Robert Caron
Encyclopedia
Robert Caron is a sociologist and former labour leader in the Canadian
province of Quebec
. He served two terms as president of the Syndicat des professionnels du government du Quebec (SPGQ) and ran for provincial office in 2003 as a candidate of the Parti Québécois
(PQ).
Caron demonstrated against the newly-elected Parti Québécois government of Jacques Parizeau
in 1994, both for its failure to remove anti-labour legislation and for its use of private research firms to study overlap between the provincial and federal governments. Caron argued that existing government bodies could have carried out the research. (The government responded that it would use civil servants for research on Quebec matters, but would contract out studies on federal matters where provincial workers had little expertise.)
The following year, Caron criticized the Parizeau government for holding secret negotiations to integrate federal Canadian civil servants into a sovereign Quebec. He later clarified that he did not object to the integration process, but wanted his group to be included in the talks. A reconciliation was later reached, and Caron appeared at a press conference with government minister Pauline Marois
as she announced an agreement in principle
on the matter shortly before the 1995 Quebec referendum on sovereignty. Caron himself supported the sovereignty option, which was narrowly defeated.
Caron later took part in several high-profile negotiations with the government of Lucien Bouchard
(Parizeau's successor as PQ leader and premier), who attempted to balance the provincial budget by a wage rollback in the civil service. In 1999, Caron argued that Quebec workers would be less likely to support Quebec sovereignty, or the PQ, if the Bouchard government pursued an anti-labour agenda. The SPGQ did not support any party in the 1998 provincial election
, although Caron strongly opposed the Action démocratique du Québec
's proposal to reduce the size of the civil service.
Caron called for Quebec to adopt "whistle blower" legislation in 1997, wherein Quebec workers could report inappropriate government actions without fear of losing their jobs. At the end of his second term, he expressed regret at the lack of cooperation between Quebec's larger and independent unions. He did not seek re-election in 2000.
. For the purposes of this article, it is assumed that this is the same person. Caron was president of Rassemblement populaire, a municipal political party in Quebec City
, in the early 1990s.
Shortly before the 2003 election, he was appointed as president of the Parti Québécois for the national capital area (i.e., Quebec City). He said that he supported the PQ because of the party's social democratic values. He ran as a PQ candidate in 2003, indicating that his priorities were Quebec sovereignty and a modernization of the civil service. He was defeated by Michel Després
, the Liberal Party incumbent, in the Jean-Lesage
division; across the province, the Liberals defeated the PQ to form a majority government
.
. In 2001, he was appointed to a provincial committee on youth in the workplace. Following the 2003 election, he became director of strategic services at the Commission des relations du travail (CRT).
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. He served two terms as president of the Syndicat des professionnels du government du Quebec (SPGQ) and ran for provincial office in 2003 as a candidate of the Parti Québécois
Parti Québécois
The Parti Québécois is a centre-left political party that advocates national sovereignty for the province of Quebec and secession from Canada. The Party traditionally has support from the labour movement. Unlike many other social-democratic parties, its ties with the labour movement are informal...
(PQ).
Labour leader
Caron became active with the SPGQ in 1983, was one of its vice-presidents from 1988 to 1992, and served two terms as its president from 1994 to 2000. Elected without opposition in 1994, he scored a decisive victory over challenger Léo Pelletier in 1997. As president, he represented 13,000 workers.Caron demonstrated against the newly-elected Parti Québécois government of Jacques Parizeau
Jacques Parizeau
Jacques Parizeau, is an economist and noted Quebec sovereignist who was the 26th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from September 26, 1994 to January 29, 1996.-Early life and career:...
in 1994, both for its failure to remove anti-labour legislation and for its use of private research firms to study overlap between the provincial and federal governments. Caron argued that existing government bodies could have carried out the research. (The government responded that it would use civil servants for research on Quebec matters, but would contract out studies on federal matters where provincial workers had little expertise.)
