In the next few weeks, you might notice that our blog will not be quite so active.
It’s not that we don’t have a lot of work under way. It’s not that we haven’t got lots to say about maritime issues facing workers here in Canada or elsewhere in the world. And it’s not that we haven’t got anything new to roast the Harper Conservatives with — because there are plenty of issues for Canadian workers to debate and decide on while we are in the election period. (Just one example: a maritime roundtable that would include industry, labour and community in a mature discussion about a national maritime policy that works for this country.)
Instead, for the next two weeks, Peter — the ITF’s Canadian coordinator — will be in London helping to prepare for our upcoming worldwide inspectors seminar. Those are the meetings where our inspectors receive their training and professional development. And then he’s on to Myanmar to participate in the ITF’s efforts to support and help build our fledgling seafarers affiliate, the International Federation of Myanmar Seafarers.
There’s a lot going on in the maritime and political worlds. We hope that the two months we have been firing away at issues have been enlightening — and maybe even entertaining.
Be sure to pop back from time to time. We will still post our regular Saturday Listen while we’re away, and if there’s a chance, we may be posting a few photos along the way –including from Yangon. And we hope to report back on our efforts in Myanmar, so be sure to look for that too sometime later in September.
For now, we wish you all the wind at your back. We’re going to need it to assist all of us in ridding ourselves of the risky Harper Conservative Government.
The ITF in Canada 