Bill C-29 (Historical)

Port of Montreal Operations Act, 2021

An Act to provide for the resumption and continuation of operations at the Port of Montreal

This bill is from the 43rd Parliament, 2nd session, which ended in August 2021.

Sponsor

Filomena Tassi Liberal

Status

This bill has received Royal Assent and is now law.

Summary

This is from the published bill.

This enactment provides for the resumption and continuation of operations at the Port of Montreal and imposes mediation as the process for resolving matters remaining in dispute between the parties. It empowers the mediator-arbitrator to impose arbitration as the process for resolving matters that cannot be resolved through mediation. Finally, it sets out the elements that are to be included in the new collective agreement between the parties.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Bill numbers are reused for different bills each new session. Perhaps you were looking for one of these other C-29s:

C-29 (2022) Law National Council for Reconciliation Act

C-29 (2016) Law Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2

C-29 (2014) Law Appropriation Act No. 1, 2014-15

C-29 (2011) Law Appropriation Act No. 3, 2011-12

Votes

April 29, 2021 Passed 2nd reading of Bill C-29, An Act to provide for the resumption and continuation of operations at the Port of Montreal

Debate Summary

This is a computer-generated summary of the speeches below. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.

Bill C-29 mandates the resumption of operations at the Port of Montreal and enforces a mediation-arbitration process to resolve the labor dispute between the union and employers.

Liberal

Strike harms economy: The Port of Montreal strike is causing significant harm to Canada's economy, disrupting supply chains, impacting businesses, and jeopardizing thousands of jobs across various sectors.
Support for negotiation: The government strongly supports free and collective bargaining and has provided extensive federal mediation support for over two and a half years, but the parties remain unable to find common ground.
Legislation is last resort: The government does not take back-to-work legislation lightly, viewing it only as a necessary last resort given the significant and long-standing impasse and the severe economic consequences.
Bill ends strike: The legislation orders an immediate end to the work stoppage, ensures resumption of port operations, and establishes a neutral mediation-arbitration process to resolve outstanding issues and create a new collective agreement.

Conservative

Government failure led to crisis: Conservatives criticize the government for delaying and mismanaging the Port of Montreal dispute, leading to another supply chain crisis and the need for legislation.
Port critical to economy: The Port of Montreal is essential for Canada's economy and supply chains, handling billions in cargo and supporting thousands of jobs across the country.
Support back-to-work bill: While blaming the government for the situation, Conservatives support the back-to-work legislation as necessary to end the strike and protect the economy.

NDP

Oppose back-to-work legislation: The NDP strongly opposes the bill, viewing it as a disgraceful violation of workers' fundamental constitutional right to strike and collective bargaining.
Government sides with employer: The party argues the government is not neutral but has sided with the employer, undermining the balance of power in negotiations by threatening and introducing legislation.
Focus on work schedules: The core dispute is about work schedules and achieving work-life balance, not pay or port finances, and the union offered to end action if the employer stopped pressure tactics.
Employer negotiating in bad faith: The employer is accused of negotiating in bad faith and waiting for the bill to pass, showing no interest in finding a negotiated solution with the union.

Bloc

Opposes back-to-work bill: The Bloc opposes the bill, calling it inappropriate and an extreme solution that violates fundamental rights to strike and bargain, arguing the government failed to resolve the dispute sooner.
Employer caused strike: The strike was triggered by the employer's unilateral changes to schedules during negotiations. The union offered to return to work if this measure was reversed.
Government sides with employer: The government sided with the employer by signalling special legislation early, undermining negotiations, and refusing to force the employer to retract unilateral schedule changes.
Defends right to strike: The Bloc defends the fundamental right to strike and collective bargaining, protected by the Charter and Supreme Court, arguing the bill undermines these rights.

Green

Opposes back-to-work legislation: The Green Party will never support back-to-work legislation, including this bill forcing Montreal longshoremen back to work.
Bill violates right to strike: Members argue that forcing workers back to work violates their constitutional right to strike, especially regrettable on the National Day of Mourning.
Stands with longshoremen union: The party stands in solidarity with the Syndicat des débardeurs, believing the employer provoked the strike through unilateral actions.
Undermines workers' rights: This legislation is a bad decision that strikes at the heart of collective bargaining and hurts every worker across the country.

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Port of Montreal Operations Act, 2021Government Orders

April 29th, 2021 / 1:25 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker Bruce Stanton

It being 1:25 a.m., pursuant to order made earlier today, it is my duty to interrupt the proceedings and put forthwith all questions necessary to dispose of the second reading stage of the bill now before the House.

The motion is as follows.

That Bill C-29, An Act to provide for the resumption and continuation of operations at the Port of Montreal, be read the second time and referred to a committee of the whole.

If a member of a recognized party present in the House wishes to request either a recorded division or that the motion be adopted on division, I would invite them to rise and indicate it to the Chair.

The hon. member for London—Fanshawe.

Port of Montreal Operations Act, 2021Government Orders

April 29th, 2021 / 1:25 a.m.

NDP

Lindsay Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

Mr. Speaker, we ask for a recorded vote.

Port of Montreal Operations Act, 2021Government Orders

April 29th, 2021 / 1:25 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker Bruce Stanton

Call in the members.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #102

Port of Montreal Operations Act, 2021Government Orders

April 29th, 2021 / 1:55 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker Bruce Stanton

I declare the motion carried.

Accordingly, the bill stands referred to the committee of the whole.

Pursuant to order made earlier today, Bill C-29, an act to provide for the resumption and continuation of operations at the Port of Montreal, is deemed considered in committee of the whole, deemed reported with amendment, deemed concurred in at report stage as amended, and deemed read a third time and passed.

(Bill read the second time, considered in committee, reported, concurred in, read the third time and passed)

Port of Montreal Operations Act, 2021Government Orders

April 29th, 2021 / 1:55 a.m.

The Deputy Speaker Bruce Stanton

Pursuant to an order made earlier today, the House stands adjourned until later this day at 10 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 1:56 a.m.)