Conservatives need to care about enhancing the job market if they want to be successful, said Ontario Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development Minister Monte McNaughton at the first Canada Strong and Free Network (CSFN) Canadian Optimists discussion series. .“Conservatives are the parties of working class Canadians,” said McNaughton at the Friday event. .“I think our success demonstrated that in Ontario.” .McNaughton spoke about how his working for workers mission started in 2019 when he was brought into this cabinet portfolio. He met with 100 blue collar union leaders in his first 100 days, and he was the first labour minister to march in the Labour Day Parade in Toronto. .From that point on, he said the conversations led to him introducing the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act “to begin the process of ending the stigma around the skilled trades.” .These conversations helped him come up with policies to work for workers. He said conservatives are missing out by not speaking to blue collar union workers because “we share a lot of the same values.” .McNaughton introduced the Working for Workers Act I to allow people to have more time with their families by creating Canada’s first right to disconnect policy. Any employer in Ontario with 25 or more employees has to tell their workers when they are expected to respond to emails and phone calls. .He said conservatives should commit to speed up processes for international credentials, such as what Ontario did to reduce labour shortages. Ontario has eliminated Canadian work experience requirements and language tests. .McNaughton said the Working for Workers Act I assisted truck and delivery drivers by putting into law access to a washroom facility when they're giving products to businesses..He said one of his proudest moments as minister was speaking to a young single mom on social assistance named Natisha in Toronto, who was able to participate in a pre-apprenticehsip program he set up to attract underrepresented groups. For 16 weeks, Natisha was able to try different skilled trades and loved ironworking. .Natisha became a licensed ironworker one year ago. McNaughton called her to congratulate her, and she told him the best part of working in the skilled trades is her daughters looking up to her. .“The parties on the left have totally abandoned these workers,” he said. .“They’re more concerned about statues and street names than they are now about jobs with defined pensions and benefits.” .CSFN president Jamil Jivani praised McNaughton for his strong work ethic. .“I honestly couldn’t think of a better politician to kick this off,” said Jivani. .“Minister McNaughton I can say with great certainty is one of the brightest thinking politicians in the country.” .Eight trade unions endorsed the Ontario Progressive Conservatives for the Ontario election, a landmark in the province’s political history..READ MORE: Trade unions back Ford PCs.The Ontario Pipe Trades Council (OPTC) was among the first unions to endorse the PCs. .“Never in our history has the government provided so much support for the training and equipment needs of [our] workforce,” said OPTC business manager James Hogarth.
