By Canadian Press

Federal party leaders focus on wooing union heartland for Labour Day

Sep 2, 2019 | 8:31 AM

OTTAWA — Wooing workers in Canada’s union heartland is the focus for federal party leaders on this Labour Day.

Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh are all headed to Hamilton, Ont.

Both Trudeau and Singh are participating in Labour Day parades and picnics, while Scheer is expected to attend the Labour Day classic football game.

Hamilton has a long-standing connection to Canada’s union movement as the historic epicentre of the steel industry and related businesses.

It was there in the 1870s that workers first agitated for the government to legislate shorter work days, an effort that eventually led to the first national union.

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Hamilton is home to five federal ridings: the Liberals hold two, the NDP two and the Conservatives one, with the vote bouncing between all three parties in recent elections. 

The Canadian Press