With notes and photos from Lorraine Mar (YUSA), Chad Murphy (NSUPE) and the Broadbent Institute
Several officers and executive members of the Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU) participated in the 2025 Broadbent Institute Progress Summit “Daring to Take on Today’s Crisis.” CCU President Gregory Ball, Vice President Shawn Campbell, Treasurer Scarlett Farquhar, Secretary Dawn Burns, Central Officer Rob Dvorski, and executive members Lorraine Mar and Chad Murphy were on hand to proudly represent the CCU.
The summit focused on the challenges faced by working people and labour unions today, including the housing crisis, rising inequality and wage stagnation, climate change, cutbacks to social services like health care and education, and US President Trump’s tariffs and threats to Canadian independence.
Guest speakers included a wide array of activists, experts, elected officials and union leaders from Canada and throughout the world. Former NDP leader Jagmeet Singh spoke abot the threats to Canadian jobs, inflation on essential goods and the importance of closing tax loopholes for large corporations and the very rich.
Another keynote speaker was Stacy David Gates, President of the Chicago Teachers Unions, who spoke about systemic racism and inequality within the US education system, the closing of schools in segregated areas by the federal government, and the need for union organizing and political activism to fight back.
As the Broadbent Institute stated: “Thank you to our brothers and sisters of the CCU-CSC, we are both grateful for the opportunity to attend 2025 Progress Summit and to represent our national union. We hope that CCU-CSC continues to send delegates to attend this incredible experience annually. Now let’s go out there and continue this great work of intentional union organizing!”
