I'll wrap up.
Second, it eliminates arbitration unless 80% of employees are designated essential, and therefore it potentially eviscerates any meaningful right to bargain.
Third, even where 80% are designated, arbitration boards are to give preponderant weight to the government-stated budgetary policy.
I'm sure in the questions I'll have time to talk about the international case law on this and the Supreme Court of Canada's view.
Let me conclude by simply saying that, ironically, just two years ago, Parliament received the report of the five-year review, and after receiving broad input from stakeholders and experts, it concluded, when it came to the current collective bargaining rule, that “generally speaking the legislation adequately supports collaborative labour-management relations”. There was no suggestion from the committee or for that matter from the government itself that a complete and unilateral overhaul was justified, necessary, or appropriate.
I look forward to your questions.