Mr. Speaker, my colleague spoke very passionately about the rights of workers and he focused exclusively on the rights of the workers of one company. The reality is the Minister of Labour has given CN management and the union enough time to resolve this dispute themselves. He has stepped in at the last minute, at a time when he has to step in, so they do not cause some serious damage to the economy.
We already lost $1 billion and that affected workers in hundreds of other industries across the country. My colleague named the other industries.
Another industry is the auto industry. One in seven jobs in the country is tied to the auto industry. As the member from Ontario should know, the auto industry operates on just in time delivery. It relies on CN and CP and other trains to get its goods just in time. Sarnia in Ontario is affected as well. Industries out west are affected.
The chemical products industry and the plastics industry rely upon the train system. Those workers and their families depend on the train system. The forestry industry relies upon the rail system for getting products to and from companies.
People working in the retail sector, in which case most are not unionized, are trying to raise their families on a smaller income. These families rely upon the rail sector to get their goods to and from their sectors. Food and consumer product industries as well as the textile and apparel industry are affected.
As was mentioned earlier, farmers depend on the rail system.
The fact is the NDP, with its actions tonight and by listening to one union, is ignoring the rights of thousands of workers across the country. That is why this government is acting. That is why the NDP is dead wrong on this bill and this issue.