The Toronto and York Region Labour Council (TYRLC) is Canada’s largest labour council.  It combines the strength of 195,000 working men and women from hundreds of unions.  District 12 is an active member of the TYRLC.  Its mandate is to organise and advocate on issues that are of interest to progressive minded working people and to engage in local campaigns for the Canadian Labour Congress.  The TYRLC, with the support of District 12, is actively supporting the Fair Deal for Our City and the Mixed-Member Proportional (MMP) referendum campaigns. 

     Decisions made by local and provincial politicians influence the type of cities in which we live.  Currently, the TYRLC is working for strong cities.

     Each year billions in tax dollars leave Toronto for Queen’s Park and Ottawa.  Toronto only gets 6˘ of every tax dollar back to deliver all the services for which the city is responsible. 

     A coalition of community, labour and environmental groups have been formed to fight for a fair deal for Toronto.  The Fair Deal for Our City coalition is demanding that every candidate for provincial election commit to immediately resolving this unjust and unsustainable reality.  District 12 members may better educate themselves by visiting www.fairdealforourcity.ca and send an email to the candidate in their constituency.  This is easily done by going to www.fairdealforourcity.ca/sendmessage.php .

     The TYRLC is working toward electoral reform.   On October 10^th Ontarians will have an historic once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to revitalise our election system.  We will vote in a referendum on whether to adopt a new voting system – Mixed-Member Proportional (MMP) representation as proposed by the independent, randomly chosen Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform.  District 12 strongly supports this reform.

     MMP will give you more choice.  If the referendum is successful you will get one ballot but two votes.  One may vote for a candidate in one's riding and vote for a party at large.  MMP will mean an end to distorted, unfair results (no more parties winning 40% of the popular vote yet winning 60% of the seats) and MMP will provide for a good foundation, through the at-large seats, for the election of more women and minorities.  Educate yourself at www.VoteforMMP.ca .