December 24, 2015

ALPA Applauds Decision to Waive Canadian Labour Reporting Requirements (C-377)

This week, Canada’s Minister of National Revenue waived reporting requirements for labour organizations for fiscal periods from December 31, 2015, and through 2016. These requirements are part of Bill C-377—An Act to amend the Income Tax Act, which ALPA has long and vehemently opposed. The new Government of Canada has made repealing Bill C-377 a priority. ALPA applauds this swift action to move forward with the repeal process.

The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier in a press statement said: “Waiving Bill C-377 reporting requirements delivers on our government’s commitment to restore a fair and balanced approach to organized labour, freeing them from additional administrative tasks, and providing confidence in the future while the necessary steps are taken to repeal the Bill.”

Since Bill C-377 was first introduced in 2011, ALPA has worked vigorously to defeat it. Most recently, ALPA, in coordination with the Canadian Labour Congress, wrote to all senators urging them to oppose the bill.

Developed by the previous government, the onerous legislation, which received royal assent in June 2015 and was scheduled to come into force on December 30, 2015, proposed requirements that would have mandated labour organizations to file detailed annual financial reports regarding an association’s revenues, expenses, and salaries and a detailed breakdown of spending on labour relations, lobbying, organizing, and collective bargaining activities. However, Canada already has legislation in place to ensure that unions make financial information available. Section 110 of the Canada Labour Code requires unions to provide financial statements to their members free of charge upon request. Similar provisions exist in many provincial labour relations laws.

The Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, underscored the government’s commitment to repealing this legislation: “The Government of Canada believes that our labour laws should be fair and balanced, recognizing the important role that unions play in protecting the rights of workers and helping the middle class grow and prosper.”

Both Lebouthillier and Mihychuk were sworn in as part of the new Government of Canada on November 4, 2015. 

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents over 52,000 pilots at 30 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WeAreALPA.

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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org