[1] The organization is headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario with regional offices in Halifax, Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver and a network of local chapters across the country.

The Council criticized these and other international free trade agreements on civic nationalist and protectionist grounds, asserting that decision-making power about Canadian economic, cultural, and environmental policy should remain in Canada.

The Council later expanded its focus to include campaigns on health care, water, public pensions, corporate influence, and energy.

[13][14][15][16] The Council of Canadians will frequently advocate on behalf of unions, such as the British Columbia Teachers' Federation, involved in labour disputes.

The protestors were arrested for "civil contempt” of a court order permitting the company's pipeline survey work.