Fun fact: In 1976, the House of Commons came within a whisker of banning scabs from the Parliamentary Press Gallery after a motion from NDP MP @LorneNystrom was defeated by Liberal and Tory backbenchers.
The Canadian Press had brought in scab journalists during a labour dispute.
The Canadian Press had brought in scab journalists during a labour dispute.
A few days earlier, the Parliamentary Press Gallery itself actually voted to ban the Canadian Press altogether in response to its use of scabs.
(Hard to imagine the press gallery showing that kind of solidarity over a labour dispute today).
(Hard to imagine the press gallery showing that kind of solidarity over a labour dispute today).
To illustrate how different attitudes were back then, both Pierre Trudeau and Joe Clark straight up refused to answer questions from CP’s scab journalists because doing so would "sanction strike-breaking."
Joe Clark told a scab to go “wait outside until the conference was over.”
Joe Clark told a scab to go “wait outside until the conference was over.”
Hell, even *Diefenbaker* of all people publicly condemned the Canadian Press for using scabs. Yes, *Diefenbaker*.
Happy Labour Day!
Happy Labour Day!
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