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It's been difficult to escape a batch of recent ads released by the Canadian Union of Public Employees.In the ads an interviewer talks to people who are made out to be random passers-by in public places. If not for the atrocious acting on the part of the interviewees, it might even be believable.The least believable of these ads is one in which a woman sings some undue praise for Canadian health care. This isn't to say that Canada's public health care system isn't due any praise, but rather that the ad in question intentionally skates over some serious deficiencies in Canada's public health care system.In the ad, the woman recounts a story in which her daughter breaks her ankle while skating at a local ice rink. In her story, the rink staff call 911, promptly receive ambulance service,...

Few Canadians watching any amount of TV right now can escape the Canadian Union of Public Employee's "Good Deal For Canadians" ads, in which an interviewer (read: actor) asks an assortment of people-on-the-street (read: worse actors) whether or not they think Canada's public services are a "good deal for Canadians".Unsurprisingly, all of the actors in the ad agree that Canada's public services are a good deal for Canadians.For the most part, they're right. But the CUPE ads themselves are selling Canadians a deal of goods. (This is a painfully mixed metaphor, but there's a point to be made.)Many of the services the ads allude to: water treatment, sanitation, libraries and health care, are indeed necessary and valuable services for Canadians.But not all of Canada's Public Employees provide...

It's kind of sad. The Mayor of Toronto seems to believe he is a member of cupe. He is unable to put the citizens of Toronto over his leftist ideology. At least some people are making money.The main problem is that the mayor considers himself a union man, and his heart just isn't into bashing the strikers, no matter how obdurate and irresponsible they act. Every time there's a contest of wills, he caves. Then he pleads for understanding, and doesn't get it. The union shares none of his utopian sentimentality: They're in it for themselves plain and simple and couldn't care less if the mayor feels betrayed. But Mr. Miller keeps holding out olive branches, only to be flayed by them in return.The result has led to one absurd scene after another:...

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Paul Moist and the national union want little to do with sid ryan's racism and now members of CUPE denounce him too. Resign sid ryan.An open letter to Sid Ryan and the CUPE Ontario leadership:We, the undersigned academic members of CUPE Ontario, wish to express our outrage at the recent actions taken by Sid Ryan and other CUPE Ontario officials. These actions, which approve a boycott of Israeli academic institutions, both violate the authority with which they have been entrusted and, worse, undermine academic freedoms.CUPE national, as well as the University of Toronto Education Workers, CUPE local 3902, have disapproved of this motion and decision, and for good reason. The most urgent matter of concern to the union is the ratification of reasonable contracts across Ontario. The primary...

CUPE national through its President Paul Moist rejects Sid Ryan's bigeted position on Israel. I congratulate Mtr Moist for denouncing the excesses of Sid Ryan. It is obvious he is embarrassed by ryan the racist. He didn't reply when I called ryan a racist earlier this month.Statement From Paul Moist, CUPE National Presidentupdated 11:27 a.m. ET, Tues., Feb. 24, 2009OTTAWA, ONTARIO - CUPE National would like to state that it does not support the resolution passed by the Ontario University Workers Coordinating Committee (OUWCC) of CUPE Ontario on February 22, 2009. The views expressed in the resolution are those of a small number of CUPE Ontario members. The resolution does not represent CUPE National policy....

Sid Ryan has apparently not being exposed as a bigot, yet his union still passed a watered down version of the Israeli academic boycott. When I spoke to Paul Moist, national president of cupe, about the bigot ryan, it was interesting he didn't defend ryan at all. ryan is an embarrassment to labour and Canada.Len Rudner, regional director, Canadian Jewish Congress Ontario Region, said: "While workers face an uncertain economic future and students at one of Canada's largest universities are scrambling to recover from a lengthy strike that has jeopardized the current academic year, it boggles the mind to consider that CUPE Ontario's leadership has no matter more pressing than promoting a resolution that is bigoted on its face and discriminatory in its intent. It is unfair, unbalanced and...

by Werner Patels Pity the students at Toronto's York University, and their parents. Teaching assistants and other contract teachers, represented by CUPE, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, have been on strike for eleven weeks. Highly generous offers by the university have been rejected by the union, because CUPE plans to drag this out as much as it can in the hope of establishing new collective bargaining to encompass all universities in Ontario – if successful, it would mark the end of quality universities in Ontario. As a result of the strike, and the union's outrageous and extortive demands, students,......

I guess even dalton understands the York strike must be ended. I'm glad he is calling back the legislature.McGuinty to introduce back-to-work legislation to end York strikeCanwest News ServicePublished: Saturday, January 24, 2009Premier Dalton McGuinty said Saturday he will recall the provincial legislature on Sunday at 1 p.m. to introduce back-to-work legislation that would end the labour dispute at Toronto's York University."I am asking MPPs from all parties to provide unanimous consent for immediate passage of the bill so that students can get back to school this week," McGuinty said in a statement....

cupe at York university is destroying the institution and the lives of its students. Solidarity forever?A self-destructing universityNational Post Published: Thursday, January 22, 2009The damage caused by striking staff at Toronto's York University goes well beyond the added difficulty its 50,000 undergraduates will face in completing the academic year.The strike, now in its third month, is hurting the image and reputation of the school, perhaps permanently. In a year when applications at Ontario universities are rising, almost 11% fewer students have sought a place at York....

