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On Monday, August 12, delegates to the 3rd SMART General Convention voted to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president in the 2024 election, following President Joe Biden’s July 21 announcement that he would end his reelection campaign. Convention delegates are the elected representatives of SMART’s 230,000 members.

Vice President Harris with Local 19 member Will Griffin and his family.

SMART released the following response thanking President Biden and committing to electing Vice President Harris and her running mate, Minn. Governor Tim Walz:

“Four years ago, SMART members across our nation mobilized — in the midst of a rampaging global pandemic — to send Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House. Coming off four years of anti-worker policy from the Trump administration, we marched to the polls and elected President Biden and Vice President Harris based on their track record of fighting for union workers and their promise to prioritize infrastructure funding, union jobs, two-person railroad crews and more.

“In an age of political cynicism and broken promises, the Biden-Harris administration bucked the trend and kept their word to SMART members.

“There hasn’t been a more pro-union president in recent memory – maybe ever. Right off the bat, the Biden-Harris White House fired the anti-labor general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, delivering pro-union appointees who have helped facilitate a surge in worker organizing across the U.S.

“Under President Biden, Congress passed the most transformative pro-worker laws our nation has seen since the 1960s. The American Rescue Plan saved more than one million union pension funds, including those of 1,600 sheet metal workers in Ohio. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invested in public transit and high-speed rail lines, creating jobs for SMART sheet metal and Transportation Division members — simultaneously sending money flowing into manufacturing plants where our production members make their living. The CHIPS and Science Act has sparked a megaproject surge that has put thousands of SMART members on the job. The Inflation Reduction Act ensures that our nation’s transition to a green economy is built and transported by union workers.

“And this spring, four years after he directly promised to do so in a video message to our members, President Biden’s Federal Railroad Administration finalized a regulation requiring two-person crews on freight trains in the U.S.

Vice President Harris speaks at Local 17 in Boston.

“The Biden-Harris administration enacted domestic policies to create an economy for the many, not the few. President Biden signed laws that directly benefited our members, from retirees to apprentices, in a way that we’ve never seen. Perhaps most importantly, President Biden and Vice President Harris rejected the idea that a pro-worker political agenda is ‘unrealistic’ or detrimental to our nation: On the back of historic investments in working-class Americans, our economy is thriving.

“Now, it’s time to finish the job.

“Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Governor Walz, have been committed friends to the labor movement at large, and SMART members in particular – a frequent presence at training centers and union halls in Philadelphia, Boston, Minnesota and beyond. Throughout Harris’s term as vice president, she has been laser-focused on pursuing the Biden-Harris agenda, enacting and implementing laws that prioritize the interests of union members and workers, and she chaired the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing — a first-of-its-kind effort to empower workers through federal reporting, recommendations and action.

Walz wears a Local 10 hat during a rally. Photo credit: Lorie Shaull
Walz with Local 10

“Walz, meanwhile, has signed a laundry list of pro-labor laws as governor, including a state two-person crew law, a bill to put sheet metal workers on jobs improving ventilation in public schools, a law banning anti-union captive audience meetings and many more.

Gov. Walz with Minn. SMART-TD SLD Nick Katich.

“Faced with the existential, anti-worker threat of another Trump presidential term, all of us at SMART know that the Harris-Walz ticket is the right choice for working families.

“SMART thanks President Biden for his principled commitment to our members. And we commit wholeheartedly to sending Vice President Harris back to the White House this November.”

During the NABTU Legislative Conference, the SMART Governmental Affairs Department held a reception and honored the top 31 local unions with the highest donations, per capita, to the Political Action League (PAL).

Rank Local   
1 293 Honolulu, Hawaii 
2 17 Eastern Mass. 
3 66 Seattle, Wash. 
4 137 New York, N.Y. 
5 88 Las Vegas, Nev. 
6 27 Southern N.J, 
7 265 DuPage County, Ill. 
8 71 Buffalo, N.Y. 
9 25 Northern N.J. 
10 36 St. Louis, Mo. 
11 40 Hartford, Conn. 
12 22 Union Morris Somerset Sussex Cos., N.J. 
13 49 Albuquerque, N.M. 
14 399 Charleston, S.C. 
15 435 Jacksonville, Fla.  
16 44 Northeastern, Pa. 
17 10 Maplewood, Minn. 
18 20 Indianapolis, Ind. 
19 33 Northern Ohio 
20 80 Detroit, Mich. 
21 104 San Francisco, Calif. 
22 105 Los Angeles, Calif. 
23 63 Western Mass. 
24 218 Springfield, Ill. 
25 12 Southwestern, Pa. 
26 54 Houston, Texas 
27 206 San Diego, Calif. 
28 24 Southern, Ohio 
29 38 Westchester & Rockland, Cos., N.Y. 
30 441 Mobile, Ala. 
31 28 New York, N.Y. 

