Next Stop: Better Transit Ottawa

10/30/2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ATU Local 615 Members Ratify First Battlefords Transit Agreement — 100% in Favour

Battlefords, Saskatchewan – October 29, 2025



The Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 615 is proud to announce that members at the Battlefords Transit System have unanimously ratified their first-ever collective agreement — voting 100% in favour.

“This is a historic moment for our Local and for the Battlefords,” said Darcy Pederson, President and Business Agent of ATU Local 615. “Our members stood together to achieve a fair and transparent agreement that values their work and strengthens public transit for the community.”

The three-year agreement includes steady wage increases, clear seniority and job posting language, and strong health and safety provisions under The Saskatchewan Employment Act. It establishes fairness, stability, and respect — setting a solid foundation for future rounds of bargaining.

“This vote shows the power of unity,” Pederson added. “We’re proud to deliver an agreement that everyone can stand behind.”

⸻

Media Contact:

Darcy Pederson
President / Business Agent
ATU Local 615
(306) 241-3072
pres615@sasktel.net

10/30/2025

New York, NY – ATU Local 1181 represents 8,000 school bus drivers, matrons and mechanics, who transport and care for 150,000 New York City’s children each day.

10/22/2025

10/22/2025

10/22/2025

ATU Local 113 wishes a happy Diwali to all who celebrate! May the Festival of Lights bring joy, prosperity, and brightness to you and your loved ones.

10/22/2025

Alright, let's talk about this whole "Angus By Design" thing I've got going on here in Ottawa. It's... well, it's a lot of things. And honestly, it started from a pretty personal place. You know, life throws curveballs, right? Mine came in the form of, well, a whole lot of weight loss. I'm talking 300+ pounds. Imagine that for a second. It wasn't just the physical change, though. It was the whole mental shift that came with it. Body image issues, dysmorphia... it's a whole thing. And it made me realize how much we all carry around, you know?

Alright, let's talk about this whole "Angus By Design" thing I've got going on here in Ottawa. It's... well, it's a lot of things. And honestly, it started f...

10/15/2025

By implementing this system, we are not just running support groups; we are building a self-directed, peer-led learning institution that empowers individuals to take control of their future.

To collaborate or share in discussion, reach out!

Join the Peer Scholar Initiative for 2026, focusing on peer engagement and practice.

Explore Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) with its five key evidence-based principles.

Discover inclusive and affirming approaches to peer support in the Affirming Rainbow Peer Circle.

Learn about person-centered peer support, fostering strengths and autonomy.

Deepen your peer journey with opportunities for certification and mentorship.

This is an excellent addition to any program that significantly increases the accessibility and inclusivity of Angus’s “Peer Scholar Initiative.” By creating...

05/28/2025

"America cannot remain free, nor first among nations, if it becomes the kind of place where universities are dismantled because they don't align politically with the current head of government." - Pete Buttigieg

Husband, dad, veteran, writer, and proud Midwesterner. 19th US Secretary of Transportation and former Mayor of South Bend.
05/23/2025

🚗🚕🚙🚌🚎🏎🚓🚑🚒🚐🛻🚚🚛🚜🦽🦼🛴🚲🛵🏍🛺🚔🚍🚘🚖🚡🚠🚟🚃🚋🚞🚝🚄🚅🚈🚂🚆🚇🚊🚉✈️🚀🛸🚁🛶⛵️🚤🛥🛳⛴🚢🚦🚥🏳️‍🌈

The Secretary of Transportation plays a crucial role in public transport, acting as the principal advisor to the President on all transportation matters, including public transit. They oversee the Department of Transportation, which is responsible for developing and coordinating policies for a national transportation system that includes public transport.

Here's a more detailed look at their responsibilities related to public transport:

✅ Policy and Program Development:

The Secretary helps develop and implement transportation policies and programs that affect public transport, ensuring it integrates effectively with other modes of transport.

✅ Funding and Grants:

The Secretary is involved in allocating federal funds and grants to support public transit projects, including initiatives to modernize and improve public transportation.

✅ Intermodal Transportation:

They coordinate federal policy on intermodal transportation, which means ensuring different modes of transport like buses, trains, and subways work together efficiently.

✅ Research and Development:

The Secretary promotes and undertakes research and development related to public transport, including advancements in technology and accessibility.

✅ Safety and Security:

They are responsible for ensuring the safety and security of public transportation, including addressing issues like noise pollution and safety regulations.

