card-check” certification for all union organizing campaigns
- An extension of equal rights to all workers – regardless of status, citizenship, or classification
- Improvements to employment standards, health and safety, and workers compensation
7-Unite the House of Labour
Submitted by: CLC Action Caucus (140 words)
Because:
- The presence of unions outside the Canadian Labour Congress weakens the unity and collective power of the labour movement in Canada.
- A divided labour movement undermines our ability to confront growing attacks on workers’ rights, privatization, and anti-union legislation.
- Solidarity among all unions is critical to advancing bold working-class issues, including fair wages, workplace justice, and social equity.
- Different segments of government and political parties are attempting to drive a wedge in the labour movement
The CLC will:
- Expedite the affiliation and re-affiliation of unions, and find concrete ways to bring non-affiliated unions back into the House of Labour.
- Commit to working with affiliated and non-affiliated unions to build a stronger, more united labour movement capable of defending the rights of all workers in Canada.
- Report back regularly to all affiliates on efforts to unite the house of labour, as laid out above
8-Campaign Against Austerity and Military Spending (148 words)
Submitted by: CLC Action Caucus
Because:
- The Carney Government has announced 15% across the board cuts to programs at the federal level and cuts to transfer payments to provinces, leading to massive layoffs;
- These cuts are being used to fund a massive increase in the military budget, as requested by Trump, up to $150b per year;
- These funds could instead be used to create jobs, construct desperately needed housing, expand healthcare, fix our university funding, and kick-start a green transition;
The Congress will:
- Condemn the job-killing cuts and the $150b military budget they will fund;
- Resource a campaign against the cuts and the massive military budget;
- Strike local anti-austerity committees through Labour Council’s to lead local campaign work;
- Use tactics including mass demonstrations, door-to-door, and member-to-member organizations to build the campaign;
- Connect affiliates to resources to educate their members on the negative impacts of excessive military funding and the austerity it will cause, and alternatives for workers
9-Trade that Puts Workers First (124 words)
Submitted by: CLC Action Caucus
Because:
- Corporate trade deals like the USMCA, NAFTA and Canada-US FTA have been proven to increase private profits and corporate concentration at the expense of jobs, wages, labour rights, environmental security and sovereignty;
- The CLC recently called for “a workers-first trade policy that preserves and expands Canadian jobs, strengthens domestic industry, and regulatory space to invest in domestic manufacturing, supply-chain resilience and future industries;”
The Congress Will:
- Call for Canada to get out of corporate trade deals like the USMCA and to pursue mutually beneficial trade policies with the world, based on full employment, respect for Indigenous rights and environmental protection; and
- Engage affiliates, provincial federations and labour councils in a cross-country campaign to mobilize all workers in the struggle for trade policies that truly put workers first.
10-Solidarity with Sudan: End the Canadian connection to war crimes
Submitted by: CLC Action Caucus
Because:
- The war between Sudan’s military government and the RSF paramilitaries began in 2023, with both forces standing against the labour and democratic forces that led the 2018 revolution, effectively blocking the establishment of a civilian government
- It has caused genocide, with over 150,000 dead, 14 million displaced, and massacres in El Fasher
- Fueled by foreign powers like the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt seeking to control Sudan’s resources, the conflict sees Canadian weapons arming the RSF through the UAE and Canadian military technology flowing to the Sudanese military through Saudi Arabia and Egypt
The Congress will:
- Demand Canada halt arms exports to all countries arming all parties in Sudan, investigate arms brokers and Sudanese war criminals
- Mobilize Labour Councils to build solidarity and join peace rallies
- Commit to labour solidarity with Sudanese unions and support humanitarian aid
11-Respect Venezuelan Sovereignty
Submitted by: CLC Action Caucus
Because:
- The US has been carrying out decades-long hybrid war against Venezuela that negatively impacts working-class civilians
- The US escalated its aggression by launching illegal strikes on civilians in sovereign waters and on Venezuelan territory, and by kidnapping Venezuela’s President and First Lady
The Congress will:
- Lobby the Canadian government to
- unilaterally lift all economic sanctions against Venezuela;
- normalize relations with Venezuela;
- affirm its support for the 2014 declaration by the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) that proclaimed Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace
- Establish direct ties to Venezuelan labour organizations advocating for Venezuela’s sovereignty and its people’s right to self-determination
- Develop and carry out an educational campaign about US aggression against Venezuela, and about Canada’s complicity in the US’ actions
12-US Aggression, Workers Solidarity and Arms Divestment
Submitted by: Kingsley Kwok, OPSEU, Labour for Palestine
Whereas The United States is violating the sovereignty of Canada and other nations through political interference, illegal military action, and threats to annex Greenland and Canada; and
Whereas Trump’s coercive tariffs are destabilizing the global economy and harming workers in Canada and internationally;
Whereas investing in American weapons manufacturers supports the US government’s unchecked aggression, which represents a serious risk to the economy, workers’ pension plans and our futures;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the CLC pressure the Government of Canada
to i) speak out against US military and economic aggression and ii) demand its
compliance with international law, the UN Charter and the sovereignty of nations; and
Be it further resolved that the CLC will work with its affiliates to call on the CPP and
workplace/jointly-sponsored pension plans to disclose their investments in – and divest
from – America’s six largest weapons manufacturers* and its largest military
intelligence/surveillance contractor.**
* Lockheed Martin, RXT, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, General Dynamics and L3Harris
Technologies.
** Palantir Technologies.