View photos (not in order) from the reception; not all top 31 locals attended:

On August 1, 2024, Belonging and Excellence for All (BE4ALL) launched its brand-new standalone website, beforall.org — fulfilling a need the BE4ALL Committee had heard numerous times from SMART members and signatory contractors, and providing visitors with a one-stop shop for information, resources and more.

“Our duty as a union is to represent our members – to ensure they are protected and safe, from the job to the union hall,” said SMART General President Michael Coleman. “The new BE4ALL website expands our ability to provide welcoming, inclusive environments for all members of the unionized sheet metal industry, providing our members with needed information, resources and avenues for officers to protect their well-being.”

Members of the BE4ALL Committee gather around a table.
Members of the BE4ALL Committee meet in Chicago.

Launched in 2021, BE4ALL is a joint effort of SMART, SMACNA and the International Training Institute (ITI), created to ensure that all current and future members of the unionized sheet metal industry experience welcoming, belonging and inclusion. By better recruiting and retaining SMART members from all backgrounds, BE4ALL aims to grow and strengthen our union – both today and well into the future.

The new BE4ALL website is part and parcel of that goal. In the past, SMART members and officers noted that information about the initiative felt scattered, and resources were difficult to track down. The BE4ALL website stores information about BE4ALL, progress updates, frequently asked questions and much more in one place; in addition, past BE4ALL resources can be easily accessed by visitors, including Toolbox Talks (many available in Spanish), recorded BE4ALL Learning Journeys and the BE4ALL Calendar, to name a few.

But that’s only the beginning. A BE4ALL Member Portal gives SMART members, local union and regional council officers and SMACNA contractors the ability to log into the website and access resources tailored specifically to them and their jobs, from Toolbox Talks on difficult conversations with coworkers to guidance on how to use the BE4ALL Rapid Response Protocol. Importantly, the website also provides the ability for members to submit Rapid Response Protocol complaints to their local union or regional council through a web form – offering a secure avenue for members to detail incidents of harassment, discrimination, hazing, bullying or other inappropriate behavior on the job or at a union event.

“We are strongest when every single member, no matter who they are or where they’re from, knows that they have a home in our union and in our industry,” Coleman concluded. “We will continue to use every tool at our disposal, including the new BE4ALL website, to create environments that foster welcoming and belonging as we move forward.”

As part of the Spring 2024 BE4ALL Contest, union workers across the country submitted their answers to the question: Why are you proud to be a SMART union member? In his answer, Local 206 (San Diego, Calif.) member Gustavo Orozco discussed the broad nature of his union pride, from collective power at his local to the history of the labor movement at-large.

“First and foremost, I am proud of the collective strength and solidarity that our union represents. By joining forces with my fellow workers, we have a powerful voice to advocate for our rights, interests and well-being in the workplace. Together, we have the ability to negotiate fair wages, benefits and working conditions that ensure our dignity, security and prosperity.

“Moreover, I take pride in the history and legacy of the labor movement that our union embodies. Throughout history, unions have been at the forefront of fighting for social and economic justice, championing equality, fairness and opportunity for all workers. Being part of this tradition of activism and advocacy fills me with a sense of pride and purpose.

“Furthermore, I am proud of the support and camaraderie that our union provides. Whether it’s through access to resources, representation in disputes, or solidarity during strikes and protests, knowing that I have the backing of my union brothers and sisters gives me confidence and reassurance in facing challenges at work.

“Additionally, I am proud of the opportunities for empowerment and engagement that our union offers. From participating in union meetings and committees to taking on leadership roles and driving change within our workplace and community, I am able to actively contribute to shaping the future of our union and making a positive impact on the lives of my fellow workers.

