Mr. Speaker, it is with great relief that the official opposition learned that the mediator had managed to bring the parties close enough to allow workers to return to work in the port of Montreal. This is an encouraging sign that it will be possible to solve that conflict through negotiations.
If the Minister of Labour had appointed the mediator earlier, the strike might have been avoided or, at the very least, been considerably shorter. The slowness of the minister in this conflict clearly shows that the government neglects the economic interests of Montreal. The success of the mediator should be an inspiration to the Minister of Labour.
Mediation can work when the parties can truly negotiate. It is undemocratic and irresponsible on the minister's part to impose arbitration so quickly in the rail strike and in the Vancouver port conflict, without first giving mediation a chance.