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Bonhomme Carnaval is the cheerful mascot of the Quebec City Winter Carnival. He represents a live snowman and is know for his cavernous voice (unlike many mascots, the one who portrays him is allowed to talk to the people). He is also known for the ceinture fléchée he wears around his waist and for his big red tuque, two traditional Quebecois folkloric garments.
As is the case for Santa Claus there are numerous "bonhommes" running around Québec during the winter period, for there are carnivals in several other cities and towns, or within several institutions in the same city.
Bonhomme made headlines in Quebec outside the context of the Carnival in late 2004. The mascot impersonators and their support crew, roughly twenty people, successfully sought and obtained union accreditation with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union in December. Only days later, negociations over working conditions having failed to advance despite unionization, the entire group of employees quit. This happened only slightly over a month before the 2005 edition of the Carnival, and a replacement crew was hastily assembled. Bonhomme's public appearances resumed in early January.
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