Labour Minister Steve MacKinnon has rejected the Canadian National Railway Company’s request to intervene in the ongoing labour dispute between the company and the union representing railway employees.
The decision by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s new labour minister comes ahead of a looming lockout and strike that could begin as early as Thursday, Aug. 22.
Industry groups warn a shutdown of Canada’s railways will impact large swaths of Canada’s economy, including agriculture, automotive, manufacturing and construction.
Canada’s international reputation as a reliable trading partner could also be at stake, industry groups warn, noting that Canada’s railways transport over $1B in goods each day and account for half of the country’s exports.
In a letter addressed to CN’s lawyer, MacKinnon said it is the "shared responsibility" of both Canadian National Railway Company (CN) and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) to negotiate in good faith and work diligently towards a new collective agreement.
"I trust that with continued effort, an agreement can be achieved promptly. The government firmly believes in the collective bargaining process and trusts that mutually beneficial agreements are within reach at the bargaining table," wrote MacKinnon.
"To support this process, mediators from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service remain available to work with you to facilitate productive negotiations and help bridge any gaps," wrote MacKinnon.
In a statement provided to CTV News, CN says it is “disappointed” in the government’s decision not to intervene in the labour dispute, but the company is hopeful that the TCRC will "listen to the Minister’s strong message that they must get serious and engage meaningfully at the negotiating table."
"The Minister must reconsider his decision if they don’t," said Jonathan Abecassis, director of media relations at CN.
CN asked the federal government to intervene last week to "protect Canada’s economy from the impacts of prolonged uncertainty," accusing the TCRC of not engaging "meaningfully" at the negotiating table.
"Unless there is immediate and meaningful progress at the negotiating table or binding arbitration, CN will have no choice but to begin a phased and progressive shutdown of its network, starting with embargoes of hazardous goods, which would culminate in a lockout at 00:01 Eastern Time on August 22nd," the company wrote in a statement published last week.
The union, which represents nearly 10,000 workers at CN and the Canadian Pacific Kansas City railway company, said Thursday that it agrees with MacKinnon that "agreements are within reach at the bargaining table."
"The only way forward is for the rail companies to engage in genuine negotiations at the bargaining table, and to back down from their demands for concessions," wrote Teamsters Canada in a statement provided to CTV News.
Paul Boucher, TCRC president, said rail workers have only ever sought a fair agreement.
"Unfortunately, both rail companies are demanding concessions that could tear families apart or jeopardize rail safety. Rail workers have fought for a safer and more humane industry for decades, and we will not accept moving backwards," he added.
CN insists none of its offers on a new collective agreement jeopardize safety, and the company says the union has made no counter-offers. In the event of a full railway network shutdown, CN says "any product coming to, leaving, or moving within Canada on rail will not be transported."
The union says it will provide 72 hours advance notice in the event of any strike action.
Goldy Hyder, president and CEO of the Business Council of Canada, joined with dozens of industry groups and associations across Canada last week in calling on Trudeau and MacKinnon to intervene in the labour dispute.
"A concurrent or sequential work stoppage at both major railways will leave Canadians with access to fewer goods and products, driving up prices and exacerbating affordability challenges. A failure to act swiftly will also put the livelihoods of millions of workers in jeopardy," wrote Hyder, who described the magnitude of the potential disruption as "daunting."
"A disruption to our railway system will have an immediate impact on thousands of businesses from coast to coast and to commuters in several major urban centres," Hyder said. "All of Canada's ports, logistics and warehouse operators, and suppliers will be affected, while a prolonged stoppage will quickly lead to shortages of supplies for numerous industries, forcing businesses to suspend their operations and furlough their employees."
Health Canada says it is 'closely monitoring' the resurgence of mpox cases, after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern on Wednesday. Here's what you need to know about Canada's response to the current outbreak.
Five individuals, including two doctors, have been charged in connection with the 2023 death of actor Matthew Perry, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
An Australian weather presenter who suffered a panic attack on air is using the moment to spread awareness about the mental health problem.
Labour Minister Steve MacKinnon has rejected the Canadian National Railway Company’s request to intervene in the ongoing labour dispute between the company and the union representing railway employees.
An elementary school teacher from B.C.'s Lower Mainland has been handed a two-day suspension for incidents of professional misconduct, which included briefly taping the word 'poop' onto a student's arm.
Holding candles, hundreds of thousands of women marched through the night in cities across India, to protest the brutal rape and murder of a young female doctor in a hospital.