I agree with Jonathan Kay and many others that Sid Ryan is an embarassment to his union and should resign.Sign the petition here. Wven the national union is distancing itself from this bigot.Ryan’s original plan — to demand that Israeli academics renounce their nation as part of some sort of creepy public shaming ritual — also bespeaks a fundamentally illiberal, McCarthyist attitude toward political dissent; not to mention, as Moist points out, fundamental ignorance of his own union’s constitution. Moreover, Ryan’s Jan. 13 attempt to airbrush himself out of the issue also bespeaks a failure of leadership — some might even use the word “cowardice.” The CUPE Ontario leader was quite proud to vilify Israel — until the blowback started. Then he flung responsibility for his...

The United Nations Human Rights Council is a disgrace and should be disbanded for allowing itself to be dominated and taken over by the worst human-rights violators in the world and a bunch of terrorism sympathizers. The Council adopted a declaration that condemns Israel's “grave violations” in the current Gaza conflict. Only Canada was brave enough to do the right thing and vote against this piece of garbage. Canada's leading national newspaper, the Globe and Mail, agrees: Monday's vote by the United Nations Human Rights Council is unworthy of its noble mandate to strengthen the promotion and protection of human......

Seems the national union doesn't support outright bigotry from sid ryan, just in being anti Israel.STATEMENT BY PAUL MOIST, CUPE NATIONAL PRESIDENT, ON CUPE ONTARIO RESOLUTION CUPE National would like to state its position on the January 2, 2009 media release by CUPE Ontario announcing a plan to introduce a resolution to ban Israeli academics from Ontario universities unless they condemn the “assault on Gaza.” As the national president of Canada’s largest union, with over 580,000 members, I can say that none of CUPE’s over 2,000 chartered bodies – including CUPE Ontario – have adopted such a resolution. I believe such a resolution is wrong and would violate the anti-discrimination standards set out in the CUPE Constitution. I will be using my influence in any debates on such...

This is completely unacceptable: Ontario's largest university workers union is proposing a ban on Israeli academics teaching in the province's universities, in a move that echoes previous attempts to boycott goods and services from the Jewish state.The resolution, proposed by CUPE's Ontario University Workers Coordinating Committee, is in protest of a Dec. 29 bombing that damaged the Islamic University in Gaza."In response to an appeal from the Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Professors and Employees, we are ready to say Israeli academics should not be on our campuses unless they explicitly condemn the university bombing and the assault on......

...Be a shame if something happened to itThe Canadian Union of Public Employees has a message for any Israeli academics who may want to teach or speak on unveristy campuses in Ontario:Condemn Israel's military actions in the Gaza Strip. Or else.CUPE drafted the proposal as a response to a December 29th attack on an Islamic University in Ghaza."Attacking an institution of learning is just beyond the pale," CUPE Ontario President Sid Ryan announced. "They deliberately targeted an institution of learning. That's what the Nazis did."Of course Ryan is overlooking the fact that Hamas is widely known to use schools and hospitals as hideouts for their fighters, normally using the occupants of those buildings as human shields or to provoke international outrage when those buildings are...

Now Sid Ryan and his lefty union wants academic contacts with israel cut off, unless people sign a pledge denouncing Israel. Now that's academic freedom. How will this tinpot dictator enforce his will? Will his members go on strike at Universities where the party line is not towed?? This is outrageous even for a lefty union. I didn't realize that Sid Ryan was the new head of all public universities in Ontario. What's next Sid? CUPE will strike unless all Jewish students renounce Judaism? Why do we have unions? Certainly not for this. I agree with Jonathan Kay, Sid Ryan and CUPE are bigots.Never mind that Israel’s campaign in Gaza has been humane by military standards — surgically killing hundreds of Hamas gunmen yet only a few dozen of their human shields. And never mind that the...

Surprise , surprise a lefty canadian union wants Hm Canadian government to condemn Israel's moves to defend itself. Fortunately HM Government is going to do no such thing.“Israel has a clear right to defend itself against the continued rocket attacks by Palestinian militant groups which have deliberately targeted civilians," Cannon said. "First and foremost, those rocket attacks must stop. At the same time, we urge both sides to use all efforts to avoid civilian casualties and to create the conditions to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access to those in need in Gaza." Harper's longstanding support for Israel was recognized on December 4 when the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations awarded Harper with its first International Leadership Award....

Some Toronto area locals of CUPE are planning an information picket in front of CUPE’s Scarborough office to show their anger with Sid Ryan and CUPE Ontario’s resolution passed recently calling for a boycott of Israel. Another member is launching a lawsuit against the union in the hopes of clarifying how much of the union dues [...]...