'Issues remain significant' between parties just hours before potential railway stoppage: labour minister

Just hours ahead of an unprecedented railway stoppage in Canada, Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon says issues between the parties involved 'remain significant.'

Just hours ahead of an unprecedented railway stoppage in Canada, Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon says issues between the parties involved "remain significant."

"The parties are still at the table, and we are making sure that they are focused on trying to get a deal," MacKinnon said in an interview with CTV News Channel on Wednesday.

As of 12:01 a.m. EDT Thursday, the Canadian National Railway (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) will start to lockout their workers if they are unable to reach a deal with the Teamsters union, while the union says it is ready to call a strike. This would be the first time Canada's two main railways could have a simultaneous work stoppage.

According to the Railway Association of Canada, affected rails carry more than $1 billion worth of goods each day. More than 32,000 rail commuters in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver will also be impacted if there is a railway stoppage because transit authorities have select commuter lines that run on CPKC tracks.

MacKinnon was in Calgary on Wednesday to meet with CN, CPKC and Teamsters in a bid to push all parties to get a deal done and avoid a massive shutdown.

"The consequences to the country are significant from an economic perspective, and what I wanted to do today was make sure that the voice of those people was heard loud and clear at this negotiating table," MacKinnon said.

In a new statement on Wednesday, CN said "the Minister of Labour must intervene" and stressed the company has "tried to get a deal but a deal is not possible without a willing partner."