"If Air Canada thinks planes will be flying this afternoon, they're sorely mistaken," said Canadian Union of Public Employees president Mark Hancock.

Air Canada suspended plans to restart operations Sunday after the union representing 10,000 flight attendants said it will defy a return to work order.

"The government will be very reticent to be too heavy-handed because in Canada the Supreme Court has ruled that governments have to be very careful when they take away the right to strike, even for p...