PURPOSE

As I see it, the purpose of this conference is to both highlight the problem, which many workers in other sectors wouldn’t know about and to consider what are the most appropriate policies for a manufacturing jobs strategy.

A job strategy that makes sense,

A job strategy that can make a difference,

A job strategy that we can lobby and fight for.

We have thousands of members out of work and we need government to implement employment generating policies starting now.
ANOTHER AGENDA
While we are concerned with our own fate and that of our fellow workers, others have a different agenda.

On October 25 & 26, Premier Dalton McGuinty will convene the Ontario Economic Summit in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Invited guests are a “limited group of two-hundred senior leaders from business, labour,
academia and government” who “will unite in a groundbreaking initiative to jointly identify
new ideas, opportunities and actions to advance Ontario’s economic potential.”

For a registration fee of $3,900 each these 200 leaders are going to discuss:  Developing Human Capital, Fostering Research, Innovation and Commercialization and a Competitive Ontario in the Global Marketplace.

Premier McGuinty’s personal message to Ontario Economic Summit registrants asks them to identify barriers to Ontario’s prosperity and find innovative solutions to further strengthen the province’s economic advantage and ensure Ontario’s continued growth and success.

Speakers include David Dodge, Governor, Bank of Canada speaking on the Global Economic Landscape and the Implications for Ontario.

The Ontario Economic Summit Partners and Sponsors include Bell, GM Canada, Province of Ontario, Charter Accountants of Ontario, Sunoco, Dofasco, CAW-TCA Canada, Royal Bank, Merck Frosst, Leger Marketing, Siemens, HP – Hewlitt Packard.

The difference should be clear from this short outline.  It leads me to ask: Are we talking about the same Ontario?

I wish I could say that we live on different planets, but I can’t.  Believe it or not these types are the decision makers in Ontario.  They are on the inside, while we are the recipients of their decisions.

To date, their decisions have meant massive job losses in manufacturing, hence the importance of this conference and developing and fighting for alternatives that will help create jobs rather than destroy them.

CONCLUSION

Finally, I have talked to you about the purpose of this conference and the hard figures of thousands of jobs.

In the next session you will come face to face with the human tragedy behind the numbers.

Thank you.