June 21, 2026

Today we mark National Indigenous Peoples Day. We honour First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. We recognize workers, land defenders, knowledge keepers, and community leaders.

We name the truth. Colonization displaced nations from their lands. Residential schools and state violence caused lasting harm. Governments continue to act without consent. Many communities still live without safe drinking water. This is not history. This is now.

Indigenous workers and their families face barriers across Ontario in health care, education, housing, employment, and the justice system. These barriers reflect systemic racism and ongoing colonial policies.

The labour movement joins Indigenous peoples in the fight for justice. We support Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination. We affirm the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and demand its full implementation into Ontario law. We join Indigenous land defenders. We support Indigenous activists who protect land, water, and future generations. We follow Indigenous leadership. We respect the right of Indigenous communities to make decisions about their lands and futures.

Ten years after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, most Calls to Action remain unfulfilled. The Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls remain unmet. Delay is a political choice. The impact is real.

The Ontario Federation of Labour demands:

• Full implementation of all 94 Calls to Action

• Full implementation of all 231 Calls for Justice

• UNDRIP enacted into provincial law

• Clean drinking water in every Indigenous community

• Free, prior, and informed consent on all land and resource decisions

• An end to laws and policies that override Indigenous rights

We oppose laws and policies that place corporate interests above Indigenous rights. We reject resource extraction projects without consent.

Indigenous, Black, and Racialized communities face the highest impacts. Grassy Narrows continues to face water contamination. Northern communities face wildfires and displacement.

Environmental racism is real. Workers must respond. Workers and unions have a role.

You can build power in your workplace and union. You can influence bargaining, policy, and public action.

Ask yourself:

• Who benefits when Indigenous rights are ignored?

• Who carries the harm?

• What role do you play in change?

Here is what action looks like:

• Show up in solidarity with Indigenous-led struggles

• Support Indigenous campaigns and community calls

• Push your union to adopt equity and anti-racism plans

• Demand employers respect Indigenous rights and sovereignty

• Build relationships with local Indigenous communities

Indigenous rights are worker rights. Climate justice is worker justice. Racial justice is worker justice. These struggles are interconnected. We must organize, mobilize and join collective action to win change.

On June 21, we must do more than mark the day. We must act, build power, and move forward together with Indigenous peoples across Ontario. Nothing about Indigenous Peopleswithout Indigenous Peoples.

PREAMBLE

Over the years, corporate and organizational involvement, through lobbying, sponsorship, participation, etc., in Pride has increased dramatically. We need to take stock of this reality to assess whether the involvement is benefiting 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, as workers, as individuals, and as citizens. We have developed this Code of Conduct as a starting point to measure corporate and organizational responsibility to 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. The Code of Conduct provides an outline of standards and expectations for corporate and organizational involvement in Pride events. It aims to promote inclusivity, respect, and meaningful support for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Companies and organizations that do not live up to this standard should not be included in our events, events we participate in, or events we support.

Principles

1. Respect and Inclusivity:

2. Transparency and Accountability:

3. Authentic Engagement:

4. Representation and Visibility:

5. Non-Commercialization of Pride:

Some questions to ask when considering companies/organizations, or events:

This is a living document that should be reviewed and updated periodically to reflect evolving best practices and community needs. The review of this document should include assessing organizational involvement in Pride events against the principles and guidelines outlined in this code of conduct. Additionally, feedback from 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and stakeholders should be sought during the review process to inform continuous improvement.

By adhering to these standards, organizations demonstrate their commitment to fostering inclusive workplaces and supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in Ontario and beyond.

The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) proudly unites with workers across this province in the fight for menstrual equity and we are proud to support MPP Alexa Gilmour’s legislative efforts to advance menstrual health in Ontario.

Menstrual equity is a matter of dignity, health, and workers’ rights. No one should be forced to navigate their workday without access to basic necessities, face stigma for a natural bodily process, or lose pay because their workplace refuses to recognize their health needs. Yet, that is the reality for far too many workers.

Across Ontario, workers are still paying out of pocket for essential menstrual products, improvising in unsafe or undignified ways, or missing work altogether. Too many workplaces ignore the realities of menstruation and menopause, pushing workers, especially women, trans, and non-binary people, into silence, discomfort, and economic insecurity. That is unacceptable.

