Most often all eyes and ears turn to Labour day in September to acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of workers and their union representatives. Indeed, that is entirely appropriate, but like so many individuals looking back on the year gone by and the hopes for the year to come the delegates around the Labour Council table feel the same need to look back on the year that was and to drive forward to the next year with commitment and energy.
In 2025 the Grey Bruce Labour welcomed new affiliate union delegates to our table, continued to meet with active and engaged affiliate union delegates and with our various activist community partners such as the United Way, the Workers’ Health and Safety Centre, Grey Bruce Health Coalition and the Four County Labour Market Planning Board.
The Grey Bruce Labour Council remains strong and active as we approach our 70th
anniversary in 2026.
Tragedy strikes so many workplaces. Such tragedy takes the form of occupational illness and disease, injury and over one-thousand times a year, fatalities. Year over year Labour and the Grey Bruce Labour Council along with communities and partners in our region stop on or about April 28th to honour those suffering and dying as result of trying to make a living.
In 2025, along with long standing successful Day of Mourning commemoration events in Hanover and on the Bruce Power site, the ongoing efforts of Labour Council VP for Grey County, Chris Stephen, continues to see more and people, municipal leaders, and labour leaders attend the Chesley Day of Mourning event. The plan is to see this event become ever more inclusive and to expand in 2026 and beyond.
Early in the summer the Labour Council undertook to bring retired MP, Charlie Angus, to Port Elgin. Charlie’s Resistance tour has gone coast to coast across Canada and with significant help and involvement of the Grey Bruce Health Coalition and the Poverty Task Force of the Bruce Grey United Way, the tour came to Port Elgin on September 12th.
Charlie grabbed the attention of the more than 350 people in the Lakeshore Racquet Club as he described in detail the risk to Canada posed by what Charlie refers to as the gangster regime in the White House. Filling hearts and minds with motivation, Charlie encouraged people to stand firm and continue to boycott American goods and to not travel south of the border. Charlie left an energy that will not soon be forgotten by those who attended.
In October of 2025, the annual Labour Council Activist dinner at the Tara Legion was again a grand success. Well-deserved recognition was given to Labour Activist of the year Barb Dolan (Unifor), Health and Safety Activist of the Year Diane Speed (YMCA Owen Sound Grey Bruce), and Community Activist of the Year CUPW Local 582. This annual tradition of celebration and recognition has taken place for over 30 years and in that time we have witnessed amazing acts of activism that have made the lives of people in our region much better.
In the approach to 2026, Labour faces similar challenges to 2025 and, in some cases, similar challenges to when workers first took it upon themselves to come together for their collective good. In 2026, workers can expect that governments at all levels and employers will continue to a work to undermine legislative rights and collectively bargained provisions of workers. In addition to this, it is expected that the prevalence of right wing governments in Canada will see the continuance of the attack on public services and that workers will have to stand firm for the benefit of all people.
Despite the celebrations and the work yet to be done, the Grey Bruce Labour Council wishes all working people and their families a safe and happy new year and beyond.
In Solidarity
Kevin Smith,
President, Grey Bruce Labour Council
