The second episode of this season, features a recording of the keynote address delivered by past president of the Canadian Labour Congress, Senator Hassan Yussuff at George Brown College’s 31st annual Labour Fair.
Anchoring a week of labour focused discussions and speaking to George Brown College students and faculty, the Senator focuses on this year’s theme, ‘The other P3s: pandemic, privatization, precarity … and planet!!’
Speaking on the possibility for change, the Senator says:
“I learned a long time ago that without tension, there is no change.If you want the status quo to remain, do nothing. If you want it to change, you’ll create some tensions. And it’s necessary, by the way. That’s how we achieve change. And the systems that are wrong and are unfair to working people in this country can be changed.”
The video recording of the Senator’s address is also featured on rabbleTV.
About Senator Hassan Yussuff:
Hassan Yussuff was appointed to the Senate of Canada to represent Ontario in June 2021 and sits as a member of the Independent Senators Group.
Senator Yussuff is one of Canada’s most experienced labour leaders. An immigrant from Guyana, he has had a long and accomplished career as a union activist. Yussuff served two terms as the president of the Canadian Labour Congress from 2014-2021; the first person of colour to lead Canada’s labour movement. In addition to his work in Canada, Yussuff is a prominent international activist. In 2016, he was elected for his second term as president of the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas, an organization uniting 48 national organizations and representing more than 55 million workers in 21 countries.
Senator Yussuff is a member of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce, the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence, and the Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs.
Show credits:
Introduction to Senator by George Brown College president, Gervan Fearon.
Session Moderator, Susan Heximer.
Student Vote of Thanks: Danesh Hanbury.
Transcript of this episode can be accessed at georgebrown.ca/TommyDouglasInstitute or here.
Image: Senator Hassan Yussuff / Used with permission.
Music: Ang Kahora. Lynne, Bjorn. Rights Purchased.
Intro Voices: Ashley Booth (Podcast Announcer); Bob Luker (Tommy); Injila Rajab Khan and Danesh Hanbury (Street Voices)
Courage My Friends Podcast Organizing Committee: Chandra Budhu, Ashley Booth, Resh Budhu.
Produced by: Resh Budhu, Tommy Douglas Institute and Breanne Doyle, rabble.ca.
Host: Resh Budhu.
