Introduction of Bill 19 - An Act respecting the regulation of child labour

The
(FCCQ) and the Chambre de commerce de La Côte-de-Gaspé (CCCG) would like to welcome the tabling of the bill on the regulation of child labor by the Minister of Labor, Jean Boulet. Over the past year, the FCCQ played a key role in the development of the Comité consultatif du travail et de la main-d'œuvre's opinion on child labor, which served as the cornerstone for this bill.

For the FCCQ and CCCG, it is important to react to the increased presence of young people on the labour market and the significant increase in work-related accidents involving them in recent years. However, it is also essential to enable young people aged 14 and over to take part in the job market, and to do so in a safe environment conducive to their development. Limiting work for young Quebecers under the age of 16 to 17 hours a week, and 10 hours from Monday to Friday, seems reasonable to us, in order to combine studies and first job experience. Exceptions for periods of more than 7 consecutive days during which no educational services are offered, such as school breaks and the summer period, will also allow some flexibility in managing schedules for employers who hire these young workers.

Experience in the job market can have a positive impact on student retention and success, as well as fostering the development of skills that would not otherwise have been acquired in the classroom.

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" said Charles Milliard, President and CEO of the FCCQ.




Some jobs are still suitable and beneficial for young people under the age of 14, and we welcome the government's willingness to include these exceptions in the bill. Not to provide for these exceptions would mean restricting them to the informal economy, limiting the social protections provided in our labor legislation. In particular, we wish to emphasize the importance of allowing work in family businesses to be covered by this exception measure.



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", continued Mr. Milliard.




Legislation cannot be the only tool for encouraging young employees to stay in school. That's why the FCCQ unveiled
in February 2022 and is inviting employers in La Côte-de-Gaspé to sign it,



"
", concluded Charles Milliard.



The FCCQ will carefully analyze the bill and actively participate in upcoming consultations during its review by parliamentarians in order to make recommendations and ensure compliance with the consensus reached during the work of the Comité consultatif du travail et de la main-d'œuvre.




Thanks to its vast network of 123 chambers of commerce and 1,200 corporate members, the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec (FCCQ) represents more than 45,000 businesses operating in all sectors of the economy throughout Quebec. The largest network of business people and companies in Quebec, the FCCQ is both a federation of chambers of commerce and a provincial chamber of commerce. Its members, whether chambers or companies, all pursue the same goal: to foster an innovative and competitive business environment.




The CCCG is the voice of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Cloridorme, Murdochville, Grande-Vallée, Petite-Vallée and Gaspé. It translates into action all the interests of its 200-plus members.