A pair of young filmmakers take aim at Newfoundland’s one-of-a-kind superhero, who patrolled the airwaves of late night television.
Hurricane Ernesto is expected to track 'well south' of Nova Scotia by the time the storm approaches the Atlantic region on Monday, the Canadian Hurricane Centre says.
The chair of the board of regents at Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador has resigned after he was criticized for forwarding a pro-Palestinian campaign email he received from an alumna to her father.
A Barrie man was ordered to appear in person for a contempt of court hearing Wednesday for repeated courtroom outbursts and vulgar language directed toward a female judge.
An elementary school teacher from B.C.'s Lower Mainland has been handed a two-day suspension for incidents of professional misconduct, which included briefly taping the word 'poop' onto a student's arm.
Hurricane Ernesto is expected to track 'well south' of Nova Scotia by the time the storm approaches the Atlantic region on Monday, the Canadian Hurricane Centre says.
Transit police have recovered nearly $100,000 worth of Lululemon merchandise from an alleged theft ring in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.
Taskrabbit cannot be held responsible for the cost of repairing thousands of dollars worth of damage allegedly caused by one of its 'taskers,' according to B.C.'s Civil Resolution Tribunal.
The Canadian government is still calling for an investigation into Israel's destruction nearly a month ago of a large water facility in an area of the Gaza Strip where Ottawa is known for supporting Palestinians.
A Detroit judge who ordered a teenager into jail clothes and handcuffs on a field trip to his courtroom will be off the bench while undergoing 'necessary training,' the court's chief judge said Thursday.
President Joe Biden is still smarting from having been forced to abandon his reelection campaign more than three weeks ago.
Former U.S. president Donald Trump said Thursday he thinks he's 'entitled to personal attacks' on his Democratic rival, saying he's 'very angry' at Vice-President Kamala Harris because of the criminal charges he faces.
A reputed Peruvian gang leader suspected in nearly two dozen killings in his home country was arrested Wednesday in New York by U.S. immigration authorities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that his country's troops had taken full control of Sudzha, the largest Russian town to fall to Ukraine's forces since the start of their cross-border incursion more than a week ago.
Japan's government Thursday ended a weeklong information campaign urging caution and preparedness for a possible 'megaquake,' an earthquake of magnitude 8 strength or higher, striking the Pacific coast.
Labour Minister Steve MacKinnon has rejected the Canadian National Railway Company’s request to intervene in the ongoing labour dispute between the company and the union representing railway employees.
The $18.4 million CBC/Radio-Canada awarded in bonuses to its employees this year is shocking, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet said.
U.S. President Joe Biden has endorsed term limits for Supreme Court justices. Could this be something we see in Canadian courts?
Health Canada says it is 'closely monitoring' the resurgence of mpox cases, after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern on Wednesday. Here's what you need to know about Canada's response to the current outbreak.
An Australian weather presenter who suffered a panic attack on air is using the moment to spread awareness about the mental health problem.
After years of the mpox virus' spread throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a public health emergency of international concern.
The first of four supermoons this year rises next week, providing tantalizing views of Earth’s constant companion.
The Berlin Zoo's newest baby pygmy hippo made her public debut on Thursday, a day after her name — Toni, inspired by German soccer star Antonio Rüdiger — was chosen from more than 20,000 suggestions.
Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms has shut down CrowdTangle, a tool widely used by researchers, watchdog organizations and journalists to monitor social media posts, notably to track how misinformation spreads on the company's platforms.
A pair of young filmmakers take aim at Newfoundland’s one-of-a-kind superhero, who patrolled the airwaves of late night television.
Five individuals, including two doctors, have been charged in connection with the 2023 death of actor Matthew Perry, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The new season of 'Emily in Paris' will have many of the same elements as the first three: daring fashion, flirty romance and workplace drama. One thing that has changed? The lead actor's confidence.
Labour Minister Steve MacKinnon has rejected the Canadian National Railway Company’s request to intervene in the ongoing labour dispute between the company and the union representing railway employees.
Less than two years after it first hit the skies, Canada Jetlines has grounded its planes and ceased operations amid a cash crisis that caused it to become the third Canadian carrier in less than a year to stop flying.
RBC and TD Bank Group have agreed to pay tens of millions of dollars in penalties after being charged by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over recordkeeping violations.
For some it’s the dream: a flight pass around Europe and the Mediterranean. For others, of course, it’s an ecological nightmare.
