Canada shouldn’t need a crisis to resolve a transportation dispute
A familiar pattern has emerged in difficult labour negotiations affecting Canada’s transportation system. Talks become strained. The risk of disruption grows. Businesses begin rerouting cargo and adjusting schedules. By the time a work stoppage is looming or underway, government is left searching for a way to restore certainty.
iPolitics, September 2, 2026, Opinion
A familiar pattern has emerged in difficult labour negotiations affecting Canada’s transportation system. Talks become strained. The risk of disruption grows. Businesses begin rerouting cargo and adjusting schedules. By the time a work stoppage is looming or underway, government is left searching for a way to restore certainty.
The latest developments in Canada-U.S. trade have amplified the urgency of Canada’s push to diversify its trade and build greater resilience at home. Expanding trade relationships is only part of the equation. Our ability to capitalize on those opportunities and protect our ability to trade with global partners depends on a transportation system that can move goods reliably and competitively. That makes the recurring threat of disruption at our major trade gateways harder to ignore.
A familiar pattern has emerged in difficult labour negotiations affecting Canada’s transportation system. Talks become strained. The risk of disruption grows. Businesses begin rerouting cargo and adjusting schedules. By the time a work stoppage is looming or underway, government is left searching for a way to restore certainty.
By that point, we are asking the wrong question. Rather than focusing only on resolution, we should be asking what could have been done earlier to prevent it.
The stakes are significant. Canada’s maritime employers and operators help move more than a quarter of the country’s traded goods. For those working across Canada’s ports and gateways, the consequences of uncertainty can begin well before a work stoppage. Manufacturers, exporters and producers face difficult decisions, while global customers looking for certainty turn to competing routes.
Collective bargaining remains fundamental to Canada’s labour relations system and negotiated agreements should always be the objective. Our current framework does not always give parties enough opportunities to get there before a difficult dispute evolves into a national economic problem.
Stronger mediation is one place to start. A special mediator, brought in once conciliation is underway, could help narrow the issues and give the parties another opportunity to find common ground. If an agreement still cannot be reached, an independent report would bring greater transparency to what remains unresolved and create one final window for bargaining.
Most disputes should end there, with the parties reaching an agreement themselves. For the exceptional cases that threaten nationally significant supply chains, the next step should not have to be designed in the middle of a crisis. A standing mediation arbitration mechanism would give government a predictable backstop while allowing bargaining to continue for as long as a negotiated outcome remains possible. Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code should remain available for circumstances that cannot be anticipated but stronger tools earlier in the process should mean governments need to reach for it less often.
The structure of bargaining itself matters, which is why the Industrial Inquiry Commission’s recommendation for geographic certification at Canada’s West Coast ports deserves action. A more coherent bargaining structure in an integrated waterfront could help reduce recurring instability and bring greater predictability to future bargaining cycles.
Technological change is another example of an issue that does not need to become a source of conflict at the bargaining table. Canada’s ports need to modernize to remain competitive, but that transition also has consequences for the people who work in them. Federal support for retraining and reskilling can help workers adapt as roles evolve and make modernization easier to manage for employers and workers alike.
None of these measures is a silver bullet. Combined, they would put the emphasis back on prevention and earlier resolution.
The federal government’s current review of the Canada Labour Code provides an opportunity to implement those changes. With significant maritime negotiations approaching in the coming months, this is not an abstract policy exercise. The next test is already on the horizon.
As Canada looks to expand its trade opportunities, the reliability of our transportation system matters more than ever. We cannot completely eliminate uncertainty from the global economy, but we can strengthen Canada’s reliability as a trading partner.
The measure of a strong labour relations system is not how quickly government can intervene once a crisis arrives. It is how rarely we need to get there in the first place.
Debbie Murray is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Maritime Group, representing private-sector maritime employers and operators across Canada’s ports and gateways.
Strengthening Transportation Security Clearances for One Canadian Economy
Secure ports are essential to public safety, trusted trade corridors, and the integrity of national supply chains. Our trading partners and potential investors need secure, safe and reliable Canadian supply chains and regulatory frameworks. However, as Transport Canada moves to improve the current system, this legislative and regulatory expansion must form part of a broader security strategy and must not be advanced without the administrative capacity, transparency, procedural safeguards, and transition planning needed to protect operational continuity and access to employment.
Building Canada Strong for All – Powered by Canada’s Workers
On behalf of more than 100 private-sector maritime employers and operators across Canada’s complex, multi-party marine transportation and supply chain system, the National Maritime Group (NMG) welcomes the Government of Canada’s consultation on the modernization of the Canada Labour Code.
National Maritime Group Welcomes Debbie Murray as President and Chief Executive Officer
OTTAWA, ON – June 29, 2026 – (Business Wire) The National Maritime Group (“NMG”) is pleased to announce the appointment of Debbie Murray as President and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”). A seasoned public affairs professional with a strong grasp of, and profile within, the maritime sector; experience balancing the challenges of Canadian market access and policy development within globally regulated sectors; and, success with Canadian government and parliamentary affairs, Murray’s experience and expertise will allow her to effectively engage with stakeholders and advocate on behalf of Canada’s private sector maritime operators and employers.
