Rail shutdown likely as labour minister says ‘significant issues’ remain

Canada’s labour minister said late Wednesday that “significant issues” remain in negotiations between the country’s two main rail companies and unions, making a nationwide rail shutdown almost certain.

Labour Minister Steve MacKinnon spoke to Global News in Calgary following a meeting with representatives of the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, a day after he sat down with Canadian National and its union chapter in Montreal to urge all…