Put unions and protesters to work

It’s time some folks just grew up.

I’m getting really impatient with these activists that hold a vacation of mayhem every time there is an international conclave.

Folks could stand to be more active on the farm, factory floor, forest, fisheries or pit face. That’s were true activism is – production, distribution, supporting those who do it and securing what you’ve made and moved.

The latest, the Security and Prosperity Partnership summit at Montebello, Quebec, last month; drew the usual high-priced and apparently pampered rent-a-crowd charging the world is going to Hell and George Bush and his cronies – including our very own Prime Minister Stephen Harper - have their collective foot on the accelerator.

The major issue of summit participants was balancing security and border accessibility. A closed border spells disaster for most Canadian economic sectors. Other stuff - import quality and so on - was also on the agenda.

The requisite protesters charged undue secrecy, the participants were up to no good, et cetera, et cetera. To top it off, three Surete du Quebec folks were apparently exposed in the crowd, setting off a hullabaloo over police agents provocateurs and the like.

Horse poop.

Police are - and always will be - there whenever there is a hostile crowd of folks intent on gathering attention – as well as enjoying themselves and avoiding work.

Part of crowd control is infiltration – gather information, snatch troublemakers, keep a lid on things, be on hand in case of emergencies. It is the responsibility of police to do these things. To fail to do so would be dereliction of duty.

What is perplexing about the Montebello case is it appears a union official outted the cops. This is well below organized labour.

Unions should be preparing to have a seat at the summit table with government and business, not out running the risk of Criminal Code charges of obstructing police. That’s a serious matter - and there is no excuse, particular when things could get volatile - not a silly game.

Our recent loss of a local poultry processor, a rail car manufacturer and chocolatier; and the current cuts to our national auto industry underline this in spades.

Instead of outing policemen, our unions have to ensure our workers get fair treatment in this free-trade era. The only free trade is fair trade. Fair means the playing field is level for – just for instance, railcar - workers. We have to make sure our workers aren’t undercut by illegal, immigrant, slave labour in the United States; or cheap wages in Mexico and China and wherever.

We’ll see how the balance of trade tips then.

Unions represent real people. They have to act that way - and be treated that way, as well. Partners in production and trade.

As for the others in the rent-a-crowd protests, we have to ask, who pays these folks? Where do they get their time?