“Lastly, I am proud of the progress and achievements that our union has accomplished. From securing fair wages and benefits to promoting safer working conditions and ensuring equal treatment and opportunities for all workers, our union’s successes are a testament to the power of collective action and solidarity.

“In conclusion, I am proud to be part of our union and to stand in solidarity with my fellow workers. Together, we are stronger, and together, we will continue to fight for a more just, equitable and prosperous future for all.”

SMART General President Michael Coleman addressed attendees at the SMART Transportation Division National Training Seminar (NTS) in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 9th, reiterating the solidarity that powers our union and committing himself fully to winning the pay, dignity, safety and protections SMART-TD members deserve.

“We stand for our members, and we will fight to the bitter end for the membership,” he declared to a fired-up SMART-TD audience.

GP Coleman: “You have the ‘why’”

Coleman readily told NTS attendees that, after 40 years as a union sheet metal worker and union officer, he was less familiar with the transportation side of SMART when he first joined the International in 2019. But having worked alongside SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson and his team since, including the SMART-TD legislative staff in Washington, DC, he told attendees: “I’m proud to stand up here with all of you under the banner of SMART, because that’s who we are. We are one union. And make no mistake about it … we are stronger for it.”

Coleman attended various breakout sessions during the NTS’s first day, hearing about the fights SMART-TD officers are embroiled in across the United States.

“There was an overarching message,” he said. “And that is: We are in a fight, and we are in a fight every single day. But I’ll tell you this. After witnessing what I’ve witnessed, there’s not another group that I would rather go into a fight with than this group right here and our brothers and sisters on the sheet metal side.”

The reason? Because SMART has our “why;” our reason for fighting. Coleman referred to the writing of author Simon Sinek, whose theory of a “golden circle” of leadership posits that organizations and leaders are constantly dealing with the “what” — the results they achieve — the “how” — how they achieve those results — and, most importantly, the “why” — the reason that “what” and “how” even exist.

Our “why” is the members, Coleman said. And that “why” is more powerful than any reason our enemies could have.

Representing SMART members through thick and thin

SMART-TD fights on behalf of its members day in and day out, Coleman told attendees. And the attacks are relentless.

It was only two years ago that the freight rail carriers said, on the record, that “labor does not contribute to profits.”

Management is slow to react to threats on operator safety and rarely takes the expertise of local unions into account when searching for solutions to violence on public transit.

Billionaire shareholders constantly seek to undermine working conditions and safe staffing in their pursuit of “efficiency” and profit in the transportation industry.

“I ask you – it’s a simple question – what is our crime?” Coleman posed to NTS attendees. “[Is it] that we fight for safety and dignity in the workplace? … Is it that we worry about our members and their families, and we make sure that they can provide a decent living, a home, and raise their family with dignity? Is that the crime? Or is it because when it comes time for us to retire, we want to be able to retire with some dignity as well?”

Recently, he added, SMART-TD hasn’t only battled entities like the Class I railroad carriers. Even other figures and organizations within rail labor have taken to disrupting the coordination and solidarity so desperately needed in national rail contract negotiations.

“President Ferguson and I are on the same page: We don’t want this fight. We do not want this fight. We want to join forces and fight those enemies I talked about before,” he said.

The challenges in our path make events like the NTS even more important. With trainings at the national and regional level, SMART-TD union officers can equip themselves with the tools and knowledge needed to represent members to the fullest, whether negotiating strong bus contracts, winning railroaders back pay or bargaining on attendance policies and paid sick leave.

“We will win,” Coleman concluded, “because of you. Because of us. We’re going to outthink them. We’re going to outwork them. And most importantly, we’re going to out-why them, because that’s what we stand for. We stand for our members. … I appreciate every single one of you for doing that every single day.”

On July 10, in a huge win for SMART members, the Department of Labor issued a memo stating that workers who perform testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB) work on HVAC systems that are involved in the construction, alteration and/or repair work on Davis-Bacon Act projects are entitled to prevailing wage coverage. This ensures ALL construction workers, including TAB technicians, get the pay they deserve, reversing decades of DOL interpretations that excluded TAB technicians from coverage.

