May, 2007 
The Better Choice 2007 campaign promotes what matters for you. Have you noticed how political leaders of all stripes have recently become fond of using expressions like “working families” or “working people?” In Canada, where one out of every three workers is a union member, this is a victory for the labour movement, and the Canadian Labour Congress’ Better Choice 2007 campaign provides working families with the tools to make the next step. Canadian working families want politicians to listen to them and work for them, and that’s where the Better Choice 2007 campaign starts. It’s a campaign to promote the interests of Canadians who work for wages and who care about their families. Using the labour movement’s history of successful activism as a vehicle for delivery, the campaign is based on three simple ideas: • People who work for wages are the majority - the majority of citizens, of voters, of every politician’s constituents and, of course, of taxpayers. Politicians should be attuned to their interests. • Politicians need to know that people will vote for them or against them on the issues that matter most – the every day issues working families face when they have to pay their bills at the end of every month. These issues must be seen as “vote-determining” issues. • Unions have the skills and know-how that have made us successful at the bargaining table and with organizing campaigns. We must translate these skills into political activism to achieve similar lasting success. Everyone’s campaign The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and its member unions will run the Better Choice 2007 campaign until the next federal election is called. The campaign will focus on moving forward a series of issues that are important to working people, their families and their communities, with the view of putting these issues squarely on the next election’s agenda – of making these issues “vote-determining” issues. One of the main features of the campaign is that it encourages flexibility in the way unions talk with their members about these important political, vote-determining issues. The most fundamental element of this campaign is workers talking to workers about the political issues that affect them and their families. The Better Choice 2007 Campaign materials are designed to be used as talking points to start the political discussion. Every union can use these issues and the campaign material to speak with their members about political party platforms and to follow-up on political and legislative activism after the election. To achieve this, an attractive, easy-to-read, easy-to-use leaflet will be put in the hands of as many working women and men as possible, highlighting five issues, one question and one message. To support the information on the leaflet, a web site, www.betterchoice.ca, has been created to provide additional information, details and backgrounders on both the issues and the campaign. Based on research that confirms the issues identified by the Executive Council of the CLC as being the most important among workers and their families, the campaign focuses on five issues, asks one question and delivers a simple message. The issues are: • protect jobs and wages for working people; • create skills training opportunities for workers and our children; • make sure you get the pension you have earned; • make prescription drugs more affordable; • ensure quality child care and early learning opportunities for workers and their kids. The question and the message are: On any or all of these issues, Who’s On Your Side? You can make the Better Choice this federal election. Unions make a difference in people’s lives Better Choice 2007 is the labour movement's national campaign to mobilize its members on key federal election issues. It reflects the values and priorities of the 3.2 million members of the unions of the Canadian Labour Congress and their families. When the federal election is called, Canadian working people and their families will be equipped with the tools they need to ensure that this election is about making the Better Choice. | 
