February 14, 2003

Labour and Immigration Minister Becky Barrett, today appointed Vincent Ready as a mediator in contract negotiations between Tolko Industries Ltd. and the Industrial, Wood and Allied Workers of Canada (IWA), Local 324.

Barrett said that both parties met yesterday with Premier Gary Doer in The Pas to discuss the status of the work stoppage. After the discussions, both management and the IWA requested that a mediator be appointed to resolve the matter.

"We are very pleased that both parties are going back to the table to try to resolve this matter," said Barrett. "Mr. Ready has been involved with labour discussions for many years and has a significant amount of experience in resolving labour disputes. We have confidence in his ability to help resolve this matter and put an end to the work stoppage."

Approximately 700 employees at Tolko have been off the job since Jan. 30.

"Today's announcement is a positive development for the company, the employees, The Pas and northern Manitoba," concluded Barrett.

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BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION.

Since 1982, Vincent L. Ready has been the president of Vincent L. Ready Labour Arbitration and Mediation Services Ltd., a private firm based in British Columbia. He has also worked as a conciliation officer for the federal government and as a mediation officer for the Government of British Columbia.

Over the course of his career, Ready has arbitrated and mediated numerous labour and commercial disputes in a variety of industries including forestry, manufacturing, agriculture, transportation and the public sector. In addition, he has also been named arbitrator in over 600 collective agreements across Canada.

Ready has received numerous appointments to commissions, panels and inquiries over the years including the Commission of Inquiry for the Province of Prince Edward Island and the Construction Industry Review Panel for the Province of British Columbia. He was an industrial inquiry commissioner on various issues for the Province of British Columbia and a special mediator for the B.C. Rapid Transit labour dispute.

Ready has also been a guest lecturer on mediation, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution at various conferences and training seminars for employers, unions and educational institutions.