Canada's freight train shutdown to end as government orders arbitration of labor dispute

Freight trains in Canada were expected to roll again soon after the government forced a contract dispute into arbitration Thursday, averting potentially dire economic consequences for businesses and consumers across the country and in the U.S.

Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon announced the decision to order the arbitration between the country's two major freight railroads — Canadian National and CPKC — and Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, the union representing nearly 10,000 engineers, conductors and dispatchers.

MacKinnon's announcement came moments after The Associated Press broke the news publicly, citing an official familiar with the situation who was not allowed to speak publicly before the announcement.