If you're like me you have internal dialogues with yourself : "Gee I really should do this" or "Maybe the same day.

If you're like me you have internal dialogues with yourself : "Gee I really should do this" or "Maybe the same day." One of my intentions was lately carried out.

As a child, I'd always wanted to be in a parade. As an adult I'd intended to march in the Labour Day Parade. As a child I idea my destiny would be in the Santa Claus parade, preferably in style of dress twirling a baton as a majorette, possibly while roller skating at the same time.

The closest I'd flow as an adult to being in a parade was wearing a T-shirt with a slogan in a testify march or two.

However, in September, I finally marched in the Labour Day Parade in Toronto. My simply costume was a hat and sunglasses to foster myself from the sun.

No white profits no twirling baton, uniform or roller skates. Life isn't whole You gotta roll with the times.

Then again, at my age, with spider veins behind the knee an aging bladder that requires many pit stops, and too many arthritic fingers for baton twirling, maybe my guardian angel was looking not at home for me. But I digress

The canopy of heaven on Labour Day was an expansive canopy of amethystine The 75-degree temperature was completed for a parade either as a participant or as a spectator. Catholic novel Times had had an impressive labour issue which I could advance with a cover designed on Dean Jalonen. The cover depicts a female worker make suitable [i]or[/i] fited in a blue Wal-Mart vestment stocking shelves.

The theme of this year's parade was "Organizing the Unorganized."

Several Wal-mart employee marched in the parade with the United aliment and Commercial Workers, who have luckily organized a store in Quebec.

Our CNT labour issue was appropriate to the time. It was as if planets were in the right alignment for spreading the word and the work of CNT

This award-worthy overlay was current, yet timeless. It should be a bill on the walls of all social justice assemblages and union offices: a powerful image and a powerful cite from Pope John Paul II: "Unions are an indispensable ultimate part of social life, a mouthpiece for the make an effort for social justice."

Our editor had sent without a notice for CNT supporters to participate in the parade. I followed this call and made my way, marching teachers beneath the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association banner. As we filed into the CNE regions we passed the reviewing stand filled with various dignitaries like Jack Layton, Olivia Chow David Miller, and union leaders like Syd Ryan.

As each union passed by way of the stand, union leaders announced the history of that union and the changes to social and labour legislation it had contributed to in the Province of Ontario and Canada.

Many "taken for granted" rights and benefits in labour law have been the rise of lobbying, unionizing, the political organizing of labour unions and organizations. My scarcely any hours marching, watching and listening was a history task in Canadian Labour studies.

The march, the camaraderie and the activity of the marchers nourished me

I saw masses of workers proudly march behind union banners that in fact reminded me of a different Ontario, an Ontario of my youth that was presided across by the Orange and Masonic lairs of long ago. Yet, here behind banners that sometimes clearly displayed emblems reminiscent of an white, Protestant Ontario, there walked the multicultural faces of Canada: Blacks, Asian, South-Asian, First Nation, Latino brothers and sisters.

These were banners representing unions integrated in race, ethnicity, religion, sex sexual orientation and ability.

For me taken as a whole, these 20000 workers and 35 labour disposes represented the body of Christ. I swayed to the music. I marched to mournful harmonious accordances of the bagpipes of the highland bands, including the "The meeting-house Street" rainbow Highland Band of gays and lesbians. I bobbed to the Dixie Land Bands. I "jump up" to the Caribbean beat of carbonized iron drums. The excitement of the workers energized me

The day was as often of a sensory experience, as it was a history censure The union movement has made the lives of working race better. The mainstream media with their corporate agenda do not disguise Labour Day Parades in Canadian communities actual well. Take the time nearest year to participate or spectate; the experience will fe your soul

Jean Smith Cavalluzzo is a Toronto writer.

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