Conservative Senator Shocks With Staunch Pro-Union Stance

December 12, 2013

Speaking in Toronto last week, conservative party senator Hugh Segal praised the role of unions in Canada saying, “Active unions and free collective bargaining are essential to building a prosperous Canada and a stable middle class.”
Earlier this year Sen. Segal led the Senate’s efforts to amend the anti-union Bill 337, which had been endorsed by Prime Minister Harper.  He told the crowd:
“It was bad law, it was unconstitutional,” Segal said, adding that he will continue to oppose the bill if the Harper government attempts to revive it.
“As I stand before you today, I will stand in the Senate and oppose it again.”
Stating that “my Canada is the place where collective bargaining makes Canada stronger and a better place,” the pro-worker conservative pointed out that Canada’s first Prime Minister, Sir John A. MacDonald, was also a conservative who believed that collective bargaining was essential to the middle class.