While the warm weather lingers, some residents are already feeling the spine-tingling in anticipation of Halloween.
China has put together a revised draft law that will make it simpler for couples to register their marriage, while filing for divorce will become tougher, a move that drew scorn from netizens and became a top trending online topic on Thursday.
Canada rugby coach Kingsley Jones is feeling bullish about his team these days.
Canada has risen two spots in the FIBA men's basketball rankings, despite failing to medal at the Paris Olympics.
The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has condemned an anonymous online petition concerning Rachael Gunn – the viral breaker known as Raygun – saying it contains falsehoods about how she was selected to compete at the Paris Games.
Newer vehicles come with a slew of standard safety features that make driving feel safer for teenagers getting behind the wheel.
Saskatchewan is getting $16 million from the federal government to process a rare element.
Mazda is warning approximately 71,000 vehicle owners in Canada who have not yet repaired their cars following seven past safety recalls to urgently have them serviced.
A volunteer firefighter and director of public security for the town of Harrington, northwest of Montreal, made a dramatic rescue of a couple trapped on a flooded roadway during heavy rain.
The Toronto District School Board this week revealed the three graduating Grade 12 students who scored the top averages across all public high schools in the city for the 2023-2024 academic year.
A Nova Scotia resident has been given an award for his selfless actions during a tragedy earlier this year on the other side of the country.
An Ottawa woman has been reunited with her dog after he was stolen nearly a year ago.
Hollywood legend Mark Hamill stopped by a Winnipeg recording studio to do some voice acting work while in the city.
Nathalie Meijer will never forget that night she was leaving a boring college party and happened to meet Juan Lucio, who was doing the same.
The town of Moosomin in eastern Saskatchewan plans to double its population by offering $30,000 cheques to those building a home in the community.
After posting about a recent trip to Jasper, Alta., actor Bryan Cranston heaped more praise on some of Alberta’s other majestic mountain destinations.
Owners and customers of Milano Pizzeria on St. Laurent Blvd. were shocked Sunday morning to find the restaurant had been vandalized.
Police are investigating after a man fell while getting off a transit bus and died suddenly in Surrey, B.C.
Pro-Palestinian protesters who set up an encampment at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, B.C., have been told to pack up within 72 hours.
Taskrabbit cannot be held responsible for the cost of repairing thousands of dollars worth of damage allegedly caused by one of its 'taskers,' according to B.C.'s Civil Resolution Tribunal.
Marineland has been ordered to pay nearly $85,000 in fines and restitution after it was found guilty under Ontario’s animal cruelty laws of three charges related to its care of three black bears.
The Pinball Clemons Foundation has come forward to help a Toronto man who hoped to raise $25,000 for back-to school supplies in his neighbourhood by walking all the way to Niagara Falls, N.Y. while wearing a weighted vest.
A 37-year-old man is facing charges after allegedly taking pictures up women's skirts and dresses at a Shoppers Drug Mart in Burlington on multiple occasions this summer.
Calgary city crews will now be repairing 21 pipe segments on the Bearspaw feeder main later this month – five more than initially thought.
One person is dead following a single-vehicle rollover Thursday morning south of Calgary.
A stand-up paddle boarding competition on the Kananaskis River over the weekend took an unexpected turn for one competitor who leapt into action to save a drowning dog from the river’s raging, icy waters.
Police in eastern Ontario are warning about what they call a multi-layered, door-to-door sales scam targeting vulnerable residents in the area.
Three Ottawa hospitals had some of the longest wait times for a first assessment in an emergency room in June.
Ottawa's new professional women's soccer team will take to the pitch at TD Place next year as the Ottawa Rapid FC.
The man accused of starting the shootout in Dollard-des-Ormeaux on Montreal's West Island renounced his right to a bail hearing in court on Thursday.
Two cases of tuberculosis have been detected at Bordeaux Prison, also known as the Montreal Detention Centre, since the start of summer, according to exclusive reporting by Noovo Info.
Numerous homes across the Greater Montreal Area experienced some level of flooding after the heavy rain last week, and one builder is saying people shouldn't use their basements as live-in spaces.
Larry Thompson was introduced as the new owner of the Edmonton Elks on Thursday.
This year's Edmonton marathon will be the largest in the race's 33-year history.
Three people have been arrested and two are wanted in connection to a string of armed robberies in Fort McMurray this spring.
A new bridge opened in New Brunswick Thursday, replacing the previous bridge connecting two bordering countries for the past century.
