Canada's Minister of Labour has given a federal mediator a deadline to propose a settlement in a strike at B.C.'s ports that he describes as "paralyzing" the country's imports and exports. In a brief online update Tuesday evening, the BC Maritime Employers Association noted that they, along with the union representing thousands of striking dock workers, received correspondence from Seamus O'Regan saying he has invoked his statutory powers under the Canada Labour Code to instruct the mediator to draft the terms of a recommended settlement within 24 hours.