Canada's Maritime Employers Association (MEA) has requested that the Minister of Labour and Seniors, Steven MacKinnon, appoint a special mediator, as consensus with the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) has not yet been reached. The ILA has called for strike action at the Viau and Maisonneuve terminals in Montreal port today, October 31st. Montreal's dockers have been without a collective agreement since December 2023 and have engaged in intermittent industrial action over the past month. The ILA, representing dockers along North America's east coast, issued a 72-hour strike notice on October 28th, with the action scheduled to commence at 11 am local time today. The MEA is urging MacKinnon to appoint the mediator by December 3rd. The MEA stated, "Discussions over the past few hours have failed to bring the union back to the table in a constructive manner. This pressure tactic will quickly lead to major operational upheavals, jeopardizing the operations of several companies, as well as the financial health of the MEA, which is already coping with declining volumes." They added, "It's clear that the parties are currently at an impasse. The MEA is appealing for the government to appoint a special mediator to break the deadlock in negotiations as soon as possible." The MEA has indicated they will not provide further comment on the situation.