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(September 2003) By Carlos Morgadinho- Adiaspora.com
It is a 125-year-old tradition that annually coincides with the opening of the Canadian National Exhibition. This monumental parade, in which workers celebrate the day dedicated to them by the Governments of Canada and the United States of America, is known to all as Labour Day. On this day, a public holiday in the two great countries that make up the North American continent, all industrial and mercantile activity ceases. Schools normally open on the following day, so pupils also celebrate the last day of holidays. Many, if not all, secondary school and university students work throughout the summer, using the earnings to help cover expenses such as fees and study costs, which have increased substantially in the last few years. On this day, workers - this year numbering in the thousands - get together in groups led by their Unions and nuclei. The parade made its way through University Avenue, Queen Street West and Dufferin Street, ending as usual, in the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition. With a big turnout, this year's parade took place with the utmost respect and civility, although many showed their discontentment with the policies enforced by the Conservative Government of Ontario, which, since taking power in the Province in 1995, has come to promulgate unpopular laws in the labour and union sectors.
We did note that there was an absence of the joy peculiar to the working masses during Labour Day Parades, the faces of many reflecting the concern deep within in their souls. So after a short break, we asked a group of Teachers Union members the reason behind the slogan "Put the students first', defeat the Tories", on their sweaters, upon which they replied that, with the coming to power of the Conservative Government eight years ago, the educational system has been degrading year after year due to the drastic budget cuts in the sector, culminating in the closing of schools, scarcity of didactic materials in the classroom, increase in the number of students per class and the beginnings of privatization. We were further told that privatization of the educational system would only bring advantages to students from affluent families in detriment to those of more modest means, thereby inhibiting to the latter access to higher studies. Hundreds of posters expressed the labour struggle we are experiencing in our society nowadays, posters such as: "Unions make employers accountable"; "Who can survive on $6.85?" (minimum wage in Ontario); "The struggle continua"; "Justice for injured workers"; "Keep our Hospital Public"; "Fighting for a better contract"; "Ontario ours to recover"; "Stop Privatization"; "PC Dirty Laundry Line"; and other similar ones alerting the public to the many problems that currently affect the socio-economic life of Ontario. There were posters with a caricature of Premier Ernie Eves and a stop sign displaying the slogan NOT THIS TIME ERNIE - an allusion to his rerunning for office in the elections of October 2, 2003.
Several Unions marched with hundreds of their members, the Elementary and Secondary Teachers Catholic and Public School Board Unions being among the most numerous, as well as those of the Car Industry and Municipal Workers. Many bands participated, some on foot, others in the back of trucks, and a lot of political propaganda was distributed.
The Nossa Senhora de Fátima Band of the Portuguese parish church of Saint Agnes also took part in the parade, its members donning Local 506 sweaters. Thousands of our community members are affiliated to this construction workers' union.
The parade, which lasted approximately two hours, ended in the grounds of the CNE, where there was an interesting air show with acrobatics performed by all sorts of Canadian and American aircraft, including some from the First and Second World Wars.
Translation of the original Portuguese text
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