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Saturday March 10, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Saturday March 10, 2012

Air Canada stoppage during March Break averted

Labour Minister Lisa Raitt has asked the Canadian Industrial Relations Board to investigate Air Canada’s disputes with two of its unions — pilots and ground staff — a move that will buy time to reach agreement and avert a strike and lockout threatened for midnight Sunday.

Raitt told reporters in Ottawa on Thursday that she will ask the board to investigate what a work stoppage would mean to Canadians, based on “health and safety concerns.”

“Air Canada can carry some cargo that is related to the health industry, related to pharmaceuticals, and certainly those kinds of things related to remote communities that, simply put, nobody else flies to because Air Canada has jurisdictional responsibility to fly to certain remote areas,” Raitt told CBC News.

“The other side of it, of course, is passengers and whether or not people rely upon that link to get to life-saving treatments that they need to have in other parts of Canada.”

Referral of the matter to the industrial relations board bars the airline and its unions from undertaking a work stoppage while the board is investigating.

On its website, Air Canada said that there will be no disruption of service and that its full schedule remains unchanged.

“We thank our customers for their patience and loyalty during this time,” the company said. “Customers should continue to book with confidence.”

Raitt said she did not know how long it would take the board to conduct its investigation. (Source: CBC News) 

 

Wednesday June 22, 2011

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Wednesday June 22, 2011 Back-to-work Legislation in the making Canada Post workers are gathering in the heart of Toronto's downtown to rally against the federal government's attempt to force them to go back to work if a contract agreement can't be struck. John Cartwright, the president of Toronto and York region labour council, said he expects hundreds to gather at the rally Wednesday morning at the intersection of Yonge and Dundas streets. In addition to postal workers, workers from every sector of the economy are expected to attend the rush-hour rally at one of the busiest corners in the city. Those people, Cartwright said, are standing up for the next generation of Canadian workers who deserve the same wages and benefits his generation received. As of about 8:30 a.m., more than 100 workers had assembled at Yonge and Dundas, surrounded by loudspeakers and carrying placards emblazoned with slogans like "negotiate not legislate." The rally comes two days after the Conservative government in Ottawa tabled back-to-work legislation. Parliament spent much of the day Tuesday debating the legislation, which would force workers to go back to work should the union, CUPW, and management fail to reach a deal on a new contract. The government hopes to vote on the legislation Thursday. Canada Post locked out workers on June 14, after 12 days of rotating strikes launched by the union. The two sides met for talks on Tuesday (Source: CBC News) http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/no-new-talks-set-for-canada-post-and-union-1.978939 Canada, Stephen Harper, Public service, back-to-work, legislation, majority, Ottawa, Postal, strike, fighter, jet

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday June 22, 2011

Back-to-work Legislation in the making

Canada Post workers are gathering in the heart of Toronto’s downtown to rally against the federal government’s attempt to force them to go back to work if a contract agreement can’t be struck.

John Cartwright, the president of Toronto and York region labour council, said he expects hundreds to gather at the rally Wednesday morning at the intersection of Yonge and Dundas streets.

In addition to postal workers, workers from every sector of the economy are expected to attend the rush-hour rally at one of the busiest corners in the city.

Those people, Cartwright said, are standing up for the next generation of Canadian workers who deserve the same wages and benefits his generation received. As of about 8:30 a.m., more than 100 workers had assembled at Yonge and Dundas, surrounded by loudspeakers and carrying placards emblazoned with slogans like “negotiate not legislate.”

The rally comes two days after the Conservative government in Ottawa tabled back-to-work legislation. Parliament spent much of the day Tuesday debating the legislation, which would force workers to go back to work should the union, CUPW, and management fail to reach a deal on a new contract.

The government hopes to vote on the legislation Thursday.

Canada Post locked out workers on June 14, after 12 days of rotating strikes launched by the union. The two sides met for talks on Tuesday (Source: CBC News)

 

Monday July 19, 2010

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Monday July 19, 2010

Peter MacKay Rejects Criticism of F-35 Jet

Canada’s defense minister rejected suggestions on Friday that the F-35 fighter jet was unnecessarily sophisticated and costly for the country’s relatively small air force.

After confirming that Canada will spend about 9 billion Canadian dollars, or $8.7 billion, to buy 65 F-35s from Lockheed Martin and to cover deployment costs, Peter MacKay said that the Conservative government would not compromise on military equipment.

“This aircraft is the best that we can provide our men and women in uniform and this government is committed to giving them the very best,” Mr. MacKay told a news conference while standing in front of a full-size model of the fighter jet.

The announcement of a multibillion-dollar commitment by the Canadian government should bolster a program that has been plagued with delays and substantial price increases.

Even before the announcement, the purchase had become the source of political controversy. Aside from its cost, which may reach 16 billion Canadian dollars once maintenance and parts contracts are signed, opposition politicians are angry about the lack of a competitive tender process.

On Thursday, the Liberal Party said that it would oppose the purchase. An alliance of opposition parties could stall or block the deal.

“I’m not suggesting that this may not be the best fighter aircraft for the Canadian forces,” said Ujjal Dosanjh, a Liberal member of Parliament responsible for military issues. “But we don’t know that without going through a process.” (The New York Times)