Efforts to broker a settlement and end a strike that has effectively shut down Canada’s postal agency have been suspended as the company and the labor union remain far apart on critical issues.

OTTAWA — Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon is summoning Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers to his office today as federal mediation to end the nearly two-week old strike isn't working.

OTTAWA: The special mediation between Canada Post and the union has been suspended when the national strike is on its 13th day, Canadian Labour Minster Steven MacKinnon said.

This pause in mediation activities will hopefully permit the parties to reassess their positions and return to the bargaining table with renewed resolve,” said Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon.

A Canadian woman who applied for a special visa to accept a job in the U.S. says she's been stuck in Ottawa for two weeks, not knowing when her application will be delivered because Canada Post workers are on strike.

The federal government says it is not planning to intervene to resolve the labour dispute at Canada Post, even with less than a month to go before Christmas.

Negotiations have broken down between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers for the first time since a countrywide strike began. The federally appointed special mediator found that 'parties remain too far apart on critical issues for mediation to be successful at this time,

OTTAWA — Canada Post says it's missed out on delivering an estimated 10 million parcels as a strike by more than 55,000 workers across the country continues ahead of Black Friday.