Laval, January 23th, 2009 – A review committee has been set up by the Canadian Labour Congress in order to follow up on the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, which was organized by the United Nations in Durban in 2001. The committee met in Ottawa this past December. Representatives from several large Canadian union organizations came together to discuss the situation and kick-start a plan aimed at fighting racism and xenophobia.

“It is morally unacceptable to perpetuate xenophobic and racist reactions in our modern and open Canadian society,” insists the President of Teamsters Canada, Robert Bouvier. “Our participation in this review committee represents the Teamsters Union’s stance in favour of ethnic diversity and the need for integrating people of all nationalities in this Canada that is so dear to us.”

Teamsters Canada is committed to promoting the rights of and respect for ethnic minorities in its members’ workplaces, to codifying such rights and respect in collective agreements, and to applying these within the context of its own activities.

“It is no longer enough to talk about these things—we must act now! And this is what we mean to do in concrete terms,” added Teamsters Canada’s President.

It seems that the government of Canada has decided not to send representatives to the next international conference against racism in April 2009. This conference will be important because it will evaluate progress made by governments toward fighting racism over the past years.

The Teamsters Union believes that Canada must be represented by its elected officials at this conference. The empty-chair policy favoured by the federal government is contrary to Canadians’ expectations.

However the Canadian Labour Congress will send a delegation to Geneva this coming April.


For information contact:

Stéphane Lacroix, Director of Communications, Teamsters Canada – 514-609-5101