Mr. Speaker, on September 7 in Gatineau, the Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec en Outaouais inaugurated a monument erected in memory of Thomas Bélanger and François Thériault. These two workers died on October 8, 1906 while trying to set up a union.
They were targeted by police hired by the McLaren company, at a time when unbridled capitalism was sweeping Quebec. These men died defending workers' right to unionize. Their memory deserved to be honoured.
Granted, some progress has been made since that sad event, but more effort is still needed to make labour relations fairer and more harmonious.
Amending the Canada Labour Code to prohibit the use of strikebreakers will make for better labour relations in Canada and more civilized negotiations during labour disputes.