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OTTAWA — As the federal government prepares back-to-work legislation, Ottawa MPs from both the NDP and the Liberals say they will support the move to end the 51-day strike by OC Transpo workers.
Ottawa Centre New Democrat MP Paul Dewar on Thursday said he will back the bill the if the city and Amalgamated Transit Union do not quickly agree to arbitration to end the labour disruption.
“What has to happen is both parties, both the union and city, decide that they want to actually solve this and appoint arbitrators," he said.
“If they’re not willing to do that, then there’s another way to do that, that’s in this place right here,” he said, gesturing to the House of Commons chamber behind him.
If the two sides can’t agree on arbitration, it will be ordered by Parliament with his support, he said.
“This is not an inconvenience. We’ve got a full-blown crisis.”
Mr. Dewar said he believes the ATU is willing to agree to arbitration and he called on Ottawa Mayor Larry O’Brien to also agree.
“It’s up to him right now.”
He said it would take a couple of days to bring legislation forward and stressed that an agreement to go to arbitration is still a better solution.
The Liberals were more emphatic, saying the time has come for the federal government to impose legislation immediately.
Ottawa South Liberal MP David McGuinty called on Labour Minister Rona Ambrose to introduce the legislation as soon as possible.
“I hope it comes as soon as possible — yesterday. This should have been dealt with three weeks ago,” he said.
Mr. McGuinty said it was unfair that the Ontario government legislated an end to a strike by Toronto Transit Commission operators within 72 hours, while the federal government treats people in the national capital region like “second-class citizens.”
Unlike the TTC, OC Transpo is regulated by the federal government because some of its bus routes cross the provincial boundary into Quebec.
“The well-being of the citizens, in my view, have to take precedence over the right to collective bargaining,” Mr. McGuinty said. He said both sides in the labour dispute have lost perspective and it’s time for the federal government to intervene.
“There is just too much suffering and too much cost. We have got to get these buses rolling.”
Their comments come in advance of an emergency debate on the transit strike in the House of Commons, scheduled for Thursday night.
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa Centre New Democrat MP Paul Dewar on Thursday said he will back the bill the if the city and Amalgamated Transit Union do not quickly agree to arbitration to end the labour disruption.
“What has to happen is both parties, both the union and city, decide that they want to actually solve this and appoint arbitrators," he said.
“If they’re not willing to do that, then there’s another way to do that, that’s in this place right here,” he said, gesturing to the House of Commons chamber behind him.
If the two sides can’t agree on arbitration, it will be ordered by Parliament with his support, he said.
“This is not an inconvenience. We’ve got a full-blown crisis.”
Mr. Dewar said he believes the ATU is willing to agree to arbitration and he called on Ottawa Mayor Larry O’Brien to also agree.
“It’s up to him right now.”
He said it would take a couple of days to bring legislation forward and stressed that an agreement to go to arbitration is still a better solution.
The Liberals were more emphatic, saying the time has come for the federal government to impose legislation immediately.
Ottawa South Liberal MP David McGuinty called on Labour Minister Rona Ambrose to introduce the legislation as soon as possible.
“I hope it comes as soon as possible — yesterday. This should have been dealt with three weeks ago,” he said.
Mr. McGuinty said it was unfair that the Ontario government legislated an end to a strike by Toronto Transit Commission operators within 72 hours, while the federal government treats people in the national capital region like “second-class citizens.”
Unlike the TTC, OC Transpo is regulated by the federal government because some of its bus routes cross the provincial boundary into Quebec.
“The well-being of the citizens, in my view, have to take precedence over the right to collective bargaining,” Mr. McGuinty said. He said both sides in the labour dispute have lost perspective and it’s time for the federal government to intervene.
“There is just too much suffering and too much cost. We have got to get these buses rolling.”
Their comments come in advance of an emergency debate on the transit strike in the House of Commons, scheduled for Thursday night.
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen
