OTTAWA - The federal Liberal government is intervening to resolve the labour dispute at Canada's largest airline on the first day of a strike by its flight attendants that has scuttled hundreds of flights and threatened the economy.

Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu said she directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order Air Canada and the union representing its flgiht attendants to resume operations and resolve the dispute through binding arbitration.

Hajdu said she made the call after meeting with both sides Friday night, finding that talks were breaking down and the two sides remained too far apart.

"In this instance, and despite resolution on a number of key items, this dispute will not be resolved quickly enough," she said at a news conference in Ottawa. "Canadians have already sa

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