I will begin by recalling the rail strike.
This is something I remember very clearly, because I was opposition critic at the time. I remember that we did not have an easy time of it with western members. But what did we say back then? We said that the labour code was there for these workers. I said:
“If the Canadian economy cannot afford the Canadian Labour Code then change it”.
What happened was that the code was changed. As far as I know, workers were in agreement with these provisions. There was agreement on the essential services provisions.
The problem with this public service legislation is that it does not have the same provisions. I do not know exactly why these people are unhappy. We are told that 70 workers are involved. One thing is certain and that is that they cannot strike without substantial support. I wonder if the reason for this support is not precisely because they have been without increases for a long time, on top of the cost of living in the west, the flourishing businesses and so on?
If there was discontent, as there was a few years ago, I would imagine that ways would have been found to make their strike less frequent.
It is certainly not by taking the sort of action now being taken that the problem will be resolved for the next time around. It will only come back.
And that says nothing about how people who think they have been forced back to work unfairly will feel.