As a result, initially, the advice for anyone affected by this ruling was to send a Notice of Appeal to Revenue Canada on the reassessment. However, due to a strong protest from a number of organizations, this appeal may not be necessary. This week we were informed that Canada Customs and Revenue Agency has issued a statement indicating their auditor has made an incorrect decision in declaring Living Out Allowances as a taxable benefit. Upon reviewing the TD forms filled out by employees and finding no errors, a letter will be sent to the employees informing them of the new position of the CCRA.

This change comes as a result of pressure applied from the following:

EPSCA, Hydro One, OPGI, Ontario Provincial Building Trades, Canadian Building Trades, E.S. Fox, CCO – EPCO, First District Office.

In a first in North America, about 170 workers at a Quebec Wal-Mart have joined United Food and Commercial Workers Canada. The Quebec Labour Relations Board certified the victory August 2^nd after a majority of workers signed cards expressing the desire to form a union. This is proof, that when the Labour Laws allow for automatic certification with the majority of employees signing cards, organizing is much easier.

Meanwhile, for the second time, employees at the Wal-Mart store in Thompson, Manitoba have voted against unionizing.

What’s New at the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum?

Log onto: www.caf-fca.org

• Order your free ‘Skilled Trades’ posters and brochures
• Download June 2004 conference presenta- tions and photos
• Share your thoughts about the Accessibility and Barriers report
• Use the new ‘Information Finder’ searchable apprenticeship database

The Promotion of Apprenticeship project - Skilled Trades: A Career You Can Build On campaign is gearing up for a September 8^th launch in Toronto at the Carpenters' Union Training Centre. After this date, the public will have the opportunity to view the campaign which demonstrates to youth the potential of a career in the skilled trades. Beginning in September television campaign ads will air on MuchMusic and MusiquePlus channels and in Famous Players movie theatres. Campaign print ads will also appear in key magazines such as MacLean's, L'Actualité, and other trade magazines. Lastly, campaign radio spots will run on youth-friendly radio stations.

In addition, the Promotion project web site also offers free campaign brochures and posters in limited quantity to those who request them. Log onto http://www.careersintrades.ca/materials/ and fill in the online order form. These materials can be displayed and distributed in schools, offices, work sites and at apprenticeship or skilled trades-related events. Later in the campaign, an Apprenticeship Tool Kit for employers will also be made available to encourage small to medium-sized business to take on more apprentices. Throughout the campaign, a team of Skilled Trades Champions, who are active or well-known supporters of the skilled trades, will continue to spread the message to their peers and to the public via presentations and public addresses.

For further information, contact Beverlie Cook at: (613) 235-4004 ext. 208 or e-mail: bev_cook@careersintrades.ca.

After three years of research, development and testing, the Inventory Information project has launched a new website. www.apprenticetrades.ca is designed to be a one-stop source of Canadian apprenticeship information. It currently contains over 6,000 web links to 300 different apprenticeship information web sites across Canada. Not only does the site provide basic information about apprenticeships, it also provides links to Provincial/Territorial government apprenticeship web sites and features such information as: The Cost of Apprenticeship, Tips for Employers, and the Interprovincial Standards (Red Seal) Program. Furthermore, an Information Finder searchable database allows the web visitor to access apprenticeship-related information by selecting certain criteria such as province, trade category, or by audience type (youth, parents, guidance counselors, employers, …etc.).