Faced with inflation, Montreal groups call for higher wages
On this labour day, Montreal groups are asking for better wages, as inflation has people worried about paying their bills.
Demonstrators gathered at Parc Lafontaine in the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough Monday afternoon to demand wages keep up with rising costs.
Atefa Akbary is with the socialism advocacy group La Riposte Syndicale.
She said the current system -- capitalism -- benefits few and disadvantages many.
The protest comes at a time when many large corporations have reported record-high profits.
"As long as we live under a capitalist society, we will continue seeing this: a minority of people getting richer and richer while the majority of workers are being pushed into poverty," she said.
Akbary believes the money is there to fix the housing, health care and education crises in Quebec.
The solution, she says, is to nationalize funds, meaning taking private money and putting it under the control of the government.
"There is money to address all of those single issues but the problem is that the money is in the bank account of corporations," she said. "We need to go and get that money. That money exists."
As the province heads into another election, workers rallying at the park said they want to see the government raise the minimum wage.
"Raise it right now to $18 an hour," said Dominnique Daigneault, president of the CSN union's Montreal council. "It's the minimum to live decently."
Daigneault said she's witnessed how the rising cost of living has impacted workers.
"People are sick. Psychologically and physically."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation is the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.
Judge raises threat of jail in hush money trial as he holds Trump in contempt, fines him US$9,000
Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined US$9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. And if he does it again, the judge warned, he could be jailed.
Court upholds Milwaukee police officer's firing for posting racist memes after Sterling Brown arrest
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a former Milwaukee police officer was properly fired for posting racist memes related to the arrest of an NBA player that triggered a public outcry.
Video captures deadly wrong-way police chase on Highway 401 in Ontario
A new video has surfaced showing a vehicle being pursued by police in the wrong direction on Highway 401 moments prior to a fatal crash that killed four people, including an infant and their grandparents.
New cancer treatment approved, but not everyone thinks it's what's best for patients
A new cancer treatment recently approved in Canada promises to cut treatment time down to just minutes, but experts have differing opinions on whether it's what's best for patients.