Mr. Robert Blakely at the Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities Committee

On October 22nd, 2009. See this statement in context.

October 22nd, 2009 / 4:10 p.m.

Director, Canadian Affairs, Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO, Canadian Office

I will. I think I can do so briefly.

I will speak in English, because my French is not good.

We are involved in Quebec. We are 28% of the Quebec construction industry. We represent those international unions that are found in Quebec, together with the FTQ, CSD, the Syndicat québécois, and the CSN. In terms of being sectoral, we think our industry is one that adds a lot to the country. We would like to see EI dealt with holistically. Like my friend—I come from a very different philosophical base than he does, but I think the system has to be looked at holistically or we're never going to get the answers we want.

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