Repeal Canada Labour Code section 107
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to pass Bill C-247 without amendments to repeal section 107 of the Canada Labour Code, removing ministerial power to direct the CIRB to end strikes.
Why we would sign this petition
- Restores and protects the constitutional right to strike by removing a statutory power used to halt strikes, supporting stronger collective bargaining.
- Prevents unilateral ministerial interventions that petitioners say have ended strikes within hours, increasing democratic accountability in labour relations.
- May help workers secure better wages and working conditions amid rising living costs by reducing government tools that undercut bargaining leverage.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Removing section 107 could reduce the government's ability to respond quickly to severe labour disruptions that harm the public or economy.
- Without a replacement mechanism, authorities might lack tools to protect essential services during strikes, risking public safety or critical infrastructure.
- A narrow repeal could have unintended consequences; some may prefer targeted reforms or safeguards instead of a full repeal.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the Government of Canada Whereas: Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code gives sweeping, undemocratic powers to the Minister responsible for labour relations to violate the right to strike, allowing the Minister to direct the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to do whatever the government subjectively "deems necessary" to "secure industrial peace". Liberal Ministers have interpreted this to mean they can end a strike by simply sending an email; The Government of Canada has repeatedly invoked Section 107 to violate the right to strike and undermine fair collective bargaining, including against striking postal workers, rail workers, port workers and flight attendants. Most recently, the Minister of Jobs and Families invoked Section 107 less than 12 hours after CUPE flight attendants began their strike in opposition to unpaid work; In 2016 the Supreme Court of Canada recognized that the right to strike is an "essential" and "indispensable" component of the right to collective bargaining, and ruled that the right to strike is protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; and At a time when countless workers across Canada are seeing costs for essentials like housing, groceries and transportation skyrocketing, our leaders should be promoting fair collective bargaining and liveable wages, not undermining them by attacking the right to strike. We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to pass Bill C- 247 into law without amendments to repeal Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code and stop violations of the right to strike in Canada.
Government response
No government response is available yet.