(OTTAWA) Today, the National Citizens Coalition is pressing the federal Liberals to immediately abandon their plans to repeal Bill C-377, the important legislation to compel union groups to disclose their financial activities.
"During the recent election campaign Prime Minister Trudeau pledged that he would make transparency a priority," says Peter Coleman, President and CEO of the National Citizens Coalition. "Instead, the federal Liberals are giving their union boss allies carte blanche to continue abusing members' dues while completely hiding the process from public scrutiny."
Bill C-377 is set to come into effect on Dec. 30, but its future is now in jeopardy. Earlier this week the federal Liberals announced that they will waive the reporting requirements for union bosses even while this legislation remains on the books.
"Exempting union bosses from the mandated reporting requirements is a shameful and underhanded move from this government. This is legislation that is supported by an overwhelming majority of Canadians including union members specifically," continues Coleman. "Why is Prime Minister Trudeau now trying to undo all of this hard work and keep union finances in the shadows?"
According to a recent NANOS poll, union transparency legislation is supported by more than 80% of Canadians, and nearly 90% of union members.
"Taxpayers want more transparency. Hard-working Canadians and their families want more transparency. The only people who do not want more transparency are union bosses, who are desperately afraid of revealing their outrageous political spending," adds Coleman. "Our government should never put the interests of union bosses ahead of the best interests of workers, but that is exactly what Justin Trudeau and the federal Liberals are doing."
