LABOUR IN CANADA

Southland Times, Issue 21337, 7 March 1931, Page 9

LABOUR IN CANADA

THE ANNUAL MANIFESTO.

Vancouver, February 4

An incident of Canada’s political life, which has no counterpart elsewhere in the British Empire, is the annual Labour manifesto, and its formal presentation to the Prime Minister by a delegation of the Trades and Labour Congress. Preference to Canada and Canadians in commodities and work is a feature of the 1930 pronouncement. In regard to the former, Mr Bennett has, in his tariff policy and his pronouncements at the Imperial Conference, given a lead that has been cheerfully followed by all Parties — Liberal, Progressive, Farmer, and Labour. The exclusive use of Canadian or Empire materials in Government contracts is sought, together with preference for Canadian labour in tariff-protected industries and the observances of hours and rates of wages equal to those adopted by the Federal Government for its public works. This request concerning wages needs some explanation. There is a Federal law, known as the Fair Wage Act, which provides that, in contracts let by the Federal Government, the wage paid shall be not less than the rate prevailing in the district where the work is carried out. This is designed so that these workers shall have the benefit of local wage conditions, which vary in the provinces. In actual practice, it is generally found that the wage paid on Federal contracts is higher than on the average run of provincial works, with the exception of big power undertakings of private corporations, whose wage rate is above the normal, owing to the need for rapid completion of the work. An amendment of the Fair Wage Act is now being sought to make it applicable to all undertakings financed wholly or in part by the Dominion Government. This latter request applies to the recent subventions, totalling £14,000,000, inclusive of railway appropriations, to provide further employment to counteract the depression resulting from the fall in wheat prices. Preference to Canadians has now become an article of faith; the policy is found, widely advanced in the Labour manifesto. It is sought to extend it to coastwise trading legislation, to exclude from Canadian port-to-port trade other than ships built in Canada, owned by Canadians, manned and registered in Canada, and to permit ships of other countries to enter this trade. Labour also seeks to have all water-borne contracts for the Federal Government carried out in Canadian-registered ships, manned byCanadian personnel, and paying rates of wages recognized in Canada. Labour in Canada faces a year full of promise, especially for the partly skilled worker or the artisan. New avenues, creating work for thousands, are being opened up by the establishment of a large number of American branch factories, forced by the Bennet tariff to cross the border into Canada. The volume of American trade affected by it cannot easily be assessed. The most striking acknowledgement of its effect is seen in the announced intention of United States Steel Corporation to establish blast furnaces on the Canadian side of the border, near Windsor, Ontario, which will ultimately cost £12,000,000 and employ 10,000 men.