“The new government and all elected officials must work together for the common good” — Magali Picard, QFL President
The Quebec Federation of Labour (QFL) acknowledges the election of a minority Parti Québécois government and is calling on all elected officials, including the opposition parties, to get to work quickly and work together for the common good of all Quebecers, regardless of political affiliation. The tariff war, the rising cost of living, the housing and homelessness crisis, violence against women, climate change and demographic challenges are just some of the issues requiring immediate attention.
“Quebecers remain deeply committed to a society that takes care of its people, in a Quebec where everyone can live with dignity. Our public services certainly need attention, but piling on more cuts will not provide the public with better services at a lower cost,” said QFL President Magali Picard.
To achieve this, the Quebec government must resume social dialogue with civil society, including labour organizations. “The verdict of this election clearly demonstrates that Quebecers have rejected the former government’s policies of division and confrontation. The QFL would like to point out that the most democratic societies are also those with the highest unionization rates. Modern Quebec was built in part through the strength of social dialogue, and it is by continuing along this path that we will be able to meet the challenges ahead,” added QFL President Magali Picard.
The QFL is calling on elected officials to get to work quickly. “The new government must repeal laws that were adopted without consultation and that attack workers. More specifically, we are referring to Bill 14, which disrupts the balance of power in collective bargaining by limiting the right to strike, and Bill 4 on governance, which interferes with the democratic life of unions,” said QFL Secretary General Olivier Carrière.
The government must also work with all stakeholders in civil society to develop a genuine Quebec industrial policy that builds on our strengths and values. For the QFL, the Quebec government must take a leadership role and leverage Quebec’s resources and assets to reduce our dependence on the United States.
“The result of this election also confirms that it is high time to reform the voting system so that everyone can be fairly represented in the National Assembly according to the percentage of votes received by each political party. When a government breaks its word, as has happened far too often on this issue, it only fuels public cynicism toward elected officials,” concluded the union leaders.
This press release was translated from French into English by UES800.