Protesters faced heavy rain to protest outside a speech being given by Premier Philippe Couillard to Quebec's Board of Trade in downtown Montreal on Monday.
About 50 people, mostly members of the FIQ, FTQ and CSN unions, brought a Trojan Horse to the Sheraton Hotel to warn of the dangers of free trade agreements and so-called austerity measures would have on Quebec's fiscal and social health.
They said they were concerned that the provincial government's aim of balancing the budget by the next fiscal year would leave Quebecers who rely on social programs worse off.
They also said that international trade agreements would leave Quebecers vulnerable.
"It's excessively dangerous for the Quebec Model, for getting access to medicine, for public services," said Pierre-Yves Serinet, co-ordinator for the Quebec Network for Continental Integration (RQIC).
"It's all on the table."
He added that in the 30 years since the federal government signed the NAFTA treaty for free trade in North America that the average citizen is worse off.
The protesters were calling on Couillard to review all international trade agreements and to reject them when they failed to provide a clear advantage for Quebecers.
