April 21, 2006

Skilled Labour

Construction Labour Mobility Act possible

MONCTON, N.B.

New Brunswick Liberal leader Shawn Graham is introducing a proposed construction labour mobility act when the legislature resumes after Easter break.

Graham has accused New Brunswick Premier Bernard Lord of being soft on Quebec when it comes to the labour mobility issue.

It was a primary topic of discussion when Lord met with Quebec Premier Jean Charest to sign a wide-ranging co-operation agreement that would bring the two provinces closer in sharing expertise, research and services.

Labour mobility is a political sore point in New Brunswick, where construction workers and companies have found it difficult to get jobs and contracts in Quebec.

Quebec workers face no such impediments to their employment in New Brunswick.

Graham said Lord needs to be more forceful with Quebec to correct the labour imbalance.

“Fairness is a two-way street,” Graham said.

He said his proposed bill is similar to legislation adopted in Ontario to deal with the problem of unfair competition from Quebec-based firms in that province.

However, the premiers said that although the language in their latest agreement is vague, their intentions are to make the situation better.

“The agreement declares the commitment of both governments to do it, and it’s specific in the sense that it commits the governments to reducing barriers instead of building barriers,’’ Lord said.

But on the difficult issue of labour mobility, the agreement has just one line stating the two provinces will do what they can to facilitate the freer movement of workers “to the fullest extent possible.”

Both Lord and Charest said the problem does not appear to be as alarming as some have suggested.

Charest said there were only two complaints from New Brunswickers last year about barriers to their employment in Quebec. They were dealt with and resolved, he added.

“We take it very seriously,’’ Charest said. “It is in our common interest that there be as much mobility as possible between our jurisdictions.’’

Lord said there are barriers across Canada to trade and the movement of people. He said premiers are looking at ways to free the movement of goods, services and people across the country.

Lord said Quebec is New Brunswick’s biggest trading partner within Canada.

He said the province exports more goods and services to Quebec than it does to the other three Atlantic provinces combined.

Lord said the labour mobility problem can be handled on a case-by-case basis while systemic changes are considered.

He said there is no reason to get tough with Quebec.

“Unfortunately, some people want to make political gains by Quebec-bashing and it’s not needed,’’ he said.

CANADIAN PRESS

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