The labour movement has always been at the forefront of winning dignity at work, on wages, safety, and equity. Menstrual equity is no different.  When governments and employers fail to act, workers and unions lead the way forward. That is why the OFL is calling on the Government of Ontario to:

We also strongly support MPP Alexa Gilmour’s initiatives being tabled on May 28:

When workers have what they need to be healthy and safe, everyone benefits. When workers are supported, workplaces are safer, more productive, and more inclusive.

The OFL calls on government and employers to do the right thing. End stigma, close equity gaps, and build workplaces that respect the full humanity of every worker. Equity at work must include menstrual equity. Period!

Call to Action

Join us in taking action for Menstrual Health Day (May 28):

Wear Red

Pledge Support

Take Workplace Action

Together, we can end stigma, fight inequity, and build workplaces that respect the dignity of all workers.

Cope343

TORONTO — The OFL Executive Board commissioned an independent workplace investigation in November of 2025 responding to the complaint received regarding OFL President Laura Walton has now concluded.

The investigator determined that none of the complaints were substantiated as breaches of the Collective Agreement, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, or the Ontario Human Rights Code.

The investigation was conducted by Marshall Workplace Law. The process was thorough, rigorous, and conducted in accordance with the OFL’s obligations under the Collective Agreement, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and the Ontario Human Rights Code.

The Board is satisfied that this matter has been fairly and thoroughly concluded. Out of respect for all parties and consistent with our legal obligations regarding confidentiality in workplace investigations, the OFL will not comment further on the specifics of the investigation, the process, or its findings. Media inquiries may be directed to the Office of the General Secretary.

May 5 is Red Dress Day, a National Day of Remembrance and action to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two‑Spirit People (MMIWG2S).

As of March 2026, MP Leah Gazan’s call for a Red Dress Alert has moved from an unanimously passed parliamentary motion into a regional pilot phase, with a full launch expected in Manitoba by June 2026. This Indigenous‑led pilot marks a critical step forward and Ontario must be next.

On Red Dress Day, the Ontario Federation of Labour calls on the Government of Ontario to:

The Red Dress Alert must be Indigenous‑led, community‑based, and paired with wraparound supports for families and survivors. This is a concrete, gender-based violence prevention tool with the potential to save lives. It can no longer be delayed.

We are also calling on affiliates and allies to take action through education, advocacy, and solidarity to raise awareness and honour those stolen through violence and systemic failure.

Here’s how you can take action on Red Dress Day:

Every red dress is a reminder. Every action builds pressure for change.

Join us in the call to stop violence against Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People.

The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) invites affiliates and labour councils to help us celebrate courage, leadership, and solidarity by submitting nominations for the 2026OFL Solidarity & Pride Champion Award.

This annual award honours an individual or group whose work has made a meaningful and lasting impact in advancing 2SLGBTQIA+ human rights, equity, and inclusion, in our workplaces, our communities, and beyond. 

We are seeking nominees who challenge injustice, build power, and help create safer, more inclusive spaces where 2SLGBTQIA+ people can live and work with dignity.

The OFL strongly encourages nominators to consider candidates through an intersectional lens. We especially welcome nominations of Pride activists who identify as Indigenous, Black, Racialized, and/or living with disabilities, and whose advocacy reflects the diverse lived experiences within our movement.

How to Nominate

To submit a nomination, please complete the Solidarity & Pride Champion Award Nomination Form and include a letter of support outlining how the nominee meets the award criteria. Be sure to provide all relevant contact information for the nominee.

View the Criteria Here

View the Nomination Form Here

Deadline: All nominations must be submitted in writing and received by the Ontario Federation of Labour no later than August 31, 2026.

Selection Process

Nominations will be reviewed by the OFL Solidarity and Pride Committee, which will make a recommendation to the OFL Officers and Executive Board.

For additional information about the Solidarity & Pride Champion Award, please contact Anne Marie Sutton at [email protected].

In Solidarity,

Laura Walton
President, Ontario Federation of Labour

Morgan Koch
Vice President, Solidarity and Pride, OFL