In all its majesty, the Manoir Richelieu in La Malbaie, which is preparing to welcome the leaders of the world's great powers for the annual summit of the G7 countries in June, hides painful memories: those of a historic labour dispute that occurred a little over 30 years ago, between businessman Raymond Malenfant and the CSN - resulting in a death.
In December 1985, the hotelier bought the Manoir Richelieu from the Government of Quebec for $555,555. At the same time, he committed to invest $10 million in renovations.
The agreement in principle that was reached at the time did not mention the union.
Moreover, the hotel was not managed by the government, but by the Dufour family since 1983. The Dufour family had signed a three-year collective agreement with the union until 1987.
Raymond Malenfant always claimed that he had bought the manor, not the collective agreement and the 300 employees who worked there.
As a result, he began renovations and hired his own employees, including some of the former union members. The union responded by filing grievances.
Little by little, the conflict became heated, and was marked by protests. The region was torn.
Two of Malenfant's cars were found torched in front of his residence in Sainte-Foy. Days later, he obtained three injunctions from the court barring, among other things, access to his properties by union members.
In October, several of the manor's former employees stormed the building and vandalized it - resulting in 71 arrests.
The conflict is marked by the death of Gaston Harvey, a protestor who was suffocated by a Surete du Quebec officer during the above-mentioned rally.
