Air Canada is urging the federal government to prepare for intervention as negotiations with its pilots reach a critical point, with a potential strike or lockout imminent starting Sunday. The airline’s spokesman, Christophe Hennebelle, claims that the pilots' union is making 'unreasonable wage demands' despite Air Canada's record profits, leading to a stalemate in their fifteen-month negotiations. Business organizations have echoed this call for government action, stressing the disruption a strike could cause to Canada's supply chain and urging for binding arbitration to resolve the dispute. The pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, are seeking to align their pay with U.S. counterparts, while Air Canada has offered a 30% wage increase over three years. Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon believes a deal can still be reached without government intervention. If no agreement is reached by Saturday, Air Canada plans to issue a lockout notice and begin suspending flights as early as September 15.