(Quebec) The Legault government refuses to tighten the law now to prevent anyone found guilty of an offense or misconduct of a sexual nature from accessing elective and managerial positions. A proposal submitted by the Liberals in the wake of the resignation of the former president of the FTQ-Construction Rénald Grondin.
Posted at 3:02 p.m.
The Legault government rejected the amendment of the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ), which wanted to take advantage of the study of Bill 4, which aims to strengthen the governance of government corporations, to modify the Law on Labor Relations, Vocational Training and Manpower Management in the Construction Industrycommonly referred to as the R-20 Act.
Liberal troops are calling for a tightening of Bill R-20 to prevent a situation like the one involving the former president of the FTQ-Construction from happening again1. Rénald Grondin managed to climb the ladder of the largest construction union in Quebec even though he had harassed and sexually assaulted a secretary for two years when he was general manager of the local AMI.
“A great opportunity to rebuild trust”
The case had been the subject of a decision by the Professional Injuries Commission in 2012, of which The Press revealed the existence last April2. Mr. Grondin resigned in the hours following the publication of the report.
The FTQ and the FTQ-Construction subsequently launched an investigation to determine how Rénald Grondin had been able to become president of the union despite this decision.
“The government had a great opportunity to rebuild confidence,” Liberal MP Isabelle Melançon said Thursday during question period.
“Unfortunately, he rejected the idea out of hand, without argument and without proposing a new wording. The issue is simple, however, there was a situation at FTQ-Construction, no one wants to see such a situation happen again. The government had the ability to legislate. He refused, ”she added, hounding the Minister of Finance, Eric Girard, to whom Bill 4 falls.
Not the right time, according to Eric Girard
“What we are doing is modernizing the governance of state corporations. The Commission de la construction du Québec is not a Crown corporation, but we want to improve its governance. You are bringing an amendment whose scope, merit, principles would apply to society as a whole, the construction industry as a whole,” replied Mr. Girard, explaining that the time was not right. good.
“We have to do detailed work, look at the Occupational Health and Safety Actthe Labor Standards Act. We have to think about it, it’s not just to launch an amendment like that to play politics with it, ”he added to the Blue Room.
The Liberals wanted to add to Bill R-20 a section making “any person found guilty or responsible, by any authority, in Canada or elsewhere, for crimes, offenses or misconduct of a sexual nature or harassment” inadmissible to “a position of management or representation” in an association of employees and a representative association, such as a union.
Bill R-20 already prevents people convicted of certain crimes from holding elected office in a union. But, by adding the notion of a person “responsible” for crimes or misconduct of a sexual nature or in matters of harassment, the Liberal motion proposed to go further.
It was Liberal MP and former Minister of Labor Lise Thériault who presented this proposal in the days following the resignation of Rénald Grondin, at the end of April. Minister Jean Boulet then said he agreed “in principle”, but had already warned that he did not intend to make amendments to the law without having in hand the conclusions of the external investigation carried out on the Grondin case.
“As for potential amendments to the law on labor relations in the construction industry, I am not closed. There are reflections to be made, but there will be an investigation. So, let’s hope that it is as thorough as possible and that it will allow us to complete our reflection, ”assured the Minister of Labor. “If there are amendments to be made, we will make sure to make them,” he added.