OTTAWA, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Canadian government is threatening to review its commercial relationship with Amazon after the online retail giant decided to close all its distribution centers in Quebec, local media reported Friday.
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne, expressing his strong disappointment, demanded that Amazon "immediately" reconsider the decision, according to the report.
Amazon said that it would cease operations in the French-speaking province over the next two months, turning back to the third-party model it had until 2020 for package deliveries.
As such, at least 1,700 regular employees in Quebec and 250 temporary-seasonal workers would lose their jobs, said the report.
"This is not the way business is done in Canada," said Champagne on his social media account, stating that the "large and sudden layoffs are cause for concern."
Amazon denied that the decision was made following the unionization of 200 employees last spring at one of the warehouses, according to the report. ■