✅ Advocacy and Representation:

The Secretary serves as a voice for public transport within the federal government and advocates for its importance in addressing transportation needs and national priorities.

✅ Overseeing the Federal Transit Administration (FTA):

The Secretary oversees the FTA, an agency within the Department of Transportation that is responsible for providing technical assistance, funding, and policy guidance for public transport projects and programs.

✅ Addressing Urban Mobility:
The Secretary works to address the unique transportation challenges of urban areas, ensuring that public transport is an effective and reliable option for people moving around cities.

✅ Ensuring Equity and Accessibility:
The Secretary strives to ensure that public transport is accessible to all, including those with disabilities, low-income individuals, and seniors.

Thank you for your service, Pete Buttigieg!

05/27/2025

Angus By Design

✅ Check out these facts about ATU and Canadian Connections to the ATU International!
✅ This is the page for my Local ATU 279 which has 735 followers. The intro currently reads:
The Membership of Local 279 has given us the political power to improve working and social conditions. ATU Local 279 is proud to work with OC Transpo, Para Transpo and Royal Canadian Mint.
Created - ATU 279 - December 5, 2016
✅ Apparently, this is also a page for my Local ATU 279 PAC. 191 followers. No Intro, very few posts.
Created - Atu279pac - Changed name to ATU 279 PAC - September 7, 2022
See also, which has 1,100 or so followers. They share:
✅ About ATU Canada
Established in 1982, the ATU Canadian Council is the highest authority and voice in Canada for the Amalgamated Transit Union on all issues of Canadian interest including Legislation, Political, Educational, Health and Safety, Cultural and Social Welfare matters.
✅ Creation date - March 5, 2011
✅ The ATU Canadian Council officially changed its name to ATU Canada in 2015. This change occurred in December of 2015. Prior to that, the organization was known as the Amalgamated Transit Union Canadian Council.
✅ ATU 279 Local President: André Cornellier 2007 - 2011
✅ ATU 279 Local President: Garry Queale 2011 - 2012
✅ ATU 279 Local President: Craig Watson 2012 - 2015
✅ ATU 279 Local President: Clint Crabtree 2015 - 2024
✅ ATU 279 Local President: Noah Vineberg 2024 - current
✅ ATU 279 Local Executive Business Agent: Yogi Sharma 2006 - 2018
✅ ATU 279 Local Executive Business Agent: Hariqbal Bal 2018 - 2024
✅ ATU 279 Local Executive Business Agent: Nitin Datta 2024 - current
✅ ATU Canada President (Established in 2015):
✅ John DiNino 2018 - present
✅ ATU International President: Larry Hanley 2010 - 2019
✅ ATU International President: John Costa appointed 2019 - present
✅ Angus Wright - Operator 5946 with OC Transpo since 2007
✅ Member of Local 279, ATU Canada and ATU International since 2007
✅ Co-Founder: OCPride 2009/2010
✅ Full Training, Testing and Qualification: 2007 & 2017 - Section Head Zahid Chaudhari
✅ Status: Permanent Disability since 2018 - Section Head - Trudy Norton
✅ Program Manager in 2017/2018: Ken Gordon
✅ General Manager: Alain Mercier 2007 - fired 2012
✅ General Manager: John Manconi 2012 - 2021
✅ I am not the first, nor am I the only Operator, Member, Human who blogs about their workplace experience, role, and hopes for our members.
✅ I am not the first to create pages intended to connect us, but Next Stop: Better Transit Ottawa (est 2019) & Next Stop Transit: ATU PEER SUPPORT HUB (est 2017)
✅ I am not the only one to curate groups for operators.
If you have questions to the authenticity of this information, and you feel you've been mislead, mistreated, or entitled to engage with me, please start by connecting with 988, or 911 and seek support for your rights, responsibilities, and options.
If you are an employee of the City of Ottawa, or any of it's affiliates, representatives, services or organizations, please go up your chain of command before initiating or continuing contact. This includes, but is not limited to Bylaw Services, OC Transpo Transit Law, Ottawa Fire, Ottawa Police, Library Services, Council, Committees, and others.
If you're friends, colleagues, or you just love to party with members like me, make sure to let your associates know that there is no reason for them to assume they were in the right for their choices, actions, or behaviours, and that the Code of Conduct, Bylaws, and Canadian Local, Provincial, and Federal laws are here to protect each one of us, not just the ones deemed worthy, or equal in the eyes of those in authority.
means I'm here too.