The Government of Canada transferred $24 million to New Brunswick under the Canada Community-Building Fund.
An Anglophone middle school opening in Moncton next month will be called Wabanaki School.
Manitoba is officially banning the use of cellphones in classrooms starting this school year.
The University of Winnipeg has finished its investigation into a cyberattack that crippled the school this spring, and found more people may have been impacted.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a global health emergency for the second time in two years on Wednesday.
Saskatchewan RCMP have confirmed the identity of human remains that were found near Moose Jaw in April.
While not as dire as in other provinces, those in Saskatchewan should expect above average wildfire activity for the remainder of the year.
Regina Food Bank celebrated the grand opening of their new community food hub Thursday.
An arrest has been made in the random attack and attempted abduction of Wellesley, Ont. woman.
Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development and the MPP for Kitchener-Conestoga are expressing their disappointment with how a contentious land assembly process has been handled in Wilmot Township.
Residents in Waterloo Region are being asked to conserve water for approximately one week while an important water pipe is repaired.
A Saskatoon non-profit that helped at-risk youth through art and employment opportunities has closed its doors.
Saskatchewan is getting $16 million from the federal government to process a rare element.
If you use soft plastic fishing lures when spending a day on the water, you might want to change it up.
Five individuals, including two doctors, have been charged in connection with the 2023 death of actor Matthew Perry, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The downtown Sudbury mall now known as Elm Place received approval this week for a rezoning application to allow the mall to convert some retail space into warehouse, distribution and commercial self-storage facilities.
Ontario Provincial Police in Atikokan are investigating a suspicious residential fire.
Sarnia Police have arrested one person following a reported assault near the intersection of Indian Road North and Exmouth Street. Multiple witnesses told CTV News London they were woken up by screaming and yelling shortly before 7 a.m.
A fire has displaced residents of a multi-unit century home in Sarnia.
A developer has sparked the ire of London city councillors after clear-cutting a woodlot in the city’s east end before getting a green light to expand a storage facility on the property.
Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall is using his strong mayor powers for the first time in relation to one of the most contentious issues he's' faced during his nearly two years in office.
Police in Barrie have ended their search for a young boy nearly three hours after he was reported missing on Thursday.
Nearly one year after a fatal assault on beloved community member and restauranteur Sharif Rahman, Owen Sound police announced a significant development in the homicide investigation.
With the return to the classroom just around the corner, the United Way Centraide Windsor-Essex Chatham-Kent will soon be handing out hundreds of backpacks filled with school supplies to registered families in need in in the region.
A 41-year-old contractor has been charged with defrauding homeowners out of nearly $600,000.
Windsor police have charged two suspects with sexual assault, forcible confinement, and uttering threats after an investigation in Amherstburg.
Pro-Palestinian protesters who set up an encampment at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, B.C., have been told to pack up within 72 hours.
The one-day suspension of a Victoria firefighter has erupted into a political firestorm after a Conservative Party of B.C. candidate accused the B.C. premier and the city's mayor of involvement in the disciplinary decision.
The leader of the B.C. Conservatives sat down with Jordan Peterson for a podcast interview Thursday.
Thieves in B.C.'s Okanagan recently made off with an enclosed trailer containing a classic muscle car, local police say.
A former leadership rival to BC United Leader Kevin Falcon is joining John Rustad's British Columbia Conservatives to run in Kelowna in the fall election.
Animal protection officers have seized 32 Pomeranian dogs and puppies from an "irresponsible breeder" in Vernon, the BC SPCA announced Tuesday.
The grandparent scam is making the rounds again in southern Alberta.
A retired University of Lethbridge professor is being recognized by having a newly-discovered aquatic parasite named after him.
A couple from Drumheller says they discovered they won the lottery while preparing to go golfing.
Ontario Provincial Police in Atikokan are investigating a suspicious residential fire.
Algoma Steel reported a first-quarter loss of $12.5 million this week, compared to an income of $164.3 million the same quarter a year earlier.
A coroner's inquest into the death of an Indigenous woman in northern Ontario is expected to come to a close Thursday.
A pair of young filmmakers take aim at Newfoundland’s one-of-a-kind superhero, who patrolled the airwaves of late night television.
The chair of the board of regents at Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador has resigned after he was criticized for forwarding a pro-Palestinian campaign email he received from an alumna to her father.
A first-of-its-kind fashion series is running until Aug. 12 in St. John's, N.L.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
