Vancouver-Federal Conservative
Party Labour Critic, Ed Komarnicki, MP today met with parties
involved in the truck strike at the Vancouver Port and called
for the Federal Government to be more actively involved in seeking
resolutions to the dispute.
“This is a confrontation
that has been building for years,” said Komarnicki. “Long
before this strike, the federal government should have, in cooperation
with the BC government, been working towards long-term solutions,
for the sake of both sides in this dispute, and as well, for the
thousands of businesses across Canada that have been affected
by the shutdown of the Port.”
Komarnicki acknowledged the complexity
of the issue, involving approximately 1,200 independent truck
drivers contracting work with 50 – 60 separate shippers
and brokers, with no clear federal or provincial jurisdiction,
which underscores the importance of in-depth participation by
a wide range of stakeholders to resolve the issues.
“The Federal Liberals have
the resources of government and should have been a facilitator
in resolving the many issues facing the stakeholders, long before
this blew up. Instead, the government did nothing for years and,
after the fact, when the problem escalated, they appointed a mediator
who has the unenviable job of resolving what has become a very
angry dispute,” Komarnicki said.
Komarnicki met with officials
from the Port of Vancouver, and members of the Vancouver Container
Trucking Association (VCTA) and has spoken with lawyers and negotiators
from both sides of the dispute. Komarnicki stated, “This
is a complex and multi-layered situation that requires in the
short term a resumption of all port activities, and in the long
term a resolution of the issues faced by shippers, receivers,
truckers and the port.”
“The federal government
must use bring these parties together to ensure that stability
and reliability is brought back to the port. The Conservative
Party has demonstrated its willingness to get involved to resolve
this dispute, its time the federal
Liberals did the same,” said
Komarnicki.
