February 25, 2005

Ontario-Quebec labour mobility dispute

Bentley still trying to broker deal

By Grant Cameron

staff writer

Labour Minister Chris Bentley is still optimistic the impasse over mobility of construction labour between Ontario and Quebec can be resolved.

Although negotiators from the two provinces have been working on the issue for more than a year without results, Bentley said in a recent interview that he’s still hopeful a deal can be forged.

“The Ontario-Quebec labour mobility issue has been around for about 60 years and a year ago the premiers of both provinces directed their respective labour ministers to see what we could do about resolving this.

“We’ve had ongoing talks. They have been going extremely well and the issues, as you can anticipate, are very complex.

“So we’ve been moving at all deliberate speed but they’ve gone extremely well and I’m very encouraged by them.”

The dispute between the two provinces has been going on for decades, with successive governments, failing to bring the matter to resolution.

It came to a head again in 2002 when then Tory Labour Minister Chris Stockwell enacted tough measures against Quebec contractors, construction workers and aggregate haulers to protect jobs in Ontario.

The Fairness is a Two-Way Street Act (Construction Labour Mobility) 1999 was aimed at leveling the playing field for Ontario construction workers and contractors.

The move came about as a result of unsuccessful negotiations with the Quebec government, which refused to remove barriers for Ontario workers and contractors, such as not allowing Ontario contractors to bring their uncertified workers into most of Quebec.

Under the act, firms from Quebec were shut out from bidding on Ontario government construction projects, including municipal, school board, hospital and other broader public-sector projects.

As a result, Quebec contractors and construction workers were also required to register with an Ontario’s Jobs Protection Office and provide proof of competency and fiscal responsibility before being allowed to work in Ontario.

Ontario’s Liberals decided to take another stab at the dispute late in October of 2003.

In what was billed as a new era of co-operation, the premiers of Ontario and Quebec committed to work together to dismantle inter-provincial trade barriers, particularly those affecting construction contractors and workers.

On Jan. 28, 2004, the Ontario government ann- ounced it was resuming labour negotiations with Quebec and negotiators were appointed to represent each province.

At the time, the labour minister said he was pleased with the discussions he had with Quebec Labour Minister Michel Despres on mobility and that the two governments were committed to resolving the long-standing issue.

Meanwhile, Quebec Labour Minister Despres said: “These appointments represent concrete action in discussions aimed at reaching an agreement in construction labour mobility.”

But now, more than a year since then, there is still no deal on the table.

Labour Minister Bentley said both provinces are still working towards a resolution.

He said no one issue is holding up a resolution. Rather, it’s the complexity of the dispute.

“I wouldn’t say anything is holding it up.

“It’s the complexity of the issues, it’s the fact, frankly, that they have been around for about 60 years, and so we’re making sure in our discussions that we actually deal with all the issues and their root causes not simply the surface issues.”

Bentley said he’d like to come to a conclusion on the matter “sooner rather than later.”

“It would be good for both provinces, frankly, if we can start resolving some of the issues that have been around for decades.”

‘We’ve had ongoing talks. They have been going extremely well and the issues, as you can anticipate, are very complex’

Chris Bentley

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