Global National: June 29, 2024 | Flight cancellations grow as WestJet mechanics hit picket lines

In tonight's top story: On one of Canada's busiest long weekends, thousands of travellers find themselves stranded due to a mechanics' strike at WestJet. The airline has cancelled at least 235 flights, affecting thousands of people. This turn of events comes as a surprise, as the Canadian federal government had imposed binding arbitration in an attempt to prevent the work stoppage. WestJet claims that the union walked away from a deal that would have made the maintenance engineers the highest paid in Canada. The government is now intervening, meeting with both sides to seek a resolution. Sean O'Shea has that story. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's political fate is hanging by a thread following a devastating byelection loss for the Liberals in the riding of Toronto-St. Paul's. Amidst growing discontent within the Liberal caucus, Trudeau has refused to address the upsetting defeat for five consecutive days, fuelling speculation and outrage. While the PM remains tight-lipped in public, rumours are swirling about a covert phone campaign orchestrated by the prime minister's office to quell the political uproar. Mercedes Stephenson reports on how the prime minister's office is working overtime to lower the political heat. In the United States, there is a mounting push to get President Joe Biden to reconsider his decision to run in the 2024 presidential election. This fervent call for reconsideration comes on the heels of a lacklustre performance in Thursday's debate with former president Donald Trump. As Reggie Cecchini explains, even members of his party are now openly questioning whether he is up to the task, underscoring the intensity of the situation. A Russian missile strike has caused grievous injuries to at least one person and has left over a dozen others wounded in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. Additionally, reports from Kyiv indicate that separate Russian attacks across eastern Ukraine have resulted in the death of at least 11 more people today. Meanwhile, Russian officials have reported attacks by Ukraine, with at least five people said to have been killed by a "Ukrainian" drone strike in Russia's southwestern Kursk region. Mike Armstrong reports on how drones have become pivotal in this conflict. Plus, the federal government in Canada has implemented new regulations targeting "greenwashing," requiring companies to substantiate their environmental claims under the amended Competition Act. While environmental groups support the changes, opposition from industry and some provincial leaders persists. The new laws have caused concern in the energy industry and have been criticized for their vague nature. Heather Yourex-West reports. For more info, please go to https://globalnews.ca Subscribe to Global News Channel HERE: http://bit.ly/20fcXDc Like Global News on Facebook HERE: http://bit.ly/255GMJQ Follow Global News on X HERE: http://bit.ly/1Toz8mt Follow Global News on Instagram HERE: https://bit.ly/2QZaZIB #GlobalNews #GlobalNational #westjet