“For far too long, the workers who perform testing, adjusting and balancing — crucial work that has only risen in profile since the COVID-19 pandemic — have been prevented from earning the prevailing wages they earned on projects covered by the Davis-Bacon Act,” said SMART General President Michael Coleman. “That ends now. This extremely important memo demonstrates how President Biden and his Department of Labor are working directly with SMART to make sure construction workers are paid in a way that corresponds to their essential labor.”

The July 10 All-Agency Memorandum (AAM) noted that workers performing TAB duties generally are considered “laborers or mechanics” within the meaning of the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA) because TAB work generally involves duties that are primarily “manual or physical” in nature. The DOL notes, in the AAM, that TAB work has “traditionally been performed” by workers in the “sheet metal” trade. 

Some highlights of the AAM:

Coverage of all TAB work on a DBRA site prior to completion

Where manual or physical activities such as TAB HVAC work are performed at the DBRA-covered site during the construction or renovation of a building or work — and where they precede the acceptance of the completed building or work — those activities are subject to Davis-Bacon coverage.

Coverage of all TAB work that is “directly related and integral” to “contemplated” construction

Davis-Bacon labor standards may also be applicable where a contract calling for testing HVAC system functionality is a necessary but preliminary component of a contemplated federal or federally assisted repair or rehabilitation project — even when the testing work is in a separate contract, as a project consists of all construction necessary to complete the building or work, regardless of the number of contracts involved (so long as all contracts awarded are closely related in purpose, time and place). Where DBRA-covered HVAC system construction, alteration and/or repair work is already contemplated, contracts for testing work to identify HVAC repairs, renovations or replacements that may be needed for such projects will generally be considered directly related and integral to the project, and thus subject to the Davis-Bacon labor standards.

Coverage of all TAB work on “operations and maintenance” contracts when the task order or purchase order is “closely related and integral” to construction, alteration or repair work

To the extent that a task order or purchase under an “operation and maintenance” contract is for construction, alteration or repair of a building or work, including an HVAC system — or involves TAB work that is closely related and integral to construction, alteration or repair work that is already contemplated — Davis-Bacon labor standards would typically apply to the order. Examples of operations and maintenance contracts include contracts at military bases, Department of Energy sites and other large federal facilities.

Finally, the AAM clarifies the circumstances under which TAB work is not covered under the DBRA, such as when: 1) it is performed under federal contracts for “routine, scheduled maintenance or servicing of HVAC systems;” 2)  it is “uncertain” whether any “future” construction, alterations or repairs will take place at the location; or 3) a contract is “solely for inspection (i.e., testing) of HVAC installation or rehabilitation work.”

Florida is a so-called “right-to-work” state, where unions consistently weather anti-worker attacks from corporate-beholden lawmakers seeking to weaken our collective bargaining power. But that hasn’t stopped SMART Local 435 (Jacksonville, Fla.) from organizing. And in June, Local 435 successfully signed PreCast Florida, a concrete manufacturing company that works alongside sheet metal shops, to a fabrication contract.

“All workers should have representation and benefits,” said Local 435 Business Manager Lance Fout when announcing the new signatory.

Local 435 Business Manager Lance Fout, standing, third from left, with PreCast Florida workers.

The signatory campaign at PreCast emerged from Local 435’s relationship with another one of its union contractors, Southern State Duct Masters, which signed with the local in 2022.

“Southern State has been very satisfied, and the company has been growing,” Fout explained. “Since they signed, they’ve got a new laser machine, a spiral machine, a new building; they’ve been thriving.”

Southern State owner Ashley Moore’s brother and sister-in-law purchased a concrete precast company shortly after, renaming it PreCast Florida. Despite the ownership and name change, PreCast had major problems with employee recruitment and retention, Fout explained, primarily due to a lack of benefits.

That’s when Moore suggested that PreCast contact Local 435.

“They weren’t sure what that would look like, but they were open to the idea,” Fout recalled.

Local 435 took the initiative, meeting with management and workers and explaining the benefits of working union. (The employees were shocked by what they stood to gain, Fout said.) From there, the process was simple: Local 435 wrote up a production agreement that included healthcare, a 401(k) plan, vacation and holiday pay, and the company gave all its employees a pay raise to cover the cost of union dues.

PreCast Florida officially signed with the local on June 1, and the union advantage is already making itself felt for workers at the shop.

