Minister O’Regan appoints Industrial Inquiry Commission on longshoring disputes at Canada’s West Coast ports

April 22, 2024   Gatineau, Quebec        Employment and Social Development Canada

The Government of Canada believes in collective bargaining. We believe that the best deals are made at the table. It can be tough, messy work. But it's how we deliver stability and certainty in our supply chains.

Disputes, including strikes and lockouts, are a part of that process. This past summer, however, Canadians experienced an economic disruption that no single dispute should be responsible for. Our ports are vital to our supply chains, and the scale of the disruption was a burden on the many businesses and workers that depend on them. They deserve long-term solutions. They deserve answers.

Today, Minister of Labour Seamus O’Regan Jr. announced the appointment of an Industrial Inquiry Commission on the underlying issues in longshoring labour disputes at Canada’s West Coast ports. The Commission will be chaired by Vincent Ready and will include Amanda Rogers as a Member of the Commission. The Commission will soon begin meeting with stakeholders and reviewing consultation submissions from relevant parties. The Commission will present its findings and recommendations in a report to the Minister in Spring 2025.

As a seasoned mediator and arbitrator, Vincent L. Ready began his career in labour relations in 1965 and has served in his private practice since 1982. He practices in every province and territory across Canada and has case experience in employment, labour/unions, and workplace rights. Throughout his career, he has mediated or arbitrated over 7000 labour and commercial disputes in Canada and is named in over 600 collective agreements. He has facilitated the establishment of new workplace relationships in various industries and is a member of the Arbitrators Association of British Columbia and the Register of Arbitrators under the British Columbia Labour Relations Code. He was awarded the W.P. Kelly Award for Lifetime Achievement as a Labour Mediator and the Bora Laskin Award for his contributions to Canadian labour law.

Amanda Rogers is an arbitrator, mediator, and lawyer who specializes in resolving workplace disputes. She has been appointed as an arbitrator across Canada, including in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and under federal jurisdiction, publishing numerous decisions and settling many cases through mediation. Amanda is on the roster of arbitrators in BC and is named in numerous collective agreements across the country. She also acts as an external adjudicator for the Canada Industrial Relations Board. Amanda has previously been appointed as an Industrial Inquiry Commissioner for the Government of British Columbia, publishing a report with recommendations on changes to union successorship rights in BC’s forest industry. She has also worked as Independent Reviewer for the Government of Yukon. Amanda has a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Juris Doctor (JD) from University of Toronto and a Master of Laws (LLM) in Dispute Resolution from Osgoode Hall Law School.

The goal of this Inquiry is stability. Canada is a reliable trading partner to the world. That is a good thing for every employer and worker in this country. But our credibility depends on the stable operation of our supply chains. We must do everything we can to preserve that stability.