05/07/2025

Notice how the President can't look at our Prime Minister when saying something ridiculous?

This moment captures so much!

Votes matter. So do our local values, ethics, and respect for where we live in Canada.

I guess we're learning the cost of doing business in Canada! Did you know we're the US's biggest trading partner?

I'm a consumer. They say the customer is always, Wright - or something like that.

"Canada and the United States enjoy the world’s most comprehensive trading relationship, which supports millions of jobs in each country. We are each other’s largest trade partners with nearly $3.6 billion (US$2.7 billion) worth of goods and services crossing the border each day in 2023. Many of these goods involve co-investing and co-development, making our networks highly integrated. Canada and the U.S. also have a significant investment relationship. The U.S. is the single greatest investor in Canada and Canada was the largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States at the end of 2023. In addition, Canada is the single largest foreign supplier of energy to the United States.

For the better part of four decades, trade between Canada and the U.S. has been governed by a succession of free trade agreements, the most recent of which is CUSMA, which entered into force in July 2020. CUSMA anchors our strong, balanced trading relationship with the United States and Mexico, built on resilient and effective supply chains across all key sectors of the economy."

https://www.international.gc.ca/country-pays/us-eu/relations.aspx?lang=eng

10/17/2024

Social media has provided access to opinions and information that can expand our minds and points of view. Some research even suggests that certain platforms may have a positive impact on mental health by providing opportunities for connections that may otherwise not happen; others suggest social media behaviour and posts can be useful identifiers or predictors of depression. There’s a darker side to how social media can affect us, however. According to researchers, the more time you spend on social media, the more likely you are to suffer from mental health issues. Multiple studies have begun to focus on the disturbing association between online social networking and a variety of negative feelings and psychiatric disorders.

The most pronounced concerns lie in:
• Decreased self-esteem (which often works hand in hand with eating disorders and body dysmorphia)
• Anxiety
• Depression/depressive symptoms
• A feeling of a lack of connection
• Feelings of inferiority
• Deterioration in concentration and other symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Addiction to social media

Here are some key indicators to be aware of:

• Low or decreased self-esteem during or after using social media
• Negatively comparing yourself to others via their social media content
• Repetitively focusing on your own shortcomings or distress while viewing others’ social media feeds
• Frequently feeling envious of others while engaged with social media
• Using social media as your prime leisure activity
• Feeling disconnected from friends and family or not interacting with them in person as often as you normally would
• Decrease in ability to concentrate
• Increased or unusual social anxiety when interacting with people offline
• Feeling a need to share everything you’re doing offline on social media
• Experiencing the negative emotional experience, “FOMO” (Fear of Missing Out) during or after viewing others’ online activity
• Consciously, consistently using social media as a distraction to avoid or suppress unpleasant emotions
• Irregular or disordered sleeping patterns
• Increase in fatigue and/or stress during or after using social media

Recognizing that excessive social media use is actually undermining your health
and happiness is a huge first step. Other steps you may try:

reach out, offline:
tune up your mind and body
find a new healthy hobby
learn a new skill or language
get some sleep
unplug and erase
take social media off your radar
set firm boundaries
set a timer to help stay on track and be accountable. you may also want to limit
your online social interactions to one device
get support
reach out to friends, family, local and national organizations specializing in addiction and mental health. they’re there to help!

I have the right to use social media. Historically, that right has been tested, abused, and violated by those in power, creating a set of circumstances leading to adverse experiences for me. I post daily, across many platforms, on a multitude of subjects, topics, and interests. I post using my name, or a clear indicator of how to connect with me and my ideas.

Nobody is entitled to engage, or give opinions when the engagement is unwanted. No matter the opinion of others, “no” and “stop” are clear indicators someone doesn’t wish to engage. A non-response is also an indicator.

Over the years there appears to be many folks who like to “f**k around and find out” as opposed to simply doing the right thing. Here’s an opportunity to change the outcome of our daily experiences.

Happy surfing!

If you're name appears in a search relating to me, there's a good chance you should follow up before digging the hole deeper.

Please speak to your care team, or representative and have their information available to provide when requested.

“F**k Around and Find Out: Social Media Edition” 2023 Artist’s Statement: Social media has provided access to opinions and information that can expand our minds and points of view. Some research even...