At a campaign stop in Ottawa on September 6, federal Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole pledged to double the Canada Workers Benefit, a subsidy paid to low income Canadians earning less than $24,573 per year..O’Toole said that a government under his prime ministership would double the Canada Workers Benefit up to a maximum of $2,800 for individuals or $5,000 for families, and that it would be paid out in quarterly direct cash deposits rather than as a tax refund at the end of the year. .“Canadians are struggling, and for too long our most vulnerable workers have been left behind without the proper support to provide for themselves and their families,” said O’Toole. “Canada’s Conservatives believe that it’s time to make work pay and help those most in need.”.The Conservative leader said that doubling the Canada Workers Benefit would represent a $1/hour raise for someone earning between $12,000 and $28,000 per year..The move is a part of O’Toole’s push to make the Tories more appealing to unionized workers traditionally attracted to the NDP..Earlier in the campaign, O’Toole said that he would make it mandatory for the board of directors of businesses to have specific seats saved for workers, however he did not define if this would constitute seats reserved for unions, or for some other form of worker representation..“Too many decisions at major corporations are being made without the people who helped build the company – the workers – at the table,” said O’Toole at the time..“Canada’s Recovery Plan will give workers a real voice within these companies to support the long-term success of their employer, and ultimately, their ability to make a living.”.O’Toole said starting in 2022, he would mandate federally regulated employers with over 1,000 employees or $100 million in annual revenue to include worker representation on their boards of directors. .Those sectors include more than 100 companies in the aerospace, trucking, marine shipping, rail, oil and gas, mining, telecommunications and banking industries..In Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Ireland businesses are required one-third of board members to be employees.
