TORONTO – Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Quebec Premier François Legault released the following joint statement in response to the St. Lawrence Seaway strike:
“The labour disruption that has closed the St. Lawrence Seaway is risking significant harm to our economies. Nearly $17 billion in goods were transported through this vital trade corridor last year alone. Businesses and people across the country will soon be feeling the broader impacts if this disruption continues.
We’re pleased that the parties are returning to the table later this week. However, we need all sides to come to an agreement right away. If that doesn’t happen, the federal government needs to use whatever tools it has available to support a resolution that is fair for workers and brings this strike to an end as quickly as possible.
We cannot have a repeat of the B.C. port strike that occurred earlier this year. The economic stakes are too high, with tens of millions of dollars lost every day the seaway continues to be closed. The federal government has a responsibility to act urgently to protect and guarantee our supply chains, including the cross-border movement of essential goods across the Canada-U.S. border.”