Federal government to intervene in rail labour dispute, force binding arbitration

Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon is invoking powers under Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to intervene in the labour dispute that has brought Canada's two largest railways to a standstill. Invoking this power will force all parties into binding arbitration.

Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon is invoking powers under Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to intervene in the labour dispute that has brought Canada's two largest railways to a standstill. Invoking this power will force all parties into binding arbitration.

MacKinnon is also asking the board to order the railways to resume operations under the terms of the current collective agreements until new deals are in place, but it’s unclear when operations will resume.

This is a breaking news story. CTV News' previous article is below. More developments to come….

Canada's two biggest railways have ground to an unprecedented halt, and as pressure mounts for federal intervention, Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon will provide an update on the labour dispute

MacKinnon will speak at 4:30 p.m. ET on Parliament Hill and CTV News will carry his comments live.

This comes after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said earlier today that the government would have more to say "shortly" on what it is doing "to make sure that the right solution is found quickly for the economy."

"We're taking it so seriously. The minister is engaged directly. We are not taking this lightly, obviously, because Canadians across the country are worried about it," Trudeau said Thursday in Sherbrooke, Que. in front of a manufacturer that will be impacted if the shutdown continues much longer.