Hours after Air Canada flight attendants went on strike and the airline indefinitely paused all flights, the Canadian government intervened Saturday and ordered operations to resume. Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu ordered the company's management and the union back to participate in binding arbitration to hash out their differences on wages and compensation.

In an interview with Reuters, Mike Rousseau blamed the impasse on a gap between the airline's offer and its union's demands.

In what is being called a “terrible precedent” by CUPE and a “blatant misuse” of the Labour Code by opposition MPs, federal Jobs minister Patty Hajdu has ordered Air Canada flight attendants back to work while the airline and union undergo binding arbitration.