uncharted.ca

Conservative MP Dean Del Mastro accusing union leaders of “seeking to buy influence”

However, the Conservatives are aiming to portray Mr. Topp as a “union boss” who is not looking out for all Canadians.

If adopted, the bill will force unions “to apply financial disclosure rules” that are already in place for charities,

Ken Georgetti, CLC President, Sep 29, 2011
The Fraser Institute attacks trade unions for an alleged lack of transparency in how we disclose financial information.

How would they know? We will gladly compare our transparency with theirs any day of the week. Our (owners) members know how and where to get their union's financial information.

I have read the Fraser Institute's annual report for 2010. It does not provide a financial report, but rather selective "financial highlights." We know that they took in $10.8-million, but they don't tell us who gave them that money.

The Fraser Institute is registered as a charitable organization with many of its donors receiving tax receipts with their thank you letters, but the actual list of donors and financial statements are nowhere to be seen. The board of directors, however, is comprised mainly of big business bosses. Might they just have an agenda when it comes to trying to discredit unions? I challenge the Fraser Institute to come clean on who finances their anti-union agenda.

Niels Veldhuis replies:Ken Georgetti misses the point in his response to our commentary on union financial disclosure. We are not anti-union; we are pro worker choice. The evidence is clear that when workers are allowed to choose whether or not to join or financially support a union, they do so in much lower numbers.

Unfortunately, workers in Canada can be forced to join and financially support a union (through dues) as a condition of employment. What's more, union members have little to no information available to them about their union's finances and how their union executives spend these dues. There is ample evidence that union executives use union dues to support political causes and activist agendas that are not supported by the broadbased union membership. Additionally, union dues are fully deductible from income for tax purposes. There is a solid case for full and public financial disclosure for unions.

Finally, Georgetti's demand that the Fraser Institute provide the names of our donors is merely a smoke screen to divert attention from the labour movement's lack of transparency.

The Fraser Institute is funded by voluntary contributions; no one is forced to donate to the Institute, unlike unionized workers who are forced to pay union dues.

no one is forced to donate to the Institute, unlike unionized workers who are forced to pay union dues.

...this should be a lot of fun

The CBC is Canada's government news agency...and is sort of the opposite of FOX News.

1. The Income Tax Act is amended by adding the following after section 149: 149.01
(1) The following definitions apply in section 149 and in this section.
“labour organization” includes a labour society and any organization formed for purposes which include the regulation of relations between employers and employees, and includes a duly organized group or federation, congress, labour council, joint council, conference, general committee or joint board of such organizations.
“labour relations activities” means activities associated with the preparation for, and participation in, the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements and the administration and enforcement of collective agreements to which the labour organization is a signatory.
“labour trust” means a trust or fund in which a labour organization has a legal, beneficial or financial interest or that is established or maintained in whole or in part for the benefit of a labour organization, its members or the persons it represents.

(2) Every labour organization and every labour trust shall, within six months from the end of each fiscal period, file with the Minister a public information return for the year, in the prescribed form and containing the prescribed information.

(3) The public information return referred to in subsection (2) shall include:
(a) a set of financial statements for the fiscal period, in such form and containing such particulars and other information as may be prescribed relating to the financial position of the labour organization or labour trust, including
(i) a balance sheet showing the assets and liabilities of the labour organization or labour trust made up as of the last day of the fiscal period, and
(ii) a statement of income and expenditures of the labour organization or labour trust for the fiscal period;

(b) a set of statements for the fiscal period setting out the aggregate amount of all transactions and all disbursements — or book value in the case of investments and assets — over $5,000 shown as separate entries along with the name and address of the payer and payee, the purpose and description of the transaction and the specific amount that has been paid or received, or that is to be paid or received, including
(i) a statement of accounts receivable,
(ii) a statement of loans receivable, including all loans to officers, employees, members or businesses exceeding $250,
(iii) a statement showing the sale of investments and fixed assets including a description, cost, book value, and sale price,
(iv) a statement showing the purchase of investments and fixed assets including a description, cost, book value, and price paid,
(v) a statement of accounts payable,
(vi) a statement of loans payable,
(vii) a statement of disbursements to officers, directors and trustees including gross salary, stipends, periodic payments, benefits (including pension obligations), vehicles, bonuses, gifts, service credits, lump sum payments, other forms of remuneration and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any other consideration provided, and a record of the percentage of time dedicated to political activities and to lobbying activities,
(viii) a statement of disbursements to employees and contractors including gross salary, stipends, periodic payments, benefits (including pension obligations), vehicles, bonuses, gifts, service credits, lump sum payments, other forms of remuneration and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any other consideration provided, and a record of the percentage of time dedicated to political activities and to lobbying activities,
(ix) a statement of disbursements on labour relations activities,
(x) a statement of disbursements on political activities,
(xi) a statement of disbursements on lobbying activities,
(xii) a statement of contributions, gifts, and grants,
(xiii) a statement of disbursements on administration,
(xiv) a statement of disbursements on general overhead,
(xv) a statement of disbursements on organizing activities,
(xvi) a statement of disbursements on collective bargaining activities, (xvii) a statement of disbursements on conference and convention activities,
(xviii) a statement of disbursements on education and training activities,
(xix) a statement of disbursements on legal activities, and
(xx) any other prescribed statements; (c) a statement showing all labour relations expenditures, as set out in the statement referred to in subparagraph (b) (ix), and all non-labour relations expenditures, as set out in the statements referred to in subparagraphs (b)(x) to (xii), including the relative amounts of the salaries paid to officers and employees as disclosed by the statements referred to in subparagraphs (b)(vii) and (viii); and (d) in the case of a labour organization or labour trust having its headquarters situated outside Canada, a statement in the prescribed form and containing such particulars as may be prescribed showing (i) amounts paid or credited to the labour organization or labour trust in the fiscal period by, on behalf of or in respect of taxpayers resident in Canada, and (ii) expenditures made by the labour organization or labour trust in the fiscal period inside or outside Canada and recorded separately in the accounts of the labour organization or labour trust as being directly related to its operations in Canada.

(4) Despite section 241, the information contained in the public information return referred to in subsection 149.01(2) shall be made available to the public by the Minister, including publication on the departmental Internet site in a format that allows for word searches to be performed and for cross-referencing of data. Communication de renseignements 2. Section 239 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (2.3): (2.31) Every labour organization or labour trust that contravenes section 149.01 is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine of $1,000 for each day that it fails to comply with that section.

Monopolistic power hungry unions are the root of the problem for the smaller and smaller percentage of unionized private sector Canada, not corporate greed.

I mean, if you see that the allowance for automobiles for your executive is hundreds of thousands of dollars the membership would act.

I am one of the "conservatives" mentioned by Sharyn, but I have more of a jag on for the abuse workers in our country face and see no reason for not being able to do both

Bill C-469

Anyone know what percentage of ufcw's Canadian membership have authorized their dues for political spending?