Canada's labour minister, Kellie Leitch, has given notice it will legislate rail workers back to work if they go on strike, saying a labour disruption would hurt the economy.
"Our economy must be protected, our products must reach markets and our jobs must be preserved," Leitch told a press conference yesterday.
Her remarks came after the Teamsters union -- representing some 3,000 workers at Canadian National Railway, or CN -- gave 72 hours strike notice.
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The Conservative government, she said, intends to introduce legislation to ensure that "CN stays on track."
Strike notice was given after CN workers rejected a tentative labour contract reached last fall.
Leitch estimated the cost of a railway strike to the Canadian economy would top Canadian 450 million dollars per week.
Ottawa previously intervened to also prevent or end work stoppages at Air Canada and at Canadian Pacific Railway in 2012.
