Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers have been holding rotating strikes since October 22 to back their contract demands, causing massive backlogs of unsorted mail and packages at postal depots. Thousands of workers have stopped processing and delivering mail for a day at a time in communities across the country for the past five weeks. In an effort to resolve this labour dispute, Trudeau’s government has reappointed mediator Morton Mitchnick to aid in coming to a collective agreement. He also introduced back-to-work legislation that could force striking Canada Post employees to put down their picket signs. Critics complain that the move undermines the collective-bargaining process just one day after Mitchnick resumed efforts to break the impasse between the Crown corporation and its 50,000 employees. Introducing back-to-work legislation while mediation is under way guarantees that Canada Post will not bargain in good faith, New Democrat MP Daniel Blaikie said. Labour Minister Patty Hajdu dismissed that notion: “We are not debating this legislation today because we still believe that Canada Post and CUPW can get a deal. This ongoing work stoppage has had significant negative impacts on Canadians, businesses, international commerce, Canada Post, its workers and their families. With Canadians and Canadian businesses feeling serious impacts, our government is prepared to legislate a path forward to keep goods moving.”