As strike looms, Canada Post communications VP blasts union over ‘rinse and repeat', while union president calls out ‘chaos'
55,000 postal workers could be on strike as of Friday, and both sides still seem far apart. The CBC's Terry Roberts reports.
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CTV News
42 minutes ago
- CTV News
Toronto hit with $50M class action lawsuit over decision to deny refugees shelter beds
A proposed class action has been launched against the City of Toronto on behalf of refugees, refugee claimants, and asylum seekers who were denied access to shelter beds between November 2022 and October 2023. The lawsuit was filed on May 30 by the Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC), Lewis Litigation PC and Stieber Berlach LLP, on behalf of 40-year-old Nigerian refugee claimant Wasiu Adekanmbi, who is a member of the Black and LGBTQ+ communities. Adekanmbi arrived in Toronto on Sept. 11, 2023 and knew no one and did not have a place to stay, the lawsuit's statement of claim said. He's since found work and is now living in Niagara Falls, Ont. It claims that, among other things, the city violated the plaintiff and the class members' right to life, liberty, and security of the person as well as the right not to be deprived of these as well as equality before and under the law and equal protection and benefit of the law without discrimination. The lawsuit also charges that the city failed to uphold their rights under the Ontario Human Rights Code and breached the Access to City Services for Undocumented Torontonians policy, known as Access T.O., as well as Toronto Shelter Standards. 'This action is for damages as a result of the systemic negligence, negligent misrepresentation, breaches of duty, breaches of the Human Rights Code, and violations of sections 7 and 15 of the Charter (of Rights and Freedoms),' the statement read, noting the lawsuit 'arises from the systemic and intentional exclusion of refugees, refugee claimants, and asylum seekers' by the defendant 'on improper and discriminatory grounds' in regards to the vast majority of available city shelter beds between the aforementioned time frame. crowded shelters Asylum seekers are seen camping out outside a shelter intake centre in downtown Toronto. (Joshua Freeman /CP24) It further noted that the city had both statutory and Charted-based obligations and duties during that period (Nov. 7, 2022 to Oct. 1, 2023) and that it ought to have known that 'restricting the availability of shelter beds for refugee claimants was discriminatory.' 'Despite this knowledge and the observable impacts once the policy was enacted, including the exposure of thousands of vulnerable members of our society to homelessness, insecurity, and other adverse effects, the Defendant failed to act promptly and reasonably to reverse its practices,' the statement of claim said, adding these actions were 'systemically racist' as the city knew that many of the countries where the refugee claimants were from has large Black populations. 'As a result of the Defendant's breaches the Class Members suffered significant harms including but not limited to harm to their dignity, physical and psychological harm, and financial loss,' it said. The lawsuit, which requires certification from a judge to move forward, also applies to those who received 'erroneous' referrals to Service Canada and Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada for housing help. Refugees outside 129 Peter Refugee claimants and asylum claimants gather outside Toronto's Central Intake centre at 129 Peter St. on Oct. 5. (Ken Enlow/CP24) It is seeking $50,000,000 plus special damages to be determined as the action progresses, Linette King, of Stieber Berlach LLP, told CP24. 'This amount is to be shared amongst the class members – we do not yet have a head count on class members, but we understand from the data that thousands of refugee claimants would have been turned away [between Nov. 7, 2022 to Oct. 1, 2023.]' The City of Toronto, meanwhile, would only say that it has received the statement of claim and will respond in due course. 'We have no further comment as the matter is before the courts,' spokesperson Elise von Scheel wrote in an email to CP24. Proposed lawsuit follows Ombudsman report on decision to turn away refugees from shelters This proposed class action comes about seven months after a scathing December 2024 report by Ombudsman Toronto that called out the city for its decision to turn away refugee claimants and asylum seekers from its emergency shelter system. That decision was reversed on July 19, 2023. The ombudsman said that choice lacked fairness and caused harm, adding that the city erred in its decision-making and implementation process when it began referring refugees arriving at Toronto's shelters to federal programs in June 2023. It would take two more two more months for the city to restore universal access to those in need of a shelter bed. At the time the 129-page report was released, City Manager Paul Johnson disagreed with its findings, saying that he was 'disheartened' by its 'accusatory' tone and adding that it demonstrates a 'lack of understanding of the context the city was in at the time' as well as the 'roles and responsibilities of other orders of government.' He later said that he would receive the report, however there would be no further action as its recommendations 'require effort by staff' that is 'beyond work the city already has underway.' 'I happen to disagree with some of the findings in this report and the need for us to action those recommendations,' he told reporters, adding that despite disagreeing with it, he respects the work of the ombudsman and its office. Johnson went on to say that he'd 'learn from [the report]' while continuing to 'build a better shelter system here in Toronto.' Toronto city council did not debate the Ombudsman report at its December 2024 meeting. With files from The Canadian Press
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Marc Garneau, Canadian astronaut and former Liberal cabinet minister, dead at 76
Liberal MP Marc Garneau speaks about the government's omnibus budget bill in the Foyer of the House of Commons in this May 2012 file photo. (Adrian Wyld/THE CANADIAN PRESS) Marc Garneau has died at the age of 76. He was the first Canadian to go into space and flew on three space shuttle missions. From 2001 to 2005, he was president of the Canadian Space Agency. Garneau then entered politics and was elected to the House of Commons in 2008. He served as the Liberal minister of foreign affairs and before that the minister of transport before retiring in 2023. His wife, Pam Garneau, has released a statement on Wednesday. It reads: 'It is with deep sadness that I share the news of my husband Marc Garneau's passing. Marc faced his final days with the same strength, clarity, and grace that defined his life. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by the love of his family.' The statement went on to say: 'We wish to express our heartfelt thanks for the outpouring of support, concern, and kind words received over the past few days. We are especially grateful to the medical team who provided such dedicated and compassionate care during his short illness. We kindly ask for privacy as we grieve this profound loss and take time to reflect and heal.' This is a breaking news story. More to come.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Latest tariff increases causing more concern locally
US President Donald Trump's move to double tariffs on steel and aluminum is expected to affect a variety of industries in Simcoe County. Local businesses that depend on steek and aluminum products say they are once again left in limbo for what it will mean to their bottom line and customers. 'I don't know if my can costs are doubling or tripling,' said Walter Vaz, owner of Heritage Estate in Barrie. 'We have no idea where it's going.' Heritage Estate is a small wine and cider producer near Highway 11. Even though most of their products are sold locally, they depend on cans from the United States. 'Honestly our can producers right now aren't even giving us pricing,' added Vaz. 'We have to wait literally until we place an order and then we will get current pricing at that time. It's at that time we will make a decision. Are we producing or not producing?' 'Our message currently is to stay calm, stay poised and use this opportunity to benefit local manufacturers,' said Kyle Peacock, a tariff consultant out of Orillia. Peacock works with companyies trying to navigate the ever-changing tariff world. 'Stay the course, don't upset your business and don't react,' added Peacock. 'Continue to survive, but at the same time, look at multi-sourcing into other markets that you can secure.' Trombly's Tackle Box in Orillia has been in business for almost 40 years. Logan Trombly, the owner, says the majority of their guns come from the US. 'We have made a decision recently on a lot of the American made brands,' said Trombly. 'At this point in time we're holding off on bringing them in, except for a couple of categories, because there is such a demand on some of those products.' Trombly says there no question the extra cost will have to be passed onto to consumers and that puts everyone in a difficult position. 'Some products that we sell use to retail it for $899 and our cost now is like three hundred dollars more than we use to sell it for' added Trombly. The owners say they hope the tariff situation will be addressed later this month at the G7 Summit in Alberta.
