Every year on October 10, World Mental Health Day provides an opportunity to recognize the importance of mental health in our workplaces, our communities, and our daily lives. Announced by the World Federation for Mental Health, this year's theme, “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change,” highlights the importance of listening to those who have firsthand experience with mental health challenges, and ensuring their voices help shape meaningful policy and systemic change.

On September 23–24, USJE attended the Alberta Municipalities Association Tradeshow to advocate for keeping the RCMP in Alberta.

USJE had the opportunity to welcome the leader of Canada’s NDP, Avi Lewis, to address USJE’s National Executive at its September 24 meeting. During his presentation to USJE, Mr. Lewis addressed a variety of issues confronting working Canadians and the labour movement more generally.

On September 29, the federal government announced that the EllisDon Corporation won the contract to design and build the new Health Centre of Excellence in Dorchester, NB. Work is expected to begin shortly on the new facility—which was first announced in 2019—to be completed in 2032.

The Union of Safety and Justice Employees has submitted its 2026 federal pre-budget brief calling on the Government of Canada to immediately improve access to Workers’ Compensation on behalf of federal Public Safety Personnel represented by USJE.

Every September 30, we honour residential school survivors, their families, and their communities, and we remember the children who never came home. On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we are reminded that reconciliation begins with listening to survivors, learning the truth about the residential school system, and carrying that truth into our workplaces and communities.