Canada’s largest labour groups back NDP

CALGARY – Alberta labour leaders are urging union workers across Alberta to vote NDP on Monday.

They held a rally in Prince’s Island in Calgary Friday afternoon.

The country’s two largest labour groups, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the Canadian Labour Congress have both endorsed the New Democrats.

“I don’t know of any examples in the industrialized world where labour, if they are not attached to a political party, are successful,” says Paul Moist, CUPE National President.

“So we are very comfortable with our endorsement and I think we are on the brink of history on Monday.”

Some union members are also NDP candidates seeking to win in ridings around the country.

“We have 22 candidates, staff, active members running in six different provinces and we are getting the message out to our members to bring the vote home because we are on the brink of history,” says Moist.

Leader Jack Layton has battled with some big unions in the past but that may now all be forgotten.

“There’s nothing like power to bring people together. The scent of power, the possibility of power, as much as the unions fought with the NDP before, the prospect of the NDP in power makes for strange but important bedfellows,” says Dr. David Taras, political analyst.

National polls suggest the NDP may at least double its seat count, likely becoming the official opposition and perhaps even forming the next government.

Currently the NDP has only one MP in Alberta – Linda Duncan in the riding of Edmonton-Strathcona.