Quebec police wear jeans or camo pants in protest over contract talks
![Camouflage pants police Montreal police officers wore camouflage pants in 2014 during negotiations on their contract. The Surete du Quebec is set to use the same tactic starting Dec. 7, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2023/12/6/camouflage-pants-police-1-6676869-1701915035779.jpg)
Police officers with the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) will start wearing camouflage pants or jeans during working hours on Thursday, amid dissatisfaction with progress in their negotiations with the government over their next collective agreement.
In September, the 5,700 members of the Association des policières et policiers provinciaux du Québec (APPQ) rejected by nearly 60 per cent the agreement in principle reached with the Treasury Board. The agreement provided for wage increases of 21 per cent over five years.
In a press release, the union said it had met with the employer on Oct. 13 to put forward its "demands for a new agreement in principle."
It was not satisfied with the response it received on Wednesday.
At the meeting, the government was unable to demonstrate its willingness to reach an agreement by improving on the first agreement, which was rejected by the members.
"The APPQ demands following the rejection of the first agreement in principle remain without a favourable response for the time being," explained APPQ president Jacques Painchaud in writing. "Given the situation, we, unfortunately, have no choice but to resort to a means of visibility that conveys a message of dissatisfaction."
Wearing coloured pants is a pressure tactic that has often been used by police officers to express their dissatisfaction during negotiations. The provincial government, then led by the Liberals, passed a law to ban them in 2017, but it was struck down by the Superior Court last summer.
The SQ police officers' employment contract expired on March 31, 2022.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 6, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
LIVE UPDATES Critical infrastructure 'successfully protected': Jasper park officials
Jasper National Park officials in an update said all critical infrastructure in the townsite has been 'successfully protected, including the hospital, emergency services building, both elementary and junior/senior schools, activity centre and wastewater treatment plant.'
Canadian Olympic Committee removes women's soccer team's head coach over drone scandal
The Canadian Olympic Committee has removed women's national soccer team head coach Bev Priestman over a drone scandal, according to a press release from the organization.
Yukon woman narrowly escapes bear attack, credits hair clip
A woman in Yukon believes her hair clip helped save her during a bear attack.
Prince William's 2023 salary revealed in new report
Newly released financial reports show that William, the Prince of Wales, drew a salary of $42.1 million last fiscal year, his first since inheriting the vast and lucrative Duchy of Cornwall.
'I was just shocked': Jasper lodge owner on seeing property destroyed by wildfire
On Wednesday night, the owner of Maligne Lodge in Jasper, Alta., was shocked to receive a photo of her business engulfed in flames.
Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond likely has Indigenous DNA: report
The Law Society of British Columbia says a DNA test shows a former judge and Order of Canada recipient accused of falsely claiming to be Cree "most likely" has Indigenous heritage.
U.S. authorities have arrested 'El Mayo' Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel
Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of another infamous cartel leader, were arrested by U.S. authorities in Texas on Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department said.
Harris pushes Netanyahu to ease suffering in Gaza: 'I will not be silent'
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris pressured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to help reach a Gaza ceasefire deal that would ease the suffering of Palestinian civilians, striking a tougher tone than President Joe Biden.
'She led it the whole way': 18-year-old B.C. woman leads hikers to safety in Jasper National Park
As fire threatened people in Jasper National Park, Colleen Knull sprung into action.