Issue
Workers' Rights & Labour
Federal labour jurisdiction covers federally regulated industries (banks, telecoms, railways, airlines, federal public service, interprovincial trucking) under the Canada Labour Code; provincial labour codes govern most other workers. Major 2024 federal change: Bill C-58 of 44-1 (royal assent June 20, 2024, S.C. 2024, c. 17) bans replacement workers (scabs) in federally regulated strikes and lockouts effective June 20, 2025, a long-standing labour-movement demand and a key deliverable of the 2022-2024 NDP-Liberal supply-and-confidence agreement. Other active files: pay equity under the Pay Equity Act of 2018, the 10 days of paid sick leave for federally regulated workers (Bill C-3 of 44-1), the Sustainable Jobs Act (C-50 of 2024) for the just transition, the federal Pay Transparency Act framework, and Bill C-409 / C-415 on flight-attendant duty-hours and pay. Quebec (since 1977) and BC (since 1993) have had similar provincial anti-replacement-worker bans for decades.
Where parties stand
Compare side-by-side- Bloc QuébécoisBLOC
The Bloc Québécois supported the federal Anti-Scab Bill C-58 (S.C. 2024, c. 12, royal assent June 20, 2024) that brought federal labour law in line with Quebec's 1977 anti-scab law and BC's 1993 anti-scab law. Calls for expansion of the Employment Insurance sickness benefit beyond the 26-week maximum (Bill C-31 of 44-1, S.C. 2022, c. 17) to 50 weeks to match terminal-illness coverage, EI base eligibility lowered to 420 hours uniformly across all regions (currently varies from 420 to 700 hours by unemployment rate), and full Quebec administration of federally regulated workplaces in Quebec under expanded Bill 96 reach.
Source - Conservative Party of CanadaCONSERVATIVE
The federal Conservative Party under Pierre Poilievre opposed Bill C-58 (Anti-Scab Bill, S.C. 2024, c. 12, royal assent June 20, 2024) banning replacement workers in federally regulated industries (the bill passed 271 to 27, with the CPC the only major caucus opposed). Supports federal Right to Work legislation removing mandatory union dues collection (the Rand Formula codified in section 70 of the Canada Labour Code), reduced regulatory burden on small business under the One-for-One regulatory removal commitment, and provincial-jurisdiction primacy on labour standards. Federal-public-service-union opposition to Conservative platform commitments has been a recurring election issue.
Source The federal Green Party supports sectoral bargaining (collective agreements covering all workers in a sector, not just unionized employers), gig-worker protections classifying ride-share and food-delivery drivers as employees, extension of Employment Insurance sickness benefits beyond the current 26 weeks (Bill C-31 of 44-1), and consistent opposition to back-to-work legislation imposed on legally striking federally regulated workers.
Source- Liberal Party of CanadaLIBERAL
The federal Liberal Party under Mark Carney passed Bill C-58 (Anti-Scab Bill, S.C. 2024, c. 12, royal assent June 20, 2024) banning replacement workers in federally regulated industries (in force June 20, 2025), passed Bill C-50 (Sustainable Jobs Act, S.C. 2024, c. 19, royal assent June 20, 2024) creating the Sustainable Jobs Training Centre for fossil-fuel-sector transition, extended EI sickness benefits from 15 to 26 weeks (Bill C-31, S.C. 2022, c. 17, royal assent November 17, 2022, in force December 18, 2022), and adjusted the federal minimum wage to $17.30 per hour (April 1, 2024, with annual indexation to inflation under the Canada Labour Code).
Source The federal NDP under Jagmeet Singh secured Bill C-58 (Anti-Scab Bill, S.C. 2024, c. 12, royal assent June 20, 2024) banning replacement workers in federally regulated industries as a key deliverable of the Liberal-NDP Supply and Confidence Agreement, helped pass the Sustainable Jobs Act (Bill C-50, S.C. 2024, c. 19), supported the 26-week EI sickness extension (Bill C-31), calls for sectoral bargaining (collective agreements covering all workers in a sector), federal regulation classifying gig-economy workers (ride-share, food-delivery, package-courier) as employees rather than independent contractors, and full union-card-check certification framework restoration under the Canada Labour Code (R.S.C. 1985, c. L-2).
