On Canada Day We Take Pride in the Country We Build Together
Posted by Darryl Schmidt on June 30, 2026 at 4:31 pm
Canada Day is a time to pause, spend time with family and friends, and think about what it means to be part of this country.
Canada is where we work, raise our families, volunteer in our communities, and look out for one another. It is where generations of working people have built a life through skill, determination, and solidarity.
As members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, we know what it means to build. Our members help power homes, hospitals, schools, mines, mills, public services, and major projects across our jurisdiction. The work we do is not always seen, but it is always depended on.
Every switch that turns on, every jobsite that runs safely, every apprentice who learns the trade, and every family supported by a good union wage is part of a bigger story. It is the story of working people building strong communities and a stronger Canada.
Canada Day is also a good time to remember that the rights and opportunities we have today were not handed to us. They were fought for by workers who came before us. Fair wages, safe jobsites, apprenticeship training, weekends, benefits, pensions, and the right to stand together were won because working people refused to settle for less than dignity and respect.
Those values still matter.
A strong Canada is not built by cutting corners. It is built by investing in skilled trades, supporting apprentices, respecting workers, and making sure public and private projects create good local union jobs. It is built when workers can go home safely at the end of the day. It is built when young people can see a future in the trades. It is built when communities benefit from the work being done in their own backyard.
On Canada Day, we should take pride in what we have built, but we should also be honest about the work still ahead. There are still too many people struggling with the cost of living. Too many workers are being asked to do more with less. Too many communities are seeing important work done without enough local benefit. As a union, we will continue to stand up for fairness, safety, training, and good jobs that support families.
We can be proud of this country and still push to make it better. In fact, that is one of the most Canadian things we can do.
To every IBEW Local 993 member, thank you for the work you do. Thank you for representing our union with pride, professionalism, and skill. Whether you are on the tools, training the next generation, serving your community, or spending a well-earned day with family, your contribution matters.
On behalf of IBEW Local 993, I wish you and your loved ones a safe and happy Canada Day.
Let’s take pride in our country, take care of each other, and keep building a Canada that works for working people.