“They’re ready to start making doctor’s appointments, I know that,” Fout said.

Local 435’s newest production members manufacture concrete light poles, picnic tables, construction castings and ornamental structures, displaying the same craftsmanship and artistry as their brothers and sisters working directly with sheet metal. Moreover, Fout said, the Local 435 members at Southern State Duct Masters are fabricating some of the metal forms that PreCast workers will use for their concrete molds, creating more work hours for members at both shops.

“It’s slightly outside the normal scope of work, but we’ve got a good relationship with the employer, a strong contract, and the employees are happy,” he concluded.

Brothers, sisters and friends, 

On behalf of myself and the SMART General Executive Council, I’d like to wish all of you a very happy Fourth of July. No matter where you are or how you’re observing the holiday, I hope all of you can take the time to relax with family and friends and enjoy the well-deserved fruits of your labor.

Independence Day is more than just a day marking the birth of our nation; it’s a celebration of the principles that define us. And within both SMART and the labor movement, the founding ideas of our nation are the very same as the values that we hold dear. Freedom. Democracy. Solidarity with our fellow workers — no matter who they are, what they believe, where they come from.   

In our union, whether you work on the railroad, in public transportation, as a sheet metal worker, in manufacturing or beyond, we live out those values on a daily basis. When sheet metal workers construct the battery plants powering our union’s future, they are serving our country’s next generation. When production workers build commercial HVAC units for hospitals, office buildings and schools, they are helping keep families across our nation safe. When railroaders transport freight from one corner of the country to the other, they literally keep our economy moving. And when our bus and transit workers welcome passengers on board, they are ensuring that their fellow Americans make it wherever they need to be — work, school, home, you name it.

I’m so proud to be your union brother. You are the people who build, move and maintain our nation. And as we look ahead, we all have a further role to play in securing our country’s future.

It’s no secret that the last few years have been extraordinarily eventful ones for SMART. Laws that have been passed since 2021 are starting to impact our industries, leading to huge projects in Arizona, Kentucky, Tennessee, Idaho and well beyond. Our railroaders just won a massive victory with the Federal Railroad Administration’s recently announced two-person crew regulation. And pro-union appointees in the federal government have implemented policies that benefit our union, including updating prevailing wage regulations.

So this Independence Day, as you reflect on the progress we’ve made, I hope you’ll also join me in committing to the progress ahead. Let’s organize. Let’s bring new members into our union. Let’s vote for pro-union lawmakers this November. And let’s continue to stand together, in strong solidarity, to win the pay, benefits and protections that we all deserve.

I’d like to close by paying tribute to the generations of Americans who have given the ultimate sacrifice to uphold our freedoms and maintain our independence. Your courage will never be forgotten.

Once again, happy Fourth of July – please stay safe, and enjoy the holiday.

Union workers from SMART Local 85 (Atlanta, Ga.), IBEW Local 613, IUPAT DC 77 and UA Local 72 joined the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) and the United States Army Corps of Engineers for a transformative community service project in June, replacing the aging Blockhouse Boat Ramp dock at Lake Allatoona. The successful “Unions Unite” event concluded months of organizing by Local 85 apprentice Dyana Lee, whose dedicated unionism helped make the project a historic one.

“We ended up having over 30 volunteers on site day of, and almost 20 people assisting me behind the scenes to create a $70,000 volunteer event,” Lee explained. “It was one of the largest union volunteer events in Atlanta history, with multiple trades coming together to build and better something for our community while creating a sense of solidarity among union brothers and sisters of Atlanta.”

“Thanks to Dyana’s hard work and determination, this project was a huge success,” added Local 85 Business Manager and SMART General Vice President Steve Langley.

Lee, who recently completed the first year of her apprenticeship, started getting active in her local in January 2023: attending Local 85 Women’s Committee meetings and taking on responsibilities within the committee at the request of chair and Local 85 President Jan Chappell. But the inspiration for a cross-trades, solidarity-driven community service event was sparked in earnest during the 2023 Tradeswomen Build Nations (TWBN) conference in Washington, DC. Lee attended the TWBN all-tradeswomen hike sponsored by the USA, learning about the organization’s conservation and restoration efforts through its Work Boots on the Ground program.

