Madam Speaker, on March 3 I asked a question of the Minister of Labour concerning what was then an impending strike at CP Rail. I asked what action the minister planned to take to ensure a continuation of negotiations, thereby avoiding a potentially bitter, long labour-management dispute.
In his response, the parliamentary secretary to the minister stated that his government would simply leave matters to the collective bargaining process. However, in the time that has passed since I first raised my question, strikes and lockouts have occurred throughout Canada escalating to the point yesterday of a complete withdrawal of services by the 3,200 member Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees.
So far the work disruptions involve only the members of that union. However, the other key player, the 4,000 member Canadian Auto Workers union, is prepared to take strike action anytime after March 15, which of course is tomorrow.
The potential consequences of the ongoing labour dispute between the railways and the unions are enormous. To complicate the situation, 405 members of the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union in the British Columbia ports have walked off the job, paralysing the movement of goods in western Canada.
It is imperative the government take quick and decisive action to halt the further disruption of our transportation routes. The fragile Canadian economy simply cannot withstand a blow like this. The uninterrupted operation of our transportation system is an essential element of our economic recovery. No one can dispute that.
More important, when examining the economic implications of a strike, we have to consider the bottom line. Here nobody wins. Too many people are harmed by needless strikes and lockouts. It is simply reprehensible to expose Canadians to more of this kind of nonsense.
Negotiations between CP Rail and the two unions in question have been ongoing for some 15 months. It would appear that neither side is truly serious about arriving at a new contract. If the resolve were there, surely the differences would have been settled peacefully and promptly by now.
Simply suggesting that the two sides continue the collective bargaining process is unsatisfactory. In the meantime, while they continue talks for who knows how long, countless numbers of people will be hurt by a dispute for which they are not responsible.
For this reason, the federal government must now step into this dispute with back to work legislation. This legislation should include a 30-day cooling off period during which meaningful negotiations could take place.
As the work disruption drags on it appears obvious that the government is stalling for time while it drafts anti-scab legislation. A cop-out like that is unacceptable.
Canada's railways account for close to 40 per cent of all freight tonnage moved in the country. Whether they be shippers of newsprint, coal or potash, the auto industry or western grain farmers, importers, exporters and manufacturers they must be assured that they have a reliable method of getting their products to market. Otherwise those markets will dry up.
Foreign buyers need suppliers they can count on. If they cannot rely on the Canadian market they will simply go elsewhere.
Aside from the direct impact of rail stoppages there is immeasurable harm resulting from what is known as the domino effect. Industries which cannot obtain parts or ship their goods will have to shut down production and lay off employees. The longer the government allows this situation to go on, the more far reaching the impact will be on Canadians from coast to coast. This means less revenue for the cash starved federal treasury.