REMINDER/Media Advisory: Canada's largest union to elect new national president in Vancouver


VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Nov. 1, 2015) - Over 3,000 delegates, guests and staff will be in Vancouver next week for the Canadian Union of Public Employees biennial national convention. Convention delegates, representing over 634,000 CUPE members across the country, will be electing a new national president.

The new president, to be elected on November 4, 2015, will succeed Paul Moist, who has announced his retirement after leading Canada's largest union since 2003.

Convention delegates will also be debating and voting on issues and policies that will set the direction CUPE will take over the next two years.

Guest speakers will include; Justice Murray Sinclair, chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission; Hassan Yussuff, president of the Canadian Labour Congress; Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; Naomi Klein, journalist, author and social justice activist; Rosa Pavanelli, general-secretary of Public Service International; and Tom Mulcair, leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada.

CUPE's 27th National Convention will be held November 2-6, 2015 at the Vancouver Convention Centre, 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver, B.C. Speakers and events (all times approximate and subject to change. All times local, Pacific Standard Time):

Monday, Nov. 2
9:30 a.m. - Paul Moist, national president of CUPE
2:00 p.m. - Charles Fleury, national secretary-treasurer of CUPE
Tuesday, Nov. 3
9:00 a.m. - Rosa Pavanelli, general-secretary of PSI
2:00 p.m. - Lee Saunders, president of the AFSCME
Wednesday, Nov. 4
9:00 a.m. - Election of National President
2:00 p.m. - Hassan Yussuff, president of the Canadian Labour Congress
Thursday, Nov. 5
2:00 p.m. - Naomi Klein, journalist, author and social justice activist
Friday, Nov. 6
9:00 a.m. - Justice Murray Sinclair, chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
11:00 a.m. - Tom Mulcair, leader of the Federal NDP

All keynote speakers and convention proceedings will be webcast at cupe.ca. A complete program is available at cupe.ca.

Media are invited to attend, and asked to pre-register by email to hbelanger@cupe.ca.

Contact Information:

Greg Taylor
CUPE National Media Relations
613 818-0067
gtaylor@cupe.ca