Labour Fair 2026 Keynote: New modes of organizing for a working peoples’ city
Release Date: 05/14/2026
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info_outlineToday’s episode of the Courage My Friends podcast series features the keynote discussion from the 34th annual Labour Fair at Toronto’s George Brown College. Founding representative of the Toronto Airport Workers’ Council Sean Smith and member of the Parkdale Housing Justice Network (PHJN) Matt Whitfield, discuss the crises of labour precarity and housing insecurity, how these are the outcomes of systems rigged against workers and communities and methods of effective grassroots and labour organizing toward the building of working peoples’ cities.
On the housing “crisis”, Whitfield says:
“ The system is rigged … After years of skyrocketing housing prices and rental costs, I think it's safe to conclude the housing system is not designed to provide people with affordable homes, no matter what politicians or developers or landlords might say. Instead, the housing system seems to be designed to extract as much wealth as possible from people who need a place to live."
Reflecting on lessons from labour history, Smith says:
“ It's funny, in Saskatchewan, people think co-op is like a big evil conglomerate like Walmart because they're everywhere. But it's the lifeblood of these small towns. And what it was is that the people had to find a system to unrig the system, and how they did that was by forming their own community and said, ‘You guys, your superstores, your Walmarts, you do your stuff. We'll take care of ourselves.’ And workers did the same … that was workers' ways of trying to collectively come together, form cooperatives. Collectivization, to work together to become a ‘we’ to take on the boss … A famous Irish trade unionist Jim Larkin said: ‘They're only great because we are on our knees. Let us rise.’”
About today’s speakers:
Sean Smith is a retired airport worker and founding representative of the Toronto Airport Workers’ Council; the collective voice for Toronto Pearson’s 50,000 workers and 6 largest airport unions.
Matt Whitfield got his start in activism as a resident at the Occupy Toronto encampment in 2011. A long-time Parkdale resident, Whitfield’s been connected to tenant organizing in his building and neighbourhood for several years. In 2020 and 2021, he participated in a decentralized Parkdale-wide "Keep Your Rent" campaign, withholding all rent payments for fifteen months. He is currently an active member of the Parkdale Housing Justice Network (PHJN), a grassroots neighbourhood organization focused on resisting gentrification, building tenant power, and supporting our unhoused neighbours through mutual aid and collaborative action. Whitfield is also a member of the steering committee for the upcoming second annual People's Assembly on Housing Justice, an event that brings together advocacy and activist groups from across Toronto.
Transcript of this episode can be accessed at georgebrown.ca/TommyDouglasInstitute.
Image: Sean Smith, Matt Whitfield / Used with permission
Student Thank You: Anusua Bose
Panel Recording: Prof. Ben McCarthy
Music: Ang Kahora. Lynne, Bjorn. Rights Purchased.
Intro Voices: Ashley Booth (Podcast Announcer); Bob Luker (Tommy)
Courage My Friends podcast organizing committee: Chandra Budhu, Ashley Booth, Resh Budhu.
Produced by: Resh Budhu, Tommy Douglas Institute and Breanne Doyle, rabble.ca.
Host: Resh Budhu.