It was late in 1987, and I was just a few months on the job as a Member’s Assistant in Ottawa for the Member of Parliament for our area – Geoff Wilson.
The Progressive Conservative MP for the constituency Swift Current-Maple Creek-Assiniboia had been consistent in voicing concerns on behalf of his western agricultural district about curtailments in the shipping of wheat and so many other commodities caused by strikes by the grain handlers unions.
On December 11, 1987, Geoff rose in the House of Commons to highlight that 69 grain handlers at the Port of Prince Rupert were then on strike, threatening the reliable movement of 15% of Canada’s export grain. He noted that similar work stoppages at Thunder Bay and the Port of Vancouver had resulted in similar concerns the year before.
He asked his colleagues in the Commons if it was not time to consider federal legislation that would prevent such work stoppages with an essential services designation, and the attendant prescribed alternatives to resolving labour contract negotiations. His was not a rhetorical question. But no such legislation was introduced.
As is the case in the United States, the Canadian transportation sector comes under federal and not provincial jurisdiction, so any such legislation would have to come from Ottawa.
Wilson was back on this same issue again 18 months later. It was June 1, 1989, when he again rose in the House of Commons on behalf of his constituents and, more broadly – Canada’s farmers. He introduced private members Bill C-250, An Act to Amend the Canadian Labour Code (grain handling), which would achieve the end of work stoppages in grain handling.
He raised the issue yet again later that year when a grain handlers strike at the St. Lawrence Seaway curtailed “some 1 million tonnes of grain bound for export… being held thereby tarnishing Canada’s reputation abroad and hurting our producers at home.”
Canada is such an expansive country in which we grow and produce things that are, more often than not – at a great distance from the port. Our economy is existentially dependent on exports. Being a reliable shipper of not just ag products but so many other commodities is paramount.
Make no mistake about it – the reliability of our export supply is a huge issue for North American agriculture. Our customers depend on it and our producers will suffer the consequences if those buying countries opt for more reliable suppliers.
This is exactly what happened in Canada in 2014. Though not caused by any strikes or lockouts at the ports, a backlog in the rail sector was causing the same kinds of problems for timely agriculture shipments from Canada that prolonged worker stoppages can cause. The backlog mimicked, for the purposes of this discussion, the effects of a strike on our grain movement and export.
And lest there be any doubt that export and shipment reliability is not crucial to our sector, consider that the so-called Great Canadian Grain Logistics Crisis caused Canada’s long-time grain customer Japan to switch grain imports to other countries.
Canada is such an expansive country in which we grow and produce things that are, more often than not – at a great distance from the port. Our economy is existentially dependent on exports. Being a reliable shipper of not just ag products but so many other commodities is paramount.
As I write this, the federal government has announced it will use back-to-work legislation to force binding arbitration to end another looming rail strike/lockout in Canada. This seems to me that the uncertainty of whether any federal government might ad hoc such an end to a potential work stoppage helps make the case for permanent essential services designation for this sector.
Geoff Wilson MP said it 35 years ago. Surely, it is time to consider alternatives to strikes and lockouts in the transportation sector.
BRAD WALL was the 14th Premier of Saskatchewan. He is the Principal of Flying W Consulting, a partner in the CW Cattle Co. Ltd, and serves on various private, public, and non-profit boards. In addition, Mr. Wall is also a valued advisor to the North American Equipment Dealers Association.
