Wrong figures behind the bunter reform of the right to strike

“Quebec. Consequently, undisputed champion of strikes in Canada”, “91 % of work stoppages in the country identified in Belle Province” or “759 strikes in Quebec in 2024, a historic record”. Meanwhile, In the campaign this spring to have its bill 89 limiting the duration of strikes. Meanwhile, lockouts in Quebec, the Minister of Labor, Jean Boulet, did not stop repeating several shock statistics and phrases in the direction of its reform.

Except that the figures put forward by the minister are largely inaccurate. Nevertheless, And this, while the right figures were however available … Similarly, on the website of his own ministry.

But then, these bad data, where did they come from? However, And above all, who did they benefit from?

Originally. Consequently, they were published on March 19 on the Statistics Canada site, before being taken up in particular by the Montreal Economic Institute (IEDM), wrong figures behind bunter reform a conservative reflection group hostile to ecologism and close to employers.

In an analysis published on May 8. Therefore, 2025 on the Idem site, Gabriel Giguère, senior analyst in public policies, wrote that the number of strikes exploded in 2023 and 2024 in Quebec, each time records. In addition, “In 2024, the record was broken again with 759 work stoppages that affected Quebecers this year. Furthermore, The cadence does not seem to slow down in 2025. For example, with 378 work stoppages identified during the first two months of the year, “he explained, regretting that the bill then proposed by Minister Boulet was not going” not far enough “. Consequently, To support his claims, Mr. Nevertheless, Giguère then referred to the Site and the data of Statistics Canada.

Quickly. For example, several employers’ organizations – and the Quebec Minister of Labor, Jean Boulet – took over these figures to support Bill 89, wrong figures behind bunter reform thus based their positions on erroneous data.

The CSN points to a political will

It was ultimately the Confederation of National Unions (CSN) which revealed the inaccuracy. However, of the figures put forward by the IEDM in the debate on the right to strike in Quebec.

In a statement published Wednesday morning. Moreover, the union organization argued that there were not 759 strikes in Quebec in 2024, but 208 work conflicts. And for the first two months of 2025, we speak of 66 strikes (against 378 according to the analysis of the IEDM). “No, there is no explosion in the number of work conflicts. No. 91 % of strikes in Canada do not take place in Quebec, ”explains in an interview with Duty The first vice-president of the CSN, François Enault, who wants to set the record straight.

According to him. a short tour of the website of the Quebec Ministry of Labor wrong figures behind bunter reform would have allowed the IEDM both to the Jean Boulet team to very easily rectify the shot. “What throws us on the ground is that the minister takes the figures that left the IEDM instead of. taking the figures compiled by his own ministry. In his entourage, we gave him these figures without asking questions! “Procures Mr. Enault, who points to the lack of rigor of Mr. Boulet’s team.

The data cited by the IEDM was also removed from the Statistics Canada website on Monday. July 14, after the CSN questioned the Federal Agency as for their validity, he argues.

In fact, these figures did not directly move from Statistics Canada, but rather employment and social development Canada (EDSC). And this is where the problem would come. The CSN argues that EDSC representatives have confirmed to the union organization that data on work conflicts in Quebec for the period 2022-2025 were indeed wrong figures behind bunter reform inaccurate. that they had to be completely recalculated. At a time when this text was published, EDSC had not answered questions from Duty.

François Enault sees in the use of these erroneous data a political will of Minister Jean Boulet to influence the. debate on work conflicts. He believes that the latter would have been ready to do anything to “sell his salad”. “pass the unions for” not fine “among the population”. The first vice-president of the CSN sees it as a form of militancy on the part of the Minister. a new attack on the right to strike.

Wrong figures behind bunter reform

A methodological difference. argues the minister

Jean Boulet recognizes that the data disseminated – until recently – by Statistics Canada and those disseminated by his ministry differ, but argues that they are not incompatible. In a written response transmitted to Dutythe Minister of Labor argues that there is a wrong figures behind bunter reform methodological difference in the ventilation. presentation of this data.

“Despite this difference in methodology. the observation remains the same, there is an upward trend in the number of work conflicts in Quebec,” he tries to explain. “The average number of conflicts in a year in Quebec since 2012 is 146. Well below the number recorded in 2023 (230) and 2024 (288). »»

Well below. above all, the figures he put forward for several weeks to encourage the adoption of bill 89 and influence the debate on the right to strike.

Aware that the data used in its analysis may not be in conformity. the IEDM, for its part, added this Wednesday, July 16, a note in the preamble to the analysis at the heart of the debate. “Note: Statistics Canada is the source of reference to the country and is used by all research organizations. We take note of the fact that the wrong figures behind bunter reform organization now questions its data following exchanges with union centers. ”we can now read in the introduction of Gabriel Giguère’s text.

“This note was added [mercredi] morning to warn the reader that there is a methodological argument in terms of data. ”explains Duty Renaud Brossard, IEDM communications manager.

The latter confirms that the organization is checking the data. defends the seriousness of the IEDM in its simple use of data from the Federal Statistical Agency. “Statistics Canada is still a reference organization for research institutions across the country. We had no reason to doubt this data. »»

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