'Harper's Hand Picked Postal Dispute Arbitrator Must Step Down Due To Political Bias' - Federal Court
"The arbitrator appointed by the government to settle the labour dispute between postal workers and Canada Post should be recused, says a federal court.
After the government passed the Restoring Mail Delivery for Canadians Act in June, 2011 – the one that prompted a lengthy filibuster by the new opposition New Democrats – Guy Dufort was appointed as the arbitrator in the disagreement.
But then Dufort informed both Canada Post and the postal workers afterward that he had been involved with the Conservative party in 2010, as well as having been the prosecutor for Canada Post during a past pay dispute which lasted from 1998 to 2003.
Given the latter, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) asked that Dufort recuse himself. A federal court has now agreed with them. “In light of the unique context of labour relations and the special Law, the Court concludes that a reasonable and sensible person might worry that the arbitrator is biased because of these two reasons,” the court concluded.
The court has ordered Dufort to recues himself and for Labour Minister Lisa Raitt to appoint a new arbitrator." ipolitics
After the government passed the Restoring Mail Delivery for Canadians Act in June, 2011 – the one that prompted a lengthy filibuster by the new opposition New Democrats – Guy Dufort was appointed as the arbitrator in the disagreement.
But then Dufort informed both Canada Post and the postal workers afterward that he had been involved with the Conservative party in 2010, as well as having been the prosecutor for Canada Post during a past pay dispute which lasted from 1998 to 2003.
Given the latter, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) asked that Dufort recuse himself. A federal court has now agreed with them. “In light of the unique context of labour relations and the special Law, the Court concludes that a reasonable and sensible person might worry that the arbitrator is biased because of these two reasons,” the court concluded.
The court has ordered Dufort to recues himself and for Labour Minister Lisa Raitt to appoint a new arbitrator." ipolitics
