Jamaica-born trade unionist celebrated in Canada
Published:Tuesday | October 14, 2025 | 12:06 AMNeil Armstrong/Gleaner Writer
When Chris Campbell arrived in Canada from Jamaica with just $20 in his pocket, he could not have imagined the impact he would have on the North American country’s skilled trades industry.
After 35 years of service, Campbell – who made history in 2024 as the first black president of the Carpenters’ Local 27 union in its more than 140-year history – was recently celebrated at a retirement brunch held in his honour.
Describing the event as “awesome, exciting and memorable”, Campbell thanked the organisers and everyone who attended to recognise his contributions.
Organisers hailed him as “a dedicated leader and advocate whose vision and commitment have created lasting opportunities for our community”.
“Chris had a way of making people feel seen, heard and valued. His leadership was about impact and driving the vision,” said Patrice Barnes, former member of provincial Parliament for Ajax, Ontario. “His work with Carpenters Union Local 27, especially as its first black president, and his leadership as the chair of the Toronto Community Benefits Network, were not just storied, they were transformative.”
PLATFORMS FOR CHANGE
Barnes said Campbell used his roles not as titles, but as platforms for change, opening doors for youth, newcomers and various equity-deserving communities.
Toronto city councillor Michael Thompson described the occasion as both celebratory and bittersweet.
“I’m sad because he’s going to be retiring,” Thompson said. “I’m sad because much of what he has achieved, while we’re celebrating it here today, I’m sad that we may not continue to celebrate that as we move on.”
He emphasised the need to sustain Campbell’s legacy “not out of pity but out of strength”.
Dr Gervan Fearon, president of George Brown College, recalled being welcomed back to Toronto by leaders in the skilled trades sector, including Campbell.
Campbell, an alumnus of the college, has worked with the institution for more than a decade, serving on its foundation board to raise scholarship funds and partnering with The Walnut Foundation to promote prostate cancer awareness.
His career began in 1990 as a carpenter’s apprentice. He later became an apprenticeship programme instructor and, in 2003, was hired as a business representative for the union. Over the next 17 years, he spearheaded initiatives introducing young people, particularly the disenfranchised, to careers in the skilled trades.
Kurt Davis, Jamaica’s consul-general in Toronto, said Jamaica “gave one of its best” to Canada when Campbell left Kingston to settle in Toronto.
“Chris is a man who has demonstrated commitment to service. He’s always ready to act, always ready to do; he’s not somebody who Nadine Sutherland would say ‘full a bag a mouth’. He’s a man of action,” Davis said.
He highlighted Campbell’s support for Food For The Poor Canada and Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation in building schools and a house in Jamaica.
“Our Jamaican, our Caribbean, our black community has been able to count on Chris for support and leadership at every point,” he said, noting that the Government of Jamaica awarded Campbell the Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service on the 63rd anniversary of Jamaica’s independence.
Senator Hassan Yussuff, a veteran labour leader, thanked Campbell for advancing equity and inclusion within the labour movement.
“Chris has spent a lifetime fighting for change in his union but equally he recognised that change had to be found in community initiatives,” Yussuff said.
Rosemarie Powell, executive director of the Toronto Community Benefits Network, praised his leadership in mentoring.
She credited Campbell with helping to launch the NexGen Builders mentorship programme in 2018, which supports the next generation of construction trades workers and professionals.