At a time when Canada is focused on strengthening supply chains, expanding global market access and diversifying trade, Murray will lead NMG’s efforts to advance practical, solutions-oriented policy that supports a strong and competitive maritime sector and contributes to long-term economic growth.
“I am honoured and excited to join the National Maritime Group at such a critical time for Canada’s maritime transportation sector,” said Debbie Murray. “Canada’s private sector maritime employers and operators play a vital role in keeping supply chains moving, supporting jobs and enabling trade. I look forward to working with members and partners across the country to advance policies that strengthen port competitiveness, diversify Canada’s trade opportunities and support sustainable economic growth.”
“Debbie is an exceptional choice to lead the National Maritime Group,” said Rob Mackay-Dunn, Vice President, Government and Public Affairs at the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association. “She brings a strong combination of public affairs leadership, policy expertise and deep knowledge of the maritime sector. Debbie understands the strategic importance of maritime transportation to Canada’s economy, and we are pleased to welcome her as NMG continues to strengthen its national voice on behalf of private sector employers and operators.”
“Debbie’s appointment marks an important and exciting step forward for the National Maritime Group,” said Richard Moore, President & CEO of the Halifax Employers Association. “Her proven ability to lead complex policy files, build trusted relationships and advocate effectively with the government will serve the organization and its members extremely well. We are confident she will help position NMG as a strong national advocate for a more resilient, competitive and growth-oriented maritime sector.”
Murray brings more than 20 years of senior executive experience in public policy, regulatory affairs, governance, communications, advocacy and stakeholder relations. She joins NMG from the Association of Canadian Port Authorities, where she most recently served as Vice President, Government and Industry Affairs, following nearly a decade in senior policy and regulatory leadership roles within the organization. Over the course of her career, she has established deep expertise in maritime transportation, supply chains, trade, sustainability, infrastructure, innovation, human capital policy and stakeholder engagement. Her previous experience also includes senior policy and regulatory responsibilities with the Canadian Shipowners Association, Innovative Medicines Canada, Universities Canada, and The Conference Board of Canada.
About the National Maritime Group
The National Maritime Group (NMG) represents nearly 100 private sector maritime employers and operators from coast to coast and through the St. Lawrence, moving over $790 million worth of cargo daily. More than 213,000 jobs at 14 Canadian ports, across five provinces, depend on coalition member operations.
Our members directly contribute $4.3 billion annually to the national GDP and $8.5 billion in economic output – playing a critical role in ensuring vital imported products make their way to Canadians and crucial Canadian exports make their way around the world.
The National Maritime Group is a collaborative partnership of the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA), Maritime Employers Association (MEA), Halifax Employers Association (HEA) and the Port of Saint John Employers Association (PSJEA). We support Canada’s private sector maritime operators through education and federal solutions-based policy focused on shared priorities such as supply chain stability, advancements of data and technology, investments in trade infrastructure and port competitiveness.
For media inquiries, please contact
Sabine Hawa, Crestview Strategy: Sabine.Hawa@CrestviewStrategy.com
National Maritime Group info@nationalmaritimegroup.ca
NMG submits proposal in advance of Federal Budget 2025
Recommendation 1: That the Government of Canada take immediate actions to increase capital investment in Canadian trade-enabling infrastructure at ports, marine terminals, inland terminals and railways to remain competitive in an ever-evolving, and increasingly uncertain, global marketplace. Economic performance in global supply chains hinges on close coordination between the players – carriers, terminals, railways, truckers, etc. Investment is needed to ensure greater alignment. This investment should prioritize projects where clear business cases exist and where private sector investment is encouraged, to address bottlenecks and build surge capacity. Relevant tax policies should be revisited to incentivize investment. This is a ‘Build Canada’ moment.
Recommendation 2: That the Government of Canada immediately address the recommendations of the Industrial Inquiry Commission on Canada’s West Coast Ports in the upcoming Fall 2025 Budget Implementation Act. These recommendations are the result of a comprehensive report commissioned by the government on the heels of a devastating 13-day strike at west coast ports in July 2023, resulting in an estimated $10 billion cost to Canada in disrupted trade. These changes would assist in securing Canada’s supply chains and help avoid such catastrophic disruptions in the future, providing greater certainty for critical international trade. Further, the changes recommended in the IIC Report – assuming subsequent Canada Labour Code amendments – would provide greater labour stability across the federally-regulated private sector, in other vital supply chain industries such as aviation, courier, rail and telecom.
Recommendation 3: NMG members are proud to directly employ thousands of workers with well-paying, family-supporting jobs. However, labour policies enacted over recent years have diminished labour productivity. This can be reversed. First, by reviewing (and potentially reversing) many of the productivity-dragging changes introduced in the ‘labour’ file over the past decade. Second, by ensuring future legislative and regulatory change requires a productivity lens be applied before any change is introduced. In so doing, government should appoint a permanent representative from the ESDC, Labour Program in residence at the Transport Canada-led Supply Chain Office. Third, by addressing labour shortages in skilled trades through training and upskilling programs, partnering directly with the private sector and working with unions, provinces and trade schools, to nurture the next generation of talent. Fourth, by supporting modernization and technological improvements in the maritime industry through tri-partite collaboration between labour, employers and the federal government.