Ottawa could move to force CP Rail strikers back to work as early as Monday

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OTTAWA, Ont. —  Talks between Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd and its striking locomotive engineers and conductors failed to reach a deal this weekend and the Harper government may move to introduce back-to-work legislation as early as Monday, Canadian Press reports.

About  4,800 CP Rail workers have been on strike since Wednesday but talks had continued in hopes of reaching a deal that would end the strike. The two parties, however, confirmed that with the talks breaking off on Sunday there is little hope of negotiations resuming.

 “With the mediator withdrawing and the federal minister releasing the parties this afternoon, the legislative process can now commence,” said Ed Greenberg, a spokesperson for CP Rail.

Earlier in the day, Labour Minister Lisa Raitt said she still hoped the parties could agree on a process that would end the strike, but said she would not wait long for that to happen.

Raitt said government officials have been talking with impacted industries, farmers and the mining sector, and the reports are that the strike is “starting to actually affect their operations.”

“That’s the kind of national economic significance we are looking for in order to intervene,” she told CTV’s Question Period.

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  • This anti labor government is taking everyone’s rights away in this country. No more unions will be allowed to go on strike. With the changes to the EI coming people will see poverty like they have never seen in Canada Before. And Crime rates will soar. This is a dictator government and i hope the people will see it in the next election Unless Harper like Gaddafi refuses to leave Ottawa and rules forever. Wake up Canada