The Gouvernement du Québec and Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke sign a labour agreement

QUÉBEC CITY, Oct. 9, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Geoffrey Kelley, Minister responsible for Native Affairs, announced today that the Gouvernement du Québec has signed a cooperation agreement with Chief Lloyd Phillips of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke concerning labour regulations for public construction sites. "This agreement represents a turning point in the history of Kahnawake/Québec relations. It reflects a need in the area of labour that will serve our common interests," stated Mr. Kelley.

The agreement will materialize with the upcoming establishment of a Labour Office, which will serve as an intermediary between the Commission de la construction du Québec, the Régie du bâtiment du Québec and the Commission de la santé et de la sécurité au travail, among others. In this capacity, the new Mohawk institution will ensure that standards and regulations similar to those applied throughout the province are upheld on work sites, particularly those concerning wages, occupational health and safety, compensation, workforce qualifications and training. In the short term, the agreement will help kick-start the expansion of the Kateri Memorial Hospital Centre, as well as work on the Honoré Mercier Bridge, further down the line.

"In the coming weeks, our respective institutions will work very closely together, which has always been our preferred modus operandi. Recognizing a Native institution and giving it the same status as our own institutions is a sign of respect, openness and transparency, and acknowledges the Mohawk people's long tradition in the construction industry," added Kelley.

SOURCE: Cabinet de la ministre déléguée aux Affaires autochtones

Kimberly Labar, Press Attaché, Office of the Minister responsible for Native Affairs, Telephone: [phone]