Mr. Speaker, this week there will be two one-hour strikes by hospital nurses in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Quebec City regions, respectively.
The purpose of this pressure tactic is to show their dissatisfaction with the slowness of negotiations with the Parti Quebecois government of Lucien Bouchard.
In 1982-83 that same Lucien Bouchard was the chief negotiator for the Parti Quebecois government with the nurses of Quebec.
In addition to the fee paid to his Chicoutimi law practice, Lucien Bouchard received a $250,000 bonus from the Parti Quebecois government for cutting the salaries of Quebec nurses by 20%.
The nurses of Quebec deserve an increase of more than 15% for their loyal services to the people of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, particularly since they have not had a raise for some years.
Despite their mistreatment at the hands of the Parti Quebecois government, we are very well looked after by the nurses in our hospitals, who provide excellent patient care.