When is an Agency - Not an Agency?

Getting my time management skills honed, practising what I try to preach, and then along comes an email that blows my planned schedule away...I had just finished dealing with my emails, had eaten my 'live frog' (checkout Simple Truths and the video @ http://www.eatthatfrogmovie.com/ and you will understand)...lol

OK, so, up pops a new email from what I thought was a new competitor or an existing one who was taking a different approach - the Subject line was 'Need a reliable source for Your Staffing Needs - Call Us!'

Like an old fool I opened the email, and whow...it was from a Local Union Hall promoting themsleves to me...well to me as a potential employer...Interesting eH!

This got me thinking...under present and future legislation (in Canada at least) Recruitment/Staffing Agencies are not permitted to charge individuals for any or part of their services to the individual...BUT...Union Halls can, they charge a membership (Union Dues) fee and present them to employers, and place the individual - singularly or as part of a team...but the Union is not classified as an agency and therefore are not covered by the same rules/legislation...they (Union Hall) are a 'Club' - this term comes from the MOL (Ministry of Labour).

So to answer my own question - 'When is an Agency - Not an Agency? When they are a Trade Union...

I have sent a request to clarify to both MOL and ACSESS, and eagerly await their replys...