Mr. Speaker, the Winnipeg General Strike was the most significant turning point for working people in Canadian history. Before the strike was over, many were injured, some were killed and its leaders were thrown into jail on trumped up charges of sedition.
However, because of their courage and determination, Canadian workers won the right to organize, the right to free collective bargaining and the right to a living wage.
The lesson is that prison bars cannot contain ideas, just as revisionist Conservatives cannot sanitize history by eliminating the exhibit paying tribute to the strike at their museum of selective history.
The Conservative government never misses a chance to undermine the rights of workers and the Liberals inexplicably even find fault that the NDP's staff enjoy the protection of union representation. It is clear that the old line parties cannot be trusted to respect collective bargaining.
I assure everyone that after October 19, the newly elected NDP administration will set the history books straight and ensure the trade union movement gets the respect it deserves in the story of the social development of our country.