Chris's Posts

By Amy Minsky, Postmedia News

OTTAWA — The NDP says the party is ready to use every trick in the book to delay passage of back-to-work legislation, and help ensure locked-out Canada Post employees have as much time as possible to negotiate a settlement with their managers.

Neither NDP leader Jack Layton nor the party whip, Chris Charlton, offered details on which strategies the party plans to use for a filibuster. But all their MPs have been told to do what they can to get out of their weekend plans, and to not make any new commitments.

Ms. Chris Charlton (Hamilton Mountain, NDP): Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of presenting a petition today that calls on the House of Commons to ban asbestos in all its forms and issue a just transition program for asbestos workers and the communities in which they work.

By Amy Minsky, Postmedia News

OTTAWA — Canada Post and its locked-out employees have until Thursday to reach an agreement before Parliament resumes the battle over — and possibly votes on — the government's plan to force union members back to work.

Clashing management and union members were at the negotiating table Tuesday as parliamentarians wrangled over the implications of the legislation Labour Minister Lisa Raitt introduced one day earlier.

Ms. Chris Charlton (Hamilton Mountain, NDP): Mr. Speaker, today we are being asked to approve a motion that would expedite the passage of back-to-work legislation that was introduced only yesterday.

Ms. Chris Charlton (Hamilton Mountain, NDP): Mr. Speaker, Last Thursday, the justice department sent a threatening letter to USW Local 1005, ordering the steelworkers to cease their information pickets on the Burlington lift bridge.

However, these workers are simply doing what the federal government is refusing to do. They are trying to stop U.S. Steel from taking profits from its Hamilton operations until the federal government’s court case against the company is resolved.