The following year, Caron criticized the Parizeau government for holding secret negotiations to integrate federal Canadian civil servants into a sovereign Quebec. He later clarified that he did not object to the integration process, but wanted his group to be included in the talks. A reconciliation was later reached, and Caron appeared at a press conference with government minister Pauline Marois
Pauline Marois
Pauline Marois is the current leader of the Parti Québécois in the province of Quebec, since June 27, 2007 and current Leader of the Official Opposition of the National Assembly of Quebec, representing the riding of Charlevoix...
as she announced an agreement in principle
Agreement in principle
In law, an agreement in principle is a stepping stone to a contract. Such agreements with regards to the principle are usually considered fair and equitable. Even if all details are not known, an agreement in principle may outline a percentage of royalty for example.- External links :****[...
on the matter shortly before the 1995 Quebec referendum on sovereignty. Caron himself supported the sovereignty option, which was narrowly defeated.
Caron later took part in several high-profile negotiations with the government of Lucien Bouchard
Lucien Bouchard
Lucien Bouchard, is a Canadian lawyer, diplomat, politician and former Minister of the Environment of the Canadian Federal Government. He was the Leader of Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 1993 to 1996, and the 27th Premier of Quebec from January 29, 1996 to March 8, 2001...
(Parizeau's successor as PQ leader and premier), who attempted to balance the provincial budget by a wage rollback in the civil service. In 1999, Caron argued that Quebec workers would be less likely to support Quebec sovereignty, or the PQ, if the Bouchard government pursued an anti-labour agenda. The SPGQ did not support any party in the 1998 provincial election
Quebec general election, 1998
The Quebec general election of 1998 was held on November 30, 1998, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The incumbent Parti Québécois, led by Lucien Bouchard, won re-election, defeating the Quebec Liberal Party, led by Jean Charest.After the narrow defeat of...
, although Caron strongly opposed the Action démocratique du Québec
Action démocratique du Québec
The Action démocratique du Québec, commonly referred to as the ADQ is a centre-right political party in Quebec, Canada. On the sovereignty question, it defines itself as autonomist, and has support from both soft nationalists and federalists....
's proposal to reduce the size of the civil service.
Caron called for Quebec to adopt "whistle blower" legislation in 1997, wherein Quebec workers could report inappropriate government actions without fear of losing their jobs. At the end of his second term, he expressed regret at the lack of cooperation between Quebec's larger and independent unions. He did not seek re-election in 2000.
Politics
In the 1980 Canadian federal election, a candidate named Robert Caron ran for the New Democratic Party in the riding of Louis-Hébert, near Quebec CityQuebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
. For the purposes of this article, it is assumed that this is the same person. Caron was president of Rassemblement populaire, a municipal political party in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, in the early 1990s.
Shortly before the 2003 election, he was appointed as president of the Parti Québécois for the national capital area (i.e., Quebec City). He said that he supported the PQ because of the party's social democratic values. He ran as a PQ candidate in 2003, indicating that his priorities were Quebec sovereignty and a modernization of the civil service. He was defeated by Michel Després
Michel Després
Michel Després is an administrator, consultant and a former Quebec politician. He was the former MNA member of the former riding of Limoilou from 1985 to 1994 and 1998 to 2003 and the former member of the riding of Jean-Lesage from 2003 and 2007 when he was defeated...
, the Liberal Party incumbent, in the Jean-Lesage
Jean-Lesage
Jean-Lesage is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. The district is located in Quebec City and includes eastern portions of the city. The riding was called Limoilou from 1965 to 2003...
division; across the province, the Liberals defeated the PQ to form a majority government
Majority government
A majority government is when the governing party has an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or parliament in a parliamentary system. This is as opposed to a minority government, where even the largest party wins only a plurality of seats and thus must constantly bargain for support from...
.
Other
After standing down as SPGQ president in 2000, Caron served as president of Centraide Québec and was an advisor to the provincial Ministry of LabourMinistry of Labour (Quebec)
The Minister of Labour is responsible for labour relations and regulations in the province of Quebec....
. In 2001, he was appointed to a provincial committee on youth in the workplace. Following the 2003 election, he became director of strategic services at the Commission des relations du travail (CRT).