The Regional Representatives of the Canadian Labour Congress’ (CLC) Ontario Region, including Lisa Bastien, Gogi Bhandal, Mehdi Kouhestaninejad, Kim Kent, Josh Moraes and Heather Erlen, are the recipients of the 2019 inaugural OFL Labour Council Builder Award.
The award was established at the 2017 Convention was presented this week for the first time in honour of the late Jim Freeman, former President of the Durham Region Labour Council. It recognizes outstanding effort, and is bestowed upon an individual who, like Jim, embodies the spirit, ideals and goals of building strong Labour Councils in Ontario.
In accepting the award on behalf of all staff members, Lisa Bastien, Director of CLC Ontario Region, recalls Jim as a tremendous builder of worker and community engagement. He was pivotal in providing support and encouragement for many Labour Councils throughout Canada.
“Labour Councils are important to the labour movement and are critical to mobilizing and ensuring success on the ground,” said Bastien. We are honored to accept the inaugural Labour Council Builder Award.”
Jim was known as a constant ally and promoter of young workers and union renewal. He believed in fostering a strong future of labour activism and worked tirelessly on issues and campaigns of importance to Labour Councils, the Ontario Federation of Labour and the Canadian Labour Congress.