“While I was at the conference, I was inspired by the community, strength and solidarity shown between different trades,” she said. “I took the lessons I learned at TWBN and decided that I would like to spearhead a project in Atlanta to bring people from multiple trades together to give back to our community and start to foster that sense of unitedness between tradespeople.

“With the full support of my local and my mentor, Jan Chappell, I reached out to the USA to start the ball rolling on this idea.”

Lee met with USA Conservation Coordinator Cody Campbell, who walked her through the steps needed to create the type of project she envisioned. Lee then started organizing: attending meetings at other locals in Atlanta, talking to tradespeople at jobsites and eventually contacting Atlanta & North Georgia Building Trades Business Manager Randy Beall (a member of Local 85) to help connect her to other local unions. All told, she spent six months networking with potential volunteers, also delivering a speech at the USA’s Atlanta fundraising dinner to rally her union brothers and sisters to the cause.

In the meantime, Lee and Campbell worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to identify a project, eventually landing on the replacement of the courtesy dock at Blockhouse Boat Ramp. The old dock only had a few mooring points for community members, leading to traffic, congestion and safety concerns, and it was no longer ADA-compliant – restricting the number of people that could use the dock and limiting accessibility.

With the project decided, Lee doubled down on her organizing, successfully recruiting dozens of volunteers from other trades. On the day of the project, the skilled volunteer force gathered at 7 a.m., with work starting at 7:45.  

“The temperature was 88 degrees at 6 a.m., and the humidity was off the charts,” said Lee. “However, that didn’t stop my determined team from getting the job done, not only well, but fast.”

The new, accessible boat dock will benefit Atlanta community members for years to come. But to Lee, the impact extended to the worksite, where she said the sense of cross-trade community she was working to foster started to have tangible outcomes. On her job, for example, she started to see workers from different trades gathering for lunch each day, and the environment began to feel more positive and supportive – everyone had each other’s back.

“My goal in organizing and creating the first annual Unions Unite event was to take that first step to building that for every jobsite, for every local,” Lee noted. “This sense of community won’t just create more amicable jobsites; it will help to break down the stigma of being a union member in the eyes of the city, showing that union culture includes a sense of belonging and acceptance for everyone.”

Moving forward, Lee is working with the Georgia Building Trades to collaborate with some of the tradeswomen she met through the Unions Unite event to create a Georgia Building Trades Women’s Committee. She sees that effort as part of a greater endeavor to strengthen and grow the labor movement in Atlanta — and beyond.

“I want the young adults to know that there’s a place for them with us, no matter the trade they go into,” Lee declared. “We are all brothers and sisters; united we stand, divided we fall.”

Brothers and sisters across Canada,

Happy Canada Day from myself and the SMART General Executive Council. Wherever you are today, in cities and towns across the provinces and territories, I hope you can take the time to relax with friends and family.

Canada Day commemorates the day of Canada’s Confederation in 1867. And since that day — even before it — unionists in the labour movement have been bravely organizing, striving to lift the working and living conditions of all Canadians.

Union sheet metal workers and roofers have been an integral part of the nation’s progress throughout its history. And today, SMART Canada members have just as vital a role to play, whether building the green-energy economy of our sustainable future or helping bring new members into our trades.

The Government of Canada has set its sights on achieving a net-zero-emissions society by 2050. It’s an ambitious and important goal, and it’s one that you — sheet metal workers and roofers — are going to make happen. Whether installing green roofs that help reduce carbon emissions or improving the energy efficiency of building envelopes in schools, office buildings and new housing, our members will be critical to the Canada of tomorrow.

We are already seeing the benefits of a worker-first green transition, such as the NextStar EV battery plant project in southwestern Ontario. I’m proud to say that SMART Canada is seizing on these opportunities to lift more families into the better life that we provide: recruiting new members, organizing nonunion workers and spreading the word far and wide about careers in our trades. As I mentioned earlier, Canada’s rich history is intertwined with the story of the union movement. Our bright future will be as well, and it is incumbent on all of us to be organizers; to help our fellow workers achieve the freedom and dignity of a union career, and to welcome every single person — no matter who they are — into our union.

Lastly, as you celebrate Canada Day with loved ones, I hope you’ll join me in honouring the generations of Canadians who have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms and democracy.

Happy Canada Day. Enjoy the holiday, and please stay safe!