CANADA GOVERNMENT INTERVENS TO ENDS LABOR LOCKOUTS AT TWO MAJOR PORTS

In an effort to preserve Canada's reputation as a reliable trading partner and mitigate economic losses, Labour Minister Steven Mackinnon has announced that he is directing the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order the resumption of operations at ports in Vancouver and Montreal, which have been locked down by striking workers.

The labour minister's intervention comes after negotiations between port workers and employers reached an impasse. The lockouts, which began last Sunday for workers at the Port of Montreal and on November 4 at the Pacific Coast port in Vancouver, have left $930 million worth of goods stuck in limbo every day.

The Maritime Employers Association had initiated the labor dispute over a final contract offer, but workers rejected it and sought raises of 20% over four years. The maritime employers association has since locked out 1,200 longshore workers at the Port of Montreal and is leading the strike on the West Coast.

"The economic self-destruction that Canadians are prepared to accept is not acceptable," Mackinnon said in a statement. "In this case, there is an obligation to intervene as the labor minister responsible for ensuring a fair and just negotiation between employers and employees."

The labour minister stressed that immediate action was necessary due to high stakes involved, including supply chain disruptions and economic losses.

Mackinnon hopes that operations will be restored in a matter of days. This is not the first time the government has stepped in to resolve labor disputes; it did so successfully last month when workers at two major railways were locked out by employers.