Air Canada and business leaders are asking Ottawa to be ready to intervene in labour talks with its pilots as time is running out before a potential shutdown, but so far the government has said the two sides need to work things out.

Airline spokesman Christophe Hennebelle said Thursday that Air Canada is committed to negotiations, but it faces wage demands from the Air Line Pilots Association that it canSA国际影视传媒檛 meet.

SA国际影视传媒淭he issue is that we are faced with unreasonable wage demands that ALPA refuses to moderate.SA国际影视传媒�

The union has said itSA国际影视传媒檚 corporate greed thatSA国际影视传媒檚 holding up talks, as Air Canada continues to post record profits while expecting pilots to accept below-market compensation.

Hennebelle said the airline isnSA国际影视传媒檛 asking for immediate intervention from the government, but that it should be prepared to help avoid major disruptions from a shutdown of an airline that carries more than 110,000 passengers a day.

SA国际影视传媒淭he government should be ready to step in and make sure that we are not entering into that disruption for the benefit of Canadians.SA国际影视传媒�

The two sides will be in a position starting Sunday to issue 72-hour notice of a strike or lock out. The airline has said the notice would trigger its three-day wind down plan and start the clock on a full work stoppage as early as Sept. 18.

Numerous business groups convened in Ottawa on Thursday to also call for action SA国际影视传媒� including binding arbitration SA国际影视传媒� to avoid the economic disruptions a shutdown of the airline would cause.

Arbitration SA国际影视传媒渃an help bring the parties to a successful resolution and avoid all the potential impacts weSA国际影视传媒檙e here to talk about today,SA国际影视传媒� Candace Laing, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, told a news conference.

SA国际影视传媒淐anada cannot afford another major disruption to its transportation network. A labour disruption at Air Canada would ripple through our economy,SA国际影视传媒� Goldy Hyder, chief executive of the Business Council of Canada, said in a statement.

The federal government however has said itSA国际影视传媒檚 up to the airline and union to make a deal.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 no reason for these parties not to be able to achieve a collective agreement,SA国际影视传媒� Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said at a news conference Wednesday night after the Liberal caucus retreat.

He said the government sees forward momentum in talks and that Canadians expect both the union and airline to make the necessary compromises.

SA国际影视传媒淭hese parties should be under no ambiguity as to what my message is to them today. Knuckle down, get a deal.SA国际影视传媒�

Asked why the airline would not just hold back and wait for the government to intervene as it did in the twin railway shutdowns in August, MacKinnon indicated it wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 so simple.

SA国际影视传媒淲hat I would say are there are significant differences between those two situations and leave it at that.SA国际影视传媒�

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Thursday morning the party would not support efforts to force pilots back to work.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e going to send a clear message again that we are opposed to Justin Trudeau and the Liberals, or any government, interfering with workers,SA国际影视传媒� Singh said.

SA国际影视传媒淚f thereSA国际影视传媒檚 any bills being proposed on back to work legislation, weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to oppose that.SA国际影视传媒�

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said Wednesday that Air Canada should negotiate in good faith with its pilots.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e not going to support pre-empting those negotiations. We stand with the pilots and their right to fight for a fair deal, good wages.SA国际影视传媒�

With files from Jim Bronskill in Ottawa