Canadians demonstrate in Vancouver to mark May Day

Thousands of Canadians demonstrated on May Day in Vancouver, the largest city in western Canada, to support the striking health-care workers.

The protesters, including members of several major unions and their backers, were unanimous in their support for more than 40,000 health-care workers, who have been off the job for a week in the province of British Columbia.

Protesters were passing around a petition calling for the Federation of Unions to declare a general strike in the province.

Labor Minister Graham Bruce of the province said that if a general strike took place, employers would recourse to the provincial Labor Relations Board to stop illegal job actions.

By Saturday afternoon, the B.C. Teachers' Federation and Greater Vancouver transit workers had indicated they would be off work Monday in support of the health-care workers.

It has been reported that more than 70,000 people from various sections in the country are expected to go on strike in the comingdays.

Source: Xinhua