Madam Speaker, I would first like to congratulate my colleague, the hon. member for Laurentides, for having introduced this bill, which has been long demanded by workers in Quebec and especially in Canada.
Quebec is experiencing the same thing, even if Quebec already has similar legislation, because some companies are federally regulated. So, as my hon. colleague was saying earlier, there was a ten-month strike at Vidéotron because there was no bargaining power.
In introducing this progressive legislation in 1977, Quebec was thought to be taking a chance. People wondered if it would work. They realized that the effects of this legislation have decreased the number of strike days, ensured that the two parties meet before the dispute and discussions become bitter. Today, employers and workers in general would not want to be without this legislation because it has helped create a very healthy climate.
To do so, the hon. member for Laurentides has introduced this bill, following in the steps of two other hon. members. I introduced such a bill myself when I was a Conservative member, and it was passed the next year. By that time, I had become a Bloc Quebecois member. It was passed, but only by 18 votes, I think. Thus, here in this House, a movement is building among all the parties to modernize our system of labour relations the way Quebec has done. It is also being done in another province, British Columbia.
This bill deserves to receive the support—and I hope it is unanimous—of the House of Commons. I invite all members to read this bill, to look at the arguments in its favour, and I think that they will hold a non-partisan vote, as the hon. member who spoke previously said, a non-partisan vote that will serve the interests of workers, and also serve the interests of employers, and encourage a dialogue between employees and employers in such a way as to settle longstanding disputes.
For example, we have one in Rouyn-Noranda. I have visited the workers at Rouyn-Noranda radio. It is incredible how they have been living for a year, and all the judicial proceedings they have lauanched. But all avenues are not yet exhausted, they say, and they think there may be another year or two ahead of them if nothing happens, unless legislation like this bill is passed.
That has happened in other situations as well, as the hon. member has said. In conclusion, as well as congratulating her, I would like to ask if she has yet had any meetings with the members of the other political parties here in the house, and if there is a good chance that her bill will be passed as a result of these meetings.