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Tribute to Roger Stonebanks

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Roger Stonebanks, a long-standing Union activist with the Victoria- Vancouver Island Newspaper Guild, died on Thurs. Jan. 15, 2026.

Roger was the Joint Council of Newspaper Unions Co – Chairperson at the Times Colonist for many years and was deeply respected and trusted by the other Union’s leaders. In his role he led a cohesive group to achieve common language and monetary gains for all the members of the respective Unions at the Times Colonist

Roger retired in the fall of 2000 but remained engaged and followed the ongoing issues at the Times Colonist up until the summer of 2025.

Roger was instrumental in the Guild securing the sacred work jurisdiction/ contracting out language (Article 1, Section 4) in the Sept. 6, 2001 Nicholas Glass Arbitration award, when Roger gave undisputed evidence of the history of the language tracing back to the 6-month 1974 strike. Roger explained the intent of the language was both an internal protection that current and future Guild work was to be performed by Guild members only. Also, the language was created to protect current and future Guild work from leaving the building to be performed by other than Guild members.

This, along with the Company attempt to gut our jurisdictional language resulting in a 9-week strike (Sept. 3, 2002 – Nov. 5, 2002) by all the members of the Joint Council of Newspaper Unions, saw the language remain in the Victoria-Vancouver Island Newspaper Guild Collective agreement, thereby ensuring Guild members ongoing employment at the Times Colonist.

Guild members past and current owe Roger an incredible debt of gratitude for his unwavering dedication to Union activism.

Carmel Smyth wins race to lead CWA Canada

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23.06.23

Carmel Smyth has been declared winner of the national election to determine the next leader of CWA Canada.

She garnered 469 votes while 349 went to challenger Meredith Martin, in the contest to replace outgoing President Martin O’Hanlon.

Lois Kirkup, who was acclaimed, continues in the post of vice-president for another four-year term. She is a longtime member and president of the Ottawa Newspaper Guild.

Said a victorious Smyth: “As we know, the media industry faces many challenges, and we have to be vigilant about having our voices and lived experiences included in the conversation. I will work hard to deserve your support.”

Smyth and Kirkup will be sworn in at the CWA Convention July 10-12 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Matt Skube, Hayley Juhl and Nigel Sones form the National Elections Committee, which conducted the country-wide vote, with Locals choosing the method, either in-plant, electronic or mail-in ballot.

The committee reported that it received at least one vote from every Local across the country. Two Locals conducted their vote electronically, one did an on-site vote and the others used mail-in ballots, none of which was spoiled.

Smyth, a journalist with 25 years of experience in private and public broadcasting, was president of the Canadian Media Guild (Local 30213) for nine years.

Martin, a producer/journalist with 20 years of experience at Ontario’s public broadcaster, was recently elected president of the Canadian Media Guild’s TVO branch.

Kirkup and O’Hanlon were first elected to the two top positions in a national vote in 2011.

O’Hanlon has been in the leadership ranks since the union’s inception as TNG Canada/CWA in 1995.

Register today for Arnold Amber Memorial Lecture (virtual)

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March 18, 2021

Dear Local leaders,

Please join us for this year’s Arnold Amber Memorial Lecture (virtual) featuring author and union organizer Jane McAlevey. And please share this information with your members.

Register today: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/arnold-amber-memorial-lecture-featuring-jane-mcalevey-tickets-142171668287

In solidarity,
Martin

Martin O’Hanlon
President, CWA Canada
The Media Union

Ottawa extends financial lifeline to newspapers, journalism

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Many of the country’s newspapers were pulled back from the brink with today’s announcement that federal wage subsidies will be extended to all businesses regardless of size.

CWA Canada President Martin O’Hanlon had on Friday issued an urgent appeal to Ottawa to provide immediate financial aid to the news industry. He asked that publishers be eligible for the same measures offered to small- and medium-size businesses.

“This is a huge announcement which, combined with government ad buys, should ease the crisis for news companies and provide financial stability for workers,” O’Hanlon said today.

“We thank the government for listening and we urge all companies that have laid off workers or cut hours to restore full operations. At a time like this, it is vital that we have more news coverage, not less.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in his daily briefing this morning that any company, including non-profits, whose revenues were down by at least 30 per cent would qualify for the 75-per-cent wage subsidy. This would be paid on the first $58,700 of salary, up to $847 a week, and would be backdated to March 15. He urged companies to make up the other 25 per cent.

The measure is intended to prevent layoffs, which have already happened at newspaper companies in Quebec and Atlantic Canada, and to encourage the recall of those who have been laid off due to the COVID-19 crisis.

“We are stepping up to help all employers,” said Trudeau. But he cautioned that “every dollar should go to workers” and, for businesses that take advantage of the program, there would be “serious consequences. We trust you to do the right thing.”

In issuing the appeal for financial aid on Friday, O’Hanlon said it was “vital that this money begin to flow in a matter of days, not weeks or months. It is not hyperbole to state that the survival of some companies hangs in the balance. Ad revenue has plummeted more than two thirds and newspaper publishers in Quebec and Atlantic Canada have laid off hundreds of workers and cut wages and hours for others. More publishers across the country will undoubtedly follow suit very soon without help.”

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After years of effort, the movie Stand!, a musical that tells the story of the Winnipeg General Strike, opens in theatres on Nov. 29.

Please share the attached message with your members and do all you can to help promote the movie on social media.

I would also encourage Locals to buy tickets and provide them to members free of charge, either to your whole membership or hold a free lottery for a limited number of tickets. Once tickets go on sale, around Nov. 1, I will provide you with a link to the Cineplex site.

Solidarity!

Martin

Martin O’Hanlon

President, CWA Canada

The Media Union

 

Dear Sisters & Brothers:

It is with much gratitude to the labour movement that I announce the Stand! movie musical Canada-wide release at the Cineplex theatres listed below – on Friday, Nov. 29th.

The movie, already called the “next Norma Rae”, is the result of a partnership between the labour movement in Canada and the United States, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, and the movie’s producers.

Tickets go on sale around Nov. 1. In order to maximize the impact of the movie, attendance at the first three days of the release – Friday, Nov. 29 to Sunday, Dec. 1 – is critical to being held over in theatres for a second or third week.

In the meantime, please consider sharing the movie now. The website www.stand-movie.com has a link to the trailer. You may also download the trailer or embed it online with this link: https://vimeo.com/363210881

Thank you in advance for helping to advance labour’s cause through the movie. It is an honour to bring this story to the world.

Sincerely,

Danny Schur

Composer/Producer/Co-writer

 

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A list of theatres where Stand! will be playing (more being added daily):

Silvercity Victoria

Galaxy Nanaimo International Village

Vancouver Silvercity Riverport / Vancouver Silvercity Mission 

Scotiabank Theatre Edmonton

Scotiabank Theatre Chinook

Scotiabank Theatre Saskatoon 

Galaxy Regina 

Scotiabank Theatre Winnipeg / Cineplex McGillivray Winnipeg 

Scotiabank Theatre Ottawa

CPX Hamilton Westmount London

CPX Vaughan Silvercity Windsor

CPX Oshawa

Galaxy Barrie

Galaxy Guelph

Yonge & Dundas, Toronto 

Forum Montreal

CPX Laval

CPX St. Foy 

Scotiabank Theatre Halifax 

Mount Pearl – St. John’s NFLD