Workers back on the job at noon after CP Rail and union agree to final arbitration
Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. and the union representing 3,000 conductors, engineers and train and yard workers say they have agreed to final and binding arbitration to end a work stoppage. Workers will return to the job at noon local time today. In a statement issued early this morning, Teamsters Canada Rail Conference spokesperson Dave Fulton said while arbitration was not the preferred method, TCRC was able to negotiate terms and conditions that were in the best interest of its members, with wages and pensions still stumbling blocks. He noted the decision to agree to final and binding arbitration was not taken lightly. CP President and CEO Keith Creel said in a statement the railway company is pleased to have reached the agreement to enter into binding arbitration, enabling it “to resume our essential services for our customers and the North American supply chain.” The statement added CP will immediately begin working with customers to resume normal train operations across Canada as soon as possible. The two sides had been meeting in Calgary with the help of federal mediators.
Atlantic premiers adopt wait-and-see approach on changing to permanent daylight time
Atlantic Canada’s premiers are holding off on any move toward permanent daylight time until they see what neighbouring jurisdictions do. Speaking to reporters on Monday following their first in-person meeting since the start of the pandemic, the premiers said it doesn’t make sense at this point to make the time change on their own. The issue was on the premiers’ agenda because the United States Senate unanimously approved a bill last week that would make daylight time permanent across that country in 2023. The bill still needs approval from the House of Representatives. New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs said any potential change in Atlantic Canada this year is “probably unlikely.” The premiers of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, P.E.I. and Newfoundland and Labrador said Monday they also discussed the idea of a regional approach to health care and of reviving a previous push to harmonize licensing requirements to allow easier movement between the four provinces by health professionals. The premiers also met with Dominic LeBlanc, federal Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, and Sean Fraser, federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to discuss shared priorities, including clean energy, healthcare and immigration.
Lionel Desmond inquiry focuses on police initiatives around intimate partner violence
The Nova Scotia inquiry investigating why a former soldier killed himself and his family in 2017 heard Monday from a government official about the standards police use to handle cases of intimate partner violence. Sharon Flanagan, a senior adviser with the policing and public safety division of the provincial Justice Department, is responsible for providing training and auditing for the province’s 10 municipal police agencies. She provided the inquiry with a detailed look at how she works with police agencies, including the RCMP, to ensure they are complying with best practices when it comes to investigating cases of domestic violence. Flanagan said she routinely hears from police agencies looking for more training regarding mental health and intimate partner violence. The Lionel Desmond inquiry has set aside another day of hearings today.
Trudeau, Singh to address media following reports Liberals, NDP reach tentative deal***Updated***10:30am
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Liberals have reached an agreement that would see the New Democrats support his minority government through to 2025. Trudeau says the deal is a “confidence and supply” agreement and it takes effect today. This kind of agreement, which is a version of the deal the B.C. NDP struck with the Greens in that province in 2017, generally involves an opposition party agreeing to support the government on confidence motions and budget or appropriation votes for a certain period of time. Trudeau says it is about focusing on what each party agrees on, rather than disagrees on, and adds that will include action on areas such as dental care, climate change, housing and paid sick leave. The prime minister says Canadians delivered a mandate to MPs to work together in the 2021 election, where the Liberals failed to win a majority of seats. The Liberals currently hold 159 of the 338 seats in the House of Commons, while the NDP has 25 MPs.
(The Canadian Press)
The public is invited to attend the Aberdeen Health Foundation Annual General Meeting and the Virtual Grand Opening of the Aberdeen Hospital’s Recovery Support Centre this Thursday (March 24, 2022). The Foundation says this will be an opportunity to view the space, learn about the service and see how it fits with the overall model of care available to people in the community taking steps towards their recovery. The AGM and virtual tour will take place online starting at 6:30 pm here: aberdeenhealthfoundation.ca/AGM2022
