The outpouring of support from Business Managers and Local Union leaders across this country has been incredibly heartwarming. As we draw nearer to the IBEW Convention, I am asking for your continued support to be re-elected as your International Vice President for District 1 – Canada. Your support matters because the next phase of Canada’s economy will depend on all electrical workers being organized, trained, and ready to lead.
My last communication spoke about our strong government relations work and the significant role the IBEW must play in shaping what comes next. Canada’s future is electrical, and every branch of the IBEW family stands to benefit — railroad, broadcasting, telecommunications, government professionals, manufacturing, utility, and construction members whose work keeps Canada connected, powered, safe, and moving forward.
By now, I hope you have had a chance to review the vision section of my website. If you have heard me speak at a previous Progress Meeting or Membership Development Conference, you will have heard me say ‘Plan your work and work your plan’. That principle has guided my approach as your International Vice President, and it remains essential as we prepare for the opportunities ahead.
At my first Progress Meeting in Regina as your newly elected International Vice President, I spoke about a National Strategic Organizing Plan and the need to grow our Union and our influence to prepare for the avalanche of work that is now at our doorstep. That plan included regular conversations with our non-union competitors – both workers and employers – as well as a renewed emphasis on internal organizing through new member orientations, education, and regular communications.
Over the past four years, that vision has put the IBEW in a much stronger position of influence with governments, employers, and industry partners. The next step is to turn that influence into worker power and lasting opportunities for our members and Local Unions. We have laid the groundwork to position the IBEW to build Canada’s future across every branch of our Brotherhood. The stage is set, but realizing our full potential means completing the next part of this strategic vision so that our current and future members don’t miss out on these historic nation-building investments.
That requires continued planning, political influence, organizing, training, and Local Unions that are ready to claim the work before others define it for us. Our competition also recognizes that Canada’s future is electrical, and they are working hard to position themselves to claim as much of that work as they can. Our collective mission as trade unionists must be to provide a better standard of living for every worker. To that end, the IBEW must be relentless in our pursuit of these new opportunities to ensure they result in good paying union jobs.
The opportunity before us is extraordinary. We will see unprecedented grid system modernization and expansion, significant investments in national defense and critical minerals, growth in our transport and export systems, new advanced manufacturing jobs, expanded generation capacity to strengthen our energy security, more robust communications networks, and new opportunities for public-sector workers to support a growing population. These initiatives will shape our economy and society for decades to come.
Across every branch of the IBEW, we must be ready to meet the moment. The future will be filled with IBEW work, and by standing together we can make sure it is performed under union standards by our highly trained and proud members. Canada’s future must be connected, powered, built, maintained, and protected by IBEW members.
As you consider your vote, I respectfully ask for your support in re-electing me as your International Vice President for First District Canada. Together, we can continue to follow a proven plan to build the IBEW into the most impactful and influential labour union in Canada while ensuring every branch of our Brotherhood has a seat at the table in Canada’s electrical future.
In solidarity,
Russ Shewchuk
International Vice President – First District Canada
Campaign number – (204) 481-7331
