What's different about Quebec?

[crazymf]

I was watching a TV ad selling some videos or something and it mentioned that Quebecers couldn't use a credit card to purchase.

I have an Alberta Electrician ticket with a red seal for interprovincial use but have been told over the years that Quebec won't honor it.

Why is that and what other differences are there?

[M.Dancer]

Consumer protection is far stronger in Quebec...so some dodgey infomercial shite avoids the hassels.....

Your electricians license is probably good...I would inquire with the quebec engineering association or electricians association....chances are you have to join a syndicate and nothing more.

[geoffrey]

If you speak French, you might be ok.

It's rather sad that your mobility rights don't apply in Quebec as gaurnteed under the Charter, but they can site protection of domestic culture, whatever else. Ask a Quebecois for more on that one.

Being said, why would you use that Alberta electrician ticket anywhere but Alberta? The pay for electricians here is off the charts, I worked for a company that employed them and they were greatly compensated compared to the national average.

Credit cards... that's weird. They should be applicable generally everywhere. Financially Quebec is quite integrated, I can send a cheque to my friend in Quebec, I can use money from Quebec in Alberta. I don't really think that's a widespread occurance and I can't figure out any reason why that'd be that way.

Hang around until the end of the boom then look at moving...

[Charles Anthony]

It's rather sad that your mobility rights don't apply in Quebec as gaurnteed under the Charter, but they can site protection of domestic culture, whatever else. Ask a Quebecois for more on that one.

I am not in Quebec so all I can do is shoot my mouth off on this one but if Mr. Dancer is correct above and "Consumer protection is far stronger in Quebec" that would give me an opposing view. I would say: Quebeckers have the right to do business with any electrician they want and that includes the right to discriminate. Why should you feel like every employer should treat everybody equally???

I am playing the devil's advocate here because I am willing to bet that the restrictions are likely driven by unions who just selfishly want market control. I doubt the unions care about high quality workmanship. However, what choices does a Quebec employer have to some level of quality control??? Would you get surgery from a surgeon who just arrived from a different country??? Why would you blindly trust some Canadian licensing board (located in Otta-wa-wario) that granted that surgeon approval to do your treatment??? Apply that to the electrical trade.

It only makes sense that people stay local. What if YOU the Albertan electrician start working shoddily in Quebec and then move out again as fast as you moved in??? Now, the Quebec employer has to chase you. We apply the same principles of staying local in all aspects of business.

[Leafless]

If you speak French, you might be ok.

It's rather sad that your mobility rights don't apply in Quebec as gaurnteed under the Charter, but they can site protection of domestic culture, whatever else. Ask a Quebecois for more on that one.

What about Canadian Charter protection?

[M.Dancer]

Credit cards... that's weird. They should be applicable generally everywhere. Financially Quebec is quite integrated, I can send a cheque to my friend in Quebec, I can use money from Quebec in Alberta. I don't really think that's a widespread occurance and I can't figure out any reason why that'd be that way.

Credit cards are valid in quebec...it's that the offers you see on TV, with their dodgey money back schemes, etc etc.......they won't offer te product in Quebec because they know if the customer isn't happy they can take the seller to court ......

\

am playing the devil's advocate here because I am willing to bet that the restrictions are likely driven by unions who just selfishly want market control.

You are probably right. After years of being given the short end of the dirty stick......forced to work in dangerous conditions for bugger all pay, the trades unions fought back and fought hard. Now in Quebec it is illegal to use non union trades. This protects the worker from being sent into a dangerous job and the consumer from shoddy work by uncertified labourers. It also creates some hillarious situations like when you and your friends decide to do your own roof and the inspectors come by to see your papers....after an hour or so you convince them that you indeed own your house and your brother in law is indeed a insurance salesman........

All that being said I'm sure the construction trades are as good in Quebec as anywhere else.

[M.Dancer]

It's rather sad that your mobility rights don't apply in Quebec as gaurnteed under the Charter, but they can site protection of domestic culture, whatever else.

I'm pretty sure this is nonsense

[Leafless]

I was watching a TV ad selling some videos or something and it mentioned that Quebecers couldn't use a credit card to purchase.

I have an Alberta Electrician ticket with a red seal for interprovincial use but have been told over the years that Quebec won't honor it.

Why is that and what other differences are there?

I suspect the refusal relating to Quebec credit cards has something to do with 'Quebec's Personal Information Protection Act'.

Your beef with your electrician's license has been going on for years with electricians and other trades in Ottawa who try to get work in Quebec.

The problem is that you need so many hours of actual work experience in Quebec, but how can you obtain that when there is all kinds of red tape preventing you from doing just that.

Don't feel bad as they are even hitting taxi's from Ontario with phony Quebec provincial safety checks in order to harass, to keep them on the Ontario side and keep all the work for Quebec taxi's.

But when it comes to Quebeckers working in Ottawa or other parts of Ontario it's a different story.

