B.C. forest union chief rejects NDP policies to run for federal Liberals Dirk Meissner, CP, VANCOUVER SUN
Dave Haggard, Industrial, Wood and Allied Workers of Canada president, said Wednesday he tried for years to engineer policy changes from within the NDP, but failed to convince party brass strong social policies require a solid economic base.
"I feel I've fought for many years to make changes from inside the NDP," he said in an interview from IWA-Canada headquarters in Vancouver.
"I always use the cliche that it's important to have a sound economic base to enable us to pay for the social changes that we want," said Haggard. "Instead of creating social policy, and trying to figure out how to pay for it later."
Haggard's confirmation that he intends to run in the suburban Vancouver riding of New Westminster-Coquitlam provoked a stern rebuke from the Communication, Energy and Paperworkers Union.
"I'm deeply disappointed," said CEP president David Coles. "I think it's a bit of a betrayal of where their union has stood for years.