Thank you, Dave.
Mr. Chairperson and honourable members, I submit, with respect, that Bill C-257 is a classic example of bad labour legislation, and I would propose eight reasons for it not to be passed.
First, I suggest that any piece of legislation that is vehemently opposed by one side or the other is likely ill-advised, because the foundation upon which labour relations is built in our system depends upon consent, agreement, and compromise. My labour friends well know that Canadian workers don't react particularly well when something is rammed down their throats; there is no reason to suggest that anything would be different with respect to Canadian employers.
Second, Bill C-257 represents a dramatic change in the balance of bargaining power, and such a change should not be contemplated without a correspondingly serious need. I don't see such a need existing today across Canada.
Third, labour legislation that bans the use of replacement workers inherently affects different employers differently and is thus discriminatory. If you are a large multi-jurisdictional multi-plant employer, you can have one or more of your operations go down without a correspondingly serious effect. On the other hand, if you are a single-operation independent locally owned business, shutdown of your operation can very quickly be fatal. These types of businesses are the so-called small business operations that government and other organizations generally say are to be encouraged, and that studies show to be the greatest job creators in our economy today, yet this legislation would impact them in correspondingly detrimental way.
Fourth, Bill C-257--and you've heard this from some of the other presenters--has been drafted and, I would suggest, rushed through Parliament without the sort of extensive consultation that should occur well before even the initial drafting phase. None of that has happened in this case.
Fifth--again, you've heard this before--in the 1990s, under the previous Liberal administration, there was a process of extensive consultation regarding the labour code and this issue in particular, which was addressed and found its way into amendments to the Canada Labour Code. Of course, this was without going specifically anywhere nearly as far as Bill C-257 proposes to go.
Sixth, nothing since then has happened would justify considering that the circumstances have dramatically changed.
Seventh, the labour climate in fact appears to be fairly positive throughout Canada. I refer to the able presentation from the gentleman from the United Transportation Union, who suggested that only 3% of collective bargaining situations result in a strike. I can't verify that precise number, but it certainly corresponds with my impression that generally speaking the course of labour relations federally has been relatively smooth in the last few years.
Finally, the fact that the legislation exists in Quebec and British Columbia is no more reason to adopt it federally than the fact that it doesn't exist in eight out of ten other provinces is a reason not to do so. It would be impudent for me to suggest that I know what's good for the people of Quebec or British Columbia. That would be up to others, who know those areas better, but the fact that these pieces of legislation exist in two of our provincial jurisdictions is simply not a good reason to do it.
Those are my respectful submissions.