Mr. Speaker, I also think this special legislation is necessary, since it is patently clear that the two sides cannot and will not reach a agreement.
Many postal workers themselves are fed up with this drawn out dispute. Many of them welcome this legislation because, let us be honest, postal workers too are affected financially by this strike. They will also tell you that the union is asking for too much in the present economic context
In this regard, a recent article in Les Affaires stated that the issue in the postal dispute is the flexibility Canada Post must have to become competitive and not pass on unwarranted costs to its clients.
This article also quotes Gordon Ritchie, former deputy chief negotiator for NAFTA, as saying that the collective agreement of Canada Post employees is probably the least competitive and most ineffective, bar none, of its kind in North America.
Does the member for Abitibi agree with this statement by the former deputy chief negotiator for NAFTA?