Deficits are falling not so much because of growth in the economy – which has been extremely weak – as because of spending cuts and, to a much lesser extent, tax increases.

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Our power is based upon the collective strength of our unions, our ability to work in solidarity with other movements and the wider community, and our ability to elect and influence democratic governments prepared to intervene in the market.

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We have said that a regulated market can be a useful instrument for promoting a productive and efficient economy, but that the "free market" economy must be regulated and made accountable to democratic controls if it is to help us achieve our wider social goals.

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We have recognized and embraced the need to make economic development sustainable in terms of the carrying capacity of the natural environment.

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Determined to reach the 60 per cent of workers who remain unorganized, delegates to the provincial Federation of Labour endorsed plans to set up an organizing program that aims to increase unionization, to train new organizers, mobilize existing union members, reaching out to sectors of the community where rates of unionization are low.

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The speaker pointed out that government staff cuts and the disappearance of jobs in hospitals, schools, and other public services is hurting women disproportionately and ensuring that single parent families will be disadvantaged.

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These Bills involve a totally unjustified reduction to the income protection of unemployed workers; they move the program away from its fundamental purpose of stabilizing the incomes of workers by replacing earnings during periods of unemployment; and, they increase the authority of the federal government to make changes to the program on a day–to–day basis without reference to either Parliament or labour, one of the program's key stakeholders.

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