Steven MacKinnon

OTTAWA — Canada’s Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon is intervening to end a work stoppage that saw this country’s two largest railways grind to a standstill Thursday, by forcing the parties into binding arbitration. MacKinnon said he is invoking powers under Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to direct the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to “assist the parties in settling their collective agreements by imposing final binding arbitration.” MacKinnon has also ordered the board to extend the term on the parties’ current collective agreements until new deals are signed, and is calling for operations on both railways to resume “forthwith.” The move has been met with relief from some and sparked condemnation from others. …The unprecedented labour dispute snarled supply chains and complicated commutes for thousands across Canada. …U.S. lawmakers were closely watching the work stoppage on this side of the border, given the impacts to routes linking their goods across the continent.