Voice your concerns on the potential rail strike

Editor’s Note: Since the news of a work stoppage, we have updated the downloadable draft letter and speaking points. Please find that here.

With the Teamsters Union members working for Canadian Pacific Railway (CP Rail) voting 96.7 percent in favour of a strike mandate, ABP is extremely concerned about the potential impacts a strike will have on access to feed grains.

ABP is strongly encouraging producers to contact their Members of Parliament (MP) to voice their concerns.

Negotiations continue ahead of potential rail strike

Since this is a very time-sensitive issue, consider contacting your Member of Parliament (MP) by email or phone.

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By Email

To streamline the process, we have created a template for your consideration. Please fill in your relevant personal information, along with any additional comments. And be sure to include your physical address, as this shows you are indeed a constituent of the MP addressed.

Download Template Letter

By Phone

Due to the timely nature of this issue, you may choose to call your MP rather than send a letter. Here are some points to highlight during your conversation: 

• Canadian beef industry suffered a devastating drought in 2021, causing widespread feed shortages.  
• Many producers relied on rail transport for access to immediate feed and have yet to procure stock feed reserves. 
• According to the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and National Cattle Feeders’ Association, should a strike occur, feed supplies will run out in 1-2 weeks. 
• This has the potential to cause serious animal welfare implications. 
• I am calling on you and your party to encourage a solution be reached by CP Rail and the Teamster Canada Rail Conference prior to March 16.  
• If a solution isn’t reached, both parties must move directly to binding arbitration to avoid a strike. 
• If a strike occurs, the Government of Canada must immediately declare rail services essential and invoke ‘back to work’ legislation, driving both parties into binding arbitration.  
• It would take over 1,000 trucks to replace the volume of grain brought in by CP Rail to continue to feed the 1.1 million head of cattle in Alberta and Saskatchewan.  
• Canada’s beef industry contributes more than $18 billion to the Canadian GDP and generates approximately 228,000 jobs. 
• I am concerned about our industry and the welfare of our animals.  

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