Canadian labour leader Bob White has died.

White was instrumental in creating the Canadian Auto Workers union, which broke away from its American parent in the mid-1980s.

He was the CAW’s founding president from 1985 until 1991 — a period when the union was at the height of its power, representing most of the Canadian employees of the big U.S. automakers.

After leaving the CAW, White was national president of the Canadian Labour Congress which represents most of the country’s biggest unions.

White’s death was announced by Unifor, which was created in 2013 from the combination of the CAW and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union.

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