Editing Canadian Auto Workers (section)

===Politics===
After separation, the CAW began to grow quickly in size and stature. It merged with a number of smaller unions to double in size and become the largest [[private sector]] union in the country. Most notable were the mergers with the [[Fishermen, Food, and Allied Workers]] and the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway Transport and General Workers (see [[CAW National Council 4000]]. The CAW also voiced strong opposition to the then-federal government of [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]] [[Brian Mulroney]] and such policies as the [[Goods and Services Tax (Canada)|Goods and Services Tax]] and [[Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement|free trade]].

In the case [[Royal Oak Mines|Fullowka et al. v. Royal Oak Ventures Inc]], held in the aftermath of an 18-month strike at Royal Oak Mines in Yellowknife, the CAW was originally held responsible for 22% of damages at trial, before CAW was successful on appeal. The trial judge found that the union breached its duty of care by doing nothing to stop illegal acts during the strike, paying fines and legal fees for striking miners, providing a person to assist the miners' union who prolonged the strike, and failing to bargain in good faith. At trial, the court ruled that the cumulative effect of these breaches of the duty of care were found to have materially contributed to [[Roger Warren]]'s bombing of the mine, which killed nine strikebreaking workers. Warren, a union member who had been fired from Royal Oak, testified that he was only capable of the bombing because strike-breakers had been "dehumanized" by the union and was sentenced to life in prison. However, these findings of liability were overturned on appeal by the Northwest Territories Court of Appeal and a decision by the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] was dismissed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Giant Mine widows' claim rejected by top court |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/giant-mine-widows-claim-rejected-by-top-court-1.871230 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100221213307/http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/02/18/giant-mine.html |archive-date=2010-02-21 |publisher=CBC}}</ref> Furthermore, CAW members Al Shearing and Tim Bettger were sentenced to two and a half and three years in prison, respectively. Both were convicted of painting anti-[[Scab labour|scab]] graffiti and setting an explosion in a ventilation shaft on June 29, 1992. Bettger was sentenced to an additional six months in prison for blowing a hole in a television satellite dish September 1 of that year. (The unioned miners were part of the Canadian Association of Smelter and Allied Workers union (CASAW) Local 4 at the time of the strike, and merged into the CAW in May 1994.)
<ref>{{Cite web |title=Giant Mine decision affects labour and employers across Canada Law&nbsp;– Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta, Yellowknife McLennan Ross Law Firm |url=http://www.mross.com/law/Publications/Archives?contentId=600 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714122949/http://www.mross.com/law/Publications/Archives?contentId=600 |archive-date=2011-07-14 |access-date=2011-03-03 |website=Mross.com}}</ref>

In 1998, the CAW was deeply involved in discussions with [[Volvo]] Canada Ltd. and the [[Government of Nova Scotia]] over the closure of the [[Volvo Halifax Assembly]] plant. In 2000, the CAW was expelled from the [[Canadian Labour Congress]] when several union locals left the [[SEIU]] and joined the CAW, prompting accusations of [[union raid]]ing. A settlement was reached a year later that allowed the CAW to rejoin the national labour federation but relations with other unions such as the [[International Brotherhood of Teamsters]], the [[United Steel Workers of America]] and SEIU remain strained and the CAW remains outside of the [[Ontario Federation of Labour]].

The CAW's relationship with other unions has also been strained due to its different political direction. The CAW is strongly left leaning and it has traditionally been a strong supporter of the [[New Democratic Party of Canada|New Democratic Party]] (NDP) and the [[Bloc Québécois]]. However, under former leader [[Buzz Hargrove]], it began lending its support to the [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal Party]] in ridings which the NDP were unlikely to win in the recent federal elections.

The CAW has attempted several times, all unsuccessful, to organize [[Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Keenan |first=Greg |title=CAW, Toyota battle over unionization heating up |language=en-CA |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/amp/report-on-business/caw-toyota-battle-over-unionization-heating-up/article978503/ |access-date=2023-01-30 |archive-date=2023-01-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130095137/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/amp/report-on-business/caw-toyota-battle-over-unionization-heating-up/article978503/ |url-status=live }}</ref> TMMC Assistant General Manager and spokesman Greig Mordue stated  "Our team members will decide whether or not a union best reflects their interest... At this point in time, we don't think they have anything to gain from a union", and described the defeat of the union drive saying "Our team members have recognized that a third party represents a complication they don't need."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-02-27 |title=babble: CAW sellout Stanford backs Toyota Liberal |url=http://www.rabble.ca/babble/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=12&t=001276&p= |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611211626/http://www.rabble.ca/babble/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=12&t=001276&p= |archive-date=2011-06-11 |access-date=2011-03-03 |website=Rabble.ca}}</ref> Despite this, however, the CAW supported Mordue as the Liberal candidate in the 2006 federal election instead of endorsing the NDP's Zoe Kunschner.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Election 2006 |url=http://www.ctv.ca/mini/election2006/candidates/35067_LIB.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20071120223819/http://www.ctv.ca/mini/election2006/candidates/35067_LIB.html |archive-date=2007-11-20 |access-date=2011-03-03 |website=Ctv.ca}}</ref> Mordue attempted to take credit for bringing the new plant to Woodstock, but lost to Conservative incumbent [[Dave MacKenzie (politician)|Dave MacKenzie]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Swayze |first=Kevin |date=2006-01-25 |title=Toyota angle didn't help Oxford's Mordue |url=http://www.therecord.com/fed_election2006/fed_election2006_06012581528.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061215231846/http://www.therecord.com/fed_election2006/fed_election2006_06012581528.html |archive-date=2006-12-15 |access-date=2023-02-07 |publisher=[[The Record (Waterloo Region)|The Record]]}}</ref>

The [[2006 Canadian federal election|2006 federal election]] saw the governing Liberals lose power, despite CAW support. Afterwards, the Ontario NDP voted to expel Hargrove for supporting the Liberals, which automatically suspended his membership in the federal party. The CAW retaliated by severing all union ties with the NDP, a move formalized at the CAW's 2006 convention.