We have thousands of Quebeckers pouring in to Ottawa, Ontario eveyday. They fill private sector jobs, federal jobs, construction jobs and nobody blinks an eyebrow.

When there is a complaint usually from peeved off Ontario construction workers, we get the same old story that negotiations between Ontario and Quebec provincial governments are in progress but never results in anything that even resembles the word fair.

[Rue]

If you speak French, you might be ok.

It's rather sad that your mobility rights don't apply in Quebec as gaurnteed under the Charter, but they can site protection of domestic culture, whatever else. Ask a Quebecois for more on that one.

What about Canadian Charter protection?

An excellent question. It is my personal legal opinion ( I am a lawyer but I am also the first to admit I can be a prize idiot about almost anything) that certain legislation in Quebec that was delibereately drafted to be protectionist in nature and prevents other professionals from other provinces to compete with professionals in Quebec from Quebec, Quebec legislation would be struck down precisely because of the charter rights which over-ride or supercede any other legislation. That said, Quebec could make very restrictive language laws which would discourage anyone who could not speak French fluently from coming to Quebec for work that in theory would be taken away from Quebecers.

Interestingly, Quebecers move all over Canada precisely because they are more likely to be bilingual then English Canadians. The typical Quebecer under 25 speaks English and French these days despite all the language laws and talks of seperatism.

Take a look at all the leading English universities and colleges in Quebec and you will find no shortage of Franco-phone Quebecers learning in English.

[crazymf]

Charles,

Your story is completely backwards. It's union labor who advocates quality and contractors that want to merely make a buck and get out. Don't even try to argue that point because I've lived it.

Leafless,

There's a website http://www.red-seal.ca/ that clearly outlines the reason and qualifications for tradesmen to gain an interprovincial status. It was optional to write the extra exam in 1982 when I did my ticket, but most guys wrote it anyway. The red seal site mentions nothing of Quebecs unwillingness to participate, but in real life it may be quite different I'm sure.

What I am suspecting is that Quebec is somehow perpetuating a protectionist theme instead of trying to integrate more with Canadian programs. From my tiny perch here in Alberta, it's hard to have a positive attitude towards that province.

A couple of years ago on a bike trip to the maritimes, we passed through Quebec. The people were plenty nice but with no English road signs on the transcanada highway, it was tough in places. Especially on construction detours. I blame the Quebec government for that.

[Charles Anthony]

What I am suspecting is that Quebec is somehow perpetuating a protectionist theme instead of trying to integrate more with Canadian programs.

How do you suspect they are doing that?

Are you suggesting that they are using language laws and that union-labor-quality-advocates have nothing to do with protectionism?

[crazymf]

What I am suspecting is that Quebec is somehow perpetuating a protectionist theme instead of trying to integrate more with Canadian programs.

How do you suspect they are doing that?

Are you suggesting that they are using language laws and that union-labor-quality-advocates have nothing to do with protectionism?

The thread was started a a question because I don't know all the ways that Quebec doesn't participate with equal bias to the rest of Canada. I think it's obvious that Quebec wants French only and uses it as a way to discriminate not only individuals, but in bigger ways too.

All construction trades practice protectionism of it's local members by making work available to them first and then look outwards to other provinces and even other countries as the demand increases. That is not the same IMO as a provincial government wanting to be one out of 10 provinces that is distinct by law.

[Leafless]

Leafless,

There's a website http://www.red-seal.ca/ that clearly outlines the reason and qualifications for tradesmen to gain an interprovincial status. It was optional to write the extra exam in 1982 when I did my ticket, but most guys wrote it anyway. The red seal site mentions nothing of Quebecs unwillingness to participate, but in real life it may be quite different I'm sure.

The red seal title gives you access to work in any province in Canada with no other additional examinations or test pertaining to electricians qualifications.

However it does not give you the right to override, in the case of Quebec, legislation protecting Quebec electricians.

Check this link where it allows a contractor to bring in his own Ontario electricians for work that is considered SPECIALIZED only.

http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/about/...pecialized.html

[BubberMiley]

Being said, why would you use that Alberta electrician ticket anywhere but Alberta?

Not everybody wants to live in Alberta.

[Borg]

If you speak French, you might be ok.

It's rather sad that your mobility rights don't apply in Quebec as gaurnteed under the Charter, but they can site protection of domestic culture, whatever else. Ask a Quebecois for more on that one.

What about Canadian Charter protection?

Forgive me while I bust a gut laughing.

If you are an Anglo you are screwed.

If you speak at least some french you might get by.

Basically the Charter applies to all but those in Quebec - they make their own rules and apply the nothwithstanding if they lose in our fabulous courts of law.

Stay away and work in other parts of the country - leave Quebec to the french.

Borg

[geoffrey]

Being said, why would you use that Alberta electrician ticket anywhere but Alberta?

Not everybody wants to live in Alberta.

Their mistake.

Hopefully your all enjoying your smog back in T.O., I wouldn't go back if I were paid twice as much.