Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Nadeau, for being here today.
The report entitled Seeking a Balance, prepared by the task force that reviewed part 1 of the Canada Labour Code in 1995 notes that there are few definitive studies dealing with the issue of the impact of laws against replacement worker on strike frequency and duration. It cites two studies that arrive at different conclusions.
In terms of more recent empirical research by the same authors referred to in Seeking a Balance, estimates based on limited Canadian data indicate that a legislative ban on replacement workers increases both the incidece and duration of strikes.
Another study concludes that a legislative ban on replacement workers can have an adverse impact on investment.
Do you have any recent empirical evidence that supports the view that a legislative ban on replacement workers during an industrial dispute does not adversely affect strike frequency or duration or hinder economic growth in firms covered by such laws?
In your opinion, what are the economic effects of laws that ban the use of replacement workers during a strike or a lockout?