Source
Bills affecting this issue
- PL 51Provincial43rd Legislature of QuebecThird reading
An Act respecting workplace harassment and psychological safety
Tightens Quebec's rules on workplace harassment including psychological harassment.
- Bill 56Municipal44th Parliament of OntarioThird reading
Working for Workers Seven Act
Seventh annual Working for Workers Act. Each iteration adds incremental Employment Standards Act protections.
- Bill 320Provincial65th General Assembly of Nova ScotiaSecond reading
Public Service Modernization Act
Updates Nova Scotia's Public Service Act for the first time since 1989 (hiring, remote work, accommodation, pensions).
- Bill 60Provincial44th Parliament of OntarioThird reading
Working for Workers Six Act
Sixth Working for Workers Act focuses on gig-economy classifications and remote work norms.
- C-259Federal45-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (fair representation)
Canada Labour Code fair representation rules.
- C-249Federal45-1First reading
An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (combined weeks of benefits rule and certain benefits)
EI combined-weeks fix for workers with multiple part-time jobs.
- C-250Federal45-1First reading
An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (flight attendants)
Canada Labour Code for flight attendants.
- C-247Federal45-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code
Canada Labour Code amendments.
- S-232Federal45-1Second reading
An Act respecting non-disclosure agreements
Restricts the use of non-disclosure agreements in harassment cases.
- C-280Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (deemed trust – perishable fruits and vegetables)
Adds farmer-owed deposits for fruits and vegetables to the priority claims list in BIA / CCAA insolvency.
- C-415Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (flight attendants)
Pays flight attendants for all duty hours (boarding, deplaning, ground delays).
- C-378Federal44-1In committee
An Act amending the Canada Labour Code (complaints by former employees)
Lets former federal employees file harassment-and-violence complaints under the Canada Labour Code.
- S-244Federal44-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Department of Employment and Social Development Act and the Employment Insurance Act (Employment Insurance Council)
Strengthens the EI Commission's role and requires more labour and employer consultation on EI rule changes.
- C-58-44Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (replacement workers) (44-1)
Anti-replacement workers (44-1 alt).
- C-58Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code and the Canada Industrial Relations Board Regulations, 2012
Bans replacement workers (scabs) in federally regulated strikes and lockouts. A long-standing labour-movement ask.
- C-50-44Federal44-1Royal assent
Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act (44-1)
Sustainable Jobs Act (44-1 alt).
- C-50Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act respecting accountability, transparency and engagement to support the creation of sustainable jobs for workers and economic growth in a net-zero economy
Federal framework for the just transition: requires periodic action plans on jobs in a net-zero economy, especially in fossil-fuel-dependent regions.
- C-409Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (hours of work of flight attendants)
Counts flight attendants' duty hours from sign-on, not just doors-closed.
- C-395Federal44-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (public transit workers)
Adds Criminal Code aggravating factor for assaults on public-transit workers.
- C-357Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Government Employees Compensation Act
Government Employees Compensation Act amendments.
- S-261Federal44-1Second reading
An Act respecting non-disclosure agreements
Restricts the use of non-disclosure agreements in harassment, discrimination, and abuse cases.
- C-228-44Federal44-1Royal assent
Pension Protection Act (44-1)
Pension Protection Act (44-1 alt).
- C-228Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985
Pension Protection Act. Pension and benefit obligations now rank ahead of secured creditors in BIA / CCAA insolvency.
- C-330Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (successor rights and obligations — airports)
Protects seniority and collective-agreement rights for federally regulated airport ground-services workers in contract changes.
- C-302Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (replacement workers)
Earlier version of the federal anti-replacement-worker bill.
- C-285Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act, the Canada Labour Code and the Employment Insurance Act
CHRA + Canada Labour Code + EI Act bundle.
- S-236Federal44-1Report stage
An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Employment Insurance Regulations (Prince Edward Island)
EI Prince Edward Island region consolidation.
- C-276Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (replacement workers)
Earlier anti-replacement-workers bill.
- C-264Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (pension plans and group insurance plans)
Makes pension-plan unfunded liabilities a preferred claim in insolvency.
- C-225Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985 (pension plans and group insurance plans)
Bumps pension and benefit obligations to the front of the creditor line in CCAA/BIA insolvency.
- C-3Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code
Provides 10 days of paid sick leave for federally regulated workers under the Canada Labour Code.
- C-211Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (bereavement leave)
Canada Labour Code bereavement leave extension.